The Great Commission
Part 16 – Sermon on the Mount – Worry and Anxiety
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith – www.PS127.org
WELCOME
INTRODUCTION TO SERMON
† The Sermon on the Mount – The Beatitudes
† We are the Salt, staying pure with God’s Holy Word
† We are the Light, showing that Word to the World
† Hate is same as murder
† Lust the same as adultery
† Divorce, Oaths
† The Law of Love, Giving
† How to Pray
† Fasting
† Treasures in Heaven
INTRODUCTION
Matthew 6:25 – 34 Worry and Anxiety
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?
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.
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
I. CHRIST COMMANDS
a. Therefore (LIT. Because of this)
Jesus begins talking about worry and anxiety by telling us why we should not worry and be anxious.
The literal says in verse 25, NOT therefore, but;
{Because of this} I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.
Because of what? Because of verses 19-24 we read last week, treasures in heaven and the light within us!
If your eye (devotion – direction of movement – are you moving in a direction to glorify God?) If your eye is good, the whole body will be full of light.
If you are committed to Christ, (not just believing) then you are trying to glorify God in your life in the way you talk, think and live and the things you do.
You will be full of light, that is the Holy Spirit which is the light of God.
Remember last week Jesus said no man can serve two masters…
No man can serve God and money, or material things of this world.
So, BECAUSE you are committed to Christ and glorifying the Father in heaven, you are full of light of the Holy Spirit, and if you are full of God, because of this, you have no need to worry, because you belong to the Father in heaven.
b. Do not be anxious
Jesus doesn’t say “try not to worry so much”, He actually says here “DO NOT WORRY”.
This is a command. We are to obey all that Christ commands, and this is a command. He says “DO NOT WORRY”.
Not about your life (health/situation/surroundings), what you should eat or drink (where is it coming from), nor for your body (looks/modifications), nor for your clothing (where is it coming from).
c. Life is more important than food & clothing
Life is MORE than things…
Our life means more than just stuff…
We are to live a life that glorifies God, how do we show we have faith in God to save us from eternal damnation, but not have faith He will ensure we have food?
Our salvation is by faith, yet how much faith does one have if He does not trust the Father to provide?
We say He can perform miracles, yet can’t feed His children?
We say that we have salvation which comes by faith, yet we don’t have enough faith that God will provide for us.
II. EXAMPLE I
a. Look at the birds
Jesus knew the listeners would have a problem understanding this, so as He always does, He gives us an illustration that a child could understand.
But just in case you don’t, He explains it.
Look at the birds…
They do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into storehouses.
Some of us spend our lives sowing to get, reaping to profit, and storing up for ourselves storehouses of plenty.
Placing our faith in OUR ability, Our provisions, too many times our faith is in OURSELVES.
b. But who takes care of the birds?
Jesus wants you to know today, that if you are committed to Him, He will provide, because He provides for the birds.
c. You are more valuable to your Father in heaven
Jesus wants you to know that you are MORE VALUABLE to God, than the birds.
If God provides to the birds, how much more will He provide to you, the precious child of God?
BECAUSE OF THIS…DO NOT WORRY.
III. QUESTION TO LISTENERS
a. Who can add a single hour to his life with worry?
My next breath comes only by God’s will and nothing else.
No man can do anything to me that my Father in heaven does not allow.
Remember this;
Whatever is going to happen cannot be stopped by worry.
And if it doesn’t happen, there was nothing to worry about.
For His children, God always provides.
IV. EXAMPLE II
a. If God does this for things which pass away, how much more will He do for those who are everlasting?
Jesus gives another example of God’s provision for the lilies, and the grass, which are here today and gone tomorrow.
They are but a moment, yet who feeds the grass and the flowers? How do they grow?
By God’s provision. God has set forth a provision for the grass of the field and the flowers which cannot sow or cloth themselves.
They exist ONLY because of God’s provision.
We see how inconsequential the grass and flowers are to God’s creation, being temporary, and yet, how much He expends on it.
And if God provides for the things of this world that are temporary, as the grass and the flowers, How much more does He love that which He has called to be everlasting?
b. You of little faith
Jesus tells us here the reason for our lack in life; it is “little faith”; because God is Faithful, He can be trusted fully to completely carry out His commitments to US IN CHRIST.
These promises, and provisions and commitments from God are to HIS CHILDREN, not just anyone in the World, but those who have the faith in Him, and commit themselves to Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:9
God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
2 Corinthians 1:18-22
But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not "Yes" and "No." 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not "Yes" and "No," but in him it has always been "Yes." 20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
1 Thessalonians 5:24
The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
2 Thessalonians 3:3
But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
V. COMMAND
a. Therefore (LIT.) you may not be anxious…
Therefore…Because of…you may not worry.
b. Pagans chase these things
Worry, stress, anxiety, these are the things pagans do.
But how does a child of God not know that God is trustworthy, faithful, ALWAYS fulfills His commitments?
Jesus says, “Your heavenly Father knows you have need of these things.”
Jesus has also said in the scriptures, “If you ask your Father for bread, what Father would give a stone? How much more will your Father in heaven who is perfect do?”
He has also said, “You have not because you ask not.”
CONCLUSION
The answer to worry, stress, anxiety is this;
Jesus tells us,
I. Seek the His Kingdom and Righteousness FIRST.
II. And all these will be given to you.
III. Do not worry about tomorrow.
