Order Of Service

Matthew 6:28-29

(28) And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: (29) And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Introduction

Last Sunday, I preached about finding true contentment. This sermon could be considered a sequel to it.  One of the ways to find true contentment is to trust God to provide all of our needs and to realize how blessed we really are. Let’s face it, for many of us, these are challenging times. If our faith becomes weak, we can easily become “worry-holics.”  We can worry about paying the bills. We can worry about the future of our children. All of us could create a laundry list of things about which to worry.  Jesus assures us that God cares for us and will provide for our necessities.  He tells us we can take a few points from the lilies of the field and reduce our tendency to worry and be truly content. The lilies of the fields are really wildflowers.  The term refers to several species, but perhaps, Jesus was referring to the purple anemone to contrast it to the royal purple robes of Solomon. These wildflowers still grow abundantly in Palestine today. These wildflowers neither worry, nor fret; they just bloom anyhow!

Exposition

1. They Bloom Wherever The Force Of The Wind Scatters Them.

(Many Times In Poor Soil, On Rocky Ledges, Or In Crevices.)

2. They Bloom In Spite Of The Absence Of Human Cultivation.

(No Weeding, No Fertilizer, No Irrigation.)

3. They Bloom Because Of God’s Holy Providence And Provide A Beautiful Contrast To Their Surroundings.

(They Enhance A Barren Environment.)

Closing Thoughts

If God cares for these short-lived wildflowers, how much more does He care for us? The answer is obvious. God cares much more than we can ever imagine or comprehend. We do know that God cared enough to send His Son to us, and His Son cared enough to shed His blood for us. He is Jehovah-Jireh, our Provider. Give God Glory! Give God All The Glory!

Theological/Linguistical Note

The King James Version translates the Greek word, merimnao, as “take thought.” A better translation today would be, “worry.” It is Strong’s reference number 3309. It is related to another word, merimna, which means, a distraction. Simply stated: worry distracts us from our real purpose in life and causes discontentment.

Related Scriptures

1^st Kings 10:4-23

2^nd  Chronicles 9:13-21

Luke 12:27