Don’t Worry, Be Holy - Part 1: Understanding Life

Grace Reformation Bible Church iconGrace Reformation Bible Church

0 views

Preacher: Ross Macdonald Scripture: Matthew 6:25

0 comments

00:00
Well this morning we continue on in Matthew chapter 6 and we're heading towards the end of this chapter as we have come away now from the
00:09
The three paired statements of the last several verses up to now verse 25 this morning
00:15
We're reminded there the questions that Jesus posed forth with these paired statements questions that are meant to examine our lives to elicit our faith questions that are meant to guide us into self -examination and What is my treasure?
00:32
What what are the things that I'm desiring am I seeing clearly is my whole life my whole body full of light because I'm single -minded
00:41
I have a simple understanding of the faith
00:46
I Haven't thought thoughts too far for me my eyes have not been lofty
00:52
I've had a a Clear sight of the Lord a clear desire to follow him a straightforward and fixed desire for him
01:01
For his kingdom therefore, I'm not double -hearted. I'm not double -minded I'm not unstable in all of my ways and then of course as we saw even last week
01:09
For that reason, I I know who I serve and I know to whom I belong. I Have a master because no man can serve two masters
01:18
And so the the eye that helps me to see clearly my whole life is full of light I know to whom I belong.
01:24
I know who it is that I serve I know the one that I've put my trust in he alone is my treasure
01:30
Who do I have on earth that compares to him and heaven? There's no one bought him He's the one that I desire.
01:36
He's the one that I see He's the one that I belong to so these these questions this way of framing the issue is now
01:42
Guiding us to verse 25 and beyond and as we move toward the end of Matthew 6
01:48
I've kind of mapped out how we're how we're going to approach this This course verse 33 perhaps is one of the most significant parts of chapter 6
01:59
What I'd like to do is have four Messages leading up to verse 33 and this morning will really be the introduction to the next three messages
02:07
So we'll have four messages on this matter of worry From verses 25 through 32 and then with verse 33 will finish out the chapter in four parts as well
02:18
So this is going to be part 1 of 4 and then at verse 33 we'll look at the kingdom of God as part 1 of 4 and I've titled at least these first four parts.
02:27
Don't worry Be holy That's my summary of the end of Matthew 6.
02:33
Don't worry Be holy And of course, that's a little pun on the the famous song by Bobby McFerrin Wrongly attributed to Bob Marley.
02:44
It's Bobby McFerrin Some of you probably have it as a ringtone. I remember vividly years ago being in Florida We've come off of a red -eye flight because of like three delays and we're sitting in this little
02:58
Airport transit car and some of the people from our flight their bloodshot eyes. Everyone looks absolutely miserable
03:04
There's other people that have come on that are about to miss their flight and they're panicking for this thing to get moving so they
03:10
Can make it to their gate and have some hope and so you're either completely zombified and exhausted
03:15
Or completely stressed and in this mode of panic and what's playing across the the little radio speaker in the car this song
03:22
Don't worry be happy But the soundtrack did not fit the scenery at all
03:28
But the lyrics in that famous song a one -hit wonder Many decades ago.
03:34
Here's a little song. I wrote you might want to sing it note for note Don't worry be happy In every life we have some trouble when you worry you make it double don't worry
03:44
Be happy Well, I would alter that a little bit Not to the dismay of Bobby McFerrin But in my mind what
03:53
Jesus is is going to emphasize here from verses 25 to 32 is don't worry
03:58
We're gonna see over the next several weeks why we should not worry that Jesus gives some concrete reasons
04:04
And as we I think look into them and open them up a little bit. We'll understand Really how ridiculous it is for us to be gripped and consumed by fear
04:14
Jesus really wants his disciples to come away with with this absolute confidence and trust that leads to peace and Kingdom mindedness and so verses 25 through 32.
04:25
The big emphasis is do not worry. Don't worry He's gonna come back at the end in verse 34
04:34
He's gonna come back to remind us that sort of bookend this emphasis. Don't worry But verse 33 really gets to the heart behind that why you should not worry why this is a point in the
04:45
Sermon on the Mount That's so important for Jesus to demonstrate. It's so that we will be holy Seek the kingdom first In other words seeking the kingdom is living in light of everything.
04:56
We've received up to this point from the Sermon on the Mount. I Think in Jesus way of emphasis.
05:02
He's saying you'll never be able to arrive at the Beatitudes Chapter 5 you'll never build your house on the rock chapter 7 if your life is consumed by panic and worry if you want to be kingdom minded if you want to live out kingdom values if you want to build on the rock if you
05:19
Want to be blessed with all of the blessings that flow out of Matthew 5 then your life cannot be consumed by worry
05:26
And so don't worry, but be holy now again this morning We're just introducing this and I want to give sort of an introduction to this matter of worry or anxiety and then before we close
05:38
I want to look at two two aspects of The teaching that we're going to walk into in the next several weeks.
05:44
We'll get at that by understanding Something about what we are and then something about what we must become
05:51
All right So introduction what we are what we must become and that'll introduce us for the next several weeks to come so we're looking at verse 25 and I've titled this this part part one
06:04
Understanding life, that's Jesus point here To understand our lives rightly
06:10
Understanding life and the things that life consists of verse 25. Jesus says therefore
06:16
I say to you Do not worry about your life What you will eat what you will drink nor about your body what you will put on is not life more than food and the body more than clothing
06:31
So that's verse 25 and you'll notice we've transitioned now away from this matter of greed
06:38
Therefore you cannot serve mammon and God with transition now subtly from greed to anxiety
06:45
This is perhaps less clear in Matthew 6 in the parallel, which is Luke 12 It's abundantly clear and Luke 12 the parable that precedes this teaching is the parable of the rich fool
06:56
Look at how full my barns are Therefore I'm Content, you know I need to build bigger barns because I have so much more to store and the parable ends fool your soul is required this night and then
07:08
Jesus goes right into therefore I tell you do not be afraid and so the transition from Greed to anxiety is a little more ambiguous in Matthew, but in Luke the point is clear
07:19
For all that anxiety about needing a bigger barn and being able to amass more resources have more food buy more clothes
07:25
What good has that done? That kind of drive that kind of greed that kind of worry
07:31
Living a life that's been consumed by these desires or these needs is a life that is wasted a life that will never arrive at the kingdom and So this concern remains
07:41
Jesus has been establishing from the very beginning of chapter 6 that his disciples will have a singular
07:47
Devotion to God and will not live like the Gentiles Will not live like those who who only have their hopes set in this world whose treasure is on the earth and not in heaven
07:57
Those who are trying to serve both God and mammon whose lives are consumed by earthly desire even arising from earthly need
08:05
That's where Jesus is going in Matthew 6 He essentially asked the question we'll be there in a moment from from James what is your life and When James asks that question think about your life.
08:18
What is your life? What is life? What is life meant to be? What is life meant to look like?
08:26
What is life for and when James asks that question that penetrating question?
08:31
What is your life? He's asking in the same context We'll see it in a moment It's interesting that we speak of life in compartmentalized ways
08:46
We speak of married life home life work life
08:52
We have little aspects of life little vignettes of our life and Jesus says no no, no, no, you need to be singular
09:00
Don't compartmentalize your life. Don't don't fragment and fracture the way that you're living
09:05
Don't have in neat little areas different aspects of your life And I think that's because of this kind of mindset.
09:12
This is mr. Wonderful if you ever seen the show Shark Tank Mr. Wonderful, not exactly maybe a good financial advisor not a good life coach and Here's why here's one of the things that he said in an interview.
09:26
He said working 24 hours a day is not enough anymore You have to be willing to sacrifice everything if you want to be successful This includes your personal life your family life
09:38
Maybe even more if people think anything less they're wrong and they will fail So that's mr.
09:44
Wonderful's view of life If James were to ask mr. Wonderful, what is your life? He says well, which life?
09:51
My business life my family life my personal life. Oh, well, I don't have a personal life my family life
09:57
I've sacrificed my business life. It's booming if ever there was a parable for mr.
10:02
Wonderful It's the parable of the rich fool in Luke 12 again. Here's where James is asking the question come now you who say
10:09
Today or tomorrow we're gonna go to such -and -such a town. Let's spend a whole year there
10:14
We'll trade we'll make profit But you don't know what tomorrow will bring What is your life?
10:23
You're a mist that appears for a little bit of time and then vanishes you ought to say if the
10:30
Lord wills We will live and do this and do that So that's
10:36
James for Notice how James does not compartmentalize life He says oh, well your plan is to go away for a year and to do really well, well, that's great for your work life
10:48
What about your personal life? And what about your family life? And what about your church life? What about your spiritual life?
10:56
That's being double -minded triple -minded quadruple -minded that's not having a singular life a singular aim a
11:03
Singular desire treasure fixed in a singular place James asked the question. What is your life?
11:09
Then he tells us really drawing from Psalm 39 as well as the whole book of Ecclesiastes I'll tell you what your life is.
11:16
It's a breath I'll tell you what your life is It's a mist that's here for a little bit of time and then it vanishes you want to think about life rightly
11:24
Here's how you ought to think if the Lord wills I will be able to live If the
11:30
Lord wills I'll be able to do anything How could I plan out a year without any thought to the
11:36
Lord as if my life is my own when tomorrow? It's not sure And so that becomes the prayer in Psalm 39.
11:44
Oh Lord, let me know my end. What's the measure of my days? Let me know how fleeting I am
11:50
In other words give me the wisdom to not think that I can carve up my life and all of these different directions and pursuits and I can have
12:01
Absolute confidence to plan something out and intend for all of the success in one area Even at the cost and expense of other areas
12:09
No, let me know the ends that I can live with the right perspective unite my heart to fear your name
12:17
I don't know about you. I don't often pray Lord. Let me know my end That's a that's a biblical prayer
12:23
Psalm 39 Lord remind me how fleeting I am who prays like that Let me know the number of my days.
12:31
Let me know my lifespan remind me how fickle I am remind me. I'm a breath Remind me that I'm like a blade of grass here for an afternoon gone the next day
12:41
That's a biblical way of praying. It's a biblical way of framing your life. That's not to say that The breath is something dispensable
12:54
As Jesus says your Heavenly Father is the one who's given you the breath of life He's the one who cares for you as we'll see over the next several weeks.
13:03
He cares for the sparrows He cares to clothe the hills with grass and lilies
13:09
Your father knows the things you need and he cares for you So the major emphasis is there the point is to frame your life in a right way.
13:16
I don't fragment it I don't compartmentalize it. It's all here together. And the whole thing all together.
13:22
Is this a short little breath and yet that little breath is filled with needs and hopes and ambitions and trials and blessings and losses and comforts and worries
13:37
There's a lot packed into the little breath of life And that's what Jesus is speaking to Do not worry about your life
13:48
Get some perspective on your life. What is your life now?
13:54
Some of us are more acquainted with worry than others, but I think we've all experienced it. Maybe only
14:02
Maybe only toddlers are really spared from worry just for a little moment in time
14:08
And what we'll touch we'll touch on that toward the end of the message But we all worry to one extent or another.
14:15
We're all We're all facing various worries various seasons produce all new kinds of worry.
14:21
We just go from Sets of worries to sets of worries as the seasons of our lives change
14:28
When we're healthy, we're worried about whether we'll be successful when we're successful. We're worried about whether we'll be healthy
14:37
We're always worried By something gripped by some form of anxiety the forms may change as our seasons change
14:46
But the thing that doesn't change is that our lives are always met with worry and of course worry
14:52
Can weigh down can literally even destroy someone's life We have now these categories like post -traumatic stress disorder
15:01
That's essentially anxiety Physiologically ruining someone's life.
15:07
That's how powerful stress worried trauma anxiety can be it has
15:13
Physiological dimensions to it. You've seen footage of shell -shocked soldiers Although they're in a place of absolute peace and absolute security
15:23
They cannot stop the tremors. They cannot stop the the nightmares They cannot stop the physical ramifications of what they've gone through the stress the anxiety that that's unleashed in their lives
15:34
That's how powerful it is Jesus commands his people not to be gripped by a kind of fear that allows our lives to Implode or prevents us from accomplishing the things that God has willed for us
15:47
Fear worry anxiety is something that prevents a disciple from being single -minded
15:53
Single -hearted from being able to actually accomplish the will and the values of the kingdom if we would seek the kingdom first and its
16:01
Righteousness, then our lives cannot be gripped cannot be steered astray by anxiety and worry
16:09
Of course anxiety doesn't just occur in the big things like trench warfare
16:16
It can strike with really small things sometimes anxiety comes from the most
16:22
Minuscule unrealistic fears in our lives sometimes we're anxious and it's so minuscule.
16:27
We don't even know why You just you're just in a way of worry You actually haven't understood where this sense of anxiety is even coming from but it's there and it's palpable
16:40
We have these things called panic attacks the thing about panic attacks is
16:48
It's hard sometimes to discern where that panic is even being triggered It seemingly comes out of nowhere.
16:54
It's not necessarily the the end of a train of thought It's not necessarily a circumstance or experience it it seems to just come out of nowhere and all of a sudden you're going well
17:03
Why am I sweating cold? Why is my heart beginning to to burst in a new rhythm and and all of a sudden you're gripped and you're suffocating
17:11
It's that feeling that that cold sweat that anxiety That's the power of worry and that word worry anxiety in the original
17:20
It actually has this idea of division inherent within it or the idea of being pulled apart
17:26
Of being separated and that's what it feels like to worry. You're being pulled You're being strained.
17:32
You're being stretched. That's the feeling you think of the old medieval torture rack and they would just stretch
17:40
And keep turning that wheel and stretch the limbs. That's what worry is like It's this straining stretching gnawing kind of fear now of all ages
17:54
Ever since the fall humans have dealt with worry and anxiety with deprivation with need with fear
18:01
What happens right after the fall? Fear enters into the life and experience of humanity a fear that humanity had never known
18:13
Adam and Eve had not known fear They had not known guilt
18:19
We don't think deeply enough about that how worry anxiety fear our conditions that arise from our fall into sin from the separation and gulf that erupted between God and man and then was also outflowing between Man and his neighbor there's this gulf this isolation this alienation this hostility between God and men
18:44
And this is where anxiety and fear arises We don't connect these dots.
18:50
But again in the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve had no fear no guilt.
18:56
No anxiety. No worry Everywhere they looked was something new to try some new beast to name some new fruit
19:03
They've never tasted some new way to glorify and adore God some new task to advance
19:08
His image over all that he had made. I remember as a boy how terrified
19:18
I was of spiders because I I stayed up one night and Somehow I got the
19:25
TV channel onto some horror film called arachnophobia and I must have been like 11 and It was just you know this spider that basically would
19:39
Would kill anything and it had been you know smuggled off a cargo plane from the rainforest and made its way around this little
19:45
Suburban for years. I was absolutely terrified to take the trash bins to the corner of the street
19:51
My dad would say, you know Ross. Why don't you take the trash down tomorrow's trash day and I'd be like, okay, you know
19:57
And I'd wrap my hands in paper towels and I'd look all the way It would be like a 30 minute process to get this bin and if I saw any little flickering thing
20:07
I would kind of absolutely freak out That's not how Eden was the
20:14
Creeping and the crawling things weren't all that creepy. They weren't all that intimidating I'm I'm far more brave when it comes to spiders nowadays just to assure people
20:22
It's the wonders of marriage that you become the insect terminator in the home My point is we don't know what human life is like apart from fear
20:32
But Adam and Eve knew what human life was like apart from fear and Jesus now is the firstfruits of a new creation speaking to disciples that will be the vanguard and the foundation of those who are being transformed into him is his image by one degree of glory to the next and he says to Them if this is true that you're following me
20:50
Then since I am the true Adam you will more and more have lives that are characterized with a lack of fear
20:58
That's not what humanity was meant to experience It's not what life consists of your life will not be gripped by worry consumed by fear
21:07
Clouded by guilt way down with this kind of burden He says not if you're following me not if you know me now in a fallen world and in a fallen body
21:16
They'll always be aspects and and lingering effects of that. The point is I came to liberate you from these things.
21:22
I Came to give you life Life overflowing I came to give you joy the kind of joy that I have with my father
21:29
I came to give you peace peace that can only be known when you enter into my joy my kingdom
21:35
And so we have to understand where does this fear what does this worry where does anxiety arise from?
21:41
It's common to our age. It's common to the culture So every human age has dealt with fear since the fall
21:49
But I would say uniquely here in the West in our sort of postmodern
21:55
Era, I think we're uniquely held captive to anxiety Oh All humanity has dealt with fear and anxiety because all humanity has dealt with fear need lack
22:08
Envy greed these things that cause fear and worry and anxiety to arise
22:14
But if ever an age or a culture has been characterized by anxiety,
22:20
I think it would be ours former civilizations
22:29
Understood enough about human experience to realize fear and anxiety is part of human condition.
22:35
It's part of the state of humanity They didn't think it a strange thing to have needs or to be anxious
22:43
Nowadays for some reason in modern life though we have More resources more stability more economic prosperity more technological comforts and helps more more ease more time frankly just think of the wonders of aspirin the wonders of penicillin the wonders of Surgical techniques all that we know about physical anatomy
23:07
We come through various ailments and more often than not there's a way that that can be remedied a way that we can be made whole a way that we can overcome some of the
23:16
Pain or impact of that condition that disease that bodily breakdown Former ages didn't have any of these things and yet they understood worry and anxiety is just a part of life
23:27
Nowadays we're like, wait a minute. You're you're anxious. We need to prescribe you something for that. Wait a minute You have worries in your life.
23:33
Well, that's that's not right. You shouldn't have any worry And so people spend a lot of time trying to escape or navigate around anxiety and worry.
23:42
There's ways you can do that Professionally medically clinically there's ways that people do that sort of off the books so to speak
23:49
It's all an escape from anxiety We live in an age of anxiety that was the observation of WH Auden we live in the age of anxiety
24:00
Anxiety and in his understanding is the umbrella term for modern life an anxious age
24:07
Jonathan Haidt wrote a very Significant landmark book some years ago the age of anxiety
24:14
It rings true That by the way is why a lot of Christianity has been reduced to what has been called moralistic therapeutic deism and I would emphasize that term therapeutic
24:29
It's just anxiety counseling writ large. That's what Christianity has been reduced to and a lot of quarters You're living in an anxious time you have a lot of worry in your life come to Christ You don't have to be so full of worry
24:42
We'll help you deal with your anxiety as if that's all what the Christian faith was about. I Do not worry
24:53
But as we say It's not just that he's saying don't worry. It's for the point of be holy
25:00
That's the issue. That's the drive This is the problem of worry
25:07
It's a normal atmosphere for our lives But then we normalize anxiety or worry rather than confront it rather than examine it rather than go down the trail to understand the source
25:18
How are we wrongly viewing God how are we wrongly viewing our life or the expectations of our life
25:25
Looking at where we were last week Have I forgotten my identity as a servant that I'm here to accomplish the will of my master that he sees fit to provide
25:34
And align all of his providences in my life so that I can accomplish his will and find myself complete in him knowing that he works both good and evil together for his calling for his glory and So the worry is the normal atmosphere more so than ever in this age of anxiety we can never normalize worry
25:56
We can never treat anxiety as just this this common thing that we all have in our to harbor
26:02
Jesus says no don't worry Don't worry. Don't have anxiety
26:09
Paul will say to the church at Philippi be anxious for nothing Why?
26:17
Why is there such a thing as a fidget spinner you're thinking like It's up there with the pet rock who thinks of these things
26:31
Why are we so nervous that we have to have our hands occupied You can't even sit in a classroom or in a park bench without something to kick some tick
26:42
Why why do we have this anxiety that grips so subtly we fret about like this this chipmunk
26:49
Consumed with a need to gather consumed with the next and the next and the next thing So that's on the one hand a kind of anxiety that makes us almost manic.
26:58
There's a frenzy of worry It's the kind of anxiety the kind of worry that looks like a frenzy that looks frenetic
27:05
It looks like a panic attack, but then there's also an anxiety that goes in the completely opposite direction
27:12
It's sort of a depressed anxiety. I would put it this way.
27:18
It's anxiety defeated If the sort of frenetic frenzy is anxiety struggling
27:25
Then anxiety defeated looks like I just sleep half the day. I Let everything around me crumble
27:34
Bills are not paid Work is not attended relationships deteriorate and wouldn't you know,
27:40
I have no anxiety. I Found the key to life You've allowed yourself to be absolutely
27:46
Consumed by anxiety to the point that you can't even look at the direction of your responsibilities
27:51
You can't even maintain the most basic relationship. Your life has been paralyzed by anxiety
27:58
It's not for lack of it because you've been drowned in it essentially. So you see we're
28:08
We're not talking about just consigning yourself to circumstances and calling that faith It's not this fatalistic attitude about life and it's just that's peace.
28:18
Just hey say lovey. What can you do? Life goes on That's not what Jesus is calling his disciples to Whether it's that frenetic manic anxiety that grips and suffocates its victim or the escapism the need to find ways to Sort of drug ourselves away from dealing with difficult situations and circumstances dealing with needs dealing with dashed hopes dealing with idols
28:49
You can see if there's some that want to be free from anxiety so they can simply get on with a Carefree self -centered way of life.
28:57
That's not what Jesus is is offering for his disciples when he says do not worry It's not I want you to have peace so you can go on and accomplish all the things you want to do and just have
29:05
A lot of joy and live your best life now. It's not Matthew 6 It's not don't worry.
29:12
Be happy. It's don't worry. Be holy It's Not the peace that the world offers.
29:18
It's not that the joy that the world pretends to have It's the peace and joy that Jesus intends a peace and a joy that only comes by knowing him and serving him according to his
29:28
Kingdom, that's the peace and joy That comes through this call not to worry but to seek first the kingdom
29:35
And Paul will say that the kingdom consists of peace and joy Not of eating and drinking but of peace and joy
29:46
One other aspect here that's so vital is this and this is of course is in line with everything we've considered in the past three messages from Matthew 6
29:56
More than anything else our worries our anxieties reveal what drives us
30:01
I can't emphasize that point enough our worries our anxieties
30:08
Reveal what drives us? You want to know your deepest desires?
30:16
Trace the source of your deepest worry your worry your anxiety
30:25
Will lead you will reveal to you your greatest. Hope the thing that's driving you
30:30
You want to know what your ambition is? Look what your worry is You want to know potentially what your idol is?
30:36
Look at what your anxiety is What you will be most anxious about will reveal to you what you hold to be most valuable
30:48
And that may be a good thing that may be a good thing Or it may be something awful you may value something worth valuing you think of a a parent when they lose sight of their child and They're absolutely seized with terror why because they value that child so much
31:15
They can't imagine life without that child And so they're absolutely consumed with panic and fear until they find where that child is
31:23
So they call them out of the the hiding place And all of a sudden it's like they can breathe for the first time in a few minutes that that value has revealed
31:36
Why that anxiety came about that that child is so precious that worry and panic set in upon the parent
31:45
Think about your reputation If you're really worried about your name because it's it's being slung around or spit upon or dragged through the mud if if your reputation means life to you the world to you if As Proverbs says a good name is worth more than gold and silver and you really hold that true not in the proverbial sense
32:07
But almost in a carnal sense, then you're filled with worry and anxiety What will people think of me
32:13
Will I still have friends? Will I find friends if people think of me in this way if I'm viewed in this way, what's gonna happen to me?
32:21
What kind of reputation will I have that anxiety that worry has revealed what you value most what drives you?
32:31
Anxiety always seems like it's centered on those things outside of us on That goal on that life change on that relationship on that career
32:41
But the reality is anxiety is not centered on the things outside of us.
32:46
It's centered on the things within Where's your treasure?
32:52
Jesus says that's where your heart is What are you worrying about?
32:59
What are you anxious about? That's what's driving you. That's what you value most Our hearts our minds our faith if we're being honest for most of us
33:12
That phrase that the man said I believe Lord help my unbelief
33:17
Looks often like I trust you Lord help my anxiety. We're called to trust and we find it very hard to trust
33:28
Jesus here commands us not to be gripped by worry and Yet we're gripped by worry much of the virtue of the
33:40
Christian life is interwoven for this very reason If my worry reveals what's driving me if my anxiety reveals to me the thing
33:49
I value most and Christian virtue Kingdom values are interwoven with how
33:55
I handle my worry My anxiety can drive me to be deceptive
34:03
My worry can drive me to be manipulative Do you see it
34:09
Christian virtue is interwoven Kingdom values being practice is interwoven with how you handle worry anxiety for this very reason
34:18
Think of Abraham lying about Sarah He was worried he was anxious That's something bad might happen to him that he might somehow be killed because his wife was so beautiful So he lied he he twisted the reality of his relationship to try to satiate his anxiety
34:36
You see Consider the parable of the sower in Luke 8
34:41
Jesus says that the seed which fell among the thorns Represents those who heard the gospel, but as they went on their way they were choked with Worry this is the counterpart to what
34:59
Jesus is getting at here in Matthew 6 The gospel goes out the message is heard the seed has been sown it's fallen among Thorns and what are those thorns?
35:12
The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who heard the gospel and as they go on their way, they're choked
35:18
They're suffocated with worry what kind of worry the kind of worry right here in verse 25 with worry and Riches and pleasure in this life and they bear no fruit
35:32
Do you know that there are many who have heard many who profess to believe but they don't persevere in the faith
35:40
Why is it because they didn't hear the gospel? No, they heard the gospel It's because they never began to walk the
35:46
Christian life No, they began to walk the Christian life, but the gospel got strangled by their anxieties
35:53
And so they could never bear any fruit everywhere around us in every direction in every circumstance in every relationship in every ambition
36:13
The world is preaching to you be anxious for everything and God's Word says
36:23
Be anxious for nothing you could not be more further apart
36:36
Do not worry about Your life that is God's desire for his people
36:42
We're going to be unpacking this right in weeks to come But just notice that this is God's desire and this is not the only place
36:49
God communicates his desire How often does he remind us of his provision of his care?
36:54
Does he tell his people do not be afraid Fear not. I haven't changed
37:00
My promises my character are sure Because God has commanded this we can be assured that our life of faith our growth in the faith is designed to make us less
37:11
And less and less Anxious, how does God do this work? How is he going to peel us away from the worries that would strangle the gospel strangle the
37:20
Word of God at work in our? lives Well, if we're talking about the language of the sower in the seed one thing we could say is
37:28
God does this work gradually What we know about God as a farmer as a vine dresser is he's a patient farmer
37:36
He does this work gradually. He sows patiently He waters faithfully
37:45
Consistently frequently even but it's a gradual process It's not like We had our dear sister
37:56
Miss Hume some years ago, Mrs. Hume some years ago donating a tomato plant to the McDonald household, which was wonderful We are not like God.
38:04
We do not consistently frequently water What has been sown and so it was like every three weeks.
38:11
We're like, oh, yeah the tomatoes and there's a big bucket of water Hopefully that'll hold them for a while until we remember again another three weeks later
38:18
By the end of the the season we have overgrown and bursted tomatoes You know
38:23
Maybe two that had gotten some of the water and then a bunch that that shriveled and somewhere Deep in the soil is buried that vine.
38:30
I'm glad God is not a gardener a vine dresser like I am God sows patiently he waters faithfully
38:38
But it's a process God wants to deal with worry and anxiety in your life.
38:43
How is he going to do that? patiently Gradually He's going to prune you
38:57
One of the ways God will deal with worry and anxiety in your life Paradoxically he might give you more to be anxious about more to be worried with So that he can take you through that God doesn't take you out of worry
39:16
By not bringing it to you bringing circumstances that will try you or affects you He actually brings you out of worry by taking you into the place that you have to worry.
39:25
He loves to show that his presence is Is protective he loves to show the difference that he makes he loves to glorify himself
39:34
By displaying his deliverance, but he can't do that if he doesn't bring you into the furnace in the first place So one of the ways that God is going to prune your life is take you into seasons where your faith will be tried where you will have anxieties and worries that stem from the things that you're facing things within and things without and The whole point is that he's watering he's sowing he's pruning
40:03
He's being faithful to grow and establish your faith as a way of depending upon him proving him trusting in him so that you will be less and less and less characterized by worry and anxiety and fear and more and More and more characterized by peace and stability and devotion
40:23
That's how God intends to move So the
40:28
Sermon on the Mount from the very beginning is held forth that when we live with the right identity
40:35
We will begin to live with the right priority We're going to see that very clearly when we get to verse 33 the right identity leads to the right priority the right identity a
40:47
Servant of God one who's been blessed by God called by God will have a right Priority the kingdom of God and its righteousness will have the right attitude a life dependent upon the
40:57
Lord protected from the grip of bondage and anxiety So let me now very briefly
41:05
Let me let me talk a little bit about what we are and then lastly what we become
41:11
This is again something introductory for where we're going in the next few weeks What we are and what we become
41:21
Here's what we are sheep Sheep the parallel to Matthew 6 and Luke 12.
41:32
This is very clear. Jesus says Luke 12 32 fear not little flock It doesn't just say do not worry
41:40
But he presses in further Don't be afraid little flock
41:47
Very instructive that Jesus is referring to us as sheep so that we will look to him as our shepherd
41:56
Be anxious for nothing do not worry about your life fear not little flock you are sheep within his fold
42:07
We've talked about this in times past about the the power of that image of a sheep. It's not the most flattering image
42:12
He doesn't say fear not Rottweilers of the kingdom.
42:18
It's not it's not a flattering image. There's nothing Dignified or noble sheep is there?
42:27
Just in the way that God created sheep, I mean we use it as a disparaging term Oh, are you you're just like all the other sheeple you just blindly follow the things that you're told and it's like well
42:37
Boy, could you find a different animal to insult us with you know, sheep is used positively in Scripture But the disparaging elements are there that these are not the most impressive creatures
42:48
If I were to pull some of the kids in the congregation and say, you know, what's your favorite animal? I'd get a lot of cheetahs and Tigers and maybe the occasional
42:56
Falcon probably a lot of dinosaurs. I Don't think anyone would say a sheep What an amazing animal
43:05
There's no claws. There's no jaws. There's no camouflage God did not design them with some sort of defense mechanism, but they can't even hide very well
43:14
They're bright white like they're the bright white puffball on the hill It's like a neon billboard come eat me
43:23
Have you ever seen videos of ranchers? Sometimes you can again weird things sumo wrestling and night vision footage of ranchers using
43:33
ARs to defend their flock and They'll zoom in and it looks like three coyotes sort of hanging on the neck of a sheep and the sheep is just sort of Standing there
43:43
Bleeding you can't you can't do anything. It kind of moves around and it's just sort of like help Help And then eventually the rancher will start picking off the the predators
43:54
They have no venom. They have no spikes. They don't have some intimidating roar
44:00
They're they're absolutely vulnerable and helpless We've talked about in past years out.
44:07
There's some sheep that have this genetic anomaly where When they're fearful they they're sort of joints and nerve ending seas
44:16
They get stunned and they basically just fall over wherever they are and you can watch videos of this as well
44:21
Or maybe the farmer opens the door and it slams and all sudden half the sheep just kind of fall to the side completely paralyzed
44:28
This is absolutely the worst Prey that God has ever designed Literally like invites predators and then as soon as it's scared it literally stalls.
44:38
It's just this this ever -open buffet Absolutely defenseless except for one a shepherd
44:48
That's the only defense How are these poor creatures going to be protected and provided for they need a shepherd
44:58
And so when Jesus says do not worry about your life and in Luke 12, he says fear not little flock
45:06
He's saying if it were just you if it was only you if it was all about you
45:12
You'd have every reason to fear little flock The only reason you should not worry
45:17
The only reason you have nothing to fear is because I am a good shepherd and I give my life for the sheep
45:26
So we're sheep in his flock. Remember what we said in the last verse a Servant that the emphasis in the first century is who do you belong to?
45:37
It's not what you're doing. It's who you belong to your sheep. Who is your shepherd? That's the emphasis
45:45
The only defense is a shepherd the only protection the only provision is the goodwill of the shepherd
45:50
Jesus is pointing to himself and he's saying don't be afraid What do you have to worry about? Just sit there and chew grass.
45:58
I'll take care of everything else That's essentially what he's saying. It's a reason that in redemptive history.
46:04
God called a shepherd to reign over his people That motif of the
46:10
Shepherd King is so significant typologically The Shepherd King the faithful shepherd, there's a reason that the early
46:19
Christians we went to the Catacomb of Calixtus where one of these images very famously is painted and found and one of the catacombs the ancient
46:27
Christian image of the Good Shepherd This image of a Greco -Roman youth bearing a lamb across his shoulders and this was something the ancient
46:36
Christians would use as a as a symbol My whole life is dependent upon him. My hope is sure because of him.
46:43
He's my shepherd. He'll guide me through That's what Jesus is saying.
46:48
Life is more than food and clothes The Good Shepherd knows you have needs he'll lead you to pasture
46:56
He'll protect you from predators, but you need to understand your life You don't defend for yourself.
47:01
You don't have to protect you defend yourself Give place to God let him do that.
47:07
You seek first the kingdom and its righteousness Everything else is prepared. Everything else will be added to you.
47:15
That's why Peter can say Cast all your cares all your worries all your anxiety on him.
47:22
He cares for you And we shouldn't read that merely as his disposition as If he's remotely sympathetic to your need he is caring for you
47:34
He is providing for you. He is leading you he is sustaining you he is caring for you
47:40
That's why you can cast all your cares upon you. He is infinitely
47:46
More attuned to your needs than you are How can we establish that When you were oblivious to your need because you were still blind in an enemy of God in the fullness of time
47:59
He sent his son to die for you. That's Paul's logic in Romans 8 if he didn't withhold his own son What is he gonna possibly withhold from you that you truly need?
48:09
You didn't even realize the need of your soul and he provided for that need Don't you realize that he's far more attuned to your needs than you are and he's ever pleased
48:27
To give you the best things So Jesus says fear not little flock
48:33
It is the father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom You're not bartering for that You're not waiting for the security guard to fall asleep so you can make a mad dash into It's it's his pleasure it's his delight it's his goodwill just to give you the kingdom
48:54
Jesus says this is one of the reasons you should not fear So then you examine your fears and your worries.
49:02
Am I desiring the kingdom? If I desire the thing that God delights to give me then
49:07
I should have no worry If I order and arrange my whole life to the thing that God is desiring is
49:13
Pleased to lead me into they're not then I should have no place for fear anxiety But if I have a double mind if I have a double heart if I'm straddling between two masters and two ways to live
49:29
Then I'll have anxiety and worry and fear almost at every turn of my life Jesus knows
49:39
That we have needs Jesus knows that we have fears That's why there's this continual mantra throughout
49:44
God's Word of calling the people not to be afraid It's where we're going in Matthew 7.
49:52
This is the whole point of this Trust me. He says ask for me seek me
49:59
Knock I'm gonna open Look to me. I'm the provider. I'm the protector.
50:05
I'm the Good Shepherd cast all your cares on me with everything Make your requests known to me so that you won't be anxious for anything.
50:14
I Care for you Peter Peter relates that as he presses on in chapter 5.
50:20
He's the chief shepherd overseer of our souls So that's what we are.
50:28
We're sheep we want to get to the place like Jacob when he blessed Joseph and said
50:34
God has been my shepherd all my life That's the place you want to get You can see in Jacob's life how he was pruned peeled away
50:45
From all of him his ambitions all of its anxieties all of his worries God peeled them away from those things.
50:51
He did it gradually He did it patiently. He did it with uncle
51:00
Laban He did it with the terrorizing encounter of Esau He did it in stages.
51:08
He did it in seasons. He did it alongside a lot of comforts and blessings and good gifts Do you see how he peeled
51:16
Jacob away? He untwisted the twister He made straight the crooked one.
51:22
He made honest the deceiver He did it gradually and consistently so that by the end of his life as a decrepit blind man
51:30
He's laying his hand on his son and he's saying Here's here's the one observation I can have on my whole life for all of my twisted doubtful fear -ridden ways
51:39
God has been a shepherd for me my whole life What we are is sheep
51:46
What do we become? This is the last part of the message this morning. Here's what we become Weaned children
51:55
Weaned children I'm taking this from Psalm 131 verse 2 where David says
52:01
I have calmed and quieted my soul Like a weaned child with its mother like a weaned child is my soul within me
52:11
And notice again, I'm very deliberately going from the image of sheep to now the image of a toddler
52:18
No flattery here, right I don't go from you know, we are sheep and what we must become warriors
52:25
That's not the image What do you become in the Christian life at best in this respect as far as worry and anxiety a weaned toddler?
52:35
That's what you'll become If you follow through on Matthew 6, what are you aiming for to be like David in Psalm 131 like a weaned child?
52:44
That's what my soul is like with the Lord Now the image of course is going from an infant
52:52
Who uncontrollably is is gripped with? Frustration Panic, I need calories.
53:00
I can't articulate it But a signal in my stomach is sending a signal to my brain
53:05
Which sends a signal to my voice box and I am hollering and hampering for food
53:12
David says that's what I used to be like when my life was characterized without faith When I was gripped by worry and panic and all
53:19
I could do is scream all I could do is vent Go from you know, I mean,
53:24
I know we have a lot of newborns in this room, you know the difference between a sort of Uncomfortable cry because I'm hungry and then an angry cry like give me that now
53:33
And David says I have become like a weaned child My soul used to be that way, but I'm I'm content now.
53:41
I'm like a weaned child. That's my soul quiet I know foods going to come
53:51
Crying is not gonna do anything good in fact if I get Angry in my cries
53:57
I might get disciplined No, like a weaned child.
54:03
That's my soul within me another translation on this surely.
54:10
I have composed and Quieted my soul. I've kind of I Framed myself in a different way.
54:20
I used to be like that. Not anymore. I've composed myself now. I've learned how to sit up straight When I used to yell out in frustration and fear now,
54:31
I'm quiet I'm submissive. I'm content. I Know who it is that feeds me
54:38
I can see now I can remember now I can understand things I couldn't understand before that's how
54:43
I've weaned my soul Away from panic and fear no longer.
54:51
Do I have these instinctive cries? It's not the the angry cry of feed me feed me feed me feed me feed me feed me
55:02
I've weaned my soul and now it's I know you will feed me I know you will
55:11
Consider the contrast of a weaned child the weaned child knows Screaming doesn't get the food any faster
55:19
He may be hungry, but a weaned child is not worried He may be hungry, but he's not fearful
55:26
He may be hungry, but he's not frustrated If he's weaned and contented if he's quieted and composed that weaned child is content to wait upon his parents
55:36
Maybe he's even eager to see how they'll provide. What's cooking? What's coming? for David he's saying
55:43
I've so now seen and learned and Remembered and cherished the character and promise of God that my soul is quiet Because the
55:53
God that I serve is the God who says open wide your mouth and I will fill it The God I serve is the
56:01
God who who allowed bread to cascade down from heaven around the tents of his people
56:08
There's absolutely no No need to fear the God who has that kind of provision that kind of power at his infinite disposal
56:17
And so I learn from his character. I look at the reality of his promises I learned that rare jewel of contentment and David says it's so deep within me.
56:26
It's in my soul. I've quieted my soul I haven't just quieted my mouth my reactions the things at the surface level of my life
56:33
I've quieted at the depth of my being my soul is content in this way. My soul has been weaned you see
56:41
Like Thomas Watson the Puritan he said the bee can only sting the skin it cannot sting the heart
56:47
The point he's getting there is he says a
56:52
Christian who understands contentment the afflictions may sting him But they can only do it externally They can never get at the source of who he is if you have contentment in your heart in your soul
57:02
It doesn't matter what afflictions you go through externally. It won't rob you It won't injure or destroy what you have within that's what
57:09
David is saying. I have that within me within my soul. I'm quieted It's not a temporary muzzle
57:19
It's at the depth of my soul. I'm like a weaned child another image that David gives of this and This connects
57:30
I think to another important point that Jesus will get to in the gospel of Matthew for sheep to trust the shepherd for those who had been helpless
57:45
Misunderstanding unable to see Crying in frustration and fear like little infants for now for them to become weaned children
57:54
It's another way of saying this is what it looks like to begin to take up the cross and follow him and David uses this
58:00
Image of quieting and composing himself in Psalm 39. He says I was mute I did not open my mouth because you have done it.
58:10
I don't react like I used to I'm not gripped by fear and by panic. I don't vent and grumble and complain
58:17
I don't throw a flamethrower around everyone within earshot. Why because you've done it. I know you're in control
58:25
I've weaned myself in such a way that I submit to you and I carry the cross why because it's your cross
58:33
I'm just a sheep. You're the shepherd you're leading as you see fit I might not go in this direction if it were up to me, but I don't have your wisdom.
58:43
I don't have your goodness. I Don't have your holiness. I'm ignorant. I'm finite.
58:49
I'm fickle Maybe you're leading me through this valley because you know, what's behind me
58:55
That could harm me and destroy me if I turn back, but you also know what's ahead of me That will bless me and fulfill me forever.
59:03
I don't know those things. I Was mute
59:08
David says I open not my mouth because you have done it. I carry this cross I'm a weaned child within my soul.
59:15
I'm content. I'm quiet I trust in God to the degree that I won't even speak against the most difficult trials in my life.
59:22
I Won't grumble and murmur and complain why he's done it. I'm looking to him always He provides he feeds
59:30
He afflicts he disciplines All too often we fail to pick up our cross and follow him
59:38
Because we treat these as impersonal difficulties as things that should not happen to me. Why is this happening to me?
59:44
We forgot our identity as a servant now our lives are gripped with worry anxiety. What's this going to look like?
59:50
How's this going to impact me? What will ever become of this now? Why is this happening to me races over and over in our mind?
59:57
Jesus says don't worry David says be like a weaned child look to the character of God quiet your soul within you
01:00:04
Don't open your mouth. God's the one who's done it Jesus would say in light of Matthew 6 pray like this not my will be done, but yours
01:00:17
That's why Jesus can say in a different circumstance. You want to know what my food is It's to do the will of him who sent me.
01:00:26
I don't I don't cry for food I if ever there was a weaned child spiritually speaking. It was the Lord Jesus He doesn't provide bread for the day.
01:00:35
It's okay. What I eat is his will I Eat everything that comes out of his mouth
01:00:41
Because man doesn't live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God These are all the things that are driving this passage
01:00:49
These are all the things we're going to step toward as we walk into the next several verses We haven't left the context of these questions
01:00:59
Where is your treasure? What's your desire? Are you seeing clearly? Do you know who you're serving?
01:01:06
Do you know who you belong to? Now we add this is that evident because of the lack of worry
01:01:11
The lack of fear the lack of anxiety in your life has your worry
01:01:16
Has your anxiety revealed idols in your life? Has your worry has your anxiety revealed the things you hold most precious and dear the things that without saying it would make you the things if you don't
01:01:31
Find them they'll break you has your anxiety has your worry revealed that to you It's only when you answer these questions that you can understand why
01:01:41
Jesus says Therefore, where's your treasure? Are you seeing clearly?
01:01:47
Who are you serving? Therefore Do not worry about your life We have not left the context
01:01:55
If you can answer those questions rightly, you'll be able to understand why
01:02:00
Jesus says do not worry about your life The flip side of that is simply this
01:02:06
Understand your life rightly Understand your life rightly and have faith in God Understand your life.
01:02:15
What is your life? Understand your life if you're following Jesus, he's the shepherd you're the sheep
01:02:25
If you have faith in God, you're like a weaned child Your soul is stable and quiet within you if you're a follower of Christ you're picking up your cross and you're not crying out or speaking against it because he has done it and Therefore you don't worry about your life
01:02:40
You know, it's the Father's goodwill to give you the kingdom have faith in God and fear not
01:02:49
Little flock at all times you have infinite grace from an infinite God who despite the unfathomable
01:02:56
Magnitude of his power has promised. There is no difficulty. So slight no burden so small that he doesn't have a sympathetic eye towards you however
01:03:06
Minuscule it may seem he has a care for it. However small the tear may be he bottles it He invites you to cast all of your cares on him
01:03:15
Don't spare them But he invites you to do this Because he wants to remind you there's no need to fear.
01:03:23
There's no need to panic. There's no need to cry out There's no need to turn back. There's no need to wallow.
01:03:29
There's no need to escape Because there's no need so great no lack so harmful
01:03:35
But he does not intend to give you the kingdom and reveal his good purpose in your life so in the coming weeks brothers and sisters
01:03:47
As we press to the end of Matthew 6 Let's pray that this word will be sown into our lives on good soil
01:03:59
My fear to be honest is some some of us in this room perhaps have such great anxiety and fear
01:04:06
Such worry and stress right now That frankly their heart is like granite rather than good soil
01:04:17
And that will spend the next three weeks Hearing the call of Jesus Hearing his word like seed being scattered and if it falls on granite, what good is that?
01:04:31
Let's pray that God would make our hearts our ears our minds as good soil That this seed would not fall among the thorns of all of our cares and worries and get strangled out
01:04:41
So we can never walk in the things that Jesus wants to give to us That means our prayer has to be that we will quiet our souls and trust our father to care for us
01:04:51
Like weaned children Looking to the great shepherd of the sheep who says to every single one of his disciples looking at you dead in the eye and he says
01:05:04
Do not worry about your life Life is more than food
01:05:11
Your body's more than clothes The father knows you need all of these things, but I tell you do not worry about your life
01:05:25
Seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness. All of these things will be added to you. What is your life?
01:05:34
Let's pray Father, we pray that we would have that good soil in our lives
01:05:44
Lord even as we prepare for the upcoming verses
01:05:49
Lord where you Go deeper into the way that God provides Food as he does for the birds in the air and the way that God provides clothes as he does for the hills of the field
01:06:00
We pray Lord that we would understand rightly All that you call your people to be
01:06:09
To be as as sheep as weaned toddlers wholly dependent upon you Looking to you delighting in you trusting in you even in hard situations even in difficult straits and trials and relationships
01:06:25
Lord that We would quiet our souls and compose ourselves within simply because of who you are simply because of your providential control over all things and Lord that week by week even here at this season at this time in our lives as your people
01:06:41
You would prune and peel us away from worry and anxiety That we would know how to be anxious for nothing
01:06:50
That Our lives would not be pockmarked with guilty fears and worries and anxieties for we know
01:06:57
Lord This is unbecoming of the name Christian But that we would at the same time trach take great comfort that your people have often been fearful
01:07:08
Have often been a crying infants have often been a flock that folds and is paralyzed
01:07:16
With anxiety and yet Lord you take great care you show great compassion Lord you're your good wisdom and patience is ever revealed to us as you renew your mercies morning by morning
01:07:28
And so Lord as we pray that we would not be anxious as we pray that we would be full of peace and joy of devotion to you of kingdom priorities
01:07:41
Unassailable by anxiety that we would at the same time remember that for all of our fears for all of our discomforts for all of our worries
01:07:49
Lord you have an eye upon them You have a desire to prove yourself in and through our lives to display your deliverance to show your glory.
01:07:59
I Pray Lord you do a deep work Lord. We know there's worries that Live on the surface and there's worries deep within Some worries
01:08:09
Lord not even those closest to us know some hurts some ambitions are so deep in the caverns of our soul that We ourselves cannot see them or understand them fully but you see it all as clear as day
01:08:23
So minister to us in these ways so deep prune faithfully water abundantly
01:08:32
That we may bear fruit as doers and not hearers only of your word these things we ask in Jesus name