Consider The Lilies, Matthew 6:25-34
Quote, “Teaching is the transfer of material from the teacher’s notes to the student’s notebook, without it going through either’s minds.”
I remember some of my teachers throughout the years and I’m sure you remember some of yours: 5th Mrs. Hadlock (Martian pellets), 7th Mr. Worm, college Mrs. Banks (Encouragement), Dr. Sanders (Support), Dr. Marberry (Intellect). I had some great teachers and some not so great. The best are able to make things come to life.
The Lord Jesus is the Master Teacher. He was able to take some of the most common objects and teach us the great truths about God, life, Heaven, and hell. He was close to nature and He used it to its fullest extent. He could find illustrations in trees, grapevines, corn, wheat, water, birds of the air, sheep in the pasture, and even lilies in the valley.
I. Consider the God of the Lily
A. Nature reveals God – Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.” How can a person gaze into the starry sky, or look at a golden sunset and not realize that there is a Master of the universe? How can a person smell the pine in the forest, or here the roar of the waters and not realize that these things were set in order? How can a person look at the lilies of the field and not believe that God exists?
The Order – Beauty – Perfection we see in nature ought to remind us that God is real, and that He is the creator of all things. The order of the universe alone ought to tell us that someone is in control. Order doesn’t just happen. What happens when no one is in control? CHAOS.
It is against the very laws of nature to believe that order can come from a destructive force like a “BIG BANG”, or Evolution – “a series of beneficial accidents – mutations – that have resulted in all the different species we see today”. How could we be so foolish to believe everything come from nothing by some cosmic accident. (House – materials – dynamite). Everything was set in order by the chief architect. The earth’s axis…
B. Nature Obeys God – God spoke and nature obeyed (Genesis 1:1-3,6-7,9-11,14-15). Isaiah 48:13, “My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand stretched out the heavens: when I call to them, they stand up together.”
While the disciples were in the boat during a terrible storm Jesus calmed the waves and they were amazed and said, “Even the wind and the waves obey Him”. The only creature that does not obey is MAN. And yet He loves us more than any of His creation, He breathed into us the breath of God. He died on a cross to redeem our souls. And still we struggle to heed to His word.
But the lily obeys without question and God is revealed. We ought to live in obedience to God’s word without question, so that others could see Him in us.
II. Consider the Growth of the Lily – look at Vs.28
A. What isn’t Jesus saying? He is not saying that the way to grow in strength and beauty is to be free from all work and tension in life 2Thess. 3:10 “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” He is not saying that God will step in and correct all our failures. He is not promising a trouble free life. He isn’t saying that those who trust God will live happily ever after in this life.
B. Look at the words again, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow”. Lilies do not grow on mountaintops, they grow in the fields or valleys. We too must grow in the valley’s of life. Both physically and spiritually (No pain No gain). We all have problems, sorrows, pains, and frustrations and we must learn to rise above them. (The horse – shake it off and step up). You can allow your problems to bury you or you can shake it off & step up.
The lily also needs proper nutrition, food and water. We too need proper nutrition to grow to be healthy adults, we need food and water to live. But we are not only physical beings we are also spiritual beings, so we need to feed our spirit
C. What is Jesus saying? We don’t need worry about anything. Anxious – Choke. I wonder how many become choked by the problems in life. Jesus reminds us that God feeds the ravens and cares for the lilies and we are more precious to Him that they.
We can drive ourselves crazy with worry. A man went to his psychiatrist and he said, “Sometimes I think I’m a tepee and sometimes I think I’m a wigwam.” The psychiatrist said, “Sounds to me like you’re two tents.”
Vs.34 - We have enough to deal with today. Yes there will be problems, heartaches, sorrows. But Jesus also said that, Romans 8:28, “All things work together for good to those that love God”. We must learn not to be anxious about life, but like the lily grow in the midst of our troubles.
III. Consider the Glory of the Lily
The lily is a beautiful flower. Few flowers can compare to its beauty, but the glory of the lily is not in it’s beauty alone, it’s in it’s immortality. Vs.28-29 You see Solomon in all his glory passed away but the lily blooms again every spring.
That is the glory of the Christian life; God’s children will live forever. Romans 8:16-18
“Some men become proud because they ride a fine horse, wear a feather in their hat or are dressed in a fine suit of clothes. Who does not see the folly of this? If there be any glory in such things, the glory belongs to the horse, the bird and the tailor.” - St. Francis de Sales
The rich spend hundreds and thousands on designer clothing, kings wear the finest of materials, queens the finest jewelry - but nothing compares to the garments that God covers us with. For we are clothed in His righteousness, and it does not fade, tare, or go out of style.
Galatians 3:27 “for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”
Ephesians 4:24 “Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
1 Corinthians 15:53-54 “For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
Conclusion: We will live forever, and one day all the mysteries of life will fade away and we shall understand the meaning of it all through Jesus Christ, for He is the Master Teacher.
