What He Said About Anxiety (Part 2)

Series Intro (3 minutes)

read aloud together - this is God’s inspired words given to us by Jesus - these words have power, and are messing with your internal reality, re-architecting your understanding and experience!

Luke 6:47–48 (The Message) These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on. If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last.

Our goal in this series is to apply Jesus’ words and become built to last - that no storm can shake us, to obstacle can stop us, no setback can disqualify! In this 6 week series we’ll examine WHAT HE SAID about three big challenges we each face today: forgiveness, money, and anxiety.Today I want to conclude our conversation on what he said about anxiety.

Here’s where we’re going today: We’ll provide a few minutes of private reflection and then talk about our takeaways in Hubs. Be ready with something to write with and to turn on your screen and join in the conversation.

First, I’m going to read “What He Said” about anxiety, do a short summary of last week...

Matthew 6:25–34 (ESV)

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? 26 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? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 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? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Review

Why is it important we talk about anxiety?

Jesus addressed it; we should too.

To understand the difference between stress and anxiety.

Stress is the result of life.

Anxiety is the result of extreme or unchecked stress.

We’re all facing extra stress in this cultural moment.

What do we do about that? How do we become built to last? By asking ourselves two questions:

Is our lens wrong?

Are we seeing the things that cause us stress through the lens of FAITH or FEAR?

FEAR leads to anxiety, but FAITH leads to resiliency. Faith allows us to see circumstance through the lens of Jesus rather than Jesus through the lens of circumstance.

Two practices:

Timed Worry

Cleaning the Lens - getting into God’s word and building a lens of faith.

The bible reading plan has been amazing!

2. Is our priority wrong?

Are you building his kingdom or your empire?

33 - ESV - But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow.

MSG - Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

TPT - “So above all, constantly chase after the realm of God’s kingdom and the righteousness that proceeds from him. Then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly”

Kingdom - the unseen spiritual realm of God’s rulership, authority, plan and purpose for humanity. The spiritual kingdom is intended to shape our seen natural world.

We are commanded, as an antidote to anxiety - to seek FIRST the kingdom.

Anxiety is an indicator our priority may be on the temporal, not the eternal (the kingdom).

When our priorities go wrong, our anxieties go high.

ME: I was so focused, so driven, so determined to make City Life succeed through this season. But somewhere, subtly, it became about me and my fear of failing, how people would perceive me, whether I could keep this whole thing going, and so I kept striving to do and be more. Anxiety got so bad one morning at the theatre I had to hid in the corner of the church and cry during a team huddle. Why? It became about my empire, not his kingdom.

God’s kingdom is bigger than our church. Our church serves his kingdom, not the other way around. For me, I came out of my burnout recovery with ZERO desire to empire build. I genuinely want to help bring kingdom into your everyday lives.

As I look at the past 4 years, I know we have accomplished some beautiful things. But I have been ambitious. I’ve yearned for an internal sense of success that has seemed elusive. I’ve compared myself to other pastors and churches and crippled myself in the process. This season has deeply and profoundly changed that. I feel that has been stripped away through this journey (I’m sure this will be tested) and that I internally detest the idea. I want to see peoples’ lives transformed by Jesus. Through prayer and worship and obedience and apprenticeship to him. I don’t want bigger stages anymore. I delight in the idea of serving the 100 people I have been entrustsed with and...I think I could be so happy here.

Ex. Luke’s account of Jesus’ life - “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but ONE thing is necessary.”

Are you empire building or kingdom building?

You Might Be an Empire Builder If...

You’re a parent who can’t stop thinking about work or make time to be present with your kids.

KINGDOM - places our role as parent above our vocation.

You’re a professional working for the next promotion, confident that if you achieve that level of notoriety or advancement then you will feel successful in life.

KINGDOM - defines success by how we know Jesus and make him known.

You thoughts often drift to thinking about what you want to acquire next: that vacation property, that better vehicle, that pair of sneakers, that couch.

KINGDOM - defines our worth aside from our net worth, and that all the things in the world will not bring lasting contentment.

You’re in school and have made peace with the fact that you’ll more think about your relationship with Jesus when the semester ends.

KINGDOM - God teaching us to rely on him in this challenging season so you will succeed in future challenging seasons.

You’re single and are determined that all you need is that significant other to find peace, joy and purpose.

KINGDOM - God has an amazing plan and purpose for you now.

You’re constantly frustrated with your partner because they don’t meet your needs.

KINGDOM - lay your life down to love and serve your partner. God brought you together and express God’s love to others together.

So much of the anxiety we experience is self-imposed, because we’ve not ordered our priorities.

God cares about ALL these things, He knows they are important, and promises to take care of what’s on our heart as we take care of what’s on HIS.

When our priorities are wrong, our anxieties are high.

How do we align our priorities?

Is he FIRST in your day - spend time with him

Is he FIRST in your week - gather by conviction (put aside excuses)

Is he FIRST in your relationships - invest in loving and serving each other

Is he FIRST in your finances - tithe, give, be generous

Is he FIRST in your choices - don’t make one decision with God left out: where you’ll live, who you’ll date, what you’ll study...

CONCLUSION

Today we’ve been talking about anxiety and worry and learned that WHAT HE SAID was that when our priorities our wrong, our anxieties are high.

Seek first the kingdom -

Jesus’ crucifixion story - a crown of thorns, beaten into his head with a rod - as he experienced that pain, as blood poured from him his head, he took our anxiety and worry, he carried all our mental anguish and hurt and pain to the cross so that we could be free.

Today I’d like to give you a few quiet minutes to reflect on what you may be holding onto that is not rightly prioritized.

Take a few minutes, screens off, journals out, and invite the HS to shine a light on your heart. Afterward, we’ll send you right into breakout rooms. Would you turn your screens on and for a few minutes share together about what God’s been showing you about your priorities?

QUIET song...

HUBS - Where do you feel challenged in your priorities and anxieties?

PRAYER - close...