Untitled Sermon (11)

I want ….I want you to raise your hand if you have every dealt with anxiety or being worried…..?? Yea…ok good…yea Anxiety and being worried is huge in our world today…And to be vulnerable this morning myself…anxiety and worry have been battles that I have fought…and still am fighting….it’s not easy….One of the first verses I memorized was 2 tim 1:7 “God did not give me a spirit of fear but of power love and a sound mind”….I need this sermon

…Approximately 40 million American adults — roughly 1 of every 5 of the population — have an anxiety disorder, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 1 in 3  of all adolescents ages 13 to 18 will experience an anxiety disorder. These numbers have been rising steadily; between 2007 and 2012, anxiety disorders in children and teens went up 20%.

Anxiety is one of the problems as well that snowballs…..John Piper says, “Anxiety is one of those problems that gives birth to all kinds of other problems. Like one fire that quickly spreads throughout the whole house of your life. John Piper says, “Think about how many other sins are connected to the root sin of anxiety. Anxiety about money will cause you to hoard or steal. Anxiety about succeeding will make you irritable and impatient with those around you. Anxiety about relationships will make you withdrawn or indifferent toward other people. Anxiety about what others think about you will make you lie or stretch the truth. If anxiety could be conquered, a mortal blow would be struck to many other sins.” –John Piper1 )

But the amazing part of who Jesus is…and what His word does is he

Jesus address the most personal issues of our life

That’s one thing I love about Jesus……And reminded we are in The sermon mount-long sermon…and it contains so many popular verses, and rightly so, its a beautiful sermon that shows our daily need to be transformed by the Gospel…, and from a new heart that is transformed by the gospel how to live a righteous life………What is more interaslye is Well and comfratiiing is Jesus is going to spend alot of time talking about this issue…some think more than any other in the sermon on the mount

Sermon in a sentence: Jesus want’s his children to be anxiety free through faith that God is on the throne.

One quick caveat…..I understand today that I am dealing with a heavy topic…There is a-lot going on with Anxiety……I know their might be traumatic experiences, some physiological in-balance makeup, or some type of relationship you are in presently….that is giving you anxiety….I don’t want to undermine good Christian counsel…I am not trying to solve every Anxiety problem…..I am dealing spiritual root issue of anxiety, I understand though some hear maybe need to seek good Christian counsel…..

Again the main point of this Passage Today is

Jesus commands us not to be anxious three times.

(commanded three times….and mentioned six) and

Surrounding these commands of not being anxious are arguments supporting these commands.

So by showing you these arguments.. and truths the goal is renew your faith in your good heavenly father which will shatter Anxiety….One more clarification on the word anxious….because some of you the NIV will say, worried, which is it…Yes both…The greek term—is two smaller word meaning to divide the mind…

Worry or anxiety in other words is someone with a divided mind…

leaving them distracted and distributed..it’s not never having concerns..which we will get at…but concern on steroids….I can’t sleep now …. talks about the the seed that came up and was choked out be the thorns….worry is thorn-like…..it entailed you…

- Argument one(verse 24-25)- A Materialistic view of life leads to Anxiety

Argument one Verse 24- Materialistic view of life leads to Anxiety

Now…I have studied this passage a lot back in the day…and do you know one thing that I missed over and over again and I hope you didn’t miss it to that blew my mind is How very 25 starts….with a THEREFORE…and again every time

Any time you see a therefore in your bible always stop and ask, “What is is therefore?”

you see therefore you have to ask what is it therefore and Jesus is pointing us back to what he just said….and what did he address in 19-24…the problem of materialism and storing up treasure on earth instead of heaven….You can’t serve Both God and Money….Therefore…..His point is pretty clear a focus on materialistic focus of life is going to lead to anxiety…….One Authors Kent hughes says Jesus address the trinity of cares in our world. “eat, drink and wear”….Breaking down the statistics, the scientists found that lifetime estimates for Anxiety were as follows: low-income countries: 1.6 percent middle-income countries: 2.8 percent high-income countries: 5.0 percent

Martialism and consumerism is hard for us…..we think we need everything…we don’t…I don’t Rem…..When we break down life to a reductionist mindset of what I can eat, get, produces, wear…then anxiety is at the door….Jesus is more than these…Life is more than these….we aren’t just biology…He has given us life…

-Argument two(verse two) Anxiety doesn’t add life it subtracts life.

This verse is very clear and easy…..Jesus is saying hey man….if you are going to do all this worrying it’s not going to add to your life it’s going to hurt the quality and duration of your life…..Did Jesus know what he was talking about..Is this true?? Like if you went to the doctor and said doc….I want to have a good long life…how can you help….and He said, I have the key….here it is ready…..freak out…stress out…get anxious…that will help you might hit 150…NO….I don’t want to talk down to you all…but Anxiety in your life will increase the risk for so many other health problem and will probably guarantee you to have a shorter life…..So Jesus is saying…anxiety not going to add it’s going to subtract so don’t do it…..

-Argument thee (verse 26-30) Birds and beautiful flowers

Then in verse 26-30 Jesus is going to give us two very interesting illustration…He is going to talk about birds…and flowers….what were is that chapter in the Anxiety book of the day….like you sure Jesus…Birds and flowers…but his point his profound…..He is like look at the birds….(interesting John Stott) who is a profound bible teacher is the Reformed Tradition was an avid Bird watcher said this on this section, “ Consider the fowls of the air,” said Jesus according to the AV, and this in basic English could be translated ‘watch birds!” (Indeed I am quite serious, for the Greek verb in his command means ‘fix your eyes on, so as to take a good look at.”

Same thing with Lillies look at them…..what are they doing…there gorgeous there even more beautiful than Solemn and all his robes….yet they are thrown into the oven….Jesus is saying…take a good look the Birds their not suffering stress related diseases….they aren’t sowing and reaping (storing up 401k frantically and scared)….the Lilies aren’t looking at each other and thinking….do my pedals look good….No…..and YET the POINT is God provides fore the birds and clothes the flowers….HOW much MORE will he for YOU!!!…….Jesus is getting at HIs providence right now….R.C. Sproul's says, “When we speak theologically of the providence of God, we speak of that means by which God governs the entire universe, the means by which in His sovereignty He leaves no maverick molecule running loose outside of His sovereign authority.” His perfect plan cannot fail…..And Jesus is moving from the lesser to the greater….The birds aren’t maid in my image or the LILLIEs….YOU wear……and if I am soverine over th birds feeding that Robin and in totlay control…How much more I will for you….Im a good Father….Heavleny faith is reapted mutliple time hear…..

So that the clear implication: God’s cares for the birds he will care for you.

Quickly one thing this text isn’t saying….Let me come at it like this….Have you ever watched birds….they are go getters….They be hard workers…digging worms always moving…what Jesus isn't’ saying hear is because I am your heavenly Father and I am sovereign and will take care of you…then just be lazy…don’t try..…Work hard….but don’t but your trust their…but in God….And I really think some of you need to go birding today…just slow…and watch the birds with the tought…God knows that bird..He is keeping their heart beating…He feeding them..and its bird…I am HIs child…wow

-Argument four (verse 30-32) Small faith is a breading ground for anxiety.

Look at the last part of verse 30…of you of little faith….small faith is the breading ground of anxiety…”(Gk. oligopistos) appears four times in Matthew. The disciples showed little faith that Jesus could control the storm (8:26), that they (Peter) could walk on water (14:31), and that Jesus could miraculously provide bread for them to eat (16:8)” Very bluntly he call’s anxiety unbelief…If we are going to be anxiouse about what we eat, drink, and wear…the basics of life then we are like The Gentiles( or pagnes) unbelievers seek after these things…..Once again he is going to remind us saying….your heavlly fahter knows what you need…So

Anxiety is doubting Gods fathering ability

…you don’t think he is that great of Dad….He is the best DAD…He knows the needs you don’t even know you need yet….

-Argument five-(verse 33 ) Seek Gods Kingdom

This is the key verse in the whole section….Some use this verse for their life verse, and others thinks its the most important verse in the sermon on the mount….This verse destroy anxiety……One pastor I was listening two took years studying Anxiety…I mean he had read every book-on adrenalin, stress, anxiety, the psychological, sociological, philosophical, biological, theological aspects of fear and anxiety…..and 99 percent of them talk about how you need to think and care about yourself…which there is some truth…are bodies are spiritual and we should be good stewards of them….However, JESUS goes a totally different direction hear…..He gets the attention OFF ourselves…as if He is saying part of the problem with your anxiety is because you are manly thinking of yourself……SO SEEK (which the language hear is continually not once and done AND First on a list….think of it as a bicycle wheel….Jesus and HIS kingdom is the hub…Jesus want us to think deeper about life…

And see when you look at the life of Jesus You get…..think about (no..bread no biggie…poof…storm o well…Ill just sleep…..Crowds wanting to stone me o well..lets walk on in their…..THEN on the other hand he SEE the thieves in the temple and literally takes time to build a whip and drive them out…..Fig tree NOT producing fruit….and curse it…Demon possession Im coming for yor….So it’s weird when everyone else seems to be anxiety ridden Jesus is cool and yet other times HE is ready for war…..And see the point is Jesus is living out the issues of Seeking first the KINGdom of God…Again

Jesus isn’t saying we shouldn’t have any concerns in this passage BUT our concerns are first are foremost the KINGDom of GOD.

Things of God…Jesus got this thats why he didn’t care about wear they got the bread or the storm….but his heart broke when when he saw the crowds without a shepherd……Jesus actually says just a couple of chapters later then in Mathew 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” ……Jesus would say not my will but your WILL….See we start with all these small things: health, job, status, clothes, what we eat, the health of government…and Jesus is saying your worried about all of these physical things which are hear today and gone tomorrow in which I am soverign over…Stop and think about how to expanded my KINGDOM…because when you do the foot of my soverianlty and goodness will squash those Minoot worries and give you a bigger perspective in life……Jesus wants to remember that our time hear on earth is short….And watch what happen to our anxiety when we wake up in the morning not checking the news first but on our face before God knowing HE is even allowed us to breath another day and we communion with him in HIS word…and we pray God not our will today but yours…and live to impact HIS kingdom…

LETS close with this last verse

-Argument six (verse 34) Live today, theirs grace for tomorrow.

Verse 34 Live today, theirs grace for tomorrow

Jesus just told us that we are going to have trouble what…Jesus is keeping us from what Kent Hughes says the “then syndrome”….Then things are going to be trouble free…when I get married…when I get that job…when Im done with school…when my kids start behaving…when I have children….NO it’s crazy talk to think you can live a complete problem free life…NO matter how much kale, and sit ups you do….their’s going to be a dark day…BUT….look at “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in HIM.”

Don’t live in the future( sure plan..proverbs talks about that) don’t worry about tomorrow LIVE today family…don’t miss today……..Are you Anxious? Let me remind you God dealt with the biggest problem in the history of the world through the cross of Jesus….He made a way for relationship with HIM…And if he took care of our greatest problem how much more will he take care of our smaller problem….Don’t worry YOUR heavenly father is on HIs throne…Cast your Anxiety on Him…..Seek HIS kingdom and watch anxiety fall….

benediction : Go now walking anxiety free by seeking first his kingdom trusting that He is a good father and know everything you need.