Jesus’ Eight Reasons Not to Be Anxious
Found this sermon from John Piper on Desiringgod.org, and thought it was a good reminder for those of us who tend to worry about tomorrow and struggle with anxiety. The passage he is referring to comes from Matthew 6:25-34.
1. Life Is More Than Food; The Body Is More Than Clothing (v. 25)
Verse 25. I am passing over the reason found in the word “therefore” at the beginning of the verse and going straight to the reason found in the last part of the verse: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. [Here comes the reason] Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”
I take this to mean, since life can’t be sustained without food and the body will freeze, or be shamed into oblivion without clothes, Jesus must mean: life and body (literally “soul” and body) are more than the physical life that is sustained by food and adorned by clothing. In other words, don’t be anxious about your soul and your body because those who might take your food and your clothing, and even cause your death, cannot take your real life or rob you of your resurrection body. The bottom line defense against anxiety is: in Christ you are immortal, and to die is gain. That’s why Jesus says in Luke 12:4, “Do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.” In other words, there is something far worse than death, and it can never happen to you in Christ. So don’t be anxious.
2. You Are More Valuable Than the Birds That God Feeds (v. 26)
Verse 26: “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
Here the argument not to be anxious has two massive premises leading to the conclusion. Premise one: God is so completely in control of the natural universe that he may be said to feed the birds of the air. Every berry eaten or insect snatched form the air or worm pulled from the ground is provided by God. He does that for birds. Premise two: you are of more value to God than they. God values more and is more committed to his people who glorify him with their minds and wills than he is to animals who have no ability to consciously glorify God. As Peter says in 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” Vastly more than for the birds whom he feeds. So don’t be anxious.
3. Anxiety Accomplishes Nothing (v. 27)
Verse 27: “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”
Here is a simple, practical argument: anxiety does no good. It accomplishes nothing. It doesn’t help. Preach this to yourself: I am accomplishing nothing helpful by this anxiety. It is only making a hard situation harder. I will listen to Jesus and say no to this useless emotion. I refuse to be mastered by a useless emotion!
4. The Grass and the Lilies That God Clothes Last for a Day, But You Are Eternal (vv. 28-30)
Verse 28-30: “And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”
This is almost the same as the argument from the birds of the air. But not quite. The point there was that you are more valuable than the birds that God feeds. The point here is that you are eternal, and the grass and the lilies last for a day. Yet God clothes them more beautifully than Solomon. Again the most amazing truth for us is the truth that Jesus virtually takes for granted: God’s sovereign rule over the world of nature extends to the seemingly insignificant color of a lily and the white puff-ball of a clover patch. These are not mere natural laws that God put in motion and set loose to do good or bad things with no control over them. These are his doing.
And the inference for our souls is: if God is so intimately and lavishly involved with grass and flowers which are like a vapor, then how shall he not care for his children who are eternal? So trust him! Trust him! “O you of little faith.” The issue is trust. Anxiety is a trust issue (verse 30). Trust your Father. Come what may, he will take care of you.
5. Anxiety Is Worldly (v. 31)
Verse 31: “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things.”
Here the argument is: if you are anxious, you are like the world. This is what people do who don’t know God. Anxiety is worldly.
Be careful that you not become cynical at this point and say, “Piper you are naive. You think you can dispel this monster so easily. Just remind us that the world is anxious. That will help?”
To which I say: These are not my words. These are the words of the Son of God. These are his prescription, not mine. Be careful lest you speak ill of Christ. He is not naive. He knows the monster of anxiety better than you do. And he knows best how to fight it. And it is a fight. That is why he is multiplying weapons for you. Sometimes one will work and sometimes another. Don’t blow these off. Put them in your armory. The very one you mock might someday save your life. Don’t be anxious about things. The Gentiles do that.
6. Your Heavenly Father Knows What You Need (v. 32b)
Verse 32b: “And your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.”
The argument is: Don’t be anxious because you have Father; he is “heavenly” not earthly; and he knows exactly what you need. “Father” means he loves you and you are on his heart as a child. “Heavenly” means he is sovereign over all the earth and nothing can stop him from doing good to you. “He knows that you need them” means that he is never at a loss to know what is good for you and he has all the wisdom it takes to meet your need. So rest in this: Your heavenly Father knows what you need.
7. God Will Supply Everything You Need to Do His Will and His Righteousness (v. 33)
Verse 33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
The argument is God will supply everything you need to do his will and his righteousness. Yes he promises that some of us will be imprisoned and that some of us will be beaten and some of us will be killed. Paul says in Romans 8 that famine and nakedness will come for some, but will not separate us from the love of Christ. In all these things we will be more than conquerors through him who loved us. We will have all the clothing and food and drink that we need to do the will of God, including his time when his will is for us to die. There is no guaranteed physical comfort in this world, no guaranteed life on earth. But no trial will befall you for which he will not give you all you need to endure to the end and be saved.
8. God Does Not Overload Any Day with Trouble (v. 34)
Verse 34: “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
The argument is that God does not overload any day with trouble. Each day has its appointed amount. So don’t reach into tomorrow and bring its troubles into today. The comforting point is unsaid, but obvious: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Each day has its own appointed troubles, and there are new mercies appointed for us every day so that you can bear the troubles. Trust him they will be there.
These eight arguments are a gift to you from the Lord Jesus to free you from anxiety and to make you a generous giver. If you will receive him as Savior and Lord and Treasure of your life, you will have his promises with him. Receive them. Believe them. Make them the means by which you fight the good fight of faith every day. We are walking into grave days. One group of people more than all others should be free from anxiety: the people of Christ.

