Jesus at the Center of the Kingdom
Do Not Worry! • Message 7
Perry Duggar
August 3, 2025

Prayer Points for Prayer Time:

Pray to surrender and release burdens that weigh you down.
Pray for daily dependence on God.
Pray for trust in God’s sovereignty.

Scripture Reading:

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Matthew 6:25-34 (NLT)        

A. Introduction.  
(1 Peter 5:7)

Chapter 6 of the Sermon on the Mount, titled “Do Not Worry!”

• Theme verse: 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) - Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.
  [APP.: Anybody here ever worry?]
• We tend to view our worry as reasonable concern, seeing ourselves as victims of our circumstances,
  unable to resist our apprehension or reject our fear.
• That’s a misperception: Worry is actually sin because it disbelieves God’s promises.
• In vs. 25-34, today’s passage, Jesus focuses on anxiety about acquiring life’s necessities.
• He instructs us to not worry; this morning, we will examine His reasons.
• APP. What are you worried about? Apply Jesus’ teaching to whatever concerns you.
  
  
  

 B. Worry is…  
(Matthew 6:25-34)

1. UNFAITHFUL because of our MASTER.
(Matthew 6:25. C/R: Matthew 6:24; Romans 8:28; Hebrews 13:5)

• Matthew 6:25a (NLT) - “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear.”
• Most of us do not worry about having sufficient food, clean water or adequate clothing.
• Some of us may be concerned about affording transportation and housing due to rising costs of those items, and many of us are anxious about our health and economic security in the future, especially in retirement years when we are no longer working full time.
• The people listening to Jesus could not take food, water and clothing for granted.
• Jesus wanted his hillside hearers to think about the more important spiritual matters of life.
• Matthew 6:25b (NLT) - “Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?”
• Our souls are our true selves, our identities; we should be more concerned about the part of us that will last forever instead of focusing on the temporary, physical part.
• Jesus comforts his audience by reminding them who is their Master, their authority.
• Matthew 6:25 began, That is why [or therefore or so], which refers to the previous verse.
• Matthew 6:24 (NLT) - “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” [If you don’t trust God, you will rely on your financial resources.]
• God is our Master (Gk. kuriŏs, supreme authority, controller, ruler over our lives, Lord).
• Jesus was saying, because God is the Lord over your life, “I tell you not to worry.”
• Worry (Gk. mĕrimnaō, mer-im-nah´-o; to be anxious about, be concerned about, take thought of, based on apprehension about possible danger or misfortune.)
• The English word worry comes from an old German word meaning to strangle or choke.
• Worry suffocates us spiritually, emotionally, and physically, draining our optimism, diminishing our hope, decreasing our motivation (fear freezes us)!
• The amount of our anxiety, the intensity of our worry, reveals whether we believe God is in control of our lives; is He sovereign?
• God's sovereignty refers to His authority and control; His providence reveals His intimate involvement and care for all creation, guiding it - and us - toward His intended purpose. (His sovereign will is carried out through His providential care.)
• God’s providence means He ordains all that happens, but He does not author sin (James 1:13) and doesn’t remove human responsibility.
• Romans 8:28 (NLT) - And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good [even difficult things] of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. [Joseph’s life is a good example of God’s providence; Genesis 50:20]
• Worry is unfaithful because it mistrusts our Master’s willingness or ability to aid us.
• Hebrews 13:5 (NLT) - Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” [We will trust God or money?]
• When we trust the providence of God, relying on His sovereignty, we will also depend on His promises in the Bible, so we can be content that God is in control.
• APP.: Do you believe and trust in the providence of God?

B. Worry is…

2. UNNECESSARY because of our FATHER.
(Matthew 6:26-30. C/R: Psalm 139:16; Luke 12:6-7; Philippians 4:19)

• Worry is unwarranted for Christians; our all-powerful heavenly Father cares for us.
• Jesus provided His audience - and us - with several examples of our Father’s provision.
• Matthew 6:26a (NLT) - “Look at the birds. [He likely pointed to some.] They don’t plant or harvest or store food
  in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. ...”
• Jesus wasn’t suggesting that birds do nothing to acquire food, but they don’t cultivate crops or collect and
  store supplies for the future.
• God sustains birds he created by preparing food for them and providing them the instinct to locate it; they
• don’t worry about where their next meal will be found. (Our kids don’t!)
• Matthew 6:26b (NLT) - “And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?”
• Birds aren’t created in the image of God; they’re not adopted into His family or given a home in heaven, but
  you are, so His concern is greater, His care better for you than theirs.
• Birds do expend effort to locate food; we must work for ours, but not worry about finding it.
  (Paul worked: 1 Thessalonians 2:9; he said, “if you won’t work, you don’t eat;” 2 Thessalonians 3:10)
• Jesus also addressed people’s apprehension about their health.
• Matthew 6:27 (NLT) - “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”
• Worry will not lengthen our lives; it may shorten them, since anxiety can cause illness.
• I believe God’s providence controls our lifespans:
  Psalm 139:16 (NIV) - ...All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
• We must be wise about maintaining our health (as stewards of the bodies God has given).
• Watch what you eat, take vitamins and supplements, exercise, get check-ups - but don’t waste the time you
  have worrying about the time you might not have. (1 Timothy 4:8)
• Jesus continued: Matthew 6:28-30 (NLT)“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field
  and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as
        beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into
        the fire tomorrow [Gk. oven, to raise the temperature for baking bread, a fire would be built inside the
        oven using dried grass and flowers as fuel, as well as under it], he will certainly care for you.”
• Jesus’ audience likely had no more than one set of clothes, but He reminded them that they matter more to God
  than the flowers He adorns, so He will clothe His own children.
• Philippians 4:19 (NLT) - And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his
  glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
• APP.: Do you believe your Father will provide for you because of His love?
• Matthew 6:30b (NLT) -“Why do you have so little faith?” [“Why lack confidence?]

B. Worry is…

3. UNREASONABLE because of our FAITH.
(Matthew 6:31-33. C/R: Romans 8:32; Colossians 3:2-3)

• Matthew 6:31-33 (NLT) - “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers [Gk. Gentiles], but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.
• Worry is unreasonable for Christians because it disputes what we say we believe.
• It is reasonable for people who don’t know God, have no relationship with Him, to focus on acquiring what they need, since they have no heavenly Father to provide for them.
• You believe God will forgive your sins, protect you from Satan’s attacks and prepare a place for you in heaven for all eternity, but He won’t provide your daily needs?
• Romans 8:32 (NLT) - Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? [It’s irrational to think that He won’t!]
• Our life’s focus must not be on accumulating possessions or even acquiring essentials; our emphasis must be on pursuing God’s plans.
• Matthew 6:33 (NLT) - ^“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” [Colossians 3:2-3]
• When we stop focusing on ourselves (inward) and building our kingdoms, instead, we start serving God’s kingdom by meeting others’ needs (outward focus), we will stop worrying.
• APP.: Where is my focus - providing for myself or assisting others?

B. Worry is…

4. UNWISE because of our FUTURE.
(Matthew 6:34. C/R: Isaiah 26:3; Jeremiah 29:11; Philippians 4:6-7)

• Matthew 6:34 (NLT) - “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
• Some people are so accustomed to worrying that they will conjure up things to worry about, wrapping up in negative speculations, finding comfort in being uncomfortable.
• Worrying about the future does not make the future more secure; it merely makes the present miserable.
• Making reasonable provisions for tomorrow is sensible, but to be consumed with concern about a future you can’t see and certainly can’t control is unwise.
• Jesus advises us to focus on today and leave tomorrow in God’s hands, because He knows the future and will be present when it arrives.
• Concentrate on meeting the temptations, trials, challenges, struggles, and opportunities that arrive today, relying on your Father to intervene in situations beyond your control.
• Ask God to provide in the present and the future!
• Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) - Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. [Isaiah 26:3]
• He won’t supply every request, remove every problem, but He’ll carry your concerns!
• Remember! Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT) - “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
• APP.: Will you trust God? Then don’t worry!