The Promise and Warning about God’s Care

Notes for March 9-10
Matthew 6:25-34    

Biblical Background

  • Food, Clothing & Shelter: In the biblical world, most people lived in rural areas and didn’t have much beyond the basic necessities of life.  Thus, when famines, storms, military occupation, or other difficulties hit, one’s very existence was at stake.  Food, shelter and clothing were not taken for granted and there was much to stress about.

  • How much more: In Jewish teaching, one tool used was to compare and contrast with the expression, “how much more…”   If God cared for even the little flowers in the field, how much more would he be concerned about human beings. 

  • Perhaps purple flowers: Some have wondered if the flowers that would have matched the purple robe of Solomon and other royals would have been the purple anemones.

  • Hot summers: The beautiful flowers and green grasses of a Galilean spring time are quickly burned up by the hot summer sun in Israel.

  • The Gentiles seek after these things: Jesus is making a point in saying that the Gentiles (viewed as unclean by the Jews) sought after material things in contrast to the ways that people who know God shouldn’t have to worry about those things, but trust their God to provide.

  • Tomorrow: Following the days of Jesus, other Jewish writers used a similar expression about not worrying about tomorrow because today has enough troubles of its own. 

Discussion Questions

  1. What command does Jesus give to his disciples in this passage?

  2. Why would the people in Jesus’ day been anxious about having enough food, clothing or shelter?

  3. What do we worry about in our world today?

  4. What is the “why” that Jesus gives for not being anxious about things?

  5. Why is it important to know that God takes care of wild flowers?

  6. How valuable are human beings compared to the rest of creation?

  7. What does anxiety or worry demonstrate about us?

  8. What is our Heavenly Father’s character like? How does Jesus use this in his argument?

  9. How should we as Christians be different from the non-Christians in our world regarding worry? Is this the case? Why or why not?

  10. How much time do we spend worrying about stuff?

  11. What is the warning in this passage?

  12. What is the remedy to anxiety for the Christian?

  13. What does it mean to seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness?

  14. How does this passage connect to the Lord’s Prayer?

  15. What is the promise in this passage?

  16. How can we live out Jesus’ command not to worry?