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THE FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY September 13, 2026 Pastor Tom Steers Christ the Saviour Lutheran Church, Toronto Our Bible Readings: Old Testament – 1 Kings 17:8-16 Psalm 146 Epistle – Galatians 5:25-6:10 Gospel – Matthew 6:24-34 Our Hymn of the Day from Lutheran Service Book is LSB 722, “Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cz0GLuUC2U&list=RD6Cz0GLuUC2U&start_radio=1 The Sermon – Our Gospel reading today brings us into the heart of Jesus’ teaching on trust. A trust not in ourselves, nor in earthly security, but in the Father who sent His Son to redeem us. A trust in the Lord, who now sustains us in every need of body and soul. Christ’s words are familiar: “Do not be anxious,” “Look at the birds,” “Consider the lilies,” “Seek first the kingdom of God.” Yet we must consider these words with care. Jesus is not calling His followers to irresponsibility, laziness, or a withdrawal from daily duties. He is calling us to a life ordered by faith, shaped by the Gospel, and freed from the crushing burden of self reliance. To understand this rightly, we need to begin where Jesus does: “No one can serve two masters.” The question is not whether we work, plan, or labour. The issue is whom we trust. Anxiety, in the biblical sense, is not merely an emotion; it is misplaced faith. It is the heart’s attempt to secure life apart from God’s promises. Jesus exposes this false trust so He may replace it with true trust — faith in the Father who clothes the lilies and feeds the birds. Faith in the Father’s only Son, given for our salvation. This Christ-centered trust is the foundation of the Christian life. Through God’s Word and Sacraments, the Holy Spirit brings us to repentance and works faith in us. He unites us to Christ, who has fulfilled the Law, borne our sin, and conquered death. In Christ we are justified — declared righteous before God. And because we are justified, we are free. Martin wrote in “The Freedom of a Christian”: “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none; a Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” (LW 31:344) This paradox is essential for understanding Jesus’ teaching in Matthew Chapter 6. The Christian is fully free — free from the Law’s condemnation, free from fear of death, free from the anxiety of earning God’s favour. Christ has done all. At the same time, the Christian becomes a servant — gladly, willingly, joyfully — because through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, faith produces works of love. This dual nature of Christian freedom shines through our readings today. In 1st Kings 17, the widow of Zarephath stands as a living example of faith under pressure. She has nothing — only a handful of flour and a little oil. Yet the Word of the Lord comes through Elijah: “Do not fear.” The promise is clear: “The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty.” The widow does not then act out of reckless abandon, but out of trust in the God who speaks. Her faith isn’t passive; it’s active. She bakes bread. She serves Elijah. She continues in her vocation. But she does so trusting that the Lord will provide. This is precisely what Jesus teaches in Matthew 6. Faith does not eliminate work; faith sanctifies work. Faith does not remove responsibility; faith frees responsibility from fear. Psalm 146 reminds us that trust in earthly rulers, systems, or securities is ultimately misplaced. “Put not your trust in princes,” the psalmist cautions, “in whom there is no salvation.” Instead, trust in the Lord “who keeps faith forever,” “who executes justice,” “who gives food to the hungry.” The psalmist’s trust is grounded in God’s character — His steadfast love, faithfulness, and covenant mercy. This is the God who feeds the birds and clothes the lilies of the field. This is the God who sent His Son to redeem us and promises daily bread and eternal life. Paul’s words in our reading from Galatians shaped Luther’s teaching. “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” Christian freedom isn’t an escape from moral responsibility; it is the transformation of moral responsibility. Human works do not save, but faith produces works. The Christian, secure in Christ, is now free to “bear one another’s burdens,” to “do good to everyone,” and especially to “those who are of the household of faith.” This is the life Jesus describes in Matthew 6. The Christian does not serve two masters. He serves one — Christ — and is therefore freed from the tyranny of anxiety. Freed from fear, he is free to love compassionately. Jesus’ teaching culminates in the command: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Yet Jesus is not saying, ‘If you seek God, then He will reward you.” Jesus’ words are spiritual truth. When Christ is your righteousness, when His kingdom is your treasure, when His salvation is your confidence, then everything else falls into its proper place. The Christian still works, plans, saves, and labours. But he does so without fear. Anxiety is replaced by trust. Worry is replaced by prayer. Self reliance becomes reliance on Christ. The lilies and birds are not idle. They do what God created them to do. Yet they do not worry. So, also with the Christian. We fulfill our vocations — parent, worker, student, citizen, neighbour — not to secure our salvation, but because salvation has already been secured. Jesus’ words, then, are a call to faith. Dear brothers and sisters, your heavenly Father knows what you need. He knows our fears, burdens, uncertainties, and hardships. And He who did not spare His own Son will not fail to love you. Christ’s cross is the guarantee of the Father’s care. His resurrection is the believer’s certainty of salvation. His Word and Sacraments are the means by which the Spirit sustains you. You are not alone, not forgotten. We are not left to fend for ourselves. Seek first the kingdom—not because you must earn it, but because it has already been given to you in Christ. His provision is for now and for life eternal.