Trusting in God

Matthew 6:25-34

1. INTRODUCTION

2. BODY

a. Not loving yourself above all else (6:25-30)

i. Jesus speaks contextually from what he wrote in 6:24. He wrote that you can’t serve two masters. Then in verse 25 says, for this reason, meaning because you can’t serve both money and God, this reason, don’t worry about your life. Jesus is making it plain that the things we worry about is because we try to serve two masters. The things that Jesus lists such as food and drink and clothing are items that we purchase with money.

ii. If we want to eat fine foods and travel and wear expensive clothing and live in expensive homes, k will need a lot of money. Afterall, that is what much of the world seeks to do with their lives. They want to live lavish lifestyles because we want to enjoy our lives. I am not saying these are bad things. I think it’s great if we have financial freedom and we can live the way we want to live without the burden of doing things we hate. But the point that Jesus is making is what is your greatest need. Whom do you serve? Jesus is making it clear that if you want the things of the world, you will need to serve that master.

iii. Verse 26, Jesus gives us a hint that we need to pick up on. He says that your heavenly Father feeds them. What Jesus makes plain here is that all the things that you enjoy in this life are not things that you have accomplished. Rather, they are all given to us. Just as He gives to the birds of the air and all the animals in the world, He will also provide for us.

iv. He continues this by telling us in verse 27, so if you continue to worry about the things that you have no control over because they are not earned but given, so don’t worry about things you have no control over. I think this is the hardest part of the human condition because we are all such control addicts and we want to be in control of everything and when we don’t have control over these matters, this is what causes us to worry.

v. Think about it, if we could control everything, it’s because we have the resources for everything. You can’t control things that you have no resources over. But the reason we worry is because we don’t have these resources and we are trying to get these resources so we can have control. This is why Jesus tells us don’t worry about these things. He tells us in verse 28 again, to not worry. Why are you worried about clothing?

vi. Why are you worried about things that you don’t have control over? This is why you try to serve money so you can have control over these things. But Jesus is telling us, you must serve God first. You must rely on Him and believe that He is good and will provide for you.

vii. Verse 29 is very interesting because Matthew speaks of Solomon 5 times which is more than any other New Testament book. Interesting that Jesus speaks of Solomon but mentions him in an interesting way. He says that Solomon in all his glory could not cloth himself like the lilies of the field. Even with all that wisdom and wealth, Solomon could not cloth himself in comparison to how God is able to cloth the lilies in the field.

viii. Verse 30, now if God is able to cloth the lilies of the field which is so sophisticated in comparison to human ability, and God provides that to them on a daily basis, why are we worried? I mean when we think about our lives, has not God provided everything we have needed? What is the significance here of the fact that grass is alive today and thrown in the furnace tomorrow? Jesus is emphasizing the small value of plants. They soon pass away and then are of no more use than to be fuel for a fire. If God is able to cloth these plants with such beautiful clothing, how much more will God cloth you?

ix. Why are we worried so much when God is able to provide for these plants? Will He not provide for you which surpasses so much in value?

b. Loving God above all else (6:31-34)

i. Jesus then turns to tell his listeners by saying don’t worry. He’s saying if God does these things, then don’t worry about anything. If God is able to provide clothing for the grass of the field, then you have nothing to worry about.

ii. He then continues His statement in verse 32 by saying that these are the things that Gentiles eagerly seek. These are the things that people who don’t believe seek after. Now that doesn’t mean that believers don’t seek these things either. Believers absolutely seek these things because seeking these things aren’t necessarily bad. But what Jesus is saying is, unbelievers seek these things because they worship these things. This is the logic of Jesus’s statement in 6:24. The difference between believer and unbeliever is that both parties seek these things. Believers rely on God to provide these things while unbelievers seek these things and trust in their ability to provide themselves with these things.

iii. This is why Jesus says in verse 33, but seek first His kingdom. Notice the connection that Jesus makes between verse 32 and 33. The connection is to seek. Again it’s not wrong to seek. It’s more important who and what we are seeking. Jesus makes it clear that we must seek His kingdom and not only His kingdom, but His righteousness. Jesus is clearly saying that the disciple’s first and best effort is to be directed toward God’s kingdom, not any personal needs. The important thing for the disciple is to be constantly seeking to do the things that God wills, that is, to be submissive to the King.

iv. In this context seeking God’s righteousness, mean seeking that righteousness which God only can give. This will include the “right standing” before God that comes about as the result of Christ’s saving work and also the right conduct that befits the servant of God.

v. Jesus is telling his listeners that they must receive their righteousness from God just as the plants receive their clothing from God rather than seek out their own righteousness.

3. CONCLUSION