Worry in the Christian’s Life
Matthew 6:25-34
INTRODUCTION
A. Reporter who visits an unusual woman.
1. Widow who raised 6 children and adopted 6 more.
2. Asked, “How have you been able to raise all these children by yourself-and do it so well?”
3. Lady, “It’s very simple. You see, I’m in a partnership.”
4. Reporter, “A what?”
5. Lady, “A partnership. One day a long time ago I said to the Lord, ‘Lord, I’ll do the work if You do the worrying,’ and I haven’t had a worry since.”
B. 1961 Time cover story on Anxiety in America entitled “Guilt and Anxiety.”
1. Breakdown in faith in God and the fast pace and tension of modern life has led to anxiety in millions.
2. Called worry one of the most debilitating ailments of the time.
3. The writer stated, “Not merely the black statistics of murder, suicide, alcoholism, and divorce betray anxiety, but almost any innocent everyday act: the limp or overhearty handshake, the second pack of cigarettes or the third martini, the forgotten appointment, the stammer in midsentance, the wasted hour before the TV set, the spanked child, the new car unpaid for.”
4. Transport ourselves almost 40 years into the future and Americans have much more to worry about.
C. Soren Kierkegaard, “No Grand Inquisition has in readiness such terrible tortures as anxiety.”
D. Previous verses.
1. Jesus focused on our attitudes about possessions.
2. Now he deals with our attitudes about the necessities of life.
3. All of us face situations that cause worry or anxiety if we don’t respond correctly.
4. Not an admonition against concern over matters of importance.
5. Rich are tempted to trust in money and material things.
6. Poor are tempted to distrust God’s provision when problems arise.
E. Natural for us to be concerned with earthly things (that’s where we live).
1. Born again earthlings should be concerned with heavenly things.
2. How we relate to the physical and spiritual world reflects our spiritual state.
3. We are not to worry over the necessities of life.
WORRY DEMONSTRATES UNFAITHFULNESS
A. We are not to be anxious.
1. God is our Master, which makes anxiety foolish.
2. “Do not worry” carries the idea of stopping what we already are doing.
B. Don’t worry about life.
1. Speaks to the physical, emotional, spiritual and mental.
2. Nothing can justify our worrying when Jesus is our Master.
3. Probably the most committed mistake we make.
4. Comes from a German word that means to choke or strangle.
5. Worry can lead to mental and physical afflictions.
C. We must learn to be content in all situations and there are three ways to do this.
1. God owns all things (he created and holds it together. He won’t take from us what belongs to him).
2. God is in control of all things (Daniel in the lion’s den. The king lost sleep not Daniel).
3. God is the provider of all things (God provided a ram after Abraham obeyed in offering Isaac as a sacrifice).
D. Water, food and clothing were not prevalent in Bible times.
1. We have an overabundance now.
2. All these things pertain to the body, and life is more than that.
3. We don’t live to adorn our bodies, but they live because of the breath of God.
4. Our bodies live to glorify God.
E. One said, “Worry is a thin stream of fears that trickles through the mind, which, if encouraged, will cut a channel so wide that all other thoughts will be drained out.”
1. When overly worried about something, we will dwell on it.
2. Dwelling on it can in turn lead to physical, emotional and spiritual problems.
WORRY IS UNNECESSARY
A. Believers have no reason to worry (not talking about concern for there are many situations we need to be concerned about).
1. Jesus uses the birds of Northern Galilee to illustrate.
2. They don’t sow or reap but get life from God.
3. God gives them resources to gather as well as the instinct.
4. If he cares for them, surely he will care for those made in his image.
5. Birds are persistent in gathering but don’t stockpile or worry.
B. Second illustration has to do with longevity of life.
1. Many are obsessed with this (diets, physical exercise and checkups).
2. Cannot force God to extend our lives.
3. We can worry ourselves to death but not to life.
4. Primary concern should be to obey, please and glorify God.
C. Third illustration has to do with clothing.
1. Lilies of the field are adorned by God.
2. Not even Solomon was arrayed like them, but they don’t last long.
3. Dried grass and flowers were often used in ovens as fuel to bake bread.
D. If God clothes the flowers, he will do more for us.
1. Worrying calls into question the love, integrity and trustworthiness of God.
2. We are not mastered by our circumstances.
E. One doctor said, “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.”
WORRY IS UNREASONABLE
A. Worry is inconsistent with our faith in God.
1. Makes us like the unsaved.
2. They have reason to worry because they have no promise from God.
3. What they get, they must get for themselves.
4. If there is nothing for them in eternity, they must try to get all they can out of this life.
B. Worry is unreasonable.
1. Seek after the things of God, his kingdom and his righteousness.
2. Seek his rule, will and authority.
3. We must be obedient and pour our life into his work.
WORRY IS UNWISE
A. Jesus is not talking about failing to prepare.
1. It is foolish not to prepare for the future.
2. If we can’t worry about today, we will worry about tomorrow.
3. Jesus says tomorrow will take care of itself.
4. Tomorrow is in the hands of God.
B. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
1. We are not to worry about that trouble.
2. Concentrate our energies on meeting the trials, temptations and tribulations of that one day.
3. We must rely on God’s strength for that day.
4. God gives his grace one day at a time.
CONCLUSION
A. Worry shows unfaithfulness, is unnecessary, unreasonable and unwise.
B. All in the Family episode
1. Edith says to Mike and Gloria, “Archie just doesn’t know how to worry without getting upset.”
2. Got everyone else upset too.
