Purpose: To show the folly of worry and how to avoid it.
Aim: I want the listener to discover sinful heart issues that cause worry.
INTRODUCTION: Worry is a universal problem. Everyone of us struggles with worry. We may worry about different things, but we all worry.
Just because we all struggle with worry doesn't mean that it isn't a problem. We can't dismiss it with, "I've always been this way" or "I'm Irish (or almost any other nationality) and that's just the way we are" or "I'm just a worrier!"
Worry affects us on many different levels. It can keep us from sleeping, it can take away our energy, rob us of joy, damage our relationships, and even ruin our health. Worry can also keep us from understanding the Bible: Mark 4:19 but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. (NAU)
We can be going on with life as usual, minding our own business, and then suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, worry rears its ugly head. It can linger for years.
Worry, or anxiety, is also a problem because it is a sin. Notice that Jesus commands us not to worry three different times in our text: see verses 25, 31, and 34. Paul picks up on this command in Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (NAU)
"The verb to be anxious (µεριµνάω) occurs 7 times in Matt. (6:25, 27, 28, 31, 34 [twice]; 10:19).
I. Be not anxious for life, ... 6:25.
II. Be not anxious for stature [how long you will live]. 6:27.
III. Be not anxious for clothes. 6:28.
IV. Be not anxious for food. 6:31.
V. Be not anxious for tomorrow. 6:34.
VI. Be not anxious for testimony in persecution. 10:19." [1]
The good news is that worry can be solved. Today we are going to look at a portion of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus gives us solutions to worry. It is interesting that Jesus spends more time talking about worry in this sermon than He does any other single topic.
Jesus knows that worry is big problem, but He also gives us very helpful solutions. We don't have to worry, we can overcome it.
In one sense worry is NOT our problem--it is the symptom of our problems. So, in order to overcome worry we must first dig down and find the roots for worry.
Where does worry come from? I believe that Jesus is tracing the problem with worry back to two important roots in today's text.
►Vs.19-24 I. False gods Cause Worry
The Bible usually calls a false god an idol. An idol, or false god, can be anything that governs our behavior. It can be money, position, reputation, family, spouse or children.
Matthew Henry explained it this way: "Where the treasure is, there our cares and fears are, ... there our hope and trust are (Prov. 18:10, 11); there our joys and delights will be (Ps. 119:111); and there our thoughts will be, there the inward thought will be, the first thought, the free thought, the fixed thought, the frequent, the familiar thought. The heart is God's due (Prov. 23:26), and that he may have it, our treasure must be laid up with him, and then our souls will be lifted up to him." [2]
Your treasure IS your God. You can tell that something is your treasure if the threat of losing it makes you angry or depressed.
►Vs.19, 21-24 A. The problem with false gods
► Vs.19 1. False gods fail "destroy...steal"
You can tell something is a false god if it fails to provide lasting security and a significance which only God can give. It is a false god if security is only in our imagination. Proverbs 18:11 A rich man's wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own imagination. (NAU)
1 Timothy 6:9--10 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (NAU)
► Vs.21 2. False gods rule the heart "treasure is...heart will be"
Listen to how Paul describes what false Christians are like: Philippians 3:18--19 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. (NAU)
► Vs.22-23 3. False gods obscure reality "great is the darkness!"
Here Jesus is using the body as an illustration of the soul. The only way our bodies can see light is with the eyes. The ONLY way we can see spiritual things clearly is when God is our treasure. When God is NOT our treasure then everything else in our lives goes dark.
James 5:1--3 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! (NAU)
► Vs.24 4. False gods demand complete obedience "cannot serve God and wealth"
There is no middle ground between false gods and God. Proverbs 23:4 Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it. (NAU)
James hits us right in the face with ... do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4 NAU)
► Vs.20-21 B. The solution to false gods
► Vs.20 1. Take action: replace your false gods "store up...treasures in heaven"
1 Timothy 6:17--19 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. (NAU)
What can we do to store up treasure in heaven? The best place to start is the Great Commission. When we "make disciples" and then "teach them" we are putting treasure in heaven. This is what Jesus meant in Luke 16:9 "And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings. (NAU)
► Vs.21 2. The result: a passion for Christ "heart will be also"
Notice that a passion for Christ follows right actions. We must be willing to do right even when we don't feel like it. Otherwise, we wouldn't be living by faith. We are not living by faith if we only do right when we feel like it.
When we treasure Jesus Christ more than anything else then our hearts will be content that He will take care of our every need. Philippians 3:7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. (NAU)
If we love Christ then we will want to desire Him above everything else. This is why we should pray: Incline my heart to Your testimonies And not to dishonest gain. (Psalm 119:36 NAU)
God should be our greatest delight. Psalm 119:111 I have inherited Your testimonies forever, For they are the joy of my heart. (NAU) Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. (NAU)
Now Jesus is ready to unveil the second root cause of worry.
►Vs.25-34 II. Unbelief Causes Worry
Again, we will see the problem and then the solution.
►Vs.27,31-32,34 A. The problems caused by unbelief
► Vs.27 1. Worry accomplishes nothing "add a single hour...?"
We might even take this statement a step further and say that worry could well subtract from your life. There is absolutely no benefit to us when we worry except to feel self-pity. Pride drives us to believe that we don't deserve to have bad things happen to us.
An old Ziggy cartoon pictured him drifting in the ocean on a ragged wood raft. His clothes were torn and he looks up into the clouds and says, "What did I ever do to deserve this?" A voice from the clouds replies, "Do you want a list?"
► Vs.31-32a 2. Worry makes you look like an unbeliever "Gentiles eagerly seek all these things"
Ephesians 4:17--19 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. (NAU)
► Vs. 34 3. Worry distracts from daily responsibilities "Each day has enough trouble"
When we drag the "What if's" from the future into the present we are loading ourselves down with more than God designed us to handle.
►Vs.25-26,28-30,32b,33 B. The solutions to unbelief
Jesus makes the solution very clear when He said in verse 30 "You of little faith."
Unbelief is at the very core of all of our sin. If we are supposed to have faith in God, then what is it that we are supposed to believe? Four things:
► Vs.25-26 1. Believe that God loves you more than birds "worth more than they?"
We tend to think that Jesus is just talking about the mundane everyday basic daily needs of food, clothing, and housing. But we must keep in mind that these basic daily needs were, for the most part, considered luxuries when there was more than enough for each day.
In Jesus' day, wealth was found in 4 areas: * Amount of clothing you possessed
* Amount of food stored up * Type of house you lived in * Amount of gold accumulated.
The argument that Jesus is making here is that LIFE is more important (more precious) than food, clothing, and shelter. In other words, if God gave you the precious gifts of life and eternal life, why can't you trust Him to give you the less important things like your daily needs?
Romans 8:31--32 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? (NAU)
When we worry about our daily needs we are placing a greater value on material things than we are on eternal things.
► Vs.28-30 2. Believe that God loves you more than plants "not much more clothe you?"
God's presence should be enough for us. Hebrews 13:5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," (NAU)
What has God promised? Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (NAU)
1 Peter 5:7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. (NAU)
Faith means believing what God says just because He said it. Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe. (NAU)
When our faith begins to waver and worry begins to set in then we need to RUN to what God has told us about Himself. Ephesians 1:18--19 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might (NAU)
Lamentations 3:22--23 The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. (NAU)
Deuteronomy 33:27 "The eternal God is a dwelling place, And underneath are the everlasting arms... (NAU) When we hit bottom, God's arms are there.
► Vs.32b 3. Believe that God knows everything "your heavenly Father knows"
Psalm 103:14 For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. (NAU)
Psalm 46:10 "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (NAU)
As John Piper put it: "The root cause of anxiety is a failure to trust all that God has promised to be for us in Jesus." [3]
► Vs.33 4. Believe that God is more important than things "seek first His kingdom"
In Luke's account of this sermon he adds: Luke 12:32--34 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (NAU) When w surrender any thought that material things bring happiness or security then we can rejoice in God's amazing gift of eternal life.
Jesus tells us to seek (or "keep on seeking") God's kingdom or rule. In other words, submit to His will. Jesus has just finished teaching us to pray, "Your will be done."
Jesus also tells us to seek God's righteousness. Life is really all about God. Christ's work on the Cross is all about displaying His righteousness, so we are seeking His righteousness when we praise Him for our salvation and when we obey the Great Commission.
Paul expressed it this way: Acts 20:24 "But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God. (NAU)
CONCLUSION: What do you think about when no one is around? If you can worry about the future you can meditate on what God says.
Whenever you worry it is proof that you have some idolatry and unbelief lurking in your heart. You are focused on someone or something other than Christ.
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face; and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace" .[4]
Contentment is realizing that God has already provided everything we need for our present happiness. Bill Gothard [5]
[1]Stewart Custer, The Gospel of the King : A Commentary on Matthew, 103 (Greenville, S.C.: BJU Press, 2005).
[2]Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible : Complete and Unabridged in One Volume, Mt 6:19–24 (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1996
[3]Future Grace by John Piper p. 54
[4] Hymn writer Helen Lemmel
[5]Robert J. Morgan, Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes, electronic ed., 145 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000).
