As Jesus continues His Sermon on the Mount, He addresses an issue that most of us are all too familiar with, and that is the issue of worry. Perhaps it will bring some comfort to know that we are not the first people to ever have to worry or be anxious about paying our bills, feeding our families, pleasing our employers, raising our children, paying our taxes, or any number of other issues that seem to be responsible for generating an excessive amount of anxiety.
It should be clear that in this passage, Jesus is not promoting carelessness and irresponsibility as a kind of hallmark of the faith. There is nothing wrong with being cautious and prudent in certain areas of life, but there is a problem when it comes to being engulfed by a foreboding sense of anxiety as we face each day. This is what Jesus is addressing in this passage.
I. THE PROBLEM THAT IS CONFRONTED vs. 25-32
In confronting the problem of worry, Jesus speaks of our:
A. Fear
1. Our fear is Unnecessary
a. In verses 25 and 31 we are told in no uncertain terms that we are not to worry about what we’re going to eat, drink, or wear.
b. Jesus uses the birds of the air to illustrate why it is not necessary for us to worry (verse 26).
(1) Man is better than the birds. Man is a higher being, on a much higher level of creation, than animals. He is the crown jewel of God’s creation. Man, not animals, was made in the image and likeness of God.
(2) God is the "Creator" of birds, but He is the "Father" of man. Only man has the capability of having a personal relationship with God.
(3) Man (a believer) is an heir of God. He will one day receive all that is Jesus Christ’s (Romans 8:16-17).
c. Jesus also uses the flowers of the field to illustrate the needless worry that is so often a part of our lives (verse 28).
(1) Lilies grow from a deep root. The roots are where they belong, they are in the soil where they can receive nourishment. Our roots as believers are not to be in the material things that this world has to offer. If we are going to receive the spiritual nourishment we need to properly grow, we must have our roots deep in the things of our heavenly Father.
(2) Lilies do not toil or spin to adorn themselves with beauty. The beauty of the lily comes naturally as they go about their purpose in the world. As children of God, we are not to worry and work ourselves to the bone in order to cover and adorn ourselves with the artificial and superficial coverings of appearance. Our beauty ought to be seen in the peacefulness and satisfaction that comes from trusting in the Lord.
(3) Lilies die from the weather. They drop to the ground, decay, pass out of existence, and are gone forever. In like manner, so do the temporal things of this life. However, man is immortal, he exists forever. For that reason, man is to center his life on God and His righteousness.
d. If God is kind enough to take care of plants and animals which are far from being His favored creation, why should we, the greatest of all His creation, have to worry?
2. Our fear is Unproductive
a. Verse 27
b. Usually when we think of "stature" we think in terms of physical size, but a look at the meaning of the Greek word helikia (hay-lik-ee’-ah) will show that "stature" means "maturity in years or size."
c. The point that Jesus makes is that no one can add to either their height or span of life by worry. As a matter of fact, medical have shown that excessive worry tends to shorten life if anything.
3. Our fear is Uncharacteristic
a. Verse 32a
b. The word "Gentile" is used to speak of the lost.
c. Jesus says that worry over what we’re going to eat, drink, and wear, is very uncharacteristic of a saved person. As a matter of fact, it’s more characteristic of someone who does not know Christ as their Saviour.
d. The lost are all wrapped up in these sorts of things. They know nothing else. All they know is seeking and securing all they can of what this world has to offer. They seek the "good life" that comes from possessions. Life to them is money, houses, furnishings, food, cars, television, toys, clothing, recreation, property . . . all the material things of this world that give comfort, pride, power, fame, and recognition.
B. Faith
1. Verse 30
2. Whether we like to admit it or not, our worry is the result of weak faith.
3. Thankfully, the weakness of our faith does nothing to jeopardize our salvation. The key when it comes to faith and salvation, is the Object of our faith. Whether that faith is great or small, if it was placed in Jesus Christ, our salvation is secure.
4. What a weak faith does do however, is severely detract from our quality of life.
5. Arthur Pink makes this observation concerning our faith: "As the Christian expects to be saved by faith after death, so he must live by faith in this world: if we rely on God’s mercy for our souls, we will also depend upon Him providing for our body, for how shall we cast ourselves upon God’s grace for heaven if we cannot depend upon His goodness for food and raiment while He leaves us here upon earth?" (An Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, page 242).
6. 1 Corinthians 7:32
7. Philippians 4:6
C. Father
1. Verse 32b
2. The Greek word for "Gentiles" in the first part of verse 32 is also translated "heathen" in Acts 4:25 and Galatians 1:16 among other verses.
3. When Christ made this statement concerning the "Gentiles", they were without any written revelation from God and were in complete spiritual darkness.
4. Their relationship to any of their "gods" was anything but one of trust.
5. Far from viewing their gods as being benevolent and in any way interested in their worshippers, the Gentiles viewed their gods as objects of dread. The gods of the Gentiles were gods whose favor had to be bought with offerings and whose wrath had to be appeased by human sacrifices.
6. As far as any thoughts of life after death, the Gentiles’ understanding was vague and gloomy at best. Consequently, this world meant everything to them. They were consumed with obtaining as much as they could of this world. Their aims rose no higher than to eat, drink, and be merry. Those who were unable to obtain much of this world’s goods were weighed down with worry and care, not knowing if what they had would be enough to sustain them.
7. In contrast to the inanimate and impotent "gods" of the heathen, the saved have a heavenly Father who knows what they need even before they ask (Matthew 6:8), and a God who has the ability to supply every need (Philippians 4:19).
8. The love and tender care of the God of the saved is set against the ignorance and lack of concern that characterizes the "gods" of the heathen.
9. Knowing that we have a heavenly Father who is knowledgeable concerning our needs and who is more than willing to meet those needs, should work to diminish our fear and anxiety.
II. THE PURSUIT THAT IS COMMANDED v. 33
A. The Purity of this Pursuit
1. The Rule of God
a. The word "kingdom" speaks of the realm of God’s rule.
b. To seek "the kingdom of God" means to strive to see His rule established in our lives. It means that we desire for His will to be done in us first and foremost.
c. When we are actively pursuing God’s will for our lives, little time will be left for pursuing the temporal pleasures of this life.
2. The Righteousness of God
a. In seeking the righteousness of God, we are called upon to abandon the pursuit of that which is worldly and carnal, and to begin pursuing that which spiritual.
b. When we are actively pursuing the righteousness of God our concern is not going to be with the physical, but with the spiritual. That is, we aren’t going to be as worried about what we have to eat or drink physically as we are about what we’re feeding on spiritually. We won’t be overly concerned with what we’re wearing physically as we are with what we’re wearing spiritually. For example, are we clothed with salvation (2 Chronicles 6:41; Isaiah 61:10)? Righteousness (Job 29:14; Psalm 132:9)? Humility (1 Peter 5:5)? A " meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (1 Peter 3:4)? With "mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering" (Colossians 3:12)?
B. The Priority of this Pursuit
1. The things of God and eternity are to occupy a place of priority in our thoughts and desires.
2. We are not to neglect our temporal duties and responsibilities, but we are not to let the pursuit of that which is preeminent, be crowded out by that which is of less importance.
3. Most Christians would agree with the statement that there is nothing more important than the Lord. But while they may believe that in theory, practically speaking they deny it as they live their lives in pursuit of everything but the Lord (Colossians 3:1-2).
C. The Promise of this Pursuit
1. As we concern ourselves with the things of God, He will concern Himself with the things that we need.
2. Notice that Jesus is talking about necessities, not luxuries. The promise is not to supply everything we want, but everything we need.
3. Psalm 34:9-10
4. Psalm 37:25
5. Psalm 84:11
6. Romans 8:32
NOTE: Jesus closes out this section with a simple thought. We are to live one day at a time. As believers, we are not to be preoccupied with tomorrow and its affairs. We are to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness today, and leave tomorrow and its needs in God’s hands.
There is one of five attitudes that a person can take about the future.
1. A no-care, worldly attitude. A person eats, drinks, and is merry today, letting tomorrow take care of itself. The future is of little concern. Earthly pleasure, power, and fame are the major concerns of life. He need to get all he can now, while he can.
2. A fretful, anxious attitude. A person worries all the time, wondering if he is secure and if he will have enough to take care of himself and his family.
3. A fearful, panicky attitude. In the face of trial and failure, a person can barely function. Tragedy has hit: his job is lost, cutbacks have to be made, adjustments are needed. The strength and confidence to act and to continue on is lacking.
4. A self-assured attitude. A person has complete confidence in himself and his ability. He knows he can make out and take care of himself in the world, and he does it. But there is one thing that this person fails to see and it is fatal: the confidence that he has in himself will end. He will die, and he will only have taken care of himself for a few short years. He will find out that self-confidence cannot bridge the great gulf between heaven and earth, time and eternity, God and man.
5. A calm God-centered and trusting attitude. A person goes about living and working ever so diligently and calmly, trusting God to take care of all. He does all he can about the necessities of life, both for himself and for others, but the seeks God and His righteousness first.
