LIVING THE WORRY-FREE LIFE
MATTHEW 6:25–34 “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? 26LOOK 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? 27WHO 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. 29YET I TELL YOU THAT NOT EVEN SOLOMON IN ALL HIS SPLENDOR WAS DRESSED LIKE ONE OF THESE. 30IF 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? 31SO DO NOT WORRY, SAYING, ‘WHAT SHALL WE EAT?’ OR ‘WHAT SHALL WE DRINK?’ OR ‘WHAT SHALL WE WEAR?’ 32FOR THE PAGANS RUN AFTER ALL THESE THINGS, AND YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS THAT YOU NEED THEM. 33BUT SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU AS WELL. 34THEREFORE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW, FOR TOMORROW WILL WORRY ABOUT ITSELF. EACH DAY HAS ENOUGH TROUBLE OF ITS OWN.
INTRODUCTION: CHRISTIAN AUTHOR AND SPEAKER JILL BRISCOE SAID: WE CAN WORRY OR WE CAN WORSHIP. STRANGELY ENOUGH, BUSY PEOPLE FIND IT A WHOLE LOT EASIER TO WORRY THAN TO WORSHIP.
ONE MIGHT ASK, “WHY IS IT EASY FOR US TO WORRY AND DIFFICULT FOR US TO WORSHIP?” I THINK THE ANSWER IS SIMPLY AND EXPLAINED BY UNDERSTANDING THE “TYRANNY OF THE URGENT.” URGENT THINGS ARE NOT NECESSARILY IMPORTANT THINGS. THEY MIGHT BE, YET OFTEN ARE NOT. WHAT URGENT THINGS ARE IS SIMPLY SOME SORT OF TASK OR SITUATION THAT ISS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. IT IS SCREAMING TO BE NOTICED AND TAKEN CARE OF. THAT FACT THAT IT IS SO VISIBLE IS WHAT DRAWS OUR ATTENTION. AND ONCE IT HAS OUR ATTENTION, IT DOES NOT LOOSEN ITS GRIP UNTIL WE HAVE DONE WHAT IT WANTS.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IMPORTANT THINGS ARE THE THINGS WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT HAVE THE GREATEST AFFECT ON OUR PERSON, YET SADLY, THESE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE MOST GLAMOROUS THINGS TO BE DONE. THEY COULD BE, BUT NOT NECESSARILY!
WORRY IS AN URGENT THING. THE ISSUE IS RIGHT THERE! IT WANTS TO BE DEALT WITH. AND WHEN WE BELIEVE IT WANTS TO BE DEALT WITH, THEN WE BELIEVE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH!
JESUS, IN THIS PASSAGE IS ASKING US TO PUT WORRY IN ITS PLACE; TO FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANT THINGS – WHICH ARE SPIRITUAL AND LEAVE THE URGENT THINGS – WHAT WE WANT TO WORRY ABOUT, TO HIM.
TRANSITION: SO, LETS TAKE A LOOK AT THIS PASSAGE AND SEE IF WE CAN DISCERN GOD’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE ISSUE OF WORRY!
I. THE REASON WE WORRY
a. AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, THAT LAST FEW MESSAGES IN OUR SERMON ON THE MOUNT SERIES DEALT WITH
i. WHERE OUR TREASURE IS
ii. WHERE OUR FOCUS IS
iii. WHO IS OUR MASTER
b. THE THRUST OF EACH OF THESE CONCLUSIONS WAS:
i. OUR TREASURE SHOULD BE IN HEAVEN WHERE IT DOES NOT DECAY OR CAN BE STOLEN
ii. OUR FOCUS SHOULD BE ON WHAT GOD WOULD HAVE US TO SEE, NOT WHAT THE WORLD WANTS US TO SEE, OR EVEN WHERE WE WANT TO SET OUR GAZE
iii. OUR MASTER NEEDS TO BE GOD, AS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE MASTER AND TO TRY TO HAVE ANOTHER MASTER ALONGSIDE OF GOD IN REALITY SHOWS THE WE DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE GOD AS OUR MASTER
c. THAT BRINGS US TO THE “THEREFORE” OF MATTHEW 6:25
i. IF OUR TREASURE IS WHERE IT SHOULD BE
ii. IF OUR VISION IS WHERE IT SHOULD BE
iii. IF OUR MASTER IS TRULY GOD
II. THE RECKLESSNESS OF WORRY
a. WORRY PRESENTS US WITH A DUAL TEMPTATION
b. THE FIRST ONE WE HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED – WORRY CAUSES US TO DISTRUST GOD
i. WHEN OUR TREASURE IS NOT IN HEAVEN, WE ARE DISTRUSTING GOD
ii. WHEN OUR FOCUS IS NOT ON GOD, WE ARE DISTRUSTING GOD
iii. WHEN OUR MASTER IS NOT GOD, WE ARE DISTRUSTING GOD.
c. THE FIRST TEMPTATION OF NOT TRUSTING GOD BRINGS WITH IT A SECOND AND VERY POWERFUL TEMPTATION
i. THE TEMPTATION TO SUBSTITUTE FEAR FOR PRACTICAL ACTION
1. WE PAY ATTENTION TO THINGS WE CANNOT CHANGE
2. WE NO LONGER PUT OUR ENERGY TOWARDS THE THINGS OF GOD
ii. WORRY TAKES AWAY FROM OUR LIFE RATHER THAN ADDING TO IT
ILLUSTRATION: CORRIE TEN BOOM SAID SEVERAL THINGS ABOUT WORRY, NONE OF THEM GOOD:
WORRY IS LIKE A ROCKING CHAIR: IT KEEPS YOU MOVING BUT DOESN'T GET YOU ANYWHERE.
WORRY DOES NOT EMPTY TOMORROW OF ITS SORROW. IT EMPTIES TODAY OF ITS STRENGTH.
WORRY IS A CYCLE OF INEFFICIENT THOUGHTS WHIRLING AROUND A CENTER OF FEAR.
iii. IN SHORT WORRY IMMOBILIZES US!
1. BY FAILING TO RECOGNIZE THAT GOD IS AT WORK IN THIS WORLD BRINGING EVERYTHING TOGETHER FOR HIS WILL AND PURPOSE
2. WORRY IS PRACTICAL ATHEISM. WE DO NOT BELIEVE IN GOD ENOUGH TO TRUST HIM
3. WORRY IS IRRELEVANT
a. 40% OF THE THINGS WE WORRY ABOUT NEVER HAPPEN
b. WASTED EFFORT
c. EVEN WHEN WHAT WE WORRY ABOUT DOES HAPPEN, IT IS SELDOM AS BAD AS WE HAD PREDICTED
d. AND IF THAT IS NOT BAD ENOUGH, 30% OF WHAT WE WORRY ABOUT ARE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN OUR PAST!
III. THE OBJECT OF OUR WORRY
a. THE OBJECT OF OUR WORRY IS OUR LIFE! DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE!
b. FIRST AREA OF WORRY – WHAT WE EAT AND DRINK
i. THESE ARE A NECESSITY!
ii. WE ARE OBLIGATED TO WORK FOR THEM
c. SECOND AREA OF WORRY – WHAT WE WEAR.
d. JESUS IS NOT FORBIDDING FORESIGHT. HE IS FORBIDDING WORRY.
i. THE WORD WORRY LITERALLY MEANS TO STRANGLE
ii. THE WORD WORRY MEANS TO DIVIDE AND CUT INTO PIECES
iii. THE WORD WORRY MEANS TO BE PULLED IN ALL DIRECTIONS.
ILLUSTRATION: DO YOU KNOW THAT IT TAKES SIXTY TRILLION DROPLETS OF FOG TO COVER SEVEN CITY BLOCKS. NOW SIXTY TRILLION DROPLETS, OR SEVEN CITY BLOCKS’ WORTH OF FOG, CAN CLOSE DOWN AIRPORTS AND TIE UP CITIES. YET, IF YOU CONDENSED THOSE SIXTY TRILLION FOG DROPLETS, YOU WOULD END UP WITH ONLY HALF A GLASS OF WATER.
THAT’S A GOOD PICTURE OF WHAT WORRY IS ALL ABOUT. YOU BEGIN WITH SOMETHING LITTLE, ONLY HALF A GLASS OF WATER. BUT YOU START THINKING ABOUT IT AND WRESTLING WITH IT, WONDERING, HOW IS THIS GOING TO WORK OUT? HOW AM I GOING TO DO THAT? AND BEFORE LONG, YOU CAN’T SEE STRAIGHT, AND YOUR AIRPORT IS SHUT DOWN. YOU’RE NOT HEARING FROM THE LORD, AND YOU’RE NOT SOARING WITH THE LORD AS YOU ONCE DID BECAUSE YOU’RE ALL FOGGED IN. JESUS SAID, “DON’T TAKE ANY ANXIOUS THOUGHT WHATSOEVER. DON’T LET WORRY STRANGLE YOU. DON’T END UP IN A FOG.”
e. WORRY IS THE CONDITION WHERE WE TAKE LITTLE THINGS AND MAKE THEM BIG THINGS AND THEN THOSE BIG THINGS PULL US IN ALL DIRECTIONS AND STRANGLE THE VERY LIFE OUT OF US.
f. THE THOUGHT IS THIS, DO NOT LET SITUATIONS GET TO THE POINT WHERE THEY SHUT US DOWN AND DRAW OUR ATTENTION AWAY FROM THINGS WHICH ARE FAR MORE IMPORTANT – LIKE SEEKING GOD’S KINGDOM. PUTTING GOD FIRST.
g. I HAVE OFTEN SAID THAT BEFORE GOD CAN DO WHAT HE WANTS TO DO IN OUR LIVES HE FIRST HAS TO DO WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO IN OUR LIVES.
AND THIS IS WHY HE GIVES US, …..
IV. THE ALTERNATIVE TO WORRY
a. UNDERSTAND THAT WORRY DO NOT ADD TO OUR LIVES.
i. TO WORRY IS A CHOICE. IT DOES NOT JUST HAPPEN, WE LET IT IN
ii. CAN’T EVEN ADD AN HOUR
iii. WHAT IT CAN DO IS TAKE AWAY PRECIOUS TIME DOING SOMETHING ELSE
b. TO SEEK GOD FIRST
i. SEEK HIS KINGDOM
1. THIS IS A COMMAND
2. IN ORDER TO SEEK HIS KINGDOM
a. WE ARE COMMANDED TO SUBMIT TO GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY NOW
b. WORK TOWARDS THE FUTURE COMING OF HIS KINGDOM
3. IN ORDER TO SEEK HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS
a. IS TO LIVE AS HE REQUIRES AND MODELS
b. LOYALTY AND COMMITMENT
c. TURNING TO HIM FIRST WHEN WE NEED HELP
BY THE WAY, SEEKING HELP IS NOT WEAKNESS, IT IS WISDOM. MAYBE THAT IS WHY SOLOMON WROTE IN PROVERBS 1 THAT THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE
c. ACCEPT HIS PROVISION
i. GOD HAS BUILT INTO HIS CREATION THE MEANS FOR CARING FOR HIS CREATION
ii. THE BIRDS OF THE AIR ARE FED
1. BIRDS DO NOT HOARD WHAT THEY NEED, THEY WORK FOR WHAT THEY NEED.
a. WHEN WORRY CAUSES US TO HOARD, WORRY REMOVES THE TIME WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO FOCUS ON GOD AND HIS DESIRE FOR US.
i. THE MAN WHO HAD TO BUILD BARNS TO STORE HIS HARVEST AND THEN HIS LIFE WAS TAKEN.
2. THE LILLIES OF THE FIELD
a. CLOTHED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEIR BEAUTY SURPASSES THAT OF SOLOMON
d. ACCEPT HIS PLAN
i. 1 PETER 5:7 CAST ALL YOUR ANXIETY ON HIM BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU. GIVE YOUR WORRY TO GOD
HOW?
ii. PHILIPPIANS 4:6–7 DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERYTHING, BY PRAYER AND PETITION, WITH THANKSGIVING, PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD. 7AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH TRANSCENDS ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS. COME TO GOD WITH YOUR WORRIES. IF GOD HAS THEM, HE CAN GUARD YOUR HEART FROM STRAYING AND FOCUS YOUR MIND ON JESUS
iii. JESUS WANTS US TO BE CAREFREE
1. BY GIVING OUR WORRY TO GOD
2. BY MAKING PRAYER OUR FIRST RECOURSE
3. BY BEING GRATEFUL FOR HIS PROVISION
