Theme: Examining Christ’s authority to heal in fulfillment of Prophesy versus the Quranic record of Muhammad.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 8:16–17
“When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.’”
Introduction: The Power to Heal
In the ancient world, many claimed to speak for God, but few could demonstrate the power of God over physical reality. In religious traditions around the world, leaders have asked for belief based on their words. Yet when we examine the Bible, true prophetic and divine authority was repeatedly validated by visible, physical signs—specifically, power over sickness, nature, and evil spirits.
When we look strictly at the primary texts—comparing the Gospel of Matthew with the explicit text of the Quran—we find a stark contrast between Jesus Christ and Muhammad.
In the Quran, Muhammad is explicitly described as a warner who did not perform physical miracles or perform healing signs. In Surah 29:50, when people asked for signs, Muhammad was instructed to say: “The signs are only with Allah, and I am only a plain warner.” Again in Surah 17:90–93, when challenged to show a sign, he answered: “Exalted is my Lord! Was I ever but a human messenger?” The Quran presents the recited book itself as his only sign, stating that physical miracles were withheld.
In Matthew 8, however, Jesus does not merely claim authority with words; He demonstrates divine authority over every realm of human suffering.
1. Jesus Touches and Cleanses the Leper (Matthew 8:1–4)
“A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.”
The Outcast Restored: Under Levitical law, lepers were cast out of society. Jesus didn’t just speak from a distance; He broke ceremonial boundaries by reaching out and touching the untouchable.
Immediate Power: Jesus did not pray for God to show a sign in the future—He commanded the cleansing by His own authority: “I am willing; be clean!”
2. Jesus Heals the Centurion’s Servant from Afar (Matthew 8:5–13)
“Then Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.’ And his servant was healed at that moment.”
Authority Over Distance: A Roman centurion recognized that Jesus possessed intrinsic spiritual authority: “Just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
Inclusion of the Gentiles: Jesus marveled at the faith of this Gentile soldier, showing that His healing grace and salvation were extending beyond national Israel to all people who place faith in Him.
3. Jesus Touches Peter’s Mother-in-Law (Matthew 8:14–15)
Quiet, Personal Compassion: In a private home, Jesus saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, the fever left her, and she immediately got up to serve them.
Restoration of Strength: Jesus’ miracles were not temporary or theatrical; they brought complete, immediate restoration to real human suffering.
4. The Fulfillment of the Isaiah Prophecy (Matthew 8:16–17)
“He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.’”
Validating Messianic Prophecy: Why did Jesus heal? Not merely to impress crowds, but to prove He was the promised Messiah foretold in Isaiah 53:4.
Contrast of Divine Commission: Where the Quran states that signs were not given through Muhammad because previous generations rejected them (Surah 17:59), God explicitly sent Jesus with physical healings to confirm that the Servant of the Lord had arrived.
5. Jesus Calms the Storm and Casts Out Demons (Matthew 8:23–34)
Authority Over Nature (Matt 8:23–27): When a violent storm threatened the boat, Jesus rebuked the winds and the waves, bringing complete calm. The disciples asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
Authority Over Darkness (Matt 8:28–34): In the region of the Gadarenes, Jesus confronted two demon-possessed men so fierce no one could pass. The demons cried out, acknowledging Him as the “Son of God,” and Jesus cast them out with a single command: “Go!”
Conclusion: The Unique Character of Christ
The biblical account in Matthew 8 reveals Jesus not merely as a prophet with a warning, but as the Son of God who possesses absolute authority over disease, nature, and demonic forces.
The Quran plainly acknowledges that Muhammad came only as a warner without physical healing signs or miracles (Surah 29:50).
Matthew 8 demonstrates that Jesus backed His claim as Messiah by healing the leper, restoring the servant, curing the fever, stilling the storm, liberating the demonized, and fulfilling ancient prophecy.
Jesus did not ask us to believe in Him blindly. He revealed His power over death and disease so that we might trust Him as the Lord who has power to forgive our sins and grant eternal life.
Faith in Every Chapter — New Testament Sermon Series
This sermon is part of a journey through all 260 chapters of the New Testament, exploring the message of faith in each one.
Introduction: Two Sides of the Same Subject
In Matthew 5, Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 6, He continued teaching about our private relationship with God, forgiveness, money, and worry.
Now, in Matthew 7, Jesus brings His sermon towards its conclusion.
As I read this chapter, I notice something interesting: Jesus repeatedly compares two sides of the same subject.
He describes two people looking at the same problem, but seeing it differently. He compares two kinds of fathers, two gates, two kinds of trees, two groups of people, and two builders.
It is almost as if Jesus is saying, “There are two ways to approach this. Which one are you going to choose?”
Here are the comparisons we will explore:
The person with a plank in their own eye and the person with a speck in another’s eye.
Our heavenly Father and earthly fathers.
The narrow gate and the wide gate.
The good tree and the bad tree.
Those who do the Father’s will and those who do not.
The wise builder and the foolish builder.
Each comparison gives us an opportunity to examine our own lives.
1. The Plank in Your Eye and the Speck in Someone Else’s Eye
Jesus begins with a warning about judging other people.
In Matthew 7:1–5, He tells His listeners not to judge, and then gives a memorable illustration.
He asks why someone notices a speck in another person’s eye while failing to notice the plank in their own eye.
The picture is almost comical.
Imagine a person walking around with a large piece of timber sticking out of their eye, while carefully pointing out a tiny speck in someone else’s eye.
How could they possibly see the other person’s problem clearly?
Jesus is exposing a common human tendency: we can be very good at noticing the faults of other people while being remarkably poor at recognising our own.
We may notice someone else’s anger while ignoring our own temper. We may criticise someone for being selfish while failing to see our own lack of generosity. We may complain about another person’s pride while believing that we are simply confident.
Jesus is not saying that we should never recognise wrongdoing or help someone who is struggling. In fact, He says that after removing the plank from our own eye, we will be able to see clearly enough to help remove the speck from our brother’s eye.
That is an important distinction.
Jesus does not say, “Ignore everyone else’s problems.”
He says, in effect, “Deal with your own problems first.”
There is a difference between condemning someone and helping them. There is a difference between pointing out a fault to feel superior and addressing a problem because we genuinely care.
The lesson: Before we criticise someone else, we should honestly examine ourselves.
We might discover that the problem we see in another person is also present in our own life.
And if we do need to help someone, we should do so with humility, remembering that we too need God’s mercy.
2. Our Heavenly Father and Earthly Fathers
In Matthew 7:7–11, Jesus teaches about asking, seeking, and knocking.
He tells His listeners to ask, and it will be given to them; to seek, and they will find; to knock, and the door will be opened.
Then He gives an illustration involving earthly fathers.
If a son asks his father for bread, will the father give him a stone? If he asks for a fish, will the father give him a serpent?
Jesus says that even earthly fathers, who are imperfect, know how to give good gifts to their children.
How much more, then, will our heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him?
This is a comparison between human fathers and God.
Earthly fathers can love their children deeply, but they are limited. They may misunderstand a situation, make mistakes, or fail to provide what their children need.
God is not limited in the same way.
Jesus uses this familiar relationship to help His listeners understand God’s generosity and care.
But we should also notice that Jesus does not say that God will give us everything we ask for exactly as we ask for it. A loving father does not give a child something harmful simply because the child wants it.
The point is that we can approach God with confidence, trusting His goodness.
For some people, the idea of a loving heavenly Father is easy to understand because they had a loving earthly father. For others, their experience of a father may have been painful or disappointing.
Jesus’ comparison does not mean that God is just like every earthly father. Rather, He points us towards the goodness of God, who is the perfect Father.
The lesson: We can bring our needs to God, trusting that His character is good even when we do not understand His answers.
We may not always receive what we expect, but we can continue to seek Him and trust His wisdom.
3. The Narrow Gate and the Wide Gate
In Matthew 7:13–14, Jesus presents two gates.
One is wide, and the road leading through it is broad. Many people travel along that road.
The other gate is narrow, and the road leading through it is difficult. Few find it.
Jesus says that the broad road leads to destruction, while the narrow road leads to life.
This is one of the clearest contrasts in the chapter.
Two gates. Two roads. Two destinations.
The broad road is attractive because it is easy to enter. It does not require us to question our priorities or change the direction of our lives.
The narrow road, by contrast, requires a response to Jesus. It involves listening to Him, trusting Him, and taking His teaching seriously.
The narrow road is not necessarily the road that receives the most public approval.
Sometimes the right decision may be unpopular. Sometimes following Jesus may require us to change our behaviour, forgive someone, resist temptation, or choose honesty when dishonesty would be easier.
But Jesus says that the road leading to life is worth finding.
We should be careful not to assume that we can identify every person’s final destination simply by looking at them. Jesus is giving a serious warning and calling His listeners to respond to Him.
The lesson: Do not assume that the easiest or most popular path is the right one.
Following Jesus may be demanding, but He calls us towards life.
4. The Good Tree and the Bad Tree
In Matthew 7:15–20, Jesus warns about false prophets.
He describes them as people who may appear harmless on the outside but are dangerous within. He uses the image of wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing.
Then He introduces another comparison: good trees and bad trees.
A good tree produces good fruit. A bad tree produces bad fruit.
Jesus says that a tree is recognised by its fruit.
This is a practical way to evaluate the influence of someone who claims to speak for God.
A person may use religious language, appear impressive, or claim to have a special spiritual authority. But Jesus tells us to look at the fruit.
What kind of life does this person produce?
Do they encourage honesty, love, humility, and faithfulness? Or do they produce manipulation, greed, division, and harm?
The fruit of a person’s life can reveal something about the condition of their heart.
This principle also applies to our own lives.
We can ask ourselves: What is growing from the way I live?
Are my words producing encouragement or discouragement? Are my decisions helping people or harming them? Is my faith making me more loving, more honest, and more willing to serve?
Jesus is not suggesting that we will never make mistakes. A good tree can still have imperfect fruit at times. His warning is about the underlying character and direction of a person’s life.
The lesson: Do not judge spiritual claims by appearance alone. Look at the fruit.
And remember that our own lives should also produce the kind of fruit that reflects our faith.
5. Those Who Do the Father’s Will and Those Who Do Not
In Matthew 7:21–23, Jesus gives another serious comparison.
He says that not everyone who calls Him “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of His Father.
He then describes people who point to impressive religious activities. They say they prophesied, cast out demons, and performed mighty works in Jesus’ name.
Yet Jesus says that He will tell some of them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
This is a confronting passage.
These people are not simply claiming to have attended a religious service. They are describing extraordinary spiritual activities.
But Jesus shows that impressive religious activity is not the same thing as a genuine relationship with Him.
There is a difference between saying the right words and living in a way that reflects those words.
There is a difference between claiming to represent Jesus and actually submitting to His teaching.
This does not mean that we earn salvation by performing enough good works. Rather, Jesus is warning against a faith that consists only of words, appearances, or claims.
A genuine response to Jesus involves taking His will seriously.
What does He ask of us? To love God, love our neighbour, practise mercy, pursue righteousness, and live according to His teaching.
The lesson: Do not rely only on religious words or impressive spiritual experiences.
Ask whether your life is being shaped by the will of God.
The question is not merely, “Have I called Jesus Lord?”
It is also, “Am I willing to follow Him?”
6. The Wise Builder and the Foolish Builder
Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount with one final comparison.
In Matthew 7:24–27, He describes two people who build houses.
One is wise. The other is foolish.
The wise builder builds his house on the rock. The foolish builder builds his house on the sand.
Then the rain falls, the floods come, and the winds blow against both houses.
The house built on the rock stands. The house built on the sand collapses.
What is the difference between the two builders?
Jesus explains that the wise person hears His words and puts them into practice. The foolish person hears His words but does not put them into practice.
Both people hear the sermon.
Both people know what Jesus has said.
Both people build a house.
But only one puts His teaching into practice.
This is a powerful way for Jesus to conclude His sermon.
He has spent three chapters teaching about the attitudes, choices, and behaviour of His followers. Now He asks what we will do with those teachings.
Will we listen and then carry on as before?
Or will we allow His words to shape the way we live?
The storm in the illustration reminds us that life will bring difficulties. Jesus does not promise that those who follow Him will never experience trouble.
The difference is the foundation.
A life built on Jesus’ teaching has a foundation that can withstand the storms of life.
The lesson: Hearing Jesus’ words is not enough. We must put them into practice.
Faith is not merely knowing what Jesus said. It is trusting Him enough to build our lives around His teaching.
Bringing the Six Comparisons Together
Let’s look at the six comparisons in Matthew 7.
Subject
First side
Second side
Judging others
The person with a plank in their own eye
The person noticing a speck in another’s eye
Fatherhood
Earthly fathers, who are imperfect
Our heavenly Father, who is good
The way of life
The wide gate and broad road
The narrow gate and difficult road
Character
The bad tree producing bad fruit
The good tree producing good fruit
Faith
Those who do not do the Father’s will
Those who do the Father’s will
Building a life
The foolish builder on the sand
The wise builder on the rock
These comparisons are not all identical. Some are warnings, some are illustrations, and some are promises about God’s character.
But together they create a powerful pattern.
Jesus asks us to examine the difference between what appears right and what is actually right.
We can appear religious while neglecting our own character. We can claim to know God while refusing to follow His teaching. We can hear the truth and still build our lives on something that cannot support us.
The question is not simply which side we admire.
The question is which side describes our lives.
Conclusion: Which Side Are You On?
Matthew 7 brings the Sermon on the Mount to its conclusion.
Jesus has taught us about judging others, asking God for help, choosing the narrow road, recognising good and bad fruit, doing the Father’s will, and building our lives on a firm foundation.
He has repeatedly placed two alternatives before us.
Will we focus on the faults of others while ignoring our own?
Will we trust the goodness of our heavenly Father?
Will we choose the broad road because it is easy, or seek the narrow road that leads to life?
Will we evaluate spiritual claims by appearances, or by the fruit they produce?
Will we merely call Jesus Lord, or will we seek to do the Father’s will?
Will we hear His words and forget them, or put them into practice?
The final illustration is perhaps the most important of all.
The wise builder and the foolish builder both heard Jesus’ sermon. The difference was what they did with it.
That is the challenge for us today.
We can read Matthew 5, 6, and 7. We can admire Jesus’ teaching. We can discuss it, remember it, and even teach it to others.
But Jesus calls us to do more than listen.
He calls us to build.
And the foundation we choose will make all the difference when the storms come.
Continue the journey
Matthew 7 concludes the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 8, we begin to see Jesus’ teaching accompanied by action as He heals a man with leprosy, responds to a centurion’s faith, and demonstrates authority over sickness and the storm.
Our journey through all 260 chapters of the New Testament continues, one chapter at a time, exploring the message of faith in every chapter.
Faith in Every Chapter — New Testament Sermon Series
This sermon is part of a journey through all 260 chapters of the New Testament, exploring the message of faith in each one.
Introduction: Six Instructions from Jesus
In Matthew 5, Jesus began what we call the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 6, He continues teaching His disciples how to live a life that pleases God.
This chapter contains some very practical instructions. Jesus talks about giving, prayer, fasting, forgiveness, money, and worry.
As I read this chapter, I see six important instructions that we can organise into two lists.
The first list contains three things Jesus tells us to do in secret:
Give in secret.
Pray in secret.
Fast in secret.
The second list contains three things we should not allow to control our lives:
Do not hold on to unforgiveness.
Do not serve money.
Do not worry.
There is an interesting contrast here. Jesus tells us that some of our most important religious activities should be done without seeking an audience, while some of our most difficult personal struggles need to be confronted honestly.
Let’s look at each of these six instructions.
Part One: Three Things to Do in Secret
1. Give in Secret
Jesus begins this section by talking about giving.
In Matthew 6:1, He warns His listeners not to practise their righteousness in front of other people simply to be seen by them. He then gives the example of giving to those in need.
Jesus says that when we give, we should not do it to attract attention or receive praise.
He uses the striking picture of not letting our left hand know what our right hand is doing. The point is that our giving should not become a performance designed to impress other people.
In Matthew 6:3–4, Jesus teaches that our giving should be done in secret, and that our Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward us.
Why should we give in secret?
Because there is a difference between helping someone and advertising how generous we are.
Imagine two people who both donate money to help a family experiencing hardship.
The first person makes sure everyone hears about the donation. They want people to admire their generosity.
The second person quietly helps the family and asks for no public recognition.
Both donations may help the family financially, but the motives of the two givers may be very different.
Jesus is concerned about the heart behind the action.
This does not mean that all public giving is wrong. Churches, charities, and community organisations sometimes need to tell people about their work to raise funds and encourage others to help. The issue Jesus addresses is giving primarily to gain recognition.
The lesson: Give because someone needs help, not because you want everyone to know how generous you are.
There is a special freedom in doing something good without needing applause.
When we give in secret, we remind ourselves that the person we ultimately want to please is God, not the audience watching us.
2. Pray in Secret
The second instruction is about prayer.
In Matthew 6:5–6, Jesus warns against praying like hypocrites who love to stand in public places so that other people will notice them.
He then tells His disciples to go into a room, shut the door, and pray to their Father in secret.
This is one of the clearest pictures in the chapter: a person alone with God, with no audience to impress.
Why does Jesus place so much emphasis on secret prayer?
Because prayer can become another performance.
A person can learn impressive religious language, use long sentences, and sound very spiritual in public, yet have little desire to spend time alone with God.
Jesus is not saying that public prayer is wrong. The Bible contains many examples of people praying together. Jesus Himself prayed in the presence of others.
His warning is against praying to gain the admiration of people.
Secret prayer asks a different question. Instead of asking, “What will people think of me if they hear me pray?” we ask, “What do I need to bring honestly before God?”
In private, we can thank God, confess our failures, ask for wisdom, pray for our families, and speak honestly about our fears.
We do not need to impress God with our vocabulary. He already knows us.
Jesus goes on to teach the Lord’s Prayer, giving His disciples a pattern for prayer. It includes honouring God’s name, seeking His kingdom and will, asking for daily provision, seeking forgiveness, and asking for deliverance from temptation.
Notice that prayer is not only about asking God for things. It is also about aligning our lives with His purposes.
The lesson: Make time to pray when nobody else is watching. Build a relationship with God that does not depend on public recognition.
If we only pray when other people can hear us, we may be more interested in our reputation than in our relationship with God.
3. Fast in Secret
The third instruction is about fasting.
In Matthew 6:16–18, Jesus says that when His followers fast, they should not make themselves look miserable in order to attract attention.
He tells them to wash their faces and carry on normally, rather than advertising their fasting to other people.
Again, the central issue is motive.
Fasting is a religious practice in which a person voluntarily abstains from food for a period of time, often to devote attention to prayer and seeking God. The Bible also contains different forms of fasting, and Christians understand the practice in different ways.
Jesus’ teaching here assumes that His followers may fast, but He does not tell them to use fasting to make themselves look especially holy.
A person could fast and spend the whole time thinking about how impressed other people will be. In that case, the outward religious activity has become a way of seeking attention.
Another person might fast privately as part of a sincere desire to seek God, reflect on their life, or pray about a difficult decision.
Jesus points us towards the second attitude.
Fasting is not a way to force God to do what we want. Nor is it a way to prove that we are more spiritual than someone else.
It should be approached thoughtfully and safely. Fasting from food is not suitable for everyone, particularly some people with medical conditions, those who are pregnant, or people for whom going without food could be harmful. Prayer and other forms of intentional self-denial can be considered without risking health.
The lesson: If you fast, do it for the right reasons. Do not turn a private spiritual discipline into a public advertisement of your holiness.
What do these three secret activities have in common?
Giving, praying, and fasting may look like three different activities, but Jesus connects them through one central principle.
He wants us to care more about our relationship with God than about our religious reputation.
Give without needing applause.
Pray without needing an audience.
Fast without needing admiration.
Jesus repeats the idea that our Father sees what is done in secret.
That is an extraordinary thought. We may do something good and receive no recognition from anyone else, but the action is not invisible to God.
We should not, however, turn this into a bargain in which we secretly give, pray, or fast simply to earn a reward. Jesus is teaching us to seek God sincerely rather than use religious activity to build our public image.
The question is not merely, “What religious things do I do?”
It is also, “Why do I do them?”
Part Two: Three Things Not to Allow to Control Your Life
The second list moves from religious activities to the attitudes and concerns that can dominate our hearts.
Jesus speaks about forgiveness, money, and worry.
These are three very different subjects, but they share an important feature: each can shape the way we live if we allow it to take control.
4. Do Not Hold on to Unforgiveness
In Matthew 6:14–15, Jesus returns to the subject of forgiveness after teaching the Lord’s Prayer.
He says that if we forgive other people their trespasses, our heavenly Father will also forgive us. He then gives a serious warning about refusing to forgive others.
Why does Jesus put so much emphasis on forgiveness?
Because we can become so focused on what another person has done to us that the offence begins to dominate our lives.
We replay the conversation. We imagine what we should have said. We keep returning to the injury. We hope the other person will suffer as much as we believe we have suffered.
Sometimes the person who hurt us has moved on, while we continue to carry the anger.
Jesus challenges us to break that pattern.
But we need to understand forgiveness carefully.
Forgiveness does not mean pretending that wrongdoing never happened. It does not mean that we must trust someone who has proved untrustworthy. It does not mean that every relationship must be restored, that there should be no consequences for wrongdoing, or that a person should remain in an abusive or dangerous situation.
Reconciliation usually requires more than one person. It may require truth, repentance, changed behaviour, and time. Forgiveness, however, challenges us not to make revenge the purpose of our lives.
We can acknowledge that something was wrong while choosing not to let hatred rule us.
Jesus’ words are challenging because He does not treat forgiveness as an optional extra for unusually generous people. He makes it central to the life of His followers.
We ourselves need mercy. We cannot easily ask God to forgive us while insisting that everyone who has wronged us must remain permanently beyond mercy.
The lesson: Do not nurture unforgiveness as though it were a treasure. Take wrongdoing seriously, establish appropriate boundaries, and ask God to help you release the desire for revenge.
Sometimes forgiveness is a decision that must be revisited as painful memories return. That does not mean the process is meaningless. It means we are learning, step by step, not to let the injury control us.
5. Do Not Serve Money
In Matthew 6:19–24, Jesus teaches about treasures, the condition of the heart, and the danger of serving two masters.
He tells His listeners not to store up treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. Instead, He tells them to store up treasures in heaven.
Then comes the famous statement in Matthew 6:24:
“No one can serve two masters.”
Jesus explains that a person cannot serve both God and money.
Money itself is not presented as evil. We need money for food, housing, clothing, transport, and many other ordinary responsibilities. Money can also be used to support our families, help people in need, and fund worthwhile work.
The problem is not possessing money. The problem is allowing money to possess us.
Money can become our master when every important decision is governed by how much we can earn, how much we can accumulate, or how much we can spend on ourselves.
A person might sacrifice family relationships, honesty, generosity, and peace of mind because they believe that having more money will solve every problem.
Another person might have modest means but be just as controlled by money through constant envy, comparison, or fear of losing what they have.
Jesus asks us to examine what occupies the centre of our lives.
What do we treasure most? What determines our choices? What are we willing to sacrifice in order to get what we want?
These questions reveal whether money is serving us or whether we are serving money.
Jesus encourages His followers to invest in what lasts: faithfulness to God, love for others, generosity, and the pursuit of His kingdom.
The lesson: Use money as a tool, but do not make it your god.
Earn it honestly. Manage it wisely. Provide for legitimate needs. Be generous where you can. But remember that a person’s worth is not measured by the size of their bank account.
Money can buy many useful things, but it cannot guarantee forgiveness, love, character, or peace with God.
6. Do Not Worry
The final instruction in our list comes from Matthew 6:25–34.
Jesus tells His followers not to worry about their lives, what they will eat or drink, or what they will wear.
He points to the birds of the air. They do not sow or reap or store food in barns, yet their heavenly Father feeds them.
He then points to the flowers of the field, describing how beautifully they are clothed.
Jesus is asking His listeners to consider God’s care for His creation and to trust that their needs matter to Him.
He says that life is more than food and the body more than clothing.
He also asks whether worrying can add even a single hour to our lives. His point is that worry, by itself, cannot give us control over the future.
Then Jesus gives one of the chapter’s most important instructions:
“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.”
Instead of allowing anxiety about tomorrow to become the centre of our lives, we are to put God and His purposes first.
But does Jesus mean that Christians should never feel anxious?
We should be careful here. Anxiety is a real human experience, and some people experience persistent or severe anxiety that is not simply switched off by deciding to stop worrying. Jesus is not condemning people for every anxious feeling, nor is He telling us to ignore genuine problems.
There is a difference between responsible concern and worry that consumes us.
If we are concerned about paying a bill, we can make a budget, seek assistance, look for work, or ask someone trustworthy for advice. If we are concerned about our health, we can seek medical care. If we are concerned about a relationship, we can have an honest conversation.
Taking practical action is not a failure of faith.
Jesus’ teaching is that we should not let fear of tomorrow prevent us from living faithfully today.
He concludes the chapter by saying that each day has enough trouble of its own. We do not need to carry every imagined problem of the future into the present.
The lesson: Do what you reasonably can today, trust God with what you cannot control, and do not let tomorrow consume the life you have today.
Faith does not mean we know exactly what will happen. It means we seek God and do what is right even when we do not know what tomorrow will bring.
Bringing the Six Instructions Together
Let’s look again at our two lists.
Three things to do in secret
Give. Help others without needing public praise.
Pray. Develop a genuine relationship with God when nobody else is watching.
Fast. If you practise fasting, do it sincerely rather than to impress others.
Three things not to allow to control your life
Unforgiveness. Do not let resentment and revenge become your masters.
Money. Do not allow possessions and wealth to take God’s place in your heart.
Worry. Do not allow fear of tomorrow to dominate the way you live today.
Notice that the first three instructions challenge our desire to be seen by other people. The second three challenge the things that can take possession of our hearts.
Jesus is teaching us to look beyond appearances and examine what truly governs us.
We can look religious in public while neglecting our private relationship with God. We can appear successful while being controlled by money. We can appear strong while carrying bitterness. We can appear organised while being consumed by worry.
Jesus calls us to something deeper than appearances.
He wants us to develop a life in which our private actions, our relationships, our priorities, and our responses to difficulty are shaped by our faith.
Conclusion: Who Is in Charge of Your Life?
Matthew 6 gives us a practical way to examine ourselves.
When we give, are we looking for praise, or are we trying to help?
When we pray, are we seeking God, or are we trying to impress people?
When we fast, are we seeking spiritual focus, or are we trying to appear more religious?
When someone hurts us, are we willing to work towards forgiveness without pretending the wrongdoing did not matter?
When we think about money, are we using it wisely, or has it become the master of our decisions?
When we think about tomorrow, are we taking sensible steps, or are we allowing worry to consume us?
These are not merely six questions for a Sunday morning. They are questions we can return to throughout our lives.
The three things to do in secret teach us that God sees beyond our public image.
The three things not to allow to control our lives teach us that our hearts can become occupied by resentment, wealth, and anxiety unless we deliberately put God first.
Jesus does not promise that His followers will never face hardship. He does not promise that every financial problem will disappear or that every relationship will be repaired. Instead, He teaches us how to live faithfully in the middle of an imperfect world.
So let us practise generosity without needing applause, prayer without needing an audience, and spiritual discipline without seeking admiration.
Let us pursue forgiveness, put money in its proper place, and trust God while taking responsible action in our daily lives.
And let us remember the final instruction of the chapter: seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
That is the central message of Matthew 6.
Continue the journey
In Matthew 7, Jesus brings the Sermon on the Mount towards its conclusion. He will teach about judging others, asking and seeking, treating people as we would like to be treated, choosing the narrow gate, recognising people by their fruit, and building our lives on a firm foundation.
The journey through the 260 chapters of the New Testament continues, one chapter at a time, exploring the message of faith in every chapter.
