What does peace mean to you? We may describe it as a sense of stillness and happiness, devoid of worry and anxiety where we feel that we are at rest. It is also not just a feeling, but a full and emotional experience that extends beyond what we feel. It also affects what we think about, and also how we think about anxiety too.
In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addresses the peace of the kingdom and how we attain it.
(A) The source of peace: Lay up eternal treasures in heaven (Matt 6:19-24)
Here, Jesus told His disciples not to lay up for themselves treasures on earth (Matt 6:19). Jesus warns against gathering treasures here because moth and rust can destroy these things. What could some of these things be? The treasures on earth refer to things like money, possession, status, clothes, food, drink — real things of value for people in those days — hence the reference to theft, moths and so on. For us today, it could be our employment, schools, wealth, property, possessions, reputation, stature, relationships even. These are things of the world that we treasure, accord value to, and are important to. Does this mean that the treasures on earth and all material things are inherently bad? Surely not — but the laying up of the treasures is what Jesus addresses here.
Instead, He tells them to lay up treasures in heaven (Matt 6:20). But what are these? These are things of eternal value, that persists and cannot be destroyed by moth or rust. These are things that are secure. In the Beatitudes in the previous chapter, we also get a sense of what these eternal, heavenly treasures are like. From the Beatitudes, we see that we store up these treasures by faith, and by living out our faith. To lay up these heavenly treasures refers to exactly things we’ve been looking at these past few weeks. These are things and teachings of God that we should accord value to:
Being humble and pure in heart (Matt 5:5, 8)
Hungering and thirsting for righteousness (Matt 5:6)
Showing mercy (Matt 5:7)
Making peace (Matt 5:9)
Being persecuted for the sake of righteousness (Matt 5:10)
Being the light of the world (Matt 5:14)
Following God’s commands (Matt 5:19)
Resisting anger (Matt 5:22)
Being faithful to one’s spouse (Matt 5:28, 32)
Keeping your word (Matt 5:37)
Turning the other cheek (Matt 5:39)
Going the extra mile (Matt 5:41)
Loving your enemies (Matt 5:44)
Praying for those who persecute you (Matt 5:44)
Giving to the needy discreetly (Matt 6:3)
Prayer (Matt 6:6ff.)
In Matthew 6:21, we aslso see that our heart and treasures are linked. Our treasure is indicative of where our heart is — what we cherished, prize, hold onto, idolise — that is what you worship. A clear point of application here is that as a disciple of Jesus, what do we treasure? Have you made an idol of things that are earthly?
Why is this important to establish? Jesus wants to address the heart and what you worship. The argument made so far is that if you truly treasure the things of heaven, you will have peace. How so? Let’s look at Matthew 6:22-24 to get a clearer picture of what it means to lay up eternal treasures in heaven.
Jesus goes on to talk about the eye and serving two masters. The principle is that we are what we look at. If our eyes are fixed on earthly things, our entire being will be full of darkness (Matt 6:22-23). The eye is the lamp of the body — with a healthy eye, the body will be full of light. If the eyes are bad, the whole body will be full of darkness.
Notice too how this darkness affects the entire body (Matt 6:23). The wrong attitude towards material treasures affects all of us. It’s important to see how this darkness affects the entire body — all of its being is dark. There is no partitioning here — a wrong attitude towards material treasures brings darkness to every part of our being.
This image of our eyes being the lamp to our body is helpful. What we look at, what we fill our vision with, is directly what we fill our minds with. If we continue to look at and long for things that are of this world —employment, promotions, houses, stability, relationships — and not look at things that show us God and how He calls us to live — our eyes and bodies will be filled with darkness. What are we filling our vision and minds with? Is it relationship? Or a dream job? Or a dream car? If we are filled with these, we will be filled with darkness.
Matthew 6:24 also tells us that we cannot serve two masters. No one can serve two masters — the love for God and money are mutually exclusive and cannot happen at the same time. In our age of trying to hedge everything and do everything, Jesus is clear that we cannot love both God and money. We cannot cling to both eternal treasures and earthly treasures and can only be a servant of only one — God, or money.
But, what does it mean to serve money?To serve money means to calculate all of your decisions, all of your life, to maximise and optimise for money and what it can bring. It looks like sacrificing time, health, energy, relationships and more in order to get more of it. It would rule our lives, it would govern our every decision, it would be the KPI to which you build your life on and towards. That would be serving money.
So, what then will it look like to serve God? In much the same way, it would look like making all your decisions, angling your entire life, to maximise and optimise for God and what He commands. It looks like sacrificing time, energy, comfort for God’s kingdom and His glory. God would rule our lives, and He would be the one on which we build and orientate our lives around.That would be serving God. Do our lives look like that? What fills our calendars and our minds? What do we spend time and money on?
What do our lives look like? Are we serving God or not? Jesus gives us a clear binary option here. We will serve only one — God or money.
The path to peace comes from laying up the right treasures. And thus, we are also able to see the idols in our lives and why we often have no peace. Jesus is helping us cross-examine ourselves here. What are some earthly treasures you have laid up and clung to? As we examine what we look at and more so what we serve, it becomes clear to us why so often, we have no peace.
(B) The arguments for peace: Do not be anxious -- know your God and your value before Him (Matt 6:25-32)
This section begins with “therefore I tell you”, and it serves to connect this command with the last (“if you lay up treasures in heaven”). That serves as the base for the next command that comes for us to not be anxious about our lives (Matt 6:25).
As we read these verses, it is important for us to acknowledge that there is a time and place for Christians to seek help in our mental health struggles. Here, Jesus also addresses and acknowledges our struggle with anxiety. Following Christ doesn’t prevent us from struggling with anxiety. But we are called to struggle differently.
There is also a need for grace and mercy when we interact with others who struggle with these things. We ought to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and sincere and consistent in love and care.
Lastly, it is clear that Jesus does not want us to be left anxious and insecure. His call is to turn our eyes to things of eternal importance, to turn our eyes to Him, and seek peace and rest in the security of our relationship with Him. He is not calling us to wild irresponsibility or unfeeling stoicism. He is calling us to look to Him as He cares for us. Keep this in mind as we unpack this next section.
How, then are we to understand these six arguments against anxiety or for peace? There is a certain logic at work here. Firstly, what is our life (Matt 6:25)? Life is worth so much more, more than food and clothing.
John Piper, in his sermon on this text put it well: “if you are gripped by anxiety over these things, you have lost sight of the greatness of life. Life was not given primarily for physical pleasures, but for something greater — the enjoyment of God. Life was not given primarily for the approval of man, but for something greater — the approval of God. Life was not even given primarily for extension on this earth, but for something greater — eternity with God in the age to come.”
So, what is our value (Matt 6:26)? We are more valuable than the birds of the air that God cares for and feeds. The worry many people have over the material things of life comes from the lack of an understanding of their value before God. They don’t comprehend how much He loves and cares for them. God is in control and sovereign even over the birds — how much more is He sovereign over you?
What comes of our anxiety (Matt 6:27)? Jesus asks a rhetorical question here: Can you add a single hour to your span of life by being anxious? Quite bluntly put — what’s the point? No amount of worry or anxiety can change the outcome. Anxiety is fruitless, pointless, unhelpful and useless.
Instead, we are to consider, what are we worth (Matt 6:28-30)? This is a similar argument to Matthew 6:26 and the birds of the air, but this time with clothing and being arrayed like a lily. The point in the earlier verse was that we are more valuable than the birds that God feeds. In these verses in Matthew 6:28-30, the point has an additional dimension of time — the grass and the lilies last for a day and then are thrown into the oven, yet God clothes them more beautifully than Solomon. We who have been saved are eternal — what more would God do to clothe us and care for us? O you of little faith! We are not temporal, here today and gone tomorrow like the grass. Rather, Christ has come to save us, and to save us for eternity! Let us not be people of little faith.
Jesus also goes on to ask if they are like the Gentiles (Matt 6:31-32)? Let us not be like the Gentiles, who chase after food, drink and clothes only. We are not to behave like them, and be anxious like those who do not know who Jesus is. We are to live differently from the world! In another sermon, John Piper writes: “If you are anxious, you are like the world. This is what people who don’t know God do. Anxiety is worldly.”
These are harsh words that confronts our sins, but these are Jesus’ words. At the heart of it, it is a reminder that we are not to live in a way that seems like we do not know who He is!
The final question posed deals with the nature of the Father — does the Father not know our needs (Matt 6:32)? God the Father knows. God the Father who created, saved and knows us knows our every need and desire. He knows our every struggle and worry. He knows when we are kept awake at night, He knows when our hearts tighten in fear and anxiety. Friend, take heart — our heavenly Father knows what we need, when we need it and how to provide for us. Therefore, do not be anxious.
These are arguments for peace. Where the world and our own emotions tell us otherwise and tempt us to despair, Jesus himself has commanded us — turn your eyes away from earthly treasures and toward God and His promises, and do not be anxious — know your God and your value before Him. Friend, if you need to hear this tonight this word is for you — God sees, hears and knows. And He will provide.
Which of the six arguments against anxiety is most helpful to you? How can you apply it moving forward?
(C) The fight for peace: Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt 6:33-34)
The final command is to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. In stating this, Jesus orders our priorities (Matt 6:33-34). God’s kingdom and His righteousness come first — we must be concerned for these things first! There is an exchange — change your worries that are so bent in on yourself, on your worth, your being, your sustenance — change that to a God-centred concern for His kingdom!
This means that we can be assured that God will take care of us when we seek Him. While there is no guaranteed physical comfort in this world, nor is there guaranteed life on earth, we can be sure of this much — no trial will befall you for which he will not give you all you need to endure to the end and be saved.
Matthew 6:34 is our comfort. God gives us grace and mercy for each new day — each day has enough of its own trouble. God calls us to a day-by-day trusting and turning to Him. He will provide us for each day.
What does it look like to change our desires? It looks like an entire renovation of our heart! Itc changes everything, from what we use our time on, to how we spend our money etc. We go from seeking our own comfort to looking at God’s kingdom’s priorities. How can we reorient our desires today?
What then does this final command look like? How can we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness? A helpful way of applying this is perhaps the culmination of our first two points — store up treasures in heaven, and do not be anxious. This is the key to the peace of the kingdom. Lamentations 3:20-22 also reminds us that
This side of the cross, we also know that Jesus is a worthy sight for our eyes and a worthy master to serve. He calls us to Himself because only in and through Him will we find peace! He bore the sin and guilt on our behalf. He calls us to Him and is the only one that can give us the peace that we desire.
Who is this God? Romans 8:32 tells us that He is the one who did not withhold His own Son from us! This is how committed He is to our holiness and this is the extent of His love for us. Won’t we be so secure and joyous if we hear His words and believe it? His call to us to not be anxious is grounded in these wonderful truths! This is what happens if we seek things in heaven.
Yet, we know that life is hard. We struggle with all that we are worried and are struggling with. But take comfort that we are able to wrestle and struggle through our anxiety because of who Christ is and has done. As Galatians 2:20 assures us, we are enabled through the gospel to not be anxious and to turn to Christ. He lives in us and we are no longer governed by our own desires.
Our hope is not in the absence of our struggles. Jesus doesn’t promise a pain-free life but He promises the resources to fight it. How do we respond in our difficulties? What would it look like practically for you to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness”?