Sunday Sermon
PRIORITY ONE: SEEKING THE KINGDOM
Date: March 2, 2008
Speaker: Pastor Gerry Gregoire
Scriptural Reference: Matthew 5:28-34
Listen to Audio Sermon

MATTHEW 5:28-34
28And why should you be anxious about clothes? Consider the lilies of the
field and learn thoroughly how they grow; they neither toil nor spin.
29Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his magnificence (excellence, dignity,
and grace) was not arrayed like one of these. [I Kings 10:4-7.]
30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and
green and tomorrow is tossed into the furnace, will He not much more surely
clothe you, O you of little faith?
31Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have
to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to
have to wear?
32For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all
these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all.
33But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His
righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things
taken together will be given you besides.
34So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have
worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own
trouble.

BEFORE WE ZONE IN ON WHAT WAS SAID IN OUR SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY, I WANT YOU TO
LOOK AT EXODUS 19:5-8 TO SEE WHAT GOD’S ORIGINAL INTENT FOR HIS PEOPLE WAS:
—
5Now therefore, if you will obey My voice in truth and keep My covenant,
then you shall be My own peculiar possession and treasure from among and
above all peoples; for all the earth is Mine.
6And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation [consecrated,
set apart to the worship of God]. These are the words you shall speak to the
Israelites.
7So Moses called for the elders of the people and told them all these words
which the Lord commanded him.
8And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord has
spoken we will do. And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord.

AFTER THEY CAME OUT OF EGYPT, GOD CALLED HIS PEOPLE A KINGDOM OF PRIEST.
GOD’S PROMISE WAS BASED ON THEIR OBEDIENCE AND THEY ALL ANSWERED THAT THEY
WOULD DO ALL THAT THE LORD HAD SAID. HUMANS HAVE VERY SMALL MEMORIES. WE SAY
WE UNDERSTAND, BUT WE DON’T. WE SAY THAT WE WILL AND WE DON’T. WE MUST
UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD HAS SAID TO US AND WE MUST FULFILL HIS CALL AND HIS
WORD.

OUR VERSE FOR TODAY IS SO SIGNIFICANT THAT WE NEED TO SPEND SOME TIME ON IT
BECAUSE OUR FUTURE AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A CHURCH DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH WE
UNDERSTAND AND FULFILL WHAT THE LORD IS SAYING.

NOW IN MATTHEW 6:28-30 –
28And why should you be anxious about clothes? Consider the lilies of the
field and learn thoroughly how they grow; they neither toil nor spin.
29Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his magnificence (excellence, dignity,
and grace) was not arrayed like one of these. [I Kings 10:4-7.]
30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and
green and tomorrow is tossed into the furnace, will He not much more surely
clothe you, O you of little faith?

HE IS TELLING US HERE THAT ALL THINGS WE WILL EVER NEED HE WILL SUPPLY. HE
SAYS DON’T YOU KNOW THAT I KNOW WHAT YOU NEED. THE PREMISE IS THAT PEOPLE
DON’T HAVE BECAUSE THEY REALLY DON’T BELIEVE OR HAVE LITTLE FAITH.

ROMANS
10:17 SAYS: –
17So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the
preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah
Himself).

IF WE HAVE LITTLE OR NO FAITH THAN THIS SCRIPTURE TELLS US WHERE THAT FAITH
IS COMING ---- FROM READING AND HEARING GOD’S WORD. HOW MUCH HAVE YOU BEEN
IN THE WORD LATELY? IT’S WHAT BUILDS UP YOU’RE FAITH SO THAT YOU CAN BELIEVE
GOD FOR WHAT HE PROMISES US.

WHAT THESE VERSES ARE TELLING US IS THAT OUR CONFIDENCE IN OUR CREATOR’S
OBLIGATION AND COMMITMENT TO SUSTAIN HIS CREATION WILL HELP US CHANGE OUR
FOCUS FROM OUR BASIC HUMAN NEEDS TO DEVELOPING A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH
OUR KING AND HIS KINGDOM.

PEOPLE WHO DON’T KNOW GOD ARE THE ONES WHO SHOULD BE WORRYING. MATTHEW 6:
31-32 SUMS IT UP: ---
31Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have
to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to
have to wear?
32For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all
these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all.
SO DON’T DO AS THE HEATHENS DO. WHAT UNBELIEVERS ALWAYS CONCENTRATE ON IS
HOW MUCH CAN I GET, HOMES, BETTER CLOTHES, AND MORE AND BETTER FOOD.
YOU ARE NOT TO BE A WORRIER.

THAN IN MT 6:33 SAYS SOMETHING THAT GOES AGAINST MASLOW’S CHART OF HUMAN
NEEDS:
33But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His
righteousness His way of doing and being right), and then all these things
taken together will be given you besides.

THE WORD “SEEK” MEANS MUCH MORE THAN WE PERCEIVE. GOD WAS ESTABLISHING A
PRIORITY FOR OUR LIVES WHICH IS THE SECRET FOR ANYTHING WE WANT TO DO IN
LIFE. THE KINGDOM IS TO MEAN MORE THAN FOOD, WATER, CLOTHING AND SHELTER.

HIS KINGDOM NEEDS TO BE OUR FIRST PRIORITY THIS UNBELIEVABLE STATEMENT
COMES RIGHT OUT OF THE MOUTH AND HEART OF JESUS. YET, MANY CHRISTIANS HAVE A
PREOCCUPATION WITH EVERYTHING ELSE. GOD IS SAYING, I WANT YOU FIRST TO
DISCOVER, UNDERSTAND AND ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

WHAT DOES PRIORITY MEAN? 1. THE PRINCIPAL THING. 2. PUTTING FIRST THINGS
FIRST. 3. ESTABLISHING THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. 4. OUR PRIMARY FOCUS. 5.
PLACING IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE. 6. PLACING THE HIGHEST VALUE AND WORTH UPON
SOMETHING. 7 FIRST AMONG ALL OTHERS.

YOUR PRIORITIES DETERMINE THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE AND DICTATE ALL YOUR
ACTIONS AND BEHAVIORS.

WHERE YOU END UP IN LIFE IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE PRIORITIES YOU
ESTABLISHED AND WHAT YOU SPEND YOUR TIME DOING.

BEFORE WE LOOK AT THE WORD SEEK, UNDERSTAND THAT VERSE 33 CONTAINS THE
PRIORITY FOR EVERYONE THAT WAS EVER BORN INCLUDING YOU. ALTHOUGH IT’S HIDDEN
FROM MOST PEOPLE INCLUDING MANY CHRISTIANS, IT’S RELEVANT TO EVERYONE. WHEN
YOU START TO SEEK SOMETHING, IT MEANS THAT YOU WILL BE SPENDING YOUR TIME
AND EFFORT ON SEEKING, AND REMEMBER THAT TIME IS A TRUE MEASURE OF LIFE. IN
FACT, TIME IS THE “CURRENCY OF LIFE.” WHAT YOU SPEND YOUR TIME SEEKING WILL
DETERMINE THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE AND DEATH.

YOU CAN BECOME WHATEVER YOU BUY WITH YOUR TIME. UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYONE AND
EVERYTHING IS COMPETING FOR YOUR TIME. HOW IMPORTANT IS YOUR TIME? IT’S YOUR
LIFE, MOMENT TO MOMENT. THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE USE OF YOUR TIME IS SETTING”
CORRECT PRIORITIES.”

SO NOW IN VERSE 33 JESUS SAYS SOMETHING THAT WILL REQUIRE A GOOD PORTION OF
YOUR TIME. HE SAYS THAT HIS KINGDOM AND RIGHTEOUSNESS IS YOUR FIRST PRIORITY
AND THAT YOU SHOULD SPEND YOUR TIME, (LIFE’S CURRENCY) SEEKING THEM.

NOW WHAT DOES SEEKING MEAN?

SEEKING IS STUDYING, LOOKING FOR, PURSUING, EXPLORING, UNDERSTANDING,
LEARNING AND CONSIDERING. ALL THESE WORDS PUT INTO ACTION WILL TAKE YOUR
TIME AND TO SPEND YOUR TIME PURSUING THE KINGDOM, YOU MUST BE MOTIVATED,
THAT IS YOU MUST KNOW FOR SURE THAT YOU ARE NOT WASTING YOUR TIME. WE MUST
REMEMBER WHO SAID TO DO THIS. IT WAS JESUS. YOU MUST WANT TO COMPREHEND ALL
GOD’S KINGDOM PRINCIPALS AND UNDERSTAND HOW THEY WILL BENEFIT YOU IN YOUR
LIFE.

BY SAYING THIS, JESUS WAS IMPLYING THAT THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT HIS
KINGDOM THAT WILL DO SOMETHING FOR YOUR LIFE THAT NOTHING ELSE WILL, IF THIS
IS TRUE, A GOOD PART OF MANKIND DOES NOT UNDERSTAND AND THEY SHOW THIS BY
THEY’RE ACTIONS. BECAUSE, WHEN YOU GET REAL, GOD’S KINGDOM IS NOT FIRST IN
MOST LIVES. NOW, LET’S BE HONEST.

EVERYTHING THAT MAN WILL NEED IN LIFE IS FOUND IN SEEKING THE KINGDOM FIRST.
IT APPEARS THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE IN FACT WASTING THEIR TIME IF THEY ARE NOT
DOING THIS. YOU WANT EVIDENCE, WARS EVERYWHERE, MEN ARE UNABLE TO LOVE
EVERYONE, BROKEN FAMILIES AND STRAINED RELATIONSHIPS IN MANY FAMILIES,
PEOPLE KILLING UNBORN CHILDREN, PEOPLE STARVING EVERYWHERE. ALL THIS BECAUSE
MEN SPEND THEY’RE TIME SEEKING OTHER THINGS FIRST.

IN ONE BREATH JESUS SAYS THAT THERE ARE ONLY TWO THINGS THAT WE ARE TO SEEK
FIRST IN THIS LIFE AND THAT IS HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. LOOK AT

WHAT MATTHEW 6:34 SAYS: —
34So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have
worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own
trouble.

WE ARE TO STOP WORRYING OR BEING ANXIOUS ABOUT THE THINGS OF TOMORROW. HOW
OUR LIVES WOULD BE SO DIFFERENT IF WE DID NOT WORRY.

PSYCHOLOGIST , PHILOSOPHERS, AND MEN OF SCIENCE WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS
HERESY. THE WORLD COULD NOT FUNCTION IF THIS WAS DONE. YET, THESE WERE THE
WORDS OF OUR GOD WHO WAS GIVING US THE KEY TO EVERYTHING.

MORTAL MINDS CANNOT CONCEIVE IT, BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN AND WILL MAKE IT
REAL TO US IF WE ASK HIM.
MOST OF ALMOST SEVEN BILLION PEOPLE ARE NOT SEEKING THE KINGDOM FIRST. WHAT
WOULD HAPPEN IF EVERYONE IN THIS CHURCH WOULD START SEEKING THE KINGDOM
FIRST? I DO BELIEVE REVIVAL WOULD BREAK OUT. WE NEED THIS TO HAPPEN IN THE
NEXT YEAR AND IT WILL HAPPEN IF WE STAY FOCUSED.

RIGHT NOW, IT APPEARS THAT MONEY , SEX AND SELFISHNESS ARE THE CENTER OF
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SEEKING THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
JESUS SAID THAT HE ONLY SPOKE WHAT HE HEARD THE FATHER SAY. PEOPLE ARE
AFRAID TO SEEK AND ESTABLISH THE GOD’S KINGDOM AND GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS
FIRST. THINK FOR A MINUTE, ARE THESE THE TWO THINGS THAT YOU ARE SEEKING
FIRST? IF THEY ARE NOT, IT MAY BE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND KINGDOM
PRINCIPALS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING IN RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD.

YOU ARE NOT TO SEEK RELIGION OR YOUR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS. AND BY THE WAY, IF
YOU WERE NOT HERE LAST WEEK, A KINGDOM IS THE GOVERNING INFLUENCE OF A KING
OVER HIS TERRITORY, IMPACTING IT WITH HIS PERSONAL WILL, PURPOSE, AND
INTENT. PRODUCING A CULTURE, VALUES AND MORALS AND LIFESTYLE THAT REFLECT
THE KING’S DESIRES AND NATURE FOR HIS CITIZENS.

WHEN ADAM AND EVE REBELLED, THE KINGDOM WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM, BUT THANK
GOD FOR JESUS. WE NOW HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HELP US TAKE DOMINION
OVER THE EARTH, GOD’S FIRST PRIORITY FOR MAN.

MAN HAS BEEN BLINDED. LOOK AT 2 COR 4:4 –
4For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers' minds [that they
should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating
light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image
and Likeness of God.

NO ONE WHO HAS EVER LIVED HAS BEEN MISUNDERSTOOD MORE THAN THE YOUNG TEACHER
WHO HAPPENED TO BE BORN, NOT OUT OF PREFERENCE BUT OUT OF PROMISE, THROUGH
THE LINE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT HEBREW PATRIARCH ABRAHAM ------ TO JESUS THE
CHRIST.

NOW GET THIS, MISUNDERSTANDING JESUS HAS CAUSED MUSLIMS TO REJECT HIM,
HINDUS TO SUSPECT HIM, BUDDHISTS TO IGNORE HIM, ATHEIST TO HATE HIM, AND
AGNOSTICS TO DENY HIM. BUT, IT JUST MAY BE THAT THOSE WHO CLAIM TO REPRESENT
HIM — CHRISTIANS, WHO IN FACT MISUNDERSTAND, AND THEREFORE MISREPRESENT
HIM THE MOST. THEY HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG WHILE AND CLAIM TO BE HIS
DISCIPLES, BUT MANY REFUSE TO SET HIS PRIORITIES IN THEIR LIVES. IT MAY BE
THROUGH IGNORANCE OR REBELLION BUT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT IN THE COMING
YEARS, WE AT JESUS THE ROCK FELLOWSHIP WILL SEEK HIS KINGDOM FIRST BECAUSE
WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS MEANT WHAT HE SAID IN MATTHEW 6:33 ----
33But seek aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness ( His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.