"THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT"

                          Anxiety (Mt 6:25-34)

INTRODUCTION

1. Jesus continues expounding upon "the righteousness of the kingdom"
   with respect to MAN'S RELATION TO GOD...

2. In the previous section concerning "material things" (Mt 6:19-24),
   Jesus exhorted us to:
   a. "Lay up treasure in heaven"
   b. "Keep the eye good"
   c. "Serve God, not mammon"

3. But if we follow Jesus' teachings concerning material things, what
   about the physical necessities of life, such things as food and
   clothing?

[Beginning in verse 25, Jesus gives several reasons why we should not
worry about such things...]

I. "IS NOT LIFE MORE THAN FOOD AND THE BODY MORE THAN CLOTHING?" - v25

   A. DO NOT "WORRY"...
      1. The word in the original means "distracted"
      2. I.e., don't let anxiety about food and clothing distract you
         from more important things in life (like Martha did - Lk 10:38-42)

   B. IS NOT LIFE AND BODY MORE IMPORTANT THAN FOOD AND CLOTHING?
      1. This is an argument from the GREATER to the LESSER (similar to
         Ro 8:32 )
      2. Life and body are certainly more important than food and
         clothing
      3. Who provides our lives and our bodies?  God!
         a. If He is powerful enough to create life...
         b. Isn't He also able to provide food & clothing to sustain
            that life?
      4. "He who has displayed so great goodness as to form the body,
         and breathe into it the breath of life, will surely follow
         up the blessing, and confer the smaller favour of providing
         that the body be clothed, and that life preserved." (BARNES)

II. "LOOK AT THE BIRDS OF THE AIR" - v26

   A. AN ARGUMENT FOR CONFIDENCE IN THE PROVIDENTIAL CARE OF GOD...
      1. The birds are an example of God's ability to provide
      2. Through His providential workings in nature, God provides for
         their needs
         a. This does not mean they do not work for their needs (indeed,
            they are often very busy, gathering insects and worms,
            preparing nests, caring for their young)
         b. But they are not guilty of overdoing a good thing (as the
            rich fool was in the parable of Lk 12:16-21)

   B. "ARE YOU NOT OF MORE VALUE THAN THEY?"
      1. This is an argument from the LESSER to the GREATER (contrast v25)
         a. If God through His providence provides for their needs,
            would He not for you?
         b. A similar argument is found in Mt 10:29-31 
      2. Are you not more valuable than birds?
         a. You who are created in the image of God?
         b. You who were redeemed by the blood of His Son?
      3. Why, then, let concern over physical needs distract you from
         what is really important in life?

III. "WHICH OF YOU BY WORRYING CAN CAN ADD ONE CUBIT TO HIS STATURE?" (v27)

   A. AN ARGUMENT ILLUSTRATING THE HELPLESSNESS OF MAN...
      1. There are many things in this life which we cannot affect by worrying
      2. For example, worrying will not make our bodies grow any taller

   B. THE IMPLICATION SEEMS TO BE...
      1. Worrying about food and clothing cannot guarantee that you
         will have them tomorrow
      2. As victims of "Hurricane Hugo", the "Great Quake of '89" and
         "Hurricane Andrew" have come to realize

IV. "CONSIDER THE LILIES OF THE FIELD" (Vs 28-30)

   A. ANOTHER ARGUMENT FOR CONFIDENCE IN THE PROVIDENTIAL CARE OF GOD
      1. Like the argument in verse 26 (the "birds of the air")
      2. It is also an argument from the LESSER to the GREATER

   B. "HOW THEY GROW..."
      1. Without any "toil" whatsoever on their part, nor any "care"
         bestowed on them by any human agency
      2. Yet their glory surpasses Solomon in all his glory.
      3. How?
         a. Through God's providential care.
         b. By so ordering the affairs of this life to ensure that they
            accomplish what they were designed to accomplish.

   C. "WILL HE NOT MUCH MORE CLOTHE YOU?"
      1. If God is able to so clothe the grass of the field...
         a. Which is here today
         b. And gone tomorrow
      2. Is He not ABLE to do so for you?
      3. Is He not WILLING to do so for you?
         a. You who are created in the image of God?
         b. You who are designed to spend eternity with God?

   D. "O YOU OF LITTLE FAITH?"
      1. If we WORRY about food and clothing, then we are of "little
         faith"
      2. We have "little faith" in God's...
         a. Promise to care for us.
         b. Power to deliver that promise.

V. JESUS' SUMMARY CONCERNING ANXIETY OVER MATERIAL THINGS (Mt 6:31-34)

   A. DON'T WORRY ABOUT FOOD AND CLOTHING (Vs 31-32)
      1. People without God (the Gentiles) naturally worry about these things
      2. But we have God as our Heavenly Father Who is aware of our
         needs, and is able to provide them.

   B. SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS (v33)
      1. I.e., make the rule of God and His Will for us the number one
         priority in our lives
      2. We can do this by:
         a. Serving God instead of "mammon"
         b. Letting the "lamp" of our body be a "good eye" (i.e.,
            focused clearly on that which is good, true, and righteous)
         c. Laying up treasure in heaven (by using our earthly treasure
            to help others) - Mt 19:21; Lk 12:33-34; 1 Ti 6:17-19 
      3. Do this, and God will provide for your physical needs, FOR HE
         IS ABLE AND WILLING!

   C. DON'T WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW (v34)
      1. Today has enough trouble with which to concern yourself
      2. Let tomorrow take care of itself (by trusting in God.)

CONCLUSION

1. The motto today seems to be "Don't worry, be happy."; but Jesus
   qualifies that motto by saying:

   "Don't worry, seek God's will first, and you will be happy."

2. If we can take to heart what Jesus has taught, then truly our lives
   will be like homes built on a rock (cf. Mt 7:24-25)...
   a. For no matter what "storms" of life may come our way...
   b. ...our treasure is in heaven and our Heavenly Father will provide
      for us during our sojourn here on earth.

3. But if we don't follow Jesus' teachings, if we allow ourselves to
   serve "mammon" which is perishable...
   a. Then we must go through life on earth without God's help.
   b. And we have no hope of eternity with God when we die.

Our next study will begin a new section in the "Sermon On The Mount":

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE KINGDOM WITH RESPECT TO MAN'S RELATION TO MAN