What Are You Worried About?

Good Evening, well let me just tell you that I am honored and blessed to have been asked to come back and worship with your church many of you have added me as a friend on face book and I keep up with many of you, it is my joy to be asked to come back because my good friend and brother in ministry Tony Deese is your pastor.

Church if I may let me just say that Providence has been called by God to find a man to fill its pulpit that reveres the word of God, and someone who devotes Himself to sound Biblical teaching, but who also loves his people. Let me just say that from my perspective you chose the right man for the job. Tony is a great blessing to me in my ministry, and I am honored to be asked to come and be with you tonight.

Tony you can pay me later for the compliments bro.

I have been the pastor at UHBC for almost 9 years now. Wow time is flying by, but God is good. I have been blessed as Tony mentioned to have 4 beautiful children and a wife that is beautiful and kind and puts up with me. That is proof that God is alive haha.

I want to label the message with this question:

WHAT ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT?

A curious name was found on ancient documents the name is tiddedus Amnorimnus Tidedius is a personal name Amnorimnus is the greek word for worry or anxiety negated. Its more than a name, a tag or title. Like Fredrick the great or James the just, or ivan the terrible. Apparently this man tidedius was the nonworrier. Could that be said of you?

Would the people who know you best consider you one who never worries? Could you look in the mirror and call yourself Jack or Jill or whoever the non worrier?

The issue is not what others think of you, of course not even what you think of yourself, the issue is what the Lord Jesus Christ thinks about your anxiety. In Jesus commands His disciples to trust God and NOT WORRY. TRUST GOD AND DO NOT WORRY.

Matthew 6:25 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?

Matthew 6:25

That word anxious there means a divided mind, thats what worry is, to have a divided mind. Faith pulls you in one direction, doubt pulls you in another direction. Hope drags you one way, fear drags you another way. You hope for the best and expect the worst at the same time. You find yourself mentally and emotionally and spiritually divided. With undue and excessive and sinful concern.

In fact our English word worry is derived from a german word for choking or strangling someone. THAT’S WORRY. It is internal strangulation at the ruthless hands of uncertain circumstances. But Jesus says to those who would follow Him that you must TRUST GOD AND DO NOT WORRY.

In fact the prohibition here against worry forbids an activity that is already taking place, literally Jesus says here STOP WORRYING. What are you worried about tonight? Whatever it is I have a word from the Lord for you tonight. STOP IT!!

JESUS SAYS STOP WORRYING

But this passage is more than Jesus just teaching us not to worry. Here Jesus gives us 3 principles to practice to win over worry. 3 principles to practice to win over worry.

1. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR PHYSICAL NEEDS

Jesus adresses the fleeting nature, the powerful grip, and the corrupting influence of materialism. He focuses on the things you have

Matthew 6:24 ESV

“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.

In verse 24 Jesus don’t say you cant have God and money, but you cant serve them both you have to choose between them both God or money. I’m here to tell you today that the reason the church in america is dying, the reason why so many churches lack the power of God and the revival they say they so desperately want, is that they would rather have more than enough than spend it all in the service of the Master.

Listen to me let me just talk to ya a minute, this is gonna sting get ready.... the reason so many churches dont have the members or pastors they need is because in the case of the members they allow things to get in the way of their relationship with God.

Hey um yall gone be at church sunday? Naw man were going out on the boat this weekend, oh ok. Next week rolls around, hey man looking forward to seeing yall this weekend, naw man uh we got travel ball. Oh ok...

The next thing you know there is a hallowness to the gospel, people feel guilty because they have been absent so much so they just decide to sit out, and in the case of pastors they can become driven by building buildings and somehow in our world we have defined gthis as success.

LISTEN TO ME THE REASON YOU AINT HAPPY IS BECAUSE YOUR USING MONEY AND POSSESSIONS AS THE MEANS BY WHICH YOU FIND HAPPINESS, WHEN IN ALL ACTUALITY JESUS WANTS YOU TO WALK WITH HIM AND ALLOW HIM TO GIVE YOU JOY AND THEN AS A BONUS OF PUTTING HIM FIRST HE WILL BLESS YOU IN ORDER THAT YOU CAN BE ABLESSING.

I’m sorry if that was a God given ADD moment but it is the truth. YOU CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD AND MATERIAL POSSESSIONS. People who have money still tend to worry no matter how much they have! do you know why?

Because material wealth does not produce true security. Only those who trust in the living god are free to live without worry. so in verse 25 Jesus says:

Matthew 6:25 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?

DONT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE, then He specifies dont worry about your basic physical needs food and clothing which is here meant to symbolize all that is essential for survival. It is all that effects your survival in life it also addresses the other worries we may have about war and terrorism and the economy and natural disasters Jesus says dont worry about life in general and dont worry about how your needs are going to be met.

Dont worry about how you are going to survive!

Well preacher that dont sound realistic… I mean we live in the real world. Dont tell me tell Jesus who you say is your master. I had a man one time tell me when it came to running a church that we needed more than spiritual truth to run the church. IM SORRY BUT IN THE FAMILY OF GOD HIS WORD IS THE AUTHORITY HE SAYS DONT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING BUT IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND HE WILL DIRECT YOU STEPS.

DONT TELL ME YOU HAVE BETTER IDEAS THAN THE GOD OF THE BIBLE!

JESUS SAID DO NOT WORRY!

Jesus uses a parable to show the futility the uselessness of worry. He says

Matthew 6:26 ESV

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 is saying look at the birds of the air and remember the soverign faithful and generous ways that God cares for His creation. Birds dont plant seeds they dont work the field they dont bring in a harvest.

BIRDS DONT HAVE STABLE JOBS, SOCIAL SECURITY, INSURANCE POLICIES, AND 401k plans.

While you laughing at the birds, birds also do this they do not have high blood pressure, panic attacks or nervous breakdowns. The birds simply trust the HEavenly Father to care for thier basic needs.

Said the robin to the sparrow “I should really like to know why these ancient human beings rush about and worry so.”

Said the sparrow to the robin: “friend I think that it must be that they do not have a Heavenly Father as cares for you and me.”

Jesus says if God takes care of the birds Hell take care of you…

this reference to the carefree life of birds is not to sanctify laziness, negligence or irresponsibility listen

GOD FEEDS THE BIRDS EVERYDAY BUT HE DOESN’T PUT WORMS IN THEIR NESTS THE BIRDS WORK FOR FOOD. WHEN JESUS SAYS THE BIRDS DON’T SOW OR REAP OR GATHER HARVEST, HES NOT SAYING IN ANYWAY THAT FARMING IS UNNECCESARY.

The ancient world of the nearest was an agricuteraly society, the economy was based on the principle of sowing and reaping. They worked hard in the field and trusted God to send the harvest. So Jesus here is not condemning work He is condeming the one who thinks or acts as if your survival or wellbeing depends on your work.

YOUR LIFE IS NOT IN YOUR HANDS YOUR LIFE IS IN THE HANDS OF GOD! So Jesus says consider the birds of the air they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns but your heavenly father feeds them, now look at the bottom of the verse where Jesus asks the question ARE YOU NOT OF MORE VALUE THAN THEY?

Answer: Of course you are

You are valuable to God.

Well preacher thats fine but you dont understand I have prayed and I have tried my best and I have worked hard but everything is falling apart and I dont feel like He cares for me. If he did He wouldnt let this happen or that happen.

come here and let me tell you a story.

One day Jesus was teaching on faith and trust, and He said to His disciples hey yall you aint gotta have alot of faith but if you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can say to this mountain raise up and be cast into the sea and it will listen.

THE DISCIPLES said mhmm amen! I like that! Come on preach it Jesus....

But you know what happened next I mean the same day, Jesus said Hey yall lets get in a boat and head to the other side. A squall came up fierce and raging and the disciples were afraid they are paddling as hard and they can paddle and the boat is being tossed about they feelas though it is about to break apart.

Jesus is asleep on the stern.

THEY CRY OUT LORD DONT YOU CARE THAT WE ARE PERISHING!!!

JESUS HEARD THEIR CRY AND STOOD UP AND TOLD THE WIND AND THE WAVES TO SHUT THEIR MOUTH AND THEY LISTENED!

JESUS REBUKED THE WIND AND THE WAVES BUT THEN HE REBUKED HIS DISCIPLES FOR FEARING FOR THEIR LIFE WHEN HE SAID OH YOU OF LITTLE FAITH.

LISTEN TO ME IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE TRUSTING GOD HE WILL ALLOW SITUATIONS IN YOUR LIFE TO OVERWHELM YOU MUCH LIKE THAT STORM IN ORDER THAT YOU REALIZE YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL!

HE IS

At the end of that story it said that then the disciples were afraid and said who then is this that even the winds and the waves obey Him?

Jesus sent them through a storm in order that they would learn never to fear their circumstances but instead fear the one who had the power to speak to their deepest needs and rescue them.

Friend you might feel like your perishing you may think god doesnt care about you but hear me tonight God loves you so much that He sent His one and only son to die on the cross for your sins that you may be forgive of your sins and that you might have eternal life

Romans 8:32 ESV

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

IF GOD GAVE HIS SON TO DIE FOR YOUR SINS SO THAT YOU CAN GO TO HEAVEN CANT YOU TRUST THAT GOD TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR NEEDS WHILE YOU HERE ON EARTH?

Do not worry about what you are going to eat.

Then Jesus says

2. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT HOW LONG YOUR GOING TO LIVE.

Another question from Jesus here

Matthew 6:27 ESV

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Scholars disagree about how to translate the words used here some translations render this as a reference to the height of ones stature, others like the ESV renders it to refer to the length of ones life. Either way you read it the answer to the rhetorical question is the same of course not.

Worry will not make you grow taller or live longer.

Worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair there is motion but no progress. It gives you something to do but you really aint doing anything.

Worrying will not make you longer.

If you worry to much, it can shorten life.

3. HOW NOT TO WORRY AS WE LIVE.

Over the years the sin I have struggled with the most is the sin of worry. I like to be in control, I like to have all the answers I like to have a plan. But if you wanna hear God laugh then you just tell Him what your plans are.

God has been dealing with me on this issue through many circumstances. He has taught me that nothing is more dishonoring to Him than when I worry, because what I am saying in my heart and what you are saying in your heart when you fret or worry is that you dont think God loves you enough to help you through the situation you are worried about.

You also say when you worry that if you do believe He loves you that He is not powerful enough to handle what your dealing with and that He needs a little bit of your help. THE SOVEREIGN GOD OF HEAVEN DOESN’T NEED YOUR HELP TAKING CARE OF YOU OR YOUR PROBLEM! HE IS A GOOD FATHER AND HE LOVES HIS KIDS AND IF THERE IS SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT IS A PROBLEM RIGHT NOW THAT CAUSES FEAR TO WHELP UP IN YOUR HEART THEN YOU NEED TO START ASKING WHAT LESSON IS THE LORD TRYING TO TEACH ME THROUGH THIS.

So I have decided to wage war on worry, but I know I cant stop worrying cold turkey, so I have started making negotiations with myself. I just decided to stop worrying about things I have no control over.

Matthew 6:27 ESV

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Don’t worry about how long your gonna live, don’t worry about how tall you are, don’t worry about anything you don’t have control over. If you don’t have control over it, why worry about it?

Entrust the matter to the Sovereign Lord of Glory but flip the record over and play the other side, if you can control it, WHY WORRY ABOUT IT, GET UP AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

DO NOT WORRY ABOUT WHAT YOUR GOING TO WEAR

Matthew 6:

Matthew 6:28–29 ESV

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.

These lillies of the field are not prized protected plants. They are wildflowers that spring up on the hillside. Jesus says these beautiful lillies of the field dont worry about what they are going to wear. They definitely dont worry about the style or name brand of their clothes.

But Jesus says Solomon the wisest and most glorious king of Israel on his best day couldn’t outdress the lilly that is clothed by God Himself.

There is something subtle you need to catch here. A bird can fly to, dig down or go and gather food. Lillies are inanimate objects they dont have instincts, they dont have volition they dont have choice. Lillies are planted by the Sovereign hand of Almighty God and the Lilly just has to grow where it is planted.

This is a rebuke of the foolish idea that you need a special place condition or situation for God to help use or bless you. Listen to me God can take care of you right where you are.

Psalm 23:5 ESV

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

He doesnt have to get me away from my enemies He can bless me right in the presence of my enemies!

Matthew 6:30 ESV

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?

Throughout the OT grass is used to illustrate the frailty and brevity of life.

Isaiah 40:6–7 ESV

A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass.

Now here Jesus takes that famous illustration takes it and lifts it and twists it to make a big point about the trustworthiness of God. Listen to what Jesus is saying:

Grass grows one day and is mowed down the next day. Yet God takes care of the grass, if God takes care of the grass thats here one day and gone the next day wont God take care of you?

Oh you of little faith

This last phrase is a part of the sermon on the mount

Jesus makes it clear that He is talking to His disciples even though there is a larger crowd of people listening in. But he is talking to His disciples and he calls them what you of little faith. This cuts to the heart of what anxiety is all about it is not a phycological problem Jesus said it is a spirital problem Jesus said its a matter of trust.

Jesus si saying worriers dont trust God and people who trust God dont worry. This is gods social security system.

PUT ME FIRST AND ILL TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING ELSE

Its a matter of faith

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

But it is also a matter of focus

If you just focus on His kingdom and His righteousness put Him first if your priority is pleasing God He will add what you need. That word add is not a good translation of what the greek word actually means theres a compound word there that simply means to place along side.

Jesus is saying if you focus on the things of this world youll never find what your looking for but if you put God first while your focusing on God Hell place beside you just what you need when you need it!

This is where I wish i had someone in here who knows what it is to determine that whatever happens come Hell or high water Im gonna just put God first and by the time you turned around God had made a way out of no way, you were just too busy trying to do what was right AND GOD STEPPED IN AND WHEN YOU LOOKED UP YOU HAD WHAT YOU NEEDED!!

(chip)

(BCF)

(MY CALLING)

Psalm 37:25 ESV

I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.

Psalm 37:5 ESV

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.

Let me tell you something were talking about the physical right now because thats where some of you are you are so focused on the temporary things in life that you have forgotten the most important thing that God has taken care of for you. HE SAYS HE AINT NEVER SEEN THE RIGHTEOUS FORSAKEN OR HIS CHILDREN BEG FOR BREAD.

LISTEN TO ME THIS PRINCIPLE ONLY EXISTS FOR THOSE WHO ARE HIS

If you are in here this evening