Seek First His Kingdom and His Righteousness

Matthew 6:24–34

Good afternoon, everyone. How are you?Cold weather is affecting many areas of the United States and even South Korea. John Moon mentioned that freezing rain is expected in Texas, including Austin and Houston, for several days, and many churches have canceled their worship services. I truly thank God that He has allowed us to gather here today to worship our Lord, Jesus Christ.

The reason I prepared today’s passage is that today’s key verse—Matthew 6:33—is Shawn’s life key verse and also Joshua’s key verse for 2026. When I look at our current situations, I realize how important it is for us to understand the meaning of this passage and how to apply it to our daily lives. This verse is one of the most challenging Scriptures to obey—it feels unreasonable, difficult to digest, and hard to practice.

Our natural tendency is to manage our own lives first—our work, finances, and security—and only then think about others. That is why all human beings, whether poor or rich, worry about the same things: “What shall we eat?” “What shall we drink?” “What shall we wear?”

However, Jesus gives us a revolutionary direction in verses 32–33:

“For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

When I look back on my own life, Matthew 6:33 has been one of the most undeniable and powerful verses that has guided me toward God and sustained my faith through many critical moments. I had responsibilities for my family and my parents. Without faith in this truth, I could not have begun my Christian life as the eldest son in the Kim family. Without faith in this truth, I could not have come to the mission field. Even now, I cannot fully explain how this works, but I know it is an undeniable truth.

Why does Jesus give us such a radical command? What does it truly mean to seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness?

Let us study this passage together. May God give us humble hearts to listen, to apply His word to our practical lives, and to experience it as living truth.

Part One – The Controlling Factor of Our Life

Early this morning, I received a text message from Maria. She wrote,“Could you pray for me today? I didn’t sleep well, and yesterday… I feel terrible today because of inner stress and disappointment.”

Is there anyone who is completely free from stress, worry, or anxiety? If there is, that person must be God—or already dead. None of us are perfect, and therefore none of us are completely free from worry. We may think it is natural to worry about our lives. However, Jesus gives us a powerful secret to overcoming worry in Matthew 6:31–33:

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

The Gentiles—those who do not know the heavenly Father—worry about the future and anxiously pursue these things because they believe they must provide everything for themselves. Verse 24 gives us important background to this teaching:

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

What do these verses reveal?

First, the core issue is who our master is: God or money, God or the world, God or ourselves. When money is our master, worry is inevitable. When the world is our master, anxiety rules over us. When we ourselves become our own god, we remain sinful, proud, insecure, and uncertain—and worry follows naturally.

The Gentiles Jesus refers to are unbelievers. They do not know the Father and are spiritually ruled by the powers of darkness. But when God is our Master, we can be free from worry. When we truly trust Him, anxiety no longer controls us.

Still, we might say, “We live in this world. We have responsibilities. We must work and earn money.” That is true. Money is necessary, and God calls us to work diligently and responsibly. We should manage our jobs well and live with excellence. This is also God’s command, as we see in Matthew 25:23:

“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”

We must be faithful with the work God has entrusted to us. However, when our job becomes our master, we become its slave—and worry begins to rule our lives.

I once spoke with Pauline. She told me many times,“Father, I have a great job. The salary is very good. I can work from home, although I have to travel often. About 3,000 people applied for this position, and I was chosen. Many people would envy me. But I am afraid, and I am not happy. I must manage everything independently. I constantly worry that I might lose this job.”

As I listened to her, I realized that her job had become her master. No matter how good a job, business, or company may be—if it is our master, we become its slave, and worry and anxiety will reign over us.

Even many Christians say they believe in Jesus as Savior, yet Christ is not truly their Master. We may confess that God is our heavenly Father, but we do not fully trust that He is absolutely good, that He sincerely cares for us, and that He is the sovereign ruler over our lives. Most worry ultimately comes from unbelief.

Philippians 4:6–7 gives us this promise:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

When Jesus is our Master and we fully trust Him, our problems become opportunities—to experience His almighty power and to know Him more deeply. Then we can pray with thanksgiving and gratitude, and even through our struggles, we learn precious spiritual lessons.

Secondly, the Matter Is Our Priority

Matthew 6:33 clearly teaches us about priority:

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.”

Each of us has many responsibilities in this world. We think about food, clothing, and shelter—basic necessities of life. That is why Jesus repeatedly addresses these concerns in verses 25 and 31:

“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?”

People today talk endlessly about money, job security, the economy, politics, and world events. These topics dominate our conversations. At the core of all these concerns is the desire for better food, better clothes, and a more secure life.

Jesus explains this in verse 32:

“For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”

One of the greatest comforts in our lives is knowing that our heavenly Father knows what we need. He knows everything. Nothing happens to us apart from His knowledge. He is aware of every moment, every weakness, and every need. You are not alone. He is your Father. He knows your situation, your wounds, and even the deepest parts of your heart.

God promises us:

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

We must acknowledge God’s omniscience and His fatherly care. You are not abandoned—God is with you.

However, our mindset often shifts toward depending on ourselves rather than trusting and depending on Him. As a result, we easily lose sight of God and begin to chase what is visible and tangible. Money feels more real than the invisible God. Our job seems more certain than God’s promises. Our present problems appear more powerful than the unseen God.

But remember this: whatever becomes our priority will eventually become our master.

If we truly believe that God is the sovereign ruler of our lives, then our highest priority must be maintaining a right relationship with Him. When God is first, everything else finds its proper place.

Part Two – Seek First His Kingdom and His Righteousness

Jesus does not begin by addressing our needs. Instead, He calls us to a different priority:

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

When Jesus teaches us how to pray in the Lord’s Prayer, He also teaches us about priority. He begins with:

“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)

Only after that does He teach us to pray for our needs:

“Give us today our daily bread.”

Jesus teaches us to seek God’s glory, God’s kingdom, and God’s will first, before asking for daily needs.

Firstly. His Kingdom Means His Reign Over Us

What does it mean to seek His kingdom?It means that Christ reigns over our lives.

How can Christ Jesus begin to reign over us?First, we must be born again by God’s grace. Otherwise, it is impossible for Christ to rule over us. After Adam’s fall, all humanity came under the rule of Satan. When we live outside God’s reign, darkness—such as worry and fear—dominates us.

But when we are born again through the precious blood of Jesus, Christ begins to reign over us, and we can taste God’s kingdom daily. To be a Christian means that Christ is our Lord. When the lordship of Christ is established in our hearts, the experience is truly sweet and powerful.

Jesus’ first message clearly teaches us how to receive His kingdom:

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14–15)

In order to receive His kingdom, the reign of darkness must be driven out. How? Through repentance. When we repent of our sins, sin no longer has dominion over us, and the great Light—Jesus Christ—begins to rule over our lives.

Secondly. Seeking First Is a Matter of Priority

Jesus clearly commands us:

“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.”

This means that God’s reign and our relationship with Him must be our highest priority. Our relationship with God must be living, active, and vital. We cannot compromise it for the sake of other tasks.

I know that many of us carry heavy responsibilities every day. When we become consumed by our responsibilities, we easily become slaves to them, and great burdens press down on us. However, when we lift our eyes first to Christ Jesus—the author and perfecter of our faith—peace and confidence begin to reign. We trust that He will give us wisdom and strength to handle everything else.

Daniel is a great example. He became a high official in the Babylonian kingdom even though he was a captive. From the beginning of his captivity, he resolved in his heart to live before God. Even after becoming a minister, his priority remained unchanged: he prayed three times a day.

Consider the pressure he faced—political threats, conspiracies, and danger. Yet he fully trusted the Almighty God. His enemies tried to find fault in his work but could find none. I believe God gave Daniel extraordinary wisdom and strength because he sought God’s kingdom and righteousness first.

Eventually, his enemies accused him because of his prayer life and threw him into the lions’ den. But God Himself protected him.If God gives you His wisdom and strength, you can carry great responsibilities. If God is with you, no one can defeat you. The secret is priority.

As I have been reading the book of Leviticus recently, I have learned an important lesson. God repeatedly emphasizes offerings and sacrifices—not because He needs our work, but because He desires restored relationship.

God’s priority is not first what we do for Him, but that our relationship with Him is restored through forgiveness of sin. When the relationship is right, God Himself helps us with everything else.

Another meaning of seeking first God’s kingdom is prioritizing His mission. In this world, we have many responsibilities: our jobs, our children, our families, our future, and relationships. Even thinking about a few of these can overwhelm us.

If we focus only on our own matters, we will never have room to think about God’s mission. But Jesus commands us:

“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”

When we place God’s calling and mission first, Jesus promises something that sounds unreasonable and even unacceptable:

“All these things will be added to you.”

When I look back on my life, Matthew 6:33 has enabled me to live a godly life. When I decided to follow Christ, I worried deeply about my parents as the eldest son in the Kim family. I could not even buy good clothes for them because I was poor to serve God.

When I decided to come to the United States as a missionary, I was uncertain, because I felt responsible to care for my parents. But my brother, a sincere Christian, encouraged me to obey God’s calling.

Again and again, Matthew 6:33 strengthened me to place God’s mission first. When I came here, God richly blessed my parents through their peach and grape farm. They learned to depend on God rather than on me, and their faith grew strong. Eventually, they even supported our mission work materially.

When I made God my priority, God also richly blessed my children. Matthew 6:33 is not a theory—it is an undeniable truth proven in my life.

This truth is also proven in history. When England pursued God’s glory and sent missionaries around the world, God richly blessed her. She became one of the most powerful nations for a time. But today, preaching the gospel there can result in arrest. A nation once blessed has become a nation that persecutes the gospel.

Thirdly, God’s Reign Means That His Word and the Holy Spirit Reign Over Us

How can we know the invisible God?How can we acknowledge Him?

God reveals Himself through His Word and His Spirit. When we meditate on His Word and pray, He makes His presence known to us.

I have personally experienced God’s reign through my early-morning prayer time. Each morning, I read My Utmost for His Highest and pray to my heavenly Father. It is a sweet and renewing time for my soul. However, whenever I skip prayer and fellowship with God because of a busy schedule, I always find those days to be empty and spiritually dry.

It is very easy to be ruled by our circumstances—by people around us, our studies, exams, or work. That kind of life may seem practical and logical, but it is joyless. We become easily exhausted and restless.

We often say, “I have so much to do. I’m extremely busy. I don’t have time—please don’t bring up spiritual matters.” But the truly wise life is to let God reign over us and to pray sincerely, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.”

Fourthly, God’s Reign Comes Through Sharing the Gospel

God’s reign also advances through what may seem like foolish preaching of the gospel.

We know this is not an easy task. However, when we obey Jesus’ Great Commission, the risen Christ gives us this promise in Matthew 28:18–20:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Countless Christians have experienced His presence, authority, and power when they stepped out in obedience to His mission. In fact, we were saved for this very purpose.

What we invest—our time, energy, and even our lives—in God’s kingdom work is not a burden but a great privilege. If we do not make God’s Great Commission a priority, we will not be able to truly serve Him.

What Does “His Righteousness” Mean?

God is absolutely righteous. No one is righteous except our Lord Jesus Christ. All of us have broken God’s law and are unrighteous. Therefore, we cannot stand before a holy God on our own.

To be in a right relationship with God, our unrighteousness must be replaced by righteousness. How does this happen?Through the cleansing blood of Jesus, we are clothed with His righteousness.

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones described righteousness in the Christian life this way:

“Our Christian life is seeking righteousness, seeking holiness, seeking to be like Christ, growing in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. The more holy we are, the nearer we shall be to God… Nothing can break our relationship with God.”

When we seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness first, worry and anxiety begin to fade. We experience His presence more deeply. Our hearts become less consumed with food, clothing, and material concerns.

Jesus promises us clearly:

“All these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

Our spiritual ancestors, the Puritans, sought to establish God’s kingdom in every area of life—law, politics, education, and society. They founded institutions such as Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford to train godly leaders and pastors. God blessed the nation richly.

However, when prosperity increased, spiritual decline followed.

Puritan scholar Allan Cardon wrote:

“Affluence could be dangerous because it made one feel self-sufficient and in need of neither God nor one’s fellow man.”

When we were poor and needy, we sought God desperately. But when we become rich and self-sufficient, material blessings can easily become idols. The more God blesses us, the more we must humble ourselves and remain rooted in His grace with gratitude. Otherwise, pride will lead us away from Him.

Conclusion

Jesus teaches us the secret to overcoming fear, worry, and anxiety. Matthew 6:33 is absolutely true, even when we cannot fully understand it.

I encourage all of you to live by the spirit of this verse. The world will constantly try to keep you busy and distract you from trusting Christ. But no matter how tired or overwhelmed you feel, seek Him first—His kingdom and His righteousness.

When you do, God will renew your strength like the eagle’s. And you will experience the truth of His promise:

“All these things will be given to you as well.”

Amen.