Sermon March 24, 2019
Introduction
Have you ever been on the Blue Ridge Parkway when it was really foggy? It may have started as a little fog but then before you realized it all you could see is the fog and you were struggling to see even a little bit of the road. Thatâs what worry is like.
Arthur Roche said, âWorry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.â
Iâm sure if asked, each person in here today could give a laundry list of troubles. We know the Bible teaches us as Christians we arenât exempt from troubles and we shouldnât be surprised when troubles come. In fact Jesus told his disciples in John 16:22, âIn this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.â
But many Christians still deal with anxiety, worry, distress, agitation, tension, irritability. These are words that describe a feeling of an inner turmoil that result in a feeling of outward uneasiness. This is the feeling that brings on the fog that consumes us and causes us to lose focus on everything else around us.
Today were going to examine what Jesus said about worry and how he didnât just suggest we donât worry but why he commanded us to not worry. Weâll also learn the cure for worry and how to live a life of peace.
Scripture Matthew 6:25-34
25 âTherefore I say to you, do not worry 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, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 âSo why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 âTherefore do not worry, saying, âWhat shall we eat?â or âWhat shall we drink?â or âWhat shall we wear?â 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Donât Worry
This is another portion Christâs Sermon on the Mount. In this short passage he commands us three times âDonât Worry!â The way He said it shows the fullness of His charge.
In verse 25 He acknowledges worry as a common practice and says, “Stop worrying;” in verses 31 and 34 He uses the same word, but in a way that means “Don’t even start worrying.” To continue worrying about anything, or to start worrying in the first place, is to break the Lord’s command.
According to Jesus in verse 30 if you worry itâs because you have âlittle faithâ.
Think about it this way: Christians who worry believe God can redeem them, break the shackles of Satan, take them from hell to heaven, put them into His kingdom, and give them eternal life, but just don’t think He can get them through the next couple of days. That is pretty ridiculous, isn’t it? That we can believe God for the greater gift and then stumble and not believe Him for the lesser one reveals an embarrassing lack of faith.
3 Reasons Why We Shouldnât Worry
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Because God said not to worry
Why do you think God doesnât want us to worry? For one, God wants us to depend on Him for all our needs. Thatâs not all. God knows what worry does to us.
- Worry diverts our attention
- Worry challenges our faith
- Worry affects us both physically and mentally
- Worry clouds our judgment
- Worry steals our joy
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Worrying achieves nothing
Verse 27 says, âWhich of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?â
Worrying never helps and it never changes anything. Itâs a waste of our precious time and energy.Â
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Today is enough
Verse 34: âTherefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.â
Worry causes us to spend today thinking about tomorrow. The result is we lose today. Live in the moment. This isnât to say we shouldnât plan for tomorrow; we just shouldnât worry about it. The Psalmist said, This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! (Psalm 118:24)
How can I stop worrying?
The answer is found in verse 33, âBut seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.â
Put the Kingdom of God first in our life
How do I do that you might say? Focus on things that are important to God.
- Make a commitment to attending church regularly
- Study Godâs Word
- Fellowship with other believers
- Help people who are in need
- Tithe
Seek the righteousness of God
We know none of us is perfect but that doesnât mean that we donât strive to be Christ-like in our own lives and behaviors.
Ephesians 5:8 says, For at one time you were in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.
We may have things in our lives we know we shouldnât be doing. Stop! We may have told ourselves we donât need to fellowship regularly with other Christians, itâs a lie. We do if we want to take advantage of Godâs power and peace in our lives.
Conclusion
Do you understand that in order to take advantage of all that God has we need to follow the plan he has laid out for us in Scripture. We canât pick and choose which parts of Christâs teachings we want to adhere to and then expect to receive His full blessing in our lives. So many of us are struggling and we have convinced ourselves that we have tried Godâs way and it doesnât work however in truth weâve really only tried pieces of his plan. If you are struggling with worry, anxiety or fear in your life, what do you have to lose? Why not commit to Godâs ways in their entirety.
The Apostle John wrote, âThe thief comes only to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. But Jesus said I have come that you may have life, and that you may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)
Donât settle for less than all that God has for you
~Amen