Worried?

fail in some way. And so I felt drawn to preach on these words from Matthew chapter 6 because

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

! these are words I need to hear. So this sermon I'm preaching to myself as much as to you guys.

But as I was going through the preparation, I realized that there's probably many of you for whom these words would also be an encouragement.

So if you have your Bible, you can open it up to Matthew 6 verse 25.

Matthew 6:25

And it will also be on the screen.

Let me read you these words of Jesus.

He says,

Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear.

Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

Look at the birds of the air.

They do not sow, or reap, or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not much more valuable than they?

Can any one of you, by worrying, add a single hour to your life?

And why do you worry about clothes?

See how the flowers of the field grow.

They do not labor, or spin.

Yet I tell you that not even Solomon, in all of his splendor, was dressed like one of these.

If that's how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire,

will he not much more clothe you, you of little faith.

So do not worry, saying, what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what shall we wear?

For the pagans run after all these things.

And your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

But seek first his kingdom, and his righteousness.

And all these things will be given to you as well.

Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow.

For tomorrow will worry about itself.

Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I love these words of Jesus so much.

Not only does Jesus tell us not to worry, but he gives us reasons.

And these reasons hold such power.

As Jesus piles these reasons, one on top of the other,

they persuade us to let go of our anxiety and our worry,

and to trust God.

One thing that catches my attention in these words is what Jesus tells us not to worry about.

Notice that it's the basics of life.

Food.

Water.

Clothing.

Now some of us might be tempted to think when we hear those things,

you know, I'm not really too worried about those things.

I mean, I've got those covered.

I'm worried about bigger things.

But you know, the more we reflect on these words,

the more we realize that these things like food and drink and clothing,

these are, in a sense, the most important things.

These are the essentials needed for life.

What happens without food and water?

We die.

What happens without clothing?

Here in Canada, we freeze.

In one sense, these things should be our top priority.

Before we spend money on entertainment or sports or a new phone,

we should make sure that we have enough for groceries and gas to get to work and winter boots.

These things are essential to life.

And yet Jesus tells us straight up,

don't worry about them.

If Jesus can convince us

that we don't need to worry about the essentials in life,

maybe we'll realize that we don't need to worry about anything else in life.

If we don't need to worry about food and water and clothing,

without which we die,

then surely we don't need to worry about things of lesser consequence,

like what our next job will be,

or vehicle,

or how we're going to get through next week without forgetting something important.

As we think of this,

we even trace some of our anxiety and our worry about the bigger things

back to some of these little things, these essentials.

Why are we so worried about the number that's going to come back for the car repair bill?

Well, if it's over a certain amount,

will I still have enough in the bank for groceries and all the other bills?

And if I can't get that car fixed,

well, then I won't be able to make it to work,

and then I'm going to lose my job,

and then I won't be able to put food on the table.

But if Jesus can convince us that we don't need to worry,

even about the essentials,

we may realize we don't need to worry about anything else.

And so Jesus starts us off here with this one simple command.

He says,

Do not worry about your life.

What you'll eat or drink or what you'll wear.

And then he begins to reason with our hearts about why not.

Reason number one,

why not to worry.

He says,

Is not life more than food?

And the body more than clothes?

As I just said,

food and clothing are arguably two of the most important things for life.

And yet Jesus basically says,

No, they're not.

Life is about so much more than what you eat,

or drink,

or what you wear.

Those things,

which are essential,

are actually relatively insignificant.

You kind of think about it,

food and drink,

that's just the fuel for a life.

And clothing,

that's just the covering for the body.

Far more important than the fuel that goes in the tank

is where you're driving with the car.

What you're doing with the life God has given you.

Far more important than the covering for the body

is the body itself.

And what God gave you your body for.

What are you doing with the body that God has given you?

There's almost a sense in which Jesus is saying,

you're worried,

you're concerned about the wrong things.

As important as they may seem,

God made you for far more than eating,

and drinking,

and dressing yourself.

What kind of life are you living?

How are you using the body He has given you?

That's what you should be focused on.

I wonder,

how much of our worry and anxiety

can be traced back

to misplaced priorities?

I was worrying the other day

about what would happen

if I didn't get all my leaves raked up

before the snow came.

I spent a lot of time thinking about that.

And of course,

there's wisdom in getting at them

before they become a snow-crusted pile

of ice in the spring.

They're certainly faster to deal with

and easier when they're dry.

And it's a lot more enjoyable

to scoop dry leaves into a bag

than wet leaves.

But how much mental and emotional energy

should I invest

into a bunch of little dead things

on the ground?

What's the worst that will happen

if they just sit there

through the winter?

It's the stuff of earth.

And meanwhile,

I could have been thinking

about the stuff of heaven

and the things that are most important in life.

Jesus gives a second reason

not to worry.

And he gives it in the form

of an object lesson.

Verse 26.

He says,

Look at the birds of the air.

They do not sow

or reap

or store away in barns.

And yet,

your heavenly Father

feeds them.

Are you not much more valuable

than they?

I love this.

Look at the birds,

says Jesus.

Bird watching is biblical.

It's a God-ordained hobby.

Look at them.

And what does Jesus want us to notice

about the birds?

Are they planting crops?

No.

Are they harvesting

what they've planted?

No.

Are they storing up in barns

the things that they've harvested?

No.

Are they making sure

they have a few thousand dollars

in an emergency fund?

No.

Do they even work?

Kind of,

but not really.

They just fly about

here and there

and gather up

what God provides

each day.

Look at them,

says Jesus.

Don't worry about tomorrow

or next week

or next month.

They don't dig up seeds

and plant them

in their own little bird gardens

or fields

and tend them

so that they can make it through

the next season ahead.

How do they survive?

Jesus answers,

your heavenly Father feeds them.

God pays attention

to the birds

and he governs

everything in the world

just so

that each day

there's something

of his provision

there for them.

An insect hatch,

a bird feeder

in someone's backyard,

a soaking rain

that brings up

worms.

my grandmother

used to butter

a slice of bread

and put it out

for a grackle

in her backyard

that had a wounded wing.

If God takes care

to feed the birds,

will he not take care

of you?

What's a bird

compared to a human being?

human beings,

God has made us

in his own image.

We are precious to him.

Jesus is saying,

you are so much more valuable

to God

than birds.

And if he looks after them

each day,

will he not look after you

today,

tomorrow,

and the next day?

And so reason number two

not to worry is

because God cares deeply

about you

and about me.

He already proves

his faithful care

with the lesser critters

of the earth.

How much more

does he notice

and tend to our needs

as our loving creator

and father?

Reason number three

comes in verse 27.

Reason three

not to worry.

Jesus asked

this rhetorical question.

Can any one of you

by worrying

add a single hour

to your life?

Now there's some

translation variation here.

Some say,

can anyone

add a cubit

to his height?

Which would be

a metaphor

if that was

the right way

to read it.

Some say,

a day,

add a day

to his life.

Whatever the case,

whatever the right

translation is,

Jesus' point

is the same thing.

He's basically saying

worrying about things

is pointless.

When you're worrying

about things,

you can't actually

add

or do anything

good

by it.

It doesn't

accomplish anything

for you.

Your lifespan

is as long

as it will be.

Or in the case

of height,

it's not going

to change

by worrying

about all this stuff.

Worrying is a

waste of time.

It's a waste

of energy.

It's a waste

of thought.

It's a waste

of our emotional

energy.

It can't accomplish

anything good

for you,

and so,

why bother

worrying at all?

Why not just

give it up

and be like

one of the birds

looking to God

each day

for your daily

bread?

Jesus goes on,

verse 28,

he says,

and why do you

worry about clothes?

See how the flowers

of the field

grow.

They do not

labor or spin.

Yet I tell you

that even Solomon

in all his splendor

was dressed

like one of these.

If that's how

God clothes

the grass

of the field,

which is here

today,

and tomorrow

is thrown

into the fire,

will he not

much more

clothe you,

you of little

faith?

There's a couple

different ways

we might worry

about clothes.

one way

is to worry

about having

the clothes

that we need.

Clothing can

be expensive,

especially footwear,

jackets,

dress clothes

for special

occasions.

The other way

we can worry

about clothes

is when we

care too much

about fashion

and self-image,

appearance,

and beauty.

Jesus seems

to address

both here.

He says,

see how the

flowers of the

field grow.

Go out and look

at the flowers.

Do you see

how beautifully

they're dressed?

They do not

labor or spin.

Back in ancient

times,

many made

their own

clothes,

and it was

a lot of work.

It was very

labor intensive.

They used

spinning wheels

to make their

own thread

from wool

or plant fibers,

and then they

had to weave

that thread

into cloth

and make

their own

cloth,

and then they

could use

the cloth

finally to

make a

garment,

and they

of course

didn't have

all the

fancy machines

that we

have today,

and so it

was labor.

It was work.

Jesus says,

go outside

and look at

the flowers.

See how

beautifully

they're dressed,

and what

did those

flowers do

to clothe

themselves

so beautifully?

Nothing.

They did

no work.

They spun

no wool,

and yet

even the

richest man

to ever

live on

the earth,

King Solomon

himself,

wasn't dressed

as well

as the

flowers in

the field.

It was

God who

gave them

that clothing

and made

them to

look like

that,

so that

they look

better to

the human

eye than

the richest

of kings

wearing the

most expensive

clothes.

God made

them

beautiful,

and if

God made

such

beautiful

clothing

for

something

that's

of

little

more

value

than

grass,

think of

this,

a flower

is so

beautiful,

and yet

it wasn't

even made

to last.

It's here

today,

and Jesus

says tomorrow

it's thrown

into the

fire.

Think to

that bunch

of flowers

that maybe

you received

if you're

a lady,

or your

wife received

if you're

a man,

that bouquet.

It was

beautiful

the day

it arrived,

and then a

few weeks

later,

even with

water and

plant food,

the petals

and leaves

are all

shriveled up

and dead.

What do you

do with it?

You take the

whole thing

and you just

throw it

in the

garbage.

Even if

it's planted

in soil,

flowers have

their season,

and before

long they

wither and

die and

are worthless.

But,

says Jesus,

if God

takes care

to clothe

something worth

so little,

so beautifully,

won't he

take even

better care

to clothe

you?

A precious

person made

in his own

image.

And so

here's another

reason not to

worry about

things.

God cares

for us and

loves us far

more than we

sometimes realize.

at the end

of verse 30

here,

I think

Jesus touches

a bit of

a nerve.

He says,

will he not

much more

clothe you,

you of

little faith?

What's the

problem with

worrying?

It's a lack

of faith.

When we're

worrying about

all sorts of

things,

it's because

we're not

trusting God

the way that

we should be.

and in

this case,

what's

Jesus trying

to encourage

us to

trust about

God?

To believe

about God?

He's trying

to point our

faith at

something about

God that if

we see it,

all our worries

will just

melt away.

And it

could be that

we've not yet

known God to

be like this

personally,

or it could

be that we've

simply forgotten

or lost sight

of God and

how he's like

this.

It could be

that we need

to just be

reminded that

he is a

good and

loving and

attentive

father to

us.

He's never

oblivious to

our needs.

If he pays

attention to

the birds and

the grass,

then we are

in his

attention to.

How much

more will

he meet

all our

needs with

the riches

of his

goodness and

grace if we

look to him?

That's who he

is.

We can count

on him and

trust him with

everything in

life.

And so it's

as if Jesus

is, I worry

when we have

a father in

heaven like

him looking

out for us.

Jesus goes

on, he says,

so do not

worry, saying

what shall we

eat or what

shall we

drink or what

shall we

wear?

For the

pagans run

after all

these things

and your

heavenly father

knows that

you need

them.

Jesus

restates his

imperative.

Do not

worry.

Don't run

around in a

panicked

frenzy,

anxious about

all the

things.

Why not?

God.

And Jesus

maybe touches

another nerve

here.

He says,

that's what

the pagans

do.

Who are

the pagans?

This word

sometimes is

translated Gentiles

or nations,

but I think in

context here,

it refers to

all the people

of the world

who don't

know God,

who don't

know the

one true

God.

They run

after food

and drink

and clothing,

frantically

striving for

those things,

worrying about

those kinds

of things.

Why?

Because they

don't know

God.

It's as

Jesus is

saying,

worrying is

the norm

for those

who don't

know

our heavenly

father.

What comfort

do they have?

What assurance

do they have?

What hope

do they have

if they don't

know the

God who

made them

and loves

them?

And so

there's an

implication

here too

and this

is where

it may

touch a

nerve.

The

implication

that when

we worry

we're

living like

the world.

We're

living like

those who

don't know

God

when we

worry.

And of

course,

that doesn't

honor him

or please

him.

Worry

actually

diminishes

our witness

to Jesus

and to

God.

God

shows

we

don't

really

trust

our

God

or

believe

that

he

will

look

after

us.

It's

yet another

reason

why not

to worry.

Here's a

sixth reason

to pile

on top

of the

previous

five.

Jesus

says,

the pagans

run after

all these

things

and your

heavenly

father

knows

that you

need

them.

He

knows

that you

need

them.

God

is never

unaware

of the

needs

that you

have.

He's

like a

father

who sees

every

need

of his

child

and is

totally

dialed

in.

He

knows

exactly

what's

happening

in our

lives.

Earlier

in this

same

chapter

in verse

eight

Jesus

said

this

he said

for your

father

knows

what you

need

before

you

ask

him.

In

another

place

Jesus

says

that

even

the

hairs

on

our

head

are

numbered

by

God.

God

knows

you

even

better

than

you

know

yourself.

He

knows

what

you

need

even

better

than

you

know

what

you

need.

Sometimes

in our

worries

one of

the

things

that

swirls

around

in our

hearts

and in

our

minds

is

this

thought

that

we're

all

alone

in

life

that

nobody

fully

understands

what

we're

going

through.

If

they

did

you

know

maybe

they

could

help

but

they

don't

they

can't

sometimes

in our

worries

we get

thinking

about

our

how

it's

all

up

to

me

this

decision

that's

in

front

of

me

and

only

I

truly

can

understand

the

decision

before

me

and

it's

either

going

to

make

or

break

things

but

none

of

this

is

true.

You

are

not

the

only

one

who

understands

what's

going

on

in

your

life.

You

are

not

the

only

one

who

understands

the

decisions

ahead

of

you.

The

things

that

are

causing

you

stress

and

worry.

God

knows.

He

sees

and

understands

what

you

need

exactly

what

you

need

even

better

than

you

do.

So

do

not

worry

says

Jesus.

Trust

him.

We

come

now to

one of

the most

famous

words

of

Jesus.

Not

quite

John

3

16

but

almost

up

there

with

John

3

16.

Jesus

says

but

seek

first

his

kingdom

and

his

righteousness

and

all

these

things

will

be

given

to

you

as

well.

This

isn't

just a

reason

not

to

worry.

This

is

something

to

do

instead

of

worrying.

Jesus

gives

us

something

to

seek

instead

of

food

and

drink

and

clothing

and

the

stuff

we

need.

He

says

seek

your

father's

kingdom.

Seek

your

father's

righteousness.

Up

until

now

we've

been

told

what

not

to

do.

Don't

worry.

And

we

might

even

get

the

idea

that we

should

be

concerned

about

nothing

and

that

God

just

wants

us

to

live

this

life

devoid

of

all

striving.

A

life

of

just

waking

up

each

day

to

embrace

God's

provision

for the

day.

But

no,

here

Jesus

gives us

something

to seek

after,

something

to strive

towards.

Seek

your

father's

kingdom.

Seek

your

father's

righteousness.

As we

heard a

moment ago,

life is

more than

food.

And here

Jesus tells

us what

that

more is.

What's

worth

pursuing

with our

lives?

What's

far more

important than

even the

essentials?

And it's the

kingdom of

God.

What's the

kingdom of

God?

I had a

little

shudder in

my office

just thinking

of how to

even answer

that question.

This is a

big question

with a

really,

really big

answer.

in fact,

I would

argue that

even to

get to

a working

sense of

what the

kingdom of

God is,

we have to

read through

this whole

thing carefully,

cover to

cover,

and pray,

and think

deeply on

it,

and talk to

God about

it.

Seeking the

kingdom of

God, I

would say,

is a

lifelong

pursuit.

Both

understanding

what it

is,

and how

we should

live in

light of

it.

Jesus spoke

a ton about

the kingdom

of God.

It has to

do with what

God has been

up to for

thousands of

years of

human history,

leading up to

this moment

where we are

listening to

Jesus.

It has to

do with many

great promises

he has made.

It has to

do with

Jesus, the

king that

God has

chosen for

his kingdom.

And it all

culminates in

the great and

glorious end to

the story of

our world.

One final

glorious kingdom

which will

never end or

fall.

Sometimes we

call it

heaven.

But that

one word

barely even

scratches the

surface of

it.

That should

be your

first priority,

says Jesus.

Seek first

his kingdom.

And there's a

second thing

Jesus tells us

to seek.

Instead of the

stuff of this

world, he

says, seek

your father's

righteousness.

Now some

here will

point to what

Paul says in

Romans about

righteousness and

explain this in

this way.

They would say

that we should

seek a right

standing with

God, which we

don't have.

And we can get

it by faith in

Jesus.

And that's true.

That's what Paul

teaches in

Romans.

But there's

another kind of

righteousness that

is God's.

And it has to

do with his

character and

how he does

what is good

and right.

And so when

Jesus says, seek

his righteousness,

I think he's

commanding us to

strive to live

righteously as

God our

father is

righteous.

To be holy as

God is holy.

I think this

fits with what

Jesus has already

been saying here.

Life is about

more than the

food and drink in

your belly or the

clothes on your

back.

what are you

doing with your

life?

What are you

doing with your

body?

God desires his

children, his

precious blood

bought sons and

daughters to live

righteously with

the life that he

has given them.

To be people who

do an abundance of

good works and who

bear much good

fruit.

People who are

honest, who have

integrity, who are

full of his love

and kindness.

Seek to live this

way with the life

that you've been

given.

Do what's right

according to God's

righteousness in

every situation.

That's what I think

Jesus means when he

says, seek his

righteousness.

And then there's

this amazing promise

that comes at the

end here.

One of the most

amazing, liberating

promises of the

Christian life.

But seek first his

kingdom and his

righteousness and all

these things will be

given to you as

well.

What are we aiming

to do with our

lives as first

priority?

Jesus says that if

we're seeking his

kingdom and his

righteousness as

first priority, then

God will give us all

the things that we

need.

Everything.

Whether food or

clothing, a place to

live, a vehicle to

drive, whatever it

is.

And it might not be

obvious at first,

well if I turn my

attention to that,

then how is that

going to look after

all this stuff?

It might not be

obvious or apparent

how that works.

And that's where

faith and trust come

in.

God's asking us to

trust him.

I'm going to give it

to you.

If you seek my

father's kingdom and

my father's

righteousness, I

will give you

everything else you

need.

I'll take care of

the rest.

Is the kingdom of

God your first

priority?

Is living a

righteous life to

honor the Lord your

top goal?

Have you been

seeking his

kingdom and

righteousness?

Or have you been

running after the

earthly things like

the people of the

world around us who

don't know God?

Finally, Jesus gives

us a couple more

reasons not to worry

in the last verse

there, verse 34.

He says,

Therefore do not

worry about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will

worry about itself.

Each day has

enough trouble of

its own.

There's often that

forward dimension to

our worry, where

we're looking ahead,

we're trying to

figure out, we're

trying to decide, and

what if this happens,

and what if that

happens, and what if

they say this, and

what if, and should I

say this, and we can

go on and on and on,

and we get all panicked

and anxious because we

don't know what

tomorrow holds.

Jesus says, just let

tomorrow's things be

tomorrow's things.

Don't worry about

them.

Give your attention to

today, to here and

now.

Live in this moment.

Tomorrow's things, you

can focus on tomorrow.

Each day has enough

trouble of its own.

We weren't meant to

try and carry the

burden of today, and

tomorrow, and next week,

and next month, all at

once.

Only God knows what the

future holds for any of

us.

And because he does, we

can let go of our

worries, which pertain to

tomorrow.

God has it in his hand.

He's in control.

So I can focus on today.

I can focus on right here

and now.

I can even look ahead and

make plans for tomorrow,

and what to do tomorrow,

but I need to leave those

plans with God, and not

worry about them all

through the day.

One day's trouble is all

we need to manage, says

Jesus.

Somewhere in the

preparing of this, I

lost track of how many

reasons this was.

Is that nine reasons?

Maybe?

Nine reasons not to

worry?

Well, as we come to the

Lord's table this morning,

let's make it ten.

We may hear all of these

reasons not to worry, and

yet we may still have this

nagging suspicion.

or doubt about whether

God will really look after

us.

Will he really take care of

all my needs?

One final place to look,

Romans 8, verse 32.

Romans 8:32

Paul writes this, he

says,

If God is for us, who can

be against us?

He who did not spare his

own son, but gave him up

for us all.

How will he not also, along

with him, graciously give us

all things?

If God has already given us

the greatest and most

valuable gift that can ever

be given, that's Jesus.

How will he not also, along

with Jesus, give us all

things?

everything that we might need.

It says, God did not spare

him.

He gave him for our rescue and

for our ransom.

Jesus' blood was the cost that

justice required for our

atonement.

His body, he gave willingly.

He hung and died on the cross.

The innocent for the guilty.

The righteous for the

unrighteous.

The king for the people of

the kingdom.

If God gave that for you and

for me, what's tomorrow's

bread and water?

What's tomorrow's power bill

money?

What's the next vehicle you

need?

Or job, or home, or

whatever?

So let's go to the table

now.

Let's reflect on the gift

that's been given to make

us children of our

heavenly father.

Let's think about the body

of Jesus as he suffered

and died for us.

Let's think about the blood

of Jesus which was poured

out for us on the cross.

Let's have a few moments

of quiet to pray.

we can confess our

worries, the things that

we've been worrying about

and our cares.

We can confess our lack of

trust and our lack of

faith.

But we can also rejoice and

be reminded again of God's

love and grace for us.

In a few moments we'll have

Charles and Dave come up to

serve the elements of the

table.

And if you've put your life in

Jesus' hands, then I want

to invite you to join with us

and partake with us of the

bread and the cup.

And if not, then you can

just let them pass you by.

We'll wait until everybody's

been served and then we'll

partake together.

Amen.