As I ready for this message on Matthew 6:25–34, I discovered myself excited about a narrative that Jesus tells in Matthew 13: the parable of the sower.
Over the course of my life, I’ve learn that story and usually responded by giving thanks: the seed of my religion may have fallen on the trail. I may need heard the gospel and appeared to consider however then instantly fallen away in my teenage years. However God. Or my seed may have fallen on the rocks. My seeming religion may need sprung up and blossomed for a couple of years, perhaps by way of school, solely to be wrecked by a shattered dream, an surprising sickness, the lack of a pal or member of the family. However God. My seed may have landed among the many thorns. “The cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the needs for different issues” may need slowly strangled any preliminary curiosity I had in Jesus. However God. Reward God that my seed appears to have discovered good soil — could it all the time be so.
That’s not, nevertheless, how I used to be excited about the parable these previous few weeks. No, now that I’ve gotten a little older and watched a rising variety of folks I really like stroll away from Jesus (some on the trail, some on the rocks, some amongst thorns), I used to be excited about the seeds I’ve liked and misplaced — folks actually, actually near me. I used to be excited about them as a result of that phrase cares, “the cares of the world,” might be translated anxieties — it’s the identical Greek root in our passage, in Matthew 6:25: “Due to this fact I let you know, don’t be anxious about your life . . .” And so, after we come to a convention on anxiousness and a message on anxiousness, we’re not simply speaking about “the way to handle our present mental-health disaster” — no, we’re speaking about rescuing folks from falling away from Jesus. The form of anxiousness he’s speaking about here’s a thorn that, if left alone, can destroy an individual (like folks I really like) — and I need you to be free from it.
Disproportionate Preoccupation
Due to this fact I let you know, don’t be concerned about your life, what you’ll eat or what you’ll drink, nor about your physique, what you’ll placed on. Isn’t life greater than meals, and the physique greater than clothes? (Matthew 6:25)
Why would Jesus begin there, with that query? “Isn’t life greater than meals, and the physique greater than clothes?” After all life is greater than meals, Jesus. We’ve houses, busy schedules, family and friends, trials of varied sorts. After all life is greater than meals. And in fact the physique is greater than clothes. We’ve a coronary heart and lungs and kidneys. We’ve our sense of odor and style and contact. We’ve white blood cells that assemble to combat off and destroy micro organism and viruses. After all the physique is greater than clothes. So why ask the query? To remind us that the factor inflicting us essentially the most anxiousness proper now isn’t the one actuality in our lives.
Anxiousness does this to us, doesn’t it? A single anxiousness, even a small one, can all of a sudden eat virtually all our consideration and vitality. I’m experiencing this proper now, as a result of a couple of weeks in the past our dishwasher leaked in a single day and ruined our flooring (or not less than twenty sq. ft of it in entrance of our sink), and so our kitchen has been upended for a month now (without end). There have been moments, hours, even a pair days when these twenty sq. ft have felt like our entire life. Our home has two thousand sq. ft — 1,980 practical sq. ft — and but these twenty have dominated my ideas at instances. As a result of anxiousness does that. Anxiousness could make it seem to be one fear is our entire life — the tough relationship is our life, the lengthy job search is our life, the watch for a partner is our life, the battle with persistent ache or sickness is our life. It’s not! Isn’t life greater than meals — or no matter you’re most apprehensive about proper now?
Let me remind you that you simply have been made by the God who shaped Mount Everest, carved out the Pacific Ocean, and tied Orion’s belt round his waist. This God made you to not enlist and enslave you, however so that you simply would possibly know him, take pleasure in him, and glorify him — and but you refused him. You thought you knew higher than God, and so that you checked out his infinite, all-satisfying glory and the empty, short-lived supply of sin, and also you selected sin. I selected sin. And did he wipe us out and throw us into hell? No, he selected to enter into the world that hated him and reserve it from the within. The Father despatched the Son to reside like the anxious, amongst the anxious — but with out sin. After which bearing all our countless worrying, he carried the cross that killed him, and he died for the anxious. Three days later, he rose from the useless — he actually rose, he’s not useless anymore — and he now sits in heaven, proper now, the place he’s praying in your anxious coronary heart, and someday quickly he’s coming again to get you.
And also you’re apprehensive about meals? About clothes? About twenty sq. ft of kitchen flooring? Life is greater than that urgent anxiousness, no matter it’s — a lot extra.
In these subsequent verses, Jesus attracts us additional into this wondrous actuality, this non secular actuality. And what you see right here and all through this passage is that the peace we’d like — and right this moment as a lot as ever — begins within the eyes.
Peace Begins within the Eyes
I, like many others, see Matthew 6:19–34 as one unit throughout the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus talks first about treasures, then the eyes, then masters, and final about anxieties, and I consider he’s woven all of them collectively right here (and I’ll circle again to point out you the way in a couple of minutes). However I first wish to present you that the battle begins within the eyes. It begins in verses 22–23:
The attention is the lamp of the physique. So, in case your eye is wholesome, your entire physique can be full of sunshine, but when your eye is unhealthy, your entire physique can be filled with darkness. If then the sunshine in you is darkness, how nice is the darkness!
After which, in verses 25–34, when Jesus turns to speak about anxiousness, he says, “Look on the birds. . . . Look on the lilies. . . . Look first to God and his kingdom. . . .” The battle towards ungodly anxiousness, it appears, is fought between our cornea and our optic nerve (spiritually talking). The battle is within the eye.
I believe this is without doubt one of the issues Jonathan Haidt sees in his e book The Anxious Era. He, and plenty of others, see how psychological well being has deteriorated in our day (particularly amongst younger folks) due to how we use our eyes, particularly how a lot of our eyes we give to our telephones and screens. I believe he’s proper. A few of you’re as anxious as you’re since you’ve soaked your self in social media, meditating on it day and night time. This isn’t to say that social media itself is unhealthy, or that good, non secular, everlasting issues aren’t occurring there — I consider they’re (I work for a world, principally digital publishing ministry, so you understand I consider it). However a few of you dove into social media headfirst, perhaps years in the past now, and also you’ve by no means discovered the floor once more. You’re drowning there, spiritually, however you don’t understand it but. Your soul is gasping — that’s what this anxiousness is — however you simply preserve holding it underwater (scroll after scroll after scroll).
A few of you — definitely not all of you, however a few of you — got here in right here anxious, and that you must hear Matthew 5:29 (only a chapter earlier): “In case your proper eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it’s higher that you simply lose one in every of your members than that your entire physique be thrown into hell.” That’s not nearly lust — it’s about something that causes you to sin. If expertise is inflicting you to sin — to envy, to check, to fret, to covet (social media is actually constructed to do these issues, by the best way; that’s how these firms make their cash) — if that app or streaming service or YouTube channel is inflicting you to be concerned, then tear it out and throw it away. It’s not price it, regardless of how a lot good would possibly occur there.
However Jesus doesn’t inform us what not to take a look at. I really like this about these verses. No, he guides our eyes to locations and habits that breed peace and pleasure. He doesn’t simply say, “Don’t be concerned! Simply cease it! Cease worrying about that.” It doesn’t work. It’s not sufficient to inform the eyes what to not look it or to simply inform the center to not fear. Our souls want someplace to look, positively, someplace to search out life and braveness. That’s what Jesus does: he tells us to look right here and right here and right here, three locations. So let’s look collectively.
1. Eyes on the Birds
First, set your eyes on the birds. Matthew 6:26–27:
Take a look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor collect into barns, and but your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of extra worth than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
What does Jesus need them to see within the birds? It’s not about feathers and beaks and good colours — not right here, anyway; that’s one other sermon. No, he desires them to see the surprise that these little, innocent, defenseless creatures are nonetheless alive.
A median blue jay, for example, weighs three ounces and may carry simply 5 acorns at a time — two to 3 of their throat pouch, one of their mouth, and one on the tip of their beak. And so they can reside for ten and even twenty years that approach! How? Scientists, in fact, have all their refined methods of explaining this by way of “evolution” and “survival of the fittest,” however Jesus tells us how proper right here: “Your heavenly Father feeds them.” That’s a biology textbook in simply 5 phrases. I’ll offer you three: God feeds them. These 5 acorns got here from the hand of God — and the following 5, and the following 5. And two thousand years later, we nonetheless have birds. Are you able to consider that? They haven’t gone extinct as a result of he hasn’t run out of acorns.
“The one who feeds each fowl on earth, billions and billions of birds, claims and cares for you.”
However he doesn’t simply say “God feeds them,” does he? No (and for this reason we’d like 5 phrases), he says, “Your heavenly Father feeds them.” The one who feeds each fowl on earth, billions and billions of birds, claims and cares for you. He watches over each acorn, and he watches over you. And if you happen to ask him for bread, he gained’t offer you a stone. In the event you ask him for a fish, he gained’t offer you a serpent. He’s a very good Father, and thru religion in Christ, he’s your Father.
It’s superb, isn’t it, that we’ve got a neater time being satisfied that God feeds fifty billion birds than we do believing he’ll handle our issues? Andy touched on this yesterday morning, when God introduced Job to repentance by exhibiting him goats, lions, and ostriches (one other fowl). Why did he go there? As a result of we frequently see his knowledge, sovereignty, and goodness extra shortly in creation than we do in our circumstances.
And this God doesn’t solely take care of blue jays. Take a look at the following verses.
2. Eyes on the Lilies
First, set your eyes on the birds. Second, set your eyes on the fields. Matthew 6:28–30:
And why are you anxious about clothes? Take into account the lilies of the sphere, how they develop: they neither toil nor spin, but I let you know, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one in every of these. But when God so garments the grass of the sphere, which right this moment is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not way more dress you, O you of little religion?
Why birds and flowers? Jesus, give me a e book or a podcast or a free on-line course. Inform me about somebody I ought to observe on YouTube or Instagram. I’m plagued with anxiousness — how are lilies going to make any distinction? They solely bloom for ten or twelve days every spring.
That’s really the purpose. Lilies are stunningly stunning — breathtaking if you cease to actually look (we’ve got some gentle pink ones in our entrance yard). However their magnificence is transient, “alive right this moment and tomorrow gone.” Typically sooner, if the squirrels get to them. And but God bends right down to dress them. He chooses their colours and measures their petals and arranges them in large bouquets throughout North America, Europe, and japanese Asia. If he pays consideration to those tiny ten-day blooms, gained’t he dress you too? Received’t he be sure to have the whole lot you want for the few years you’re wanted right here, for this transient spring earlier than glory?
I used to be excited about these verses when our household went to an apple orchard a pair weeks in the past — that they had sunflowers and birds (and llamas, really), so we have been solidly in a Matthew 6 world. We rode the hayride out to the traces of bushes. Apple bushes are the strangest factor. In the event you can’t bear in mind how unusual they’re, take a four-year-old or a two-year-old (like we did), they usually’ll remind you. Our children ran up and down the rows, grabbing as many as they may (regardless of us telling them, time and again, that we needed to really pay for what we picked). And so they, in fact, saved grabbing the small, mutilated, worm-eaten ones. (Why do youngsters try this?)
Now, I may tie the apples to the birds and say that this is without doubt one of the methods God feeds us and each different creature on earth: by hanging these vivid, juicy, unbelievably candy spheres on the ends of bushes. What mercy, what creativity that he would feed us like that (it may have been all kale and spinach and cauliflower). However that’s not the place my thoughts was. No, I used to be watching the four-year-old and the two-year-old. They weren’t apprehensive in any respect about who was going to pay for these apples. They weren’t apprehensive about the place dinner was going to return from later that day. They weren’t operating round grabbing up apples as a result of they have been anxious; no, they have been operating round guffawing, free to benefit from the orchard. Why? As a result of they knew that they had a father and mom who look after them. And so they really feel that approach about me though I don’t feed any birds (actually, our fowl feeder has been empty for weeks). The Father who cares for you feeds all the birds — and the squirrels, and the lions and elephants and whales. And he loves you. He’s going to handle you too.
Earlier than I flip to the third level, as a fast apart, I wish to briefly commend the place of fine counseling within the battle towards anxiousness and despair. A lot extra might be mentioned right here, however let me simply say to these fighting anxiousness of varied sorts: If we are able to be taught and take this a lot non secular braveness from sparrows and lilies, why would we despise all that we’d be taught by finding out folks?
Science and counseling, when subjected to God’s particular revelation in his phrase, could be a great reward (I’ve tasted this very personally by way of our church, and Faye and I’ve benefited enormously from skilled counseling). Counseling can, in fact, be a curse, when it’s pitted towards Scripture — when a counselor scoffs at Matthew 6:19–34 and acts like we all know a lot extra now than Jesus knew. But when a counselor loves Matthew 6:19–34, and Philippians 4:6–7, and 1 Peter 5:6–7, they usually’ve spent many years finding out how folks assume and really feel and fear and relate to at least one one other, they’ll most likely have useful issues to contribute to your battle. So, take into account the birds and the lilies, and maybe the angle of an excellent biblical counselor.
3. Eyes on the Kingdom
Alright, eyes on the birds, eyes on the fields — and now, third, set your eyes on the dominion. Matthew 6:31–33:
Due to this fact don’t be concerned, saying, “What lets eat?” or “What lets drink?” or “What lets put on?” For the Gentiles search in spite of everything this stuff, and your heavenly Father is aware of that you simply want all of them. . . . However search first the dominion of God and his righteousness, and all this stuff can be added to you.
He is aware of what you want. Have you learnt that he is aware of? It’d really feel like he’s forgotten generally, like he’s too busy placing out wildfires in California or watching the warfare in Gaza. As I converse, Hurricane Helene is devastating Florida and the Carolinas (Lord, have mercy). How may he probably have time to consider my payments or my homework or my combat with my pal?
He’s God! He’s by no means overwhelmed or distracted. He is aware of what you want, and he guarantees in Philippians 4:19, “My God will provide each want of yours in accordance with his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Both Paul is a liar otherwise you’re actually going to be okay. Each want can be provided — and never simply barely, however in accordance with his riches in glory. He’s filling your tiny thimbles of want with an ocean, with a physique of water greater than an ocean (we simply don’t have a reputation for it but).
Due to this fact, search first the dominion. Set your eyes on God and all of the issues he’s doing on this planet to glorify his identify — and be somewhat extra anxious about that. “Whether or not you eat or drink, or no matter you do” — so this is applicable to completely the whole lot — “do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). We get so labored up over our hardships, {our relationships}, our obligations and deficiencies, that we neglect that God’s glory is breaking into our darkish and damaged world — and that it’s occurring by way of us (by way of our religion, our worship, our fellowship, our consuming and consuming, our witness). How a lot would possibly our psychological well being enhance if we have been extra centered on a very powerful factor occurring within the universe?
Pray Then Like This
A primary step on this route — a modest and large step — is to pray for these sorts of eyes. And I level to prayer as a result of Jesus does, just some verses earlier (Matthew 6:7–13):
And if you pray [listen to the echoes in chapter 6], don’t heap up empty phrases because the Gentiles do, for they assume that they are going to be heard for his or her many phrases. Don’t be like them, in your Father is aware of what you want earlier than you ask him. Pray then like this:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your identify.
Your kingdom come,
your can be finished,
on earth as it’s in heaven.
Give us at the present time our each day bread,
and forgive us our money owed,
as we even have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
however ship us from evil.
One purpose we’re as anxious as we’re is that when trials come, we strive completely the whole lot however prayer — we fear, we wrestle, we forecast and strategize, we even discuss to different folks, however we bypass the most efficient factor God has given us to do in any scenario. That is Philippians 4:6–7:
Don’t be concerned about something, however in the whole lot by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made identified to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
So, this can be a battle we combat with our eyes and our knees, and infrequently our knees earlier than our eyes, as a result of solely God could make us see.
Two Masters and Treasures
Earlier than I shut, I wish to draw your consideration to a phrase I’ve flown proper over till now however that I believe is massively essential and surprisingly sensible — and it’s the very first phrase within the passage: “Due to this fact . . .” (Matthew 6:25).
I consider this phrase ties the whole lot we simply examine anxiousness again to Matthew 6:19–24 about two sorts of treasure and two sorts of masters. “Due to this fact I let you know, don’t be concerned about your life . . .” Jesus didn’t discuss cash and worldliness for a couple of verses after which resolve to completely change topics and discuss psychological well being. No, he’s telling us that the roots of this sort of anxiousness and this sort of peace are in what we treasure — in what we would like most and spend essentially the most of our time, cash, and a spotlight to have. Matthew 6:19–21:
Don’t lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, the place moth and rust destroy and the place thieves break in and steal, however lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, the place neither moth nor rust destroys and the place thieves don’t break in and steal. For the place your treasure is, there your coronary heart can be additionally.
The battle towards anxiousness is a battle of the eyes, we be taught, as a result of it’s a battle over treasure. And for as a lot as Jonathan Haidt sees, I believe that is what he misses. He diagnoses our signs properly sufficient, and he has some insightful solutions for elevating more healthy kids in a technological age, however he hasn’t discovered the true root but. In the case of anxiousness, our abuse of telephones and social media is only a symptom and an aggravator. The research don’t go deep sufficient. At root, our psychological well being disaster in America isn’t about expertise, however about treasure.
Worries and Worldliness
J.C. Ryle, the English preacher, sounded this warning within the 1850s, greater than a hundred and fifty years earlier than the iPhone and twenty years earlier than the phone (so let’s be clear: our technology isn’t the primary or solely anxious technology). He says,
There are 1000’s in our church buildings uncomfortable, sick comfy and dissatisfied with themselves, they usually hardly know why [sounds like a mental-health crisis]. The reason being revealed proper right here [in Matthew 6].
He goes on,
[Worldliness] is a refined, deceptive, apparently affordable enemy. It appears so harmless to pay shut consideration to our enterprise! It appears so innocent to hunt our happiness on this world, as long as we preserve away from open sins! But here’s a rock on which many make shipwreck to all eternity. They lay up treasures on earth, and neglect to put up treasures in heaven. . . . Oh! Allow us to all beware that we don’t sink into hell by paying extreme consideration to lawful issues. Open transgression of God’s regulation slays its 1000’s, however worldliness its tens of 1000’s. (Matthew, 65, 66)
They’re anxious as a result of they’re making an attempt so arduous to be completely happy on this world. They’ve known as themselves Christians, however they spend most of their time worrying about worldly stuff. And so, they’re “uncomfortable,” “sick comfy,” “dissatisfied” — they usually hardly know why. I’m wondering if that’s any of you. If that’s the case, hear the invitation once more:
Come, everybody who thirsts [everyone feeling anxious and restless],
come to the waters;
and he who has no cash,
come, purchase and eat!
Come, purchase wine and milk
with out cash and with out worth.
Why do you spend your cash for that which isn’t bread,
and your labor for that which doesn’t fulfill?
Pay attention diligently to me, and eat what is sweet,
and delight yourselves in wealthy meals.
Incline your ear, and are available to me;
hear, that your soul could reside. (Isaiah 55:1–3)
Briefly, discover a higher treasure. Have you learnt him? Do you continue to run to him morning after morning?
“One purpose we’re as anxious as we’re is that when trials come, we strive completely the whole lot however prayer.”
Anxiousness withers and dies at a desk like this. So come and eat. You don’t should pay for a membership or a subscription. As a result of Jesus paid all of it for you, this desk is free for you. Do no matter it takes to get the eyes of your coronary heart extra absolutely on this God and his kingdom, on all that he’s doing to glorify his identify in your life and your church and around the globe. Most of all, although, get your eyes on him — in his phrase, in prayer, in fellowship with each other. Preserve trying, preserve consuming, preserve feasting.
Eyes on At present
Jesus directs our eyes one final place. Set your eyes on the birds. Set your eyes on the fields. Set your eyes on God and his kingdom. And eventually, set your eyes on right this moment. Matthew 6:34:
Due to this fact don’t be concerned about tomorrow, for tomorrow can be anxious for itself. Ample for the day is its personal hassle.
I began by mentioning that anxiousness tends to make a single fear seem to be our entire life. Anxiousness additionally tends of creating us miss right this moment. It retains us trying previous right this moment’s mercies to tomorrow’s troubles — and there’s a lot mercy to see in these 24 hours. Sure, if you wish to have the whole lot you’ll want tomorrow proper now, you’ll be endlessly dissatisfied and pissed off; you’ll be concerned and possibly depressed. However you don’t want what you’ll want tomorrow — not but. You want what you want right this moment. And if you happen to’re nonetheless alive and also you’re nonetheless believing in Jesus, you’ve gotten it (isn’t that incredible!). And if you happen to die, you’ll have much less to fret about than ever earlier than. You’ll don’t have anything to fret about ever once more. You’ll by no means be tempted to be concerned — are you able to think about?
So don’t let tomorrow’s troubles rob you of right this moment’s mercies. Pray for eyes to see the handfuls of the way your Father is caring for you proper now — even now.
