Matthew 6 25-33 2002
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“#Consider the sparrows”
16th sunday after trinity 1-year
Matthew 6:25-33
Introduction: Birds amaze me. I love to watch them. They seem to be so mobile. They can go any where they want without difficulty. At least it appears that way. I like them too because they seem to be so free and unencumbered. They float with ease upon the gentle breezes of the wind as it whispers through the trees. I notice the birds the most though, when I am on my way to work -- in particular the sparrows. When I see them I remember the words of our gospel lesson. I consider the Sparrows and then I consider myself. We can consider the sparrows this morning. How are we like them? How are we not like them?
I. Unlike the Sparrows
A. We sow and reap. We have worked hard almost every day of our lives. Day in and day out we worked to put bread on our families table. We have strived to cloth ourselves and them with the best that we could afford. We have worked hard to put a roof over their heads and save a little money for the future. It is necessary and good that we have done all of these things. Unfortunately we have been tempted to worry about how we were going to make it from day to day. The sparrows don’t do any of these things. Neither do they worry about them.
B. We worry about things that will parish. Yes we have worked hard, for many things. Now, more than any time in our lives we can look back and see that most of what we worked for has perished. It’s gone. We are left with very little. Still we are tempted to fear that even he little that we have will also be taken away.
C. We worry about today and tomorrow (yesterday). We think, how will I make? Will the pain I have today be worse tomorrow? Will my needs be taken care of. Will they hear me when I call. For us tomorrow can be a fearful place. But not for the sparrows, they don’t worry about tomorrow.
II. Like the Sparrows (How then are we like the sparrows)
A. Just like he made the sparrows, God made you. You are His creation. Your life here on earth is not an accident. Before you were born God knew you and loved you. He was their at your borning cry , and through-out your life. He will be their when you die. God not only created you. He had a plan for your life. That plan included caring for you daily and richly, meeting every one of your needs.
B. He cares for you now and eternally. He has met all of your needs and He has supplied your most important one. He sent His Son Jesus to die for your sins. Through Jesus you are cleansed from all your doubt and worry. He has forgiven you. Now He calls you to be at peace. The Sparrows, “Are you not much more valuable than they”? “He that did not even spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all--will He not along with Him graciously give you all things?
C. “Seek ye first”. God calls us away from our worries and concerns about today and tomorrow. Where can we go to get away from them? Jesus tells us to “seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added”. He calls us to Himself. The kingdom of God rests upon His shoulders and we find it when we embrace Him as our Lord and Savior. He calls us to leave our worries at the foot of His cross. At His cross we are set free, as it were, to fly like the sparrows. Through Jesus’ death our load of cares has been lifted from our shoulders.
Conclusion Engineers daughter.
I want to conclude with a short story. There was a young child that was about to take a very long train trip--alone. As the child was boarding the train a man asked “aren't you afraid to travel alone with no one to take care of you or watch over you. The child replied, “O no sir, I am not afraid. My father is the engineer and is driving the train.” Your Heavenly Father is in control. He created you and loves you and is taking care of you one day at a time. The Sparrows, “Are you not much more valuable than they”? “He that did not even spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all--will He not along with Him graciously give you all things?