Matthew 6:24-34
King James Version

24 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.

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 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?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 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.

I’d like to know if any of you have concerns today—anything on your mind? I
won't ask you to raise your hands if you're worried, as I believe many of us are.

I don’t intend to add to your worries, but some things that may be concerning you
include your appearance, relationships, exams, parental issues, friendships, or
healthAnd probably the weather..

In our gospel passage we just heard, Jesus addresses the issue of worry. He
advises us not to fret about our lives, including what we will eat or wear,
emphasizing that life is more than food and clothing (Matthew 6:25).

Jesus offers reassurance that we don’t need to worry about life's challenges
because God, our Father, values us and knows our needs.

He illustrates our worth by pointing out that God takes care of the birds, which
don't work for their food yet are provided for. If God cares for them, how much
more will he care for us? Have you ever seen a bird planting seeds or stressing
over grocery prices?

Psalm 50 reminds us that God owns all creation, and Psalm 24 echoes this by
stating that the earth and everything in it belongs to the Lord. This shows us that
because God is sovereign, He can meet our needs.

Next, Jesus discusses our concerns about clothing. Let’s admit, we often think
about what we wear. I used to worry about my outfits especially when I
taught—which dress
Slacks or which tie should I choose? However, Jesus reminds us to relax about
such worries.

He points to the beauty of the lilies, which grow without effort, and declares that
even the splendor of Solomon cannot compare to them. If God dresses the grass
of the field, which is temporary, won't He provide for us, too, if we trust Him
(Matthew 6:28-30)?

I personally enjoy the beauty of harvest time—the changing leaves and vibrant
colors all remind me of God’s generous provision for His creation.

In Genesis, after creating everything, God repeatedly saw that it was “good,”
culminating in declaring all His creation “very good” (Genesis 1:31). The flowers,
glowing in their colors, don't worry about it—they simply exist.

As for fashion, who do you think is the most stylish individual? Maybe someone
like Victoria Beckham or Heidi Klum? Jesus refers to King Solomon, who lived
lavishly yet, he claims, the field’s lilies outshine him in beauty.

For us, this emphasizes that if God can ensure that even the flowers are
well-dressed, He certainly will meet our needs.

So far, we’ve heard Jesus tell us not to worry because God cares and knows
what we need. Towards the end of the passage, Jesus encourages us to focus
on something else.

Worrying often leads us to fixate on our problems, making them appear larger
than they are. It can even rob us of sleep. But we aren't meant to solve
everything alone. It's okay to seek support from friends or others.

Instead of dwelling on worries about relationship issues or appearances, Jesus
invites us to trust in God. Rather than obsessing over our needs, we are
encouraged to prioritize God’s kingdom. He reminds us not to fret about food,
drink, or clothing, for our heavenly Father understands our needs and assures us
that these things will be provided when we seek His kingdom and righteousness
first (Matthew 6:31-33).

Recognizing that the earth belongs to God, we are faced with a choice: to
acknowledge Him as our King or to rebel against Him.

Will you choose to live according to God’s ways? The promise is clear: when we
prioritize God, He will take care of our needs.

As we’ve learned, Jesus tells us not to worry because God is aware of our needs
and will provide for us. Paul reinforces this in Philippians: we should not be
anxious but rather present our requests to God with prayer and gratitude, leading
to a calming peace (Philippians 4:6-7).

In conclusion, Jesus instructs us not to worry but to seek God’s kingdom and
righteousness, assuring us that all our needs will be fulfilled accordingly.