Daily Survival in this Crazy Life

INTRODUCTION

Well…we’re officially a full week into a new school year and I don’t know about you but I’m exhausted. Kristy, Grady and I went to a rodeo for a few minutes last night downtown—I watched those guys holding on for dear life to a bull and I thought “That’s kinda how I feel.”

Our calendars/days are filled with good things. And we get to the end of the day…man, did I live intentionally today? Did I make time for Jesus?

Luke 10:41–42 (ESV)

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.”

What is the one thing that is necessary? Well, I think Jesus teaches about it in his famous “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew 6.

Matthew 6:25–34 (ESV)

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

TRANSITION In the very first sermon in this series, we dove into the topic of anxiety. We said that “anxiety is a weapon of Satan to destroy us but that God’s peace is His gift to bless us and give us freedom in this crazy life.”

Now, I think it’s pretty obvious that God knows us intimately.

Psalm 103:13–14 (ESV)

For he knows our frame;

he remembers that we are dust.

And, God knows that one of our biggest struggles in this crazy life is worry/being anxious. Being overwhelmed by the demands of life.

CONTEXT

This passage (Matthew 6) is part of the Sermon on the Mount. Think about the audience that is hearing Jesus teach this.

How many verses in the Bible talk about “today” or “daily.”

The Westminster Catechism states that the “chief end (purpose) of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”

I like that. That’s good stuff. But, when we hear that — “enjoy Him forever” — I think we tend to think “Yeah, sure, that’s what we’re going to do for eternity…we’re going to enjoy God forever.” That’s true. That’s what we’re going to get to do for all of eternity—but—THAT BEGINS TODAY. We are commanded to glorify God and to enjoy Him TODAY!

Psalm 118:24 (ESV)

This is the day that the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

MAIN IDEA My purpose in this crazy life is to glorify God by daily dependence, obedience, and enjoyment of Him.

Live in TODAY. Don’t live in tomorrow’s worry. Don’t live in tomorrow’s need. A lot of times we tend to find ourselves overwhelmed by what’s coming next week or next month. We’re overwhelmed by schedules and demands on our life/our time. We’re consumed with trying to make ends meet and the thoughts of, “What will I do if…”

But, what Jesus teaches us is that the life of faith—the life of following Him is one that glorifies God by DAILY dependence, obedience, and enjoyment of Him.

Here’s the whole point of this sermon—TODAY. Glorifying God today by depending on him TODAY, obeying him TODAY, enjoying Him TODAY.

And, the first area in which we do this, according to Jesus is by depending on and enjoying…

God’s provision for today’s need.

Look, we live in the most financially blessed nation on earth. Compared to the poverty of the rest of the world, we’re doing pretty good. But, let’s be honest—life isn’t always easy. Some of you grew up poor. You come from nothing. Some of you may be, right now, struggling to make ends meet. Maybe you’re unemployed right now. You’re struggling from paycheck to paycheck and, honestly, you don’t know how you’re making it. Some of you are living off of your social security check month-by-month.

I don’t know about y’all but for Kristy and me one of the most depressing times of the week is when we go to the grocery store.

Here, in Matthew 6, Jesus hits on the two basic needs of life—food and clothing. This is the dominant topic of this passage. And tied to these basic needs of life is his instruction to “not be anxious” or “not be worried.” In fact, Jesus

I can remember, during COVID, Kristy started using the front door grocery delivery from Walmart. Bless them…the kids were little and they thought you could just have food delivered any time you wanted.

Now, Jesus isn’t saying that we are to just sit back, relax, do nothing and expect God to send groceries to our front doorstep every day. Don’t worry about work! Don’t worry about being financially wise! I actually think he’s saying the opposite.

See, Jesus compares our daily needs with the daily needs of birds and flowers. And, he says, in verse 26, “the birds neither sow nor reap, nor gather into barns and your heavenly Father feeds them.”

WE sow, we reap, we gather into barns—we work! God provides this good creation for us to work and to keep and through our ability to work He provides (????).

Daily bread—DAILY DEPENDENCE.

Here’s his point—you are loved and valued by your heavenly father. Think about that. Jesus refers to God as our “heavenly father” twice. That’s a new concept for the people in Jesus’s audience that day. Jesus is introducing a personal relationship with God—who loves us and values us like a father.

As parents—and maybe you’re different—we don’t typically talk about money/struggles in front of our kids. Our kids trust that there’s going to be a meal. This is the way we’re called to live before God.

“O you of little faith.” What does big faith look like?

Don’t worry…but DO obey…and, that’s the second thing Jesus teaches us, here…we can enjoy…

God’s grace for today’s blessing.

And, how do we enjoy God’s blessings for today? Jesus tells us in verse 33.

Verse 33 — “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

What does this look like?

Luke 9:23 (ESV)

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

How do I need to crucify the flesh/die to self TODAY?

Today—seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Obedience TODAY. God’s kingdom and righteousness are inseparable. God’s kingdom is his rule and his reign of righteousness. So many times we live distracted by the cares of today…by the things of today. Are we living moment by moment as citizens of the kingdom of righteousness?

Romans 14:17 (ESV)

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

It’s living out the fruit of the spirit.

“Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” — TODAY

God’s mercy for today’s trouble.

Matthew 6:34 (ESV)

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

A lot of you are going through so much right now. Some of you are emotionally, spiritually, and physically barely making it by every day. And, for a lot of you, you’re overwhelmed The strength to get through tomorrow will come tomorrow. The strength that you need to get through TODAY is available to you TODAY through God’s mercy.

“Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.”

Our task today is to live by the mercies given for today, and to believe that there will be new mercies for tomorrow. Today's mercies do not include strength for tomorrow; they include faith that tomorrow's unseen mercies will be sufficient for tomorrow.

(John Piper)

If you’re struggling with addiction—TODAY’S mercies are enough. If you’re grieving loss—TODAY’S mercies are enough. If you and your spouse are fighting to save your marriage—TODAY’S mercies are enough. If you have a child that is running from the Lord and not living a life that is pleasing to him—TODAY’S mercies are enough. If you’re fighting depression and anxiety—TODAY’S mercies are enough. I could keep going but fill in the blank.

Lamentations 3:22–23 (ESV)

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

Great is Thy faithfulness Great is Thy faithfulness Morning by morning new mercies I see All I have needed Thy hand hath provided Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

CONCLUSION How are you going to lead your family to be intentional every day this week? How are you going to live in the enjoyment of God’s grace today? His provision today? His mercy for today’s troubles.