Title: “Anxiety and Its Antidote” Script: Mt. 6:19ff.
Type: Expository series Where: GNBC 3-30-25
Intro: “In an issue of the AARP Bulletin, readers were asked to respond to the question: What’s your strategy for coping with stress? The answers ranged from "Eat a chocolate chip cookie" to "Have a stiff drink." But Don Betz of Oakdale, Minnesota, offered his own unique solution. Every January 1st, Betz says, "I give my wife $1, and she worries about everything for both of us." That is not the end of the entry, Betz added, "If someone else wants to be worry free, they can also send her a dollar." Chronic worry can cause serious physical problems, such as ulcers, heart attacks, and high blood pressure. Dr. Charles Mayo, of the famous Mayo Clinic, wrote, "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." We can literally worry ourselves to death.” (Credit Davon Huss, sermon “Anxiety”) Anxiety disorders are a significant mental health concern in the United States, affecting an estimated 19.1% of U.S. adults, with women experiencing higher rates than men. Over 40 million adults in the US have an anxiety disorder, and nearly 1 in 3 adults will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives (NIMH). If this is the case, Jesus’ teaching today should resonate with many.
Prop: Examining Mt. 6:19ff we’ll notice factors contributing to as well as items that Jesus says will alleviate our anxiety.
BG: 1. Continuing in the SOM, think of as 1 sermon although I am giving in many.
2. Given on a mountainside near the Sea of Galilee, soon after start of ministry.
3. Principles for His followers to live by. For us today.
Prop: Let’s examine together Mt. 6:19ff to notice what items contribute to our anxiety as well as what Jesus says can alleviate that same anxiety.
I. Jesus’ Diagnosis – 3 Common Factors Contributing to Our Anxiety. Vv. 19-23
A. 1st Factor: Locating our Treasure in the Wrong Place.
1. What is Your Treasure and Where are You Trying to Secure it?
a. Illust: If you or I were sick with a degenerative medical condition our doctor would probably outline for us the stages of progression in the disease. With similar clinical precision our Lord specifically outlines that anxiety is a moral sickness that can often be traced to three factors in our lives.
b. We’ll notice in Jesus’ discourse that wrong actions, attitudes, and choices significantly contribute to our overall levels of anxiety. He warns us about “laying up treasures”. Illust: I remember as a child a neighbor getting an early (And very cheap!) metal detector. I had visions of us combing the lawns and alleys of our neighborhood to find a pirate’s treasure chest (Right there in Indiana!). Now the “treasure” that Jesus speaks of is not necessarily Blackbeard’s box, but rather, it is whatever we prize most dearly in our lives.
2.
a. V.20 Jesus tells us that ultimately there are only two locations one can secure his/her “treasure”: in heaven or upon the earth. Now, here’s the kicker, every earth-bound treasure is temporal and temporary and ultimately has the potential to fail. When we place our faith in temporary treasures they by necessity breed anxiety within their owners because they can never be eternally secure. Illust: Stock market/investments, home, relationships, academic pursuits, etc.
b. Jesus’ teaching couldn’t be more timely for our day. Certain elements of the Church are entirely engulfed and ensnared in teaching that appears to be so spiritual but actually is simply pandering to the carnal anxieties of the world’s system. Many of their preachers pedal “health and wealth and prosperity” as inevitable attributes of true faith. Instead of helping to deliver us from the fascinations of this world’s system, it only further immerses the foolish and unsuspecting believer into its anxieties. Illust: I recently saw one of the aging proponents of this anxiety inducing propaganda boast about the number of Breitling watches he owns (36) and mercilessly told the story of a duped parishioner who came to him because had terminal cancer. Gave this “evangelist” a Breitling Bentley watch so as to “sew his seed of faith to be healed”. The man died anyway and the evangelist kept the watch! #37! That’s a lot of treasure in watches! Where is yoru and my treasure? What in this life do you and I assess as REALLY important?
B. 2nd Factor: Thinking about Life the Wrong Way. Vv. 22-23
1. Jesus employs a metaphor to paint a vivid picture with spiritual applications.
a. Illust: What is a “metaphor”? A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two often dissimilar things or ideas. Unlike in a simile you don’t use terms such as “like or as” in making the comparison or contrast. The result is to make a vivid or imaginative comparison. Illust: He has a heart of gold. The world is a stage. The storm was a beast. Well, Jesus is doing the exact same here where He is comparing “healthy and dark eyes” as a spiritual illustration.
b. Jesus is telling us that the “dark spirit of anxiety” which grips so many of our lives often takes place because we fail to focus correctly in the spiritual realm. The result is that we think about and focus on our lives with a mistaken or a diseased or darkened eye. The result of this, Jesus says, is that this perception affects more than just our sight. Rather, it affects the entire individual so that the whole body is “full of darkness”. This is the case in our lives. If we have wrong spiritual priorities they will negatively influence the entire direction of our lives.
2. We need to test our spiritual vision to better determine our true spiritual orientation.
a. Friend, are you struggling with severe anxiety? Let me ask you…have you had your eyes examined? (Chris, that is ridiculous! Hold on with me for a few moments.) Illust: A few weeks ago I had a visual disturbance appear suddenly in one of my eyes. Potentially concerning. Went to my doctor. Many complicated tests with machines, pictures of the retina, along with poking and prodding with magnifying lens and airport search beams! And of course the simple old eye chart where you read the lines until you’re no longer able.
b. Illust: That letter chart may have more application to our anxiety than we recognize. “What line can you read with clarity?” There comes a point where the “M” and “N” or the “P & R” begin to look alike. We have to remember that Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” offers us a spiritual vision chart…how we should live as his disciples. Are you and I able to read all the way down to v. 33 (READ), or has our vision lost focus or become hazy well before that verse? A lot of needless stress and anxiety enters our lives when we cannot read and apply v. 33.
C. 3rd Factor: Serving the Wrong Master.
1. Jesus Clearly States that We Cannot Serve Two Masters.
a. Anxiety is induced by attempting to serve two masters. Jesus tells us that attempting to serve two masters will cause anxiety. Illust: “Moonlighting” -the act of working at an extra job, especially without telling your main employer. You'll lose your job if the boss finds out you've been moonlighting! I think a lot of us Christians “moonlight” in our faith and it causes unnecessary stress and anxiety.
b. We are all created to serve a master. (Illust: Bob Dylan)
2. The Christian Struggling with Anxiety Needs to be Reminded that He is Already Servant of One Master.
a. Christian, let me remind you of your position. You are a servant of God! In Psalm 100:2, it says to ‘serve the Lord with gladness.’ Deuteronomy 10:12 says, ‘Serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.’ Joshua says, ‘As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord’ (Joshua 24:15). And Paul in Romans 12:11 also tells us to ‘serve the Lord.’ Over and over again, Paul calls himself and he calls Christians “servants” — literally, “slaves” — of Christ and of God (Romans 1:1; Ephesians 6:6). Peter does the same in 1 Peter 2:16 and 2 Peter 1:1. Christian, I love how the NKJV translates I Cor. 6:20 “You were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.”
b. What’s the application? What is Jesus saying here? Are we called to sell all our possessions and live as hermits? Should we all become monks and nuns. I don’t believe so. I think that in the SOM , Jesus is calling His followers to a single-minded obedience and commitment to their Sovereign. We must make sure that the blessings and good gifts our Lord gives us are never misused or misapplied in importance by which they become our masters and have mastery over us.
D. Applic: Like a physician diagnoses conditions in our bodies, Jesus, the doctor of our souls asks a very important diagnostic question when assessing the cause of our anxiety: “Where is your treasure?” “What is your spiritual vision?” “Who is your Master”?
II. Jesus’ Antidote for Anxiety’s Ailment. Vv.25-34
A. Next, Jesus Gives us the Antidote for Anxiety.
1. Ds
a. So far, we have seen that Jesus states that anxiety is symptomatic of a deeper spiritual sickness. Now, that is good to know that our anxiety has a source or cause. However, it is quite another thing to know that it can be cured. Jesus speaks directly to the cure: “Do not worry.” (v.25) Now, I know what many of us our thinking but would never say: “That’s impossible! Or “That’s not good enough.” Or, “Easy for you to say!”
b. Illust: Imagine we went to a doctor for a serious illness. How would you react if your doctor said: “Hi Chris, you have a life-threatening condition…but don’t worry about it.”? You might reply: “Doc, I’ll quit worry about it when you tell me you have a cure.” You see, diagnosis is insufficient in relieving anxiety if it is not accompanied by a plan of treatment. Yes, Jesus does tell us “Do not worry.”, but He also gives us a series of teachings that if applied, will free us from the paralyzing side effects of allowing anxiety to run rampant in our lives.
2. IN verses 25-34 Jesus gives us a series of issues we need to think through if we are going to walk in His victory in the area of Anxiety.
a. Illust: Sometimes when we’re sick we can simply take a prescription/medication and see immediate benefits. However, a good physician or health coach will look at the individual’s whole life so as to assess both seen and unseen contributing factors. We need to evaluate and assess our lives. Spiritually speaking this is what Christians often call the experience of sanctification…growing in the grace and holiness of God.
b. Rom. 12:2 tells us that this transformation of our character begins with the renewing of our minds. “Therefore, be yea transformed by the renewing of your mind…” When we allow the HS to transform our minds we will begin to think and live in a way that benefits ourselves and the KOG.
B. The Lord Gives us 4 Action Steps to Take that Will Assist us In Overcoming Anxiety.
*Illust: Ever had to go to a PT for an injury or condition?
1. 1st Action: Look at the Whole of Your Life. V. 27
a. Illust: What happens when we become anxious about something? That item begins to dominate our lives. That anxiety dominates your thinking and you tend to see everything through the light or darkness of your anxiety. We become obsessed with resolving our anxiety and then everything in our lives seems to be related to that anxiety. We become caught in a vicious cycle by which we even identify ourselves by the ailment of my anxiety. Illust: I am bulimic. I’m an alcoholic. My POTS, I’m a porn addict. I’m a failure. There are a million labels Satan can throw at us to that can induce life altering anxiety and cause us to lose sight of our true identity and purpose in Christ. If you have trusted Christ for salvation then you are a child of God! You see, Eph. 2 tells us that “we were children of wrath” but praise God, that is no longer your story, that no longer defines you! Rom. 6:11 tells us that we have a new story, we have a new heart, we have a new nature, we are dead to sin and alive to God.
b. It’s a life changing day when you figure out the purpose of advertisement is to make you dissatisfied with what you have. America has more “stuff” than any nation in the history of the world and we have the most depressed and anxious people. See the advertisement…now I need to be disappointed in my life. The advertisement proclaims the virtue of this food and that drink and this article of clothing. Even our cat will feel better about himself if he could only use a different type of cat litter! As Christians, we aren’t indifferent to things such as eating and drinking and clothes. These are necessities in the world in which we live. However, they never are to define us. They are never to be our masters. Look at the last section of v. 25 “Is not life more than food and the body than clothing.” Life’s servants are never to become our life’s masters. Is a servant presently mastering you and me? V.27- Anxiety cannot add 18” to the length of your life, but it certainly may cut it short.
2. 2nd Action Step: Look at the Nature of Life. 29-30
a. Listen to the profound pronouncement our Lord is making here. Listen to what Jesus is actually saying here: “Your Father will provide for your life. He has designed your life and your days are in His hands. He has a unique plan for your life that only you can do. He will provide for you so that you can fulfill His purposes and when your purpose is fulfilled. He will take you to be with Himself and not one moment too soon. Why should we worry if our lives are in the hands of such a loving Heavenly Father? Our worry is a sign that we either don’t adequately know Him or that we don’t adequately trust Him.
b. The times we become most anxious is when we desire to take the control of our lives or some area of our lives out of the Father’s hands and grasp feverishly onto it with our own hand. When we lose grip of our Father’s hand and we wrestling control we immediately find ourselves gripped by anxiety! The secret of freedom from anxiety is found in freedom from ourselves and the abandonment of our own plans for the adoption of His plans and purposes. Take a look at your life dear one. What is it that you believe you have to feverishly grasp and control? Is it the source of your anxiety?
3. 3rd Action Step: Look at the Lord’s Generosity. Vv.31-32
a. Jesus tells His listeners to think about the fact that these matters that cause us such anxiety in providing the necessities of life is a universal problem. It is part of the human condition. However, what he says next demonstrates the unique covenant relationship of Kingdom People (Believers) “Your heavenly Father knows what you need.” Illust: Daniel had to get glasses when about 8yrs old. Carol and sisters took to Wal Mart to get glasses. When arrived started looking around. “I found the pair I want.” ($9). Katherine wanted her little bro to be more stylish and picked a pair out for $45. “No!” Replied Daniel. This went on for a few minutes. Carol, “Don’t you like the glasses your sister picked out?” “Yes, but I can’t afford them. I only have $15!” Carol responded: “Son, your father and I are paying for them, not you.”
b. Illust: Ever since the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1-5) Satan has been insinuating and people have been believing that God is holding out on His people. Think about how with a few simple lies the devil undermined Eve’s faith in God’s bountiful idyllic provision in the Garden. Once Eve began entertaining those doubts about God’s generosity the human race became filled with doubt and anxiety. Look at what Jesus says to prove this: v.26 (Read). AND YOU ARE FAR MORE VALUABLE THAN THEY ARE. Jesus is saying “If X” is true then “Y” is certainly true! This is irrefutable logic. Let that logic root deeply in your darkened and anxious mind. Let it do its work.
4. 4th Action Step: Look at the Priority of Your Life. Vv.33-34
a. What is your and my life’s priority or passion? Attempting to get more of what you already have, what already causes you anxiety will not decrease your anxiety. Jesus is saying here that the chief desire of our lives should be to live in full obedience to our Lord and King. We can trust that He has never and will never fail us. Illust: Right now, where you are, ask yourself this question: “What is causing me anxiety in my life?” Do you have an answer? Ask a second question: “Does my God know I have this need and is my God big enough to provide for that need in my life?” How did you answer? Then follow what Jesus previously stated: “Do not worry!”
b. Illust: In 160 AD Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna, was martyred by the Roman government. Polycarp was an old man, at least 86 (see part 10), and probably the last surviving person to have known an apostle, having been a disciple of St. John. This was one reason he was greatly revered as a teacher and church leader. The Proconsul asked him whether he was Polycarp. On hearing that he was, he tried to persuade him to apostatize, saying, “Have respect for your old age, swear by the fortune of Caesar. Repent, and say, ‘Down with the Atheists!’” Polycarp looked grimly at the wicked heathen multitude in the stadium, and gesturing towards them, he said, “Down with the Atheists!” “Swear,” urged the Proconsul, “reproach Christ, and I will set you free.” “86 years have I have served him,” Polycarp declared, “and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?” (Would not deny because God had proven faithfulness to him over a lifetime.)
C. Applic:
