The Word on Worry

The Bible has a view on lfe that is completely different from the world.

For Example, when you search the word of God for “fear not” it shows up an amazing. 63 times.

The issue started in the Garden. Adam and Eve had absolute perfection. They had the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and they had every other tree available to them that was “good for food” and “pleasing to the eye”. When the serpent questioned God’s goodness and motives, he said to Eve & Adam...

No! You will not die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

From there shame.......there wasn’t shame before

No! You will not die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Then they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.....you and I have no idea what that sound is like.....

Then they found fear.....they had not had fear together

When God asked them what they did, there was blame.

Adam blamed Eve........for the first time we see interpersonal conflict

Eve blamed the serpent. ......theological confusion is introduced when Eve said the devil made me do it.

But the devil didn’t make Adam & Eve to eat the fruit God said not to eat....and Paradise was Lost

The rest of the Bible.....from to is describing what to do about this problem, the problem of evil.

From , Jesus mentions worry 6 times. Of those 6 times he says “don’t worry” 3 times

1. Jesus Taught that Worry is a Waste

Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? 27 Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? 28 And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. 30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith? 31 So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. 34

2. Jesus addressed the Nature of Worry

In his final “don’t worry, Jesus gives the reason for how trouble and evil impact our lives. The word tells us in…..He will not give us more than we can bear…..

Let’s look carefully at verse 34….

Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

3. Jesus has a solution for worry(, , , , , )

Tharseo!!!

This word is unique and is used mostly to describe the best reaction to the activity of Jesus. (Tharseo!) The word of Jesus for “look up” or “have “courage”

When some men were trying to get a paralytic to Jesus,

Just then some men brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.”

When the woman with the issue of blood approached Jesus after suffering for 12 years....just to reach out and touch his garment......

Jesus turned and saw her. “Have courage, daughter,” he said. “Your faith has saved you.”a,b And the woman was made well from that moment.c

When the disciples were on the sea of galilee through the wind and the waves they saw Jesus and didn’t know what was happening.....in the MIDST of their FEAR…Jesus

because they all saw him and were terrified.a Immediately he spoke with them and said, “Have courage!b It is I.c Don’t be afraid.”d

A blind man, out of his miserable condition, cried out Master! Have mercy on me! That’s exactly what Jesus did!

Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

So they called the blind man and said to him, “Have courage!a Get up; he’s calling for you.”

Jesus healed that man and his life was changed.....there’s a reason you can “look up and take courage”

IN the Gospel of John, Jesus again addresses the subject head on, but with this new word….it all becomes more clear……

I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

Here we have the solution.

Make the decision to look up!

Make the decision to trust

Late in life in Peter would declare this to the Christians facing persecution

casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you

Make the decision to put your hope in the One who brings hope.

When that burden is lifted, as we trust Him with the concerns of our life….THEN THIS WORD IS EVEN MORE SIGNIFICANT…..

It’s when we Make the decision to say YES, Lord YES

Saul the Pharisee encountered the risen Lord on the way to Damascus. Full of the Spirit, he began to take the gospel to Antioch, Philippi, Colossae, Thessalonica and wherever the Lord would lead.

The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Have courage! For as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so it is necessary for you to testify in Rome.”a

We can be used if we’ll give Him an opportunity!!!!