To say we live in anxious times is a gross understatement. Although we all know that there is certainly nothing new under the sun: people have worried about the same basic things we do since the dawn of time; for example, plagues, corruption, tyranny, wars, economic upheaval, natural disasters, and so on, we also can’t help but see how the constant bombardment of the modern media stokes these anxious feelings regardless of your news source in these days. Now you may say, “Who me? Anxious? never.” I find that highly unlikely. If you wear the flesh of Adam and Eve, then you have things that make you anxious and cause you to worry and stress. You may not be anxious about the same things as your neighbor, but you’re still anxious about something or somethings. This is the result of the fall into sin and the curse of sin. We are born with an innate sense of …

And at this point we could easily turn this into a whole lesson on anxiety. Jesus Himself uses the word “anxious” six different times in these eleven verses, so it’s not like we’d be forcing the theme. This text is filled with anxiety! And yet… that’s really not what this lesson is all about. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” To all of our anxieties our Lord commands, “Stop being anxious. Seek first God’s reign and rule and His justification.” That’s really what this is all about, priorities: seeking first the reign and rule of God; seeking first His righteousness; His justification and we will not be as anxious. 

Now, I do need to make clear that there is a difference between faithful concern and unfaithful anxiety. You are expected to be concerned about all the gifts God entrusts to your care, including the gifts of health, wealth, and life. We are not to simply throw caution to the wind, stop working, stop being wise stewards of God’s gifts to us, doing whatever we want, fully expecting that God will cover us in our selfish stupidity. You are not to put God to the test. You are expected to be a good steward/manager over all that God gives you, and that includes the gift of life itself. You should be concerned. However… you are not to be anxious over such things. 

What’s the difference? Merimna-ō—the word we translate as “anxious”—is not talking about thoughtful responsibility, instead it is speaking more toward doubt and unbelief. Merimna-ō carries with it the meaning of having your thoughts and cares consumed by something other than God. Simply put, whatever makes you anxious has become your god. It’s your chief concern/worry. Anxiety winds up de-throning God. We wind up serving the gods of our anxieties rather than the one true God. This is sinful anxiety because we are not trusting God, but allow our worry to conquer confident faith in Him. We’re all guilty of it. We all have our anxieties. We all have things that we put before God. It’s not a debate. It does not make it ok. You can try to justify your particular anxieties all you want, but that still doesn’t make it right. “Do not be anxious. Seek first the reign and rule of God and His righteousness”. Your Lord leaves you no wiggle-room. If you’re honest, you will confess your sin that you don’t trust in God above all things all the time. Neither do I. 

But it comes with a promise. Seek this and be freed from anxiety knowing that God already knows your need and will provide them. How is that? Well if you seek His rule of righteousness, you will as St. Paul says in Galatians 5 and 6, “the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” (Gal. 6:8b) “I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,  idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Gal. 5:16-24)

Jesus uses the birds and the grasses of the field to show to show the freedom of faith. The birds do a certain amount of work, but with few exceptions they do not store food, but live day by day for their provision provided by God. They know their creator and praise Him as they live without anxiety driving them to constant worry. This is the freedom of the Gospel. Besides: as Jesus said: “Which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to your span of life?” Anxiety doesn’t add a single hour to our lives, but it can certainly cut our lives short.

This all goes right back to seeking first the reign and rule of God and His righteousness/justification. We get so worried and anxious about things we can’t even control; things that might take place days, weeks, and months down the line. You don’t know what the next hour or even the next ten minutes hold. “Seek first the reign and rule of God. Seek first His righteousness/justification.”

Repent of your sinful anxiety, your worship to the idols of your flesh, and be made righteous, and be made free in the peace of His Spirit given in His righteousness and rejoice in His fruits. Look to and ponder that life-saving, life-giving Divine righteousness which took on the very flesh of man in order to redeem man. Just look here [the crucifix]! Here is God’s remedy to all your anxieties and worries and cares and concerns! Here is God’s payment for sin, in full. Here is God’s unconditional and incomprehensible love for you, nailed to a cross and pierced with a spear… sacrificed for you. This is His divine provision greater than that given to the birds or the grasses. All so that you live not for a day but for an eternity with Him in His resurrection!

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ: This is our reality right now! In spite of all the anxiety-producing things in our lives, we, by virtue of our baptism into Christ, are fully and completely redeemed. “Why are you so anxious about what you will wear?” Through Holy Baptism, you have been clothed in the all-availing righteousness of Christ. The finest and most perfect garment that no moth can destroy. Garments of celebration and life by the forgiveness of sins. Honestly: Is there anything more important? We have the Father’s mercy, grace, and peace. All paid for by Jesus’ own crucified body and blood; the very same body and blood He so richly and abundantly nourishes you with today. “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink.” Here He provides for you to eat and drink the most holy life giving food that could be provided here on earth. His very own body and blood given for you for the forgiveness of sins. Just one little crumb; just one little drop contains the super-abundance of God’s grace, mercy, and peace for all eternity. This is the over-flowing abundance of love and peace your Lord fills you with in His holy meal. Let that sink in for a moment. Here in your midst is the reign and rule of Almighty God! Here is the Lord of Life, reigning victoriously… here, in the midst of this shadowy valley of death and sorrow that we so foolishly dare to call “life.” Here is the righteousness of God, for you to overthrow your anxiety, your doubts, and your weakness by His strength. “Why ARE you so anxious about what you will eat or drink?”

Kind of puts everything else that makes us anxious in proper perspective, doesn’t it? It should. Again, no one is telling you to not be good stewards of all that God has entrusted to you. All God says is keep it in proper order. Seek first His reign, rule, and righteousness. Hold fast to the fact that He is working all things for the good of those who love Him. This means that no matter how bad or lean things may get in life, you belong to Him, and He is working all things for your good. Whether you live or die, you are resurrected and alive in Christ…and the best is yet to come! To live is Christ, and to die is gain, right? Well then why are you so anxious? Let’s seek the first and most important things—God and His righteousness—seeking and finding Him right where He tells us to look; right where He Himself is holding out these gifts of life, love, and peace to all who will receive by faith. Live now in His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control unto life everlasting in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas