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