Scripture
During the final few months of Jesus’ life he journeyed from Galilee to Jerusalem, where he would be crucified. While traveling to Jerusalem Jesus gave his followers some very important teaching regarding discipleship. His instruction covered a number of different topics regarding Christian discipleship. Jesus’ next topic is a call to avoid anxiety.
Today, let’s read about Jesus’ call to avoid anxiety in Luke 12:22-34:
22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.” (Luke 12:22-34)
Introduction
In any given year, 18 percent of Americans will suffer from an anxiety disorder. That’s twice the number of those who suffer from depression. If you broaden the study to include anyone who experiences an anxiety disorder at any time in his or her lifetime, the number increases to nearly 30 percent. And these are just the people who have been diagnosed with anxiety! Virtually everyone experiences anxiety.
Our levels of anxiety have increased dramatically over the last fifty years. According to psychologist Robert Leahy’s book Anxiety Free, “The average American child today exhibits the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient did in the 1950s.” Material comfort and security may be higher than it was back then, but other prevailing issues like separation from extended family, loss of community and neighborhood, uncertain employment, threats of terrorism, uncertain futures, high medical costs, immersion in technology, and lack of emotional support are a few of the many contributing factors.
As Leahy puts it, “We live in the Age of Anxiety. . . . We’ve become a nation of nervous wrecks.”
Jesus recognized that even in his day anxiety was a problem. So he called his disciples to avoid anxiety.
Lesson
Jesus’ call to avoid anxiety as set forth in Luke 12:22-34 teaches that we need not be anxious, since God cares for us.
Let’s use the following outline:
1. The Command (12:22-23)
2. The Illustrations (12:24-28)
3. The Application (12:29-34)
I. The Command (12:22-23)
First, let’s look at the command.
Jesus had just warned his disciples of the danger of greed. Rather than storing up treasure for themselves – like the parable of the rich fool who kept building bigger barns in Luke 12:16-21 – Jesus told his disciples to be rich toward God (Luke 12:21) and store up treasure in heaven.
As soon as Jesus taught this truth to his disciples, he realized that they probably thought to themselves, “If I don’t store up treasure for myself, and if I am rich toward God and store up treasure in heaven, how then will I have enough to take care of my needs?” So Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on” (12:22).
This is one of the clearest – and perhaps least obeyed – commands of Jesus: Do not be anxious. In fact, it really is a double command: Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, that is, about food; and do not be anxious. . . about your body, what you will put on, that is, about clothing.
Jesus is teaching his disciples not to worry about food or clothing, which are the basic necessities of life. Somebody once said that worry “is like a rocking chair; it will give you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere.” Don’t you find that true in your life?
Jesus went on to explain why his disciples must not be anxious in verse 23, “For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.” That is, our lives are far more important than the basic necessities of food and clothing. Our lives are to be lived for God and for his kingdom. We should never reduce our purpose in life to an emphasis on food and clothing. We do not live to eat. We do not live to dress in the latest fashions. No. We live to glorify God and exalt his name.
So, Jesus’ command to his disciples is: Do not be anxious.
II. The Illustrations (12:24-28)
Second, notice the illustrations.
Jesus used two illustrations from nature to show God’s care. In verses 24 to 26 Jesus used the ravens to show how God provides food. And then in verses 27 to 28 Jesus used the lilies to show how God provides clothing. In both cases, Jesus’ point is to show that if God provides for ravens and lilies, then how much more will he care for his children.
Jesus said in verse 24a, “Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them.” Interestingly, under Old Testament law ravens were ceremonially unclean. Leviticus goes so far as to call ravens detestable (Leviticus 11:15). Nevertheless, God feeds and cares for them.
Jesus used this illustration to make a “how much more” argument. He reasoned from something lesser to something greater. He said in verse 24b, “Of how much more value are you than the birds!” If God takes care of detestable ravens, he will most certainly take care of us. The way God provides for us is different from the way he provides for the ravens. He provides for each creature according to its nature. Although ravens do not sow and reap, we do in fact sow and reap. But using our God-given abilities to plan and work, we can trust that God will care for us as well.
Jesus’ second illustration was about clothing. He said in verse 27, “Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Jesus may have been standing near a field of flowers when he gave this illustration. The word for lilies does not refer to our Easter lily, but refers to various flowers of the field.
Flowers do even less than ravens. They just grow. They just do what God ordained for them: to grow and give color and beauty to his creation. And yet the simplest flower far surpasses even Solomon in all his glory.
Then Jesus used this illustration to make another “how much more” argument. He reasoned from something lesser to something greater. He said in verse 28, “But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!”
Let us believe that God will take care of us! Every time we look at a flower we should think of this verse and believe that God will take care of us. Martin Luther expressed this way, “The flowers stand there and make us blush and become our teachers. Thank you, flowers, you who are to be devoured by the cows! God has exalted you very highly, that you become our masters and teachers.”
Jesus taught quite plainly that there is a reason for anxiety. It is little faith. Anxiety and worry is produced by unbelief. Anxiety is not trusting God to provide. George Muller said, “The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.”
“This means that the remedy for all our fearful worries,” according to Philip Ryken, “is more faith in our faithful God. As soon as we start to feel anxious, we need to stop thinking about our troubles and start thinking about the character of our God – his wisdom, his goodness, his sovereignty, and all the promises he has made to us in Christ.”
III. The Application (12:29-34)
And third, observe the application.
In order to avoid anxiety over basic necessities – and really over all things – Jesus gave two wonderful applications.
A. Seek the Kingdom of God (12:29-31)
The first application is to seek the kingdom of God.
Jesus said in verses 29-31, “And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.” This is such a wonderful truth. Avoid anxiety by seeking the kingdom of God, and he will provide you with what you need.
Edith Schaeffer testifies to God’s provision in her wonderful book about L’Abri, the Christian shelter that she and her husband, Francis, established in Switzerland. God had called the Schaeffers to make a home in Europe for young people who needed to find Christ. Yet their visas were about to expire, and unless they found a permanent residence, they would be expelled from Switzerland. In desperation, Edith prayed out loud, “Oh, Heavenly Father. . . if You want us to stay in Switzerland, if Your word to me concerning L’Abri means our being in these mountains, then I know You are able to find a house, and lead me to it in the next half hour. Nothing is impossible to You. But You will have to do it.”
Suddenly Edith Schaeffer heard someone in the street calling her name. It was a real estate dealer who wanted to know if she had found anything yet. Soon he was driving her to a mountain chalet that was unexpectedly available. Her prayers were answered; God had found the house. Yet there was a further difficulty. The chalet was for sale, but the Schaeffers did not have any money to buy it, and they were nearly out of time. As Edith prayed that night, she had faith that God would still provide. But she also asked for a sign: “Oh, please show us Thy will about this house tomorrow, and if we are to buy it. . . send us one thousand dollars before ten o’clock tomorrow morning.”
The next morning a letter came with the post by train. It was from a couple that had been praying for the Schaeffers, but had never supported them financially because they had so little to give. However, the couple had come into some money unexpectedly, and this time they were sending a check in the amount of. . . one thousand dollars! Within a matter of days the rest of the money came in – none of it asked for, but all of it prayed for. As the Schaeffers sought the kingdom, their Father added what was needed.
Seeking God’s kingdom means using our spiritual gifts to advance God’s rule. It means praying, and sharing, and giving, and worshiping, and loving, and serving so that God may be known. It means living wholeheartedly for Jesus Christ.
B. Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is (12:32-34)
And the second application is to put your money where your heart is.
Avoid anxiety by putting your money where your heart is. Jesus said in verse 32, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Isn’t that a wonderful truth? It is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom! And because he makes you a citizen of his kingdom, you have nothing to fear.
Jesus went on to say in verse 33a, “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy.” Now Jesus was not advocating that Christians must sell all their possessions. But he was saying that Christians must steward the resources God has entrusted to us in order to help those in need and to advance his kingdom. The kingdom advances through the generosity of Christians. Jesus went on to say in verses 33b-34, “Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Where you spend your money is an indication of where your heart is. In an article called “Super Spectators,” USA Today writers asked sports fanatics to describe the lengths to which they would go to support their teams. One category of sports fanatics is referred to as the “Frequent Flyer.” Here are a few examples:
• Eight times a season, Geo Verna makes the 5,000-mile round trip from Philadelphia to Seattle to watch his beloved Seahawks at Qwest Field.
• Mike Pratt of Louisville, Kentucky, has been flying his Cessna to watch every Detroit Lions home game for the last seven years.
• When Frank Weishaupt was 11, he wrote to get on the New York Jets season ticket holder waiting list. After waiting eight years, he got his tickets. For each home game, Frank flies out of San Francisco to Boston and drives the last three-and-a-half hours to Kingston.
• Jan and Van Rametta travel to attend every Seattle Seahawks football game. They make the 6,000-mile trip from Washington, D.C.
• Lou Raciti leaves New Jersey on Friday night and takes a vacation day on Mondays to make every Dallas Cowboys home game. The truck driver admits the $500-a-pop weekends are barely affordable. Says Raciti, “I started when I was single. I got married, I still continued it, and I’m now divorced. It’s survived through all that, and I managed to find the money and time to go.”
Why do people do this? Sold out people will do just about anything for what they value.
So, what do you value? Avoid anxiety by putting your money where your heart is.
Conclusion
Therefore, having analyzed a call to avoid anxiety as set forth in Luke 12:22-34, we should seek God’s kingdom and put our money where our heart is, knowing that he cares for us.
There is another side to Edith Schaeffer’s story of trusting her heavenly Father to provide what she needed to purchase a chalet for the work of L’Abri. The thousand-dollar check she received from her friends came with the following letter:
Three months ago Art came home from work with an unexpected amount of money. . . . We decided at first to buy a new car, then came to the conclusion that we didn’t need a new car. Our next thought was to invest in buying a little house, which we would rent. We went to look at houses, and as we looked over a very likely small house I suddenly saw signs of termites in the beams. “Look, Art,” I said, “Doesn’t that remind you of the verse which says, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.” I then asked, “Art, would you be willing to take this money and invest it literally in heaven? . . . rather than investing it in another house on earth for added income? Would you be willing to give it to the Lord’s work somewhere?” He replied, “Yes, Helen, I would.”
Well. . . that was three months ago, and all during these three months we have been asking God to show us what He would have us do with this money. . . now tonight we have come to a definite decision, and both of us feel certain that we are meant to send you this money. . . to buy a house somewhere that will always be open to young people.
Jesus said we will put our treasure where our heart is. So, where is your heart?
For some it is attending every game of their favorite team, or what food they will eat, or what clothing they will wear, or buying bigger and better commodities, or making enough money to eat, drink, and be merry.
For others it is giving financially for kingdom expansion, or helping the poor, or visiting prisoners, or getting involved in missions, or serving actively in the gospel ministry of their local church.
It is easy to tell where someone’s heart is: it is wherever you are putting your treasure. So, the question I ask you today is this, “Is your heart in the right place?” Because when your heart is in the right place, your treasure will end up in the right place too. Amen.
