11.30.2025 – Sunday Sermon Pastor Jeungbok Lee
Text: Matthew 6:31–34
Title: Jesus’ Teaching for the Growth of Faith

Matthew 6:31–34
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Once upon a time, there was a traveler. As this traveler crossed a mountain, he picked up stones of suitable size and put them one by one into his travel bag. The bag became heavy and walking became difficult, yet he did not throw the stones away; instead, he struggled with great sweat and finally crossed the mountain. As he descended and saw the stones scattered along the path, he realized something: the stones had not helped him cross the mountain—they had only been a burden.

1. If God’s children continue to worry about what to eat, drink, or wear, they not only receive the rebuke of being people of little faith, but also a stronger rebuke—that they are like the pagans.

1.1) In reality, the spiritual battle that believers experience most frequently is the battle against worry.
Those who worry about food, drink, and clothing always fill their hearts with worldly concerns and the temptations of wealth. They often stumble because they forget the word that God the Father will provide abundantly. For this reason, Jesus did not view worry merely as an emotional issue, but as a spiritually serious condition, and thus rebuked them. More specifically, He rebuked the disciples who continued to worry, saying they were like the pagans. In fact, like the pagans, they lacked confidence in God’s Word and therefore did not become those who bear fruit through the Word.

Mark 4:18–19
“Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.”

1.2) To be told that one is like the pagans means that one is living in the opposite direction of how God’s children ought to live. Who are the pagans? They are those who have no knowledge of God. They do not know the God who created heaven and earth. They do not possess God’s Word. Pagans do not know the God who gives salvation and daily bread to His people. They constantly rely on uncertainty and therefore cannot help but worry. That is why they want to accumulate more food, drink, and clothing. That is why they become anxious even when the amount of money in their bank account decreases slightly. So a believer who lives like a pagan becomes anxious and worried when their bank account or pension seems insufficient.

When a pagan-like believer senses any lack, he also prays. A true believer prays as well. But only the true believer prays with confidence that the heavenly Father knows their needs and will provide for them. Pagan-like believers do not have this confidence; thus, they attempt to supply their own needs by their own responsibility—but they are never certain whether those needs will actually be met. This uncertainty makes them people who worry.

Jesus emphasized to His disciples not to continue worrying about food, drink, and clothing, but to remember that they have a Father who abundantly supplies all needs, because He saw the unbelief in their hearts. Therefore, to pray anxiously about food, drink, and clothing is a strong rebuke: though you are God’s people, in actual daily life you resemble unbelievers.

2. Jesus’ rebuke is not merely to free God’s children from worrying about daily necessities; His desire is that God’s children grow in faith and live enjoying the peace and joy found in God.

2.1) The starting point of growing faith is shifting one’s perspective from worry and anxiety to the merciful heavenly Father.
The meaning of the sentence “Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” does not simply refer to an intellectual understanding of the situation. It means that God, as a Father, cares for His children and supplies their needs. It also means that He provides at the most suitable time and in the most fitting place. Therefore, we must first abandon the unbelieving heart that worries like the pagans. At the same time, we must fix our gaze on God the Father who supplies all our needs. When our gaze is fixed on our merciful Father, our souls gain stability and our faith grows.

2.2) For faith to grow, we must establish and practice our priorities.
To “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” means desiring God’s reign and rule each day and continually devoting oneself to it. In other words, it is a confession of faith—a resolve to make God’s will the highest priority in life rather than the values of the world. God the Father adds all necessary things to His children who practice life with this priority. This will result in the growth of faith, just as plants grow when receiving proper nutrients. In contrast, when worry becomes first priority, faith does not grow, but instead becomes like a plant that withers for lack of nourishment. Therefore, we must always place God first in our hearts and seek His kingdom and His righteousness. Then our faith will grow, mature, and bear fruit.

2.3) The amazing element of the Christian faith is that faith grows in proportion to one’s experience of God.
A person with much theological knowledge but no experience of God’s provision will bear less fruit than a person with little academic training but real experience of God. Therefore, in the church one cannot say with certainty that the one who bears the most spiritual fruit is the senior pastor.

Jonathan Edwards was an 18th-century theologian and pastor who led a great spiritual revival in America. He was a genius in Christian history—he entered Yale University at age 13, completed seminary at 19, entered ministry, and in his 30s led a powerful movement of conversion and revival in Northampton. He wrote many theological works. One day, while walking around a lake, he experienced the presence of God for about an hour. Afterward he confessed, “All of my biblical knowledge cannot compare with that one hour of experiencing God’s presence.” As we come to know God through experience, our faith gains confidence and grows strong. I earnestly hope that all our church members become believers who know God through experience and grow in their faith.

2.4) However, even if we experience God and live with His kingdom and righteousness as our top priority, God’s people must remember something: those who pursue God’s kingdom and righteousness will face persecution.

Matthew 5:10
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

2 Timothy 3:12
“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Everyone I have met who possesses strong faith has experienced trials and suffering. Conversely, most people who abandon faith in their old age or whose faith remains small are those who lived without difficulties and obtained everything they wanted.

I once met a woman in her 40s who owned her own gallery in Seoul and held a high social status, yet she was extremely humble. I wanted to know whether her humility was genuine or merely outward—because the human heart, corrupted by sin, cannot naturally possess humble faith. So I asked her directly, “You do not seem to have experienced many hardships. How can you be so humble?” She answered that when she was a university student and passionate about her faith, she became seriously ill and nearly died. She also experienced being abandoned by people who once praised her and claimed to love her. Through that painful experience, she realized how empty worldly praise and boasting are. At the same time, she experienced God’s grace in sparing her life, and she said she has not forgotten this and therefore strives always to humble herself before others.

So it is not strange that God’s children, who seek His kingdom and righteousness, experience trials and persecution. Those very hardships prove that our faith is genuine and help it grow.

2.5) To grow in faith, we must focus on today’s grace.
Matthew 6:34
“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

First, God’s children must not bring tomorrow’s concerns into today. One of the greatest obstacles to the growth of faith is bringing the problems of tomorrow into today and worrying about them now. Remember verse 34: tomorrow will worry about itself, and today’s troubles are enough for today. Today, with today’s grace, we are to live without worry even in difficult circumstances. Even this is already difficult. But if we also add tomorrow’s worries to today, faith will wither. Worry has the power to sustain negative imagination, and it robs our lives of the joy of walking with God. Therefore, let tomorrow’s concerns belong to tomorrow, and bring today’s heavy burdens to the cross so that we may live by today’s grace. This is the wisdom that grows faith.

Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Second, the command not to worry about tomorrow must not be misunderstood as meaning that we should not prepare for the future. I once heard someone testify that because he entrusted tomorrow fully to God, he held no insurance and made no savings. He said that he believed the words that the birds of the air do not sow or reap or store in barns, and yet God feeds them, and that he was obeying that teaching. However, he did not seem to understand that God also commends the farmer who prepares seeds, tills the ground for next year, and fertilizes the soil. Ironically, those who hold such beliefs eventually become people who worry, precisely because they made no preparation. In contrast, the proper attitude of faith is to prepare for the future as much as one can. This is the wisdom that avoids worry and helps faith grow.

Let me briefly explain the difference between preparation and worry.
A person who prepares can easily become a person who worries—when they begin to cling to their preparations. When such attachment strengthens, worry grows. Then they forget the merciful provision of the heavenly Father. Therefore, God’s people must prepare, but must not cling to their preparations. It is difficult to discern whether my preparation is driven by wisdom or by attachment. This is why we must remain awake in prayer each day and receive the wisdom God gives.

3. Finally, even if we put all the above into practice, worry can still arise in our hearts. Therefore, I want to share the method I personally used to drive out worry.

One night, just before going to sleep, I suddenly felt anxious thinking that I had made no preparation at all for my future. From the next day, worries about my future and concerns for my children began to grow. As I worried, my heart filled with frustration about my own inadequacy and complaints that God had not provided me with material blessings. I did not want to read Scripture, nor did I want to pray. I even began to doubt whether God would provide everything I needed in my old age. The worry that began small had become a huge stone pressing down on me. I found myself sinking into the dark pit of worry.

Thankfully, by God’s grace, I remembered Psalm 42:5 and 11 and was able to escape my worry. This psalm was written by the sons of Korah, Levites who served in the temple, who had been taken captive to Babylon and could no longer participate in temple worship or praise. Moreover, their desire to praise God was mocked by the people around them. He confessed, “My tears have been my food day and night.” Imagine how deeply discouraged he must have been—and yet he fought against his despair and sought to praise God.

Psalm 42:5
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”

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My Application

This is my application. I encourage you to try it yourselves.
Whenever I became aware that worry and discouragement were growing inside me, I took Psalm 42:5 and commanded myself out loud:

“Jungbok, why are you downcast? Why are you anxious within you? Jungbok, put your hope in God. Because when God the Father appears to help you, I will once again praise Him with joy.”
I repeat:
“Jungbok, why are you downcast? Why are you anxious within you? Jungbok, put your hope in God. Because when God the Father appears to help you, I will once again praise Him with joy.”

Whenever a worrying heart tried to come in, I used this Scripture to command myself. At first, it felt like nothing was happening, but as I kept doing it consistently, there came a moment when I truly desired not to worry, but instead to praise God.

I sincerely hope that all of you will not be people who worry, but believers who enjoy the joy of experiencing the Father God’s gracious provision and who praise Him.

Let us pray. (End)