Do Not Worry. Believe!
2020 — a new year, a new decade. What is going to happen? We may be anxious and worried about many things — our careers or jobs, our studies, health problems, finances, children leaving home, getting married, finding the right wife or husband, world events, politics, and so on.
As we return to our series, Living the Kingdom Life, it is fitting that we begin the new year with this passage from the Sermon on the Mount. But first, let us review what we learned from the previous passage because these two passages are closely linked.
Jesus begins this passage with, “Therefore,” for this reason, “do not worry,” “do not be anxious.” Therefore refers back to what he just said about treasures and serving two masters. Where is your heart? What is your treasure? Whom do you serve? When our hearts are in the right place, when we gather treasures in heaven that last forever, when we worship and serve only God with our eyes fixed on Jesus only, then we don’t need to worry. God knows and provides what we need. We can focus on seeking first the kingdom and living the kingdom life.
1. Do Not Worry
“Hakuna Matata!” Which means …? “No worries.” It’s a Swahili term, meaning, “there are no troubles or no problems.” Jesus is not teaching this problem-free philosophy when he says, “Do not worry.” Jesus is not forbidding us to work, to think, and plan for the future.
The birds work. They do not sit in one place and wait for God to spoon-feed them. God provides food, water, and shelter for them, but they have to look for food. They build nests and breed the next generation. They use their God-given gifts to find the food and materials provided by God.
The flowers of the field do not toil or spin, but they grow. They use their God-given gifts, their systems of roots, stems and leaves to draw from the ground and the air the sustenance given by God.
We were created to work in God’s creation, to be stewards, caretakers of God’s creation. And we will work in the new creation. We cannot sit back in an armchair, twiddle our thumbs, say “my Heavenly Father will provide,” and do nothing. What’s more — God created us in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10). Jesus also taught us to be ready for the future. When he comes back, how will he find us? Busy with his kingdom work, or busy at our own work gathering earthly treasures?
So what is Jesus talking about? Jesus forbids anxious thoughts, thoughts and worries that are focused on the wrong things. He forbids anxiety and worry that is obsessed with our needs, our security, our future; worry and fear about possible danger and misfortune.
“You of little faith.” How easily and quickly do we doubt, lose faith and hope, fear, worry, and fall back on our own devices, plans, and strength? Do not worry about our lives and our bodies, because God created us, gave us life, gives us life every day. Therefore, he knows what we need and gives it to us daily. We should not be of little faith. We should not doubt. We should not want to take control. We should have faith, believe in and trust God.
We are powerless to add anything to our height or to extend our lives with one hour. Only God can do it, and he is doing it. God is holding us all in his hands. Since we are born until we are fully grown, it is God that makes us grow. Every day we breathe, we live, because God makes it happen. God is the Sustainer, Provider, Savior, Healer. Why should we worry about our daily material needs?
The Gentiles, unbelievers, seek after these things and worry about their lives and bodies because they don’t believe in God, they don’t know God, they don’t trust God. They don’t have the right kingdom view of life. Therefore, they are in a frenzy to provide for themselves these things. They are in a frenzy to enjoy life now through self-gratification because they believe this is all there is. They worry because they are relying on their own strength and work instead of relying on God. “Earthly possessions dazzle our eyes and delude us into thinking that they can provide security and freedom from anxiety. Yet all the time they are the very source of all anxiety. If our hearts are set on them, our reward is an anxiety whose burden is intolerable.” (Bonhoeffer, 178)
“You of little faith.” Go, observe, and learn from the birds and the flowers. God cares and provides for them. We are much more valuable than them. So valuable that God gave his beloved Son to save us and free us. Will he not then give us what we need every day? Why are we people of little faith?
Jesus forbids obsessive worry and fearful anxiety because it is incompatible with the Christian faith. We have no reason ever to worry. We are alive now, at this time, and here, in this place. This is where God has placed us and wants us. This time, this place, here and now, is where God wants us to live the kingdom life. The future is in God’s hands. Today, we must focus on God and his kingdom.
2. Seek First God’s Kingdom and God’s Righteousness
Therefore, instead of obsessing over our lives and needs, instead of being afraid of what the future may hold, we must believe and seek first God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness.
Believe, have faith. When we believe in Jesus Christ we enter into God’s kingdom. When we believe in Jesus Christ, we are made righteous, pure and holy. Our sins are forgiven. When we believe in Jesus Christ we have been born again, given the new, eternal kingdom life.
Now as kingdom citizens God’s kingdom must be our focus and first priority. To seek first the kingdom is to desire that the rule of Jesus Christ will spread, that Jesus will be Lord over every single area of our lives. It is to submit joyfully and obediently to his rule over our personal lives, our homes, marriages, families, our work, our business, our money, our finances, our politics, our culture.
To seek first God’s kingdom is to make God’s glory our first priority. We want to glorify God in everything we do. We want the world to acknowledge his rule and see his glory. Therefore, we seek the kingdom by making disciples of all peoples. Missions must be a priority of God’s people.
We seek first God’s righteousness. We, who have received the new, eternal life in Jesus Christ, must now live that kingdom life in this world. This is the theme of the Sermon on the Mount, righteousness, living the kingdom life. See how Jesus links this all together:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (5:6) Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5:10) Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds (your righteousness) and glorify your Father in heaven. (5:16) Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. (5:20) Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” (5:48) Believe and obey, that’s how we seek first God’s righteousness. We obey our Lord.
Every day as we go about our work, we must ask ourselves — Are we seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness in what we are doing today? Or are we building our own kingdoms? How does this what we are doing show and expand God’s kingdom and Christ’s rule? How does this what we are doing glorify God?
3. Believe!
So, how are we going to enter the new year? Afraid, fearful, worried, anxious, doubting, with little faith? When Jesus calmed the storm, he told his disciples, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” (Mt 8:26) When Peter tried to walk on water, began to sink, Jesus grabbed his hand and said, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Mt 14:31) When the disciples forgot to take bread, Jesus asked them, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?” (Mt 16:8-10) And now in this passage, in an indirect way, Jesus is asking, “You of little faith, why are you worried, why are you anxious?”
Jesus is not teaching a problem-free theology. We are not exempt from experiencing problems. Life is hard in this world. In addition, we will experience persecution as followers of Jesus. Jesus tells us, “In this world you will have trouble.” But then he gives this good news, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Jesus has overcome the world. He has conquered death. This is the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. Believe! We don’t have to worry, because faith in Jesus Christ frees us from worry.
Those who believe, understand and have experienced that God provides and gives us what we need when we need it. Just think back on your life and remember the many times God provided. The words of Ps 37 are true, “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.” (Ps 37:25-26)
As we enter this new year let us do so with faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Believe, do not be afraid, do not fear, do not doubt, do not worry, don’t be anxious. Remember and understand who the Lord is, what he has done, and who we are now, children of our Heavenly Father. Believe, make your plans, plans that seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, work hard, give your utmost best. Commit your plans and ways and work to the Lord. “Trust in him, and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn. Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong … Trust in the Lord and do good … Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart … Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret …” (Ps 37)
When trials, suffering, persecutions, and even death come, do not be afraid. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil 4:6) Believe, rejoice and be content in all circumstances with what we have.
We can do that “because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6) Believe, follow Jesus, live the kingdom life now, and we will lack nothing because the Lord is my Shepherd.