Do Not Worry Series

Series: Demands of Christ

DO NOT WORRY

Matt 6:25-34

(Stephen Sheane, Sermon: Worry; Matt 6:25-34, SermonCental)

Death was walking toward a city one morning and a man asked, "What are you going to do?" "I’m going to take 100 people," Death replied. "That’s horrible!" the man said. "That’s just the way it is," Death said. "That’s what I do." The man hurried to warn everyone he could about Death’s plan. As evening fell the man saw a newspaper that said 1000 had died that day in the city. Just as he arrived at his home he met Death again. "You told me you were going to take 100 people," the man said. "Why did 1,000 die?" "I kept my word," Death responded. "I only took 100 people. Worry took the others."

Are you worried about anything this morning? Odds are that someone is. Worry seems to be an epidemic in the world in which we live.. Many experts say that coping with stress is the #1 health priority of our day

I. WORRY IS AN EXPENSIVE CONSEQUENCE OF CHOOSING

SELF AS MY MASTER (6:24)

Jesus says clearly, No man can serve two masters. In this world the greatest taskmaster whom we serve is self. We are all born with self on the throne of our hearts. Self demands to be number one and it is self that leads us to idolatry, disobedience, adultery, lying, and covetousness. Serving self will lead to many destructive consequences and one of the greatest of these is WORRY/ANXIETY. Self makes many demands on our lives and places many desires in our hearts, but self is limited in its power and is incapable of fulfilling those demands and as a result worry follows.

A. Worry will cost you much spiritually.

Worry is in direct opposition to the fruit of the Spirit. There is no way one can experience and exhibit the first four (love, joy, peace, longsuffering/patience) when worry is present.

(Oswald Chambers, My Utmost, July 4)

Worrying always results in sin. We tend to think that a little anxiety and worry are simply an indication of how wise we really are, yet it is actually a much better indication of just how wicked we are. Fretting rises from our determination to have our own way. Our Lord never worried and was never anxious, because His purpose was never to accomplish His own plans but to fulfill God’s plans. Fretting is wickedness for a child of God.

Have you been propping up that foolish soul of yours with the idea that your circumstances are too much for God to handle? Set all your opinions and speculations aside and "abide under the shadow of the Almighty" ( Psalm 91:1 ). Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about whatever concerns you. All our fretting and worrying is caused by planning without God.

B. Worry will cost you much emotionally.

Drs. Minirth and Meier)Anxiety is the

underlying cause of most psychiatric

problems.

C. Worry will cost you much physically.

Dr. Charles Mayo)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.

According to John MacArthur, some years ago, the Mayo Clinic stated that statistically 80 percent to 85 percent of their total case load were ill either in reality or artificially due directly to mental stress. Also according to MacArthur, not too long ago, there appeared an article in a leading medical journal entitled, "Is Stress the Cause of All Disease?" The author of the article says that at the beginning of the century, bacteria were considered to be the center of attention. Today, mental stress has replaced bacteria.

One leading physician has stated that, in his opinion, 70% of all medical patients could cure themselves if only they got rid of their worries and fears. Medical science has closely tied worry to heart trouble, blood pressure problems, ulcers, thyroid malfunction, migraine headaches, and a host of stomach disorders. An estimated 25 mill Americans have high blood pressure due to stress/anxiety. 8 million have stomach ulcers. Every week 112 million people take medication for stress related symptoms.”

II. WE ARE COMMANDED BY CHRIST NOT TO WORRY

AND THEREFORE WORRY IS SIN (6:25)

"Take no thought for your life"

(NAS)do not be anxious for your life; (NIV)do not worry about your life

(merimnao: Imperative)

-to be anxious or troubled with cares

(A.W. Pink)Worry is as definitely forbidden

as theft.

**Since Jesus commands us not to worry, then we must understand that we choose to worry or choose not to worry.

**Outside Circumstances do not cause a person to worry.

Worry comes from within. Worry is a choice.

A. Worry Reveals ones Lack of Trust