Scripture
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Colossians 1:13 He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves (NIV).
1 Corinthians 6:9(a) Do you not know that the unrighteousness will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.
Thought for Today
The words Jesus spoke in Matthew 6:33 are found in the most intricate and impactful sermons of all time, known as The Sermon on the Mount, or Sermon on the Plain. Portions of the discourse, and details of what led up
to the event, are recorded in the 6th chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Three chapters in the book of Matthew (5, 6, and 7) offer a more in-depth account of this sermon.
Some Bible scholars believe it may have taken the better part of the day for Jesus to teach this sermon. It contains a plethora of astounding thoughts and instructions which flowed directly from the passionate heart of the Savior. That one address contains worlds of knowledge and insight. Yet the King of Kings summed up the key to understanding His lessons and the means to execute them with a nineteen-word sentence; “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness…”
Sermon Highlights
The fifth chapter of Matthew begins as Jesus, seated with his disciples, declared blessings to the multitude that gathered. Among the crowd were people poor in spirit, impoverished, and grieving. He also shared why the meek, the merciful, peacemakers, and the pure in heart are likewise blessed of God. Further, the Savior plainly stated the manner of conduct, thinking, and service which His believers must follow.
Matthew 6 reveals Jesus’ firm teaching on the importance of discretion and humility when helping others. He warned of the dangers of haughty and insincere prayer and set the example how to pray. The Lord also taught the crowed the importance of forgiveness, service, fasting, and steadfast loyalty to God above anything else.
He continued by addressing concerns about lack of material provision. The Lord expressed how anxiety and worry about issues of life such as food, clothing, and shelter distract from the things of God. The message is as relevant today as it was to the people listening to the Lord on that day thousands of years ago. At times, the issues of life may threaten the ability to focus on kingdom matters.
Yet, Jesus was, and always is, aware of what we need. His words in Matthew 6:33 were intentional and timeless. A closer look at them reveals His Deity, wisdom and love throughout the ages!
God’s Kingdom and His Righteousness are Linked Together
The Lord made it clear that “all things will be added” if you seek first the kingdom of God. A kingdom is a territory or domain ruled by a dominant authority. On earth today, there are roughly 225 domains, countries, and territories that fit into this category. However, from God’s perspective only two kingdoms exist, His eternal kingdom and the kingdom of darkness ruled by your adversary the devil. The Lord declared the first action to receive everything you will ever need is to seek His kingdom.
Following, Jesus uses the conjunction “and” to convey that more is required. He says to also seek God’s righteousness. To seek God’s righteous means to commit to constantly learning and loving the heart and mind of God. It includes allowing the Holy Spirit to fill you as He works in you what is “pleasing in His eyes” (Hebrews 13:21).
Because unrepentant sin will not enter the kingdom, to seek first the kingdom and His righteousness also includes acknowledging, confessing, and repenting from sin. Yes, it’s a continual work to strive to reflect Him as you are renewed each day.
Seeking first God’s kingdom goes hand-in-hand with seeking His righteousness. The two cannot be separated. Without a sincere love of the righteousness of God, sin is present, which prevents access to His kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). Likewise, it is impossible to desire to live a righteous, virtuous life without knowing the blessings found within the kingdom of God.
The words of Jesus were a comfort to the anxious crowd as they listened intently to His words. When you feel overwhelmed, remind yourself that He is also speaking to you this day. As a citizen of a kingdom of which there will be no end, you lack no good thing according to the will of your Father God (Luke 1:33, Psalm 34, 10, 1 John 5:14).
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7
Prayer
Father God, thank you for the privilege to look for your kingdom and righteousness together because of the sacrifice of your Son. Without His blood, we have no hope of entering Your domain because we in ourselves are sinful and unworthy. We cannot praise and honor you enough; we worship you as the Eternal King. In the name of Jesus. Amen
