Studies In

The Sermon on the Mount



                THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT -- LESSON TWENTY
                           "Anxious Care vs. Trust in Divine Providence"
                                               Matthew 6:25-34

INTRODUCTION   

I.   "Be not anxious" for worldly things is the teaching of Jesus
      Christ to all who would benefit from trust in God.

    A. He warns against double vision (6:21-23) and double service
	     (6:24).

    B. He also warns against doublemindedness. (6:25-34.)


II.  In this Jesus does not speak against reasonable foresight.

    A. He is not indifferent to our physical needs. (Matthew 25:31-46.)

    B. He merely speaks against anxiety for these things.

    C. We must make reasonable plans for the future, and Jesus
     advises us to count the cost.  (Luke 14:28-30.)

    D. He does not comfort lazy idlers. (2 Thessalonians 3:10.)


III. Jesus teaches us to forget ourselves and our earthly need to the
      extent that we lose concern for ourselves by concern for some
      greater enterprise.  (Matthew 16:24-26; 10:39; 6:33,34.)

A. Included in this will be proper concern for the physical needs
     of others.  (Luke 10:37.)

B. Christians needs to be anxious and concerned; but this should
     be unselfish concern not about our own things, but about
     those things which truly matter most. (2 Corinthians 11:28;
     Philippians 2:19-21.)

DISCUSSION  


I.   "BE NOT ANXIOUS FOR YOUR LIFE." (6:25.)

 A. "Therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life,
     what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your
     body, what ye shall put on.  Is not the life more than the
     food, and the body than the raiment?" (25)

B. "Anxious" is from a word which describes a state of mental
     doubt, a mind "full of care," distrust, "a despondent view of
     the future."

C. The Lord's design is to show the futility of anxiety about such
     temporal things and to build confidence in God's goodness and
     providence.

    1.   "Of all God's creatures, from insects to the great animals
          of the forest, man alone is constantly anxious about his
          survival." --Coffman.

    2.   Those disturbed by such fretting "will be hindered, if not
          prevented from making God's kingdom of first concern." --John T. Hinds.

    3.   Such anxiety reveals an improper emphasis and
          dangerous sense of values, which is so unnecessary: We
          can trust God's good laws!


II.  A LESSON FROM THE BIRDS:  GOD PROVIDES.  (6:26.)

A. Birds & people: "Behold the birds of the heaven, that they
     sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your
     heavenly Father feedeth them.  Are not ye of much more value
     than they?" (26)

B. Birds live their God-appointed life without complaint, care or
     rebellion.

    1.   God feeds them, through they neither sow, reap, or serve
          mammon.

    2.   God is mindful of every sparrow, though of much less
          value than man.

C. If man will live his God-appointed life, without murmuring,
     complaint, or ungodly fretting, he will live wisely. (Ephesians
     5:15.)

    1.   God, having made him, will not forsake him. (Hebrews
          13:5,6.)

    2.   God is mindful of man, who was made superior to birds.
          (Psalms 8:3-5.)

    3.   God provides every need for those who trust.  (Philippians
          4:19.)

III. ANXIETY ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING GOOD.  (6:27.)

A. "And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit
     unto the measure of his life?"  (6:27; Cf. Luke 12:25.)

B. Worry is worse than useless; impractical, unavailing,
     powerless to help.

     1.   Anxiety takes from, but adds nothing good to life.

     2.   It cannot bring good health or longer life to anyone.

     3.   Worry can only make matters worse.


IV.  A LESSON FROM FLOWERS AND GRASS.  (6:28-30.)

A. Consider the lilies:  "And why are ye anxious concerning
     raiment?  Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow;
     they toil not, neither do they spin: yet I say unto you that
     even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of
     these."  (28,29.)

    1.   Like the animal creation, the lilies live their God-ordained
          life and glorify their Maker thereby.

    2.   If human beings would live in godly trust, according to
          God's appointment, this would be a glorious world of
          beautiful characters indeed.

    3.   "The magnificence of Solomon and of his court is
          proverbial in the East unto this day." --McGarvey.

B. Much more:  "But if God doth so clothe the grass of the
     field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven,
     shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?"
     (30)

    1.   Surely we can rely upon him who made us so fearfully and
          wonderfully to clothe us adequately, in view of his
          beautiful green fields.

    2.   God "much more" than clothes properly him who trusts
          and obeys.


V.   SUCH ANXIETY IS UNBECOMING TO A CHRISTIAN. 
       (6:31,32.)

A. "Be not therefore anxious, saying What shall we eat, or
     What shall wear? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?"
     (31)

    1.   All such anxious care shows distrust of God's infinite love,
          power, and wisdom.

    2.   Faith and worry are incompatible:  They do not dwell
          together as one.

    3.   It is sinful for a child of God to doubt his Father's ability
          or willingness to provide: "Neither be ye of doubtful
          mind." (Luke 12:29.)

B. Gentile seeking:  "For after all these things do the Gentiles
     seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need
     of all these things." (32)

    1.   Such anxiety removes one important distinction between
          the Christian and unbelieving worldly people.  (6:32a)

    2.   It shows that faithless Christians are no better than
          faithless heathen.

    3.   God has proved his loving care and his almighty ability:
          "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of
          mine enemies." (Psalm 23:5.)


VI.  THERE IS HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY IN GOD'S ANTIDOTE
       TO WORRY.  (6:33,34.)

A. A vital principle:  "But seek ye first his kingdom, and his
     righteousness."

    1.   The order expressed in this principle (6:33a), when
          followed diligently, will result in a well ordered, useful life. 
          (Colossians 2:5.)

    2.   God's kingdom and righteousness should be placed first
          (a) in importance, (b) in our love and labor, and (c) in
          point of time.

    3.   God's kingdom is his reign over and in us.  His
          righteousness is that attained through divine forgiveness
          of our sins.

 B. A firm promise:  "And all these things shall be added unto
      you." (33b)

    1.   "That Christian faith and obedience leads to worldly
          prosperity is proved by countless instances which are
          multiplied with each succeeding day.  The security of
          Christ's kingdom leads to that cheerfulness which renews
          the strength, and to that undistracted industry which
          brings success."  --McGarvey-Pendleton, The Fourfold
          Gospel, p. 259.

    2.   "It can be no accident that those areas of the world which
          are most characterized by attention to and observance of
          the teachings of Christ are also those areas most civilized,
          having the highest standards of living and the greatest
          abundance of 'all these things.'" --Coffman.

C. Live one day at a time:  "Be not anxious for the morrow: 
     for the morrow will be anxious for itself.  Sufficient unto
     the day is the evil thereof."  (34)

    1.   Since anxiety is impractical, impious, and unavailing,
          stop it.

    2.   Place your trust in God your undivided trust so that
          you may live well today, and God may grant you his
          heavenly blessings according to his will.

    3.   "Jehovah is my shepherd;  I shall not want..." (Psalm
          23:1.)
                                                                       --Charles E. Crouch



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