DO NOT WORRY! (Matt 6:25-34)

This passage is part of the Sermon on the Mount. Our Lord addresses the issue of faith, and its enemies, which are worries and doubt. As you can see, our Lord gives these matters serious attention. We should do the same. There is a close connection between the way we regard money and how we worry in this life. ‘Little faith’ is immature faith. The Christian believes that he is saved but he struggles with doubts when he prays about the blessings associated with salvation. We often see money as a god (Mammon). We think that money has the power to give us a better life. The natural man loves money and gathers his treasures on earth. He uses money to buy food, clothes, medicine, so that he will have a longer and happier life. Jesus uses the word ‘therefore’ to connect man’s attitude about money with the worries about his life. In other words, Mamon produces anxiety, but God gives faith and peace! The Kingdom of God is not built on intimidation, oppression, or fear. Earthly kings or rulers enjoy intimidating others. They think that oppressing people is the way to rule. On the contrary, King Jesus rules by God’s Word and delivers you from fear and anxiety. His will is that you too be totally free from doubt, fear and anxiety.  Selah!

In Greek, the word ‘worry’ means being over-anxious about something, distracted, caring too much about something. To worry means to live in a constant state of unhappiness because of the problems you have or because of bad things that might happen in the future. Anxiety is your body’s reaction to stress. It is an uncomfortable feeling of nervousness or worry about something that is happening or might happen in the future. Fear and anxiety are related but also different. Fear concerns the present and anxiety is mostly connected with the future, with the danger you see or imagine to be ahead. Anxiety, the fear of the future, are negative emotions that prevent God’s Word and love to mature. “The worries and cares of the world [the distractions of this age with its worldly pleasures], and the deceitfulness [and the false security or glamour] of wealth [or fame], and the passionate desires for all the other things creep in and choke out the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mk 4:19; AMP). The word ‘to choke’ means to crowd upon, to strangle, or to drown. Anxiety feels like drowning in the ocean. It is a terrible feeling that weakens the body and mind.

We are born with a sinful tendency towards anxiety. We worry too much about money and the things we can buy with money. We think too much about things that are temporal. We fall into the trap of thinking that the Kingdom of God is made of earthly things like ‘eating and drinking’. We imagine that we can ‘sponsor’ ourselves to become Kingdom’ citizens. With that mind-set, we miss the powerful revelation of the Kingdom of God. We minimize the revelation of the price paid on the Cross by our Lord, to set sinners free, so that they become kings and priests. We reduce the glory of God the Father and the glory of Jesus Christ, the King of kings. Anxiety is an extremely negative emotion. It can become an addiction, a spiritual stronghold in the mind. It is spiritually poisonous, and it damages your faith in God. It divides the mind. It produces doubt. A double minded man is like a man who has ‘two souls’. He is unstable, confused, and frustrated. God ignores his prayers (Jam 1:6-8). A double minded man lacks the discretion and the true wisdom of God. He loves to argue with himself and others. He does not have settled principles. He moves led by his emotions, easily influenced by public opinion. He cannot be a faithful friend. One day he is good and the next day, he is bad. He is a hypocrite. He is confused. One day he prays to God, then another day he prays to something else. One day he has hope to go to heaven and other day he fears that he may go to hell. He prays, but he does not wait for God to answer. He always changes the topic of his prayers. He punishes and troubles himself. This man needs deliverance. But a mature Christian has only one ‘mind’. In any situation of life, he always goes to God in prayer. He has no other god. He is settled in his mind about his identity in Christ. He has the assurance of his salvation. He is free from anxiety and doubts.

The Lord Jesus commands that we should not worry about life, the body, food, or clothes! The Lord does not say that we should have a passive attitude about the things of this life. He does not say that we should be lazy, and never think or make plans about the future. He points to the birds. God the Father feeds them. But, at the same time, these birds ‘work for food’. They fly everywhere to find worms or seeds to eat. They do not store food for tomorrow. They wake up every morning trusting that God is still alive and will provide food for them for that very day. Jesus says that as God’s Children, we are more valuable than birds. God is our ‘heavenly Father’. For example, if a man takes care of his pets or animals, he will surely not neglect his own children. The birds don’t have faith. They have a survival instinct. That is how they look for their food. They do not know that it is God who gives them food. But as God’s children we live by faith. God appreciates and rewards faith. Faith in God is strong and active. Living by faith does not mean to be lazy. Each morning, we pray for health for our bodies and for the provision of our daily bread. Faith and our works combined are the secret of godly successful living. Selah!

Taking the birds as an example, we also are to work for food, for clothes to wear, and to pay bills. In fact, God’s Word says this: “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2Thess 3:10). Our Lord reminds us that Life is a gift. It is God’s gift. No man decides to come to this earth by his own power. God created all people, one by one. The deduction is that if God created you, then He will take care of you. To create something from nothing is harder than to keep that thing who is already created. Jesus says that if God created you, He would not abandon you because He created you for His purpose.

It is strange to see how much of our energy is used in worries about temporal things. Even the Christians think, talk, argue about the price of food and clothes. Jesus says we should look at the birds. This is a simple fact. God feeds them. But man’s way of providing food and clothes is different than that of the birds. Man must work so that he can eat. God told Adam: “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread” (Gen 3:19). Here, The Lord compares the birds with men so that we can see the lower and the higher. Jesus says, if God provides for the birds, who are lower in the level of creation, how much more God will provide for men, who are made in the image of God and have faith to believe in God? This is wise thinking: Compare things and conclude. For example, the Bible says: “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom 8:32). If God gave us His Son to die for our sins (the higher price), He will surely give us food to eat (the lower price). Jesus is saying: Work but don’t Worry! To work is good! To worry, it is sin! The root of worry is doubt, pride, and rebellion. You need to repent of it.

Another reason why you should not worry about your life it is because The Gentiles seek after material things. All unbelievers live in fear, anxiety and doubt. But we must be different! If the Christian worries about food and clothes, he demotes himself to the level of the unbelievers. Jesus said that God the Father knows all your needs. Once you stop your anxiety, God will start being anxious for you! Don’t drag tomorrow’s pain into today. It will become anxiety and depression. God gives us a portion of His mercy, grace, wisdom, strength, and provision only for today. If you worry about tomorrow, the burden for today will be too much for you to bear. When you go to sleep this evening, have faith that God will still be God in the morning, when you wake up. Lesson: Jesus does not want you to worry about your life!!! Re-surrender your life totally and unconditionally to Jesus Christ, the King of kings! Live by that faith!

Anxiety or worry connects with the future. Our Lord uses verbs to describe the future. The Christian who worries is a Christian who doubt God’s sovereign care over his future. He may have faith for things concerning today, but he is not sure that God will help him in the future. He doubts the scriptures reveal God as the Master of the future. Listen to God: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer 29:11). Only God knows the future. But He really knows it because God gives us the future. “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please” (Isa 46:10; NIV). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8). Selah!

What is the cure for this anxiety? Doctor Jesus recommends the activity of seeking the Kingdom of God and its righteousness. Practically, it means to enthrone Jesus as King over every circumstance. You cannot stop anxiety by yourself. The only way to defeat it is by using your strength to seek the Kingdom of God. The greater revelation you have about God’s Kingdom, the more you shall live in the Freedom, Provision, Peace and Joy that He provides. Why do people worry about food and clothes? Without food and clothes, you lose the pleasure of eating and the compliments you receive for dressing well. Being naked in cold countries can kill you. Life is not only about experiencing natural pleasures. If we worry about food and clothes, we have forgotten the greater, eternal things. Life is fulfilled by knowing God, being saved and going to heaven. Jesus said that the Lilies are beautiful. But they do not work for food. They drink the water God supplies thru the rain. As you can see, God loves to make beautiful things. That is why the grass is green, the sky is blue, and the flowers have many colors. Learn to enjoy your life on earth every day! Be good and do good. In that way, you will never be worried about tomorrow. Selah!

Jesus says: “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”. He says that Life is more important than food. God will keep you alive until His purpose on earth for you is fulfilled. To worry is useless. If you worry, you cannot prolong your life. Worry may even shorten your life. He uses this figure of speech referring to the length of life. In other words, by worrying you cannot add one hour to your life. It is a fact that medical science and the doctors’ skill cannot prolong life. We think that living in a big city that has good hospitals gives us a better chance to live longer. But this is just an imagination. In any country and in any hospital, it is a fact that people die. Sometimes, the same sickness kills one and the other survives. Life is a gift from God. He determines when life starts and when life ends. Our lives are in the hands of God. If we trust God completely, worry has no place in our hearts. May our life and love give God all the glory! Amen!