Matthew 6:25–34
Do Not Be Anxious
The big idea
Jesus argues against worry rather than simply forbidding it, and the argument is about who your Father is.
Context you need before you preach it
This follows immediately from "you cannot serve both God and money". Anxiety about provision is being treated as a symptom of a divided allegiance, not as an isolated emotional problem.
Jesus' method here is worth noticing: he reasons. Look at the birds, consider the lilies, which of you by worrying can add an hour. He is making a case to anxious people rather than issuing a prohibition.
The outline
Life is more than the things you are worried about
v. 25The opening move enlarges the frame before addressing the specific fear.
Look at the birds
vv. 26–27An argument from lesser to greater. Then the practical point — worry is not merely wrong, it is ineffective. It adds nothing.
Consider the lilies
vv. 28–30Beauty given to something that lasts a day. "O you of little faith" is diagnosis rather than insult.
Seek first the kingdom
vv. 31–34The remedy is not trying harder not to worry; it is a reordering of what you are pursuing. And "sufficient for the day" limits the assignment.
Application
- Worry is not just forbidden, it is futile — it is the only work with a guaranteed zero return.
- The cure is redirection rather than suppression. "Seek first" gives you something to do.
- Take tomorrow off the table. The text explicitly limits your responsibility to today.
Where preachers go wrong on this text
- Preaching this in a way that treats clinical anxiety as simple disobedience. Say plainly that anxiety disorders are real and treatment is not faithlessness.
- Missing that Jesus argues rather than commands, and so producing a sermon that just tells people to stop.
- Promising material provision in a way that ignores Christians who have genuinely gone without.
Other ways to structure it
The outline above is one defensible reading, not the only one. If it does not fit the congregation in front of you, these are legitimate alternatives:
- Preach it as the second half of a sermon on money, following from verse 24.
- Preach verse 34 alone as a sermon on living in the day you are in.
- Preach it structurally as three arguments — the birds, the lilies, and the futility.
Illustrations that fit this text
Frequently asked questions
How do I preach this to people with anxiety disorders?
Distinguish explicitly between the sin of misplaced trust and a medical condition, and say that seeking treatment is not a failure of faith. One sentence early in the sermon prevents real harm, and the people who need it will remember it for years.
You have preached this passage before
Probably more than once, and the earlier version had a line in it you would want back. Transcribe your sermons and every text you have ever preached becomes searchable by reference — $19/month for as many as you preach, and the first one is free.
More from Matthew
Preaching resources for Matthew — themes, famous chapters, and background for the whole book.
Preach it alongside
Philippians 4:4–9
The Peace That Guards
1 Peter 5:6–11
Cast All Your Anxiety on Him
Psalm 23
The Lord Is My Shepherd