Advent 2021: Waiting without Worry

Matthew 6:25-34

Advent: Waiting without Hurry

Waiting without Worry

Never preached this passage

What kind of ‘worry’ are we talking about?

“Worry is inappropriate or wrong when it is misdirected, is in wrong proportion, or indicates a lack of trust in God. It is this latter sense that Jesus addresses here?” Michael Wilkins

Type of worry that shows a lack of trust in God

Is worry always a lack of trusting in God?

Worry is created when we put our trust in our idols.

Introduction:

Advent

Waiting without Hurry

Waiting without Worry

Jesus invites us during this advent season, don’t worry?

What’s your root for worry?

Family? Friends, etc.

But really, it all boils down to one thing:

“Don’t worry be happy” Lyrics

“And got no rent, and got no style, and got no gal to make you smile, but don’t worry, be happy!”

“In every life we have some trouble, and if we worry we make it double, so don’t worry, be happy!”

Add a few more to this list

Jesus goes to the jugular:

Worry’s root is lack of trust in the Lord!

Or, to put another way, our worry is actually a form of idolatry, competition of the heart between seeking the Kingdom and worrying

Worry in the Text:

Lessons about Worry

About food, clothing, and the future (v.34).

vv.26-27:

#1 Reason to not worry: “Father’s care for his creatures” Wilkins

“The point is that when Jesus’ disciples are responsible to carry out the proper ways of life as ordained by God, God is faithful to carry out his end of the order.” Wilkins

vv.28-30:

Second reason now to worry: “look at the lilies”, ie., “God’s provision in nature for flowers growing wild.” Image of Jesus stopping down picking a wild flower.

DOES NOT SAY: Consider the Millionaire resting in front of his 80 inch plasma.

“Those with eyes of effective faith will see the beauty of God’s creation in contrast to human efforts at splendor and will learn daily how to follow God’s guidance and how to trust in his glorious provision.” Wilkins

v.31-32:

Third reason not to worry: “Pattern of unbelievers who do not understand the Father’s care.”

v. 31: “DO NOT BE ANXIOUS”

Main Points:

v.27: The point: Can’t add a single hour to your life? Worrying won’t let you live longer!

It’s pointless!!

v.30: “O you of little faith”: Worry over lack of faith

Wilkins: the phrase ‘you of little faith’= “Only directed to Jesus’ disciples, indicating that ‘little faith’ is not absence of faith but deficiency of faith.”

Have you looked at the lilies lately??

Michael Green: “Worry is not a little weakness we all give way to from time to time. It is a sin that is strictly forbidden.”

Practical Atheism??

God wants our trust!

God takes care of the necessities of life.

Worry in the World:

R. H. Mounce says, ‘Worry is practical atheism and an affront to God’, and Jesus gives good reasons for the truth of this.”

Practical Atheism??

Be sensitive to those who worry, but at the same time, need to say it as clearly as Jesus does:

!Stop it!

Empathize:

Rise in anxiety

Social Media

Grace in the Text:

v.33: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.”

Whole paragraph could make sense without verse 33. Like Jesus just slips it in.

Grace=Kingdom, alternative option

Grace=KING!

What did that mean to a Jewish audience?

Seek does NOT mean “to look for something not present.” “In this context it means that his disciples are to make the kingdom of heaven the center of their continual, daily priorities.” Wilkins

Leon Morris: “Jesus is clearly saying that the disciple’s first and best effort is to be directed toward God’s kingdom, not any personal needs.”

Seek Kingdom and his righteousness: Not OUR righteousness: “Jesus does not say “your righteousness,” or “to be as righteous as you can,” or anything of the sort. It is God’s righteousness that disciples must seek.” Leon Morris

v.31:

Grace in the World

Seek the Kingdom

What does this NOT mean?

Be anxious about BIG things so God will give that to you.

Easy target: Joel Oesting: “We’re going to own that house someday.” Imagine your future.

Instead:

Our concern: Seek. What does seek mean? Where do we and how do we seek?

Does seek=desire?

“He who dies with the most toys wins.” “You can’t take it with you.”

“Never seen a u-haul behind a hearse”

Why do you accumulate wealth?

“treasure” on earth.

• Security. We want to know that we are taken care of, so what brings us the greatest security of life and soul is to have material security.

• Personal worth, esteem, and value. Material possessions and wealth often indicate that people are successful in what they have done with their lives. We feel good about ourselves if we dress, drive, dine, and decorate well.

• Power. With wealth and material success, we believe that we can have and get and be what we want. Wealth gives us control over our own fate and over other people.

• Independence. With wealth I can be my own “god” and not rely on anyone else.

• Pleasure. With wealth we can indulge our every fantasy, whether it is the exotic vacation, the luxurious wedding, the finest dining, or the most decadent home.

Do not be overawed when a man grows rich,

when the splendor of his house increases;

for he will take nothing with him when he dies,

his splendor will not descend with him.

Though while he lived he counted himself blessed—

and men praise you when you prosper—

he will join the generation of his fathers,

who will never see the light of life.

A man who has riches without understanding

is like the beasts that perish. (Ps. 49:16–20)

Wilkins: “Warren Wiersbe make this comment during a chapel message: “It is often said that we are continually being crucified between two thieves—the regrets of yesterday and the worries about tomorrow.””

Wilkins: Max Lucado has written a little devotional book for mothers, and in it he has a selection cleverly entitled “Whaddifs and Howells: The Burden of Worry.” He asks what a mother may very well ask, “ ‘Whaddif I marry a guy who snores?’ ‘Howell we pay for our baby’s tuition?’ 

Answer: “When the time comes.”

“The brain stops thinking about what brings pleasure, shifting its focus instead to identifying potential dangers.

How to defeat Anxiety:

Trust!

Defer

“Tomorrow will be anxious about itself does not mean that, while we must not worry today, tomorrow we may do so. It is a forceful way of saying that worry must always be deferred. Tomorrow’s worry is only in the sense “tomorrow never comes”; if worry is confined to tomorrow we are free, for it is always today. And Jesus finishes this part of his subject with the reminder that each day has sufficient trouble to keep us occupied; there is no point in anticipating tomorrow’s quota of trouble today. “Today’s trouble is enough for today” (NRSV). This, of course, is a counsel that defeats worry. We are rarely anxious for today; it is the future that bothers us. If we restrict our concern to today, we defeat anxiety.” Leon Morris

“There is, in the life of the fourteenth-century German mystic Johann Tauler, a remarkable story that shows something of the attitude Jesus was looking for in his disciples. One day Tauler met a beggar. ‘God give you a good day, my friend,’ he said.

The beggar answered, ‘I thank God I never had a bad one.’

Then Tauler said, ‘God give you a happy life, my friend.’

‘I thank God’, said the beggar, ‘that I am never unhappy.’

In amazement Tauler asked, ‘What do you mean?’

‘Well,’ said the beggar, ‘when it is fine I thank God. When it rains I thank God. When I have plenty I thank God. When I am hungry I thank God. And, since God’s will is my will, and whatever pleases him pleases me, why should I say I am unhappy when I am not?’

Tauler looked at the man in astonishment. ‘Who are you?’ he asked.

‘I am a king,’ said the beggar.

‘Where, then, is your kingdom?’ asked Tauler.

The beggar replied quietly, ‘In my heart.’” Michael Green