Luke 12:22-34 "Worry and Anxiety"
When I get stressed, I eat. Or drink. Or both. I seem to think there is hardly a problem in the world that can’t be solved by shoving something into my mouth. Some people eat until they’re full, I eat until I hate myself. Or until I’m tired. Whichever comes first.
A few years ago, I texted my brother and said I needed to go on a gluten-free diet. He was like, “Why? Are you suddenly allergic to gluten?” I said, “Dang autocorrect. I meant Glutton-free diet.”
He’s really into fitness and all that. He asked me what my weight goals were. I said, “I don’t know… at this rate, maybe 400 pounds by the time I’m 55.”
Some people carry their stress in different parts of their body. Like my wife, Kim tends to carry her stress in her neck. I carry mine in my belly.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders affect around 40 million adults — like 1 in 5 people. Typical children these days are more anxious than child psychiatric patients in the 1950s. The American Psychological Association has written numerous articles outlining how we are facing a national mental health crisis that’s going to have serious health and social consequences for years to come.
I think we all know that. I think we all feel it. The anxiety level in our culture seems to always be somewhere between a simmer and a boil. Today, Jesus is going to give a little heavenly perspective on our earthly worries.
Luke, chapter 12, verse 22…
And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.
Jesus had just told them a story about a rich fool who had big plans for his big harvest and was going to build bigger barns—but God said the dude was going to die before any of those big things he was looking forward to would happen. Therefore, this whole next section is Jesus explaining more about what it meant in that story about what He meant about not laying up treasure for ourselves and being rich toward God instead.
Spoiler alert: It’s going to boil down to what we focus on in our life. What we concern ourselves with. What we worry about. What we give our hearts to.
Jesus says “don’t be anxious about your life.”
I don’t know, Jesus. I’m kind of attached to it. What else am I supposed to worry about?
He’s not saying life won’t have worries. Troubles. Problems. Of course it will. Anxiety is a future focused fear. Fear of the unknown—what might happen. Most of the things we worry about don’t happen anyway. And even if they do, your anxiety isn’t going to help anything. So, do you believe in God? If you do…try to rest in that. Have faith in God—instead of trying to control things by worrying.
In Matthew, Jesus said, “Don’t worry about tomorrow—tomorrow will worry about itself. Every day has enough trouble of its own.” Do what you can do about today’s problems and save tomorrow for tomorrow.
So, don’t be anxious about your life. Then He gets a little more specific: Don’t worry about what you will eat.
For most of us, worrying about what we eat has more to do with eating healthy and eating less—which is funny when you look at what He says next: don’t worry about your body, what you will put on.” Because what we eat has a direct impact on our body and how much we “put on.”
Now, Jesus doesn’t want you to be anxious about weight gain and body image—but that’s not really what He’s talking about.
Food was a lot harder to come by back then. If you wanted a sandwich, you had to bake the bread, kill the chicken, and make your own spicy chipotle sauce. Had to build your own air-fryer, too.
They were more concerned with where the next meal was coming from than finding a low-fat, non-dairy, vegan-friendly option.
And when He says “don’t worry about your body, what you will put on”—He doesn't mean extra weight, He means clothes.
Verse 23…
For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Luke 12:23
Clearly, Jesus had never been to a really good shopping mall. Because they’re all about food and clothes. How much of our life is spent thinking about what we’re going to wear, shopping for clothes and shoes—or thinking about what we’re going to eat? And how much of our life do we spend trying to earn money so we can buy the particular clothes and food we want?
Because we don’t just eat to stay alive. We don’t just wear clothes to cover our nakedness. I’m not saying those should be our only motivations—God wants us to enjoy good things—but you have to admit, we go a little crazy with it. We’re all a little fancy.
Especially if we admit our houses and cars aren’t just for shelter and transportation—they’re really the biggest fashion accessories in our lives. A big part of our identity is wrapped up in these things. Again, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with having nice things—but how much of our lives are taken up with all the time and energy to get that stuff?
Or, let me say it like Jesus: How much of our lives do we spend worrying about those things?
Here’s an interesting thought: the fall of mankind, Adam and Eve in the garden—it started with Eve worrying about food and ended with Adam worried about clothes and getting kicked out of his house.
Verse 24…
Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!
Luke 12:24
This is clearly a reference to the rich fool who was going to build a bigger barn. Consider the ravens—what can we learn from the birds? Ravens are even more worthless than sparrows—at least they could eat sparrows. Ravens were off the menu. They’re also big, they eat a lot.
Sometimes people say, “you eat like a bird,” but birds eat constantly. It’s pretty much all they do. The whole world is like a giant buffet open 24/7 for the birds. The ravens were going to have a feast on the rich fool’s big crop that he didn’t harvest.
What’s the point? God takes care of the birds, He cares about them—but He cares a lot more about you. The more you trust God, the less you will worry. Worrying doesn’t help anything.
Verse 25…
And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Luke 12:25-26
My mom was a worrier. I think she’d wake up in the morning worried about what she was going to worry about. She would just sit on the couch all day smoking and humming and shaking her foot—and worry about one thing after another. She had all the phobias. Claustrophobia (the fear of confined spaces), agoraphobia (the fear of crowded places, leaving her home, or being in a place she couldn’t escape from), Agraphobia (the fear of being in a situation that might make you afraid), and Phobophobia (which is the fear of fear). When it comes to “that ain’t nothin’ stories: mom edition—I can hold my own with anyone. Anyway, one time I said, “try not to worry about it. It’s not going to do any good.”
She said, “Well, there’s nothing else I can do.” Mom logic. She thought worrying was the thing she could do to help. Sign her up for the Avengers! Thor has his hammer, Iron Man has his suit, Hulk can smash, and Mom can worry! Bad guys beware!
Jesus says you’re not going to add an hour to your life by worrying. You’ll actually subtract hours because anxiety and stress is really bad for you. So, if it doesn’t help, and it only makes things worse—why do it? And how do we stop? The answer is going to have something to do with where we put our faith.
Verse 27…
Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! Luke 12:27-28
What can we learn from the flowers? They just grow. They don’t make their own clothing. They don’t worry about what they’re going to wear—God takes care of it for them. And He does a pretty nice job.
He elaborately designs and dresses up the flowers even though they’re here one day and gone the next. Today they’re more splendid than Solomon’s nicest outfit and tomorrow they’re being burned in the oven to cook dinner. He’s not threatening to throw us into the oven—He’s saying if He puts that much care into the design of flowers that are so temporary, imagine how much more He cares for you, since you will live forever.
Jesus is trying to give us comfort. God will take care of you. You don’t need to worry about what to wear—life is too short to spend it worrying about everything.
The next line is for all of us when we worry about these things anyway.
“O you of little faith!”
I think it helps to add “in God.” O you of little faith in God!
Jesus is like, “you believe in God, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, don’t you think He can handle it? What are you worried about?”
When He says you have “little faith,” it’s not like faith is a measurable substance in you—it’s not like the faith is inside you.
I’ve started going to the gym again. Every morning, Monday through Friday, I walk across the street to Planet Fitness. Make a joke in my mind about “Planet Fitness Pizza in my belly.” Do a little cardio and a little weight training. I’m trying to lose fat by gaining some muscle mass. According to my fancy bio-metric scale, I’ve gained a quarter pound of muscle in five weeks. It’s a lot harder to gain muscle than it is to gain fat. I could probably gain five pounds of fat by just smelling a quarter-pounder with cheese.
When Jesus says, “O you of little faith” it’s not like He’s measuring your faith like a scale measures muscle mass. Your faith isn’t in you—your faith is in God.
Okay, now hold onto that thought because it’s kind of slippery. Your faith isn’t in you—your faith is in God.
Jesus is saying you need to have more faith in God. You have too little faith in God. He’s more impressive than you think He is. He’s more powerful than you think He is. He’s more concerned with making sure you have what you need than you think He is. You have a lot less to worry about than you think you do—because God is going to take care of you.
Here’s a stupid analogy: Imagine you’re walking through a dangerous back alley in some scary big city filled with all kinds of horrors that want to rob you and murder you. But you’re not alone, you have your best friend and very faithful protector Fido at your side. Here’s the dumb analogy part: what kind of dog did you imagine Fido to be? A pit bull? A rottweiler? A german shepherd? A chihuahua? Because I never said Fido was a dog! The name “Fido” comes from the Latin word “Fidelity” which means “faithful.” I said Fido is your faithful protector. Why didn’t you think of Fido as a giant fire-breathing dragon? Or a bear? Or a great lion? Why didn’t you think of Fido as something that could actually protect you? O you of little faith!
Jesus is saying you should think of God as someone who can actually take care of you. That’s what having faith in God means. Having little faith in God is like thinking of Him as a cute little Poodle instead of — well, God!
Verse 29…
And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Luke 12:29-30
Everyone in the world is obsessed with all those things—but you don’t need to be because God called you out of the world and has promised to take care of you. He knows what you need. Don’t spend your life looking for the things God has already promised to give you.
Verse 31…
Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Luke 12:31
Don’t waste your life worrying about how you’re going to get all the things God already promised to give you. Instead, spend it seeking His kingdom, and God will take care of the rest. Seek His kingdom.
What’s His kingdom? His kingdom is where He’s king. Where He reigns. Where people do what He says and—this is the best part, the reason we don’t have to worry—the kingdom is where His people are under His protection.
Like the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” To “seek” His kingdom is to live under His kingship—do what He says, live the way He told us. To live like we believe we’re under His protection. Trust that. Seek that. Think about that. Live according to that reality.
Verse 32…
“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32
Don’t be afraid, little flock. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is going to take care of His sheep.
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. Don’t be afraid. The more you trust God, the less you will worry.
Last week, Jesus talked about the rich fool who thought everything God gave him was for himself. So he could eat, drink, and be merry. We talked about how when God gives us abundance, it’s not just for us—He gives us the resources we need to do what He’s called us out of the world to do, the resources to help the people He sends our way, to do the ministry he gave our little church to do—our little flock.
This next verse is the straight-to-awkward, practical application of what the rich fool should have done with his wealth. This is what it means to seek the kingdom of God:
Verse 33…
Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Luke 12:33-34
So, there you have it. Sell your possessions and give away the money. AMEN.
Every time I’ve ever heard someone preach on this passage, they immediately add, “now God isn’t actually telling us to sell all our possessions.” They want to let people off the hook as fast as possible. Don’t want people running for the exits to find a church that’s not quite so hard-core.
But what if that is what He meant? There’s at least one time when that’s exactly what Jesus told a wealthy man to do. He told him to sell everything he owns, give it to the poor, and follow Him. So it’s not completely out of the question.
If Jesus told you to sell everything and give it away? Would you do it?
“Pastor Frank, you’re making me very uncomfortable, will you hurry up and get to the part where you let us off the hook, please?”
Fine. Jesus didn’t say to sell “all your possessions.” If He did, we’d all immediately be the needy ones. That wouldn’t help anything. There’s nothing especially holier about being poor. I’ve lived in trailer parks—poor people are just as bad as rich people.
This is the lesson of the rich fool from last week—he saw that he was going to have a really big harvest but He didn’t give a single thought to what God wanted him to do with it. This is the point: When you’re blessed, you’re blessed to be a blessing. Not a hoarder.
We’re supposed to use what God gives us for the purpose He gave it to us.
If we try to keep it for ourselves, it will rot our souls. We won’t be able to build barns big enough to keep it safe. Our moneybags will grow old with holes and everything will spill out. It will be stolen from us by all the thieves of this world—criminals, inflation, taxes, depreciation. Our closet full of fancy clothes will be eaten by moths. Everything in this life breaks down, rusts, rots, and comes to nothing. When you die, you can’t take it with you—and even in this life, it’s hard to hold onto.
So, here’s the big idea, ready? The answer to the worry problem.
God will give us what we need—our daily bread. And what He gives beyond that, we need to ask what He wants us to do with it. What’s it for? Who’s it for? It’s not all for us.
And here’s the best part: when we are faithful with what He gives us, when we live like He’s our King and we’re in His kingdom (under His protection—under His reign) when our life on earth is spent doing what He wants as it is in heaven—that’s how we store our treasure there, instead of here—how we lay up our treasure in heaven, instead of in the world.
And if your treasure is in heaven, your heart will be there, too. Which is the opposite of worry.
Here’s another stupid analogy: It’s like Jesus gave you a mysterious video game for Christmas—the game is only a gift, not available in stores, it can’t be purchased, but when you play it, you rack up all these points in heaven. I’m not talking about earning your salvation—this game is just a little Christmas present your Savior gave you—but when you play it—on earth—cha-ching! You get points in heaven.
You’re saved by grace through faith. Can’t earn your salvation. Jesus did that for you. But then He gives you this shiny new life to do the good works that God created you to do. And when you do those things—when you’re faithful… cha-ching! You lay up treasure in heaven. God will reward your faithfulness.
Treasures in heaven that will not fail.
It’s very dangerous to be rich in earthly things but poor toward God. We live in a consumer-oriented material culture where the dangers of coveting and envy are very downplayed. Most people think of accumulating wealth as a virtue. Most people worry too much about these things.
But because He loves you, Jesus warns against a self-destructive life of greed and reorients your heart toward serving Him and serving others with the resources He gives you. He wants to comfort you from all your worries and worldly fears and anxiety—He gives you the hope of eternal life and the assurance that He’ll take care of you in this life. You are under His protection. He promises that He cares for you and will be very generous with you. Hear these words of comfort: you don’t need to worry. Fear not little flock, it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. AMEN
Heavenly Father, keep my eyes from becoming envious and my heart from self-destructive greed. Move me to find satisfaction in Your promises and to trust that You will more than provide for me and my loved ones—help me to have more faith in You so I will worry less. Amen.