"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for

the morrow shall take thought for the things of

itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil

thereof," MAT 6:34.

The Lord has a reward for every person: the

righteous and the wicked. "For the Son of man

shall come in the glory of his Father with his

angels; and then he shall reward every man

according to his works," MAT 16:27. There are

only two classes of people, and they are

identified by whom they serve.

I once read a story about a dying man. He was

asked if there was anything he wanted to tell his

family. He replied, "They know how I lived; they

have seen that. All you have to tell them is how

I died. I died trusting the Lord."

See exactly the same principle in 1JO 3:10-12;

watch for the two classes of people. "In this

the children of God are manifest [made clear as

the light, unmistakably identified], and the

children of the devil: whosoever doeth not

righteousness is not of God [It is that clean cut

and absolute!], neither he that loveth not his

brother. For this is the message that ye heard

from the beginning, that we should love one

another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one,

and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him?

Because his own works were evil, and his

brother's righteous."

We have heard this message of love from the

beginning, and we are given the example of Cain

and Abel. That is a powerful gospel. Are we

claiming salvation without having this salvation

worked in our soul? Do we understand what it is

to serve the Lord under the second table of the

law?

Our text is to console those who delight greatly

in God's will, holding forth the future reward of

the righteous. Our text says, "Take therefore no

thought for the morrow." If serving the Lord is

our first priority, the reward is security for

the future in this life and throughout eternity.

There is a reward; my Bible tells me so. It is

the good news of the gospel.

There will come a day of reckoning. So many

people want to wait until the Lord converts them,

but they are going to live in sin while they

wait. What does it mean to be converted? It means

a change of attitude, a complete turn around,

serving the Lord instead of serving self.

Watch what Scripture says about those who do well

and those who do evil. ROM 2:6-11 tells us, "Who

will render to every man according to his deeds:

To them who by patient continuance in well doing

seek for glory and honour and immortality,

eternal life: But unto them that are contentious,

and do not obey the truth, but obey

unrighteousness [coming against our neighbour],

indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish,

upon every soul of man that doeth evil of the Jew

first, and also of the Gentile; For there is no

respect of persons with God." These are solemn

words, not of man; they are God's words. The

righteous and the wicked are identified by whom

they serve. The reward of each is revealed and

sure.

Consider our text; Jesus is consoling those who

do well, but the apostle says the Jews, i.e., the

professing Christians, will be the first to

account for what they are doing because they are

sinning against the knowledge of God's Word.

Secondly, the Gentiles will be held accountable.

These are solemn truths. This is what Jesus is

teaching us when He says, "But seek ye first the

kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all

these things shall be added unto you," MAT 6:33.

In the very next verse He says, "Take therefore

no thought for the morrow..." because we must not

be so concerned about the future. We must

consider today. What we are doing today is

important and of great concern because what we do

today makes our future. If we are serving the

wicked one today, we have a grave concern for the

future. We must get our act straightened out for

today and tomorrow will take care of itself for

there is no respect of persons with God.

We are not to live in anxiety about an unknown

future, but we are to serve the Lord today! We

are to seek first the kingdom, i.e., the will of

God in the first and second table of the law, and

trust Him for the reward He has promised. To see

this promise we can look at HEB 11:6, "But

without faith it is impossible to please him: for

he that cometh to God must believe that he is,

and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently

seek him." We must trust Him for the reward that

has been promised to us in His Word. If we don't,

we do not have a saving faith. Amen.

A charge to keep I have, a God to glorify,

A never dying soul to save, and fit it for the

sky.

To serve the present age, my calling to fulfill;

O may it all my powers engage, to do my Master's

will!

Arm me with jealous care as in Thy sight to live,

And O Thy servant, Lord, prepare, a strict

account to give!

Help me to watch and pray and on Thyself rely,

And let me ne'er my trust betray, but press to

realms on high.

Charles Wesley, 1707-1788