These famous words come in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus is addressing worry (litt. To be divided between two opinions vs. a singular trust in the Lord). If we trust and seek Him and His Kingdom and righteousness, we’ll have no reason to worry and can trust the promise of the Lord to provide.

When Jesus admonishes to ‘Seek Ye First’ He is commanding us in something foundational, which in my experience, is a lesson that perennially speaks volumes to the non-Christian and Christian alike.

What does it mean to seek? It means to intently strive or search for something with the intent of finding it (picture someone seeking for the perfect house to buy). The world seeks advancement, prestige, material things, wisdom, religious favour, relationships, etc. Jesus calls us to seek something even greater.

What does it mean to seek ye first? Something that is first occupies the first place, is a priority of importance (picture someone with OCD having to have a clean car). Philosophy, politics, empire, family life and certain virtues are all things that people put first, and so seek.

People don’t only seek (and so worry) about food and clothing but all kinds of bigger things in life too.

But what should we seek first? Jesus identified two things: His Kingdom and His Righteousness. This applies differently to unbelievers (crowd- Mt 5:1) and believers (disciples- Mt 5:1).

Unbelievers
Unbelievers are naturally separated from God, His enemies and outside of His Kingdom because of their unrighteousness. They need righteousness and entry into the Kingdom more than anything else. By renouncing the world and repenting of their sin and turning to and trusting in Christ, the unbeliever is counted just or righteous by faith. They are declared legally right with God and given the gift of the Spirit to actually impart righteousness in their daily living. Upon being born anew they are adopted into God’s family, or brought into God’s Kingdom. What a glorious salvation to be transferred from the kingdom of darkness and brought into the Kingdom of His glorious light! If we seek and obtain these two things, food and clothing will pail in comparison and, by faith, be provided. It is a wonderful irony.

Believers
However, believers ought to seek first God’s Kingdom and righteousness but in a different sense. We ought to pursue personal righteousness by taking hold of the means of grace (prayer, ordinances, Lord’s Day, Scripture, fellowship and service, etc) and reliance upon the Spirit. This is how we grow in righteousness and become more like Christ. We ought also to seek His Kingdom, not entrance into it but its expansion. We do this through the means of course but more overtly through fulfilling the Great Commission, being members and serving in the local church’s ministries, personal evangelism, supporting foreign missionaries, etc. If we seek these two things as believer’s the Lord we can be assured that the Lord will take care of our other concerns. We don’t simply seek salvation from the penalty of sin and then stop seeking after our conversion. We go on seeking!
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Seek ye first can be helpfully demonstrated in this illustration:

​May this be a lesson to us, seek ye first the Kingdom of God!

Service is a vital for being part of a local community. It shows that you are giving, committed and involved. It benefits you directly in untold ways as well. Now say you wanted to work with children at a library club. What would be required? Do you like children and reading? (Can you read well?) Do you have any experience? Are you a local resident? You’d certainly need a police check since you’d be working with a vulnerable group. Let alone standing for public office or joining the military, there are requirements for service.[1]

Service is a vital part of Christian discipleship. Faith isn’t static, it’s an action. We express it through holy living and service in the local church. Joy attends to the servant who reflects the serving nature of their Master, for it is “better to give than receive.” (Acts 20:35; Phil 2:6–8).  Every member is meant to have a ministry to serve in (1 Cor 12:1).

But to be able to serve in the local church there is a similar check: are you a Christian? Do you have a credible testimony of conversion? Have you been baptized by immersion? Do you show the fruit of faith? Do you agree with our Statement of Faith? What gifts do you have? Christianity, while personal, is not private; it is meant to be lived out corporately. You cannot have the bee without the hive, and bees serve the hive! Our faith is expressed and the local church authoritatively discerns it through membership (Mt 16:18, 18:18). Membership is how we know who represents Jesus as part of Markdale Baptist Church. As such, membership is the ordinary pathway to service in the local church.[2] (Handbook 7.1; 13.3.5 and 13.4.1.3).

This should not surprise; just as police checks ensure the safety and success of library programs, the local church, as Christ’s representative body on earth, warrants equal care. Being a member ensures those involved in ministry are qualified to serve as Christians, are committed, teach the same doctrine and practice, are held accountable, exemplify the ‘one anothers’ and are united in purpose. To be a member is not only to aid your assurance but enable one to fulfil their call to service as a follower of Christ.

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[1] Another illustration is marriage. To enjoy the legal and spiritual blessings and privileges of marriage you must get married!

[2] Exceptions might include when we ask someone we believe to be a believer to help in a one off capacity (or an unbeliever in appropriate settings) or when we partner with other likeminded churches and their members.