Do Not Be Afraid Matthew 6:25-34

What I'm about to read is the article that I wrote in September's newsletter. But I'm going to read it right now since it fits our sermon for today. It goes without saying That we have been living in turbulent times.

In December. We heard the news that there was a virus spreading fast in China. Then it began to spread all around the world and in March hit America with full force. Early on we didn't know how serious the virus was.

We know from world history that there have been pandemics that have caused mass death at the end of World War one. The highest estimates say that the Spanish flu killed about a hundred million people.

This is remarkable. Considering the fact that at that time in world history a little under 2 billion people lived on planet Earth. This means that the most generous numbers say that about 2 of the world died from the Spanish flu.

In March when the virus started people were rightly afraid in this world. There are legitimate and illegitimate fears if a major storm is coming the correct emotion is Fear, but even then you cannot let fear overtake you as God's peace goes with you.

But sometimes there are illegitimate fears. This would be like a healthy 25 year old who fears that he is going to die from a heart attack. This is irrational and God can take away this fear as he takes away the legitimate fear.

But in March it was appropriate to have a legitimate fear about this virus. I preached a sermon on March 15th where I gave my reflections on the corona virus. And one of the points I made from scripture is that Jesus tells us not to be afraid.

We cannot let fear rule us. Even if at times fear is the appropriate emotion. Now, let's fast forward to where we are six months later. They say that hindsight is 20 20 and that's so true. Is it legitimate to have a high level of fear about this virus.

Okay before I say what I'm gonna say. Some people wonder should you should we weigh in on things like this as a should churches weigh in on things like this and and my perspective is as your Shepherd, I feel like you need to hear from me how how to think of this biblically how to see the truth and and so.

This is this is why I'm doing what I'm doing here now we know this virus pretty well and Here's what we know. This virus is serious, but it's only serious to a very small percentage of the population.

The virus is serious to the elderly and those with underlying conditions. Over 40 of the deaths in America have taken place in nursing homes. According to data from August 12th, there have been 164 ,000 deaths.

Now it's interesting. There was a stat Released recently by the Centers for Disease Control. And what that stat showed is that only a small percentage of the 164 ,000 actually died from kovat 19. What this that is saying is that if you had kovat when you died that that that's a hundred and sixty four thousand People so it's good to know the details of that but Sadly because of misinformation.

Which is at an all-time high? Right now. You're not going to really hear the truth unless you dig for it those numbers said. That only a small percentage of these deaths were caused by kovat. And I was listening to a pastor recently who looked at the stats and he said that you have a ninety nine point 9 chance of surviving the coronavirus and that's true in Polk County where we live.

Two people have died from kovat 19. Think about how many have died from automobile crashes already this year. The number is more than two and yet nobody thinks twice about getting into a vehicle. So in 1918 The highest estimates say that about 2 of the world died from the Spanish flu the largest pandemic in modern history.

But in 2020 kovat 19 deaths are a minuscule percentage. It's it's very very small. The numbers aren't too much different than the seasonal flu. Now as I downplay The seriousness of this and how it's been portrayed by so many I don't want to be misunderstood.

This is not a virus that you want to get. My in-laws got it. And in the case of my mother-in-law, it was very serious. She went down to Bethesda Hospital in st. Paul, but it's important to know she also has underlying conditions.

So it's not surprising that it was serious and we are very grateful that the Lord pulled her through. But as we look at our society health and government officials have put in place measures. Like this is the Spanish flu of 1918 the largest pandemic in modern history, in fact.

The measures that we experience right now. It have been more severe and in many ways in 1918 churches only shut down for one month in some states governors still are not allowing some churches to gather and We're here five or six months later and Some churches are defying this order and I and I believe that they are in the right in Doing that when there's a government overreach then at that point you have to Go against it.

And what we have seen is panic in many people's eyes. The mass hysteria has made many in our world our country and even our community afraid. And to some of you watching or listening to this right now, I understand why.

You might be taking extra precautions because you are high risk or you are frequently around those who are high risk. But the fact remains that to the vast majority of people this virus is not a legitimate Threat and therefore it's not a legitimate fear.

Over the last six months. We have clearly seen that some of our leaders Have an agenda and others have influence have been influenced by all the noise and all this is pushing people to be afraid. But we should not fall into fear as these alarms continue to sound.

To live in fear is no way to live. Fear robs you of your joy and peace and it robs you of the life that God has called you to live. Every one of us is very susceptible to fear. We are as scared people in The last six months we have seen this probably more than ever.

In our world, we have seen how easy it is for people to get very afraid even if the threat to one is astronomically low now. Not everyone is afraid of the virus but even if you are not you do have fears in your life and Jesus has a word for you and I as He talks about fear in the Sermon on the Mount that we are going to look at this morning.

The Call to Not Be Anxious in Matthew 6

So this time I encourage you to turn in a Bible with me to Matthew chapter 6. We'll be looking at verses 25 through 34. And if you're using a red Bible in the pews, it's on page 965. This sermon is titled do not be afraid.

Those words do not be afraid are uttered 365 times in the Bible and that's the title of this sermon and here's our big idea. Do not worry about your life in this world. And we're gonna see two reasons why and if you have a bulletin there is an outline that you can look at.

But before we jump into our text. Let me give you a little recap of where we were last week in the book of Matthew. We looked at verses 16 through 24. Where we heard the call to wisely invest ourselves for Christ's sake.

We are not here to live for ourselves, but to do the work that God has called us to do. Our big idea last Sunday was to live for the mission greater than ourselves. And in these verses we saw two ways how the first is is by investing wisely in that which will never fade.

The second way how is by submitting entirely to your Holy Master. We should not live for treasures that will perish but rather live as good stewards in this life. Where we will store up for ourselves treasures in heaven that will endure forever.

So that was last Sunday. And if you want to hear that sermon, it's online. This but this at this time. We're gonna look at the text. We're gonna dig into here. I'm gonna begin by reading the text before we look start looking at the verses.

Jesus' Teaching on Worry, Provision, and the Kingdom of God

So Matthew chapter 6 verses 25 through 34. This is these are the words of Jesus. 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.

It's not life more than food in the body more than clothing. 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 in.

Which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to the span of his life? 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 of his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

But if God so closed the grass of the field as today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven. Will he not much more clothes you or you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious saying What shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we wear?

For the Gentiles seek after all these things and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.

Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Now verses 25 and 26 Jesus starts off by saying. Therefore I tell you. Now it's interesting whenever we see the word therefore we need to ask the question. What is it there for?

This section verses 25 through 34 is Connected with the previous section where Jesus told the crowd you cannot serve God and money. Your allegiance cannot be to the things of this world and also to God.

They're in conflict with one another. You must choose one or the other in this section. As I already alluded to in the introduction We are going to see that worldly people have a particular focus in this life while believers have another.

The wrong focus leads to worry. So at the beginning of verse 25 Jesus says. Do not be anxious about your life. In this passage Jesus gives three Common examples where people frequently find themselves anxious these are food drink and clothing.

Now as we are reading this we need to remember the original audience. These would have been three concerns that first century people had. Jesus is talking to Galileans in Northern Israel many of whom did not have the wealth that we enjoy as Americans.

If you look at world history We live like kings. We have homes land a Stockpile of food and drink, but we have plumbing we have cars. We are rich. We're not poor people. We must always remember that largely speaking.

We are very wealthy. If we compare ourselves with Bill Gates, then yes, we don't have a lot. But if we compare ourselves to first century Jews We are very rich in This context Jesus is talking about the basic needs that we so often Take for granted.

So in this verse Jesus says do not worry about food drink and clothing. And at the end of verse 25 he says is that life more than food in the body more than clothing. So he asked the question. What Jesus is saying is all of our focus should not be on Continuing our life in this world.

We need food and drink to live. Yes. But think about how much focus we have on our bodies on self preservation. Our secular world worships the body. They do this because they are trying to hold on tightly to that which will eventually pass away.

This is why you see old people who are trying to look like they're 40. Diets and fitness programs are incredibly popular. People are trying to hold on to this life and this is because there is no hope for the next for these people.

This life is the main event. This is all there is to the secular mind. Something something there might be heaven and hell. Yes, but they're not so sure. So the thinking is let's live for this life. Let's preserve the body.

To live for self-preservation is sinful. Now you might say well pastor said that don't I see you running? Taking care of your body. You seem to care about that. Yes, taking care of your body is good.

But there needs to be balance in this first. Timothy chapter 4 verses 7 and 8 says train yourself for Godliness for all bodily training is of some value. Godliness is a value in every way as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

First Corinthians 619 says that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. So we should take care of our bodies. Yes. We should be good stewards of what God has given us. The body is a gift from him. However, we should not make an idol out of our body like the world does.

Now I have news for you if Christ delays his return Past our lifetime everyone in this room will be dead. This body you have is temporary. Do not hold on to it like the world does. Jesus also talks about clothing in relation to one's appearance.

He says is not your life more than clothing. Now it's not bad to have nice clothes. Some of some of you are nicely dressed today. I should say all of you are nicely dressed. But if that is where our focus is Then that is sinful.

We can make an idol out of the way. We look. The people that Jesus was talking to did not have much clothing probably. But they saw the more well-to-do in society in the first century society. Who had clothing and they had nice clothing and to see this would lead to a discontentment.

With the little clothes they had. They even wondered if they would have any clothing for the future. And what Jesus is saying is Whether you are worried about having enough clothing for your body or want more to measure up with society.

Do not Occupy your mind thinking about your perceived need. Now Jesus gets after this concern they might have for food drink and clothing by giving two illustrations as to how the Lord provides for his creation in The middle of these two illustrations.

He also teaches on what we should think about the span of our lives. And we will look at that after we look at the two illustrations, but let's first look at the first illustration in verse 26. Jesus says 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 in this illustration and in the second one that we will see in a little bit Jesus uses a lesser to greater argument.

In other words if God takes care of Things less important than you that of course, he's gonna take care of you. Jesus first addresses food and by implication drink as well. And this is really fascinating to think about as people who live where we do in rural Northwestern Wisconsin, we can understand this verse better than city people and suburban people like me.

We have farmers in this church and you have food. Because you sow and then as God sends sun and rain you reap a harvest. This is what humans do to eat. But this is not what birds do. Birds do not plant food and Jesus says there's not food waiting for them.

That was stockpiled in a barn. Birds don't work for food like humans do. Most food for humans must be grown or in more modern day Times here food is often manufactured as well. He didn't make birds that way.

He made them to have instincts to find the plentiful resources that God has for them. Birds eat seeds fruit insects fish acorns and even roadkill. And look at highway 87 right it pretty much every day we can see that God provides for them.

They also have plentiful water in oceans lakes rivers and ponds. The Lord makes it so that birds and all wildlife can live on this planet. It's interesting. My sister-in-law was here the other day and I took a picture of an owl on our sign off 87.

It was just standing on the pole. And I think it was a bar one of those barn owls. Maybe you know, but you know better than I do. But she was saying what that means is that this is a good habitat to live.

That's what she said. So so the Lord's provided for them here. We can see that so the Lord indeed does provide and some of you I Say this jokingly kind of some of you are even being used by God to provide even as bears come to your bird feeders.

What is interesting is. When I was growing up, my mom had a plate in the window. She had a Sun window and there was a plate with two birds on it and these two birds were having a conversation. And what they said was why did these humans worry?

Don't they have a heavenly father like we do that takes care of us. And that as I read that I was like, okay, that's straight from the Sermon on the Mount. And we need to learn the lesson from birds. The point Jesus is making here He states at the end of verse 26.

Are you not of more value than they? This rhetorical question has an obvious answer, of course you are. Genesis 1 26 and 27 says that out of all of God's creatures. Only humans are created in the image of God.

This means that we are like God in ways that nothing else in all creation is. You are the pinnacle of creation. Even angels are lower than you in God's plan. Hebrews 114 says angels are ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation.

Angels have intellect like we have but they are only God's servants who exist to praise him and serve us. Only humans are created in the image of God. If you belong to Christ, you are very Precious to God.

He is far more committed to us than we could ever imagine. Birds are a part of God's creation and he takes care of them. But his care for animals pales in his comparison for you. He will provide your food and drink and everything that you need.

That's the point he's making here now in our text. Jesus gives another illustration in verses 28 to 30. He says this. 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 of his glory was not arrayed like one of these. And then Jesus makes the argument if God so closed the grass of the field. Which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven.

Well, he not much more clothes you oh you of little faith. What Jesus says here is that God closed the grass of the field. He closed it by putting beautiful flowers in it in The Galilean region where Jesus is giving the Sermon on the Mount.

They would have had many wildflowers beautiful flowers. This made the area gorgeous. It's still this way today if you visit Israel. And we have wildflowers in America as well. The most well-known wildflower might be the dandelion.

And now you may be wondering is a dandelion a flower or a weed. Well, the answer is both. Weeds are plants that you don't want in a particular location. So you pull them out. We usually don't like dandelions.

And so we usually pull them out but they are quite a sight to see and what's interesting is that we were having a conversation this week and we were sitting in our backyard and Brianna and my sister-in-law mentioned the golden rods that were growing as well.

And maybe you have that in your yard as well. If you want them there, it's quite a sight to see. They're they're beautiful. God closed them. He closed the landscape with these flowers. He makes it look nice and what Jesus says in verse 29 is that the splendor of these flowers of the field is greater than King Solomon's splendor during his reign in Israel.

What we know from reading the Old Testament is that Solomon was one of the greatest kings in world history. He ruled at the height of the kingdom of Israel. In First Kings chapter 10 the Queen of Sheba traveled a long long ways to see his greatness.

And when one looked at him, he would have carried with him splendor. Even with this in mind Jesus is saying the splendor of the grass. That is that is covered with flowers is greater than Solomon's beauty as he sat on the throne.

Jesus talks about how wonderful the grass is decorated. But then he says something astonishing that is the grass is disposed of in an instant. Its life is short-lived. He says it's today alive and tomorrow it is thrown into the oven.

What does this mean? This is what one author wrote. Ovens were made of hardened clay and were used primarily for baking bread when a woman wanted to hurry the baking process. She would build a fire inside the oven as well as under it.

Fuel for the inside heating was usually composed of dried grass and flowers gathered from nearby fields. Once the flowers beauty was gone. It had little use except to be burned up as fuel for baking. Then it was gone so these flowers would be beautiful for a time and Then burned up so why does God go through all the trouble of making something so Beautiful and then having it fade and die.

The answer is It's no trouble for him to do that. He's the creator of all things. He's all-powerful. He can do it in an instant and he's glad to do it to show his beauty as he makes it. Now Sean is a carpenter.

Imagine him Building a beautiful building and let's say the Madison building which he did so much work on and then tearing it down a year later Sean had to put tremendous effort into making it so he's not going to tear it down.

Because think of all the work it would be to rebuild it all over again, right? If he's gonna make something look really nice. This is a long investment that hopefully this building lasts 50 60 70 years when it's built nice.

God doesn't have to do that because He could just have something you make it in an instant and then it comes back the next year and it looks beautiful as well. So it's here for a short time and then it's thrown into the oven and then the new flowers come the next season and they're replaced.

God clothes them with beauty even though they are short-lived and Jesus says will he not much more clothed you oh you of little faith. This rhetorical question once again has an obvious answer, of course, he will provide you with clothing.

Now Jesus mentioned it mentions here specifically That God will provide food drink and clothing, but the application is much broader than that. He will provide all your needs. Whatever you have in your life right now.

I mean you may have a need. What Jesus is telling you is that God will provide for you. He gives you food drink shelter work money possessions health and more. He even gives you the right friends at the right time.

I Think of my life and I'm thinking that friend is the exact person I needed at that point in my life and God is so kind to give you that He provides for us and Jesus is making it clear that you don't need to worry.

God provides His provision is always there. We should thank him for his past provision and trust him for his future. So these are the lesser to greater Illustrations that Jesus uses to show us that of course God will take care of us.

He takes care of birds. He takes care of the grass. So of course He's going to care for his image bearers. But now let's go back to verse 27 this verse that's in between these two illustrations that he gives.

Jesus says this in verse 27 in. Which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? Earlier I mentioned that people try to hold on to life by taking care of their life in this world obsessively through strict diets excessive exercise Anti-aging measures excessive visits to the doctor a Hypochondriac fears death and so they constantly visit the doctor when there really is no imminent problem.

When famous baseball player Ted Williams died some members of his family wanted to freeze his body. So that as technology advanced, maybe they could bring him back to life in the future. You want to talk about holding on to this life?

I can't think of a better example than that. But the Bible is very clear. Hebrews 9 27 says it's appointed for man to die once and then comes judgment. But people want to live forever. Death is the greatest fear that people have.

I know there was a study a while back. That said that public speaking is the greatest fear. I don't think that's true death. If you were to take a survey over several hundred years Thousands of years even people would say that death is the greatest fear that there is.

Hebrews 2 15 says that death is a lifelong Slavery that hangs over unbelievers. But when you come to faith in Christ, the slavery is gone. You have no reason to fear. Everyone who believes that Jesus died for your sins and rose again from the dead has eternal life.

And when you know Christ you are united to the one who conquered the grave. For the believer death is passing through to a much better place. Just like we read today in the song because he lives. It's like crossing the river to your home and One day you will get a new body where you will dwell in forever joy with God.

As Philippians 321 says he will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body. But this is not so for the unbeliever the one who has never found refuge in Christ this person Truly should fear death.

If you are here today Listening or watching and I've never believed in Christ. I believe in him this day. He paid for your sins when he went to the cross. And if you sincerely believe that you have no reason to fear death as I already mentioned.

But you can see why people worry when they don't have Christ. They have no one to rely on to take care of them. They have no promises to hold on to so the life of an unbeliever is an unstable one and Jesus says don't be like the unbeliever.

In verses 31 and 32 he says. Do not be anxious saying what shall we eat or what should we drink or what shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek after all these things and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

Jesus says clearly that if we live a life of worry then we live like an unbeliever. And we have seen this with kovat 19. Have we not? What we have seen is that people's minds are preoccupied with this virus.

With little attention paid to the most important things. Why aren't people afraid of what's gonna happen to them when they die. That's where the focus should be and if you're in Christ, then you have no fear.

But if you don't there should be great fear. We should expect the world To have the focus on the wrong places and that is what we have seen. The world is focused on self-preservation and the world fears death and the world trusts in itself.

For preservation you may have noticed over the last several months. There's been so much focus on the physical. But no focus on the spiritual. They didn't call churches essential. And they still haven't as far as as far as I know and yet as Christians we know.

The heart the heart is really what matters and yes. Within reason we should take care of our bodies. But it but if you're excessively trying to preserve your body to the to the neglect of your soul. Think of the damaging effects.

Depression is off the roof right now in society because people have lacked Community they have lacked fellowship and we can see it's been put on display to see the importance of that. And how many times have we heard over the last several months that science is going to get us out of this.

Hope is in self and hope is in medical experts and not God. People are worried because they don't have an all-powerful Wise and good God to trust him. We should expect the world to be preoccupied with fear.

Safety and security is not found in health professionals or governors. We should submit to our governing authorities. Yes. But when they desire to run your life and it hinders your walk with Christ. This is where we need to stop listening and trust God.

Right. It takes wisdom to navigate through this and as I already mentioned This is happening everywhere but this type of environment grabs unbelievers because fear already has a Deep hold on the heart of an unbeliever.

And this is just one new thing. That has been added. And it's interesting that we live in a world where people are longing for peace and God created us to long for peace. But people try to find it in the wrong places when the only place that it is found is in Jesus Christ.

Seeking First the Kingdom of God

So this is our first reason here. Do not worry about your life in this world. And the first reason why is that unbelievers foolishly focus their attention on the things of this world? And here's the second reason why we should not worry about our life in this world.

And that is believers are wisely. To focus their attention on the things of God. Verses 33 and 34. Let me read these again. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow. For tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Here's a good way to summarize these two verses. Is your focus on the things of God or is it on the world?

And if it is on God, then he will take care of everything else. He will take care of your needs. In other words, you don't need to worry about food drink and clothing or the essentials of life because God Already has that taken care of.

If our mind is focused on God Then we will not be preoccupied with something. Like a virus like we have seen and when our mind is in the right place we can be productive for Christ's sake. If we are not concerned about self-preservation like the rest of the world is then we can be productive and live the life that God has called us to live and Again, I say all this with with a reasonable approach.

I'm not. I'm not saying take a reckless abandoned approach. But what I am saying is the plague of fear that has taken over our world is not where a Christian should have their focus and What an opportunity by the way it is for Christians to speak into others life during this time.

The Lord has given us a giant open door and may we do that. Well, what we have to keep in mind is that God knows the day that you are going to die. You can be the healthiest and fittest person in the world and still die young if that is God's will.

Now many of you know, I'm a distance runner and I love studying the history of running. The most famous distance runner in the history of America was a man by the name of Steve Prefontaine. He ran in the early 1970s and at the time of his death He held every record from 2 ,000 meters all the way up to 10 ,000 meters every American record and He took the world by storm.

He was a phenom in high school and won every everything in college and then went to the Olympics and The last day of his life. He ran a race and he won. Like he usually did and that night he went to a party and on his way home He lost control of his vehicle it hit a Embankment flipped over and he got stuck under it and suffocated to death.

He was at the peak of his career. The healthiest person you could imagine the picture of health and in a moment his life was gone. When you see someone in their prime taken this is when the brevity of life really should wake everyone up.

What the Bible says is that God knows our days as the psalmist wrote in psalm 139 16 in your book were written every one of them the days that were formed for me when as yet there was none of them. What Jesus says specifically is that our focus should be on God's kingdom and his righteousness.

When Jesus says kingdom this means God's rule in his will. We have seen this theme already in the Sermon on the Mount. We are to live as kingdom citizens now and as we live as kingdom citizens We will pursue his righteousness as Jesus says.

Our life should be focused like Paul's life was the Apostle Paul wrote in Acts 20 verse 24. I do not account my life of any value nor is precious to myself. If only I may finish my course and the ministry that I have received from the Lord Jesus.

To testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Paul did not live a life of worry and self-preservation. He lived as if his citizenship was in heaven and He took many risks and what an example that is for us.

We need to be willing to give it all for Christ. Second Timothy 312 says that all who desire to live a godly life in Christ. Jesus will be persecuted as You walk closer with him the more challenges you are going to face.

In this world is opposed to God and if you are different enough from the world, they will call you out. Look at the climate of our country the direction our country is moving. Biblical Christianity is at odds with it.

Our aim should be faithfulness to Christ above all not to be liked not to live for self-preservation. In 1956 missionary Jim Elliott Was martyred for the faith from a tribe in Ecuador. He died at the age of 28.

His most famous quote is this He is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. Let me say that again He is he is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.

If our focus is on God that our focus will not be on the worries of life. Where the Gentiles who are unbelievers in this in this text? Where their focus is in Colossians chapter 3 verses 1 and 2 the Apostle Paul wrote That we are to occupy our minds on the things that are above and not the things that are on the earth we are called to trust the Lord with everything we have a Believer is like a ship that is steady through the storm as the waves of life crash.