13 - Don't Worry
#13 Don’t Worry – “Life According to Jesus” - Matthew 6:25-34
February 8th 2009 - Northern Peaks Christian Fellowship
An elderly woman went to the local pet store and bought a parrot to keep her company but she returned it the next day. "This bird doesn’t talk," she told the owner. "Does he have a mirror in his cage?" he asked. "Parrots love mirrors. They see their reflection and start a conversation." So the woman bought a mirror and left.
The next day she returned; the bird still wasn’t talking. "How about a ladder? Parrots love ladders. A happy parrot is a talkative parrot." The woman bought a ladder and left.
But the next day, she was back. "Does your parrot have a swing? No? Well, that’s the problem. Once he starts swinging, he’ll talk up a storm."
The woman reluctantly bought a swing and left. Then she walked into the store the next day, her countenance had changed. "The parrot died," she said.
The pet store owner was shocked.
"I’m so sorry. Tell me, did he ever say a word?"
"Yes, right before he died," the woman replied. "In a weak voice, he asked me, ’Don’t they sell any bird food at the pet store?’"
YOU KNOW SOMETIMES WE GET SO WORKED UP ABOUT THINGS THAT WE FORGET THE BASICS… SO THIS MORNING WE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THE BASIC COMMANDS OF JESUS…
DO NOT WORRY… AND IN THAT WHAT WE ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT IS FAITH.
We have been exploring “Life According to Jesus” in John 15:10 Jesus said…
“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.”
We want to be a people who abide in the love of Christ… that is where I want to live… and Jesus said that in order to live in the love of Christ we must obey his commands…
So if we want to live in the love of Christ we must live “life according to Jesus”
SO this morning we are exploring Jesus’ command “ DO NOT WORRY”
Let’s begin by look at our passage for this morning…. If you have a Bible turn to Matthew 6:25-34 (ESV)
I know I have referenced this passage many times… It is one of my favorite passages in all of scripture.… Jesus Said
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.”
This passage starts off in verse 25 with a THEREFORE… So this passage is tied back to the previous thought...
What was Jesus talking about in Verse 19-24… MONEY. Money is the cause of a lot of worry… Isn’t it… WE know that money causes a lot of worry… it is one of the leading causes for divorce in the United States.
If you have been following the news you know that the Senate is voting on a $827 billion dollar spending bill in an attempt to stimulate the economy.
Why, because the world is worried about money… or better yet the world has put its faith in money instead of God… but money is not the only cause of worry is it?
So as we begin this morning let’s start by trying to understand what worry is:
The Greek word for worry means to be anxious, to be troubled with care or to be agitated.
To worry means to have obsessive thoughts about events/situations beyond our control that took place in the past or may take place in the future…
Worry is motivated by our attempt to control our circumstances, and usual comes when we try to control things that are outside of our control… for instance, flying cause’s great anxiety for some folks because once on the plane everything is outside of their control.
Worry tends to increases the more our lives feel out of control
Worry left unchecked can control our lives, limit our activities, negatively impact our relationship with God and with others. So worry is unhealthy at many levels, is rooted in fear and is ultimately caused by a lack of faith in God…
Worry is a selfish emotion that keeps us focused inward instead of being focused outward and on the Kingdom of God!
Dr. Charles Mayo, of the famous Mayo Clinic, wrote, “Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands and the whole nervous system. I have never met a man or known a man to die of overwork, but I have known a lot who died of worry.”
The Bible tells us that worry is unhealthy spiritually, emotionally, and physically… That worry effect our bodies in a tangible way…
SO… What do you worry about?
How many of you have lost sleep this past week over one of these issues?
· Family Problems
· Personal Finances
· The Economy
· Issues of faith
· Failures from the past
· Guilt and shame over sin
· Health issues
You can fill in the blank…
Did you know what an average person’s anxiety is focused on :
40% -- on things that will never happen
30% -- on things in the past that can’t be changed
12% -- on criticism by others, mostly untrue
10% -- on health, which gets worse with stress
8% -- on real problems that will actually be faced
That means of all the things most people worry about only 8% are actually problems that will have to be dealt with.
In other words, only 8 out of 100 worries that you have are genuine in nature.
That reminds me of a story I read about one of the astronauts who walked on the moon… He was being interviewed by a news reporter and was asked, "What did you think about as you stood on the moon and looked back at the earth?"
Think about all the things that must be going through your mind… to catch a small glimpse of the universe from that perspective… Do you know what he said?
The astronaut replied, (as he gazed at the trip back to earth)" I remembered how the spacecraft was built by the lowest bidder."
Isn’t this the way we think? Isn’t this the way we truly are at times?
We are far more likely to live out of fear than to live by faith and that is why Jesus in his teachings often ties worry and anxiety to a lack of faith in God…
I think worry might be the one sin that Christians commit more frequently than any other and yes worry is a sin…
In our passage this morning Jesus gives us FOUR REASONS WHY WORRYING IS WRONG.
1. WORRYING IS SINFUL
Jesus has told us not worry… and to disobey His command is sinful
Verse 25 - “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life
1 Corinthians 7:32 (ESV)
32 I want you to be free from anxieties.
Luke 21:34 (ESV)
34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.
Philippians 4:6 (ESV)
6 do not be anxious about anything,
Luke 8:14 (ESV)
14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
Jesus says that worry or the cares of this world is one of things that causes new believers to lose their salvation… Worry is dangerous for a believer. It can rob not just our joy but our salvation, that is why Jesus “DO NOT WORRY”
When you worry, you stop trusting God and start trying to take control of your life,
Being a Christian means that you trust Jesus as the Lord of your life… Romans 10:9&10… which means you give up control to God…
When we worry it means we have stopped trusting in Jesus as Lord
When you worry it is as if you are saying to God I don’t trust you with the outcome of my life so I’m going to take over now…
The second reason worry is wrong is because
2. WORRY IS A RESULT OF A LACK OF FAITH
If God feeds the birds of the air and clothes the flowers of the fields, will He not provide for you?
God is your Heavenly Father. God loves you enough to send His Son to the cross for to pay the price for your sin… He cares about you that much! Much more than He cares about the birds and the flowers.
God is our provider! As a matter of fact one of his names is Jehova Jira which menas My Provider…
Verse 27 says, “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”
Worrying will not help in any way shape or form…
Instead of worrying we should pray to the one who provides our needs…
Philippians 4:6 (ESV)
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Matthew 7:7-11 (ESV)
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
We need to learn to Ask, Seek & Knock… because God wants to give good things to his children who ASK… He is our provider, he is our King, He is our Abba Father…
You believe that God can save you from your sins, answer your prayers, take you to heaven, and give you eternal life. How can you not have faith that God will take care of your physical needs here on Earth…
That said by no means am I saying that you should not work… God most of the time provides for our needs through work…
1 Timothy 5:8 (ESV)
8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 (ESV)
10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
So when it comes to meeting physical needs… food, clothing, shelter… If you are physically able to work… you need to work… So if you are sitting at home praying for God to meet your need and you are not actively and whole heartily looking for work… God’s not going to meet your needs. You need get off the couch, pray that God would give you favor with an employer and go get a job… even if it is job you can’t stand… God will supply your needs through work… and then you need to do that job like Jesus is your employer…
Colossians 3:23 (ESV)
23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
The third reason worry is wrong is because
3. WORRY IS A RESULT OF WRONG PRIORITIES IN YOUR LIFE
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.
Jesus says that when we worry we are acting like unbelievers whose lives are focused on materiel things… the world has put its faith in money and possessions and serves and worships created things… THE WORLD IS IN LOVE WITH ITS “STUFF”
We have all seen the bumper sticker… He who dies with the most toys wins…
But the truth is the one who dies with the most toys still dies…
The world worries about stuff! Especially right now all you have to do is turn on the TV and you will see it… When you boil this economic crisis right down to the bare essentials what people are worried about is what they will eat, what they will drink, what they will wear, where they will live, what will happen to their toys… The economic crisis we are facing is really a crisis of STUFF…
And our problem is that sometimes we in the church act too much like world.
When we think like the world and act like the world, then we tend to worry like the world! We tend to stress when our property taxes go up and our appraisal goes down… We stress when our 401K loses $20,000. We sacrifice the things of the Kingdom to make money and then justify by saying “Well I have to work”
You see when we are not focused on God and His Kingdom then we have cause to worry.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
So, Instead of worrying about job, your, your money, your possessions, or even what you will eat… As a follower of Christ your first concern should be… to seek God’s kingdom:
Is your life focused on God’s Kingdom… Do you wake up every morning asking God what he wants you to do that day or where he wants you to severe in His kingdom…
Do Kingdom matters take priority in your life? Or is God’s Kingdom secondary to your own kingdom… Be honest with yourself… Are you truly willing to let God rule in your life? If you find yourself worrying about “stuff” that is a good indicator that you are not seeking first the Kingdom of God…
Our Second Concern should be to seek God’s righteousness: or to Seek to do what is right according to God.
· Are you living in sin?
· Are the area in your life where you are not allowing God to lead your life?
· Do you know what is right and are not doing it?
· Are you sitting on the couch not looking for work?
If you are not putting God first in your life and you are not seeking to do what is right don’t expect God to provide for your needs… and remember worry is a good indicator that you’re not putting God first…
Jesus said..,
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
If we put God first He promises to supply all our needs therefore there is no need for worry…
The fourth reason worry is wrong is because
4. WORRY CAN’T CHANGE YOUR FUTURE BUT GOD CAN
Matthew 6:33
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
By worrying we are in essence saying we can control the future… but that is outside of our circle of control… The older I get the more I realize that I control very little in my life… My circle of control is getting smaller and smaller…
I can’t control my health, there are a few things I can do to stay healthy but in the end I really can’t control it… I can’t control the economy, I can’t control other people, I can’t control the weather, I can’t control the price of gas, I can’t control congress, I can’t control taxes, and I can’t control how many people show up on any given Sunday,
I have discovered there are very few things I can really control, but two things I can control are: what I seek after and how I respond to those situation I can’t control.
Luke 12:25-26 (ESV)
25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?
I think we can all agree time is our most valuable possession and Jesus says that by worrying we can add a single hour to our life… So why bother worrying at all…
Jesus isn’t saying, “Don’t plan for the future; He’s saying, “Don’t worry about the future.” Don’t worry about how you’re going to handle the problems of tomorrow; focus on the problems of today. There is enough trouble in each day without adding the stress of tomorrow.
As I have realized that my circle of control is getting smaller the more I see the blessing in that. If I am not in control than I can trust the one who is really in Control, God…
The older I get the more I realize that God has a better plan then I do, and sense I’m not the one in control of the plan I don’t have to worry about the outcome of the plan…
All I have to do is seek first the Kingdom of God and He will take care of the rest…
When you get to that point in your spiritual journey, the point where you can truly relinquish control of your life to God’s plan, you will find true freedom from worry and anxiety…
So let me give you a quick recap…
FOUR REASONS WHY WORRYING IS WRONG.
1. WORRYING IS WRONG BECAUSE IT IS SINFUL
2. WORRYING IS WRONG BECAUSE IT IS A RESULT OF A LACK OF FAITH
3. WORRY IS A RESULT OF WRONG PRIORITIES IN YOUR LIFE
4. WORRYING IS WRONG BECAUSE IT CAN’T CHANGE YOUR FUTURE BUT GOD CAN
I want to end with this today…
I came across a story written by an 85 year old woman, who was reflecting back on her life. She said, "God, if I had my life to live over, I would relax & ramble around & be sillier than I had been on this trip. "I would take fewer things so seriously, & I would take more chances. I would take more trips & I would climb more mountains & swim more rivers.
"I would eat more ice cream & less prunes."
"I would perhaps have some actual troubles but I’m sure I would have fewer imaginary ones. You see, I’m one of those people who have lived sensibly & safely, hour after hour, day after day.”
"Oh, I have had my moments. And if I had it all to do over again I would have more of them. Just moments one after another instead of living so many years in a big chair, acting like all those persons who never go anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat, or a parachute.”
"If I had it to do over again I would worry less. I would laugh more, & I would pick a lot more daisies."
Jesus Said in Luke 12:31-32 (ESV)
Instead, (of worrying) seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. 32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Stop worrying about earthly stuff God wants to give you the kingdom…
AMEN… Lets Pray