Text: Matthew 6:25-34
Title: Cure for Anxiety/Worry
Introduction: There are so many diseases and sicknesses in the world that there are no cures for, until it could put a person in a dungeon of depression. Diseases like cancer and AIDS that have no cure and cause hurt and pain to the sufferer and those who have a relationship with those with said diseases and sicknesses. A silent killer today is worry. Worry is a dreaded disease. Some of us today have the symptoms/signs of this dreaded disease – hair loss, ulcers acting up, can’t sleep at night (when was the last time you had a good night’s rest?), always on edge-the least small thing frustrates us – these are symptoms. Some are worried about…finances, baby mama drama, baby daddy drama, sickness…do I have this or do I have that, is my husband happy, is my wife happy, is my husband coming home early tonight, will I have job tomorrow, is my child going to ever grow up, will child learn how to make it own his or her own, how will I pay my bill, is my car going to get repossessed today, will my lights be on when I get home…some people cannot even sleep because of worry. Looks like you have it—the disease of worry. It has been diagnosed/identified. Here is the prognosis/probable course and outcome of the disease..here are some things about worry & what it can/will do for you: (25) keeps you from enjoying what you have; (26) makes you forget your worth; (27) worry is completely useless; (30-31) erases the promises of God from your mind; & (32a) it is characteristic of unbelievers, not of Christians. Now that we have identified the symptoms, the disease itself, the diagnosis, and the prognosis…the purpose of the sermon is to see if there is a cure for the dreaded disease of worry/anxiety.
I. Trust God (32b)
• To trust God is more than a mental or verbal assent…it is total dependence on God. (Prov. 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path.”)
• God knows what you need. (Phil. 4:19, “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”)
II. Seek God (first) (33a)
• First things first – it’s about priority – Mt. 6:24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” “…notice Jesus said we ‘we cannot serve both God and money.’ ‘He didn’t say ‘should not’ or ‘might not want to attempt to’; he said ‘cannot.’ Jesus teaches us that competing values cannot coexist. One will overwhelm the other.” (The Relationships Principles of Jesus, Tom Holladay)
• Seek ye first the Kingdom of God…seek the reign and rule of the Kingdom of God…and you can’t have a kingdom without a King. Seek the King’s will. Seek the King! (Isaiah 55:6, “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near…”) (Colossians 3:1-2, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” KJV; The Message translates it like this, “So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that's where the action is. See things from his perspective.”)
III. Seek God’s Righteousness (33b)
• Seek/Desire what’s right. (Isaiah 55:7, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”)
Conclusion (33c) – These things will be added/supplied/provided in God’s timing.
