After Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount, the disciples and Jesus embarked on a ministry trip so that Jesus could TEACH His disciples and MODEL FOR THEM the way of life that He was describing in the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew records these stories one after another to make the case that Jesus alone has the power to intervene. He was unlike the other religious leaders of His day. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7, Matthew adds that “the crowds were astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one who had authority, not as their scribes.” He has REAL POWER to INTERVENE IN OUR TROUBLES and Matthew wanted to make sure we understood the reason why Jesus could STAND UP AND SAY DON’T BE ANXIOUS. It wasn’t just a slogan to make us feel better or distract us from our troubles. Jesus REALLY IS DIFFERENT. People’s lives WERE REALLY CHANGED when they encountered Him.
Jesus taught us that when WE ARE FEELING ANXIOUS, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you…what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him A STONE? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him A SERPENT? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him A SCORPION? (Luke 11:11-12) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven GIVE GOOD (anti-anxiety) THINGS to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:7-11)
The flat rounded stones in Israel look like a loaf of bread, The Needlefish grow to lengths of over 25 inches and could be mistaken for a serpent, when a scorpion is threatened it curls up and looks like a wild egg. The child may not know the difference, but the Father ALWAYS knows the difference, so he will keep us from harm! Just like our Heavenly Father KEEPS US FROM ANXIETY. So, we can, “Cast ALL our anxiety on Him because He CARES (melō: He cares in ALL its fullness) for you” (1 Peter 5:7)
Uncle Bill who loves you and is praying for you!!!