Luke 12:22-34
Intro: They say that there are only two things that are certain in this life: death and taxes. But maybe there ought to be a third: that you will, throughout your life, have all sorts of things that cause you anxiety. You get anxious when there’s not enough work coming in. You get anxious when you’ve got a ton of work and it’s all due about the same time: tomorrow! You get anxious when you think about switching jobs; when you think about the development of your kids; the affairs of your estate; the well-being of your parents and friends; your health; your spouses’ health; and even the daily pressures to meet the needs of others that are always being hoisted upon you. The list could go on and on. There’s all sort of reasons to be anxious.
But today, Christ wants to talk to us particularly about material things. This reading comes to us immediately on the heels of last week’s in which we were reminded of the 9thCommandment; one of the two commandments that tell us “do not covet”. And Christ’s point is that, when your material and worldly desires are replaced with a desire for Christ’s kingdom, you’ll have a lot less worries. In all things, seek the Kingdom of God and everything you need will be added to you.
GOD’S FAITHFULNESS IS WHY YOU SHOULD NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT YOUR EARTHLY NEEDS
1. You are worth so much to God that it’s the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom
A. To illustrate this, Jesus says, “consider the ravens”
I. They can’t even produce stuff for themselves and if they could, they’d have no place to store it.
II. How is it that they seem to survive? -- God takes care of them
B. Likewise, Jesus says, “Consider the flowers”
I. They can’t do anything for themselves either: they can’t sew or dress themselves.
II. Yet, not even Solomon (who was considered the richest king of all time) was not so elaborately arrayed
C. You are of so much more value to God than the bird and flowers
I. Why then, can you not trust God to do the same for you?
II. Why do you get anxious and worry?
D. Is it because you don’t believe God is truly pleased to give you what He promises?
I. Is it because you don’t really believe that God is able to do for you what he does for the birds and flowers?
II. Or is it because you get distracted from seeking His Kingdom first?
III. What is the real reason you get anxious, distracted and worried?
IV. Despite having heard that He has loved you in such a way, that He would take on human flesh...live, be betrayed, crucified and die that you might be granted life, you still doubt how much you’re worth to God?
2. Jesus reminds us today that none of our worries can add so much as 1 hour to our lives.
A. In a lot of ways, we’re all like Abraham.
i. Abraham had something going on in his life that made him anxious
a. He had no heir and this made him worry because it was beyond his control
1. In the same way, we all have things that cause us to worry because they are beyond our control.
2. For some it might be an heir; for others a job; for others good help
b. Important to note that, most likely, his worry was probably not so much for the well-being of his estate so much as it was for his wife, Sarah.
1. What would happen to Sarah when he died?
2. Abraham took his worries to the Lord.
a. God says, “I am your shield Abraham”
b. And Abraham says, “Lord, what will you give me for I continue childless”
ii. Abraham believed God when God promised that He would take care of his needs.
a. As a result, God took care of Abraham’s worldly needs.
b. God also took care of Abraham’s eternal needs.
B. Abraham sought God’s kingdom first.
i. As Hebrews says, in all things, “He was looking (first or forward) to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God”.
ii. Abraham’s truest treasure was his mighty and faithful Lord.
a. Abraham’s Lord had seen him through a huge move to a foreign land.
b. His Lord had seen him through famine
c. His Lord had seen him through war.
d. His Lord had protected his loved one’s from the destruction of Sodom
e. His Lord had visited Him and talked with him and reasoned with him.
f. Abraham trusted that God would also be faithful in granting him a son.
iii. In everything he experienced in his life, Abraham sought first His God who comes to help, provide and save.
a. We should all be like Abraham.
b. You may not have had to go to a foreign country and may never have had to ship off to war, but whenever it is that you do move; whenever it is that you encounter things beyond your control, you should be like Abraham.
1. You should seek the God who comes to help, provide, and save.
2. You should seek God in every trouble, pray, praise and give thanks.
iv. “Do not”, Christ says, “put your confidence in your earthly treasures”
a. Earthly treasures grow old.
b. And there is no earthly thing that can add so much as one hour to your life!
1. You should be like the Psalmist who says in his heart, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!”.
2. When you seek the Lord, who is a very present help in times of trouble, (no matter where you are) YOUR ARE SEEKING THE KINGDOM OF GOD!
i. You are seeking His righteous rule.
ii. You are seeking the One hope in the universe who, having been sought, has both the power, the will and the ability to add everything you need in this life, to you.
C. In fact, if you are anxious about anything it should first and foremost be that your heart is continually being enticed by these worldly treasures
i. The Devil doesn’t go after those he’s eaten
ii. The Devil goes after the one whose eyes wander
iii. That’s why Jesus says “divest yourselves of your worldly interests” and learn to treasure things that will last.
iv. Divest yourself (self) of every idolatry by which you try to make a place for yourself in this world and you will stop worrying
D. Instead of seeking your own kingdom, seek the kingdom that comes to you
I. Seek the words that are spirit and life
II. Seek the bread that has come down from heaven
iii. Ignatius of Antioch (108 a.d.) called it the “Medicine of immortality”
iv. When you receive Christ in the Sacrament, it’s important to realize thatthis is the body of Him who conquered sin. This is the body that even conquered death that He might give it to you. In this mysterious way, you eat and drink of this food and the weakness of your flesh is subdued. At the same time, the new man, that’s been created in you, is strengthened and sustained. I can’t explain how this happens, but I believe (as did our Christian ancestors) that it does. Through the Real Presence in the Sacrament, Christ becomes as the Apostle says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory”. As Ignatius wrote while he was on his way to be thrown to the lions in the Colosseum, (and certainly fighting a very real battle against his own anxiety and fears of dying) that the bread that we break is the “medicine of immortality and the antidote to death, which causes that we should live forever in Jesus Christ”. Through such means as water, bread and wine, your Lord is truly present to help you in your struggles when He comes in Spirit and in power, by means of His Word and Sacrament.
3. Finally, trust that the Lord is pleased to look at you through Christ
A. Just as he counted Abraham’s faith as righteousness so he counts yours too
B. In Christ’s righteousness, how much more will he clothe you who cannot do anything for yourself
1. Its not that you'll temporarily be dressed as a king
I. We don’t have to look around the world much to see this isn’t the case
II. He's talking about the flowers and a hope that is now but will be seen in the end
2. In Christ, you’ll be dressed as the King of Kings before God
I. This is what he’s most pleased to give you.
II. It starts with fearing, loving, and trusting God above all things
Conclusion: Don’t be anxious. Be like Sarah and live your life as someone that believes in God’s faithfulness. It’s the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. It’s his pleasure to clothe you with Christ and feed you with his Word and sacrament. It’s his good pleasure that you trust him as God, who in the face of your inability to do anything to atone or reconcile yourself with him, did everything. Even paying the ransom price for all your sin on the cross. Put him first. Trust in his faithfulness. Live in light of his proclamation and everything you need and more will be added to you. In Jesus’ Name +