Paralyzed Week #2

Fear of material things…

What is you’re favorite “Thing” you own?

Give context that Jesus is teaching a group of predominantly needy people.

What we are and to begin reading here is apart of what we call “The Sermon On The Mount” and it is the first recorded sermon or set of sermons in the book of Matthew.

Matthew 6:25–27 ““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?”

Jesus starts with a statement and question…

Matthew 6:25 ““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?”

First he says Do Not Be Anxious About Your Life- what you eat, drink, or your body, or put on it.

Jesus is not saying | Eat whatever you want, drink your life away, and stop dressing.

But he is saying these things should not have more value in your life then me…

Explain the whole point of this message is Jesus saying, i should be your biggest priority.

Select a student and ask “How long did it take for you to pick out your outfit this morning”

Daily needs -

Food

Drink

Clothes

Jesus?

Is Jesus your biggest priority?

Our Fear is not enough - Jesus’s fear is we have to much…

Matthew 6:26 “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?”

Matthew 6:26 “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?”

Jesus uses this reference to the birds of the sky simply because they do no works to plant, harvest, or rashin food and God still provides. They work their tails off literally but do not worry, because God will provide.

Do you believe Jesus would provide if all of it went away?

Your Caregivers Job

Your House

Your Plans

Your Ideas

Matthew 6:27–34 “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.”

Jesus states very clearly that being anxious serves no purpose…

Following Jesus requires full commitment and understanding that he will provide. For being anxious adds no hours to the day.

We live in a heavily materialistic world.

People are cool if they have, and uncool if they don’t.

We require the newest and best thing all the time.

And Jesus is saying stop, and let me handle it…

Corporate latter

Go to highschool

Go to collage for a career

Start a career

if i don’t get a promotion every 2-3 years i move on to a new company

get a big house

drive a nice car

This is the “American” dream. Have the nice job, nice stuff, and a picture perfect family. We spend so much of our life’s focused, worried, and stressed about getting the next thing.

I’m not saying don’t work hard, make good money, and live good life’s.

But Jesus is saying, stop stressing and let me provide.

Matthew 6:31–33 “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.”

God makes this commandment again, Do Not Be Anxious…

There is a large difference from being anxious | and having anxiety.

We choose to worry and be anxious about things.

Jesus is telling us here that choosing to worry is sinful because we are not trusting him.

Being anxious \ worrying

I am worried about my house, job, clothes, money etc.

Anxiety

is a normal stress response, but when persistent and excessive, it becomes an anxiety disorder affecting daily life, causing intense fear, and physical symptoms like rapid heart rate, sweating, and trouble sleeping. Caused by genetic, environmental, and developmental factors, it can be managed with therapy, lifestyle changes, and medication.

Both have a piece of sin involved…

When Jesus tells us not to be anxious for it does not add hours to the day he means it.

We must choose to trust Jesus and worry less.

Matthew 6:34 ““Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Let’s end with this.

Jesus is calling out a group of worries people of trusting in themselves, and physical items more then himself. Today i want to challenge us to trust God more and worry less..

You still have school, home life, family life, friends, relationships, etc. tomorrow. So today don’t worry about tomorrow. Run to your father and trust that he will provide.

tonight we will focus on these main questions

Application

Do you trust Jesus will provide?

When is the last time you hit you knees before making a plan to fix the problem?

How much time this week did you spend worrying about school, life, friends, family, etc that should have been spent with Jesus?