Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.

The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I found it a bit ironic and providential that I come to this passage this morning.

Anxiety has been my middle name as of late.

Many of you may already know about my Father-in-law’s health.

He’s on hospice care as they try to find some relief from the pain caused by his cancer.

All of my family members have driven or flown to see him this past week and Rhonda will be there for another week.

My own father’s health has been leaking away as he grows more tired and confused each week.

While I was helping my parents close the cabin my dad fell and, as it turns out, cracked 3 ribs in the process.

We didn’t know his fall was that bad for several days.

Both my mother and mother-in-law are physically and emotionally exhausted.

I can do little for them other than pray and call from here.

These weigh heavy on me and my family.

I found it a bit ironic and providential that I come to this passage this morning.

Anxiety has been my middle name as of late.

Many of you may already know about my Father-in-law’s health.

He’s on hospice care as they try to find some relief from the pain caused by his cancer.

All of my family members have driven or flown to see him this past week and Rhonda will be there for another week.

My own father’s health has been leaking away as he grows more tired and confused each week.

While I was helping my parents close the cabin my dad fell and, as it turns out, cracked 3 ribs in the process.

We didn’t know his fall was that bad for several days.

Both my mother and mother-in-law are physically and emotionally exhausted.

I can do little for them other than pray and call from here.

These weigh heavy on me and my family.

In addition, our AC went out this summer bringing with it a hefty price tag to replace, my wife’s car is showing signs of its age, Dunning faces graduation from Alabama and a job search, and my other kids are working to find their way.

At every turn there is cause to be anxious.

On top of that, I find myself tasked with preaching on how to deal with anxiety.

I can’t say, “look at me” as a model of how to do it, though I can say, “listen with me” because I am eager to hear.

I want to know how to let the peace of God guard my heart and mind from anxiety.

So let’s jump in.

Pray.

Present your requests to God.

The first thing to do is pray.

Do you pray?

Do you have a regular practice of daily prayer?

If prayer is the means by which God has chosen to guard your heart and mind it only makes sense that we would practice it.

Does prayer work for everyone?

Prayer is talking to God, plain and simple.

Who can talk to God?

You might be surprised to learn that not everyone can talk to God or at least not everyone will be heard by God.

Access to God is only granted to some.

Often in scripture we find God referencing himself as a King.

He is the Great King, the one true king, the king of kings.

The prophets speak of heaven as his throne and the earth his footstool.

Jesus introduces his ministry by saying, “the kingdom of God is at hand.”

Just like any king, access is not open to anyone.

It’s open to his people, citizens of the Kingdom.

The Bible refers to citizens of the kingdom in a variety of ways.

In John, they are referred to as children of God.

In this letter, Paul writes to the “saints in Christ Jesus.”

“Saint” means “holy one.”

Saints have been set apart by God himself.

This setting apart, a few verses earlier than our passage, happened when God wrote their names in the book of life.

These people, citizens of God’s Kingdom, children of God, saints set apart by God whose names are written in the book of life have access to the King.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.”

Only through Jesus do you have access to God’s throne.

If we look a few verses earlier we find Paul referencing co-laborers, people whose names are in the book of life.

This is who

God’s children, that is, those whose trust is rooted in Jesus Christ.

When Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me,” that included prayer.

If you do not believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God who died in your place upon the cross, then your prayer will never reach God’s throne.

What does prayer look like?

Prayer can take many forms.

It can be filled with praise.

It can be filled with lament or confession.

This prayer, however, is made up of supplication and thanksgiving.

Supplication is a form of request.

When a citizen comes before the king he is called a supplicant.

He bows humbly before the king to bring his request.

I love the story of Esther and the scene in which she entered the presence of the Persian King.

To do so was dangerous.

To go before the king without an invitation was to risk your life.

If he did not hold out the royal scepter, she would be killed.

So why did Esther approach?

While her need was great, she also understood that only the King could help.

A supplicant goes to the King because he knows that the King is one who has the power to answer.

When you pray before the living God, this is how you must approach.

The great difference between Esther and you, as you approach, however, is the removal of fear.

The royal scepter has already been held forth.

It was held forth when Jesus hung on the cross.

Now when you approach, you have reason to go with confidence that God will give you an audience.

What do you bring?

Thanksgiving is also a component.

It might seem presumptuous to come with thanksgiving.

If God were just your king, perhaps it would be.

But he is also your Father and eagerly desires to give good gifts to his children.

It isn’t just your desire to receive answers, it is his desire also.

Think of your own child approaching you with a request.

It breaks your heart when he or she approaches with dampened expectations.

Yet the king imagery is also helpful here too when you think of the kind of requests you bring to him.

Are they beneficial for the Kingdom?

Do they seek its flourishing?

Are they furthering the glory of the King?

Are they advancing his will, bringing about a flourishing society that blesses the earth?

This is what he is after.

Jesus says, “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.”

When you bring requests that seek this, you must come with thanksgiving, because it is the means by which the Lord brings about his purposes.

As you seek first the kingdom, there is great comfort, for the Lord will provide all of the other things you need.