In this message, Pastor Ben outlines the two ways of seeking the kingdom of God. 1. By loving our neighbour sacrificially 2. By seeking God as our first priority
Seeking the Kingdom of God
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Alleluia.”
Today we are going to talk about what it actually means to seek first the kingdom of God.
As we near the end of Deuteronomy, we see that this wonderful book is all about God as King, His people as His beloved children and subjects, and the Promised Land as their kingdom inheritance. This was an earthly kingdom ruled by a good and gracious King, shaped by His word and His law.
Deuteronomy is a book of covenant. How does the King relate to His people? What are His people supposed to do and be? How does the surrounding world know they belong to God, and how can they be certain that their true kingdom is not found in Moab, Ammon, Egypt, or distant Babylon?
As we look at God’s Word today, we will focus on two distinct ways we can seek His kingdom:
- By loving your neighbor sacrificially
- By loving God as your first priority
Prayer for Guidance
Oh God, Your Word is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. But Father, our hearts and minds are not always prepared to receive conviction, encouragement, or rebuke. We pray that by Your grace and the power of Your Spirit, You would open our hearts and ears not only to hear Your Word, but to obey it. Open my mouth to proclaim it faithfully, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
The Connection Between Worship and Obedience
Connecting the pursuit of God’s kingdom to practical obedience might sound unusual at first. You might think, “Aren’t acts like loving our neighbor just everyday duties outside of church? Isn’t seeking God strictly about prayer, worship, reading Scripture, and interceding in our prayer closets?”
We must not separate worship from obedience. Throughout Deuteronomy, God never gives commands in isolation. Commands are consistently preceded by His grace: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Therefore, do such and such…”
Worship and obedience are bound together. If we do not seek God through the ways He has commanded, we are not seeking the true God—we are seeking a god of our own making.
1. Seek the Kingdom by Loving Your Neighbor Sacrificially
The command to love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18) requires real sacrifice.
Consider Deuteronomy 25:5–6:
“If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.”
The Selflessness of Levirate Marriage
In ancient Israel, male heirs preserved family inheritances and property in the Promised Land. If a man died without a son, his family line and land rights were at risk. To protect them, God commanded the deceased man’s brother to marry the widow and raise an heir in his brother’s name.
This requirement ran counter to natural human selfishness. A man might ask, “Why raise a son who will inherit my brother’s name and property rather than my own?” Refusing this duty brought public shaming because it revealed a selfish, ungenerous heart that cared little for a brother’s lineage or God’s covenant promises.
Practicing this command required deep trust in God’s provision and genuine, selfless love for family—the exact opposite of greed and covetousness.
Honesty and Sacrificial Service
Further in Deuteronomy 25 (verses 13–16), God forbids dishonest scales and weights:
“For the Lord your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly.”
Loving your neighbor sacrificially means being willing to take the short end of the stick. It means giving up your time, resources, or comfort without expecting a direct return:
- Volunteering at a food bank or visiting seniors leaves you with less personal leisure time.
- Loaning a prized vehicle to a young student heading off to Bible college risks wear and tear, but serves a greater purpose.
The Ultimate Example of Christ
Jesus set the ultimate pattern of self-sacrificing love. As Philippians 2 describes, He emptied Himself, took the form of a servant, and became obedient to death on a cross. He became poor so that through His poverty, we might become spiritually rich.
When we give freely of our time, energy, and resources, we discover that God’s grace is entirely sufficient to sustain us.
2. Seek the Kingdom by Loving God as Your First Priority
The primary command in Scripture is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5).
In Deuteronomy 26:1–11, God outlines how this priority was demonstrated through the offering of firstfruits:
“When you have entered the land the Lord your God is giving you… take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil… and put them in a basket.”
Giving God the First, Not the Leftovers
Upon entering the Promised Land and harvesting their first crops, the Israelites were instructed to bring a basket of their firstfruits directly to the tabernacle. Before enjoying the harvest themselves, they presented this offering as evidence of God’s fulfilled promises.
The key detail is timing: the offering came first. They did not wait to see how much was left over, nor did they sample the harvest beforehand. God was their top priority.
Obedience Over External Sacrifice
God prioritizes the devotion of our hearts over the size of our offerings. Consider King Saul in 1 Samuel 15: when commanded to destroy the Amalekites, Saul spared the best livestock under the pretense of offering a sacrifice to God.
Samuel rebuked him clearly:
“To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”
God does not want grand gestures on our own terms; He desires surrendered hearts that follow His directions.
Examining Our Priorities
What we align our lives around reveals what we truly love. Where do your time and energy naturally flow?
- Evaluate Your Schedule: If non-essential activities regularly crowd out gathering with God’s people, prayer, or reading Scripture, it reflects where our priorities lie.
- Cultivate Intention: Prioritizing God often means making courageous choices—adjusting work shifts, setting healthy boundaries around recreation, or managing family routines to keep spiritual life central.
Identity Precedes Action
In Deuteronomy 26:17–18, God reminds Israel of their identity:
“You have declared this day that the Lord is your God… And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession…”
We do not obey to earn God’s favor; we obey because of who He has already made us to be.
- A car drives because it is a car.
- A Christian obeys because they belong to God, redeemed from bondage through Jesus Christ.
Practical Takeaways
To actively seek God’s kingdom this week:
- Audit Your Calendar: Look at how you allocate your time. Identify non-essential distractions that clutter your life, and make space for prayer, Scripture, and fellowship.
- Love People Actively: Look for concrete ways to serve those around you—even when it costs you comfort, time, or convenience.
- Rest in God’s Grace: Rely on the Holy Spirit to strengthen and sustain you as you put God first and serve others.
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”