1. Do not worry about your life

Today’s lecturing part is titled, “Do not worry.” Jesus’ message in it is that we don’t need to be anxious about the future because God gives what is necessary for our life.

Jesus told the surrounding crowd him ; - “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? (Matthew 6:25)

Indeed, humans’ basic concern is how to supply themselves with daily needs, or “What to eat or drink; or what to wear,” in expression of Jesus. However, in this modern world, it should be better to say, “How to earn enough money,” because we get almost every thing by paying money.

Generally we earn money in return of labor or service. And the majority of Japanese seek to earn more and more in order to be sure of stable and higher-graded life conditions. As a result, they strive to win in a money gaining competition. For that reason, they are always sensitive to business skill and ability of themselves. If they become looser they are badly depressed or even despaired.

To those persons Jesus might say ; - 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. (Matthew 6:26a)

At the beginning of the History, humans were obtaining foods by hunting wild animals and collecting fruits and kernels in nature. Then the era of agricultural economy arrived*1. It is significant that the term “agriculture” contains “culture,” a synonym of “civilization.”

The word “plow” or “labor” is ” לעבוד” in Hebrew, which also means “slave.” The term allows us to guess that social gap appeared along with development of agriculture. Because certain members of ancient communities began to obtain harvests more important than they consumed. They stocked the surplus, which generated social split between the rich and the poor. Then the split gave birth to slavery. The rich should think that their wealth was realized with their own effort and power and neglected God who accorded all.

In the meantime, they became constantly cautious and nervous about climate changing because the yield of farming depends largely on weather conditions.

But Jesus taught that such anxiety was useless because ; - “Heavenly Father feeds them.” (Matthew 6:26b)

We find a similar lesson in Luke too. Luke place the passage just after the episode of a rich man who was complacent about his wealth in vain. (see Luke 12:13-34)

Jesus continued teaching the crowd who are not confident of the future ; - Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (Matthew 6:27)

We remain restless and vigilant because we think to be able to change the course of future by taking preventive methods. It is arrogant. And that arrogance generates anxiety. But Jesus compels us to recognize our powerlessness against the great nature which determines results of human efforts. Rain fall and sunshines are out of control by humans

When humans ignore their limit they put natural environments in danger. “Green revolution*3 ” is one of examples. Though the agriculture depending on chemical fertilizers and pesticides boosted yields in short term, it contaminated fields and deteriorated natural fertility of the earth. Besides, hose chemical products made waters under the earth toxic. Then polluted environments caused ecosystem-crises, which put all living creatures at the risk of death. Rachel L.Carson*2 wrote a book titled “Silent Spring” to spread the alert against such crises.

Humans are not all mighty. Therefore Jesus recommended us to trust to God what surpasses our capability. Nonetheless humans seem reluctant to follow the advice. For instance, scientists make enormous efforts to progress in medical and pharmaceutical researches. They wish to realize longer life for humans that way. According to WHO *4, life expectancy at birth is 79 years for Japanese men and 86 for Japanese women. However, we cannot neglect the gap between life and life in health. It is deniably true that longer life increases the probability of illnesses characterized by aging, Alzheimer’s disease or paralysis, for example. The statistic by WHO shows that expectancy of life in health are 71 and 76 respectively for Japanese men and women . It means that they might suffer from physical or mental illness for more than 8 years before death. Besides, daily life of their family members must be very hard due to unceasing cares in attendance for them.

Jesus might imply also that by accepting humbly human mortality, we could be free from anxiety and fear facing the death.

*1 Transition to civilization http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human#Transition_to_civilization
*2 Green Revolution http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Revolution
*3 Rachel L. Carson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Louise_Carson
Silent Spring, Houghton Mifflin, 1962, Mariner Books, 2002, ISBN 0-618-24906-0
*4 Life expectancy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy

2. The most important thing

After “the birds of the air,” Jesus chose “the lilies of the field” to symbolize a life totally trusting in God.
Jesus said ; - “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 not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. (Matthew 6:28-29 )

Jesus saw God’s care filled with love behind the beauty of the lilies of the field, of which we appreciate merely the view. Furthermore he taught that God, who clothes even the grass of the field, must clothe us far better. Jesus remarked our blindness to total care taken by God as the reason of human anxiety about life in future. So much so he showed a sign of disappointment ; - O you of little faith. (Matthew 6:30)

It is true that we have a faith in God. But it is not yet perfect. Our faith is little. And only thing that we can do with such a little faith is to pray. Mark reported as a model an episode of a man. The man prayed for recovery of his boy, even exclaimed “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (see Mark 9:20-23)

And Jesus consoles those who pray ; - 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. (Matthew 6:31-32)

The pagans are persons without faith. They struggle to resolve all problems by themselves. In consequence, they never have peaceful mind. In contrast, even though the faith is little, those who live by trusting in God can remain tranquil. We must acknowledge that God will give us all things we need. He does so because he is our creator. However it is on one condition, as Jesus said ; - But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.(Matthew 6:33)

And the conclusion of the teaching is this ; Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:34)

We cannot know what will happen in future. So it is useless to worry about. Today God supplies us with necessity of life. He will do the same tomorrow. The life of christians should continue that way.

3. To live with God who gives good things

Today’s invocation verse is Deuteronomy 8:4 ; - Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.

The book of Deuteronomy consists in directives given by Moises to the Jewish people 40 years after the Exodus. The people were about to enter into the land of Canaan. Moises gathered the people who were facing a new life to remind them of the grace of God. Moises started the speech this way ; - Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.(Deuteronomy 8 :2-3)

They needed bread to live. And Moises said that it was given by God, their Lord. God led them in the desert in order that they acknowledged it throughout the wander. Indeed God fed and clothed them for 40 years.

Moises continues ; - For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land ¡Ä.. a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; …When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. (Deuteronomy 8:7-10)

How did the people feel for those 40 years? At the beginning of the journey, they were already very happy for being freed from slavery in Egypt. It had been the longtime aspiration. Besides the promise of God of ‘the land of olive oil and honey’ empowered them.

Nevertheless before their dream came true God had made them wait for 40 years. Many of fellows died during the wander. Even though the rest of the people could enter into the fruitful land, deceased persons could not enjoy the life in new and wonderful environments. Then, was the 40 years’ journey meaningless to those unlucky persons?

Following passage of today’s verse should give us the answer.
; - Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. (Deuteronomy 8:12-14) and ; - You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me."(Deuteronomy 8:17)

Moises knew very well the nature of humans, not only that of Jewish people but also of all humans. We forget easily God’s grace and become complacent and arrogant. For that reason, we cannot reach at the Salvation automatically in the fruitful land. Or rather, life in a heavenly place might put us at the risk of perdition because it can make us ignore God.

Then what is the grace of God ? It is this present life which is given by God. The Bible teaches it through the history of the Jewish people. During the wander, by day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light. (see Exodus 13) When they lacked of water God ordered Moises to strike the rock at Horeb, from which drinking water came out. (see Exodus 17) Too feed the people, God gave the bread called manna. (see Exodus16) Furthermore, God accorded them even abundance meat of quail. (Numbers 11)

We should not seek the grace of God in a far away future. We find it on present daily life. By recognizing that the promise of God has realized already, we can deserve the Salvation. God is feeding us now. Therefore, Jesus taught in Matthew 6 not to worry about our needs. Because our heavenly Father knows and gives us what is necessary for life. We must merely enjoy what we have today and be thankful to God for all.

Please let me tell about the personal experience concerning the issue. I had quitted the job to study in a university of theology. Despite the decision, I was always concerned about the future because my financial source was only the resigning allowance. Our living conditions depended on the amount which rested. When I finished the curriculum, God accorded me the occasion of serving this Shinozaki church as the pastor. Nevertheless I was still anxious about daily needs because we counted then only about 15 believers who attended regularly the service. In consequence, the average of monthly offerings was less than 3 million yen. It was not obvious that my family could live on such a sum. I remember my pessimistic feeling of the time. Then 9 years passed. Now I regret sincerely that I could not trust totally in God. God fed and is still feeding us sufficiently.

It is said that 90% of anxiety about the future is useless. Humans focused too much on probable misfortunes. We waste time and energy to worry about them. We make our life unhappy that way. It is ridiculous. Therefore Jesus teaches us to set ourselves free from worthless concerns and enjoy maximum the present day So I invite you to start today the happy life free from worthless concern!