Hello All,
Please join us, our Zoom Link is below for this Saturday’ssession at 8:00 AM PDT 03/21/2026. I am blessed by the presence of each one of you in my life. We show gratitude to God by “giving thanks in all circumstances …” [1Thess. 5:18a]
We continue our study of Matthew. [Matt. 5, 6, 7] These chapters are the very basics of Jesus’ teachings, as He establishes His authority on earth. He articulated them in a single teaching, spoken in a single lecture if you will. It may draw a chuckle from some, but He then had to spend the next three years explaining what He said. We should reflect on that for a moment.
Today’s study is very basic to each of us. Jesus deals mostly with our attitude toward food, clothing and judging others. However, Jesus’ sermon closes with the consequences of our failure to forgive others. There is much to talk about and much to personally consider. Please join us.
It is my prayer that you will be able to do so.
Love, hank
Zoom Link:
For Study, Prayer and Fellowship – 8:00 AM PDT 03/21/2026:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82968961343?pwd=LzcwVjJKcWVESDRURlhDcXlNV0JUdz09
Meeting ID: 829 6896 1343
Passcode: 77299ere:
Study Notes:
03/21/2026 – [Matt. 6:25-34] – Food and Clothing – Jesus’ teaching in [v. 6:25-34] directly follows – and is logically connected to the revelation about our treasures and our Master in [v. 19-24]. Notice how Jesus uses “Therefore” (NIV) as He transitions from [v. 24 to v. 25]. We must be mindful of our attitude toward earthly possessions, to fully under-stand there can be only one master in the life of Jesus’ disciples [v. 24]. The command to be free from worry, naturally and inevitably follows. When food and clothing are our masters, the resulting slavery is to worry – will there be enough of these necessities? However, when serving our Father in heaven, because Jesus came to earth, there will be an entirely alternative attitude toward food and clothing, that are a part of what it means to be human.
Let us start with a three, part introduction: 1) Jesus is teaching about the necessities of life. Be aware that there is a tendency among humans to redefine luxuries as wants and then escalate them into genuine needs. NOTE: Jesus does not preach a “prosperity gospel.” Jesus tells everyone regardless of faith that the Father knows that we need food and clothing. [v. 6:32b] and that He will provide for those whom He treasures far more than birds and lilies. [v. 6:26-30] Editorially, – we in North America, generally, have more than we need. 2) NOTE: Jesus’ teaching in [v. 6:25-34] is not a guarantee that His disciples will never be in a circumstance of extreme physical need. Jesus’ disciples have seen birds starve and lilies wither. In God’s mysterious ways we struggle within a fallen creation. It is here that we experience “natural” disasters, wars and persecutions via those who hate the Lord. We see this reveal-ed often in the 20C., and we should be mindful that seeing is believing. Even in the face of Jesus calling some to be missionaries, they should expect that the incidence of physical deprivations may increase. However, the command to be free of worry emanates from the truth that Jesus’ disciples are the servants of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Their triune God will see fit to their provisions. 3) Let us find ways to deal with the inclination of humans to worry. Worry plagues Jesus’ disciples and wicks away their time and energy. First, we should simply rebuke worry and then confess it as the sin it is. When we confess our sin (worry), we receive God’s forgiveness and new strength to begin again. That is the biblical way, Jesus has an alternative. [v. 6:25-34] Jesus gently begins with a series of rhetorical questions which invite the disciples to remember they are living their lives under the care of the Father. Do we have such courage? Jesus turns His disciples away from worry and teaches and guides them toward the reign of God and His righteousness which has come into the world – Jesus.
Jesus’ invitation is holistic. To seek the reign of God is to seek the Gospel which comes to us in The Scriptures and the Sacraments. When we seek that Gospel, we experience the sus-taining community of fellow disciples – who are our brothers and sisters. With them we are joined to Christ in Holy Baptism, and with them we gather to hear God’s word and receive the Lord’s Supper. In all those places we find God’s saving righteousness; there God is at work forgiving and making things right. That is what life is for; here is the purpose and goal of the body. We are being drawn to orient our lives and to be free from worry over life’s other needs. The Father will fulfill those needs. [v. 6:33b] Jesus says in His concluding proverb [v. 6:34], each day has enough trouble, so why borrow more by worrying about the next day. As Jesus’ disciples, we have one Master [v. 6:24]. The Master is the heavenly Father of Jesus , the Savior – the word empowers us to walk with Jesus, with authority.
[Matt. 7:1-6] – Judging Others – In the next few verses we will be leaving the Sermon. But before leaving Jesus addresses the disciple with an arrogant spirit, blind to his own faults and failings. May pass judgement on, or even reject, fellow disciples. Jesus is not forbidding all judgements of our brothers and sisters, but warning of being hypocritical. If we are to be “salt and light” we must proclaim God’s Word [v. 5:13-16] . Be aware that Jesus is primarily referring to relationships between fellow Christians with His often use of “brother” [v. 7:3-5]. Jesus sees the person who is blind to his own failings with the symbol of the beam stuck in his own eye. Jesus’ hyperbole is beautiful because of its impossibility. One could say it is grotesque, but it is more grotesque to find fault with a fellow disciple without the humble awareness of one’s own faults. If I do not realize that I have sinned and have too many faults in need of correction I cannot approach a fellow Christian and offer him admonition or call him to repentance. If I hypocritically embark on such a journey, I shall pay the price through the end of time. This is true also if we withhold forgiveness from another believer. Only God, without sin, can judge without any awareness of personal sin. AMEN (pg. 32 – 33)
Love, hank
Hank Hohenstein, OFS
Land Steward
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Shady Cove, OR 97539
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RJ Hamster 