U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris, Jr.
Fort Stewart, Georgia
REFERENCES: Isaiah 53:4-5 (Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows;…and with his stripes we are healed); Job 14:1 (Man that is born of a woman
is of a few days and full of trouble); Matthews 6:25-3
1. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Matthew 6:25-34
II. THE LARGER CONTEXT:
NOW, before we begin, allow me to share with you some HISTORICAL TRUES REGARDING THE BOOK OF MATTHEW. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE BOOK OF MATTHEW, WE FIND A MANUAL OF CHRISTIAN TEACHINGS WHICH DESCRIBES JESUS CHRIST AS THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S WILL, AS WAS DISCLOSED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
THEREFORE, MATTHEW OPENS WITH THE BIRTH OF JESUS (in chapters 1-2), and concludes with the Resurrection of our Saviour, and the commissioning of His disciples, in Chapter 28.
III. THE SMALLER CONTEXT:
NOW,.. IN OUR PARTICULAR TEXT, THIS MORNING , MATTHEW SHARES WITH US A TEACHING ON “ANXIETY AND TRUST”. MORE SPECIFICALLY, WE FIND JESUS SHARING WITH US THE IMPORTANCE OF …. NOT BEING DISTRACTED BY THE CARES OF THIS WORLD…
IN FACT, JESUS SAYS ….A MAN WHO WISHES TO STORE UP TREASURE IN HEAVEN … HAVE THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF HIS LIFE STRAIGHT … AND TO SERVE GOD RATHER THAN PROPERTY … MUST GET FREE OF WORRY…
IV. READ THE PERICOPE: Matthew 6:25-34
V. READ THE TEXT: Matthew 6:25-26 (Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?)
Purpose: To motivate the hearers to FOCUS ON GOD AND
TO TRUST HIM TO meet their needs.
VI. THEME: “DEALING WITH STRESS,
ANXIETY, AND BURN-OUT”
INTRODUCTION: … In our world, TODAY, stress is a way of life. And so many people are filled with anxiety about so many things. A Worth/Roper Survey found that among the things that produce anxiety in Americans are the following:
MAKING WRONG CHOICE WITH MAJOR INVESTMENT; HAVING MAJOR DENTAL WORK OR SURGERY; BEING AUDITED BY IRS; SPEAKING IN PUBLIC; BEING OUTDOORS ALONE AT NIGHT; GETTING FAT; BEING PULLED OVER FOR SPEEDING; SEEING ONE’S SPOUSE FLIRT; DOING ONE’S OWN TAXES; BEING CAUGHT IN A LIE BY A CLOSE FRIEND; HAVING A CREDIT CARD DECLINED IN PUBLIC; AND USING A COMPUTER … to name a few…
PROPOSITION: SO MY CONCERN, TODAY, IS … How can we comply with Jesus’ instructions not to worry about trivia things? Perhaps, it’s a matter of faith. As believers, do we really trust God to care sufficiently for us? Do we trust God enough to allow him to look after our everyday needs? We can best deal with stress, anxiety, and burn-out by focusing on God and the truth of a situation … rather than on ourlselves, … and our feelings of distress. Therefore, I submit to you THIS MORNING … that there are three things that we SHOULD do … to best deal with stress, anxiety, and burn-out.
*******TAKE 5 BEATS*****
Move 1: Now, the first thing that we SHOULD do in order to best deal with stress, anxiety, and burnout is TALKS THINGS OVER WITH GOD.
A. Tell God all about IT.
B. Let him know how you truly feel about the situation.
1. For don’t you remember Hezekiah and how his prayer healed him.
2. God added 15 more years to his life.
C. And if you should find yourselve at a point (in life) where you can’t feel
yourselve getting through to God …
D. Because God seems so remote … talk to me, or someone you feel that you can trust
and will LISTEN.
E. Don’t keep it to yourself … for the scripture says the “STRONG SHOULD BEAR THE INFIRMITIES OF THE WEAK”…
1. Folk that are spiritual strong … are spiritually strong for a reason …
F. So, the first thing that we must do in order to best deal with STRESS, ANXIETY, AND BURNOUT consist of TALKING THINGS OVER WITH GOD.
*******TAKE 5 BEATS*****
Move 2: Now, the SECOND THING that we SHOULD DO in order to BEST DEAL WITH STRESS, ANZIETY, AND BURNOUT is learn how to TAKE –TIME OUT for yourselve.
A. JESUS DID (Whenever he was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of NEEDY PEOPLE he would get-a-way for a while).
B. In fact, the scriptures says that when he was fastly approaching his most horrible and horrific death that Jesus went away to Garden of Gethsemane to become spiritually rejuvinated.
C. My brothers and my sisters … it’s imperative that we learn how to LEARN how to
REFRESH YOURSELF in order to return to battle.
D. So, the SECOND THING THAT we SHOULD DO in order to BEST DEAL WITH STRESS, ANXIETY, AND BURNOUT is lean how to TAKE TIME-OUT for yourselves.
*******TAKE 5 BEATS******
Move 3: Now, the THIRD AND FINAL thing that we SHOULD do in order to best deal with stress, anxiety, and burnout is TRY TO LEAVE UNECESSARY ANXIETY IN GOD’S HAND.
A. WHY WORRY ABOUT things that we can’t alter?
B. Things that are above our heads …
C. For if we do the possible … God will do the impossible.
D. Who can ever forget the story of THE 3 HEBREW BOYS?
E. How they kept their focus on God …even when the odds were against them … they stuck to their Godly Principles.
F. So the THIRD AND FINAL thing that we should do in order to BEST DEAL WITH STRESS, ANZIETY, AND BURNOUT is try to LEAVE UNNECESSARY ANZIETY IN GOD’S HAND.
G. IN OTHER WORDS, WE MUST LEARN HOW TO FOCUS ON GOD AND TRUST … HIM TO MEET OUR NEEDS… SOMEBODY SAID THAT HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU…FOR HE IS A PRESENT HELP … IN THE TIME OF TROUBLE.
