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Well, you can turn in your Bibles 
to Matthew chapter 6. We'll get to the book of Deuteronomy, 
God willing, next Wednesday night. We'll have an introduction to 
the book, and then we'll pick up in our exposition of the Pentateuch. But tonight I thought we'd look 
at the latter part of Matthew chapter 6. It's one of those 
passages that you should look at often. Last time we had a 
bit of a break in our studies in the Pentateuch. We looked 
at James 1. on having joy in the midst of trials. Well, this 
particular passage speaks to anxiety, carnal anxiety or worry, 
which simply means to give way to anxiety or unease, allow one's 
mind to dwell on difficulty or trouble. So Jesus speaks to that 
specific issue in the Sermon on the Mount in verses 25 to 
32, but I'll pick up the reading at verse 19. "'Do not lay up for yourselves 
treasures on earth "'where moth and rust destroy "'and where 
thieves break in and steal, "'but lay up for yourselves treasures 
in heaven "'where neither moth nor rust destroys "'and where 
thieves do not break in and steal. "'For where your treasure is, 
there your heart will be also. The lamp of the body is the eye. 
If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full 
of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be 
full of darkness. If therefore the light that is 
in you is darkness, how great is that darkness. No one can 
serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love 
the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise 
the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon. 
"'Therefore I say to you, do not worry 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? "'Look at the birds of the air, 
"'for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, "'yet 
your heavenly Father feeds them. "'Are you not of more value than 
they? "'Which of you by worrying can 
add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? 
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They neither toil 
nor spin. And yet I say to you that even 
Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. 
Now, if God so clothed the grass of the field, which today is, 
and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe 
you, O you of little faith? Therefore, do not worry, saying, 
what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what shall we wear? 
For after all these things, the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly 
Father knows that you need all these things, but seek first 
the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be 
added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow 
will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its 
own troubles. or trouble, amen. So you see 
that repetitive emphasis on do not worry. And basically in terms 
of the context, if your treasure is in heaven, according to verse 
21, your eye is focused upon Christ in verses 22 and 23, and 
your slavery is to God alone in verse 24, then verses 25 to 
34 prescribes the manner in which you ought to conduct yourself 
relative to material possession. does not say don't worry at all 
about anything ever because you'll only ever have gold and silver 
and all kinds of things. I think the idea here is that 
when we worry, it takes us from that kingdom principle or priority 
in verse 33. We'll see that as we move through 
the exposition. But notice, seek first the kingdom 
of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be 
added to you. It's a question of priority. And if we're worried 
or we're riddled with carnal anxiety, then our focus is not 
in the right place. So first we'll look at the prohibition 
given by Jesus in verses 25 to 32. It's simple. Don't worry 
about your life, don't worry about your body, and don't worry 
about your tomorrow. And then secondly, the principle 
highlighted by Jesus in verses 33 and 34. So first the prohibition 
in verses 25 to 32, there's a command, a reproof, and a contrast. Note first the command in verses 
25 to 27. Very simple, therefore I say 
to you, do not worry. Do not worry about your life. 
Now again, it's probably written for us because the natural tendency 
of our hearts is to do the exact opposite, to worry about our 
life. to worry about what we'll eat, 
to worry about what we'll wear, to worry about our tomorrows. 
So Jesus is saying that he doesn't want us to do that. And then 
note the specific concerns that he indicates here. Therefore, 
I say to you, do not worry 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? 
So again, the governing principle here is verse 33. Seek first 
the kingdom of God and His righteousness. You can see the obvious connection. 
If you are taken up all day with worry about your life, with worry 
about your body, with worry about your tomorrow, you're not taken 
up presently with the pursuit of God's kingdom and righteousness. 
It's a very simple context, but one that we need to master, or 
one that we need to appropriate, and one that we need to hide 
in our hearts so that we might not sin against God. And then 
note that he gives an analogy with reference to the birds here 
and later with the lilies of the field. Verse 26, look at 
the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather 
into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not 
of more value than they? I have never once surmised that 
a bird is given to worry. A bird is about the task of a 
bird. I think most of their day is 
spent in flight pursuing food, that food that nourishes them 
so they can continue in flight to look for food. Seems like 
a kind of a difficult cycle, if you were to ask me. There's 
probably other things I'd rather throw in there on a given day, 
but they're not worried. They're pursuing. They're prioritized. They have a focus. Luther made 
the observation when, on the comment, look at the birds of 
the air. He says, you see, he is making the birds our schoolmasters 
and teachers. It is a great and abiding disgrace 
to us that in the gospel a helpless sparrow should become a theologian 
and a preacher to the wisest of men. Whenever you listen to 
a nightingale, therefore you are listening to an excellent 
preacher. It is as if he were saying, I prefer to be in the 
Lord's kitchen. He has made heaven and earth, 
and he himself is the cook and the host. Every day he feeds 
and nourishes innumerable little birds out of his hand. And note 
the implication that Jesus draws out here specifically. Now, I 
don't think that Jesus is promoting indolence or laziness or slothfulness. He's not suggesting that you're 
not supposed to sow, you're not supposed to reap, you're not 
supposed to work, you're not supposed to get up off the couch, 
there'll be an endless supply of groceries in your cupboards 
and in your fridge. That's not the point. The point 
is that these insignificant birds are tended to by our Heavenly 
Father. And then he asks this particular 
question in verse 27. If one were able to look back 
at his life and see how much worry has been wasted, we would 
probably be amazed. Many of the things that we worry 
about never ever even begin to come to pass. Many of the things 
that we're carnally anxious for. I'm not here preaching at you. This is for me, brethren. I'm 
a man given to worry. It's gotten a little better as 
I've gotten older, but I think it was inculcated in me at an 
early age, both by Roman Catholic teaching and by my parenting, 
my mother especially. Bless her heart. I love her. 
She was wonderful. But yeah, there was a promotion 
of worry that I seem to have taken away from the home. But 
the rhetorical question is simple. Which of you, by worrying, can 
add one cubit to his stature? It's rhetorical. No one can. 
Your worrying isn't going to add a year to your life. Your 
worrying isn't going to add 10 years to your life. And with 
reference to these birds, they are insignificant creatures. 
They don't sow, they don't reap, yet your heavenly Father feeds 
them. Are you not of more value than 
they? Turn over to Matthew chapter 
10. We see a similar idea in that passage. Matthew chapter 
10 at verse 29, are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin, and not 
one of them falls to the ground apart from your father's will. 
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear, 
therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows. So it's an 
argument from the lesser to the greater. If God provides for 
the birds and they're lesser, will he not provide for his people 
when they are greater? So after giving this very clear 
command in verses 25 to 27, he then reproves them in verses 
28 to 30, moves from the birds now to the lilies of the field. 
Verse 28, so why do you worry about clothing? It's assumed 
that his people are worrying, and I think it's a good assumption. 
not just based on my own experience, but others that I've spoken to. 
I have yet to meet anybody who has mastered this particular 
problem, that they never worry. They're never carnally anxious 
about anything. Now, dispositionally, some people 
seem to be a bit more upbeat. Dispositionally, some people 
seem to have a more optimistic attitude. I've been thinking 
about that, optimism or pessimism, you know, the half cup or the 
cup half empty, half full. It depends on the scenario. If 
you're about to die of thirst, it's half empty. If you've got 
an abundance, it's half full, right? It's based on perspective. I just thought of that the other 
day. I thought I'd share that. But with reference to this reproof, 
it is calculated to stir up the disciples to concentrate on the 
lesson at hand. Why do you worry about clothing? He points then to the lilies. 
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They neither toil 
nor spin. Again, this is not an argument 
for you not to work, for you to engage in sloth or imbalance, 
for you to lay on your couch. That's not the point. The point 
is simple, that this insignificant creature is nevertheless tended 
to by God. And not only is it tended to, 
it has a glory all its own. Notice in verse 29, and yet I 
say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed 
like one of these. Remember that scene in 1 Kings 
chapter 10 when the Queen of Sheba comes to visit Solomon. 
What does she witness? She witnesses glory. She witnesses 
great wealth. She witnesses great power. She 
witnesses great wisdom. And yet Jesus says all of that's 
chump change in comparison to what God has bestowed upon these 
lilies. So why do you worry about clothing? Why do you worry about food? 
If God is going to feed the bird, if God is going to clothe the 
lily, then why is it that you think as one greater than lilies 
and birds, why do you think he's not going to tend to you? And 
that's Jesus' point there in verse 30. Notice He doesn't say, 
O you of no faith. This is a struggle for those 
who have a little faith. This is a struggle for believers. This is a struggle for Christians. 
This is a struggle for the disciples that are hearing him teach this 
Sermon on the Mount. So he reproves them and he chides 
them because that's not the way it's supposed to be. You should 
grow in your faith, and how do we do that? By learning Scripture, 
by learning theology, by using the means that God's ordained, 
such that our confidence in God is such that we don't have to 
worry about food and clothing. Turn to Romans chapter 8. It's 
not dealing with temporal things, but it's another argument there 
from the greater to the lesser. So in our passage from the lesser, 
birds and lilies, to the greater, man, but in the book of Romans 
chapter 8, specifically, it's an argument from the greater 
to the lesser. Notice in verse 32, "...he who did not spare 
his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not 
with him also freely give us all things?" Again, in the context, 
it's spiritual things. In the context, it's strength 
to deal with our remaining corruption. It's strength to pursue those 
things that are pleasing to God. But the principle holds fast. 
He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for 
us all, that's the greater. Now note the lesser. How shall 
he not with him also freely give us all things? So if God's not 
gonna spare the son of his love for the redemption of sinners, 
why is he gonna leave those sinners to fend for themselves subsequent 
to that reality? God is good and God cares for 
you. Just like God cares for the birds 
of the air, and just like God cares for the lilies of the field. 
So after the command, after the reproof, he then gives this contrast 
in verses 31 and 32. Note the contrast. Again he repeats, 
saying, What shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or what 
shall we wear? For after all these things the 
Gentiles seek, for your Heavenly Father knows that you need all 
these things. So he repeats this, therefore 
do not worry, what shall we eat, what shall we drink, or what 
shall we wear? The repetition indicates obsession. It's not 
a concern that I need to go out and make money and be a diligent 
employee so that I can feed my wife and kids. That is requisite. That is necessary. Whoever does 
not provide for his own, 1 Timothy 5, 8, is worse than an infidel. 
He's denied the faith. So every man has that concern 
to go out and work hard to provide for his wife, to provide for 
his children. Everybody, not just men, but everybody has to 
fend for themselves. But this is an obsession. In 
fact, Spurgeon says the questions in this verse are taken out of 
the worldlings' catechism of distrust. What shall we eat? What shall we drink? What shall 
we wear? And as was prayed, brethren, 
in our context it really is outlandish. I get it in Myanmar. I get it 
when there's soldiers all over the place. I get it when you 
got to go at 4 a.m. in the morning to try and get 
some rice. for your daily food. I get it to a degree there, but 
even then, they still fall under this text, and not to be given 
to carnal anxiety, but it makes a lot more sense in a context 
like that than with what we have in the Western world. So this 
kind of obsession, or this kind of preoccupation, or this kind 
of anxiety or worry is absolutely untenable. It's not something 
that is condoned by our Lord. So he makes that repetition and 
then gives the contrast. Notice the reasons for this statement. Do not worry, verse 31. And then 
he gives two reasons embedded in verse 32. First, the conduct 
of the Gentiles, and secondly, the knowledge of the Father. 
Notice the conduct of the Gentiles. This simply means outside of 
the covenant. Those who are not believers in 
Jesus, those who are not saved. For after all these things the 
Gentiles seek. Now, the four highlights why 
believers should not worry. Four, after all these things 
the Gentiles seek. Again, the seeking is not bad 
in itself. Go out to work, make the money, 
get the food, bring the food home. That's not the point. It's 
obsession, it's carnal anxiety, it's worry, it's preoccupation 
with those things versus preoccupation with the kingdom of God. This 
is the obsession of those who do not know God. They are in 
this worrisome frame because of their atheistic principles. 
They have no doctrine of sovereign providence. They cannot sing 
the song that we began with tonight, The Lord Will Provide. They don't 
have that reality. They don't have that grounding. 
They don't have that basis. Their philosophy is such that 
there is no God, their philosophy is such that life is basically 
a random collection of atoms, and their philosophy is such 
that if I don't have enough right now, it's going to provoke this 
worry, it's going to provoke this obsession, and it's going 
to provoke me to live in light of that. In fact, their obsession, 
the Gentiles in this context, is far more consistent with a 
blatant atheism than it is with Christian theism. And I think 
that's a good way for our Lord to appeal to us. How are we thinking 
about life? Are we processing the various 
challenges as believers or unbelievers? Are we obsessive? Are we preoccupied? Are we brought to that place 
where we're carnally anxious at every turn of the day? And 
again, there are those seasons, there are those times, there 
are those trials and afflictions where it may be the case that 
it's going to be more heightened. But as a general course of life, 
it is not to be the case that we function like a Gentile. Ryle 
says that he suggests to us that over-carefulness about the things 
of this world is most unworthy of a Christian. One great feature 
of heathenism is living for the present. Let the heathen, if 
he will, be anxious. He knows nothing of a father 
in heaven. But let the Christian, who has clearer light and knowledge, 
give proof of it by his faith and contentment." In other words, 
what Ryle is saying, that I think Jesus is saying, is that our 
doctrine of God, and our theology proper, and sovereign providence, 
and all those things, ought to play into the minds and hearts 
of the people of God, such that we're not given to worry. especially 
as Calvinists, especially as predestinarians, especially as 
those who affirm that God's providence is wherein He governs all His 
creatures and all their actions. So whatever comes from God is 
from God. And we need to keep that mindset. 
And again, we can extend that beyond just the food and the 
clothing and the particular things that are given here. I mean, 
he speaks about tomorrows as well. So whatever is on the horizon 
for us tomorrow, we need to understand that God is providentially over 
it all. So whatever tomorrow brings, 
God is the bringer of it. It's not haphazard. It's not 
random. It's not chance. We didn't draw 
the shorter straw. We haven't been struck with unluckiness. No, it's from God. And as a result, 
when we reason in a manner that is consistent with Scripture, 
we let that good theology dictate the way that we interpret reality 
around us. If the Gentile lets his bad theology 
interpret the reality around him, and it ends in carnal anxiety 
and worrisomeness and woe, then we need to be just the opposite 
and take Jesus at his word, for after all these things the Gentiles 
see. This is an inconsistency with 
the people of God when they're given to these sorts of things. 
The believer always thought this, as Calvinists or as Reformed 
believers, we believe in God's comprehensive sovereignty in 
spiritual and eternal matters, right? just as He chose us in 
Him before the foundation of the world, does not depend upon 
him who wills or him who runs, but on God who shows mercy. We 
affirm that. We confess that. In fact, we'll 
battle people over that on Facebook, or on the street corner, or in 
the back of a church, or out passing out tracks. We'll throw 
down for that reality, and yet When it comes to the physical 
or the temporal, when it comes to my daily bread, when it comes 
to medical concerns or physical issues or family trials or challenges, 
we forget every notion of God's comprehensive sovereignty. As 
if he's only sovereign in the matter of placing us in Christ, 
but not in the keeping us in Christ, sustaining us in the 
midst of this veil of tears and bringing us ultimately to that 
place of glory. How is it that we affirm Calvinism 
when it comes to salvation, but no Calvinism when it comes to 
God's sovereign providence, wherein He governs all His creatures 
and all their actions? When it comes to politics, we 
need to understand that whoever's in that particular position of 
power is there because of God. By me kings reign, Christ says, 
speaking His wisdom in Proverbs 8. We know that there is no authority 
except from God, Romans 13 1-4. It could be for good or it could 
be for ill, and for ill most likely because of God's judgment 
upon a people. But nevertheless, they are there 
because of God. So we mustn't be spiritual-only 
Calvinists or Reformed believers. We need to bring these things 
to bear in our lives. So it's not just soteriology 
that God is comprehensively sovereign over, but it's all things. It's 
all of our circumstances, it's all of our issues, it's all of 
our hardships, it's all of our afflictions, it's all of our 
trials, it's all of our challenges. And if we understand that, then 
we ought to conclude that God, who does all things for my good, 
Romans chapter 8, 28, a passage that we like to hang on our refrigerator, 
but we don't always hang it on our hearts, We need to understand 
that even the bad things that happen in our lives are calculated 
by God to promote good. They bring conformity unto the 
Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 5 tells us that the Son 
of God learned suffering through what? or learned obedience through 
suffering. He learned obedience through 
suffering. That, according to his humanity, to be sure, as 
the mediator of the new covenant, he learned obedience through 
suffering. So for us to think there's never going to be any 
suffering, there's never going to be a trial, there's never 
going to be a challenge, there's never going to be a hardship, 
Maybe we have bought into Benny Hinn and Kenneth Copeland and 
all those other weirdos who are preaching a health, wealth, and 
prosperity gospel. So see, on the one hand, we say, 
oh no, we'll never believe like that. But on the other hand, 
the moment affliction hits, we default over into that camp and 
say, why are these bad things happening to me? It's because 
we're thinking like Gentiles. We're not thinking like Christian 
believers. The believer needs to comprehend 
that God's sovereignty is comprehensive in all things. So then he moves 
from the conduct of the Gentiles, the philosophy of the Gentiles, 
to the knowledge of God. Notice in verse 32b, 4, your 
heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Now, the 
doctrine of the knowledge of God is the basis for prayer. If you go back to, in chapter 
6, to Matthew, I'm sorry, Matthew 6 at verse 8. after cautioning 
the disciples on how not to pray, don't be like the heathen, the 
ones who use vain repetition, let's just pick up at verse 5. 
When you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites, for they 
love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners 
of the streets, that they may be seen by men. What a pathetic 
life. If that's your life, you should 
repent and go hide somewhere. If you're praying to be seen 
by men, that's not a negation or a mitigation of corporate 
prayer. Corporate prayer is commanded by God. We're supposed to pray. 
But ideally, we're not in here to pray so that others can say, 
what a great prayer. No, we're praying to God corporately 
together. But if you're these kinds of 
people, and we know they are these kinds of people, Luke 18, 
when Jesus tells about the rich man and the publican, the rich 
man, or the Pharisee, rather, stood and prayed thus with himself, 
I thank you, God, that I'm not like other men. I thank you that 
I'm not a murderer. I thank you I'm not an adulterer. 
I thank you I'm not an extortioner. I thank you that I'm not a heathen 
or a tax collector like this man. The hypocrite is condemned 
by our Lord because he says at the end of verse 5, Assuredly, 
I say to you, they have their reward. If all you want is the 
accolades of men, that's what you're going to get. Men are 
going to say, wow, that's a great prayer. Did you hear those words? 
Did you hear that eloquence? What a wonderful guy. Notice 
in verse 6, Notice that Jesus just assumes the reality of this. 
Have you ever prayed and said, well, I didn't really feel God 
was there. I didn't really feel the presence 
of God. It doesn't matter what you feel, 
God is present when the prayers of his people are being offered 
up. And when you pray, go into your 
room, and when you have shut the door, pray to your father 
who is in the secret place, not if you're in the right motive 
or the right disposition or your heart is warm and inflamed, and 
your father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Then 
he goes on to condemn the heathen. And when you pray, do not use 
vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they 
will be heard for their many words. They think that the multitude 
of words is going to gain the ear of a god out there and get 
him to act on their behalf. When we were younger, there was 
something called a Rolodex, and it had all your addresses and 
numbers on it. I know those are antiquated now, 
because everybody has a cell phone with an address book in 
there. Well, the heathen was kind of like that. They'd take 
their rolodex, start flipping through it, and start throwing 
prayers out to the various gods, hoping that a prayer would attach, 
and a god would hear, and a god would answer. And in order to 
do that, it was vain repetition amongst the pantheon there, just 
trying to connect. Jesus says, don't be like that. 
They think that they will be heard for their many words. Now 
note, it's on this basis that he grounds the Lord's prayer. 
Therefore, do not be like them, either the hypocrite or the heathen, 
for your father knows the things you have need of before you ask 
him. He knows what you need. So you're 
in good hands. It doesn't mean don't pray. Prayer 
is an act of worship. Prayer is an expression of our 
dependence. And prayer is commanded by our 
God. So the doctrine of the knowledge 
of God, God's knowledge of our situation, is the basis of prayer 
here. And then the doctrine of the 
knowledge of God, God's knowledge of us, is the basis for I'm going 
to say this, knowing that it's not attainable, at least for 
some of us, a worry-free life. A worry-free life. So if the 
Gentiles, who do not have the true God, live in such and such 
a manner, then the believer who has the true God, who knows the 
things that you have need of, should live in such and such 
a manner. Don't be like the Gentiles. Don't 
be like the heathen. Don't be like those who think 
that they can manipulate the gods to get the answer that they 
want. Don't be like these Gentiles 
who are obsessive about the temporal. As well, we have the promise 
from God that he will provide. The Lord will provide food, water, 
and clothing. Now notice, food, water, and 
clothing doesn't mean prime, you know, rib and lobster and 
whatever it is that you like to eat. It doesn't mean you're 
going to wear whatever the good clothes are, Gucci, whatever 
the good clothes are. It doesn't mean that, but it means sustenance. Psalm 37, 25, I have been young 
and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, 
nor his descendants begging bread. Turn to Hebrews 13. Hebrews 13, 
the apostle uses a text from the Old Testament that I think 
we're inclined to spiritualize. And I'm not suggesting we shouldn't 
because the doctrine spiritually is true, but it's in a context 
that has to do with temporal stuff, provision, physicality. Notice in 13.5. Let your conduct 
be without covetousness. Be content with such things as 
you have. For he himself has said, I will 
never leave you nor forsake you. So we may boldly say, the Lord 
is my helper. I will not fear. What can man 
do to me? Notice that. I will never leave 
you nor forsake you. Again, the spiritual application 
is true. We're saved by God's grace. Jesus 
doesn't let us go. He tells us that in John's gospel, 
John chapter 10. Nobody can pluck a believer out 
of the hand of the father. Nobody can pluck a believer out 
of the hand of the son. It's a reality. It's settled. 
Whether we call it eternal security or perseverance of the saints, 
whatever you want to call it, it's true in the spiritual realm. Those in Christ are saved never 
to be lost, never to be damned, never to be reprobate. But here 
it's physical. Let your conduct be without covetousness, 
be content with such things as you have. For he himself has 
said, your spirit's fine. No, I will never leave you nor 
forsake you. Again, the idea is not steak 
and lobster and all the things that you love to put on your 
body, but the Lord will never forsake his children. So he gives 
a command, verses 25 to 27, he reproves them, verses 28 to 30, 
and then he gives this contrast between the Gentiles and the 
true believer in verses 31 and 32. And that brings us then to 
the principle highlighted by Jesus in verses 33 and 34. This 
is where it's all going. This is where, you know, the 
crescendo or the pinnacle of his argument. Note first the 
exhortation. Very simple. Seek first the kingdom 
of God and his righteousness. And if you go back again in the 
chapter, you'll notice the Lord's Prayer. It's structured in a 
particular way. It's structured with a particular 
pattern. So is the Ten Commandments. In 
the Ten Commandments, our duty to God comes first, and then 
our duty to man. Well, the Lord's Prayer is structured 
in a similar fashion. It is God first, and then it 
is us. Notice, our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will 
be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our 
daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. 
Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil 
one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. 
Amen. Notice, God's name, God's kingdom, 
and God's will precedes our provision, our forgiveness, and our protection. 
So God comes first. Notice again in 633. That's the 
specific priority. Seek first the kingdom of God 
and His righteousness. Now, kingdom of God is most likely 
His rule, His reign, His glory. His majesty, his honor, seek 
those things associated with, connected to, and part and parcel 
of God's holy kingdom. But as well, the righteousness 
of God. And I think here, specifically, 
he is speaking about the righteousness imputed to us, the righteousness 
of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone. In other words, 
if we have that righteousness, we can seek that kingdom, and 
we don't have to be given over to worry and carnal anxiety. 
Gil comments, and his righteousness, the righteousness of God which 
is revealed in the gospel, and is what gives a right and title 
to the kingdom of heaven. This is not the righteousness 
of man, but of God, and is no other than the righteousness 
of Christ, so called because he is God who has wrought it. 
It is what God approves of, accepts, and imputes, and which only can 
justify in his sight, and give an abundant entrance into his 
kingdom and glory. Heaven is to be sought for in 
the first place as the perfection of the saint's happiness, and 
Christ's righteousness is to be sought for and laid hold on 
by faith as the way and means of enjoying that happiness, without 
which there will be no entering into the kingdom of heaven. I 
think that's appropriate in this particular context. Remember, 
Jesus is speaking to both disciples, in the multitudes. Along the 
way, he is calling sinners to faith in him and repentance unto 
life. So if you're thinking like a 
Gentile, what's the primary emphasis? Seek first the kingdom of God 
and his righteousness. How do we get to that kingdom 
of God? Through the righteousness of Christ, imputed to us and 
received by faith alone. Never forget the Sermon on the 
Mount, Matthew chapters 5 to 7, our law. And one of the functions 
of the law is to lead a man to the cross. And that is one of 
the functions for the Sermon on the Mount, is to show us how 
far short we fall and how much we stand in need of the blessed 
Savior for sinners. In fact, I thought I had a quote 
here. Yeah. Lloyd-Jones. says, there is nothing 
that so utterly condemns us as the Sermon on the Mount. There 
is nothing so utterly impossible, so terrifying, and so full of 
doctrine. Indeed, I do not hesitate to 
say that were it not that I knew of the doctrine of justification 
by faith only, I would never look at the Sermon on the Mount, 
because it is a sermon before which we all stand completely 
naked and altogether without hope. Machen has a similar comment. I probably should have written 
that one down as well. But Machen's writing against 
early 20th century neo-Orthodox liberalism, who took the Sermon 
on the Mount and said, oh, this is all we need to do is live 
like Jesus. Machen says, no, no, no, no, no. That's not the 
gospel. Live like Jesus is law. One of 
the functions of Matthew 5-7 is to show you how much you don't 
live like Jesus. When he says, unless your righteousness 
exceeds the scribes and the Pharisees. Well, how does that ever happen? 
By grace, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. This righteousness 
of God was prophesied by the prophet Jeremiah. Now this is 
his name by which he will be called the Lord our righteousness. 1 Corinthians 1.30, but of him 
you are in Christ Jesus who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness 
and sanctification and redemption. So if we have that righteousness 
of God, we're in that kingdom of God, and therefore we are 
equipped to not think like Gentiles, to understand that our Heavenly 
Father provides for us, that if He feeds pretty worthless 
sparrows and He clothes, you know, lilies that are here for 
a day and thrown into the fire the next day, He's going to tend 
to them with fatherly care and kindness. Why wouldn't He care 
for us? We need to think in a manner 
that is consistent with the theology that we hold to. So he gives 
that exhortation at the first part of verse 33. Seek first 
the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then he gives this promise. 
Notice, and all these things shall be added to you. The things 
are those in the context, not everything. You get that from 
people sometimes. You know, the Philippians passage, 
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Well, you 
can't jump over a building without some sort of a motor. You just 
can't do that. Well, I can do all things through 
Christ. You can't play in the NBA if you're 4 foot 10. It's 
just not going to happen. You can't be an astronaut if 
you can't climb up a ladder at the church building and throw 
a little paint on it. There's just some things that are impossible. 
So I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It 
has nothing to do with you being an NBA star. Neither does this 
mean that you have a ticket to everything you've ever wanted 
because you've sought first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. 
All these things. Food, clothing, and those sorts 
of things. So it's not an e-ticket to get 
whatever it is you want. The pursuit of God's kingdom 
and righteousness is not the means by which we gain riches 
and power and glory for ourselves. So again, at that level, the 
health, wealth, prosperity people, or the motivational speaker types, 
come to Jesus, and then you'll be able to sell lots of products. 
If that's how we're marketing Jesus, we've missed something, 
okay? We don't come to Jesus so we 
can be better salesmen. I'm not suggesting that God in 
his grace doesn't provide you with wisdom to be a better salesman. 
I'm not saying that. The formula is not come to Jesus 
so that your life is magically better. And you get your picture 
up on the wall for employee of the month. 1 Timothy 6, 8, having 
food and clothing with these we shall be content. Again, the 
food and the clothing, it's not defined, described, or delineated 
what kind of food and clothing that is. And Lewis makes the 
observation in terms of the order here. Seek first the kingdom 
of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be 
added to you. Sort of a then, right? You seek 
first God's kingdom and His righteousness, then all these things will be 
added to you. You can't get second things by putting them first. You can get second things only 
by putting first things first. It's sublimely profound. You cannot get second things 
by putting them first. You can get second things only 
by putting first things first. That's the priority structure 
in the passage. Seek first the kingdom of God 
and His righteousness And all these things will be added to 
you. Don't say, well, it's all these things, and as long as 
these things come my way, then I'll seek God's kingdom and righteousness. 
That's an inverted Christian life. That's a faulty way of 
thinking. That's Gentile thinking. Heathen 
thinking. And then note the conclusion. 
The conclusion in verse 34. Therefore, do not worry about 
tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient 
for the day is its own trouble. Do not worry about tomorrow. The Lord has cautioned his disciples 
about worry regarding their lives and bodies. Verses 25, 27, 28, 
and 31. The Lord now cautions his disciples 
about worry regarding their tomorrows. Right? You may not worry today 
about the food and the clothing and the this and that. But I 
think a lot of us struggle with worrying about tomorrow. I do. I mean, there's morons that run 
this government. I mean, who knows where we're 
going to be tomorrow? I do worry about that. This is just a sad 
and pathetic time in our history. So the proclivity or temptation 
is, actually, I'm getting better. trying to live like Jesus says. 
What would Jesus do? He wouldn't worry about those 
guys. But then notice the reason for 
tomorrow will worry about its own things. Tomorrow will worry 
about its own things. The emphasis here is do not worry 
about tomorrow, because if you're worrying about tomorrow, guess 
what you're not doing? You're not seeking first his 
kingdom and his righteousness. That's the governing principle, 
verse 33. If I'm obsessing about tomorrow, 
then I'm not doing what I'm supposed to be doing today. James speaks 
to this as well. You can turn to James 4, 13 to 
15. Same sort of a mindset there, 
living as a heathen, living as if there is no God, governing 
all his creatures and all their actions. James 4, 13 to 15, come 
now you who say, today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a 
city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit. 
Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow, for what 
is your life? It is even a vapor that appears 
for a little. for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead, 
you ought to say, if the Lord wills, we shall live and do this 
or that. But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting 
is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to 
do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." So this mindset 
that we put all our eggs in the basket of tomorrow, it's going 
to take us from pursuing the kingdom today. And then note 
how Jesus ends this section on the reality of sufficient for 
the day is its own trouble. So you got to appreciate Christ 
does not suggest there's never going to be any trouble. I mean, 
that's how he could have addressed it. Don't worry about, you know, 
this. Don't worry about that, because it's only ever going 
to be great. Don't worry and be anxious about your life, don't 
be anxious about tomorrow, because it's only ever going to be great. 
I mean, you, by God's grace, have received the righteousness 
of Jesus. You now, by God's grace, are a partaker of God's kingdom. And as a child of the King, everything 
is always only ever going to be good. That would be the argument, 
but that's not his argument. The argument is sufficient for 
the day as its own trouble. You've got enough to deal with 
today, seeking first His kingdom, His righteousness. You've got 
enough today not to worry about your life, not to worry about 
your food, not to worry about your clothing. You've got enough 
going on today that you shouldn't be paralyzed with worry concerning 
tomorrow. The presence of trial and tribulation 
in the believer's life is everywhere maintained in Scripture. The 
idea that we're going to just soar through life with only ever 
happy things is not scripture. It's just not. I feel bad at 
times because I say that a lot, but it amazes me how often we're 
surprised when bad things happen. And I said we there, don't look 
at me. I know that I've got the proclivity. 
Listen to Ryle. We are not to carry cares before 
they come. We are to attend to today's business 
and leave tomorrow's anxieties till tomorrow dawns. We may die 
before tomorrow. I've used the illustration. Some 
of the older timers here will have heard it. When our kids 
were little, we were out for the day and one of them, it was 
Josh, and he was, you know, asking every step of the way, where 
are we going? What are we doing? Where are we going? What are 
we doing? You know, that constant badgering. And as I'm so patient 
and loving and kind, I've just responded so gently. No, I didn't. We got to a restaurant that we 
were going to. I said, son, we could die before 
we get to the front door of that restaurant. Figured, hey, that'd 
be a good way to silence him. So he runs across the parking 
lot. It wasn't a busy. It was the 
section where you go to the door. And he gets to the door, and 
he says, dad, I made it. I made it. I made it. But he's right. I mean, imagine 
if you spent 100 units of worry for Thursday on Wednesday and 
you died in your sleep on Wednesday night. Not a good way to spend 
your Wednesday in the grand scheme of things. So he says, we may 
die before tomorrow. We know not what may happen on 
the morrow. This only we may be assured of, 
that if tomorrow brings a cross, he who sends it can and will 
send grace to bear it. A modern commentator, R.T. Frantz, 
says, God's care and provision are assured. But that does not 
mean that the disciple's life is to be one long picnic. Each 
day will still have its troubles. The preceding verses simply provide 
the assurance that by the grace of God they can be survived. There's nothing that is insurmountable 
to the blood-bought child of God who is an inhabitant of God's 
holy kingdom, who's under his reign, his rule, his redemption, 
the power of the Savior. God has us. And then Matthew, 
Henry. Let us not pull that upon ourselves 
altogether at once, which providence has wisely ordered to be borne 
by parcels. Praise God there's seven days 
in a week, right? It's not just one long day. That'd 
be a bummer. The conclusion of this whole 
matter, then, is that it is the will and command of the Lord 
Jesus that his disciples should not be their own tormentors, 
nor make their passage through this world more dark and unpleasant 
by their apprehension of troubles. Then God has made it by the troubles 
themselves. There is gold there. that his 
disciples should not be their own tormentors, nor make their 
passage through this world more dark and unpleasant by their 
apprehension of troubles than God has made it by the troubles 
themselves. By our daily prayers, we may 
procure strength to bear us up under our daily troubles, and 
to arm us against the temptations that attend them, and then let 
none of these things move us. It's good commentary on a very 
simple passage of Holy Scripture that functions beautifully in 
the context, do not worry, do not worry, do not worry. So in 
conclusion, if you didn't get it, the prohibition here is don't 
worry. Don't worry about your life, 
specifically what you eat, drink, or wear, verse 25. Don't worry 
about God's government of all things in general and the needs 
of His children in particular, verse 32b. And don't worry about 
tomorrow, verse 34a. Now that doesn't again mean that 
you're not, you know, prepared for tomorrow, you're going into 
You've got your clothes laid out, whatever your process is, 
you're going to work. That doesn't mean that. It means 
don't obsess and get all frantic about tomorrow. You could very 
well die tonight. And then in the morning you can 
say, look, I made it. The dangerous fruits of worry 
and carnal anxiety, it betrays a lack of loyalty to the kingdom. 
I think that's the overarching concern here. It betrays a lack 
of loyalty to the kingdom. That goes back in the preceding 
section. Don't lay up for yourselves treasures 
on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break 
in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. 
The lamp of the body is the eye. If, therefore, your eye is good, 
your whole body will be full of light. Keep focused on Jesus. 
24, no one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one 
and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and 
despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon. 
It's loyalty, right? That's the issue. So it betrays 
a lack of loyalty to the kingdom. It evidences divided attention. 
Again, it's tough because we're physical temporal beings, we're 
connected to history, we gotta eat, we gotta drink, we gotta 
wear. I get it. It's the reality, but we're not 
to let these things become the overarching concerns in our lives. It questions God's sovereign 
rule in the universe. It reduces us to the theological 
equivalent of a Gentile or a heathen. We don't have a doctrine of sovereign 
providence. It doubts God's fatherly care 
for his children. I will never leave you nor forsake 
you, connected to the prohibition against covetousness. It does 
not believe God's word. I mean, verse 33 tells us very 
clearly, and all these things shall be added to you. It paralyzes 
individual and thus kingdom advance. If everybody's paralyzed with 
worry and anxiety, Again, they're not seeking first God's kingdom 
and His righteousness. They're not witnessing. They're 
not going out and evangelizing. They're not sharing the gospel. 
There's no evident hope in them by which somebody might say, 
what's the reason for the hope that is in you, vis-à-vis 1 Peter 
3.15. It shifts the focus from the eternal to the temporal. 
It takes the focus off God's kingdom and righteousness and 
throws it right smack dab into this present age. Again, we need 
to be thinking about this present age, but not to the exclusion 
of the eternal. And it reduces us to fearful, 
doubting, tormented souls instead of bold, faithful, obedient subjects 
of God's kingdom. I mean, go back to Numbers. What 
happened in Numbers 13? Moses sends out the 12 spies 
to recon the land. The two spies, Joshua and Caleb, 
say, it's great, let's go right now. Caleb says that, let's go 
up at once. And remember how Numbers 13 starts. 
It's a reminder of God's promise to give them the land. that promise 
that goes all the way back, tap roots into Genesis 12, when God 
promises to Abraham, and then to Isaac, and then to Jacob, 
and delivers them from bondage in Egypt, brings them out into 
the wilderness with the purpose and plan to get them to the promised 
land. So He goes to buy out the land, grab some of the fruit, 
bring it back, moralize the people, encourage the people, little 
bit of a down payment, little bit of the taste of what we're 
going to get. Of course, as I said, Caleb's like, let's go at once. 
Joshua, at once. Not the ten spies. The ten spies 
initially say, it's a good land, but there's some big people in 
there. and then after Joshua, or Caleb rather, says let's go 
up at once, the ten spies revise their report, it's a bad land, 
and it's full of bad people, and they're going to best us 
on the battlefield. Again, complete disregard of the promise of God 
to the patriarchs, and the very promise that brought them into 
that place. So the ten spies whine, moan, 
and complain, the congregation listens to the ten spies, and 
they want to stone Joshua, Caleb, and Moses and Aaron. So that's, 
you know, somewhat of an equivalent. The whining, grumbling, disbelieving 
spies are not concerned with God's kingdom. The whining, grumbling, 
disbelieving Christian today, professing Christian, he's not 
believing in God's promises and God's blessings. And then I would 
end on this. I think this is always a good 
place to think about. The cultivation of contentment. 
It's a good antidote to worry. The cultivation of being content, 
the rare jewel of Christian contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs. Puritans 
wrote whole books about such subjects because it was important. 
What's a good way to dislodge that worry and anxiety in your 
heart about this, that, and the other? Well, by being content 
with this, that, and the other. So, first, the appreciation of 
godliness. Paul, in his dealings in 1 Timothy 
chapter 6, says that godliness is of great gain. As well, the 
recognition of God's sovereignty in the dispensing of goods. The 
earth is the Lord's in the fullness thereof. Psalm 24. Whatever we 
have, we have because of God. Whatever they have, they have 
it because of God. You can't avoid the implication. So that hopefully produces a 
bit of contentment in our hearts. The realization that poverty 
isn't the worst thing. Proverbs, I mean, it's better 
to have herbs on your table than a house full of feasting and 
strife, right? I mean, there are worse things. 
As well, the expression of thanksgiving to God for providing necessities. That's a good way to have contentment 
and to dispossess or dislodge that sort of worry or carnal 
anxiety. And then ultimately the prioritization of God and 
his kingdom. That is what we ought to be first 
and foremost content with that we, by God's grace and the provision 
of righteousness through Jesus Christ, we have entrance into 
that kingdom. And we have not yet entered in 
fully to what we will have one day, but we already possess it. We're already a part of it. We're 
already inhabitants of God's holy kingdom. Well, let's pray. 
Our Father in heaven, thank you for your word. Thank you for 
the clarity of our Lord's teaching at this point of worry. We pray 
that you would give us that settled conviction that you are in control 
of all things, that you govern all your creatures and all their 
actions, and we rest in that, we trust in that, we thank you 
for the righteousness of Jesus Christ and for that citizenship 
that we have in God's kingdom. We pray that you would go with 
us now, watch over the entirety of our local church, bless all 
the churches here in Chilliwack that are faithfully preaching 
and teaching your word. May you encourage them, may you 
build them up in their most holy faith, may you cause us in this 
community to shine as lights, and may we hold forth your word 
of truth, and we pray through Christ our Lord, amen. Well, 
any questions or comments on any of that? So at least hopefully tonight 
you won't worry about tomorrow.