“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 clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, 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 trouble.” Matthew 6:25-34 (NKJV)

Someone at this point might say, “Well, I do not think that money is my “master” or “god,” but I do worry about it! I need it! I do not always know what is going to happen.” To this Jesus says what He says in verse 25.

1. How can I know if money is too important in my life?

“I say to you” is our Lord’s way of saying to us, “Hear Me, hear now what I am saying to you about providing for yourself in this life.” This immediately presents us with a choice. It is a choice between what “we” or the “world” says about these things and what God says about them. What God says is always true! He cannot lie. He cannot be wrong. So what He says here, about providing for ourselves, is true in every circumstance, for all people, throughout all of human history.

2. What is the theme of this section?

Jesus hits the nail on the head with the words, “Do not worry about your life.”

“Worry” comes from the Greek word “merimnáō” and means “anxious, troubled in mind or thought.”

Our society seems to be continually plagued by anxiety. We hear the word used in various contexts all the time. Anxiety, fear, worry, and stress are all describing different aspects of the same thing: uncertainty. These are the by-products of being unsure and uncertain in life. This uncertainty is the very issue Jesus is addressing! He wants us as His people, to be sure of something. He wants us to know for certain that something is true. He wants us to be sure of Him. He wants us to be certain that He loves us. He wants us to be sure that He cares and that He is the One who provides. He wants this certainty to extend into every category of life and free us from the fear, stress, and worry that uncertainty always brings.

3. How do worrying and having control issues relate to each other?

He begins by telling us that we do not need to worry about our lives. That is a striking thing to say! According to our Lord, there is no need to ever fear or be troubled or anxious in life. Wow. Some of us might have just laughed at the thought of never worrying. However, this is actually possible for His people and Jesus tells us how.

He begins by giving common examples of areas we are tempted to stress about. “What you will eat or what you will drink” is the fear that will we not have enough to eat and that we and our families could starve. This is not something we need to fear or worry about. He tells us this in verse 26 with the words, “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?”

“Value” comes from the Greek word “diaphérō” and means “to carry something (as precious or valuable).”

4. What comes to mind when you think of the word “value”?

Notice how Jesus tries to quell this fear of starving? He tells us to be sure of Him and His love for us. He does not, for instance, say, “Do not worry about what you will eat, because there is plenty of food and there is a good chance you will find something to eat!” No! He says, “I am taking care of everything, and especially you.” He wants you and me to be sure of how much He loves us. “Are you not of more value than they?” is meant to quiet our fears, calm us, and bring us to a place of trust and thankfulness. In short, He wants me to be certain that I do not have to worry because He provides and loves me!

5. Summarize this last paragraph in your own words.

The words in verse 25 (“nor about your body, what you will put on”) summarize more than just a worry about having necessary clothing. It is any physical need we might have. To this, He says in verses 28-29, “So why do you worry about clothing [or house payments or the gas bill]? 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.” Then, to quench our worry, He says in 30, “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith [little certainty, little assurance]?” We see the same pattern in these words as before. If He is taking care of and providing for what is insignificant, how much more will He provide for us? The lesson is simple. We do not need to worry or stress about our needs because He is the provider and actually does love us supremely.

6. What are some common things people worry about?

It is interesting when you really stop to think about worry, fear, anxiety, and stress. For all the energy these things take, they do not give anything in return; not anything good that is! These things do not change the outcome of anything! Worrying about illness does not change whether you get sick or not. Stressing about losing your job, does not prevent job loss. Fear of dying does not keep us alive longer. Countless studies have shown what we already know: these human responses are destructive and take a tremendous toll on us as people. This is the point that Jesus is making in verse 27 when He says, “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”

7. What are some negative outcomes of worrying?

“Worrying” comes from the Greek verb “merimnáō” and means “to be apprehensive, have anxiety, be (unduly) concerned, troubled.”

It has been said, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.” It is so true! I am not accomplishing anything at all as I fret and stress and worry about what might happen. This is something that I personally need to be reminded of often. There are many things that I simply do not worry about. The fear of something suddenly happening to my wife or children is a constant battle for me. I have spent many nights needlessly worrying about my sick children’s breathing! As I read these words from Jesus, I know that my worrying did not keep their airways open. He did. He does. My worrying about a car accident taking my wife from me does not put a protective bubble around her as she drives. I wish it did! He is her protector. He loves her. He loves me. He loves my children. He is in actual control and He is good. Here, Jesus is telling us to quit it! Our worrying is not preventing or helping anything!

8. Where are some areas of worry you need to turn over to God?

Therefore, He says in verses 31-32, “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.” He is reminding us that these are the concerns of those who do not have God as their Father. These are the worries of those who have no one watching over them, looking after them, and providing for them. These are the fears of those that do not know Him. It is painful to see that I have acted like someone who does not know Him when I have worried about the things we need. I have acted as though I do not have Him, Who is limitless in His power, resources, and care as my Father. Lord, please forgive me! The end of verse 32 is meant to reset us. Each word is important and builds as one brick upon another to form the secure home we should live in, “For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”

9. How does one become a child of God?

“Knows” comes from the Greek verb “oída” and means “to see and know completely.”

What a thing for God to convey to us! What promises He wants us to be sure of! First, He is my “Father.” This means that I am His child and He wants me to see our relationship this way. He is a true and good Father caring for me, His child. Next, He is our “heavenly Father” which of course tells us that He is also God, but speaks to His limitless resources to provide. Then we are told that as a good Father, He both sees and “knows” what we need. Amazing! God pays attention to me. That is the thing He wants us to be sure of. He knows. He sees. He cares.

As we come into verse 33, we have to back up to verse 25 for a moment. It is there that Jesus asks a question that is a needed reminder to us all. He asks, “Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” This question is meant to make us pause and reflect on the meaning and purpose of life. Life is more than the temporal things I am worried about. We all know that it is more than what we eat, what we drink, or the clothes we have. Real life is much deeper than these things. Life is more than just making it through or surviving each day. A meaningful life is full of meaningful things. At the top of this is relationships. Boiled down, life is about two main things:

1. To know God (relationship with Him).
2. To make Him known (relationship with others).

The wealthiest people in the world who have “everything” are among the most miserable because life is about more than things. Jesus said this in Luke 12:15 (NKJV), “Take heed and beware of covetousness [a desire for more than is never satisfied], for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” How true this is! Jesus makes this clear with His question, “Isn’t life about more than these things?” In other words, “It takes a lot of energy to worry about these things and they are not even things you need to worry about.”

He continues this thought in verse 33 when He tells us, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

“Seek” comes from the Greek verb “zētéō” and means “to seek after, look for, strive to find.”

10. What comes to mind when you think of the word “seek”?

The word “seek” is a word that describes our goals, priorities, focus, effort, and attention. Verse 33 makes us ask, “What am I trying to find? What am I trying to accomplish? What am I doing with my life?” It is a serious question. The word “first” forces us to evaluate the order our priorities are in. What do I “seek” above all other things? If we are honest we might say, “I seek my personal comfort or happiness” or “I seek above all other things making more money or a higher position at work.” These pursuits might not be wrong in the right place, but they are certainly wrong at the top!

Jesus tells us to “seek first the kingdom of God.” What does this mean? It means that above all other pursuits in life that we might have, our lives are to be about accomplishing His will. Simply, it is to try to do what He is wanting rather than what we are wanting. This applies to all categories of life. I need to pursue what He wants in my marriage, in my parenting, in my work, in my neighborhood, and in my hobbies. As His people, we ask, “What do you want Lord?”

The goal is to bring about His “kingdom” in our lives. Simply put, His “kingdom” is anywhere where He is King. His “kingdom” can be brought into our marriage when He is King and we are doing what He wants us to do in our marriages with our spouses. His “kingdom” is brought about in our parenting when He is King and we are carrying out His will and direction in our parenting. His “kingdom” can be brought into our workplace as we serve Him and follow His direction and lead in every aspect of our work life. To “seek first the kingdom of God” is to put Him first and His will at the top of our priorities. When we do this, everything else falls into its proper order.

11. Are there any areas of your life you now need to turn over to God and let Him rule over them?

Our design as human beings is at the root of this command from Jesus. We have been designed by Him to seek Him first and His will first. That is how we have been designed to live. It is how we work best. To say it another way, we do not do well as people with anything else in the first place of life’s pursuits. Many examples can be given, but consider the man or woman who makes their career the first priority and pursuit of life. Many other things, important things, and meaningful things are sacrificed for this empty pursuit. Make money the thing you “seek first” and watch all of life’s meaning and purpose drain from your life. Even seeking “first” good things, such as a good marriage, being a great parent, or being a productive member of society (whatever that means), will result in frustration because the order is wrong. We have been designed to seek God first. This is the only “first” pursuit that does not sacrifice everything else to do it. What I mean is, every other “first” pursuit sacrifices everything else to accomplish it. However, to “seek” Him first and His will, we find that we still have the capacity to pour into every other area of our lives the way that we ought to. This is because the order is correct and this is our design.

An illustration here is, I think, helpful. As a teenager, I learned that every vehicle’s engine has a specific timing order. The timing order is the order in which the spark plugs fire; which in turn, forces the pistons down. This is what propels the car forward. I learned about this when this order was out of whack in one of my first cars. I remember trying to drive it. It was stuttering, stopping, and the engine would die suddenly. It was loud, things were popping, and needless to say, it did not get me down the road at all. That is when I learned that the order of those spark plugs and pistons firing was extremely important. It has been an illustration to me ever since. When the timing is wrong, the car does not go anywhere. When the order is wrong in life, the “car” does not go anywhere. Jesus’ command is simple, put Me and what I want at the top, and if you do, everything else will lock into place.

That is the promise in the remainder of verse 33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and [if we do] all these [other] things shall be added to you.” Again, the promise here is that if we put Him and what He wants at the top, everything else will fall into place. This is not a promise that life will become easy and free from all difficulty. It is a promise that life will make sense, have real meaning, and we will have all we need to do all that He has called us to do. This is an extremely liberating promise from our Lord!

12. What does seeking God first mean in your life?

Lastly, we read the words in verse 34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.” This is a fitting conclusion for everything Jesus has just said to us. The word “therefore” is a word that points us back to everything He has just said. In other words, “Because I am your Father, because I love you, because I know your need, and because I am infinitely capable of providing for you; ‘therefore do not worry.’”

“Worry” comes from the Greek word “merimnáō” and means to be “anxious, troubled.”

What is going to happen? What is next? What will tomorrow bring? We do not know. However, we know Who does! It has been said, “We do not know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future.” This is a basic but important truth. We must remind ourselves often. No man can predict what will happen. The future is God’s domain and His alone. We do not need to “worry” about tomorrow because of everything He has already said. He is in control, loves us, and watches over us. We have already said it, but worrying about tomorrow does not empty tomorrow of its trouble; it only empties today of its strength. We are not stopping anything or changing anything by our worry. It is a fruitless, exhausting exercise that takes a heavy toll on us as people. To this Jesus says to let tomorrow “worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

13. Write out some of your worries in the form of praise or thankfulness to God.

Jesus’ words in this chapter are meant to cause His sheep to simply trust Him as the Great Shepherd. When you and I are tempted to panic, we must quickly remind ourselves of these truths and come back to a place of trust and rest in who He is and what He has said. We really do not need to worry because we are His and He loves us.