The Sermon on the Mount: Trust and Anxiety I. Base Text: Matthew 6:19-34 II. Context A. Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist; begins His ministry (Matthew 3:13-17) B. Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11) C. He then returns to Galilee, begins preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom: repent, for the Kingdom is at hand (Matthew 4:12-17, 23) D. He calls some of His disciples, preached and healed in the synagogues, and many crowds began to follow Him (Matthew 4:18-25) E. Seeing the multitudes, He sits upon a mountain and begins teaching the disciples in the hearing of the multitudes (Matthew 5:1-2) F. This teaching develops into an extended discourse (Matthew 5:3-7:27) 1. Begins with the "beatitudes," pronouncing blessings on those who are often considered unfortunate or cursed (Matthew 5:3-10) 2. Provides instruction for the disciples: they are as salt and light, a city on a hill, for they are to reflect the righteousness of God in Christ before all (Matthew 5:13-16) 3. Affirms that He has not come to change or adapt Law, but to fulfill it; condemns Pharisees and scribes for breaking Law (Matthew 5:17-20) 4. Through six compare and contrast declarations, Jesus establishes how to live as salt and light, as the Heavenly Father desires, exceeding the righteousness of the Pharisees and scribes (Matthew 5:21-48) 5. Condemns "religious activities" of giving, praying, fasting, done for show in order to gain esteem among men; such things should be done simply, in secret, to God's glory and honor (Matthew 6:1-18) III. Meaning A. As Jesus continues the discourse, He continues to teach the disciples with the multitude in view and the Pharisees, scribes, and other religious authorities in mind, now turning to matters of trust and anxiety B. Trust (Matthew 6:19-24) 1. Jesus exhorts His followers to not lay up treasure on earth, but in heaven a. On earth, moths and rust consume, and thieves steal b. In heaven, no moths, rust, or thieves c. Reason: where your treasure is, there your heart is also d. Vanity of riches: Proverbs 11:4, Ecclesiastes 5:10-14 e. Dangers of riches: Matthew 19:16-30/Mark 10:17-31/Luke 18:18-30 f. The idea of "treasure in heaven" again in 1 Timothy 6:17-19 in terms of laying up a good foundation g. Not literal: not as if we are to invest actual money or gold in the Bank of Heaven h. Instead, as 1 Timothy 6:17-19 illustrates, not to hoard material wealth but to use it to glorify God (cf. 1 John 3:17-18) i. Demonstration of the insecurity of material wealth: it can decay or be taken away j. Demonstration of values: where our treasure is, that is, what is found most precious, is where the heart, or the seat of man's being and essence, mind/will/desire, will be as well 2. Jesus asserts the eye is as lamp of the body a. If eye is "single" (Greek haplous; single -> whole, sound -> clear, healthy), body full of light b. If eye is bad or evil, body full of darkness c. If that which is supposed to be "light" is really darkness, how deep the darkness! d. Consistent with light of the world image in Matthew 5:14-16 and knowing people by fruit in Matthew 7:15-20 e. Another use of light as righteousness/holiness, darkness as sin/evil f. If eyes fixed on God and all that is holy, good; if eyes fixed on greed, lust, etc., and internal light corrupted by darkness, how depraved will such a one be! 3. Jesus declares that one cannot serve two masters a. Masters: curious, "lords" b. He will hate one and love the other c. Or he will hold to one and despise the other d. Referent: one cannot serve God and Mammon, Semitic term for money, stuff e. Excellent instruction on its own, but in light of Matthew 5:18-48 and Luke 16:13, likely a challenge to the Pharisees as well f. cf. Romans 6:16, James 4:4 C. Anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34) 1. Jesus then encourages His disciples to not be anxious regarding earthly necessities: food, drink, clothing, and shelter (cf. Luke 12:22-31) 2. Asks them if anyone obtains a "cubit" (Greek pechus, referring to the cubit, a unit of measurement roughly from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow, between 18-22 inches; used generally as a unit of measurement, thus -> hour, span) of life through worrying 3. He uses the birds of the air and lilies of the field as examples: birds do not build barns to store food, lilies do not spin or weave covering, and yet God makes sure they are fed and clothed, even beyond the glory of Solomon (cf. 1 Kings 10:5-7/2 Chronicles 9:4-6) 4. Since they are of more value than birds and lilies, why would God show less concern for them (cf. Matthew 10:29-31/Luke 12:6-7)? 5. He identifies their difficulty in His address to them: "O ye of little faith"! 6. They are not to worry about these necessities; that's what the "Gentiles" do, and the Father knows they need them 7. Instead, they should first seek God and His Kingdom, and God will take care of the necessities of life 8. True now and in the future: worry about the future is no better, and disciples do well to let the future be anxious for itself. There are enough challenges in the present! 9. Concern over food, drink, clothing, and shelter quite real in days of great poverty, possible famine, oppression, over-taxation, etc. 10. Focus on these concerns as primary does not honor God as the primary focus of life; cf. Matthew 13:7, 22 11. Instead, believers do better to trust in God's reign and righteousness, and God will prove faithful and take care of them! D. Thus Jesus exhorts His disciples toward trust in God, not distracted by the desires and cares of ongoing material existence IV. Application A. Putting trust in God over and above all things is the primary lesson of Matthew 6:19-34 B. Trust vs. Lust 1. For those who understand that God is the Creator of all things and the Giver of all good gifts, it would seem easy to trust and honor Him 2. Nevertheless, the lusts of the world are strong, and we are continually tempted to put our trust in and make a god of various lusts and desires (1 John 2:15-17) 3. The primary one mentioned by Jesus, desire for money/stuff, that is, greed, a common challenge throughout time (cf. Ephesians 5:3, 5, Colossians 3:5) 4. Many delude themselves into thinking that they can serve God while pursuing material wealth, but, as Jesus makes evident, the two paths are too divergent 5. Concern for wealth means despising the things of God: helping the disadvantaged, maintaining humility 6. Yet, as the image of the eye as the lamp of the body makes clear, Jesus' concern not limited to greed 7. If we feed any lust, and our eyes desire sex, power, fame, prominence, or whatever else, it can overwhelm us and take us over, and then how unfathomable the depths of the darkness into which we enter! 8. Hence the need to be free of intoxicants, ever vigilant in self-control and sobriety (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10, 1 Peter 4:7) 9. God must be our greatest desire, and we must ever strive to serve Him and not cheap imitations! C. Trust vs. Anxiety 1. There are many who might not really covet riches or other lusts but are consumed by the "cares of this world" 2. As humans, it is natural to have some concern about food, drink, clothing, shelter 3. In 21st century America, we can add plenty of other concerns to that list 4. Many will go to quite extreme lengths to be "prepared" in the case of great disaster with lots of food, drink, ammunition stored in a bunker 5. Some preparation is always useful, but the deeper question remains: do you really trust God? 6. If we are constantly anxious about problems and challenges, real or imagined, present or future, are we really entrusting ourselves to God? 7. Worry and anxiety is often an attempt to exert control in the face of seemingly overwhelming circumstances that are really out of our control 8. Yet do we walk by faith or by sight (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:7)? 9. "By sight" people are always worried about the state of the economy, now or in the future, or the political climate, now or in the future, and so on and so forth 10. Yet, "by faith," we should remember that we are here by the grace of God, have our material blessings by the grace of God, and our fate, whatever it might be presently or in the future, is really only in God's hands (Acts 17:26-28, Romans 8:30-35) 11. Can we really put our confidence in God that if we seek His Kingdom and righteousness first and foremost, that He will take care of our material needs? 12. Are we willing to allow tomorrow to take care of itself, recognizing that our worry and anxiety cannot alter or change what will be? 13. Do we really believe that God is in control, that He loves us and cares for us, and that all things will work out for good for us if we love Him (cf. Romans 8:28-39)? 14. Or will we be as Israel, ever grumbling and in distress whenever any adversity came about? They perished in the wilderness for their unbelief (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:1-12)! D. Will we be of little faith or great faith in God? V. Conclusion A. The world is ever full of distractions and concerns B. Jesus exhorts His disciples toward full confidence in and focus upon God, His Kingdom, and His righteousness 1. Treasures on earth fade; treasure in Heaven abides 2. The eye is the lamp of the body; is the body full of light or darkness? 3. One cannot serve God and Mammon 4. Anxiety and worry are unproductive; trust in God C. Where is our treasure? How healthy is our eye? Whom do we serve? Are we willing to trust in God and not obsess in continual anxiety and care? D. Let us no longer be of little faith but ever seek first God, His Kingdom, and His righteousness, and serve God in Christ! E. Invitation/songbook