Why worry? – Matthew 6:25-34
Why worry? – Matthew 6:25-34
By Pastor Lee Hemen
May 5, 2019
We worry and fret about so many things in life: Clothes, money, family, relationships, how others see us, our schooling, jobs, and on and on and on it goes. My wife will tell you I am a grade “A” number one worrier. I know that I shouldn’t be but sometimes it just creeps up on me and takes over. I know it comes from when I was kid and our financial uncertainty and migrant home status growing up. God has done a lot in my life to help me to not worry so much.
The Hebrews of Jesus’ day had good reason to worry about a lot of things: daily food, housing, if their clothing wore out, and often finding daily work in order to pay the bills and feed their selves. Then there were the Romans, the pagan influence that surrounded them, and their own spiritual and governmental leadership which exacted harsh taxes and personal demands from them as well. Yet in the midst of this Jesus teaches his followers that they truly did not need to worry because God cared for them. Let discover what he taught and why…
READ: Matthew 6:25-34
Jesus had just gotten through teaching his listeners about where their hearts should truly reside and now he continues by telling them not to worry! Was he crazy? Most of the Jews at that time had nothing compared to what we have on our day and age. Jesus begins by teaching them…
I. Why worry when God sees your life as valuable! (Vv. 25-27)
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
1. Jesus knew that those he was speaking to often experienced tough times. Each day brought about challenges many of us could not endure today. We expect a lot of things to be handed to us and to be recognized for our existence. When even the smallest thing goes wrong we often are thrown for a loop. Yet here in the midst of people who truly could be forgiven for wondering where their next meal would come from Jesus tells them “do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” It was, yet, like the rest of us it was often hard for them to see life was. However the Creator of the universe is concerned about the smallest creatures: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.” If these little feathery animals were a concern of almighty God, didn’t they matter more to him? And of course the answer is “Yes” because we matter to God, so much so he came as a man to walk among us! So Jesus asks a rhetorical question: “Are you not much more valuable than they?” They knew the answer just as we do. Jesus also knew that our worrying did not affect the outcome of our lives at all: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” We do not need to worry. It is good to know we do not have to be concerned so much; why worry when God sees your life as valuable!
EXAMPLE: Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come, Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home, When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Why worry when God sees your life as valuable!
Life is sacred to the Lord and always has been yet us humans take it for granted especially now when we live longer and have healthier lives. The average lifespan during Jesus’ day was late 40s or early 50s if you were lucky. Jesus now reminds them…
II. Why worry when your faith can sustain you! (Vv. 28-30)
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
1. Jesus furthers his argument against worry by telling his listeners, “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” I used to have a reoccurring dream when I was younger that I forgot my locker combination and only once did I dream I forgot to get dressed for school and showed up naked for class! Needless to say it was embarrassing even in my dream! Clothes back during Jesus’ day were important for survival. Clothes were used as bedding, covering, protection, and modesty. And they were expensive. Today we take clothes for granted and throw out or give away literally tons of perfectly good garments each year! We then spend time going to new or used clothing stores to buy new clothes with holes in them or other people’s castoffs! Yet Jesus reminded his listeners that flowers of the field had nothing over them on the care and concern of the Lord. Solomon was never dressed as well as a lily or a blade of grass! So, “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” And of course the immediate answer is “Yes!” In fact we today could probably get by with fewer clothes and a lot less shoes. I know that may sound like anathema to some of you but each of us probably has clothing or shoes we haven’t worn in years, if ever. Why then should you worry when your faith can sustain you!
EXAMPLE: “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear, And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears; Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Why worry when your faith can sustain you!
Things are not important to the Lord and never have been. He sees creation with eyes that see his plan unfolding far into the future. Life is more than things which are here today and gone tomorrow. Nothing we own now will be important when we leave this life. I have learned that life therefore is a matter of perspective and Jesus teaches us…
III. Why worry when God gives us just what we need! (Vv. 31-34)
So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
1. The tough question we should ask ourselves daily is, “Will I trust God with my life today?” I suspect that when we give our lives to Christ we have a tendency to think that since we have it is now God’s problem and not ours. Yet we forget that when we do we have given him the authority and care of our lives completely. However we often take them back at will whenever we think that God can’t handle it like he should. Recently I heard some talking head on TV telling his audience that he didn’t believe in God because he never got anything he ever prayed for; I thought to myself, “What a nincompoop. He knows nothing of how prayer works or who God truly is.” Sadly there are many believers who might be in the same leaky faith boat. Jesus bluntly tells the crowd, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’” He plainly related that such shallow belief is paganistic at its core because “the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” Again, God knows us and he knows what we need; we simply do not trust that he does! We are to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to [us] as well.” My Dad used to tell my Mom that all her worrying “didn’t change a thing” it just made everyone else miserable and he was correct. Worrying doesn’t add one hair to our head and in fact takes them away due to stress! (Yes, I know I am bald! Remember I told you I can be a worry wart sometimes.) “Therefore,” Jesus softly admonishes his listeners, “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Why worry when God gives us just what we need!
EXAMPLE: Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise, When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies, I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Why worry when God gives us just what we need!
Conclusion:
I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, For His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me. Civilla Martin was born in Nova Scotia in 1866. Her husband was an evangelist who traveled all over the United States. She accompanied him and they worked together on most of the musical arrangements that were sung.
In 1904 Civilla was visiting an ill, bedridden friend. Although discouraged and sick, her friend remembered that God, her Heavenly Father, was watching over each little sparrow and would certianly watch after her. Matthew 10:29-31: "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."
Mrs. Martin was a poet and thought this would be a perfect idea for a poem. She jotted down the idea and by the end of the day, had completed "His Eye is On The Sparrow".
The entire poem was sent to a well-known composer of that day, Charles Gabriel.
Why worry when God sees your life as valuable! Why worry when your faith can sustain you! Why worry when God gives us just what we need!
---
This article is copyrighted © 2019 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
By Pastor Lee Hemen
May 5, 2019
We worry and fret about so many things in life: Clothes, money, family, relationships, how others see us, our schooling, jobs, and on and on and on it goes. My wife will tell you I am a grade “A” number one worrier. I know that I shouldn’t be but sometimes it just creeps up on me and takes over. I know it comes from when I was kid and our financial uncertainty and migrant home status growing up. God has done a lot in my life to help me to not worry so much.
The Hebrews of Jesus’ day had good reason to worry about a lot of things: daily food, housing, if their clothing wore out, and often finding daily work in order to pay the bills and feed their selves. Then there were the Romans, the pagan influence that surrounded them, and their own spiritual and governmental leadership which exacted harsh taxes and personal demands from them as well. Yet in the midst of this Jesus teaches his followers that they truly did not need to worry because God cared for them. Let discover what he taught and why…
READ: Matthew 6:25-34
Jesus had just gotten through teaching his listeners about where their hearts should truly reside and now he continues by telling them not to worry! Was he crazy? Most of the Jews at that time had nothing compared to what we have on our day and age. Jesus begins by teaching them…
I. Why worry when God sees your life as valuable! (Vv. 25-27)
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
1. Jesus knew that those he was speaking to often experienced tough times. Each day brought about challenges many of us could not endure today. We expect a lot of things to be handed to us and to be recognized for our existence. When even the smallest thing goes wrong we often are thrown for a loop. Yet here in the midst of people who truly could be forgiven for wondering where their next meal would come from Jesus tells them “do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” It was, yet, like the rest of us it was often hard for them to see life was. However the Creator of the universe is concerned about the smallest creatures: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.” If these little feathery animals were a concern of almighty God, didn’t they matter more to him? And of course the answer is “Yes” because we matter to God, so much so he came as a man to walk among us! So Jesus asks a rhetorical question: “Are you not much more valuable than they?” They knew the answer just as we do. Jesus also knew that our worrying did not affect the outcome of our lives at all: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” We do not need to worry. It is good to know we do not have to be concerned so much; why worry when God sees your life as valuable!
EXAMPLE: Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come, Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home, When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Why worry when God sees your life as valuable!
Life is sacred to the Lord and always has been yet us humans take it for granted especially now when we live longer and have healthier lives. The average lifespan during Jesus’ day was late 40s or early 50s if you were lucky. Jesus now reminds them…
II. Why worry when your faith can sustain you! (Vv. 28-30)
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
1. Jesus furthers his argument against worry by telling his listeners, “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” I used to have a reoccurring dream when I was younger that I forgot my locker combination and only once did I dream I forgot to get dressed for school and showed up naked for class! Needless to say it was embarrassing even in my dream! Clothes back during Jesus’ day were important for survival. Clothes were used as bedding, covering, protection, and modesty. And they were expensive. Today we take clothes for granted and throw out or give away literally tons of perfectly good garments each year! We then spend time going to new or used clothing stores to buy new clothes with holes in them or other people’s castoffs! Yet Jesus reminded his listeners that flowers of the field had nothing over them on the care and concern of the Lord. Solomon was never dressed as well as a lily or a blade of grass! So, “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” And of course the immediate answer is “Yes!” In fact we today could probably get by with fewer clothes and a lot less shoes. I know that may sound like anathema to some of you but each of us probably has clothing or shoes we haven’t worn in years, if ever. Why then should you worry when your faith can sustain you!
EXAMPLE: “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear, And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears; Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Why worry when your faith can sustain you!
Things are not important to the Lord and never have been. He sees creation with eyes that see his plan unfolding far into the future. Life is more than things which are here today and gone tomorrow. Nothing we own now will be important when we leave this life. I have learned that life therefore is a matter of perspective and Jesus teaches us…
III. Why worry when God gives us just what we need! (Vv. 31-34)
So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
1. The tough question we should ask ourselves daily is, “Will I trust God with my life today?” I suspect that when we give our lives to Christ we have a tendency to think that since we have it is now God’s problem and not ours. Yet we forget that when we do we have given him the authority and care of our lives completely. However we often take them back at will whenever we think that God can’t handle it like he should. Recently I heard some talking head on TV telling his audience that he didn’t believe in God because he never got anything he ever prayed for; I thought to myself, “What a nincompoop. He knows nothing of how prayer works or who God truly is.” Sadly there are many believers who might be in the same leaky faith boat. Jesus bluntly tells the crowd, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’” He plainly related that such shallow belief is paganistic at its core because “the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” Again, God knows us and he knows what we need; we simply do not trust that he does! We are to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to [us] as well.” My Dad used to tell my Mom that all her worrying “didn’t change a thing” it just made everyone else miserable and he was correct. Worrying doesn’t add one hair to our head and in fact takes them away due to stress! (Yes, I know I am bald! Remember I told you I can be a worry wart sometimes.) “Therefore,” Jesus softly admonishes his listeners, “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Why worry when God gives us just what we need!
EXAMPLE: Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise, When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies, I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Why worry when God gives us just what we need!
Conclusion:
I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, For His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me. Civilla Martin was born in Nova Scotia in 1866. Her husband was an evangelist who traveled all over the United States. She accompanied him and they worked together on most of the musical arrangements that were sung.
In 1904 Civilla was visiting an ill, bedridden friend. Although discouraged and sick, her friend remembered that God, her Heavenly Father, was watching over each little sparrow and would certianly watch after her. Matthew 10:29-31: "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."
Mrs. Martin was a poet and thought this would be a perfect idea for a poem. She jotted down the idea and by the end of the day, had completed "His Eye is On The Sparrow".
The entire poem was sent to a well-known composer of that day, Charles Gabriel.
Why worry when God sees your life as valuable! Why worry when your faith can sustain you! Why worry when God gives us just what we need!
---
This article is copyrighted © 2019 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
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