We're turning our Bibles tonight to Matthew's Gospel. Matthew's Gospel, chapter 6. And we're going to read verses 24 to 34, but we will really only be focusing on verses 25 and 26. But for the context and the flow of what the Lord is talking about, we read Matthew 6, 24 to 34. No man can serve two masters For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore, I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, not yet for your body. What you shall put on is not the life, more than meat. and the body more than raiment. Behold, the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought of Raymond, or for Raymond? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore? If God so clothed the grass of the field, which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe ye, O ye of little faith? Therefore, take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek, and that Greek word means they run after, they pursue. For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Amen. And God will bless the reading of that portion of his inspired word. Life is about more than stuff, says Jesus Christ. The aim and goal of life is not the abundance of the things that one can possess. The pagan materialistic view of life is utterly bankrupt and guilt-ridden. The pagan materialistic view of life does not lead to peace, nor does it lead to happiness. Slavery to money and things, material goods, as the goal and purpose of life, leads to nothing but worry and anxiety. In these next verses, verse 25 to the end of the chapter, Jesus Christ commands his followers not to worry and be anxious about the future and food and drink and clothes, because that's what it means, take no thought. We'll get to it in a minute, but let me say it straight away. It doesn't mean take no thought. don't think about it at all, that's nonsense. It means, in direct translation, don't be anxious about, don't worry about. Therefore I say unto you, take no thought, take no anxious thought, don't be anxious or worried for your life, what you shall eat, what you shall drink, or yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, more than food, and the body more than clothes? And in verses 26 to 30, the Lord Jesus tells us very, very logically why we are not to worry about these things. And in verse 32, the word Gentile, direct translation, Gentile means a non-Jew. What it actually means, the Greek word, is pagan. Wherever you see the word Gentile, you put pagan or heathen. For after all these things do the pagans run after and pursue. It's the pagan philosophy. It's the pagan way of life to make things your goal, says Jesus. Worrying about, being anxious about goods is the pagan philosophy and mindset. But it's certainly not the Christian mindset. It's not the Christian way of thinking. It's only pagans that have this anemic, deficient, pathetic view of the purpose of life. It's position and stuff. And that's what makes us important. But it's not the Christian thinks that way. Indeed, anyone logical doesn't even think that way. Now, if you and I grasp the teaching of this section, 25 to 34, you will live very, very differently from the pagan people of the United Kingdom, which is the majority. And you'll be a lot more happy and content and at peace than the godless pagans are in Ulster, who foolishly and unthinkingly swallow the materialism and humanism whole. And that's how they think. Christ teaches in this passage, and it's an imperative command, do not worry. That's what he's saying over and over again. Do not worry. Christian. Now our whole Western culture thrives on people's worries and anxieties. And makes loads of money out of people's worries and anxieties. Put a whole load away for a rainy day. This is guaranteed for this. Oh yes, insure your card in case you lose it. And then do you know, you can actually insure your insurance that you've insured your card with in case you lose it. So that your insurance doesn't go up. What is that? Oh, I might lose my card. It's worry. Pet insurance. Do you not want to take out the warranty on the garbage you've just bought that will cost more than the price of the thing itself? What's that playing on? Worry. They call it peace of mind. Give us your money and we'll give you peace of mind. No, sir. No, thanks. I've already got peace of mind and it doesn't come from men. And there's not a man can give me peace of mind, and there's not a man can take away a true believer's peace of mind. I remember we were getting in the car one time. The man in the office says, we're offering you this special insurance in case something breaks at a really decent price. I said, no thanks, I'm not interested. He says, do you mind if I ask you why? You don't want to. I said, I'm not the worrying type. If it breaks, I'll get it fixed. Think I was going to pay hundreds of pounds more just if it might? That just shows a worrying, anxious spirit. Society in the West thrives on your worry and your anxiety. It's a great money-making racket. The powers that be want you to worry. because they make loads of money out of your worry and anxiety. They want to keep you worrying and being anxious and unsure. Throw off the shackles of worry and listen to the teaching of Jesus Christ in these verses. As he demolishes utterly the foolishness and the utter stupidity of worrying. Do you know that worrying is absolutely irrational and illogical? If you get the teaching of this section alone, you will be able to put worry to death in your life for the rest of your life. And that's an understatement. In 1961, Time Magazine published an article entitled, Guilt and Anxiety. It was talking about the Western world, America, but you make kingdoms just the same. And it just shows you how more on the ball even Time Magazine was. in 1916 than it is now. And much people thought sensibly more, because this film had a lot of Christian influence. Listen to what they said. This is a secular magazine, it's not a Christian magazine. The breakdown of faith in God in the 19th century, and the breakdown of faith in reason in the 20th century, coupled with the fast pace of modern life has produced intense anxiety among millions of people. It is one of the most deliberating ailments of the modern time." Now what did they say the cure was? The answer to worry and anxiety was sedatives and psychotherapy or psychiatry, which is laughable. That's not the answer. Sedate yourself. The answer is change your life and change the way you think. Tablets and talking to someone who doesn't know, no thanks. That's not the answer to worry and anxiety. Change your life by obeying Jesus Christ. Do not worry. He commands in the imperative repeatedly in this passage. You see, brethren, worry is a choice. And it is a lack of faith in God's sovereignty. It's not a thing we just happen to do, it's a choice, it's a way of life, and it is a lack of trust in a sovereign God. But what the Time magazine said is true, you see, because People have become more worrying, more depressed, and more anxious. And why? Because as time has went on in the Western world, and they've got rid of God more and more, when you don't believe in a God controlling all things, and then when you lose confidence in human reason, there was a great confidence in human reason in the West in the 1900s, until that was utterly dashed. And then they don't believe in human reason anymore either. They don't trust that either. Confidence in God and confidence in man's ability has now been lost in the Western world. And now what do people believe in? Which is the key to why worry is epidemic. Now they believe in nothing. God nor man. They don't trust in either. And because they believe in nothing, there is now therefore no certainty, and no right and wrong, and no absolutes, and nothing trustworthy. And the economy from which we all live and life which we all live are subject to governments and banks set up by men and run by men that nobody has any confidence in anyway. What's all that going to lead to? Anxiety and worry. It couldn't lead to anything else. Once you remove God, nothing is certain except worry and anxiety. And people don't trust in God, and they can no longer reason sensibly. They've been crippled by a deficient, twisted education system that teaches them to even think wrong. and they believe in nothing but themselves and their own personal feelings for security. No wonder worry is epidemic in the Western world. It's not a surprise at all. Now Christian, have you followed the world in their irrational kneel-biting worry about everything. I want to give you three points tonight, all from verses 25 and 26. Number one, don't worry. Number two, is life not more than that? Number three, belief in God negates worry, verse 26. Point number one, don't worry. Therefore, I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than meat and the body more than raiment or clothes? What do these words mean? The word, therefore, means because of this, because of what he's been teaching us from verse 19 about materialism and that it's no use to have that as your goal in life. In the light of materialism not being the focus of your life, therefore, I say unto you, I say is a present active indicative. I am factually saying to you, says Jesus, Take no thought. Now the word thought in the English language in the 1600s when the King James Bible was translated did not mean what it means today, where it means thought. Jesus Christ never says don't think. But what the actual word in the English language meant is don't be anxious, don't be troubled with cares, don't worry is actually what the word meant, and that's definitely what the Greek word means. So take no thought means don't be anxious, don't worry, don't be troubled with cares, and it's a present active imperative in the Greek. which means Christ is here giving a law, a command, one of the New Testament commands. Christ commands you, do not worry, do not be anxious for your life, your breath, your life. What you shall eat means eat, devour, consume, What you shall drink means drink or be refreshed by, nor yet means neither for your body. What you should put on, what you should be clothed with, have on, arrayed with, clothe oneself with. And when you put those words together, here's what the verse says. Christ says, in the light of what I have taught you concerning materialism as the philosophy of life. In the light of that, I am commanding you, my followers, don't worry and be anxious and don't get in a fuss about your life and what you're going to eat and what you're going to drink and what you're going to wear. What's the teaching? The teaching is this. Please note before we address the teaching, what the verse is not saying. Because sometimes you can say something and people can take it to the other extreme and think you're saying something you're not. The verse does not say, don't bother, neglect, have no thought at all for food and drink and clothes. Don't say that. That's nonsense because you see some people interpreting the Bible in the past took it exactly that way and used it to contradict other passages in the Bible that say you must provide for your family and you live to keep your family and you lay in store for your children because they can interpret the Bible inconsistently. Christ says don't worry and be anxious about your life and about food, drink and clothes. Don't be anxious about these things, as pagans are. Verse 32. These things are the goal of pagans lives. Boyce, the commentator says, take no thought as misled some persons into thinking Jesus was warning against working for a living or against making proper provision for the future. He was not. Words have changed and the meaning In England at this time, at the time of King James, the meaning was just stop worrying. Christians must not be anxious or worried about anything. Matthew Henry the Puritan says, the thought that is here forbidden by Christ is a disquieting thought, a tormenting thought. which hurries the mind hither and thither, and hangs it in suspense, which disturbs the joy and sleep." Dixon says, it is not lawful to be anxious about things necessary, food and drink and clothes. This is Christ's command. It is not lawful to worry about life, food, drink, and clothing, the basic necessities. It is against Christ's New Testament command. It is against his law. In other words, it is sinful to worry. Pink says, anxiety about food and clothes is sin, end of quote. It is sin. So the teaching is, God's Son commands Christians not to worry. Not to worry about life. Not to worry about stuff. What are you going to eat? I wonder what I'm going to eat. What are you going to drink? I wonder what I'm going to drink. I don't know. Clothes, adornment. I wonder what I'm going to put on. Which watch? Which clothes? Which dress? Which suit? Christ says, don't be burdened about these things. Don't be burdened about stuff. Why not? Point 2 tells us why not. Is life not more than that? Verse 25. Is not the life more than meat and the body? More than raiment? What do these words mean? Not is a present indicative. It's not a fact, a true statement. This is a fact, Jesus says. Is not life, breathing, living, more than? The Greek word means greater, more superior, more excellent than meat, solid food, or drink. Or is the body not more than raiment? Now this is a particular word for clothes. It just doesn't mean clothes, it means outer garment. And when you put this together, all these words together, Jesus is saying in the last sentence of verse 25, it is a fact that your life is worth more. Your life is superior and greater than mere food and drink. and outer clothes, your outer garments, the cosmetic ones. Christ is saying, life's about more than that. These are not the main thing. These are not the point and purpose of life. They're not the important thing. They're not the end or the goal of life. Life is about more than that. You see, a Christian view of life is very different from the pagan and the heathen view of life in the United Kingdom. The life of a pagan, which is everybody else who is not a Christian in the whole nation, everyone without exception who is not a Christian, is a pagan and a heathen. The life of a pagan consists of and revolves around superficial garbage. You just have to look at the TV ads. What are they all about? Look at the newspapers. What's it all about? The advertisements on the internet. What are they all about? The magazines. What will lead to a happy future? Material things. Food and drink and clothes. That's it. It's in your face. Every page you turn to. pop-ups on the internet. It's all about food and drink and clothes. Garbage. Irrelevant, stale issues that are just things you use in life, not the main thing. It's a pagan view of life. Pagans rarely speak of anything else. These things are the sum of life and pleasure to the pagan mind. That's how the pagan thinks. The heathen's life revolves around these things. And if you have them, you're great. And you're very important. If you don't have them, you can't be happy with your life. And they worry about them. And they're anxious about them. Fashions and food Fashions and drink. It's not the cool thing to drink. You drink this now. Fashions and clothes, or excuse for clothes. You want a good time, yeah. Food and drink and stuff. Wow. Is that the purpose of life? How paltry. Jesus Christ says, Christian, no. No. Life is more than that. Life is superior than that. Life is above those things. There's more to life than what you ate. Your life's worth more than that, says Jesus Christ. Food and clothes and stuff are just side issues. These are the things we just use as we live. They're not the goal of life. So why worry and be anxious about them? Well then, someone may ask, how do I not worry? That's what Jesus teaches in the third point. Trust in God negates worry. See what it says in verse 26. Christ has just given the command in verse 25, then he says this, Behold the fowls of the earth, for they, so not neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? What do these words mean? Well, see that little word, behold? You know what it means? Consider. Look with your mind, the Greek word means. In other words, what Jesus says first to people who want to know how not to worry about these things, He says, think. Consider this. Start to reason and think properly. Look, see, and think. And it's again a present active imperative. It's a command. Jesus says to Christians, I am commanding you to think about the birds. Which means birds. And the birds don't sow. And the birds don't reap at harvest time. And the birds don't store stuff and hoard it. Yet, says Christ, which means but, your heavenly Father feedeth. Present, active, indicative. He is presently, actively, factually feeding the birds. Jesus says, think about that. And then he hears the punchline and the teaching. Are you not much better? You know what the word much means? Greater by far. Better means of more value, surpassed in value than they, than birds. And when you put those words together, The teaching is this. Don't worry. How do I not worry? Behold, says Christ, consider and think for a moment. Reason it out. Stop feeling worries. Think. Use your brain. That's what he's saying. I command you to consider the birds of the air and they don't do what you do. And yet, your Father in Heaven feeds them actually, presently. And in the hinge of the argument, are you not greater by far, more valuable than birds? The teaching is this, Christ is using a kind of logical form of argument here to convince people. The logical form of argument, we've put a name on it today in philosophy, it's called in, it might be wrongly pronounced in the Latin, minor ad maius, which means An argument, quote, from the lesser to the greater. It's a logical argument. And the argument is this. If acts is true, the lesser thing, God feeds the birds. Then why? The greater thing will much more be true. So Christ is saying, To anyone who wants to know how not to worry about food and clothes and drink and life and all that, Christ says, think, think for a moment. If your Father in heaven so cares for little birds, that he actually feeds them present tense. Indeed, not a sparrow falls to the ground But Father in Heaven knows about it. Isn't that what Christ says in Matthew's Gospel in chapter 10? I'm going to read it to you. Listen to this. Are not two sparrows sold for a farling? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father? But the very hairs of your head are numbered. Fear ye not therefore. Ye are of more value than many spirals. You see, if this is true, the lesser thing, that God cares for birds and feeds them, and you are greater by far in value than birds, then do you not think God cares enough about you as well? to look after you. That's the argument. Why then would you worry and be anxious about food and drink, Christian? Don't you trust God as your Father? The Father who so loved every believer in eternity past That when He knew us before there was even time, everyone He saved. He knew them and foreloved them so much. He looked at us and found nothing good and loved us anyway. And He loved us so much that He sent the only begotten Son of God into time to die and shed His blood for you and me. That's the measure of God's care. God the Father's care and His love. If you get that, that you have more values than many sparrows, and God cares about the sparrows. If you trust in God, you won't worry at all. Is it not, by way of illustration, like a millionaire father? Imagine a millionaire who lives in a big mansion, and he's got a son, and maybe daughters as well. But this millionaire is a kind man. See, when he's out in his car, out walking, he actually cares for stray pigeons. And if he finds a stray pigeon, he lifts it, and he brings it home, and he looks after it, and he feeds it wee sweet corn and all that carry on, because he likes sweet corn. He feeds it. What do you think if the millionaire's son was getting all anxious and worried about, won't there be any food for me? Won't I go and eat and drink? Isn't it totally insulting? It's insulting. His son, his children are worth far more than a pigeon. But in the man helping even pigeons, it shows you something of his kind nature as a father. And for his son to then start worrying about what he's going to eat is not to trust in his father at all. Isn't it? It's disgraceful actually. Trust in God. as your Father will take away all your worry. You can be confident in God. And if you do worry, let me say this, you're not trusting God the way you should. You need to read Lloyd-Jones, his book on spiritual depression. He has a whole sermon on anxiety and worry. You need to read that. It's a choice, you know. Trust God. Really. Practically. In life. Not theoretically, like a worrying pagan, but really, you trust them as your phone. Worry is a choice. That's why Christ says twice in these two verses, stop it. Two commands in two verses, stop it. God is so kind. Christ says, think about the facts. He lays in verse 26 of the argument. Think about the facts. God is so kind that He cares for sparrows. He looks after them. And you're worth far more than a sparrow. So don't doubt Him. Don't be anxious and worried. Trust Him. Let me conclude. The context is materialism. Three points. Don't worry. Is life not more than that? And thirdly, trust in God negates worry. Don't make excuses. It's just the way I am. No, it's not the way you are. It's the way your sinful nature is. It's the way everybody is. It's called sin. Christ says stop it. And think. Use your mind instead of your feelings. Use your brain. Trust in God. And your worry will vanish like the mist at sunrise. Therefore I say unto you, Take no anxious thought for your life, what you shall eat and what you shall drink, nor yet for your body what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat and the body more than clothes? Behold, think, observe with your mind. Behold the fowls of the earth, for they sow not, neither do they reap, neither do they gather into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much far more precious than they? You trust God. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted God, not only when all appeared nice and well, But when it appeared very bleak indeed, the king declared when the music sounds, everyone is to bow down to the idol over forty feet high made of gold on the plain outside Babylon. The only four left standing were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They are brought in and the furnace is heated up and the king says, I want to play the music, Will that throw you into it? You know what they said? Our God, whom we serve, is well able to deliver us out of your furnace. But if not, be it known unto you, we still aren't going to bow down. Even if God wasn't going to deliver them, They still weren't going to be anxious and worried and wonder what they're going to do. No, they're still going to trust in God. But if not, we're still not going to bow down and do the wrong thing. They weren't fearful men, sure they weren't. They weren't anxious and they weren't worried because they were trusting God. Have you got the but if not faith? that trusts in God at all times, whether it's sunshine or storms. Okay. Amen. Thank you for your attention.