Do Not Worry

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Introduction - Something Funny.

Recap,

Our propensity to worry can distract us from living full and joyful lives to the glory of God.
if you want proof of the fact that we all have a propensity to worry, I asked Calum to pray for me tonight as I am aware worry is something we can all really struggle with, some more than others. Callums response, “Don’t Worry about it”

Tonights sermon is called do not worry.

Recap,
Our propensity to worry can distract us from living full and joyful lives to the glory of God.
if you want proof of the fact that we all have a propensity to worry, I asked Calum to pray for me tonight as I am aware worry is something we can all really struggle with, some more than others. Callums response, “Don’t Worry about it”
Introduction
When it comes to Jesus command not to worry there are a few things we need to clarify upfront, because The ESV and some modern translations translate the Greek word μεριμνάω as anxious rather than worry “do not be anxious.” .
In the not too distant past worry and anxiety have been typically associated with each other and were used interchangeably, but today the word anxiety is increasingly being used to refer to medically diagnosed mental health conditions like general anxiety disorder. When a person suffers anxiety disorder its more than simply worrying or negative emotions that come with being anxious about clothing and eating, its about body chemistry, its about survival instinct. And for the person who suffers an anxiety disorder, their internal danger alarms are often in overdrive. In some cases the persons brain will releases a disproportionate amount of adrenaline into their system in response to a perceived threat and their body kicks in a fight or flight response, almost all sense of reason or logic and rational becomes overridden. For a person that suffers Anxiety disorder it can be easily triggered by stress, past trauma, and can result in Pannick attacks, a racing heart in addition to ordinary worry.
What Jesus has to say about worry will have some significant implications for those who struggle with anxiety disorder because anxiety can be triggered easily by worry, but what Jesus has in mind is the kind of day to day concerns that we have that play on our minds constantly and cause us to loose our focus.
Illustration
If you told a person that was worrying about something that the chance of that thing was 1 in a million they might be like “you know what your right”
If you were to say to the person suffering anxiety as part of their condition that the chances of that thing happening are 1 in a million they are more likely to respond “so your saying there is a chance”
Unhelpful Sermons
By pastors who had all the correct theology of Jobs friends but not the compassion and tenderness of Jesus teaching on worry.. Worrying is fundamentally sinful as it displays a lack of trust in God, you realise you worry all the time, thats bad, you feel horrible because you cant seem to help but worry all the time, and then the sermon ends with the command therefore dont worry coz Jesus tells you not to worry. You left Church feeling worse than when you came in because you realise you worry all the time, and if you struggle with an anxiety disorder due to a chemical imbalance its like someone saying to someone with a broken leg, dont have a broken leg....
I want you to understand a few things.
Ok so is worry a Sin?  Because there is a helpful way of answering this and there is an unhelpful way.
Ok so is worry a Sin?  Because there is a helpful way of answering this and there is an unhelpful way.
Even though worry is fundamentally not trusting God and theologically correct, And Jesus commands us not to worry. I don’t think Jesus is rebuking anyone for worrying in this passage, if anything I think he is in empathy with the human condition, has some very tender and pastoral advise but nevertheless exhorts trust in God as the remedy.
I don’t think Jesus is rebuking anyone for worrying in this passage, if anything I think he is in empathy with the human condition, has some very tender and pastoral advise but nevertheless exhorts trust in God as the remedy.
Ok so is worry a Sin?  Because there is a helpful way of answering this and there is an unhelpful way.
Ok so is worry a Sin? The short answer is yes but, there is a helpful way of answering this and there is an unhelpful way, so pleas allow me to explain
What Jesus does not mean when he says do not worry.
Jesus is not saying that we should or will never be stressed, afraid or concerned or have troubles or the survival symptoms of anxiety. (He knows exactly what it is like to be stressed and to be under extreme duress (That should comfort those of you who are experiencing stress and the bodily symptoms of anxiety and fear. Jesus knows what that feels like, he totally gets you and what your feeling,
He is not talking about not experiencing natural human emotions that accompany duress, and exhaustion - Paul experience.
Just because Jesus exhorts someone not to be something doesn't automatically follow that they are sinning when they have the experience of it.
So for example he tells re he tell his disciples not to be troubled.
John 14:1 NIV
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.
John 14:27 NIV
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Nor is he saying that we will not legitimacy experienced a troubled heart.
Mark 14:33 NIV
He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
John 12:27 NIV
“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.
The ESV and some modern translations translate the Greek word μεριμνάω And translate it rendering Jesus words do not be anxious.
Anxiety( Is a natural response of the body to perceived danger and it can be triggered by thoughts. Its like an internal alarm. It influences your system to be on guard wherein it gives you a sudden boost of adrenaline to help you face your problems. It can also be regarded as a necessity for survival, just because it motivates an individual to take necessary measures to prevent anxiety from intensifying. Its like a fight or flight mechanism, and when a person suffers from what might be diagnosed as an anxiety disorder their brain releases adrenaline that floods the body.
The difference between Jesus and Us is when Jesus is troubled he does not sin, he fully trusts in God.
Jesus is troubled and afraid in the context of knowing that he has to drink the cup of Gods Wrath for the sins of the world. The difference is when Jesus is troubled he is without sin and he never stops trusting God.
Worry, on the other hand, is simply a negative mental imagination of what may come or happen, that usually results with nothing to worry about. Another notable difference between the two is how a person reacts to them. While worry has some positive motivating effect towards solving the problem, anxiety is rather unproductive condition.
The difference is when Jesus is troubled he is without sin and he never stops trusting God.
So I do not believe he rebuking anyone in this passage for worrying but rather is exhorting them to trust and faith and bringing a tender pastoral word to them,
Jesus says do not worry, because worrying is fundemantally sinful as it displays a lack of trust in God, you realise you worry all the time, thats bad, you feel horrible because you cant seem to help but worry all the time, and then the sermon ends with the command therefore dont worry coz Jesus tells you not to worry. You left Church feeling worse than when you came in because you worry all the time, and if you struggle with an anxiety disorder due to a chemical imbalance its like someone saying to someone with a broken leg, dont have a broken leg....
Ok so is worry a Sin?  Because there is a helpful way of answering this and there is an unhelpful way.
I don’t think Jesus is rebuking anyone for worrying in this passage if anything I think he is in empathy with the human condition, because as we shall see he has some very tender and pastoral advise for his followers but nevertheless exhorts us to trust in God as the remedy.
μεριμνάω And translate it
Anxiety -
Jesus is not saying that we will never be stressed or concerned.
But there is a Godly way to

Sermon

Therefore - What Jesus has to say is
Why Does Jesus tell us not to worry? “Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.”
So what comes next is intimately connected to what has gone before.
“I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.”
Why this command
Jesus gives this command because one of the things in this life that gets in the way of us being completely undivided in our loyalty to God and storing up treasure in heaven is worry. Be careful what value you give certain things, because the more value you give specific things, the more fear and anxiety will rule and reign around those things.” If you hold too tightly to things that shouldn’t be held too tightly to, fear and anxiety will mark your life.
Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
He’s saying, “Watch your priorities. Watch how you categorize things. When you misplace things, that’s called idolatry, and now fear and anxiety are going to grow in your life.” Then he wants you to consider something. Now remember Jesus did not come to Condem but to save you, be encouraged he is working for your good.
Then he gives an example for us
“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?”
He is inviting you, worrier to consider your value and worth before God. Are you not more value than they.
Gift Giving -God gave what was most precious in the world to him because he sought to bestow infinite value on you, you are precious to God. “Precious in the eyes of God are the death of his saints”
Psalm 116:15 ESV
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
Sparrows and Hairs: In lukes Gospel Jesus tells us that not a sparrow falls to the ground without Gods knowledge and you are way more-precious than many sparrows so much so that Jesus says the hairs on your head are numbered. ( and ) - Some of you are thinking I dont have any hair, well, your eybrows then the point stands.
Engraved in God Hands -
Isaiah 49:15–16 NIV
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

15  “Can a woman forget her nursing child,

that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?

Even these may forget,

yet I will not forget you.

16  Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;

Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
To you the child of God who worries: Jesus loved you when your worry was at its worst. How much more now that you have been reconciled to him does he love you in spite of your worry. ()
The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Mt 6:25.
Ok so now that we know as Children of God that we are very valuable and precious in his sight how do we tackle the worry issue in our midst: well before we look at Christ’s compassionate acknowledgment and response to our day-in and day-out fears and anxieties lets just consider some of the weapons we have.
Where possible
Confession - “I don’t trust that you’re good. I don’t trust that you have my best interests. I don’t trust that you’re going to provide for me. I don’t trust that you’re good enough. I don’t trust that you’ll be enough for me. So I have to take it and I have to worry about it.” You have to get to the point where you’re not pretending that’s not in there. It’s of no help for anyone to pretend you trust God. You need to say it. You need to let the Holy Spirit break you in your confession of it. Then we can deal with fear and anxiety. Fear and anxiety are never going to lose their power over you until you can be honest about what drives them, namely that you don’t trust that God is good.] REMEMBER THE SINNER WHO BEET HIS CHEST AND WENT AWAY JUSTIFIED.  WE ARE TALKING ABOUT JUST BEING HONEST WITH GOD.
You have to get to the point where you’re not pretending that’s not in there. It’s of no help for anyone to pretend you trust God. You need to say it. You need to let the Holy Spirit break you in your confession of it. Then we can deal with fear and anxiety. Fear and anxiety are never going to lose their power over you until you can be honest about what drives them, namely that you don’t trust that God is good.] REMEMBER THE SINNER WHO BEET HIS CHEST AND WENT AWAY JUSTIFIED.  WE ARE TALKING ABOUT JUST BEING HONEST WITH GOD.
Get Busy and make some good work for Gods glory- Check out the illustration of the birds, they dont sit and stew over their problems and troubles, they get busy. But they dont have thumbs right, they dont build excessively, we dont see houses in trees.
Get Busy and make some good work for Gods glory- Check out the illustration of the birds, they dont sit and stew over their problems and troubles, they get busy. But they dont have thumbs right, they dont build excessively, we dont see houses in trees.
Stop Torturing yourself- Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
Wield the weapon of faith and trust. - Dont wait for worry to strike you, you strike first. Begin with God every morning and meditate on his goodness.
Why Does God Let me worry?

See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

Some of you right now have needs, I know this because you have shared them with me. God knows, he knows, he knows what is concerning you right now.
4). Seek First the Kingdom
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Jesus is saying here you will be provided for, he is not saying that all will be rosy and cushy, I think to anyone who heard Patrik Jock the other night we know that this is true,
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Jesus is saying here you will be provided for, he is not saying that all will be rosy and cushy, I think to anyone who heard Patrik Jock the other night we know that this is true,
Did Jesus seek the Kingdom of God? Yes, Did he go through difficult trials and sometimes without a bed to lay his head yes. Was Paul shprecked, beeaten?yes.
What this proverb is saying the way for you to attend to your personal life is to prioritise your values so that nothing-supplants God as your Master and Provider. This is accomplished as you seek his kingdom and righteousness, if you place your security in your heavenly father he will naturally take care of all your needs and treasure you store in heaven no one can take away.
Then we begin to see the compassion of Jesus Christ around this issue begin to take place. Verse 
The Compassion of Jesus for those who worry. Now that we understand that Jusus himself experienced hardship and the absense of a place to lay his head., Then we begin to see the compassion of Jesus Christ around this issue begin to take place. Verse  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Tomorrow
The Compassion of Jesus for those who worry. Now that we understand that Jesus himself experienced hardship and the absense of a place to lay his head., Then we begin to see the compassion of Jesus Christ around this issue begin to take place. Verse 
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
that we understand that Jesus himself experienced hardship and the absense of a place to lay his head., Then we begin to see the compassion of Jesus Christ around this issue begin to take place. Verse  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Thank goodness someone said it and not Just someone but God. “In this word is there is trouble” and tomorrow has enough trouble of its own. Have you ever heard someone say there is no reason to worry? Well there are plenty reasons to worry the question is why shouldn’t we worry? Of course there is unjustified worry, and 90 percent of the things we worry about never actually materialise, but make no mistake if you go looking for them there are plenty of reasons to worry.
Thank goodness someone said it and not Just someone but God. In this word is there is trouble, and tomorrow has enough trouble of its own
Our Culture has turned its back on God and is experiencing a worry epidemic at the moment. But the truth is, if God wasn't real why wouldn't you worry, like why aren't we all just going out of our minds with anxiety. In a world where God doesn't exist the question is stupid.
As I speak to you right now, Beneath our feat there is billions of tons of Hot liquid magma
As I speak to you right now we are flying through space as a consequence of an explosion billions of years ago at a spead of 67,000, and the scientist tell me the rock that Im standing on with all that magma is dying and no- ones in charge.
Thats troubling! Trouble is real.
The question why do I worry so much is silly the question is why dont we all worry. The answer is because God is og
You were just given permission to deal with anxiety and fear today. How do you deal with it? You give it over to the Lord.
We all have power to confront the chaos around us in this world and to bring about some habitable order but If you are an excessive worrier because of the trouble that is in this world, here is what Jesus wants you to do because you havent Got Gods omniscience and omnipotence or capacity to deal with all the trouble of life, why he is God and your not. Its out of your control and thats why you cant handle it. You were never meant to, let God be God.
Today will have fear and anxiety. What do we do? We give that over to the Lord. We lay that down. We don’t let that be compounded with tomorrow’s trouble. We simply stay in today.If you are an excessive worrier because of the trouble that is in this world here is what Jesus wants you to do because you havent Got Gods all all knowing power to cope and deal with it all. Its out of your contol and thats why you cant handle it. You were never meant to, let God be God.
Here is Jesus compassionate concession to you because he knows the troubles you contend with, “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own”
Here is Jesus compassionate concession to you because he knows the troubles you contend with,
“do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own”
You were just given permission to deal with anxiety and fear today. How do you deal with it? You give it over to the Lord. Today, will have fear and anxiety. What do we do? We give that over to the Lord. We lay that down. We don’t let that be compounded with tomorrow’s trouble. We simply stay in today.
You were just given permission to deal with anxiety and fear today. How do you deal with it? You give it over to the Lord. Today, will have fear and anxiety. What do we do? We give that over to the Lord. We lay that down. We don’t let that be compounded with tomorrow’s trouble. We simply stay in today.
One day at a time beloved child, One day at a time. each day has enough trouble of its own, If you struggle with worry, you cant cope with over-dwelling on the future, what might or might not happen tomorrow. You concentrate on today, he has given you that permission. You fix your eyes on God today, and you store up treasure in heaven today. Let God worry about the future. And when you wake up tomorrow, you concentrate on tomorrows troubles only then. Thats Jesus concession and brotherly practical advice to you.

LANDING

Trouble is real, but God is your Father, nothing and no one can pluck you out of his hands.
Trouble is real, but God is your Father, nothing and no one can pluck you out of his hands.
: “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end…” Did you hear that? His mercies never come to an end. “…they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
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.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Philippians 4:6 ESV
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
I don't know about tomorrow I just live for day to day I don't borrow from the sunshine For it's skies may turn to gray
I don't worry o'er the future For I know what Jesus said And today I'll walk beside Him For He knows what lies ahead
Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand But I know who holds tomorrow And I know who holds my hand
know who holds the future, And I know who holds my hand, With God things don't just happen, Everything by Him is planned; So as I face tomorrow With its problems large and small, I'll trust the God of miracles- Give to Him my all."
Because he lives
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