Matthew 6: The Sermon on the Mount (34)
Pray Psalm 72.1, 2, 7, 8.
Give the king Your judgments, O God,
And Your righteousness to the king’s Son.
He will judge Your people with righteousness,
And Your poor with justice…
In His days the righteous shall flourish,
And abundance of peace,
Until the moon is no more.
He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.
Sing Psalm 72.1, 2, 7, 8.
Martyrdom: Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed
O give the King Your judgment, LORD, and righteousness Your Son;
and let Him judge by Your good Word the need of every one.
Let righteousness abundant be where Jesus’ reign endures;
Let peace increase from sea to sea ’til moonlight shall be no more.
Read Matthew 6.16-34; meditate on verses 33, 34.
Meditate on “first”.
Prepare.
1. How are we to seek the Kingdom and righteousness of God?
2. How does seeking the Kingdom relate to worry?
Meditate.
Jesus came to announce that the Kingdom of God was at hand (Matt. 4.17). He was its Proclamation and Prototype, its Teacher and Template. What is it like to enter and dwell in God’s Kingdom? Look at Jesus. Jesus set up the world for the coming of His Kingdom, and here we find Him insisting on it as the defining priority of our lives.
Seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Seek these first, always, and in everything. We are called to the Kingdom and glory of God (1 Thess. 2.12) as the framework, focus, and future of our lives in Christ. To seek the Kingdom is to devote ourselves, in everything we do, to increasing righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit on earth as in heaven (Rom. 14.17, 18; Matt. 6.10). We won’t have anything to worry about if we devote ourselves, day by day, to seeking God’s Kingdom.
The Kingdom which Jesus brought near actually burst into time on the first Christian Pentecost, when the Spirit of God came to bring and empower it. It has been increasing like a growing stone since then, and nothing can prevent its ultimate victory when Jesus returns (Dan. 2.44, 45).
Give yourelf, every day, to seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. You will find the way and power to persevere through any trials or hardships, any setbacks or disappoints, and all opposition or adversity. Seek the Kingdom and righteousness of God first, always, and in everything. Today and every day.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Where our focus is, there our focus will be.
Have you ever noticed that you can be worried, or even angry about something, and then,
you inadvertently stub your toe, and all your focus immediately goes south?
That is exactly what Jesus is trying to do for us.
Keep your mind, heart, soul, and strength focused on the Kingdom and the work to be found therein;
and keep your eyes on Jesus so you will not be troubled about the circumstances surrounding you.
Or, at least, you will not be overcome by them.
Jesus, the Proclamation, Prototype, Teacher, and Template of the Kingdom said:
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.
In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer,
I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16.33).
And God says to all His children,
“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be My son” (Rev. 21.7).
All these things He will add to those who seek His Kingdom first and foremost.
Those things that we are not to worry about today—and to overcome today (much of which is trouble thrown our way by the enemy of our souls)—God has forewarned and encouraged about: “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful” (Rev. 17.14). That’s us. If we are with Him.
And our Kingdom? “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Dan. 2.44). It is a forever Kingdom.
But we must “walk worthy of God Who calls [us] into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Thess. 2.12).
This Kingdom that we are to seek first: first thing in the morning, as first priority of thought and action,
first of our loves, first.
“We are called to the Kingdom and glory of God
as the framework, focus, and future of our lives in Christ.
To seek the Kingdom is to devote ourselves,
in everything we do,
to increasing righteousness,
peace, and joy
in the Holy Spirit
on earth as in heaven.”
First, Always, and in Everything.
Reflect.
1. How would you counsel a new believer to seek first the Kingdom and righteousness of God?
2. How can you know when you are making progress in that quest?
3. Whom will you encourage today in this defining priority of our lives?
When he said that the one is to be sought first, Jesus clearly intimates that the other is to be sought later—not that it is to be sought at a later time but that it is to be sought as a thing of secondary importance. He showed that the one is to be sought as our good, that the other is to be sought as something needful for us, but that the needful is to be sought for the sake of the good. Augustine (354-430), Sermon on the Mount 2.16.53
Pray Psalm 72.15-20.
Praise God for His King and His Kingdom, and commit yourself before Him to seek His Kingdom and righteousness in everything you do today.
Sing Psalm 72.15-20.
Martyrdom: Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed
Let Christ be praised and all the gold of Sheba be His right;
let blessings to His Name be told, and prayers made both day and night.
And let the earth abound with grain, let fields His fame proclaim;
and may our King forever reign and nations bless His great Name.
Now bless the God of Israel Who wondrous works performs.
And bless His Name, His glory tell both now and forevermore!
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast continues readings from our book, The Kingdom Turn. Our Crosfigell teaching letter presses ahead in a series on the state of the Church in Europe at the time of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column looks at people in ministry. Check out our other excellent writers. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
