so anxious
Notes
Transcript
Introduction- So Anxious
Introduction- So Anxious
The Sermon on the Mount calls us to a different way of living, cast your anxieties on the Lord!
“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? 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? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 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. 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? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
The Danish Theologian Soren Kierkegaard is known for many great quotes and people around the world use them frequently. One of his most famous, simple, yet earth altering truths is this:
Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.
life although we live going forward, we understand it looking backwards.
Isn’t that a amazing; we keep living and working forward however we live and move forward using stories of the past, failures of the past success of the past in order to keep moving forward.
It makes sense, this is what we do. Most of us will make resolutions for 2021 about what we want to do and accomplish. Its a hopeful list; but the list is not guaranteed. 2020 showed us this; there are some people who planned on traveling the world this year: didn’t happen.
For others it was to enjoy more sporting events: shut down
2020 showed us in some regards that you are not in control.
The fact that we have no control, scares me a bit. Full disclosure, I have to be in control. I have a problem; I’m type A personality: I have to be in control. I would rather drive because I trust my ability to drive and not others, I love flying but i would rather be the pilot on the plan. SO much so that I began learning how to fly a few years ago.
SO the fact that i can’t control and dictate all of life scares me and pushes me to live with high anxiety. SOme of you watching can testify to this reality. You might not want to openly say that because; thats just something Christians don’t say. . . but if we are honest this who we are.
I needed to hear, we need to hear the calming words of Jesus when he says: don’t be anxious about your life..don’t be anxious. . don’t be anxious about tomorrow.
This Word is so timely to what we are facing right now. I believe that God knew that the year 2020 would be a rough year and that if believers stumbled across this passage they would gain hope for their Journey,
we have seen and experienced much for us to have anxiety built up. There is a global pandemic, catching many of us by surprise. The economy has not looked good for people and different industries. Families are experiencing abuse of all kinds because of the pandemic.
And then the usual hatred and racism . . . on top of sickness and death.
when i saw this weeks ago coming up next i was excited ; i needed some assurance that God is for me; and if God is for me who can stand against me. It doesn’t matter how hard life tries to hit me, God is in Control. . and if God is in control; he says don’t worry. Seek Him, Seek His righteousness, cast our cares on Him. . . He will work it out.
The songwriter said: “Jesus can work it out, if you let him, Jesus can work it out”
The Bible says: all things work together for Good and for those called according to His purpose.
casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
Anxious-verse 25
Anxious-verse 25
“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?
why are we anxious? what are we anxious about?
about you life, food, drink, clothing- what? These are the basic things we care about and they are important. As a parent: we make sure those basics are covered. Growing up my mother would respond to the “i want this and that” with I am providing you with shelter, food, clothes.
My kids ask for and say give me give me: My mind says to utilize mommas script; my mouth says to my daughter yes you can everything you want.
So why would Jesus seemingly tell his disciples not to worry about these things? DId he intend for them to not have, to go without? Absolutely not; He trying to show them that they must depend and rely upon him.
Life is more than food and clothes: then he gives examples- birds, lilies of the field. God says I cover and take care of them. I supply their needs; they don’t go without and have the things they need. If i can do it for a bird (not made in the image of God). . . If I can do it for flowers ( not made in the image of God). .I will do it for you!
That’s the cliffnotes version: God will supply your needs, God will deliver God will come through. How do i know? I have seen Him do it. If i can use the black church version version of Keirkegaard’s quote from earlier:
“when i look back over my life, when i see what God has brought me through. . when i see what he brought me out of.. . I can testify and say God has been kind, he has made ways out of no ways. He has opened doors that I thought were windows.
God has been good. . . can you take a moment and think on what God has done. When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all He’s done for me my SOul cries out Hallelujuah!!!!!
Just take a moment to think on those things; we get so busy sometimes and we don’t make time to think of His Goodness.
All Sufficient- verses 26-32
All Sufficient- verses 26-32
God knew his first followers would be baptist so he was ready to give examples to prove the goodness of God.
Look at the Birds in the air, they don’t sow nor reap: don’t you have more value
Look at the lilies, and how they are clothed: don’t you have more value than them.
These are two reminders of the all sufficient nature of God.
Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Paul had need, God says my grace is your sufficiency
He is the producer, developer and supplier.
The Bible reminds us that God upholds the world by the Word of His Power.
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
In Science (astronomy), it is believed that the earth is unique in many ways from other planets. One of it qualities is the fact that vegetation exists because the earth sits on a 23degree axis tilt. This 23 degree axis allows us to have seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall.
It is is believed that if ever the earth is moved 1 degree in any direction, we would experience total destruction and chaos in our atmosphere.
God is all sufficient; if God can keep the earth in place he can handle the situation, he can handle your needs, he can fix whatever is broken. He is all sufficient.
The question on the table is can you truly trust Him. Can you trust God to handle your problem? Can you release whatever you got going on to Him?
I believe we need to exercise handing some things over to God this week. Hand that stress over to Him; you stressing about it will not take it away.
OH Ye of Little faith- we must have faith.
Maybe some of us have the anxiety because we have little faith.
A Kingdom
A Kingdom
whose kingdom are we living for? your kingdom or God’s kingdom