Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God And His Righteousness - Part 1253

"And as ye go, preach, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils, freely ye have received, freely give. " (Matthew 10:6-8)

Note that this same message -- the kingdom of heaven is at hand -- was preached by John the baptism when he preached of the soon coming Lamb of God, while in the wilderness. (Matthew 3:1-2) Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent ye, and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:14-15)

And then as Jesus walked, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. Jesus said unto them, "Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men." (Mark 1:16-17)

Jesus answered and said unto Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) Note that Nicodemus had already acknowledged that the Lord must be a teacher come from God, "For no man can do these miracles that Thou does, except God be with Him." Still, Nicodemus had to ask Jesus, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born?"

Jesus answered and said, "Verily, verily, Is say unto thee -- except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, "Ye must be born again." The wind blows where it lists, and thou hear the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it comes, and whither it goes, so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

Nicodemus answered and said to Jesus, "How can these things be?" And Jesus said, "Art thou a master of Israel and know not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up. That whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:3-21)

Breaking these scriptures down, what do we see happening? First, repentance. Second, believe the gospel. Third, follow Jesus, so that He can make us fishers of men. The conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus takes this point further. That is, we must be born again. We need to believe in Jesus in order to have eternal life. And we need to seek the kingdom of God, and His righteousness.

"For He whom God hath sent, speaks the words of God, for God gives not the Spirit by measure unto Him." (John 3:34)

Jesus said, "Blessed [are] the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3)

Jesus said, "Blessed [are] they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:10)

"Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." (Mark 10:15)

Jesus, in a teaching specifically to His disciples, taught saying, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)

This is why Jesus taught the disciples to pray the prayer that we have come to recognize as the Lord's Prayer. 

Jesus said, " Our Father .... Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven ..." (Matthew 6:9-15)

But what is the kingdom of God? We know that the kingdom of God is not meat and drink. (Romans 14:17) We know that Jesus said that not every one that saith unto Jesus, "Lord, Lord," shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 7:21)

When Jesus went out, and departed from the temple; and His disciples came to Him for to show Him the buildings of the temple, and Jesus said unto them, "See ye not all these things? Verily, I say unto you, "There shall not be left here on stone upon another that shall not be thrown down." (Matthew 24:1-2) 

But "when the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory, and before Him shall be gathered all nations and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides [his] sheep from the goats: and He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, "Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world... " (Matthew 25:31-34)

And when He was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, Jesus answered them and said, "The kingdom of God comes not with observation: neither shall they say, "Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 18:20-21)

For behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Indeed, in the old covenant they did eat manna in the desert. And, as it is written, "He gave them bread from heaven to eat." But Jesus said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven ... for the bread of God is He which comes down from heaven and gives life unto the world." 

Desiring this bread, they said unto Jesus, "Lord, evermore give us this bread." And Jesus said unto them, "I am the bread of life; he that comes to Me shall never hunger, and he that believes on Me shall never thirst. But I said unto you that ye also have seen Me, and believe not. All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, I will in no wise cast out. 

For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me. And this is the Father;'s will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which sees the Son, and believes on Him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:32-40)

And the Jews murmured because Jesus said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven." (John 6:41)

But Jesus knowing their hearts did not change His stance. In fact, Jesus went on to confirm the same message yet again -- "He that believes on Me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (John 6:42-51)

And they shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21-23) 

Jesus -- the bread of life which came down from heaven so that we may eat thereof, and not die. (John 6:50-71)

Let him who hath ears to hear, hear. Stand in the offering plate.