Matthew 6:25-34: “Jesus Teaches His Disciples Not To Worry Or
Be Anxious”
by
1.
INTRO
1.1.
In this next section we will look at what Jesus says here in the Sermon
On the Mount about ‘worry’ and being ‘anxious’
1.1.1. He begins this teaching by
saying, ‘for this reason’, and I personally believe that what He is saying by
that to His disciples is that since they cannot serve God and Mammon, and
because they have chosen to follow Him, that they can take great comfort now in
the fact that they do not need to have any worry or anxiety in their lives
1.1.1.1.A recent study stated that
stress-related worry was the greatest cause of heart attacks in the
1.1.1.2.Worry is really the
underlying cause of most of the problems and difficulties that we have in our
lives as the following quote from Parsons Technologies illustrates, “At a British clinic an
examination of 500 patients confirmed that more than one-third of their visual
problems were caused by emotional tension.
Dr. Leonard S. Fosdick of
1.1.1.3.The following is a poem I
found by an unknown author called,
“When Birds Worry
When the
birds begin to worry
And the
lilies toil and spin,
And God’s
creatures all are anxious,
Then I
also may begin.
For my
Father sets their table,
Decks them
out in garments fine,
And if He
supplies their living,
Will He
not provide for mine?
Just as noisy,
common sparrows
Can be
found most anywhere—
Unto some
just worthless creatures,
If they
perish who would care?
Yet our
Heavenly Father numbers
Every
creature great and small,
Caring
even for the sparrows.
Marking
when to earth they fall.
If His
children’s hairs are numbered,
Why should
we be filled with fear?
He has
promised all that’s needful,
And in
trouble to be near”
1.1.2. In this section Jesus uses
some interesting subjects for the illustration of His points about worry
1.1.2.1.birds of the air (sparrows)
1.1.2.2.lilies of the field
1.1.2.3.grass of the field
1.1.3. Using Spurgeon’s outline
headings, in this section of scripture Jesus teaches the following about
‘worry’:
1.1.3.1.It is needless
1.1.3.2.It is useless
1.1.3.3.It is heathenism
1.1.4. In the final part of this study
we will look at verse 33 of this chapter which perhaps more than any other
verse has become the ‘life verse’ for many Christians
2.
VS 6:25 - “25
“For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you
shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put
on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing?”” - Jesus tells His disciples that because He
shall be their one and only master, that they do not need to worry about the
necessities of life
2.1.
person who
occupies himself with the things of this world (mammon) will then spend his
time worrying and fretting about everything in his life, however the person who
lives for Christ and His kingdom shall not have to worry about anything for the
Lord shall provide for him
2.2.
This verse and
the ones preceding it here are not a contradiction of the many exhortations in
the scripture about diligent planning and working hard and conscientiously,
rather what Jesus is exhorting against is simply worrying about the future
2.2.1. We Christians are called to work hard, and if we will
just live in the now and work hard then the Lord will take care of our future
2.3.
It is revealing
that most of the scenarios that people worry about the most never even occur
2.4.
Worrying about
things does not change the outcome of the thing that we are worrying about one
bit, therefore worrying is a worthless activity as it zaps us of our strength
and health and yields nothing in return
2.5.
Worrying shows a
lack of faith in our life, as it tells the Lord that we do not really believe
His promises for us
2.5.1. We ought to pray about our needs and the events of the
future and then just trust and rest in the fact that the Lord will answer us
according to His perfect will
2.5.2. To worry after we have prayed about things is a
contradiction to our faith, and thus it doubts the promises of God’s Word as
well as His good intentions for us, and for this reason it is very sinful for
us to worry
2.6.
It is interesting
that we Christians can trust God for the eternal care of our souls, yet we have
a hard time trusting Him to take care of the small details of our lives
2.7.
The things that
Jesus commands us here not to worry about concern the ‘necessities of our
life’:
2.7.1. our life
2.7.2. what we shall eat
2.7.3. what we shall drink
2.7.4. our body
2.7.4.1.what we shall put on
( clothes )
2.8.
God has not
promised to meet all of the ‘wants’ that we may have, rather He has only
promised to supply all of the ‘needs’, yet that is more than sufficient for us
2.9.
When Jesus says,
‘Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing?’, I believe that He is
challenging us about getting too concerned about things that don’t really
involve the necessities of life
2.9.1. He would then be saying that there is more to our life
than the food we eat, and if God sustains our physical and spiritual life, it
is irrational for us to think that He will not also sustain us with food,
especially since He has promised to do so for us
2.9.2. He would then also be saying that there is more to the
well-being of our bodies than just the nice clothes that we may desire to place
on ourselves, and if God sustains our body in regard to its other needs, it is
irrational for us to think that He will not also provide us with clothing,
especially since He has promised to do so for us
3.
VS 6:26 - “26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not
sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father
feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?”” - WORRY IS NEEDLES: Jesus
tells His disciples to observe the ‘birds of the air’ for the Lord provides
food for them, and if He does so for them, He will also do it for us
3.1.
Jesus tells His
disciples to observe that birds do not have to buy a field and plant seeds in it
in order to reap the food that they will need to eat, for they have not the
inclination nor ability to work for their food, yet they are fed each day, and
the One who feeds them is the Lord
3.2.
We people have an
advantage over birds who have limited intelligence when it comes to having food
to eat, for we CAN work and toil and plan ways to provide food for ourselves to
eat (birds aren’t smart enough to be able to think about what might happen
tomarrow), therefore we have less reason to worry
3.3.
Jesus tells His disciples
that their faith in God’s providence should be bolstered because the Father
provides the food to feed all of the birds of the air, and none of the birds
will He ever consider to be a son or a daughter of His as is the case with us
His very children whom He is calling to salvation
3.3.1. It is encouraging to ponder the fact that here Jesus
points us to consider that we have great value to the Lord
3.3.1.1.Have you ever wondered just what your worth really is
to God?
3.3.1.1.1.I was thinking about this question this week, and the
Lord spoke to me about what I was worth to Him, I am worth this much, the price
He paid for me was the life of His only and unique Son, and there is nothing
more valuable in all of existence than Him, He truly is priceless…
4.
VS 6:27 - “27 “And which of you by being anxious can add a
single cubit to his life’s span?””
- WORRY IS USELESS: Jesus
challenges His disciples to consider what worry can accomplish for them
4.1.
Worry cannot
change a single circumstance in our lives, for it can only cause us to be
miserable and miserable to be around
4.2.
I have already
mentioned some of the things which worry causes in our lives, however I think
that if we were honest all of us would express that really ‘worry’ and
‘anxiety’ have really caused us to go through the greatest pains and
difficulties in our lives
4.2.1. I have heard it said that women tend to be ‘fretters’,
always playing over and over in their minds what they and others will say and
do, or what they have said and done, and they worry about whether they are doing
the right things, etc.
4.2.2. Men I have discovered just really go off the deep end,
get obsessive and controlling about the stupidest things, or worse yet get very
mean and angry over the smallest little things, but they always blame their
actions on something else
4.2.2.1.Much of men’s actions and reactions are really based
out of fear and worry when it comes right down to it
4.3.
What Jesus says
in essence here is that worry cannot add a single year to a person’s life span
4.3.1. It can’t change the outcome of anything that has or
will happen in life
4.3.2. It can’t benefit us one bit to worry
4.4.
We Christians
must come to grips with the fact that worry is sin, for it is based in
unbelief, and as Paul wrote, ‘whatever is not of faith is sin’
4.5.
Phil. 4:6-7 has a
wonderful exhortation to us to not be anxious about anything but rather to pray
about everything, “6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And
the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus”
4.5.1. The peace that we can have in our hearts and minds
cannot be explained looking at our circumstances, it is the miraculous working
of God only that can give this
4.5.1.1.In the last several years I have been with a few
Christian people during the loss of their spouses, and I have been astounded
how that the Lord could give them such a peace in order to cope with the
loss.
5.
VS 6:28-29 - “28 “And why are you anxious about clothing?
Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29
yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like
one of these”” - Jesus
tells His disciples to consider the ‘lilies of the field’ if they are concerned
about what they shall wear
5.1.
Knowing what was
on their hearts, Jesus asks His disciples why they might be worrying about
having clothes to place on themselves?
5.1.1. An inordinate amount of time and energy is exerted by many
people in our day in pondering what they will clothe themselves with
5.2.
God’s creation
demonstrates to us such beauty and perfection that anything man-made cannot
compare to what God has created
5.3.
Under a
microscope, flowers show an infinite degree of perfection and a whole world of
beauty, and in comparison, the finest of man’s creations reveal under
magnification a huge amount of crudeness and imperfections
5.4.
It is possible
that as the some lilies are known for their white color and that Solomon’s
robes which were glorious and also of white, that the best of all of Solomon’s
attire did not compare to the created beauty of one of these flowers
5.5.
Like the birds of
the air, the lilies of the field do not have to work (toil), nor do they have
to spin yarn in order to make their clothes, for the Lord Himself provides
their clothing for them, and in the same way the Lord will provide clothing for
us His children
5.6.
It is worth
considering at this point that if the Lord clothes us His children with the
white purity of His righteousness, will He not also provide for us the means
for us to clothe our physical bodies?
6.
VS 6:30 - “30 “But if God so arrays the grass of the field,
which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much
more do so for you, O men of little faith?”” - Jesus tells His disciples that if the Father is so concerned about the
‘grass of the field’ (or flowers as some believe is the intended translation),
and these creations exist just for a brief season before they die, that surely
the Lord will provide for His children’s needs
6.1.
Sometimes we
Christians feel that we are really fairly insignificant in the big picture of
things, and we may feel that even our ministries and work for the Lord is
insignificant, yet the fact that the Father has created and taken joy in a
flower that perhaps blooms just once and is beautiful but then dies very
quickly ought to encourage us of the great value that the Lord has for us His
children, and that in His eyes were are never insignificant, but rather a
delight
6.1.1. God has created a great amount of diversity in this
vast world containing millions and millions of species of plants and animals,
and there are even plants that He created that bloom only once in several
years, such as the century plant which blooms every hundred years
6.1.2. God delights in each of His creations
6.2.
It is a rebuke
for us to realize that the Lord is saying to us, “Oh, ye of little faith”,
because of the times when we worry
7.
VS 6:31-32 - “31 “Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we
eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?’ 32
“For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows
that you need all these things””
- WORRY IS HEATHENISH: Jesus
tells His disciples not to be like the heathen Gentiles and worry about their
needs for the heavenly Father knows what they need already
7.1.
Non-believers, or
Gentiles, spend their time and energies living for the things of this world,
and they worry constantly about what might happen to themselves and their
stuff, but Jesus teaches His disciples that they need not worry about the
future and how their needs shall be met since their heavenly Father knows their
needs and will meet them
7.2.
Jesus disciples
are called to live by faith trusting the Lord to provide all that they need,
and if they will look to Him in all things He will provide for them all that
they need
8.
VS 6:33-34 - “33 “But seek first His kingdom and His
righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not
be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough
trouble of its own”” - Jesus
teaches His disciples that if they will seek first His kingdom and
righteousness that all the necessities of life will be given to them
8.1.
These verses are
one of the most famous promises in all of the Bible for God’s people, and
people all through the ages have memorized and claimed these verses for their
life
8.1.1. These verses assure us that no circumstance in our
life should ever hinder us from being able to serve Christ and do His will
8.2.
Jesus does not
say that if we seek the Lord first, but rather if we seek His kingdom and His
righteousness, therefore what Jesus is saying is that if we His disciples will
place His work and the living for His kingdom to be first in our life that God
will supply all of of our needs
8.3.
We have already
talked about the fact that the main theme of Jesus’ sermon is God’s ‘kingdom’,
and that God’s kingdom is advanced whenever God intervenes in people’s lives,
when people come to salvation, when Christ’s church is advanced, and when God’s
people turn to Him in repentence
8.3.1. Jesus then is saying that if we will concentrate and
place as first in our lives the advancement of His kingdom that all of these
things will be added to us
8.3.1.1.What are you doing to advance Christ’s Kingdom?
8.3.1.2.Are you sharing your faith with others regularly?
8.3.1.3.Are you ‘regularly’ fellowshipping with the saints in
church and Bible studies?
8.4.
To seek first His
righteousness brings out the internal aspect of living for the Lord, that of
seeking to be made holy as He is holy and to be one who is a doer of God’s Word
8.4.1. This is what we ought to be concerned and worried
about, for if we will make this the thing for which we worry, we shall not have
many worries in life!
8.5.
I again borrow
from Spurgeon as I relate here what I believe to be the three senses in our
life in which we are to seek the Lord ‘first’ in our life. He is to be first in:
8.5.1. Terms of priority of preference
8.5.1.1.Our relation to God must be our No. 1 priority, with
everything else under that, and we must always prefer Him over the world and
worldly things
8.5.2. Terms of our time
8.5.2.1.We must not give Him whatever is left over of our time
each day, but rather quality time
8.5.2.2.Begin each day in quiet times, reading His Word and
praying to Him
8.5.2.2.1.If you don’t plan your quiet time the day before but
rather just wait until you find time to have one, you will probably seldom find
that time
8.5.3. Terms of Intensity
8.5.3.1.We must not put all of our energies into our work,
recreation, hobbies, etc., but we must put our energies in furthering the
8.6.
What people worry
about is what will happen ‘tomorrow’, but Jesus tells us here that we are not
to live for tomorrow but today and not worry about what will or will not happen
tomorrow
8.7.
There is wisdom
in Jesus telling His disciples that each day will take care of itself and that
each day has enough evil of its own
8.7.1. The saying is true, “today is the tomorrow
that you worried about yesterday”, for that worrying didn’t change
anything or do any good
8.7.1.1.Every day we should diligently work and apply
ourselves to the duties that God has given to us, and we are to likewise not
worry about what we might have to deal with tomorrow and into the future