Summer Sermon Series June 14-15, 2025
“Why Worry?” Matthew 6:25-34
Rev. John R. Larson Ascension Lutheran Church Littleton, Colorado
I’m at that stage in life that I am invited to quite a few free meals. Breakfast. Lunch. Supper. I’m quite a lucky guy. And the places I get invited to enjoy these meals are nice restaurants.
Why am I so lucky? My age. Those who want me to eat on their dime are health care agencies, Medicare providers, financial planners, retirement companies. I even got one from a cremation society. That one hurt. I’m old but not that old!!
They are asking me the questions – Do I have a plan? Have I saved enough? Am I ready? I’d better start worrying about all of this.
I titled this sermon, “Why worry?” Maybe I should have titled it: “Why not worry?” Don’t you have reasons to worry? Health. Money. In-laws. Out-laws. I think every family has a designated worrier. They like to think of themselves as the only responsible person in the family. Maybe that is you.
You like to be in control. You have life all figured out. You know the order that things are supposed to happen. And then life happens. My neighbor is a Roman Catholic and she told me about her priest and what he had said in his sermon a few weeks ago. He said, “You want to see God laugh? Tell Him your plans.” He’s right. Things happen. Life changes in an instant.
And what do we do, all of us, not just the responsible members of the family, even the irresponsible? What do we do? We worry. We get an ulcer. We pull our hair out. We lose sleep. Have you seen the cartoon? One exasperated person raises their hand toward their friend and says, “Don’t just sit there…start worrying.”
But this little section from Matthew 6 gives a whole different direction to our anxiety. Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.” (Matthew 6:25) He says, “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 Solomon in all his splendor (And, by the way, Solomon had splendor and extravagance galore! – editorial note), was dressed like one of these.” (Matthew 6:28-29) In verse 31 Jesus says, “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.” And to make sure we heard Him, Jesus again says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Matthew 6:34)
Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But it is hard to do. There are so many things that eat us up. So many things that have gone wrong. And, usually, our worry is about things that could happen. They haven’t happened yet. But we are pretty sure that they will. But Jesus is quite adamant. “Do not worry!”
When Jesus speaks, He asks us a question about our propensity to worry. “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Matthew 6:27) Can you add a single moment to your life if you fret and worry? I don’t think so. Jesus doesn’t think so either.
So, what does Jesus give as a substitute to worry? Do you know the account of Jesus and the children? It is also found in Matthew.
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:1-4)
Jesus is not talking about how sweet and innocent a little kid can look, but He is talking about how needy they are, how dependent they are, how they have no hope except someone provides for them. Why shouldn’t I worry? Why shouldn’t you worry? Because you have a heavenly Father who provides for you. You have a heavenly Father who would send His own Son to this earth so that you will be His own child, under His care and His generosity. Romans chapter 8, the greatest chapter in the Bible, says this, “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32)
Everything that happens in this world – the wars, the killing, the injustice, the work of the devil, can cause us to worry. These words in our reading do not mean that we will not face dire situations. In his commentary Professor Jeff Gibbs asks us to open our eyes. He writes, “Jesus’ teaching in 6:25-34 is not a guarantee that his disciples will never be in situations of extreme physical need…Jesus’ disciples, both then and now, have all seen birds starving or being devoured by predators or lilies drying up in the heat of drought.” (Gibbs, Concordia Commentary, Matthew 1:1-11:1, Page 363)
Why should we not worry? Because God is our heavenly Father. And He truly does love us. He is not unaware of what burdens lie on your shoulders and what robs you of peace and security. Jesus spoke about the birds, and then about you, like this, “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?” (Matthew 6:26)
Yes, you are. When he tells us not to worry about what we are going to eat or drink or wear, we read this, “For your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” (Matthew 6:32)
Jesus called the ones who are steeped in worry, “Little-faiths”. “O you of little faith.” Some of you are thinking that the words of Jesus about not worrying are impossible. “I just can’t do that.” Maybe you have just a little bit of faith. Good. God takes people with little faith and makes it grow. Once Jesus told a parable of a mustard seed. It is the smallest of seeds but when planted became the largest of garden plants. That is how God works in us. The seed of faith starts small, like a mustard seed, and then it grows.
Here is a picture of faith: It is our small heart believing that our God is big and strong and caring and loving. We all may have a small faith, but it gets ever bigger and stronger when we see God for who He is. Faith is not about how capable we are but how capable our God is. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep in perfect peace him who is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”
Just think of this – God can take us sinners and make us pure and forgiven through the gift of Jesus’ blood. He can take us who are broken, and in a mess, and make us whole, walking on a new path and filled with a glorious hope. Jesus has some wonderful words spoken to all of us when He said, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
About 40 years ago a band from Jamica made a bunch of money with a simple song that began, “Don’t worry. Be happy.” I think Jesus changes that song a little bit. He would begin it, “Don’t worry. Just trust me.”
When I think about all those free meals I’m invited to attend, maybe I should start taking them more seriously. I probably need to know a little more about health and medical plans and retirement and even my death. But one thing we don’t need to worry about is this – will God care for us every day? The Bible says, “Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you.” (I Peter 5:7) We are in the hands of Jesus who will never let us go. We are in the hands of a gracious and good God – right now – today…and even into forever. Amen!!
