Matthew 6: 25-34
We are living in a time of great anxiety, not only because of the economic crisis we are suffering worldwide, but because of the social, moral, political instability, etc. People today do not trust anything or anyone. They promise us many things and do not keep their word.
There is a serious situation of unemployment in many homes. I'm sure, well I know, that today here this afternoon there are people who will have lost their jobs, they will be unemployed, and even some without being able to collect unemployment.
This brings anxiety to the person and the family.
I believe that everyone because of our sin we have fears, anxieties, internal struggles, worries, worries, etc. I have experienced it myself and many times all these worries and anxieties for different reasons.
We all worry and anguish, but I want us to see a passage this afternoon that tells us precisely about this issue.
We need a word from the Lord this afternoon to remind us that He wants us to live not with anxiety or eagerness, but in peace and rest. Read the passage Matthew 6: 25-34.
The main point
We can see that the main point of the text is that the disciples were striving for many things: for life, food, drink, body, clothing etc. (vv 25, 31, 34).
What is to worry? To surrender to work with an anguished attitude: fainting, fatigue, anguish and affliction of mind.
Let's look at some reasons why we should not have this attitude of anxiety and anguish for all these things:
What does this mean? Why do we tend to strive for food and clothing? Because there are three things that we would lose:
We would lose some pleasures. Food is a physical pleasure.
We would lose human praise and admiration if we do not wear nice or fashionable clothes.
We would lose a long life if we do not have food or clothing to cover us, we would die.
And Jesus answers if you are busy with these things: you have lost sight of the greatness of life. Life was not given in the first place for physical pleasures, but for something greater: enjoying and enjoying God. Life was not given so that we have the approval of the people: but for something greater, the approval of God. Life was not given in first for extension on this earth but for something greater: eternity with God.
It is God who feeds them. When we look at the birds, they are creatures that do not act as if God fed them today but not tomorrow. How much more we who are worth more than the birds for God!
The third argument is very pragmatic: anxiety does not do you any good. Any problem that is causing you worry, you can be sure that it will not diminish the problem by being busy. The only thing that will do is that you are depressed, sad etc. while you deal with the problem. Therefore do not worry, it is useless.
When we look at the lilies that do not work and yet are adorned with such beautiful shapes and colors, we must draw a conclusion if you believe in God: that God delights in decorating things. He could have done everything in black and white and with the same form, but he has done it that way, he is an artist. If He delights in decorating the grass, then His delight will be in adorning His children with clothes.
If we are anxious about food and clothing, we put ourselves on the same level with the world of non-believers. It shows that we are like the world and we think and act like them. It should not be like that with a true believer.
If we strive for these things we are also showing that we do not believe that our heavenly Father knows our needs. The eagerness shows that we are too close to the
world and too far from God. Therefore do not worry.
This is a promise from God. When we seek first the Kingdom of God, He works in such a way for you and will provide all your needs.
God wants us to have our priorities well placed. He wants above all material things, we seek him and his kingdom.
We are going to analyze this verse because it is crucial. The first thing we have to do is search to find. And if we have to look is because we do not have it. Search involves thinking, meditating, reasoning, investigating, etc.
Firstly, it implies that it is the most important thing in our life, not food or clothing but the kingdom of God and his justice. It is as if we have an accident to go to work and we are in the car with broken legs, and yet we say: but I have to go to work, it is my responsibility. Yes, it's fine, but it's crazy. The same happens on a spiritual level, food and clothing is very good that we seek, but most crucially, the first of all the urgent is to seek the kingdom of God.
What is the kingdom of God and his justice? We can not have a kingdom without a king. We have to look for the king and that king is the Lord Jesus Christ. We have to look for him with all our heart (Jer 29:13). He is the king, Jesus wants the pre-eminence in your life not just a place in your life. Jesus wants to be the king on the throne of your heart, not the vice president, but the king.
When Jesus came to this world he preached that the kingdom of God was at hand (Matt 4:17, 10: 7).
Now, where to look for this kingdom and this king? Not in any earthly place, because Jesus said that his kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36), then where? In his Word. He has revealed to us how to get to know him through the Bible. There he tells us how this king is, how to have a relationship with him and how to get to know him personally.
Recognizing our sin and believing in his work on the cross for us (John 3: 16-18). Thus He becomes the king of your life of your heart. He wants us to go with faith to the cross and have forgiveness of sins.
Conclusion: Each day has enough adversity by itself without anticipating tomorrow's problems (v. 34). Therefore I encourage you through the Word that you do not worry about anything in this world but that you seek God, his kingdom, his affairs and everything else will be added to us.
