“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

It is the question of priorities and worries, which Jesus addresses in the heart of the Sermon on the Mount. He asks, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Matthew 6:25) In this question, He is asking what is life about?

As the people of Israel were about to enter the Promised Land, Moses would remind them of their purpose in life. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) Jesus would call this the greatest commandment. In His love for the Father, Jesus came to bring redemption to man. It was a love They shared before time. As He prepared to go to the cross, Jesus prayed. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.” (John 17:24)

We come to faith in God because of His love for us. His love is demonstrated through Jesus by way of His life, death and resurrection. We are now to show our love for Him, as we live life. In order for us to show our love for Him, He is to be the priority of our lives. Therefore, we are to seek Him. When we seek Him, we also seek His Kingdom and His righteousness. Jesus said, “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33) Jesus would also teach us that the Kingdom of God is to be the priority of our prayers. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10) He also said it would not be easy to seek the Kingdom but it will be the way to being blessed. “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12)

To seek Jesus and His Kingdom is also to seek His righteousness. He is the one who gives us righteousness through our faith in Him. And yet we must also seek his righteousness as we grow in our relationship with Him. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) The aim of our relationship is that we will develop in God’s righteousness which we receive by faith. “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” (Romans 1:17) Living by faith, our trust is in God and not the worries of the world. However, our faith gives us a desire for the ways of God, for His righteousness. “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:11-12) When we walk with the Living Word and the Written Word of God, we have a desire to seek God, His Kingdom and His righteousness with a desire, to love Him more.

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block