HCC Sunday Service
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
Let’s turn together
in our Bibles
to the gospel of Matthew.
Matthew chapter 6.
& we’re gonna read
verses 25-34.
Matthew 6:25-34.
& when you
find that in your Bible
pls stand for
the reading
of God’s Word.
The title of
today’s teaching is:
The King’s Cure for Worry
In Matthew 6:25,
Jesus says to His disciples.
Matthew 6:25–34 (CSB)
25 “Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26 Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?
27 Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying?
28 And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread.
29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these.
30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith?
31 So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’
32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
You may be seated
“Here’s a little song
I wrote
You might want to sing it
note for note
Don't worry.
Be happy.
In every life
We have some trouble
But when you worry
You make it double.
Don't worry.
Be happy.”
In today’s passage,
Jesus gives us three commands.
& by obeying
these three commands,
We will apply....
Don’t Worry
Let’s Pray
Lord Jesus,
Thank You for Your Word.
Thank You for showing us,
thru Your Word,
the way we shld live to pls You.
Help us to hear,
Accept & live out the truth,
thru your grace.
In Your name we pray.
Amen.
[Transition: The 1st command,
King Jesus gives us,
to cure us frm worry is…]
1. Don’t worry about your NEEDS. (6:25-32)
1. Don’t worry about your NEEDS. (6:25-32)
In Matthew 6:25
Jesus says...
Matthew 6:25 (CSB)
25 “Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear.”
We all need
food & drink.
& we all need
clothes &
some form of shelter
to cover us.
& our heavenly Father knows,
we need those things.
But Jesus tells us,
We shld not worry,
abt having our needs met.
& Jesus goes on,
at the end of Matthew 6:25,
To ask:
Matthew 6:25 (CSB)
25 “Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?”
There’s more to life,
than our
physical needs.
There’s something,
much more important,
that needs
our attention.
Jesus tells us
what that is.
But 1st Jesus gives us,
two illustrations,
to show us,
we don’t need to worry,
abt our physical needs,
bcs we can count on
our God & Father
to supply our needs.
In verse 26,
Jesus encourages us to:
Matthew 6:26 (CSB)
26 “Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them.”
Jesus tells us to,
consider carefully—
to study closely
the birds of the sky.
& when we do,
we’ll notice
they don’t
sow or reap
any crops.
They don’t
plant or harvest;
& they don’t
store crops in barns.
But the birds,
have all
the food they need.
Why?
Bcs our heavenly Father
feeds them.
& notice the question
Jesus asks
at the end of
Matthew 6:26:
Matthew 6:26 (CSB)
26 "Aren’t you worth more than they?”
Aren’t we,
who are God’s children,
Aren’t we
much more valuable,
to our heavenly Father,
than His pet
parakeets?
Of course we are.
So, if our Father faithfully
feeds His pets,
won’t He faithfully feed,
His children too?
Of course He will.
So, don’t worry abt food.
Jesus goes on
in Matthew 6:28,
to give us another illustration,
to show us
our of Father’s faithfulness,
to fulfill our need
for clothes.
Jesus asks:
Matthew 6:28 (CSB)
28 And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread.
Flowers don’t do anything,
to make clothes
for themselves.
They don’t labor
at the loom.
They don’t
skillfully spin thread,
into cloth.
But as Jesus says
in Matthew 6:29,
Matthew 6:29 (CSB)
29 “Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these.”
King Solomon,
was the richest man
on earth.
& he had
the finest clothes
money cld buy
brought to him
frm all over the world.
But not even Solomon,
in all his splendor,
was as fashionable,
as the flowers of the field,
which are clothed,
w/o cost,
by our Faithful Father
in heaven.
& what does
that mean for us?
Jesus tells us
in Matthew 6:30.
He says...
Matthew 6:30 (CSB)
30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith?
Do you think
our Father in heaven,
cares more abt
clothing the grass,
than He does abt
clothing His children?
Of course not.
So, if God
clothes the grass,
w/ more splendor
than King Solomon;
How much more
will He clothe us;
Who are His
dearly loved children?
God takes
much better care,
in clothing His children,
than He does
in clothing His garden.
So, don’t worry,
abt clothing.
Jesus teaches us
We can learn a lot,
abt how much
our heavenly Father
cares for us
by studying how He
cares for the rest
of creation.
If you ever doubt
God’s ability,
to provide for your needs,
just look at
what God does,
for the rest of
His creation.
Year in & year out;
Week in & week out;
Day in & day out,
our gracious & glorious
God & Father,
provides for the needs
of His creation.
As King David reminds us...
In Psalm 145:15:
Psalm 145:15–16 (CSB)
15 All eyes look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
Our Father is not
some distant God
who has no interaction
w/ His creation.
Our loving God & Father,
is personally involved
in the care of
all of His creation.
As Jesus says in
Matthew 10:29–31 (CSB)
29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent.
30 But even the hairs of your head have all been counted.
31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Frm the smallest insect,
to His children,
who are created
in God’s image.
Our All-powerful;
All-seeing;
Always present Provider,
is at work in
the details of
His creation
Supplying all
our needs.
So, let’s not be like those,
who are of little faith.
Let’s allow the truths,
that we’re taught,
by God’s creation,
& by the Lord Jesus,
Let’s allow those truths,
To make us
a ppl
of strong faith.
When we serve
our Father faithfully...
we’ll never lack
anything we need.
So, Don’t worry
abt your needs.
This is a good place,
to point out,
That the list of needs
Jesus gives us,
is likely much smaller,
than we
might expect.
Jesus says
our heavenly Father,
will supply our need,
for food, drink,
& clothing or covering,
which wld include,
some form of shelter.
That’s Our Father’s promise,
to His children.
God promises
to provide for
all the physical needs
of His children.
But for followers of Jesus
our physical needs
shld not be,
our number one priority,
Like they are
for the rest
of the world.
As Jesus says in
Matthew 6:32 (CSB)
32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
In this context
Gentiles are ppl
who don’t know,
the true
& living God;
Ppl who are not concerned,
abt the nxt life.
Their only concern is,
w/ the needs of this life.
Their god is
their stomach.
Their mind is
on earthly things.
So they’re completely consumed
w/ fulfilling their
physical needs.
They’re number one focus,
is to eagerly seek,
food, drink,
clothing & shelter.
But that’s not
the kind of life,
Jesus wants
for His disciples.
Jesus assures us
our heavenly Father knows,
we need certain things,
to live on this earth.
But Jesus also says,
as important as
those things are,
eagerly seeking the things,
that sustain us physically,
shld not to be
our top priority.
Our priorities
& focus must not be,
on earthly things.
Instead,
our priorities & focus,
are to be on something else.
[Transition: & that brings us to the 2nd command
King Jesus gives us,
abt worry
Don’t worry abt your needs...]
2. Do seek God’s kingdom FIRST (6:33)
2. Do seek God’s kingdom FIRST (6:33)
In Matthew 6:33
Jesus says
Matthew 6:33 (CSB)
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
In contrast to those,
who don’t know God;
& who worry abt
& eagerly seek,
only the things,
that will sustain them
in this life—
Jesus commands us,
to seek the things,
that will prepare us
for the nxt life.
We’re to seek first,
the kingdom of God,
& His righteousness.
& when we do that,
not only will we gain,
eternal life,
in the life to come;
but we also have the promise,
that God will provide for
our needs,
in this life.
But what does Jesus mean,
When He tells us,
to seek
God’s kingdom FIRST?
Does He mean:
If I seek God’s kingdom first,
then I can do,
whatever I want to do”?
ILLUSTRATION
Is Jesus telling us
to treat God’s kingdom
like many ppl
treat exercise?
We exercise first,
so we can then eat,
that piece of pie
or batch of brownies
that’s calling
our name frm the kitchen.
Does Jesus mean
If I go to church
on Sunday morning,
then I can spend
the rest of the day,
or the rest of the week,
doing whatever
I want to do?
I checked off
the church box—
Got that out of the way,
Now let me get on w/ doing,
what I really want to do.
That’s not,
what Jesus means.
Seeking God’s kingdom
& righteousness first means:
We must seek
God’s kingdom...
& seek to live
a righteous life
above all else.
It means our concern
for God’s kingdom,
& living right
by God’s standards
must be our
number one priority.
We shld put
our spiritual lives
abv our physical needs.
So, Jesus says:
Don’t worry abt
your needs.
Do seek God’s kingdom FIRST,
by living a
righteous life.
But how do we do that?
How do we live right
by God’s standards?
Well,
back in Matthew 5:20.
Jesus tells us
Matthew 5:20 (NIV)
20 ...unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus says,
if we want to enter
the kingdom of God,
then our righteousness,
must greatly surpass,
the righteousness,
of the religious leaders,
in the times of Jesus.
For many years
we’ve been led to blv
the religious leaders
were these really righteous
ppl who were
real consumed w/
keeping
God’s commandments.
& nobody cld be
as righteous
as they were.
But when we
study this out,
we find that
the religious leaders,
were not righteous at all.
They were very concerned,
w/ keeping
their own traditions.
But they were not concerned,
w/ keeping
the commands of God.
They set aside
God’s commands
in order to keep
their own traditions.
So, in Matthew 5:19,
Jesus tells us
what we must do
to make sure our righteousness,
surpasses their righteousness,
& enter the kingdom.
He says.
Matthew 5:19 (CSB)
19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Our righteousness surpasses,
that of the scribes & Pharisees,
is when we actually obey the
commands of God,
by obeying the commands,
of the King Jesus.
That’s the righteousness
that gets us into
the kingdom of heaven.
That’s the righteousness,
Jesus is talking abt
in Matthew 6:33.
To seek
the righteousness of God,
is to seek
abv all else
to live righteous lives,
by obeying the commands
of Jesus.
That’s how we seek,
the kingdom of God.
We’ve gotta put,
obeying God’s commandments
above all
other pursuits.
We’re not to focus on,
getting the things
that are necessary,
to live on earth.
Our main focus,
must be on living out,
the commands of Christ,
so we’ll be prepared,
for the nxt life.
& Jesus promises:
If we’ll do that,
God will supply
our physical needs.
So, we don’t need,
to worry abt it.
APPLICATION
Now
In America
we tend to have
a dfrnt problem
than been worried abt
seeking food...
clothing....
& shelter.
Most of us
don’t worry abt
food...
drink...
clothing...
& shelter.
Instead
we have all these
distractions—
So many things,
that draw our attention,
away frm seeking God’s kingdom,
& righteous living,
as our number one priority.
ILLUSTRATION
For example:
How many of us
say we don’t have time
to pray
or don’t have time
to read or study
the Scriptures?
But how many of us,
who’ve said that,
also spend several hours
every week:
Watching TV.
Reading newspapers
Searching
the internet.
or studying other
materials?
When we do those things,
Are we seeking
God’s kingdom first?
Is it that we
don’t have time,
to pray
to read
to study the Scriptures?
Or is that we just need,
to change our focus;
& get our priorities right?
These questions
are not meant to condemn
but to challenge us—
all of us—
to do better?
Long Pause
How dfrnt cld the world be:
If God’s ppl,
were laser focused,
on the kingdom of God?
If we spent more time,
in the Word?
More time in prayer?
More time making disciples?
More time seeking,
God’s kingdom
& righteousness?
When we read
the book of Acts,
We see,
what Kingdom focused Christians,
look like,
& the effect they had,
on the world around them.
That was a powerful church.
Their only focus,
was seeking the kingdom of God,
& His righteousness;
Their only focus,
was to know Christ,
& to make Him known.
Their only focus,
was living & spreading,
the kingdom of God.
& what was the result?
Listen to what their enemies,
said abt them,
in Acts 17:6.
They said
Acts 17:6 (EOB: NT)
6 “These people...have turned the world upside down...
They turned their world,
UP SIDE DOWN.
I often hear ppl say,
We want
the pwr they had
in the early church.
Do we want that power?
Here’s a much
tougher question:
Are we willing
to go all in;
To seek the kingdom of God,
& His righteousness,
above all else,
like they did?
We’ll never have
God’s power,
like they did;
until we make God’s kingdom,
our top priority,
like they did.
Are we willing to do that?
Are we willing
to stop waisting time
on the frivolities
of this world,
& focus on
the world to come.
Is this too much,
for a Sunday morning?
Saints:
We need to stop worrying,
abt the things of this world.
Stop worrying,
abt the countless distractions,
our unsaved neighbors,
are consumed w/.
& we need to stay focused,
on eternity.
Not only our eternity,
but the eternity,
of the rest of the world.
It’s time we wake up,
frm our sinful slumber;
& start seeking the kingdom of God,
& His righteousness first.
It’s time that seeking God’s kingdom,
& living righteous lives,
becomes our
number one priority.
It’s time we obey the commands,
of king Jesus.
Don’t worry abt your needs;
Do seek the kingdom of God first;
[Transition: & finally...]
3. Don’t worry about the FUTURE (6:34)
3. Don’t worry about the FUTURE (6:34)
In Matthew 6:34,
Jesus concludes His teaching...
abt worry
w/ this command...
Matthew 6:34 (CSB)
34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Since our lives,
are more than,
food, drink, & clothing;
Since we can be sure,
when we seek God’s kingdom,
& righteousness first;
God will give us,
everything we need;
Since those things are true;
Then we never need
to worry
abt tomorrow.
We’ve just gotta focus on
seeking the kingdom
of God....
today;
Seek the righteousness of God...
today;
Spend today...
Focused on obeying Jesus;
& God will see to it...
that everything works out,
like it’s supposed to.
Worrying does us no good.
Think abt the question,
Jesus asks us,
In Matthew 6:27:
He asks:
Matthew 6:27 (CSB)
27 Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying?
Well, can we?
Can we add any time
to our lives
by worrying abt
what will happen
tomorrow?
The obvious answer is:
No.
What good does worrying,
abt the future,
do for us?
It does us
no good at all.
So, let’s not worry
abt the future.
Let’s focus on
seeking the kingdom of God...
& living a righteous life,
today.
& let’s leave tomorrow
in the hands of
Our heavenly Father.
He will go bfr us
& make all
the necessary preparations,
to meet our needs
for that day.
Listen to what
the Psalmist says
abt this
in Psalm 139:13-18.
He says to the Lord...
Psalm 139:13–16 (CSB)
13 ...it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made. Your works are wondrous, and I know this very well.
15 My bones were not hidden from you when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of [my mother’s womb].
16 Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in your book and planned before a single one of them began.
This shows us again
the great care
our loving Father has
for His children.
He knits each of us
together in our
mother’s womb.
He’s involved in
the details
of our lives.
& the God who knows
the end
frm the beginning
He plans out
every day of our lives
bfr we ever live one.
He knows
exactly what we need
for each day
of our lives.
& He’s
more than able,
to supply those needs.
& if we’ll continue,
to seek God’s kingdom,
& righteousness above all else,
God will supply our needs.
So, Don’t worry
abt the future.
Now, having said that
This does not mean
Our lives will
be carefree
in this world.
Jesus is not saying
we will not have
any troubles.
We need to live each day,
w/ an awareness,
Of what Jesus says,
at the end of Matthew 6:34,
so that we don’t
become discouraged
by difficult days.
Jesus says:
Matthew 6:34 (CSB)
34 Each day has enough trouble of its own.
In this world
we will
have trouble.
Those who seek
the kingdom of God,
& seek to live a righteous life,
in an unrighteous
& ungodly world,
will always face,
temptation,
tribulation,
persecution,
& other trials
& troubles.
& if we sit around,
& start to wonder,
how we’re gonna live right,
in this world long-term,
or what this world
will be like,
for our children,
then we can become,
discouraged.
So, Jesus tells us,
Just focus on
living right,
for today.
Focus on,
obeying Christ’s commands,
today.
& no matter,
what trouble today brings,
our heavenly Father will supply,
both our physical
& spiritual needs,
so we can be,
more than conquerors,
thru Him who loves us;
& overcome our troubles,
thru God’s grace.
CONCLUSION
As we close,
We saw today that Jesus commands us,
Not to worry,
abt our needs.
Bcs there’s more to our lives & bodies,
than food & clothing;
Our heavenly Father knows,
we need those things.
& He promises,
to supply those needs for us;
Just like He supplies the needs,
the rest of creation.
So, God does not want us,
to focus on those things.
Instead, God wants us to focus on,
seeking His kingdom,
& His righteousness.
& we do that,
by seeking to obey,
all the commands of King Jesus.
Jesus also commands us,
Not to worry abt the future.
Bcs our future,
is God’s hands.
& bcs in this world,
we have enough trouble,
to deal w/ one day at a time.
So, let’s obey the commands of Jesus,
Don’t worry abt your NEEDS.
Do seek God’s kingdom FIRST;
& Don’t worry abt the FUTURE.
That’s:
The King’s Cure for Worry.
PRAYER
Let’s all stand for prayer.
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for
Your promises.
Thank You for reminding us,
that we don’t need to worry,
abt our needs.
If we’ll just seek Your Kingdom.
& seek to live,
righteous lives today;
Then you’ll take care of us.
Lord help always remember
all our days,
are in the hands,
of a loving Father,
who will always,
take care of His children.
Help us live
in light of that truth.
In Jesus name.
Amen.