1. Vs. 25 begins with "therefore." It points back to vs. 24. Why should you not worry about your life? Because you cannot serve God and Mammon. God is the true, Triune, saving God. Mammon is the god of temporal things: food, clothing, etc. You cannot serve two masters at the same time. Unbelievers serve Mammon. Believers serve God and His kingdom, His righteousness.
2. Vss. 32-33 show the contrast between the heathen and God's children. The heathen seek only the Mammon of this world. God's children seek His Kingdom, His righteousness, the Gospel. God promises: "If you seek His Kingdom, His righteousness, He will take care of the rest." See Rom. 8:32. What is the kingdom of God? Rom. 14:17 says "For the Kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Col. 3:1-2 reads: "If therefore you have been raised up with Christ, seek the things above where Christ is at the right hand of God. Think about the things above, not the things on earth." One commentator said: "In the right use of the earthly things given to us, we really mind and seek heavenly things." Food and clothing are temporal gifts of God to be used rightly. But forgiveness of sins and eternal life are the heart of true religion.
3. Vs. 25 says: "Your body and soul will live forever. Food and clothing are only for this life. Body and soul are worth much more than food and clothing. God will take care of body and soul."
4. Vs. 26 says: "Birds should make us ashamed of ourselves. They know that God will provide even though they do not work hard and save up food. Aren't you worth much more than birds which don't have souls?"
5. Vs. 27 says: "You can't add five minutes to your life. Worry can't do that. Why then should you worry about lesser things?"
6. Vss. 28-30 are a unit. The wild grass and flowers are so beautiful. They are even more beautiful than Solomon in all his glory. See I Kings 10 and 11. And II Chron. 9:13 and following. But they last only a day and then are good only for the fire. But you have an immortal soul and will last forever. Flowers don't worry. Why do you worry?
7. Worry is sin. Worry reveals a lack of faith and trust in Jesus to provide. We pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Give us this day our daily bread." But then we doubt our prayer and begin worrying. That is sin.
8. The questions in vs. 31 are not questions of information but questions of anxiety. Worry is caused by greed and greed is never satisfied. It always wants more, more, more.
9. Read I Tim. 6:6-11. True faith in Jesus gives contentment with only necessary food, clothing and shelter. It always says: "I came into the world with nothing. I leave it with nothing." Then Paul shows that the desire for riches leads to grief and sorrow. The love of money and things leads to destruction. Then Paul says that we should pursue righteousness, piety, faith, love, endurance and meekness.
10. In the OT we have the example of Elijah, a man of simple food, dress. But the Lord took care of him. In the NT we have John the Baptist, a man of simple food, dress and life. But the Lord took care of him. We also have Paul who gave up everything when he found the righteousness of Christ. But our greatest example is Jesus Himself. Foxes have holes. The birds of the air have nests. But the Son of man had nowhere to lay His head. His heavenly Father took care of Him.
11. Seek not as do the heathen. Vs. 32. But always seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. He'll take care of everything else.
12. Usually our worries are not about today but rather about tomorrow. Christians should live just one day at a time. Live like little children. They know and believe that mama and papa will provide.
THEME: JESUS TEACHES THOSE WHOSE FAITH IS SMALL
INTRODUCTION
Faith in Jesus and His Gospel drives worry out of our hearts. Jesus looks at this problem from different angles. And then He tells us to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Is. 26:3 says: If you will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." See also Jn. 14:27.
I. HE USES ILLUSTRATIONS FROM NATURE TO HELP THEM
A. The wild birds teach us not to worry about food. Wild birds do the not sow, harvest or gather into barns. And yet your heavenly Father provides for them. These birds have no souls. Their life is only temporal. But you have a soul. You will live forever. Aren't you worth far more than the birds which God feeds? Doesn't He love you? Your life is worth much more than food. Your body is worth much more than your clothing. You worry. But your worry is sin.
B. The wild flowers teach us not to worry about clothing. In spring we see wild flowers growing everywhere. Who makes them grow? God. They don't weave. They don't spin. And yet their clothing, their petals, their flowers are more beautiful than Solomon who was known far and wide for his luxurious living. I Kings 10 and 11. II Chron. 9:13 and following. These wild flowers bloom today but dry up tomorrow and are good only for fire. Their life is very short. But you will live eternally. Aren't you worth far more than wild flowers? You worry. But your worry is sin.
II. HE USES AN ILLUSTRATION FROM PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW THE TRUE GOD
A. The life of heathen nations. Jesus says: "The heathen nations seek all of these things (food and clothing)." They are not as wise as wild birds or wild flowers. Because they do not truly know God they think that these things are more important than their bodies and lives. They do not know that they will live eternally. They are absorbed with concern about food, clothing and the body. They are like the rich man in the parable at Lk. 12:16-21. They treasure up for themselves but are poor toward God. B. The people who don't know God will lose their souls. Read I Tim. 6:6-11. Godliness with contentment is great gain. But people who worry and want to be rich pierce themselves through with many sorrows.
A. He tells them to seek first the Kingdom of God. What is the Kingdom of God? John the Baptist and Jesus both came saying: "Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is here." That means: "Confess your sins and trust in the forgiveness of sins." Confess all your worries to the Lord. Then hear Him say: "Come unto Me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." He hears St. Paul say: "The Kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Lord." Rom. 14:17. The Gospel of Jesus Christ cleanses our hearts by faith in the message of Jesus. B. He promises that all these things (food, clothing etc.) will be given to us by Jesus Who takes care of us. He takes care of wild birds and wild flowers. Won't He care for sinners who repent and then seek the Kingdom of God? St. Paul says: "He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won't He with Christ freely give us all things?" Rom. 8:32. Will a mother abandon a believer? Surely not.
CONCLUSION
When we listen to this text we understand what Jesus means by the last sentence: "Do not worry about tomorrow. Because tomorrow will worry about itself. Sufficient for today are the evils of today." Worry only makes double trouble. Trust in Jesus gives contentment.