Nicely played, Jesus!

By Steve Leininger

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061822.cfm
2 Chronicles 24:17-25
Matthew 6:24-34

I would like you to join me on a bit of a journey with a crowd of like-minded people. Many of us have been following the messenger for some time now. Many of the crowd have traveled quite a way from home to be here. Some of us have heard this speaker before, but some have only “heard of” him are wondering if everything they say about him is true. 

It’s a beautiful day, sunny with a light mountain breeze blowing. It’s springtime, and the wildflowers are in full bloom. We’ve been here since mid-morning. Most of us are reclining on the grass of the natural amphitheater so we could hear what is being said. The audience is uncharacteristically quiet, clinging to every word spoken from up front. Our speaker has been at it for about an hour now, speaking with a certain soft intensity that invites us to actually listen harder and think about what he is saying.

I really enjoyed the part about how to pray, I hope someone wrote that down! And there has been some thought-provoking guidance on laws and rules, both big and small. I’m still trying to process the “love your enemy” message. I never quite looked at it that way before, but somehow it seems to make sense the way he says it. It’s been an inspiring talk so far. 

Uh oh! He’s talking about money now. 

“No one can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.” [Matthew 6:24]

Mammon doesn’t really mean money, it’s more like an accumulation of or obsession with wealth. Can’t I do some of each and be OK? Maybe that’s the point we need to ponder. Which principles will guide our life, serving God or doing what we can to grow our material wealth? 

Our presenter continues:

“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 than food and the body more than clothing?” [Matthew 6:25]

Well, I like to eat and drink, but it sounds like the suggestion is I shouldn’t worry about the future.

Our presenter gets a little more animated, waving his arms and pointing out the birds that are flying over as we speak.

“Look at the birds in the sky;
they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns,
yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are not you more important than they?” [Matthew 6:26]

Hey, I do feel more important than at least most of the birds! I think I’m being told that God will provide for me. This could be another hint that I shouldn’t worry about where my next meal comes from.

Looking around the crowd, he asks the rhetorical question “Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?” [Matthew 6:27]

Hmmm. Maybe if I show some concern and take care of myself, I would live longer, but constant worrying would probably actually shorten my life.

Our speaker mentioned clothes earlier, I wonder how he’s going to tie that in?

“Why are you anxious about clothes?
Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.
They do not work or spin.
But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor
was clothed like one of them.
If God so clothes the grass of the field,
which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow,
will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?” [Matthew 6:28-30]

Nicely played!! The wildflowers here in the mountains have been beautifully prolific this year and our host made a comparison between the clothing of the richest man ever with what God does just to dress up his fields. If God does that for the grass that will be burned later in the year, what will he do for me? And what about that “O you of little faith” remark? I noticed a bit of a twinkle in his eye when he said that.

I think I’m getting the point. It’s a little like “don’t worry, be happy.” [Bobby McFerrin 1988] Maybe there’s more?

Our teacher leans back and concludes:

“So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’
or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’
All these things the pagans seek.
Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given you besides.” [Matthew 6:31-33]

This is truly good news! God will take care of us; we don’t need to worry about that. But we must put our efforts into be “right” with God.

A last reminder is spoken:

“Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” [Matthew 6:34]

Short and sweet!

You have probably guessed by now that our presenter, teacher, speaker, and host is Jesus. Today’s Gospel from Matthew 6:24-34 is in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, at the beginning of the second year of his public ministry.

Thank you for joining me. It seems that Jesus isn’t finished making his points. Let’s listen to the rest of his sermon and keep his words in our hearts.