INTRO
I have to tell ya, I had an interesting Tuesday morning as I started to prepare for our time together. As I often do, I dug out the Lectionary to see where we were to be headed for the week. Well, I found where I thought the lectionary said to be, and started to read Jesus’ words. Then, shortly I started to read —out of nowhere — I got a shiver in my body, and then the melody of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin started to swirl through my mind.
For me, there’s nothing like a little Jazzy Reggae to put my spirit in a place of tranquility and joy. Anyway, as I continued to read, I found myself humming — loudly I might add. As many of you know, I can’t’ carry a tune; but that didn’t stop me from signing. All Tuesday morning, I hummed McFerrin’s happy melody. I think I owe my secretary an apology.
Anyway, here’s the peculiar thing. I noticed —oh about an hour after I started preparing — the lectionary texts for this week were different from what I’d been reading. Then, I started to ask myself: do I need to go back to the drawing board? But you know what? I believed the shiver I felt —coinciding with the music I started to hum — was a signal from God that I was on track for this weekend’s message. Here’s why.
It’s good every now-and-again to hear that God doesn’t want us to worry about a thing. Instead, he wants us to be happy and content, and to trust in him for all our needs. That’s what we’re going to hear in detail this morning. First, let me paint a picture of the Gospel’s setting.
BACKGROUND
Matthew 4:23–25 says, Jesus travelled throughout Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” Matthew continued (and allow me to condense), “News about him spread into Syria… [and] large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.” Then we hear in Matthew 5:1, “Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down… and he began to teach.”
Okay, from that point, all the way through Chapter seven, we hear the words of Jesus’ legendary Sermon on the Mount. Now, picture an area with rolling, grassy hills overlooking a sea the size of Lake Coeur d’ Alene. This would be the backdrop for Jesus’ teaching. He talked as hundreds, if not many more, gathered on the hillside to hear and see the living word of God.
The landscape and scenery would have been soothing. Maybe some birds were flying around, and maybe a cool breeze was blowing from the lake onto the hills where they gathered. Some people would have been leaning back on the arms; some lying down, and others leaning forward intently listening and watching every word and movement of Jesus.
Now, it’s safe to say, by our Lutheran standards, Jesus’ sermon was long. He talked for a great while — far longer than any preacher does today. But he was Jesus. He was captivating, inviting, and he spokes all sorts of truths about living life, that occupied the minds of the average person — both then and now.
He spoke about the ways God desires we live our lives as godly people in a world full of anxiety and problems. He talked about sexual matters, and the consequences of infidelity. He chatted about loving people —even when we don’t want to; and then not seeking retribution when we’re wronged. Then he talked about being charitable; and why prayer is so crucial.
Then, just when the folks might have started to grow weary, Jesus shifted his talk to money matters. Surely, the crowd’s ears would have perked up. He talked about its traps; and the ways in which our devotion to money and stuff can be the cause of anxiety and problems. Then, in an encouraging way, he transitioned from talking about our greeds, to our needs, and not worrying about a thing. Let’s hear Jesus words again for the benefit of our faith, and for our listening audience. Turn please to Matthew 6:24-34.
FROM GREEDS TO NEEDS
Let’s read just verse 24 for now. Know that it does fit within the context of where we’re headed. READ V24. Those are easy words to read, but tough for us in America to hear. We have so much; more than any of us know what to do with — even if we think we’re poor. Most of us confuse the things we want, with the things we need in order to live: basic things like food, water, shelter, clothing, and love and friendship.
So I often we hear things like, “I just need a new pair of shoes; or a need a new pair of shorts.” Sometimes, around the holidays, we might hear this one. “I just have to have that new flat-screen TV.” You know, our country’s economic model is built upon the manufacturers and retailers convince us that we have perceived needs. In truth, they’re hoping we store up our money on the treasures they produce; instead of putting our treasures to God’s better use.
Now, unless we have no shoes, we don’t really need more than one pair. I know, that’s not fun to hear. And really, we don’t NEED a television; most people in the world get by just fine without one. Some families have multiple TV’s. We only have one, but even that be a source of idolatry if we sit down in front of it and stare intently into for too long.
Here’s my point: most people in this world don’t have a thing to their name. Yet, most of us have more than we know what to do with — so much so that it gets stuffed in the corners of our closets and garages. Did you know the average worker in the Third world eats on less than one dollar a day? Imagine if you will, only being able to afford one box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese to satisfy your hunger. Yuck! That’s boring. Still, ya know what, that’s the truth!
We have McDonald’s, and grocery stores fill with thousands of varieties of this kind of food, and that. We have malls filled with millions of articles of clothing, accessories, and gadgets. We’re blessed in this country to have all those things, and all that’s available.
Still, we don’t need all that we have; we just have more greeds than needs. And that’s why Jesus’ words are so hard for us to hear — to the point where it’s more convenient for us to shrug off his words and disregard his truths. Guilty! How about you?
For those of us who call ourselves Christian in America, we really need to guard our hearts and actions to make sure they align with God’s. Here’s why. It’s difficult for us to have all that we do, and truly serve God in the ways he’s telling us to do so. Jesus ‘saying to the rich, young man in Matthew 19:18 speaks to that point. He said, “it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Jesus would call us all rich.
That’s probably why Jesus was so concerned with his followers being more charitable — including with their time, talents and money. Jesus knows the traps of money, and how having so much stuff can actually be a detriment to our faith — because we get lackadaisical.
When we have so much, as we do, it’s easier to worry about the small things in life that actually don’t make a hoots bit of difference at the end of the day. Jesus is more concerned with our spiritual welfare and our walk with God, than the stuff that sits within our homes, upon and our bodies, and within bank accounts.
See, Jesus said, “Don’t store up your treasures where moth or rust can destroy.” What he was saying is “Don’t be a consumer of so much stuff. Don’t hoard that which God give you; instead be more generous by giving to the kingdom of God.” His word says, “Be charitable — more so that you think you can be — and you will be blessed.
God says, “Test me on this.” Actually, the only place where God says we should test him is by trying to out-give him. See, when we try to out-give God, then we don’t have to worry about having enough; because ironically, we can’t out-give God, and he blesses us back more than we can ever imagine —in more ways than one.
I’m not preaching we give, in order to get — that’s the wrong message and off point. The point is this: the by-product of being grateful, generous, and charitable is a lack of worry about our perceived needs. Let’s go back to Matthew 6, and continue reading VV25-34.
THERFORE… DON’T WORRY
Notice the first word in verse 25 is “therefore.” The word “therefore” tells us to look back at what came before, and then what’s coming next. We just hit on the “what came before.” Let’s spend the rest of our time on what comes next. Jesus said, “Do not worry.” In fact, from VV25-34, he said three times “Don’t worry”, essentially, about your stuff or your perceived needs.”
Jesus’ analogies of the birds in the air and the lilies in the fields are awesome. He was saying, “The birds and flowers don’t worry about anything.” They just exist in nature and go with all that God gives them.” After saying this he asks, are you not more valuable than they birds of the air and the flowers in the field? See to God, we’re his highest creation, and he wants to have so much. And he doesn’t want us to worry about anything.
Think about this analogy. I know some of you have dogs, or cats, or maybe both. Our dogs — well, they don’t worry about their fur. As far as we know, they don’t worry about much of anything. When they’re hungry they let us know. When the need to go outside and do their thing, they let us know that too. In fact, our dogs are happy go-lucky. They live simply with the trust that mom and dad and the girls are gonna give them all that they need —and they get it, and so much more. You know what’s cool about dogs: they love unconditionally; they’re usually happy, and they love to be by our side.
I think about the birds. It’s wonderful to hear the song in the morning. It’s like they’re singing beautiful songs of thankfulness to God. It’s too bad we don’t do that more often for the things God gives us. Like them, God say’s don’t worry about your stuff. What he’s saying is “Don’t fret the small stuff. Fret the big stuff instead: stuff like, people who die without God;s love or salvation. Fret those in your community who don’t know God, or who lack food, clothing, shelter, friendship and love.
It’s like he’s saying, if you do these things, live with an unhindered faith, and so that which I’m calling you to do — like taking care of the big stuff —then I’ll give you all that you need, and a whole lot more. You know, here’s another irony: when we fuss over the big stuff, our worries over our perceived needs that don’t make a hoots bit of difference at the end of the day —well, they usually just go away, because life is put into perspective.
WRAP UP
You know, Bobby McFerrin didn’t say anything knew. He simply repeated Jesus’ timeless truths to not worry about a thing. Instead, Jesus says, first seek the Kingdom of God — meaning take care of the big things —and then everything else will be given to you.
Now, I can’t promise you that anxieties and problems will never come your way. Jesus in fact said everyday brings problems of its own. However, I can promise you, that when those times come in life where you become worrisome, that if you just give it all over to God, and trust him implicitly for all you need, that he will provide for you needs, and bless you with more than you can ever imagine or hope.
So, let’s therefore not worry about a thing. Instead, let’s be happy and serve God with joyous and tranquil hearts. Let’s take care of big things in life — the things that are important to God, and give all our worries about our material lives over to God. Amen. Let’s pray again.
