Seek First God's Kingdom: Fix Your Eyes on Jesus

Jesus calls the heart to “take no thought for tomorrow,” because tomorrow is not the master and tomorrow cannot save. The words of Matthew press the soul to focus on what matters, not the things that keep pulling the eyes away from God. The call to focus is a call to give heart, mind, and energy to God and his purpose, not to earthly things that look big for a moment and then fade away.

Earthly things have a way of getting loud. Houses, cars, jobs, school status, sports, camps, weddings, clothes, shoes, and all those “more things” can start telling a person who they are. The hunger for more keeps asking, “How much is enough?” and the answer never comes when the heart is chasing stuff. The kingdom of God comes first, because when God is first, distractions begin to lose their power.

Jesus does not make a soft suggestion. Jesus commands those who follow him to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. God adds what is needed, but God is not secondary. God is either primary, or he is not. “First giving honor to God” cannot stay church talk. It has to become the way of life.

Paul gives the picture of pressing. Paul says he has not already apprehended, but one thing he does, forgetting what is behind and reaching for what is ahead. The race image tells the believer to leave some things behind and keep pressing toward the prize. Trials may come, storm winds may blow, Satan may try to derail with distractions, but the mark is still before the runner.

Christ is the solid rock, and every other ground is sinking sand. Jesus stayed focused on the work of the Father. Jesus came for this cause, went to Calvary, died for the sins of the world, and did not let hands, feet, enemies, or pain turn him around. Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life,” and there is no other way to the Father.

Peter shows what happens when the eyes shift. Peter walked on water while his eyes were on Jesus, but Peter started sinking when he looked away. Mary shows what matters when she sits at Jesus’ feet while Martha is busy with other things. The anchor holds on the solid rock, and the heart that keeps its eye on Jesus can say, “It does not matter what may come my way.”

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Seek the kingdom before things. Jesus puts the kingdom first because earthly needs are real, but they are not ultimate. The heart that chases “things” can receive blessing and still become more restless, more hungry, and more distracted. God’s order frees the soul from letting possessions, status, or success become its name. [09:47]
• 2. Distractions lose power under God. The kingdom of God does not merely rearrange priorities; it breaks the spell of false importance. When God is primary, a job, a title, a house, or social approval cannot define the person. The question becomes not “What does this give me?” but “Does this please God?” [10:56]
• 3. Press forward, leaving weight behind. Paul’s race is not casual movement; it is holy determination. The prize requires forgetting what has been left behind, even things once thought special, because heaven is home and this life is temporary. The faithful runner keeps pressing when trials come and when Satan tries to derail the path. [15:10]
• 4. Fixed eyes keep feet steady. Peter did not sink because the water changed; Peter sank because his focus shifted. The same feet that walked in faith began going down when the eyes left Jesus. Spiritual steadiness is not found in better circumstances, but in a locked-in gaze on Christ. [20:05]
• 5. Jesus is the only solid ground. Christ is not one help among many; Christ is “the way, the truth, and the life.” Every other ground promises support but turns into sinking sand when pressure comes. The soul that holds to Jesus finds that he is also holding on. [18:19]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:34] - Focusing on What Matters
• [02:22] - Pursue God’s Kingdom First
• [03:15] - Dedicating Heart and Mind to God
• [04:01] - Earthly Priorities and Spiritual Blindness
• [06:07] - Jesus Teaches About Worry
• [06:55] - Focus Determines Reality
• [09:47] - Seek First the Kingdom
• [10:56] - Distractions Lose Their Power
• [15:10] - Press Toward God’s Prize
• [17:48] - Keep Eyes Fixed on Jesus
• [19:49] - Peter Walks While Watching Jesus
• [21:14] - Mary Chose What Matters
• [23:26] - Questions for Daily Focus
• [25:08] - Invitation to Respond

Bible Reading

Matthew 6:33-34
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” [01:34]

Philippians 3:13-14
“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” [15:10]

Matthew 14:28-31
“And Peter answered him, 'Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.' He said, 'Come.' So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, 'Lord, save me.' Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'” [19:49]

Luke 10:38-42
“Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.' But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.'” [21:14]

Observation questions

1. In Matthew 6:33-34, what two things are believers told to do about the kingdom and about tomorrow?
2. What are some of the earthly things that can pull attention away from God and begin to shape a person’s identity? [04:01]
3. In Philippians 3:13-14, what actions does Paul describe with the words forgetting, straining, and pressing?
4. In the account of Peter walking on the water, what changed right before Peter began to sink? [20:05]

Interpretation questions

1. Jesus says to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. What does “first” seem to mean here: one priority among many, or the controlling priority that orders everything else? [10:31]
2. If distractions lose their power when God’s kingdom comes first, what does that suggest about why possessions, status, or success can become spiritually dangerous? [10:56]
3. Paul speaks about forgetting what lies behind and pressing toward the goal. What kinds of things from the past might keep a believer from moving forward toward God’s prize? [17:09]
4. Mary and Martha were both in the same house with Jesus, yet only one is said to have chosen the good portion. What does that reveal about the difference between being busy around spiritual things and truly focused on Jesus? [21:43]

Application questions

1. What has been competing lately for first place in the heart—work, family pressure, money concerns, reputation, comfort, or something else? What would it look like this week to seek God’s kingdom first in that exact area? [09:47]
2. Earthly things can start telling a person who they are. Where is identity most tempted to rest right now—in a job, school success, possessions, social standing, or something else? How can identity be rooted again in being a child of God? [12:30]
3. “How much is enough?” is a hard question. Is there any area where the desire for more has been feeding restlessness instead of gratitude? What practical boundary or habit might help put that desire back under God’s rule? [11:42]
4. Paul says to forget what is behind and press forward. Is there something from the past—failure, regret, hurt, pride, or even an old success—that has been slowing down spiritual growth? What would pressing forward look like in a concrete way this month? [15:22]
5. Peter walked while looking at Jesus and sank when his eyes shifted. When life gets heavy, what usually causes the eyes to shift—fear, disappointment, people, bad news, or self-reliance? What helps bring the focus back to Christ? [19:49]
6. Mary chose the one thing necessary while Martha was distracted by many things. In daily life, what are the “many things” that make it hard to sit at Jesus’ feet? What change in schedule, attention, or habit could make more room to listen to him? [21:14]
7. Christ is the solid rock and every other ground is sinking sand. When pressure rises, what false supports is there a temptation to lean on? What does holding on to Jesus look like in a real-life situation being faced right now? [18:19]