Winning over Worry

TEXT: Matthew 6:25-34

TOPIC: Winning Over Worry

Pastor Bobby Earls, First Baptist Church, Icard, NC

Sunday Morning, August 20, 1995

(Preached at FBC-CP on September 9, 2007)

Have you ever kept a worry log? It would be interesting to note for seven days everything about which you worry. One thing would quickly appear. Most human worries center around what we will eat, or drink or put on.

All of us worry at some time or another, but some are worse than others. Some people are compulsive worries. They're the professional worriers. I know, I lived with one for most of my life. My mother is a worrier. She worries about everything. The other day Jordy had a pimple on his neck. She was convinced it was a tumor. Sometimes she worries that there's nothing to worry about.

Now Jesus doesn't intend that His people be overcome with such worries. You can stop worrying about life's anxieties when you give yourself to life's greatest concern, the Kingdom of God.

I. STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE SECULAR TRINITY, (6:25-32)

Matthew 6:25-32

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life {Or single cubit to his height}?

28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. (NIV)

You ask, "What's the Secular Trinity? What you eat, drink, or put on.

Instead, we should....

A. Heed the Command--do not be distracted about the basics of life.

I know that statement goes against almost everything we live for. We get up. We eat. We go to work, we come home. We eat. We go to sleep. We get up. We eat. We go to work. We eat. We go to sleep. And the cycle continues day after day, week after week, on and on throughout the days of our lives.

Contemporary Christian singer Carman has a song he calls the Soap Song which depicts well this worrisome life we often choose to follow.

Gone are the days of Leave It to Beaver,

Matt Dillion and his sidekick Festus

Now we survive on the immortal lives

Of those of the Young and the Restless.

It's not that they're young, they're just restless

Not living at all like they should,

So they go to the General Hospital,

And the Doctors can't do 'em no good.

So they keep on with their Search for Tomorrow,

Not doing one thing that's right,

And they all end up in Another World

About to fall off the Edge of Night.

Well that shouldn't matter

Cause after all As the World Turns

You only have One Life to Live,

There remains a blessed hope for you and all your children,

More hope than Ryan could ever give.

If we want true contentment,

Peace in our homes, with an end to marital strife.

We must live for Jesus Christ,

the only Guiding Light.

Not one but all the Days of our Lives.

Not only should we heed the command not to be distracted by the cares of this life, but we should also....

B. Analyze the Argument--God's greater gifts always includes the lesser.

Look at the birds--worry is unnecessary.

Look at yourself--worry is unavailing.

Look at the flowers--worry is unbecoming.

II. STOP WORRYING ABOUT FUTURE UNCERTAINTY(6:34)

Matthew 6: 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (NIV)

You can master the demons of worry if you confine them to today.

When is what you worry about going to happen? Almost always tomorrow.

This philosophy of life worked for Jesus. Humanly speaking, He had more to worry about than anyone in history, yet He walked without worry.

III. STOP WORRYING BY EXCHANGING THE GREAT CONCERN ABOVE ALL OTHERS, (6:33).

Matthew 6: 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (NIV)

Jesus' statement to "seek" is in the present tense imperative. Therefore,

This is a command, not an option. "Casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you." And.....

This is a continual way of life for the Christian, a life long habit.

The substitution of greater concern excludes the lesser concerns. What is your greatest concern at this present moment? Is it a Kingdom concern? If not, then exchange the lesser for the greater and stop worrying.