Matthew 6:25-34

The Right Side up Life  / Matthew 6:25–34

Introduction

That, in fact, is the problem with anxiety. It starts and ends with itself. We want to talk about it, understand it, probe it, but ultimately we want some rest from it.

›     What I do want you to hear me say today is that anxiety is an opportunity.

Matthew 6:25 ESV

“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. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Instead of remaining what if, they become it is. Not that they become true, but we treat them as such.

God Cares for Creation

Matthew 6:26 ESV

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?

But look where He begins. Look at what He is using to compare us to.

Look at the birds.

Look at the flowers.

Psalm 104:14–25 ESV

You cause the grass to grow for the livestock

and plants for man to cultivate,

that he may bring forth food from the earth

and wine to gladden the heart of man,

oil to make his face shine

and bread to strengthen man’s heart.

The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,

the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.

In them the birds build their nests;

the stork has her home in the fir trees.

The high mountains are for the wild goats;

the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.

He made the moon to mark the seasons;

the sun knows its time for setting.

You make darkness, and it is night,

when all the beasts of the forest creep about.

The young lions roar for their prey,

seeking their food from God.

When the sun rises, they steal away

and lie down in their dens.

Man goes out to his work

and to his labor until the evening.

O Lord, how manifold are your works!

In wisdom have you made them all;

the earth is full of your creatures.

Here is the sea, great and wide,

which teems with creatures innumerable,

living things both small and great.

God Cares for His People

Matthew 6:26–30 ESV

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? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of 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 his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Isaiah 43:2 ESV

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

and the flame shall not consume you.

Matthew 6:31–34 ESV

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.

Jesus is not saying there is no such thing as anxiety. He is honest about it. But there is a call to trust God for the sufficiency of today.

Anxiety has taught us to think in circles. That this is who we are and it will not get much better. That our possibilities are certainties. But that is not the case.

God is our certainty. Our possibilities are just that, possibilities. When we feel anxious, we are called on to consider and believe that God is more certain than anything certain we feel.

When you feel anxious, what if instead of turning your possibility into certainty, you turned your possibility toward your One certainty?

Matthew 6:33 ESV

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

This is why Jesus calls us to practice our righteousness. To do the work of the kingdom. To serve and to worship and live generously in the world. In our seminar on peacemaking yesterday we talked about being called into avenues of grace for one another. That We are given a ministry of reconciliation that we are called to live out.

Our role is to choose the kingdom. To in finding God as certainty, saying yes to serving Him in the world, in His world where we are reminded that He cares for Creation and His people.  He is our certainty in every possibility.

Here are five discussion questions

1. The introduction describes anxiety as “an opportunity.” In what ways might anxiety be an opportunity for growth or for a deeper relationship with God? Can you share any experiences where anxiety led you to trust God more?
2. The metaphor of a caged animal pacing is used to describe the effects of anxiety. How do you think this image relates to the idea of ‘rumination’ in our daily lives? What are some practical ways to stop this cycle of anxious thoughts?
3. Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 6:25-34 encourage us to consider the beauty and simplicity of creation—birds and flowers—as a way to understand God’s care. How does reflecting on the natural world help you overcome feelings of worry or insignificance?
4. The passage makes a distinction between anxiety and God’s certainty. How can we practically “turn our possibilities toward our One certainty,” as the text suggests? What does that look like in everyday situations of anxiety or doubt?
5. Jesus invites us to “seek” rather than “ruminate” on our worries. What does it mean to seek the kingdom of God in the context of anxiety? How can actively pursuing kingdom principles help alleviate worry and bring peace?