Another Look Wk. 1

Trusting Jesus with Our Tomorrows

Bible Passage: Luke 12:22-34, Psalm 16

Summary: In Luke 12:22-34, Jesus teaches about the futility of worrying and emphasizes trust in God's provision. Psalm 16 reinforces this idea by expressing confidence in the Lord's faithfulness and guidance, highlighting the importance of finding refuge in Him.

Application: This sermon will encourage teens to trust Jesus in their daily lives, especially when faced with uncertainties about the future. By anchoring their faith in His promises, they can find peace and purpose rather than succumbing to anxiety.

Teaching: The main teaching is that worrying about the future detracts from our relationship with God. Instead, Jesus invites us to trust in His care and provision, as demonstrated in both passages. We learn that true security comes from drawing near to God and relying on His plans for us.

How this passage could point to Christ: In the context of the Bible, Jesus is the ultimate source of trust and provision. He fulfills the promise of God as the Good Shepherd who cares for His flock, and Psalm 16 points to the hope we have in Him as our eternal security and refuge.

Big Idea: Trusting Jesus frees us from worry and enables us to focus on God’s kingdom, as He invites us to relinquish control and find comfort in His sovereignty and care.

Recommended Study: As you prepare this sermon, consider exploring the cultural context of anxiety in teenage life today and how these passages speak to that. Look into the original Greek wording of 'anxious' in Luke 12 and how it conveys deeper meanings. Additionally, using your Logos library, examine commentaries that detail the connections between Psalm 16 and New Testament teachings on trust in Jesus, focusing on how these themes are developed in the lives of the early Christians.

Anyone ever been worried. I remember vividly the day I was going to essentially start a career in firefighting. On my way to turn in my application to the Ouachita parish fire department. In a rush, trying to turn it in before I leave to go out of town for a trip, and my car breaks down… Man did i start sweating. Not just because my car was overheating like grandma on a hot summers day, but because I was worried about the beginning of this whole process being delayed. Anxious about this next step in my life. Turns out God had other plans…

You ever put an outfit on and immediately just start thinking of what people are going to think about it?

Ever not prepare for a test like you should have, and just dread deep down in your bones that your going to get an F.

You ever make a mistake, and fear how your parents will react?

You ever get anxious thinking about what tomorrow will hold?

There are plenty of things to worry about in this life. There is only ONE answer.

Luke 12:22-26

We may worry about:

School

Being good in your sport

Parent expectations

Work

What we will wear, or what we will eat.

Relationships

Fitting in with friends

How we appear on the internet

Which college are you going too?

What are you going to do with your life?

Maybe you worry about certain sin in your life getting found out, what the consequences will be, what others will think.

There are many more things that the world may tempt us with that will lead us to be anxious. But anxiousness does not profit.

Heres the truth, anxiety and worry are not able to add even an hour to your life, so why do you dwell in them?

When we dwell in anxiety, we are forgetting who our Father is. We forget He cares about our every need. We forget that only He is sufficient to provide.

Ultimately, We are forgetting that there is more to life than just physical need, and physical appearance.

When we choose to dwell in anxiety and worry, we are choosing to dwell in self, instead of in Christ.

Paul said in Hebrews 1:3

English Standard Version Chapter 1

3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

While there are many things that can cause us to be anxious, there is only ONE who upholds the universe, (ITS NOT YOU) there is only one who sustains and gives life to all of His creation, there is only one who has what we are truly looking for, His name is Jesus

The problem of anxiety is not a problem of circumstances, but a problem of faith.

Luke 12:27-31

“Consider” If we are going to have victory over worry and anxiety, we have got be able to have perspective, beyond our own. We have to take ourself out of our own head. To take a deep breath, and just remember who is in control.

One of my favorite song writers John Mark McMillan wrote these lyrics to his song Future/Past:

“You hold the reigns on the sun and the moon Like horses driven by kings You cover the mountains, the valleys below With the breadth of Your mighty wings All treasures of wisdom And things to be known Are hidden inside Your hand And in this fortunate turn of events You ask me to be Your friend Ask me to be Your friend”

Jesus tells us that the danger in dwelling in anxiety, the danger in letting the thoughts in our mind run free, the danger in holding on to only one perspective, is not only that we will be anxious, but that in the process we will prove to have little faith. We will prove to be far from the father, and deep in the world, and deep in self.

Having real faith means that in the time of need, we will continue to seek God’s Kingdom, not our own.

Truth is, Some of you may be in time of need because you forgot to seek God’s Kingdom in the first place.

Where is your heart? Is it in the material, or the majestic?

Luke 12:32-34

Does your need for the majestic transcend your need for material.

If your priority in life is to gain earthly treasures, you are going to have a life full of vain purpose, unmet expectations, full of worry and endless work, all in the pursuit of trying to earn things that will ultimately be gone on the day that you die. Jesus says if that is your priority, then that is where your heart will be.

But if your priority in life is to store up for yourself treasures in heaven, your heart will be with the Father, who loves to give (not make you earn) all that you may need. Jesus says that the only way to the Father is through himself.

What should I do?

Dwell in Christ, not your circumstances

HOW:

Pray like your life depends on it.

Read your Bible, not to try and achieve some higher knowledge, but because you know that God’s Word gives you life, clarity, and purpose.

Fast, to remind yourself of you need the Spirit of God more than food, and only one of those is able to sufficiently supply for all our needs.

Confess your sin to God and to others you trust. Forgive others of theirs.

Fellowship with other believers, giving them permission to bare your burdens with you, and encourage you when you are feeling overwhelmed.

2. Ask yourself: What can I trust Jesus with today?

Where do I fail to remember that He, not me, is in control?

Where am I choosing to seek my own kingdom before seeking the Kingdom of God?

Bring those to Jesus, right here, right now.

3. Be quick to worship, not worry.

King David sang this song:

Psalm 16:1-11

A heart that fully trusts Jesus is a heart that is full of Joy, not Anxiety.

Chuck Swindoll, whom is in this picture I took on Tuesday, said this in his book laugh again:

 2   Joy is a choice. It’s a matter of attitude that stems from one’s confidence in God—that He is at work, that He is in full control, that He is in the midst of whatever has happened, is happening and will happen. Either we fix our minds on that and determine to laugh again, or we wail and whine our way through life. We determine which way we will go. Chuck Swindoll Laugh Again (1995)

Chuck Swindoll

Lets Pray!