Worry, Worry, Worry!

Temple Baptist Church - 4-11-2010

Matthew 6:19-34

Introduction:

A. “The Sermon on the Mount!” The greatest sermon ever preached by the greatest Preacher who ever lived! In the Sermon on the Mount, our Lord dealt with a myriad of problems that face God’s people.

1. The greatest Preacher to ever live cared about what we care about.

2. He is affected by what affects us. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmity. He was tempted in all points as we are tempted.

3. He has promised to be there with us and there for us. If God be for us, who can be against us?

B. In the passage that I just read, we find that the Lord knows and will supply our every need: both physical and spiritual.

1. His power is able!

2. His promises are trustworthy!

3. His admonition is “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness!” You take care of your spiritual things first and let God take care of your physical things.

C. His promise is “and all these things shall be added unto you.” Food, shelter, clothing, and protection! He cares for and takes care of His own.

D. In verse 34, He then says, “Take therefore no thought for the tomorrow!” This statement does not mean that we are not to plan for tomorrow. A man once said, “A right perspective of life is to live as if our Lord would come today and plan as if He would never come.” What the Lord is saying in these verses is this: When you cannot prepare for the morrow, do not worry about it! Do the best you can and leave the rest to Him.

E. Planning for the future is not contrary to verse 34. Verse 34 speaks of the “evil thereof.” These are the things that cause the child of God to fear. The fear of the unknown or the fear of what we suspect may happen. There are many verses of Scripture that deal with the subject of “Worry.” Here are a few of the better known ones.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Psalms 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

2 Corinthians 7:5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

F. Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, told the country during the Great Depression that the greatest fear was fear itself.

“A day of worry is more exhausting than a day of work.”

“Work won't kill, but worry will.”

“Don't tell me that worry doesn't do any good. I know better. The things I worry about don't happen.”

“Tain't worthwhile to wear a day all out before it comes.”

“It ain't no use putting up your umbrella till it rains.”

“Happy is the man who is too busy to worry by day, and too sleepy to worry at night.”

G. George McDonald wrote the following about worry. "No man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when tomorrow’s burden is added to the burden of today that the weight is more than a man can bear. Never load yourselves so. If you find yourselves so loaded, at least remember this: It is your doing, not God’s. He begs you to leave the future to Him, and mind the present."

H. Worry causes stress and stress is possibly the greatest killer in America. People today are stressed out because of the economy, the wickedness in our Land, the uncertainty of the future of our children and grandchildren, and the list could go on and on.

1. Worry will damage both your physical and mental health. Look at the people on medication for mental health. The Mayo Clinic states that statistically 80-85 % of their case load of ill people was either directly or indirectly related to stress. “Seventy percent of all patients who come to physicians could cure themselves if they only got rid of their fears, worries, and bad eating habits.”

2. Worry will cause the object of your worry to consume your thoughts. The Bible says that we are to think upon good things. (Philippians 4:8) Most social, family, and church problems are stress related.

3. Worry will disrupt your productivity and purposes. You cannot give yourself over to worry and do what needs to be done diligently. Job performance across our land is caused by apathy and stress. People who do not care or people who are consumed with their problems.

4. Worry will negatively affect the way you treat and interact with others. You will be self-centered because of the load of your cares. You will seek your own good instead of the good of others.

5. Worry will adversely affect your emotions. Your “fuse will be short” and your outward demeanor will not glorify the Lord.

6. Worry will cause you to say things that you would not ordinarily say.

a) Out of the heart are the issues of life.

b) As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.

c) Out of the abundance of the heart, a man speaketh.

7. Worry will reduce your faith and trust in the Lord. You cannot trust and worry at the same time. These two are like oil and water, they cannot mix!

8. Worry is more harmful than helpful! It is a total waste of time and effort. Some confuse worry and concern. Here is the difference between worry and genuine concern: Worry immobilizes, but concern moves you to action. We should be concerned and not neglect matters of importance. We shouldn't worry about them and do nothing about it.

1. Christians Are Not Immune To Worry!

a. Though We Know That God Is In Control – He is in control of all that exists and that includes our circumstances!

b. Though We Know That All Will End Well – Our life story has already been recorded in Heaven. The final chapter of our life has been written and it is alright!

c. Though We Know That Worry Is Sin And Distrust – It is one thing to have concerns and another to worry. We are concerned because we do not know the end of a thing but worry is a “horse of another color!” Worry is our failure to trust our lives, families, finances, protection, and provision to the One who holds it all in His hand.

d. And Yet, We Still Have A Tendency To Worry

1) We worry because we are affected by the world.

2) We worry because we are robed in frail flesh.

3) We worry because we are still imperfect in our faith.

2. And, Most Of The Time:

a. We worry about things that either never occur or do not measure up our expectations.

b. We worry about things that we cannot change.

c. We worry often times about things that really do not matter.

3. Two Kinds Of Worry Found In These Verses:

a. Financial – When The Heart Is In The Wrong Place– vs 19-24

(Temporal Treasures Instead of Heavenly Treasures) “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness”

b. Physical - When The Trust Is In The Wrong Place– vs 25-32

(Depending Upon Self For Supply Instead Of God To Supply)

4. How To Handle Worry:

a. We Should Not Worry Because We Are Children Of God -
Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

Romans 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

b. We Should not worry because, as Christians, we are people of faith - Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

c. We should not worry because our focus is to be on kingdom of God, on the spiritual - not the material - Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

d. We Need To Realize That God Cares - 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Said the Robin to the Sparrow,
"I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and hurry so."
said the Sparrow to the Robin,
"Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me."
-- Elizabeth Cheney