Do Not Be Anxious

Introduction

Anxiety is a fearsome beast.

It tears at your joy, your rest, your happiness, your peace, your productivity

It is fundamentally a fear of the future.

What will happen?

That fear of tomorrow can paralyze us today.

So what do we do about it?

How do we rid ourselves of it? How do we prevent ourselves from being overcome by it?

This is what our Lord teaches us in this section of the sermon on the mount

Is Anxiety a Sin?

“This is something which is highly dishonouring to God, a sin which we need to make conscience of, confessing it with shame and seeking grace to avoid any further repetitions thereof…

To be fearful about the supply of future needs, to be worried that we may yet be left to suffer the lack of temporal necessities, is to be guilty of wicked unbelief. It calls into question the goodness and care of our Creator. It manifests a lack of faith in His wise and gracious providence. And if we be Christians, it betrays doubt of our Father’s love. And surely these are evils of the deepest dye.” -Arthur Walkington Pink.

Anxiety is rooted in the sin unbelief and is often the result of the sin of covetousness.

This is an extension from the argument extending from v. 19 against covetousness

We often have a hard time ridding ourselves of Anxiety because we don’t recognize it for what it is

It is not first and foremost an affliction of the mind

It is first and foremost a sin against God and a repudiation of His goodness.

When we recognize it as such, we will recognize that we can only be rid of it the same way we can be rid of other sins.

Namely, by the spirit putting it to death

Romans 8:13–15 “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!””

Are we to take care of our lives?

The word anxious here is more literally translated “care.”

Take no thought of your life.

Do not be careful for your life

How can this be a godly admonition?

“Hereto Christ answers, yea, but I say, you must not seek, no not for things needful to your life, immoderately and distrustfully.” -William Perkins

Godly Care

Proverbs 6:6 “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.”

We are call to labor diligently in wisdom in order to obtain what we need in this life.

2 Corinthians 12:14 For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.”

Parents have an obligation to produce some form of wealth for future generations

1 Timothy 5:8 “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

Those who do not labor to care for their families are guilty of a heinous sin

We are to walk with integrity, working diligently, being good stewards of the things the Lord has entrusted to us.

We are to work hard to gain material goods for our own sustenance and for the sake of others under our care and others who can benefit from our generosity.

Sober use of means…

We ought not be lazy and expect God to care for us

It is not faith but presumption which would lead to carelessness therein, fanaticism and not spirituality which inculcates the neglect of all proper means. -A.W. Pink

We leave the fruits of our labor in His hands.

We plan, but we do not trust in our plans

We work, but we do not trust in our works

We scheme, but we do not trust in our schemes. Rather, we trust in God that He will use our schemes and labors and plans in order to care for us

Psalm 127:1–2 “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.”

Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”

We can look to the faith of Abraham

Genesis 22:8 “Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.”

Distrustful Care

this is not sin, nor serving mammon, that we eat and drink, and clothe ourselves, as the needs of this life and of the body require, so that it may have its food and clothing; also, it is no sin to seek and gain food; but [it is sinful] to be careful about it, that is, to set the heart’s comfort and confidence upon it -Martin Luther

You have done the work required of you. You have seen to your duties and have sought to be a good steward of all God has entrusted to you. Yet you fail to leave the results to God

When concern over making provision for the future leads the heart away from God and produces distrust, it has become sinful. -A.W. Pink

You fail to rest in His sovereign loving care for you.

Distrust of God’s care for you leads to all manner of sin

The use of unlawful means to get what you need

Lying, theft, dishonest weights and measures

All because you do not trust that God will care for your needs

It also leads to a stunted and sickly and distracted worship

Unable to pray, unable to hear and read the word, unable to rest on the Lord’s Day

The mana in the wilderness. Gather every day but the Sabbath. Gather more than you need because you fear God will not provide for you tomorrow, it will rot.

It leads to a heavy heart and a fearful distracted mind

Worry over poverty can be fatal to spiritual life

Luke 8:14 “And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.”

Do you trust in God, or do you trust in means?

Your success and protection and safety are not in your hands, they are in God’s

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use the means soberly and honestly, and leave the blessing to God.

Psalm 55:22 “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”

Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”

1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

Philippians 4:6 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

What a freeing, liberating blessing.

What a lightening of our load?

We see in this text 4 reasons given for not being anxious

Reason 1: Is Life not More than Food and the Body more than Clothing?

Here, Our Lord is making the argument from the greater to the lesser

God has given us life, which is a far greater gift than food

In fact, food is only necessary to sustain the life we have been given.

If God has given us this great gift of life, why would he not also give us food for the sustenance of it?

Thine hands have made me and fashioned me, and wilt thou destroy me?” (Job 10:8)

Experience teaches us that every workman is careful to preserve the work of his own hands, if it lies in his power. Why then should we doubt of this in our Creator, who is almighty? -William Perkins

Reason 2: God Cares for things of lesser value, He will care for you

Excurses: Natural Knowledge

God has given us much knowledge, even of Himself, in the world He has made

The Scriptures are not the only place we go to to receive a knowledge of God

They are not the only place we can derive wisdom

And we see in our text, we can learn the love of God for us from the world He has made

Indeed he commands us to look to His creation to learn about Him, as He does in other places in Scripture

When we do so, there is much benefit for us

“Look to the ant you sluggard”

Psalm 92:4–5 “For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep!”

Another argument from the lesser to the greater

The Birds of the Air (v. 26)

Another argument from the lesser to the greater

Syllogism

Premise A: Things of greater value receive greater care than things of lesser value

Premise B: God Cares for the birds

Premise C: You are of greater value than the birds

Conclusion: God will care for you

They eat though they have no means of providing food for themselves

They don’t plant and gather and store and make their strawberry preserves and can their chicken and freeze their sweet corn

Yet they have enough to eat, because God directly provides for them.

Psalm 104:21 “The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.”

The animals don’t plant and harvest and store and process. They search and gather and eat.

God has gifted us with the power of intellect to be able to provide for ourselves what we need. We don’t merely eat whatever we happen to find.

If God can provide irrational animals with what they need, how much more can he provide for us to whom He has given greater ability?

Will He feed birds, and neglect His own children? It cannot be. -William Perkins

The Lilies of the Field (vv. 28-30)

Here he makes a similar argument to the one in v. 26. But His concern moves from food to clothing. Both things of basic necessity.

Again, we are called to look to the creation to see the evidence of God’s goodness and love for His children.

If God clothes the lilies of the field, then doubtless He will clothe you; but God clothes the lilies of the field, therefore much more will He clothe you -William Perkins

Wildflowers, which have even more beautiful adornment than kings, though they are not cultivated by man, are clothed by God. How much more will He honor you and clothe you?

Oh you of little faith (v. 30)

Here we see the heart of the problem of anxiety. It is unbelief

Those with weak faith increase in anxiety. Those with greater faith increase in security of soul.

Are you afraid you will suffer harm and want and hunger? Does sleep elude you because of the supposed danger around you?

Trust in God. Lord I believe, help my unbelief.

Reason 3: Anxiety Accomplishes Nothing (v.27)

None of our fretting, worrying, or anxious thoughts will accomplish anything good

Are you worried about your life or the life of your family? Well, worry will not extend your life

In fact, we know that anxiety can lead to poor health which leads to a decreased life expectancy

No good comes from worrying

Sometimes we are anxious for no other reason than that we think the danger or the peril of the situation demands anxiety

But anxiety does not remove us from peril or danger or harm. It does not extend our life by one cubit!

The point is this; anxiety accomplishes nothing good, but it does bring fear, pain, and a heavy burden. So why be anxious?

You cannot work yourself into a more secure position than what God has called you to

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who labor build it in vain.

Parents labor to set their homes in a good position

Save for education, save for retirement, work hard to give your children a secure and safe upbringing

But your home will not be more secure than God has determined. Your family will not be more safe than He has decreed them to be. Your wealth will not be greater than He thinks best for you.

This is not a call to throw caution to the wind.

But you could be a millionaire living in a compound with armed guards and be no safer than the poor family living in the most dangerous part of town.

Do your best to steward God’s gifts to you well, but trust in God for protection

Reason 4: Your Heavenly Father Knows What You Need

One objection to the command here might be; If I don’t care for the earthly things and provide for myself all my needs, who will?

God will

Providence

This is the doctrine of providence

Providence is the doctrine that God, by His sovereign power and will, controls and guides all things toward the end for which He has created it

Or, as the confession states it in 5.1

God the good Creator of all things, in his infinite power and wisdom, upholds, directs, arranges, and governs all creatures and things, from the greatest to the least, by his perfectly wise and holy providence, to the purpose for which they were created. He governs according to his infallible foreknowledge and the free and unchangeable counsel of his own will. His providence leads to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness, and mercy.

This is undoubtedly true from the scriptures and from natural wisdom, but what makes particularly precious to us is what we read in 5.7

The providence of God in a general way includes all creatures, but in a special way it takes care of his church and arranges all things to its good.

If you had to choose who was given the responsibility of caring for all of your needs who would you choose?

Yourself, or someone more competent than yourself?

Yourself or someone who loves you even more than you do?

Yourself, or someone who has limitless resources, energy, and wisdom?

What about yourself or someone who loves you infinitely more than you, has infinitely more power, wisdom, and resources?

The choice has already been made for you

He Knows What You Need More Than You Do

Your Father knows you need these things, and He knows what you need more than you do

Which means, he not provide things you think you needed

And He may give you things that you didn’t think you needed when in reality they are things you cannot do without

And in this we should rejoice

What if God does not provide for me what I need?

Many children of God have experienced want and hunger and nakedness

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Therefore learn to depend upon God’s providence in the moderate use of lawful means, and whether He gives you blessings or takes them away, bless His name, for it is good for you it should be so. And thus much for the main commandment.

The Command (v. 33)

Seek first the kingdom and righteousness

We are people who need to get our priorities straight.

Instead of being obsessive about the things of this world. Focused on the material world and the wealth we can accumulate here, we are to be focused on the unseen realm.

We are to be concerned with cultivating virtue in ourselves and doing what our God requires of us

We are to be more concerned with advancing the agenda of our king than advancing our own agenda

If we are concerned with these things first, the other things will be added to us

Those other things of lesser importance and value.

Because what is food and drink compared to spiritual vitality?

What is a garment when compared to the adornment of virtue and humility?

Why make the building of your own domain primary when you can labor to advance the eternal kingdom of God?

Seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first in your life, church, family, and public affairs

Then He will add to you all you need and more

Conclusion (v. 34)

Do not live in a non-existent reality

The future you are certain will exist will almost certainly not come to pass

Live in the reality that God has placed you in, not in one of your own tortured mind’s making

The Christian Life is one of Trust

If do not trust Him to provide us with our daily bread and our mundane and menial needs, how can we say that we trust Him to give our souls what they need most?

How can we say that we have trusted Him to save our souls?

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if we would rely on God for temporal blessings, we must first labor to lay hold by faith on His spiritual and eternal promises; get assurance of your adoption in Christ, and labor to know and feel that He is your heavenly Father, and then you will easily depend upon His providence for temporal blessings. If you be once persuaded truly that He will save your soul, how can you distrust Him for provision for your body? If a king’s son knows his father will make him heir, he will not doubt but he will afford him food and raiment in the meantime.

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how we shall rely upon His mercy for the saving of our souls in the time of temptation and hour of death that dare not trust in His providence for the things of this life.