Greater than #3

Jamey

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Faith is greater than our worry

June 9, 2024

Jamey Mills

Thank you for praying with and for us… We leave in about an hour… and will be gone for a couple of weeks. Really looking forward to seeing you all, where you’ve been living and serving… Kurt, Beth, Ellie, Julia, and Lucy… We’re on our way and we’re bringing peanut butter!!

As we start today… could I get all of our HS and college graduates to stand?

As a church we want to recognize and congratulate you… we are incredibly proud of you and the work you’ve done.

Pray for them…

HS grads you need to see Jim… he has something for you.

I hope you guys were able to catch the sermon last week… one of our elders, Jonathan preached and I felt like he delivered a sermon that has the power to resolve so much of the question and tension we tend to carry… a sermon I think you should refer back to often…

In a world that seems to ache for identity, meaning and significance…. Were we go to great lengths to create it for ourselves… Jon’s conclusion I felt was one of the most powerful, condensed, and accurate views as to who you really are… what your identity really is… that I’ve ever heard.

In fact we are going to make his 10 conclusionary points into a bookmark and give that out to you all as a constant reminder… of who you really are. It’s that important.

We are in our 3rd week of a series we are calling “Greater than”

It’s designed to challenge us to consider whether or not we really believe it…

Do we really believe that God, His plan, His design, care, provision… is greater than anything we face, achieve, or that this world can give?

What kind of evidence is there in my life that suggests I believe that?

I think one of the things that provides evidence is a growing sense of faith and trust in God… both in the little and big things of life.

Today’s sermon is… God is greater than our fear/worry…

Here’s an interesting fact… the world health organization actually used and stats from George Barna’s research (2020)... Barna is a Christian statistician who actually has gotten himself in trouble with the Christian Community for telling truth the church didn’t want to hear…

What you see is…. Statistically… holistically… When it comes to worry and fear… the floor has dropped out and we are in freefall… our young people are leading the way.

Over 60% of adults in our country struggle with worry and stress every day.

The #1 growing demographic within that struggle… teens and young adults.

These numbers were collected months before Covid and published toward the beginning of it… if you’re not sure the impact Covid had, talk to cops and counselors…

One author said it this way… what we see is the most affluent society in the world… seems to me the most affected and burdened by worry.

Top 10 Fears of 2023 % of Very Afraid or Afraid

Corrupt government officials 60.1%

Economic/financial collapse 54.7%

Russia using nuclear weapons 52.5%

The US becoming involved in another World War 52.3%

People I love becoming seriously ill 50.6%

People I love dying 50.4%

Pollution of drinking water 50.0%

Biological warfare 49.5%

Cyber-terrorism 49.3%

Not having enough money for the future 48.0%

Worry to me sometimes feels like it has loose ends… we aren’t always able to articulate if worry is present and at what level… and I think it's helpful to get a feel for the scope of what we are talking about…

Some of the Synonyms for worry are things like…

doubt, burdened, fear, anxiety, panic, sleeplessness, distress, concern

Some of the antonym of worry;

Things like peace, calm, hope,bravery, courage,

confidence (but in what? what we place our confidence in plays a role here… is it shaky ground or a firm foundation)

One of the big ones is… faith.

The subject of worry takes up quite a bit of real estate in the Bible…

And it’s something that Jesus Himself addresses in the sermon on the mount…

In Matthew Ch 6 Jesus Himself teaches about the importance of

investing in and keeping our eyes on the right things and

Matthew 6:24(ESV)

24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

He talks about a divided heart… and he Choses… God and money on purpose… two of main things people can build their lives on… And then Jesus in vs. 25 connects it directly to worry.

Worry can be a sign of a divided heart.

In a sense I feel like Jesus is asking… will it be about God and His Kingdom or you and yours… You can’t have it both ways.

Jesus says don't worry and then he goes on to give us several reasons as to why… and as I was studying this week, I noticed that every single reason that Jesus gives points us to this tension that we are supposed to see and feel…

Do I really trust God or… Is it up to me.

So much of worry is rooted in fear.

Matthew 6:25–34 (NLT)

Matthew 6:25–34 NLT

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

25 “That is why I tell you (therefore) don't worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live (his righteousness) righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Jesus gives us 4 clear reasons not to worry… I know… just one more thing to worry about…

1. God has you.

This is directly connected to our view of God… and our understanding or His view of us. This is what Jonathan preached last week…

Are you confident in who God is and in who you are to Him?

Do you believe that God has the ability… authority… to provide what it is you need?

Jesus uses 2 examples…

Birds…

They don’t plant or harvest… They don’t store up food in barns… and they are not consumed by worry… why? God takes care of them.

Jesus is not saying be lazy… sit on the couch and dig around for doritos… the birds don’t just sit there… when they are hungry they go out… and look… and work… they do their part, but it’s God who provides… we are supposed to catch this… there is an element in this… that they are completely helpless in.

The same goes for you…

God doesn’t call us to be lazy. Trusting God to provide doesn't t mean that we don't move forward, don't have plans or that we don't make effort, but it means that we trust God with the results.

we trust that God will provide what we need… in great faith realizing that so much of it is out of our control.

This mindset is in part what helps us to become generous people… IF all I have is God’s… and he is in control… If he has me and will care for me… I don’t need to hoard this.

Flowers…

I feel like with this one Jesus is pointing out both the brevity of life and where real beauty/meaning comes from.

He talks about flowers that are here today and thrown in the fire tomorrow…

I think Jesus is saying life is short… so live intentionally… know what it’s about… Don’t waste it chasing foolish things.

Jesus is also pointing us to where real meaning and beauty is found…

The flowers of the field have meaning and are beautiful simply because God made them that way… it wasn’t something they did or accomplished… The same is true of you.

Jesus says that Solomon… possibly the wisest and wealthiest man that’s ever lived… couldn't touch the beauty that God instills in the lilies of the field…

In this passage, Jesus is comparing the lesser with the greater.

He’s saying that if God does this with the lesser things… birds and flowers… how much more should we believe that He will care for and provide for us.

Jesus asks a question so obvious it needs to answer… are you not more valuable to Him than they are? You have to resolve that… What else would God have to do to help you believe that?

And as we went through Genesis, we talked about that often.

You can look around and see that in all creation and see humanity is different…

And God tells what that difference is…

We have a role and influence over creation that is unique to humanity.

We are the only ones that are created in the very image of God.

If God cares for the birds and flowers, how confident should you be that He has you?

Not just in the small day to day… stuff.

But in the biggest and most profound way…in the area that I am least able to do anything for myself… God has already won… He’s already met my greatest need through faith in Jesus. Thats what he meant when He said… it is finished.

Paul talks about at one point how its better for him if he goes… but for us if he stays…

He believed that God had him… both here and now… but ultimately where it matters most.

2. Worry doesn’ help.

Jesus says that worry is unproductive. It doesn’t accomplish anything positive.

Jesus points to things that birds can’t do… all the worrying in the world was futile. The bird is absolutely helpless within it… God would either provide or he wouldn’t.

Worry doesn’t add to their value… doesn’t add to the bottom line… it doesn’t extend their life somehow… it doesn’t change the outcome…

It’s healthy to step back and ask… in whatever I am worrying about, what does my worry accomplish?

Jesus says it doesn’t add a single moment… we know that worry robs us of our moments and our days…

Worry doesn’t add anything of value, in fact we know that worry subtracts from life…

Jesus says it doesn’t add a single moment… in fact, we know that it takes moments away…

Almost every report I read talks about the impact worry has on mortality through natural consequences… it literally… slowly… robs us of life.

Some of the side effects of worry…

Insomnia, headaches, difficulty concentrating, digestive issues, fatigue, irritability, depression, muscle tension, Nausea, heart issues, weight issues, breathing issues…

And it’s interesting… a study put out by Penn st. suggests that

91% of what we worry about, never comes to pass.

Meaning… we largely worry for no reason.

3. Worry can be a sign of a divided heart or faithlessness.

Jesus makes a strong statement… in vs. 30-31…

He connects worry to faith…

Why do you have such little faith… Why do you worry about these things, they dominate the thoughts and lives of unbelievers…

And if that confronts you a bit… That's probably a good thing… don’t run from it.

But also keep in mind that More than condemning, I think

Jesus is trying to help us understand the power, value, and impact faith has on our everyday lives.

We don't have to and shouldn't face life and issues and trails as those without faith…

As those without hope…

One author reminds us that worry leaves little room for faith…

As we looked at Genesis we are reminded over and over… that worry has a tendency to make us put things in our own hands… instead of trusting God’s.

What do you worry about that is beyond God’s knowledge or control?

Lastly…

4.Worry robs you of what’s right in front of your face.

The last few weeks we’ve been walking through graduation stuff with Kylee…

I got play the part of an adult on her senior trip… attend her graduation… and host a party with a lot of her supporters…

So incredibly proud of her and all she’s had to overcome.

It forced me to do a lot of reflection… and how each and every stage of raising her presented a different type of worry…

When babies are born… they just seem so fragile

Toddlers… what they might get into

Getting a bike… lets just say not all of Kylee’s teeth are real

Going to school… how would she be treated

Getting a phone…

Getting a drivers license

Going to college…

And it really hit me hard… how easy it is to be consumed with worry… to the point of missing it. You literally can worry your life and relationships away.

Worry has this unique ability of robbing you of the good things that are right in front of your face. Jesus says… instead… LIVE IN IT. LIVE out today to the fullest…

And the feeling I get is… living out faith today not only helps us live in the moment, but its one of the ways we can keep worry from compounding in our life.

And so many times we feel like… if things don’t go the way I think they should, all hope is lost…

Paul… in prison… singing…

Daniel in the Lions Den

Joseph as he was sold into slavery, put into prison, accused and forgotten

All of Israel… wondering in the dessert

Our battle with worry is not about the absence of issues or struggle or trouble…

It’s about the presence of God… and our faith in His goodness… in the face of them.

I’ve found that if God has me in a place I’d rather not be, it's either for my development or His purposes and I don’t want to miss either.

One author said it like this…

What we worry about most might indicate what we trust God with least.

And what do you do about it?

I think it's important to understand the difference between concern and worry.

Concern acknowledges the issue… Worry tends to overwhelm and paralyze us in it.

Concern/Worry picture…

Really asking will I respond in faith or fear.

Jesus says right there, in the midst of that battle between fear and faith… Seek God,His Kingdom, and the righteousness He provides.

In whatever area you’re struggling, what does it look like to seek Him, His Kingdom, His righteousness in…

Money… is He first? Is His Kingdom first?

Kids… Marriage… Work…

And Jesus says… focus on being faith filled… today.

Philippians 4 is one of my favorite passages about worry…

I’d memorize it if I were you…

Philippians 4:6–7 (NLT)

Philippians 4:6–7 NLT

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

One of the antonyms of worry… is gratitude.

Remembering… seeing… identifying the ways that God has been good to you… provided for you… watched out for you… not only takes our eyes off of ourselves… but it reminds us that faith placed in Him… is not misplaced at all.

Invite the worship team up…

At the very core, worry and anxiety are somehow tangled up in the way we see God, trust God, and even what we believe about who we are in Him.

What will it be? Faith or fear?

Learning to replace fear with faith is part of the journey… Its part of the work and development that God does in us… and I think Jesus wants us to realize the value… that faith and trusting God has in our everyday life… and invest in it.

All kinds of passages that remind of us of that truth…

About how God is with us… even in the valley of the shadow of death

About how if God is for us, who could ever be against us

About how you are intentionally created and intimately known by God

About how whatever happens in life… in Christ we are more than conquerors

That you are the object of His affection, the target of His grace, that their heir of His promise

What is it you face that is greater than God…

Then why do you keep it from Him?

COMMUNION:

Every week we provide the opportunity to take communion…

As something that Jesus instituted…

That reminds us of God’s provision and goodness where we are most helpless…

He took the bread and the cup… blessed it… and said do these things remembering me…

If you’d like to participate, you’ll find it at the back table during the next couple of songs…

But I also want to challenge you… every week we have people in the back by the banner that are ready to pray with and for you… today, here is the challenge…

Take one thing that you worry about… you don’t even have to give details… and have them pray for you over over it.