Today we turn our attention to an issue, that might just be the most widespread issue of our time, both in and out of the Church. What is the issue? Anxiety. The very thought of this topic makes me think of one thing. One thing that strikes fear and trepidation and anxiety into my soul, the dentist.
I don't know why or when it started, but I get very anxious about going to the dentist. One time many years ago this led to a very awkward moment. I walked into a dentist office and it was the first time I had ever been there, and I was filling out the new patient paperwork and I noticed there was a questionnaire included in it. It seemed like the questionnaire was just trying to get to know you, but one of the questions was problematic for me. It read like this, ‘On a 1-10 scale, how comfortable are you with dentists?’ My first thought was there's no way good to answer this question. Because if I put too high a number I'm not quite being honest with them and if I put too low a number I might not be allowed back there and I might not get my teeth cleaned today. So I think I settled on 3. On a 1-10 scale of how comfortable I am with a dentist, I wrote 3. I didn’t think that was low, or any issue, maybe they might read this and be a bit more gentle with my cleaning or try to ease some of my concerns during the visit. So I finished the paperwork and turned it back in and after a certain amount of time my name was called and instead of being led into a dental room, I was led into a room with a large office table, where all the dentists and dental hygienists in that particular practice were assembled. They invited me in asked me to sit down, I had no idea what was going on, and they proceeded to express their concern about my concern about dentists. They really wanted to know why I would put a 3 in the questionnaire for that one question. They asked me if I had a bad experience in the past, which led to me having discomfort with dentists, and other things like this. After a minute or two the time came for my give some kind of explanation for my 3, so I responded by saying, ‘I certainly didn't intend to raise such concerns with all of you, I was just trying to be honest, and I thought this was a common thing for people to be uncomfortable with dentists.’ After more than a few blank stares I think they understood what I was saying, and eventually I was allowed to go back with the nicest and gentlest hygienist they had, she cleaned my teeth, I left, and I never went back.
Before this trip I was already a little anxious about the dentist, and this visit did nothing but add to my anxiety about going to see the dentist. This is something I still struggle with to this day.
I know many of you have similar kinds of anxiety, with other things or in certain situations, so I think it’s plain as day that we live in a very anxious age. Anxiety is all around us these days. It’s actually been some time since I’ve met someone who never struggles with anxiety at all. So, what are we to do? What do we need to help us? Over and above all we could do, we need to turn to Jesus.
In our trek through the Sermon on the Mount, we’ve heard Jesus teach on many things. And in our text today, Matthew 6:25-34, He teaches on anxiety.
Before tackling the passage notice a few things about it. A quick glance at these verses show Jesus telling us three times to not be anxious. v25, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious…”. v31, “Therefore do not be anxious…”. And v34, “Therefore do not be anxious…”. Why does He do this?[1] Well part of the answer is what comes immediately before this passage. In v19-24 Jesus addresses the danger of laying up treasures on earth, the danger of hoarding earthly treasures, and stockpiling all kinds of stuff here in this life. To remedy this problem, Jesus points us upward and calls us to serve Him and lay up treasures in heaven. Our passage, v25-34, Jesus pulls this thread out a bit longer. Here He’s addressing our tendency to be anxious about earthly treasures to such a degree that these earthly things begin to master and enslave us. This can happen to the rich (who have an abundance of possessions to get caught up in) just as easily as it can happen to the poor (who can be caught up in the lack of their own possessions). The aim of the devil is sneaky in anxiety over earthly treasures.[2] He doesn’t care if you’re anxious about all the treasures you have or if you’re anxious about all the treasures you lack. The devil’s aim is to trap you right there with what is earthly and cause you to completely forget what is heavenly.
So, what’s the remedy for our anxiety? Once again Jesus will point us heavenward. How does He do that? With three ‘Therefore’s.’
Therefore #1 (v25-30)
Just v25 first, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”
I should say here from the beginning that some anxiety comes from within us because of a physiological imbalance that requires various forms of treatment. That can of anxiety is not sinful. But the anxiety in our text is different. It is an anxiety all about being far too worried over earthly concerns. This kind of anxiety is a great sin.
In v25 Jesus begins with His first command, “…do not be anxious about your life…” By life Jesus means what we eat, what we drink, and what we wear. Interesting that He chose these three things isn’t it? It’s as if much of His own day cared about and was caught up in what our own day cares about and is caught up in. Look at the cover of any magazine or scroll through any social media long enough and it becomes quickly obvious that the world is convinced that our lives consist of these things alone: eating, drinking, and clothing. Jesus points this out us at the end of v25 by asking us, “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” We know the answer, right? Of course life is more important than food and of course the body is more important than clothing. These are needs, for sure. Gifts from God to sustain us and to care for us, indeed. But to give these needs central place in our concerns, making them the sum and substance of our thoughts, causes us to grow anxious about these things. And this is not what the Lord intends us to do.
Having given us this command in v25, Jesus now goes on to deal with each of these in turn in v26-30 with lessons from creation.
In v26-27 there’s a lesson about provision from the birds of the air. “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”
What do the birds teach us? In general they are cared for by God. It is our way as mankind to gather food, and to store up food until we need it. The birds don’t do this, they don’t store up any food, they just go get it when its needed. Smaller birds get worms, bigger birds get mice, and on and on. And yet, even though they don’t store anything up, God sees to it that they have food to eat, and by so doing God sees to it that they’re sustained. Yet, do not miss that while God does indeed provide for the birds, but He doesn’t drop food into their beaks.[3] They work for it, which shows us that Jesus isn’t teaching us to be lazy here, or that we should just sit back waiting and watching for God’s provision.[4] Not at all, while we work hard in our vocations we must trust God’s ultimate provision for all our needs.
This is where Jesus goes next in this lesson. He says as our heavenly Father cares and provides food for birds, how much more will He provide for us, who of much more value than they? Do we believe that? That we’re of much more value than birds to God? Why is this so? Certainly it isn’t because of our nature, we’re fallen sinners. So what is it? Our higher value comes from us being image bearers, male and female made in the image of God. Birds are God’s creation, but they’re not made in His very image. Yet He still cares for them. How much more will He care for us who are made in His very image? Do not miss this small transition in the passage.[5] When Jesus begins speaking of how God cares for the birds and cares for us much more, it’s precisely this moment when He calls God our heavenly Father. See it Church. God is God to us and God to all things. God is Creator to us and to all things. God is Sustainer to us and to all things, but God is more to His children. God is Father to us who have come to Jesus in faith. And because He’s our heavenly Father, see v27, we shouldn’t be anxious about being provided for, because by worrying we add nothing to our lives. Do think that way about anxiety? This might be new for some of you. That anxiety is really our attempt to add to the span of our lives? I think most of us believe anxiety is just about excessive worry or about a fearful response to life feeling out of control. There’s definitely truth there, but Jesus tells us here that anxiety is about us not trusting Him to care and provide for us and that by worrying we’re trying to add length to our life. Jesus doesn’t just say this, He asks us if we can truly add to our lives by worrying? The answer is a clear no. Whether you’re rich or poor, no one can add any amount of time, worth, or peace to our lives by worrying. Rather, I think it’s been clearly proven that worry and stress like this actually harm us and decrease the span of our lives.
And because Jesus knows we need it, He continues on in v28-30 with another lesson about provision from the lilies of the field. “And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, 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. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”
Before it was food with the birds, now it’s clothing with the lilies and the splendor of Solomon. And it’s much the same point as before too. The lilies of the field don’t toil or labor to make themselves grow beautifully, no, God clothes them in a splendor more magnificent than Solomon could achieve with all his wealth and abundance.[6] Since God does this to fleeting grass and flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow how much more will He clothe us? “O you of little faith” Jesus says. Be honest, does that describe you? One of little faith? Don’t all our worries of life stem from and flow out of how little faith we have in God? If our faith is little, it doesn’t mean we have no faith, it’s just that we’ve placed a greater amount of faith in something else than we have placed in God. So where else does our faith lie, or in whom do we place our faith? Ourselves? Or our great strength to provide for ourselves? Our reputation as Christians? Our nation, our job, our family, our spouse, our friends, or our church? These are good things, but they all make bad gods. Our faith, our whole trust, assurance, security, well-being, and peace should be in our heavenly Father, for He always cares for us and sees to our needs.
“Therefore…do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.”
That’s the first therefore.
Therefore #2 (v31-33)
This second therefore command against anxiety begins by repeating what Jesus just finished saying in v31 in regard to our being anxious about eating, drinking, and clothing. “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’” Jesus then, expands on this in v32 with a contrast. He says, “For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.”
What is this? What does Jesus mean by ‘Gentiles’? The word is ethnos in Greek and it refers to the nations of the world, the pagan or heathen or unbelieving peoples of the world. This word is often used in Scripture, and is being used here, in contrast to the Jews. Basically, what’s being said here is that God’s people, who do know God, aren’t to live like the pagans who don’t know God. What’s the difference between those who know God and those who don’t? v33 says it, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” While the Gentile pagans are characterized by anxiously seeking after the things of this world, God’s people are characterized by seeking after, not the things of this world, but the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Why don’t we seek after the world? Because we know God is our heavenly Father who knows all our needs.
All of this of course means, if we as God’s people are caught up in anxious worrying about the things of this world, we may say we’re Christians but we’re really living like we don’t know God at all.
Think about this. Pagans know nothing about God. They know nothing about the riches of God’s glory revealed in Christ and applied to us by the Spirit. They know nothing of the depth and beauty of the Scriptures. They know nothing of the assurance the children of God enjoy throughout all of life. They know nothing of the gospel. They think everything happens by accident or chance. And because they know nothing of these glorious realities it makes perfect sense for them to be riddled with all kinds of worry and anxiety. Should it be like that for us? Not at all! We know God, we’ve seen the glory of God revealed in Christ, we know the power of the Spirit, we’ve beheld God’s beauty in the Scriptures, and we enjoy a hefty assurance in all of life because of the gospel of grace! Worry fits the world like a tailored suit, but it doesn’t fit Christians at all. You know what suits us? Seeking and resting in the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Meaning, our anxiety about earthly things will decrease as we seek after God: His ways, His heart, His mind as it’s revealed to us in His Word. We seek Him in study, in prayer, in praise, and in the fellowship of His Church. Who He is, what He is, and what belongs to Him and His Kingdom defines our lives…rather than the things of this world. As we seek Him, and lean into Him, we trust Him to provide all the rest. That’s what v33 is getting at.
That’s the second therefore.
Therefore #3 (v34)
It all leads here. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Here Jesus teaches us how anxiety presses in on us in the present moment and tempts us to look far beyond to what may occur in the future. In this we see the folly of anxiety. Anxiety is a unique kind of suffering, but its suffering from what might or may happen to us in life. It’s a suffering imposed on us from the dreadful unknown. So we could say the anxious heart receives all kinds of blows through anticipatory events that haven’t happened. Some of us have suffered much more in this world from what might happen to us than what has actually happened to us. We fear everything because everything is possible. Such a heart possesses…only fear.[7]
And yet, all along. There is the sovereign God, our heavenly Father. He will provide, and we can rest in Him.
Conclusion:
This is really the point of this sermon. Jesus commands us to not be anxious, and to trust Him. Jesus is teaching us here the doctrine of providence, which explains how God governs over all creation, such that there is no maverick molecule running loose outside God’s sovereign power.[8] Critics of this passage say Jesus is wrong about birds and lilies because He clearly doesn’t know about natural disasters, famines, or manmade accidents that can wipe out whole species. ‘How can He say God cares for them when they’re all wiped out?’[9] But really, Jesus is not giving us the full scale explanation of the life of animals and flowers. No, He’s using a common everyday reality to illustrate a great truth.
Church, I don’t believe all anxiety is sinful, but I do believe a great portion of anxiety is. And while there might be greater sins than the sins of anxiety, few are as disabling and paralyzing as it.[10]
God can be trusted! This passage gives us a great view of God’s sovereign care, yes, but more so this passage gives us a great view of God’s sovereign Fatherly care over us His children.[11] Do you know His care? Do you trust the Lord, or does something you fear loom larger over you than God does? Either you believe Jesus, take Him at His Word, and will not worry about these things, or you will not believe what Jesus says here and will be anxious about many things. Where are you in this?
Worry is like weights in the gym. There weight is good and we choose to pick up the weights to grow in strength and health. Worry is also something we choose pick up, but its weight isn’t good for us, it slowly kills us. So, make a better a choice. Trust the Lord, for He can be trusted.
[1] Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1971) 2:107-108.
[2] Lloyd-Jones, 2:108.
[3] Martin Luther, quoted in R.T. France, Matthew – NICNT (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2007) 268.
[4] R. Kent Hughes, The Sermon On the Mount: The Message of the Kingdom – Preaching the Word Commentary (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2001) 226.
[5] Lloyd-Jones, 2:119.
[6] John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries – Matthew (accessed via Accordance Bible software, 1.29.22).
[7] Hughes, 229.
[8] R. C. Sproul, Matthew: An Expositional Commentary (Sanford, FL: Ligonier, 2019) 156.
[9] For example see: R.T. France, Matthew – NICNT (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2007) 265-266.
[10] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew – PNTC (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1992) 163.
[11] Donald A. Hagner, Matthew 1-13 – WBC (Dallas, TX: Word Books, 1993) 167.
