"Seek First" Reading Club Starts Next Week!

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Five reasons to read “Seek First” with us this summer!

We’re excited to encourage folks at Mercy Hill to read through Jeremy Treat’s book, “Seek First: How the Kingdom of God Changes Everything,” with us this summer.

Click on this form to sign up to receive a weekly outline of each chapter along with some discussion questions.

Here are 5 reasons to read along with us.

1. The Kingdom of God was what Jesus was all about.

Jesus could not stop talking about the Kingdom of God. He started his ministry talking about it and he was talking about it right up to his ascension into heaven.

  • “…he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose’’ (Luke 4:43).
  • “…Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God’’ (John 3:3).
  • “He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).

2. Jesus told his disciples to seek first the Kingdom of God.

Jesus taught abut many great things, but there was one thing he told his followers to seek above all things.

  • “But seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33)

3. Most Christians today are fuzzy at best when it comes to thinking about the Kingdom of God.

If someone were to say to you, “I started reading the gospel and Jesus kept talking about the kingdom of God. What did he mean by that?”, how would you respond to them?

The early disciples spoke effortlessly about the name of Jesus AND the kingdom of God, sometimes in the same breath.

  • “…they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women…” (Acts 8:12).
  • “[The Apostle Paul] welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:30-31).

4. Many Christians in the West live by a different narrative than the Kingdom Jesus spoke about.

Often, many of us in the West live by the values shaped by our culture pursuing our own interests, personal peace and comfort. If anything, our default instinct is the gospel of self-trust and building our own little kingdoms.

  • "But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:3-5).

We have often have poor thoughts regarding how God’s reign relates to our work, play, rest, and relationships. And we tend to let the culture set the tone on things like justice and mercy (when convenient), but these values are central to Christ and the kingdom.

  • J. Treat, “The gospel creates a people who seek mercy and justice. Why? Because the gospel gives us eyes to see others the way God does, and gives new hearts that motivate us to be involved in the work of justice that God is doing. The gospel gets to the heart, drawing us into God and into God’s mission. The more we understand the gospel, the more we are drawn into Christ’s heart for the oppressed and hurting” (p. 129).

5. We’ll enjoy living in the Kingdom forever, and we can enjoy the foretastes of it now.

  • “…we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:12).
    “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 4:17).

So, why not join along with us this summer as we read “Seek First”!?!

Click on this form to sign up to receive a weekly outline of each chapter along with some discussion questions.

You can read along at your own pace, grab a friend and read along together, or sign up to join one of our Zoom groups to discuss this book together.