July 29, 2001
If You Only Knew the Father – Part 1
INTRODUCTION
Transition from drama…
It sure is tougher than it sounds. Worry is something we’ve all experienced it to some degree or another.
In a weak moment worry whispers a little something in our ear, like, “Hey, what if - ?”
If that doesn’t make your stomach churn, then he returns in the middle of the night and fertilizes your imagination with several somewhat extreme possibilities, leaving you mildly disturbed if not altogether panicked. The Scripture today comes from Matthew 6:25-34 (p. 960-961). Let’s hear what Jesus has to say about worry.
Show video clip from Visual Bible
1. The dictionary says worry is a mental distress or agitation resulting from concern usually for something impending or anticipated.
Chuck Swindoll says worry is…
2. “Anything that drains your tank of joy – something you cannot change, something you are not responsible for, something you are unable to control, something (or someone) that frightens and torments you, agitates you, keeps you awake when you should be asleep.” (Chuck Swindoll, Laugh Again, p. 200)
That’s worry.
One man told his friend, “I have a mountain of credit card debt. I’ve lost my job, my car is being repossessed, and our house is in foreclosure, but I’m not worried about it.”
“Not worried about it!” said his friend.
“No,” said the man, “I’ve hired a professional worrier. He does all my worrying for me, and that way I don’t have to think about it.”
His friend said, “That’s fantastic. How much does your professional worrier charge for his services?”
“$50,000 a year,” replied the first man.
“$50,000 a year? Where are you going to get that kind of money?”
“I don’t know,” said the man. “That’s his worry.”
At times it might be nice to have a professional worrier. Someone who frets and stews over our problems while we live a carefree life. But Jesus says we have someone better than a professional worrier. We have a Father in heaven who is on the job 24/7.
And Jesus would have us know…
Big Idea: Because of my Father’s care, I can stop worrying about everything.
TRANSITION: This morning let’s have Jesus show us why this is true. In Matthew 6, Jesus creatively illustrates something we should never forget – and that something is…
I. I CAN TRUST GOD (v. 25-26; 28-30)
Matthew 6:25-34 begins with the word “therefore.” “Therefore” always points us to what precedes it.
Think of what we’ve learned in Matthew 6 the past few weeks.
Therefore…
Because earthly treasures won’t last
Because our vision is easily distorted
Because the choice before us is between God and Money
Therefore, don’t worry about Money and material things! Verse 25, Don’t 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?
Of course so, from an eternal perspective. Of course food and clothing are important, but ultimately they are not the most important things.
Jesus reasons with his audience:
The argument goes like this: “If this, then how much more that?”
For instance Romans 8:32 – Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t God who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?
In other words, Paul says God showed what He is like when He gave Jesus to die for us. If he did this, then we should be able to count on Him for the less important gifts too, wouldn’t you think?
The reasoning Jesus uses to help us understand: “If God does this, then He will certainly do that too!” He asks us to…
Think about wild birds
v. 26 – Look at the birds of the air. Maybe one just flew past when he said this.
Jesus says in verse 26, They don’t sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Have you ever stopped and watched the birds? Maybe a Robin on your front lawn looking for worms. Somehow he won’t go hungry. God is taking care of him.
Jesus is not suggesting we should stop farming and storing grain. On the contrary He’s actually acknowledging that farming is a part of the human condition – the ability to tend crops and harvest them is a skill He gave only to people.
God didn’t even give birds the ability to plant crops and harvest them, and yet He feeds them. Jesus asks, Are you not much more valuable than they?
God values birds because He made them. But He made you alone in His image. You are the crown of his creation – Psalm 8 says you were made just a little lower than the angels. You alone have the ability to communicate with Him and love Him. Of course you’re more valuable to Him than birds.
So if your Heavenly Father feeds birds, then doesn’t it just stand to reason that God will undertake to feed you? Especially in light of the fact that He considers you so valuable to Him? That’s what Jesus asks us to consider before we worry about what we’ll eat and drink.
What about clothes? Verse 28 asks “And why do you worry about clothes?” We sure do worry about clothes, don’t we? A new outfit for this occasion or that. Clothes that are fashionable, or bear the right insignias or name brands. Jesus asks, “Why do you worry so much about them?”
Jesus encourages us to…
Think about wild flowers (in verses 28-30)
See how the lilies of the field grow. Do you see that? They just grow and grow. They don’t labor to buy clothes or make clothes. And still they are beautiful – in all sorts of colors, shapes, textures. Different sizes and styles. Somehow their look is never unfashionable or out of date. Flowers are always “in.”
Their beauty makes Solomon’s opulent splendor pale in comparison. Someone who had wealth beyond imagination couldn’t even dress himself up like one of these.
God clothes the grass of the meadow even though it is just destined to be mowed down and burned up.
So, if that’s how God is even with flowers, wouldn’t you think he’ll take care of clothing you?
It’s like he’s saying, “Look, guys. If you really knew the Father like I know Him, you’d realize He takes care of you. He’s a loving Father and you can trust him to take care of your needs.”
TRANSITION: So, Jesus wants us to know that material necessities are not valid causes of worry for those in the Kingdom. Because of my Father’s care…
II. I SHOULDN’T WORRY (v. 27; 31-32; 34)
Jesus backs up what He says about the Father’s care with three reasons why we shouldn’t worry. #1, I shouldn’t worry, b/c…
1. Worry does no good
It just isn’t worth the effort. What does worry accomplish? Nothing. Here’s how Jesus says it in verse 27, Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
Can all our worries make us live a moment longer? Of course not. Actually, with enough worry we won’t be adding to life, but taking away from it. We’ll die sooner!
E. Stanley Jones said, “Worry is the interest we pay on tomorrow’s troubles.”
Northwestern Univ. has proven conclusively that worry restricts the flow of saliva, leading to tooth decay.
A survey of students in 21 colleges indicates that worriers get the lowest grades.
Worry can break us down. Combined with stress it is the unseen source of our headaches, backaches and belly aches. It produces everything from obesity to obscenity, from constipation to diarrhea, and from impatience to impotence. It gives us knotted stomachs, sleepless nights, high blood pressure, low morale. It makes our tempers short and our days long. It causes indigestion, irritation, chest pain and muscle strain.
Somebody once said that ulcers are caused not by what you eat, but by what is eating you!
Maybe that’s why Psalm 37:8 in the Living Bible says, Don’t fret and worry - it only leads to harm.
Another person has said that worry is like a rocking chair; it will give you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere.
We get our English word “worry” from an old Anglo-Saxon word which means “to strangle or to choke.” There is a good picture of this in Jesus’ parable of the sower in Mark 4. The seed that fell among the thorns is said to have been strangled or choked in part by the worries of this life. Worry puts us in choke-hold and immobilizes any fruitful activity.
And you know, most of the things we worry about never happen. So worry is a waste of time, thought and nervous energy.
To prove it, let me ask you this question:
Question: What were you worrying about this time last year?
Chances are you can’t remember.
And if you can, what you were worrying about probably wasn’t near as bad as what you thought it might be, was it?
Mickey Rivers, a former pro baseball player was quoted saying this when he played for the Texas Rangers: “Ain’t no sense worrying about things you got control over, because if you got control over them, ain’t no sense worrying. And there ain’t no sense worrying about things you go no control over either, because if you got no control over them, ain’t no sense worrying.” (Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, Michael Green, p. 407)
Maybe you’ve heard about the guy who worried for 40 years that he would die of cancer. He finally died of pneumonia at age 70. He wasted 40 years worrying about the wrong thing.
Corrie Ten Boom used to say, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength.”
Similar to what Jesus said in verse 34…Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
A second reason I shouldn’t worry is because…
2. Worry exposes a lack of faith
Jesus has shown us God can be trusted. He feeds the sparrows and the clothes the grass with wild flowers.
So constant worry is an insult to God. It is asserting the charge that we can’t trust Him to provide in the future. He’s already taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Will this prayer be mocked?
Bishop Fulton Sheen goes so far as to say, “Worry is a form of atheism, for it betrays a lack of faith and trust in God.”
Jesus uses an interesting word at the end of verse 30. In English it is translated, “O, you of little faith.” He’s using a term that may have been his own invention - oligopistos. Literally it would be “little faiths.” It seems to be a nickname that he invented as a way of gently chiding his disciples for their lack of confidence in God and in himself.
Mt 8 – When disciples woke Jesus in the boat during the storm – “Save us!” Jesus uses his word…oligopistos “You little-faiths. Why are you so afraid?”
Mt 14 – When Peter was walking on water and started to drown. Jesus reached out his hand and said, “You little-faith.”
Mt 16 – When Jesus told them to be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, and the disciples started talking about who forgot to bring the bread. “You little faiths – how is it that you don’t understand I’m not talking about bread?”
Here’s the Almighty, all-powerful Creator God in the flesh – standing right there with them – and they still worry.
George Muller said, “The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith. The beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.”
When we worry we send a message to God that basically says, “I don’t fully trust you!”
I know that you’ve promised all things work together for good, but right now my gut tells me something bad is going to happen, and I don’t know what I’m going to do if it does happen.
In this regard we’re a lot like the disciples of Jesus. God gently prompts us, “You little-faiths. Don’t worry. Trust me.”
John R. Rice said, “Worry is putting question marks where God has put periods.”
Jesus might have us consider… If what I’m worrying about did happen, what’s the absolute worst case scenario? And in the midst of that, would God cease to be with you? No? Then your point is what?
Worry exposes a lack of faith.
And the third reason I shouldn’t worry…
3. Worry reveals a faulty ambition
Here is what Jesus says in Matthew 6:31-32…
So 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.
The pagans - the people who have no faith in God at all chase after, run after and seek these things – because they don’t know about the Father in heaven. They make the pursuit of these things their driving ambition.
If we attach enough significance to earthly things that it causes us to worry over them, we need to straighten out our life’s aim.
We can worry until we’re blue in the face about interest rates, the appreciation of our home, whether or not our belongings will get destroyed by moth or rust, or whether a thief will break in and steal – in the long run, there’s not much of anything we can do about that.
Do our worries sound the same as those of people who don’t know the Father in Heaven? But if we only knew Father, we’d know we’d have nothing to worry about.
The continual message of the Sermon on the Mount is Christian counterculture. Our lifestyle is to be distinctly different from those without faith in Jesus. Different like salt and like light.
Remember 6:8 – Do not be like them. You’re different. And they’re missing the point
TRANSITION: The point is very simply, I shouldn’t worry, because…
III. I HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO (v. 33)
Here’s the stuff on my agenda that will keep me from worry…
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. (v. 33)
Seeking God’s kingdom and his righteousness is my job – it’s my ambition – my goal – my life’s aim.
We can see why these words follow Jesus’ teaching on the treasure chest. Worry is a lot like money because it causes us to focus on the wrong things. God wants us to focus on the things that matter.
Illus - After 40 years of marriage, this woman’s husband suddenly died. For several months she sat alone in her house with the shades pulled and the door locked. Finally she decided to do something about her situation. The loneliness was killing her. She remembered that her husband had a friend who owned a pet store.
She went to the store. Looked at dogs, cats, goldfish, hamsters, snakes – nothing seemed quite right.
Told the store owner that she wanted a pet that would be a real companion. Like another human being in the house.
He thought of his prized parrots – showed her the colorful bird.
“Does it talk?”
“Absolutely – friendly disposition – wide vocabulary. That’ s why it’s so expensive.”
“Sold!” Took it home in a large elegant cage.
Problem. A week passed by without the bird saying one word. Went to the pet shop. A MIRROR.
Time passed. Still nothing. Another week passed and she went back to the shop. A LADDER.
She waited. Another 7-8 days. Still nothing. Went back to the store. Did you buy A SWING?
Still absolute silence. Another 10 days. Suddenly she came bursting into the pet store.
“It died! My expensive bird is dead in the bottom of the cage.”
“I’m shocked. Did it ever say anything at all?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact it did. As it lay there taking its last few breaths, it said very faintly, ‘Don’t they have any food down at that store?’”
Now that’s focusing on the wrong things when really only one thing matters. When we worry we turn our attention to the wrong things – it leads us to live our lives for the wrong reasons. But God has better things in store for us.
I’m not going to worry because I’ve got better things to do. I need to seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness. I’ve got to live for Him and make His Kingdom my primary concern.
How can I seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness? Very simple - Value what God values and obey his commands
If you and I only knew the Father, we’d put first things first – and we’d forget about worry.
Because of our Father’s care, we can stop worrying about everything!
TRANSITION: I want to close by telling you a story.
WRAP-UP
Illus. I have a lot of respect for a woman named Pat Ramirez. During the summer of 1994, her husband, who was the Youth Minister at the Village Bible Church in Park Forest, led a youth missions trip to Mexico. Their son also went on the trip. While the group was riding in a van on a road in Mexico, they were in an accident, and the entire group died.
Now, the high school youth group at the Deer Creek church, where I served as Youth Minister, had a very good reputation of being a strong support network for teens. The Ramirez’ daughter Stephanie, who was a freshman in H.S. began attending our Youth Meetings shortly after this accident. The next summer we were planning a trip to the Christ in Youth Conference in San Diego, CA. Over 70 of our teens and 15 of our adults had registered to go. There were a few families that declined to let their young people go, based on the distance, and that were a little uneasy about their children flying all the way across the country. But you know who did go? Pat Ramirez’ daughter, Stephanie. If anyone had reason to be concerned, or a little uneasy, I would have been her.
What if she would have lost her daughter as well as her husband and son? But she didn’t even hesitate to let Stephanie go on the trip.
Pat Ramirez amazed me even more two years later. We announced that we were taking a youth missions trip to Ninos de Mexico. Stephanie wanted to go. I thought surely, this would make Pat a little uneasy. No way. She released her daughter into God’s hands – to go to the very place where her deepest hurt and loss began.
Pat Ramirez is a lady who knows the Father. She doesn’t lose much sleep today because she understands that God neither slumbers nor sleeps. He has everything under control.
And when we know the Father like this too, on those nights of worry when we toss and turn – sleep seems impossible because of the worry in our souls - we can hear God say, “You go on to sleep. You’ve got a big day ahead of you – you’ll be busy tomorrow seeking my Kingdom and righteousness. Go to sleep and rest. I’ll wait up.”
