Sermon on the Mount: Do Not Worry – Matthew 6:25-34

There are so many things in our world today to worry about: COVID-19, what the political party currently in office will do to our country, job security, physical security, the economic outlook, the environment, our health, our happiness, etc. So Jesus’ words in this passage seem especially appropriate for today. Do not worry. What good does it do you in the long run?

Worry About Food and Clothes

“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 than food, and the body more 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? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers 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—you of little faith?

Matthew 6:25-30 NIV

Most of the people listening to Jesus as he spoke these things were living from day to day. They did not have closets and dressers full of clothes. Nor did they have pantries well stocked with food. They would have had enough food for a day or two and would have been fortunate to have a change of clothes.

So Jesus encouraged them to trust in the heavenly Father for the necessities of life. God provides for the small insignificant birds of the air and flowers of the field. How much more do you think he cares for us? This is not a license to do nothing and expect to have everything provided for us. But I should place my trust in the Father rather than my own ability to provide.

Don’t Worry Over the Future

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.

Matthew 6:31-34 NIV

Jesus’ instruction to his followers here is clear. Don’t worry about the things the world worries over. God knows what we need, and we can trust him to provide. Rather than worry, seek his kingdom and righteousness. If we will be faithful in our service to God, he will ensure that we have all we need. Not all that we might want. But all that we need.

So don’t worry about tomorrow. There is really very little you can do about tomorrow anyway. Focus instead on today and on those things you have some control over. Choose today to be about the kingdom’s work. Worry will get you nowhere. As Jesus says in the parallel passage in Luke 12:25-26, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?“

Related Posts

• Why Worry? Trust God Instead – Luke 12:22-26
• Sell Your Possessions and Give to the Poor – Luke 12:32-34
• Being Renewed in God’s Image – Colossians 3:9-10
• Time Spent with Jesus – Matthew 15:32
• Take off the Grave Clothes – John 11:43-44