Stop Worrying About... Series

Stop Worrying About...

Dismiss Grove KIDZ

2000 years ago on the hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee,

Jesus preached the greatest sermon ever preached.

NOW - over the years we have known it as, The Sermon On The...... Mount.

AND WHAT - this message basically is, is Jesus’ Kingdom Manifesto. A manifesto where He declares...

THIS – is who my people are... ‘The poor in spirit, those who mourn, those hunger and thirst after righteousness (right living), The meek, those who show mercy, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted because the life they live and the Lord they love...

THIS – is the impact and influence my followers will have because they are the salt of the earth and the light of the World.

AND THIS – is how my people will live, distinct and different from the world and the religious leaders.

UNDERSTAND – in the SM, Jesus is like...

Hey, I know that the world and the religious leaders have many ideas and opinions about...

Anger and rage and bitterness and lust and adultery and divorce and telling the truth and keeping your word, and how to behave when someone does you wrong and how to treat your enemies and not doing things to be seen by others and how we view money and material possessions.

BUT – I say to you!

In my kingdom we do things differently.

AND LISTEN – the way that we as Jesus-followers do things differently is what makes us the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

Get It?

YEAH – this really is the greatest sermon ever preached.

AND – talk about being extremely relevant and practical.

NOW – this morning as we continue unpacking Jesus’ Kingdom Manifesto, we are going to see that when it comes to the matter of worry and anxiety, we who follow Jesus are called to handle it differently than those in the world.

The text is Matthew 6:25-34, and I am calling today’s conversation,

“Stop Worrying About...”

UNDERSTAND MGCC

WORRY – is a thief, a thief who steals…

• your thoughts, your peace, your joy

• your confidence, your courage

NOW – for many years a woman couldn’t sleep at night because she was so worried that her home would be broken into. I MEAN – it was just this uneasy thought that dominated her mind day in and day out for years.

WELL - one night her husband heard a noise in the house, so he went downstairs to investigate. When he got there, he found a burglar.

AND SO - the husband said to the him, “Hey, could you come upstairs and meet my wife. She has been waiting 10 years to meet you.”

POINT - a thief will steal from you once, but WORRY can steal from you for decades.

OKAY – raise your hand if you have ever struggled with WORRY… Like, has WORRY ever stolen, your…

(thoughts, peace, confidence courage or your joy)?

Raise your hand if you have any WORRY now.

SO – we are not alone in this struggle, are we?

ALRIGHT – let’s do this “Stop Worrying About...”

AND - here is how I want to attack this conversation…

BY - unpacking 2 statements:

1) The problem of worry 2) the way out of worry

HOWEVER – before we dive into our study this morning…

I feel that I need to be clear about 2 things…

#1 – I realize that this conversation has limits…

LIKE – I know that one Sunday morning message is not going to solve all the issues we face in regards to worry.

I MEAN – perhaps for some in this room, worry has been ‘the issue’ that you have been facing for years….

AND - what is needed is to see a doctor or a counselor.

AND LISTEN – there is no shame in that, and doing so does not make you a second class Christian. (I’ve been)

SO – yeah I know, this conversation does have limits…

#2 NEVERTHELESS – even with that being said, I still believe

• that because we are sharing truths from God’s word (which is living and active…)

• and because it is God’s desire that we (His children) not live our lives tossed to and fro by the waves of WORRY

• that something supernatural, powerful and life-impacting still can happen. AMEN!?

NOW – beginning in Matthew 6:25 Jesus says,

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, - Matthew 6:25

NOW – like this covers it all, right?

Jesus says do not worry about your life.

NOT JUST – don’t worry about your bills, about your kids, about your health, about your marriage, your relationships

NO – He says don’t worry about your life.