The Word of God comes to us this morning, once again, from Matthew chapter 6, our Lord's Sermon on the Mount. Matthew chapter 6, like last week, we are going to read together again verses 19 through 34 and take up again our consideration of verses 25 through 34. For those of you who are visiting with us, we began to consider this text which teaches us, calls us, to be trusting the kingdom provider. And you can see from the back of the order of worship the points that are listed there and we were only able to consider point number one, trusting the kingdom provider with contentment. So we continue our consideration of verses 25 through 34. Beginning at verse 19, Hear now God's holy, inspired, inerrant Word. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness? No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. 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 important than food and the body more important 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? Who of you, by worrying, can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies 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, O you of little faith? 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. There ends the reading of God's holy word. May He add His blessing upon it and the consideration of it this morning. Well, beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, in this text, as we began to say last Sunday morning, Jesus is calling kingdom citizens. He's calling kingdom believers to be trusting the kingdom provider. And He makes it very clear who that kingdom provider is when He says two times, He references your heavenly Father. God the Father Himself is the kingdom provider. And we are called as believers to be trusting that kingdom provider, first of all, as we considered last week, with contentment. which we said, of course, is the opposite of worry. Now, worry, we know, has to do with the future. It has to do with the yet unknown. Now, there are many who worry about what may or may not happen. If someone does worry about something that took place in the past, most likely it's only because of how it will affect the future. Worry is concern about something that one can do nothing about, that one cannot even be sure about. And as we also mentioned, Jesus is not talking here about legitimate cares and concerns for which God calls us to be responsible throughout this life. For example, providing for our families or studying for our exams, students or striving to do our best in our classes in school or dealing with sickness or tragedy or hardship or any variety of legitimate cares and concerns that the Lord may be pleased to visit upon us throughout our life. But he is talking about not dealing with these by the kind of worry that tears one apart. That overtakes one to such a point that it debilitates or paralyzes one in a sense. It controls one's entire life and thinking so that one is obsessed with whatever this cause of worry is. It's all that you think about. One is consumed by it. It torments you. You lose sleep over it. And worst of all, it removes trust from God. One commentator says, worry has an active imagination and it can envision all sorts and all kinds of possibilities. How so many of us know that's true, don't we? It envisions all kinds of things. He goes on, It can envision strange eventualities and with its terrible power and activity, it can transport us into the future and into a situation that is yet to come and we might add, and may never come. And for believers, our Lord teaches us that this kind of worry really is a symptom of little faith. We trust God for salvation. We trust Him, we say, for that which we need the most. But yet, when it comes to the details of His life, when it comes to the reality that we are facing at any given moment, our trust may not be quite so firm. Yet Jesus says learn lessons from the birds and the lilies. Learn the lesson that if God cares for His helpless creatures, how much more will He care for His children? Those whom He has created in His very own image. Those to whom He has given this gift of life. And even more so, those to whom He has given new life in Christ Jesus. And to those to whom He has given the abilities and the intellect to plant and to harvest, to produce, to invent. And we are called to recognize that He provides for us through all of these and more means. And as we recognize His care over creation, beloved, there is no need to worry and chase after these things as if we will never have another opportunity. that describes pagans unbelievers kingdom citizens are called to trust the kingdom provider with contentment but also now secondly with distinctiveness verse 31 and 32 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 we have we have a multitude of things in common with unbelievers in this life, not the least of which are the necessities, food and drink and clothing. But Jesus says that as believers, we are to be distinctively different in our attitude about and in our approach to securing these things. Distinctively different compared to unbelievers who lay up treasure on earth. They are consumed by, driven by the things of this life. They seek after them in such a way they are consumed by how to get them. They live for them. They live to go after the things of life. As far as this life is concerned, they see it as only up to them. It depends on them. And they only see provision in the future by hoarding up today. For them, life is only about physical needs and pleasures and worrying about when and where and how. to get them because unbelievers are those who are blind to God. They don't know Him. But Jesus says He knows you need these things. He knows you. They are blind to God. They do not know God. They do not know His revelation of Himself as the Creator and the Preserver of this world. They do not especially know His revelation of Himself through Jesus Christ and the salvation that He has secured. for His people. Complete with God's very great and precious promises that Peter speaks of in 2 Peter 1, which includes God's love and care for those who trust in Him. And instead, unbelievers only have themselves and they only have their circumstances to look to. And that's terrifying. That can only bring worry. They are those whose whole life is determined by where their trust is so that how they handle crisis and failure and tragedy and loneliness and poverty is seen only with regard to trust in themselves and that can only produce anxiety and worry and tearing one apart inside. Their conversations are consumed, dominated by the things of this life and acquiring them. When things go terrible, when situations go wrong. They have an attitude, somebody else must pay. The government must restore my 401k. Or we've seen it with lawsuits too, dollar amounts that are unbelievable, that are awarded for pain and suffering and lost earning potential. But these unbelievers, pagans, also are those who serve as a warning for kingdom citizens. There are two reasons here, really, to not worry like unbelievers. And the first one is that to worry like the pagans do points to pursuing the same things, going after the same things that they do, which denies the kingdom of God. Sadly, I think, sometimes I believe we struggle. This is where we probably look the most like the world, isn't it? When it comes to the things of life and securing even what we call necessities. Maybe we ought to ask ourselves, what do we pursue? What do we go after with all of our energy? What dominates our conversations? You see, what one talks about constantly gives a hint as to what's important to that one. What dominates our conversation? Is it worry or even boasting over money or clothing or the expenses of life and how to take care of these things? That's the first reason not to worry like unbelievers because it points to going after the same things that pagans do. But the second reason is that worrying like the pagans do denies one's profession in God who is well aware of our needs, as Jesus says. Yet worry advertises it as an advertisement that one doesn't really believe it. That one doesn't really believe that God knows. That one doesn't really believe that God will provide. But Jesus calls His people for distinctiveness, trusting the all-knowing God. Sadly, sometimes we do try to limit God's knowledge. If someone is struggling severely with someone, then surely God must not know about it because if God knew about it, then I wouldn't be struggling this way. He wouldn't let me. But Jesus says, Your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. He knows what you struggle with. Trust Him. Not yourself, not large bank accounts, not many resources. All these things give some sense of security temporarily, but these things can be lost so quickly. But God knows what you need and He provides in so many ways. Trust Him whose care is certain. Just like the number of hairs on our heads is certain and He knows each and every one of them. And that means, beloved, that you and I are never in any position, we are never in any situation outside of God's knowledge. And His certain care is known by His people in Jesus Christ, as Paul says in Romans 8, He gave us His own Son and gave Him up for us, which guarantees that He will give all that we need as His children for this life and for the life to come. Our position resulting from salvation in Jesus Christ is that we are God's children whom God the Father is committed to care and provide for. Children imply a responsibility for their parents and God has taken the responsibility for you and me. His certain care is known in Jesus Christ. And what a guarantee He is for you and me. And His certain care is also known by our life's experience, isn't it? We can all look back over our lives, even the children, if you look hard enough. We can all look back over our lives and see how again and again and again and again, time and time, one after the other, God provided even when we didn't know how He would. Even when we saw no possible way. God has taken care of us. We can look back over the last couple of days. Even now, the fact that we are here this morning and the fact that I trust for each one of us, our stomachs are satisfied. And as I look around, we are all wearing nice clothing. All of that is evidence of God's care. And that certain care, beloved, that we know in Christ Jesus and that we know by experience ought to then produce thankfulness and prosperity. Recognizing the hand of God that we deserve nothing, but He provides it all, but also patience in adversity. That when situations aren't going quite so well, yet we have the confidence to know that it's in His hand. And it's for our good. Because He only does for His children what is for our good. And this then also ought to promote trust in the kingdom provider thirdly, finally, with confidence. Confidence seen in kingdom priorities, but seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. as believers heed our Lord's command here. Seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. Putting our own desires and the things of this life in second place. That demonstrates their confidence in the Heavenly Father. Seeking first His kingdom. Pagans, and the idea here is seek. They earnestly seek. They earnestly run after. They earnestly desire and focus on the temporary things of life. Believers are to also seek and desire and focus on just as earnestly the Kingdom of God. To be absorbed by it, as it were. Jesus is not telling us, of course, how to get into the Kingdom of Heaven. Kingdom life is a blessed gift of God's grace. But He is telling His hearers how to behave because they are Christians. It's only in the kingdom of God that there is assurance for life. That assurance is not found in food. Food has a temporary use for the body. We need more. It wears out. The energy that it gives is gone. That assurance is not found in clothes. Clothes become rags. That assurance is not found in anything that we could look to in this life. In anything that is seen. Paul says, don't look at that which is seen. That's temporary. But focus on what is unseen. That's eternal. The believer's first priority is to be God's kingdom. Enjoying, delighting in more and more, living under the rule of the King, submitting to it, knowing that it's best. It's for us. It's for our good. Cultivating in increasing measure the character of the Beatitudes being poor in spirit, mourning, being meek, being merciful, hungering and thirsting for righteousness. Promoting the extension of His kingdom in every possible way. We pray, Thy kingdom come. The catechism says, so rule us by Your Word and Spirit, we might submit more and more to You. And seeking His righteousness. That righteousness worked in us by the Holy Spirit that flows through and from our lives. Paul says in Philippians 2, Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. Peter says, Be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure, delighting, hungering, and thirsting in righteousness, living for Jesus. In obedience to God's good and perfect will, empowered by Him. Delighting in that is evidence of one's calling and election by the grace of God. And when our hearts are set on His kingdom and His righteousness with our priorities in order, then God's people are able to discern two things. First of all, we discern that all that we need, He will provide. And the second thing that we are able to discern is that many things that we thought we needed, we discover that we really did not need and do not even want. As our God gives His people a new contentment. Yet we have the promise, His promise for today's needs and all these things will be added unto you. What a blessed bonus that our God guarantees. Now, we are not to misunderstand this. It doesn't mean that riches and wealth of this life will be poured out upon each and every one of us. We live in the lap of luxury. God may give us that. But that's not Christ's promise here. He promises what we need. What we need to serve Him. To exist and to serve Him. To delight in this life. It's interesting, reading about the Quakers of the 17th century, They became wealthy people, not because they hoarded things, not because they worshipped money or mammon or the things of this life, but they were living for God. They were living for His kingdom and His righteousness with the result that they did not throw away money on worthless, unnecessary things. Now, sometimes I think that we... Well, so God provided for them in rich abundance that way. Sometimes I think that we place ourselves in situations of worry because of misplaced priorities. I struggle with that. We live in a society that advertises again and again and again, you deserve this, you deserve that. So go for it, go get it, go buy it. You deserve all these things. Our society is not worried about our necessities. It's worried about our pocketbook. And I think that if we would step back when we find ourselves in situations that we find stressful, especially because of financial difficulty, I think if we step back, we see that God has provided more than enough for our necessities, but we have transformed luxuries into necessities, and we spend on wants what God has provided for needs. And we cause ourselves needless worry. And it's then that God may discipline us in His own loving way to bring our priorities back in line with His will for us. Yet, He will always give what is sufficient. Maybe not in our mind, but what He knows is sufficient for our needs. Giving confidence also for tomorrow's care. Verse 34, Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Again, worry has to do with the future, doesn't it? And Jesus says, don't worry about the future. Not even the closest future. Don't even worry about tomorrow. Maybe we should ask ourselves, if I had no clue for tomorrow's necessities, if I had no idea where they were going to come from, or even no clue for my next meal, would I still be content today or right now? That's a hard question to ponder, isn't it? It's even a harder question to answer. God has not promised us a tomorrow. It's not here. It's not ours. It may never come. And it is a waste of time and energy worrying about what may never come. Again, not talking about those legitimate cares and concerns that God calls us to prepare for, but not worrying about it with that debilitating, paralyzing worry that consumes one. That one can think of nothing else. You can only worry about, what can I do? How can I take care of it? And the fact is, so often after having worried or lost sleep about something, how often haven't you said, I worried for nothing. It never happened. I worried for nothing. It is enough to think about today. Praise God that we don't know the future. We live in the midst of a sinful world. We will face trials and hardships and all kinds of circumstances that come upon us. And if we knew it, it could crush us. And even worrying, trying to think about, well, if this happens, well, then that might happen. If that happens, well, then that might happen. That's going to crush us too. But He gives strength and wisdom that we need today to face the trials of life ordained for today. Beloved, we celebrate today the gift of the Holy Spirit of whom Jesus said in John 16 that He will take of what is mine and make it known to you. The Holy Spirit of God has given us new life. He has brought us as believers to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who is God's precious gift that guarantees our every care both now and forever. We pray that the Holy Spirit would increase our knowledge and assurance of faith in Jesus Christ, that He would also increase our trust in the Kingdom Provider, that more and more He would drive worry and anxiety and doubt far from us and give us that contentment that is foreign to the world. Give us that peace that passes understanding. We also celebrate the gift of the Lord's Supper. This table, as you look at it, is a visible picture, it is a visible promise, it is a visible guarantee that Jesus Christ removed every worry and concern for our eternal future and instead, like helpless birds and lilies, He feeds us who are helpless to save ourselves, helpless to work for our salvation. He feeds us with Himself and He clothes us with His righteousness by which we are acceptable to God. It's for those, only those, but all those who look to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith and trust in Him. That's God's promise for you, for me. For those who trust in Jesus Christ, there is no lack. Only the abundance of eternal salvation and the blessing of all that we need in preparation for the glory of heaven to come. The Lord's table anticipates that glory. Amen.