Jesus said:
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
(Matthew 6:33, KJV)
Those words are familiar.
But they raise an important question:
WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY MEAN TO SEEK GOD’S KINGDOM FIRST?
Many people believe in God.
Many pray.
Many attend worship.
Many consider themselves Christians.
But Jesus did not merely say:
SEEK THE KINGDOM.
He said:
SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
The word:
FIRST
forces us to examine our priorities.
THE CONTEXT IS ABOUT WHAT WE SEEK
Jesus had been teaching about the concerns of everyday life.
He said:
“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?”
(Matthew 6:31, KJV)
Then:
“(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”
(Matthew 6:32, KJV)
Notice the contrast.
THE WORLD SEEKS:
FOOD
↓
DRINK
↓
CLOTHING
↓
EARTHLY SECURITY
But Jesus says:
“BUT SEEK YE FIRST…”
What?
“THE KINGDOM OF GOD”
and:
“HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
Jesus was establishing priorities.
GOD KNOWS WHAT WE NEED
Jesus did not teach that food, clothing, shelter, work, or providing for our families are unimportant.
He said:
“…your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”
(Matthew 6:32, KJV)
God knows we have physical needs.
But physical needs must not become our highest pursuit.
Therefore:
GOD KNOWS WHAT WE NEED
↓
WE TRUST HIM
↓
WE SEEK HIS KINGDOM FIRST
↓
WE SEEK HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS
That is a life ordered according to God’s priorities.
WE CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS
Earlier in the same chapter Jesus said:
“No man can serve two masters…”
(Matthew 6:24, KJV)
Then He explained:
“…Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
(Matthew 6:24, KJV)
The issue is allegiance.
Who occupies first place?
GOD?
or:
THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD?
Money itself is not the problem.
Possessions themselves are not the problem.
Employment is not the problem.
Providing for our families is not the problem.
The problem comes when earthly things become our master.
Jesus said:
“NO MAN CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS.”
WHERE IS OUR TREASURE?
Jesus also said:
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
(Matthew 6:21, KJV)
That gives us a way to examine ourselves.
What receives:
OUR TIME?
OUR ENERGY?
OUR ATTENTION?
OUR MONEY?
OUR THOUGHTS?
OUR ENTHUSIASM?
OUR SACRIFICE?
Our priorities reveal what we treasure.
And what we treasure reveals where our heart is.
SEEKING THE KINGDOM FIRST AFFECTS WORSHIP
If God’s kingdom truly comes first, worship cannot simply be fitted into our schedule when nothing else interferes.
The first Christians:
“…continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
(Acts 2:42, KJV)
Their relationship with Christ affected how they lived.
They did not treat Christianity as an occasional activity.
It became the center of their lives.
SEEKING THE KINGDOM FIRST AFFECTS OUR DECISIONS
Before making important decisions, Christians should ask more than:
WILL THIS MAKE ME HAPPY?
↓
WILL THIS MAKE ME MONEY?
↓
WILL THIS ADVANCE MY CAREER?
↓
WILL THIS BE CONVENIENT?
We should also ask:
WILL THIS HELP OR HINDER MY SERVICE TO GOD?
↓
WILL THIS STRENGTHEN OR WEAKEN MY FAMILY SPIRITUALLY?
↓
WILL THIS PLACE ME CLOSER TO OR FARTHER FROM FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS?
↓
WILL THIS DECISION HELP ME REMAIN FAITHFUL TO CHRIST?
If God’s kingdom comes first, God’s will becomes part of every major decision.
SEEKING THE KINGDOM FIRST AFFECTS OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD SIN
Jesus did not say merely:
SEEK THE KINGDOM.
He said:
“…and his righteousness…”
(Matthew 6:33, KJV)
We cannot sincerely seek God’s kingdom while deliberately choosing a life opposed to God’s righteousness.
Paul wrote:
“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;”
(Titus 2:12, KJV)
Therefore:
SEEK GOD’S KINGDOM
↓
SEEK GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS
↓
DENY UNGODLINESS
↓
LIVE GODLY
The kingdom must affect our conduct.
SEEKING FIRST DOES NOT MEAN SEEKING ONLY
This is important.
Jesus did not command Christians to abandon:
WORK
FAMILY
RESPONSIBILITIES
EDUCATION
HEALTH
or:
THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE.
The issue is not whether those things have a place.
The issue is:
WHAT HAS FIRST PLACE?
A Christian may work hard.
A Christian may provide for his family.
A Christian may enjoy legitimate recreation.
A Christian may plan for the future.
But none of those things can take the place that belongs to God.
THE RICH FOOL HAD THE WRONG PRIORITY
Jesus described a wealthy man whose land produced abundantly.
The man said:
“I will pull down my barns, and build greater…”
(Luke 12:18, KJV)
Then he said:
“Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”
(Luke 12:19, KJV)
But God said:
“Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee…”
(Luke 12:20, KJV)
Jesus concluded:
“So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
(Luke 12:21, KJV)
The man’s problem was not merely that he possessed wealth.
His life was centered upon himself.
He had prepared for:
YEARS ON EARTH
but not:
ETERNITY.
WHAT ARE WE SEEKING FIRST?
This question reaches into everyday life.
If worship conflicts with recreation:
WHICH COMES FIRST?
If obedience conflicts with popularity:
WHICH COMES FIRST?
If Scripture conflicts with family tradition:
WHICH COMES FIRST?
If God’s will conflicts with personal preference:
WHICH COMES FIRST?
If faithfulness costs us financially:
WHICH COMES FIRST?
If following Christ requires sacrifice:
WHICH COMES FIRST?
It is easy to say:
“GOD COMES FIRST.”
The real test is what happens when putting God first costs us something.
THE BIBLICAL PATTERN
GOD KNOWS OUR PHYSICAL NEEDS
Matthew 6:32
↓
WE TRUST OUR HEAVENLY FATHER
↓
WE SEEK THE KINGDOM OF GOD FIRST
Matthew 6:33
↓
WE SEEK HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS
Matthew 6:33
↓
WE REFUSE TO SERVE ANOTHER MASTER
Matthew 6:24
↓
WE PLACE OUR TREASURE IN HEAVEN
Matthew 6:19–21
↓
WE CONTINUE STEDFASTLY IN CHRIST’S WAY
Acts 2:42
↓
WE LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, AND GODLY
Titus 2:12
↓
GOD REMAINS FIRST
THAT IS THE PATTERN.
Jesus did not say:
SEEK GOD WHEN IT IS CONVENIENT.
He did not say:
SEEK GOD AFTER EVERYTHING ELSE HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
He did not say:
GIVE GOD WHATEVER TIME IS LEFT.
He said:
“SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD.”
That requires each of us to ask:
WHAT ACTUALLY COMES FIRST IN MY LIFE?
Not:
WHAT DO I SAY COMES FIRST?
But:
WHAT DOES MY LIFE SHOW COMES FIRST?
Look at your time.
Look at your priorities.
Look at your decisions.
Look at your worship.
Look at your relationships.
Look at your use of money.
Look at what you sacrifice for.
Look at what you refuse to sacrifice.
Then ask:
DOES MY LIFE DEMONSTRATE THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD COMES FIRST?
Don’t accept this conclusion merely because it is written here.
Open your Bible.
Read Matthew 6.
Read Luke 12.
Read Acts 2.
Read Titus 2.
Compare Scripture with Scripture.
Then examine your priorities according to the Word of God.
Jesus said:
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
(Matthew 6:33, KJV)
GOD FIRST.
↓
HIS KINGDOM FIRST.
↓
HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS FIRST.
↓
THEN ORDER EVERYTHING ELSE ACCORDINGLY.
ALLOW SCRIPTURE TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE.
The Biblical Pattern 