We come together to explore the profound wisdom embedded in these simple yet profound words of our Lord. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God is a directive that transcends the ages, speaking directly to our hearts and souls, offering us a profound invitation to prioritize the eternal above the temporal.
In this sermon on Seek ye first the kingdom of God, we will journey through the depths of this sacred teaching, understanding what it truly means to “seek first the kingdom of God.”
We will unravel the significance of this divine commandment, explore the transformative power it holds, and discover the incredible promises it offers.
What Is The Kingdom Of God?
According to Daniel’s explanation, the kingdom of God is a real kingdom that replaces the government or kingdom of this earth. ( Daniel 2:44) After Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, he revealed himself to the disciples and continued speaking of the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3).
Saul who went about persecuting the disciples and the newborn church, when converted, focused on the same message of the kingdom of God. So the kingdom of God is the kingdom of God’s dear son –JESUS.
Apostle Paul, though he was commissioned to take the gospel to the Gentiles (non-Jews), focused his teaching on the kingdom of God which he also referred to as the kingdom of Christ, and commanded them to be imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea ( 1 Thessalonians 2:14; Ephesians 5:5, Acts 14:22; Acts 19:8; 1Corinthians 6:9-10; Colossians 4:11)
Sermon On Seek Ye First The Kingdom Of God
The Jewish people were looking for a messiah- a word which means “anointed” in Hebrew ( Matthew 11:3; Luke 3:15) as taught them by Moses that a prophet like him would arise after his death
(Deuteronomy 18:15) who would liberate them from Roman rule, elevate the chosen Jewish nation in the eyes of the world, and establish His throne in Jerusalem (Matthew 21: 9; Matthew 22:42).
But when the messiah came to the earth in a human form named Jesus, the majority of the Jewish religious leaders did not accept this young man who was not of the priesthood lineage as their promised messiah.
Jesus, instead of initiating a political revolution and restoring Israel to greatness, went about preaching” the kingdom of God” and instructing people to repent of their sins (Mark 1:14-15).
Jesus, when he had chosen his disciples and started teaching, taught extensively on the gospel of the kingdom of God.
This he illustrated with various parables (Mathew 25:1-46; Mathew4:17-24; Matthew 5:3-19). This message of the kingdom was Christ’s central theme and the fundamental message of his disciples while he was on earth, (Matthew 6:33; Matthew 21:43; Mark 1:14-15) and that through this gospel they will be empowered to heal the sick (Luke 9:1-2) and do various other miracles.
When the disciples requested to know the meaning of the parables he used them in his illustration. Jesus said. “ To you, it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God;
Now, the question is, what did the disciples know about the kingdom of God? What did Jesus tell them? Is there any record in the Old Testament about this message of the kingdom?
(Daniel 2:44) “ And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever”( Daniel 7:18, 27; Isaiah 9:7)
Prophesying this event, God said in Jeremiah 23:5 “ Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a king shall reign and prosper and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth” ( Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-3) Zechariah 14:9 said” And the Lord will become king over all the earth; on that day the Lord will be one and his name one”
What Does The Bible Say About The Kingdom Of God?
It is a place of absolute authority where God expresses his rulership upon the earth. Scripturally, It is seen as God’s universal reign as creator and Christ as man’s Redeemer.
God’s kingdom is eternal, it is a kingdom that is unending, ever-continuing, without end, forever, it transcends space and time. (Psalm 103:19) “ The Lord has prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.” ( Colossians 1:16-17, Psalm 24:1).
Out of love, God created man –Adam and Eve, placed him in the Garden of Eden and gave him authority to manage the earth, and God commanded man not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that the day man eat it he shall die ( Genesis 2: 16-17).
When a man (male and female) faulted God’s instruction and ate the tree God commanded him not to eat, he died though not physically but spiritually, he was separated from God (divinity) and he started to operate according to his natural senses (instinct) and choices which led to chaos, struggling and afflictions.
How Does One Seek The Kingdom Of God And His Righteousness?
Seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness means striving to live by the precept binding the Kingdom of God. That is to say, God’s way becomes your top priority in your thoughts and actions. This you do by;
1: ACCEPTANCE OR TO RECEIVE. In Mark 10:13-16. Jesus taught the disciples that one is to receive the kingdom of God like a little child. This indicates that the kingdom is not something we are to achieve by our strength or effort but by God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). Christ uses the little child to illustrate our dependency and reliability on God for our entrance to the kingdom
2: REPENTANCE. For one to see and enter the kingdom of God. It has its qualification, which is you must be born again. John “ Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, Verily, I say unto thee, Except a man BE BORN AGAIN, he cannot SEE; the kingdom of God…
Jesus answered, Verily, Verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:1-8, that one must be” born again”.
To repent means we must change our Adamic nature of thinking, which is against God. For God in Romans 8: 6-7 says “ For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” Thus we need to turn away from sin and keep God’s commandment (Matthew 19:17).
Both John the Baptist and Jesus taught of repentance as a parameter of entering the kingdom of God (Mark 1:15; Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:23) “ And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” Our human minds are not automatically in line with God’s precepts.
As our creator, God knows we are dust. He declares in Jeremiah 17:9” The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
3: BAPTISM: Immersion under water symbolizes the death of the former sinful man and one’s total surrender to the lordship of Jesus ( Romans 6:1-4) and physical identification with the household of God.
Speaking to people who had been convicted of their sins and desiring to know more of this newfound life “ Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost”( Acts 2: 38)
4: BEING FILLED AND LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. The gift of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer is a guide and empowerment to access the kingdom of God without stress and guarantees of your sonship (Romans 8: 14) “ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
As the children of God,” The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to be the doer of the word and not the hearer only even though we are still operating in this body of dust (Romans 2:13; James 1:25).
“ But we are to grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” ( 2 Peter3:18)
5: KNOWLEDGE OF WHO CHRIST IS. Having the precise knowledge that Jesus came to the earth as a messenger of a new covenant (Malachi 3:1) who spoke the words of God the Father ( John 3:34-35; John 14:10; 17:18).
Jesus was the one who gave His life a ransom for the sins of man ( Ephesians 1:7) of those who truly repent and believe in Him so they can receive the Holy Spirit ( Acts 2:38) and become the children of God in His eternal kingdom ( John 1:12; Luke 12:32).
6: STUDY THE BIBLE. Study the scripture in other not to be misguided on the preaching of the kingdom of God. (2 Timothy 2:15; Jude 2: 3-4). Jesus in Matthew 4:4 state “ But he answered and said, It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” Seeking the kingdom of God which Jesus proclaim as the good news means to make a decisive stand to live by every word of God that changes life.
7: BELIEVING IN CHRIST. John 3: 15-16 “ That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” Belief in Christ leads a person to a spiritual birth that guarantees entrance into the kingdom of God ( John 17:8; Mark 1:14-15).
Conclusion
God created man in His image and likeness with all His attributes and abilities to rule the world with Him in a government that will last forever.
Man through disobedience to God’s instruction misses it and has tried every form of government, yet no one can satisfy.
God telling us to” seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” is to help us develop, through our experiences in this life, God’s holy and righteous character to rule with Christ as kings and priests on this earth ( Revelation 5:10)
Man cannot live his life outside God because he came from God thus, he needs to:
Receive the kingdom of God; repent of his sinful nature Be baptized; Allow the leading of the Holy Spirit; Have consistent fellowship with God; Study the bible purposefully; Believe the good news.
