Resources/Articles
Why Is The Kingdom So Important
But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Matthew 6:33
It is always a challenge to figure out what comes first in life. Matthew 6:25-32 discusses the worry people have about things that should not really be the first things. Instead, what should be a controlling passion in the life of every Christian is not where we live or what we eat, but God’s kingdom and His righteousness.
An avid reader of the mountain text (Matthew 5,6,7) is not surprised by the Lord’s emphasis on the kingdom. Jesus points His disciples to hungering and thirsting for righteousness in the kingdom (Matthew 5:6). It is what God summons every disciple to do (2 Corinthians 10:5). It should be our priority in life (Matthew 6:33).
Why does Jesus add, “and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33)? Righteousness was demonstrated throughout the whole Sermon on the Mount. It is the righteousness of a changed life. It is the practice of true love for others (Matthew 5:43-48). It is the practice of devotion in marriage (Matthew 5:27-32). It is the practice of single-mindedness (Matthew 6:1-18). Seekers of the kingdom of God should develop a relationship with God by means of a new and transformed life. Such a life affects every part of our existence, relationships, and responsibilities. John Stott said: “So just as Jesus has already called us in the Sermon to a greater righteousness, a wider love, and a deeper piety, He now calls us to a higher ambition” (Christian Counter-Culture, p. 169). Is your ambition the kingdom of God and His righteousness? It should be!!!
