Why Do I Feel So Blah?
Everyday life can be pretty mundane can’t it? You wake up, go to work, come home, watch tv, fall asleep. Wake up, go to work, come home, watch tv, fall asleep. After doing this for months and months and years and years you begin to just get this blah feeling about life. You feel grey on the inside as if my soul is dying this slow death. My life is just blah,
What is this all about? Is there more to life then just this 9-5 job with a bunch of people I really don’t even like, with a company that honestly could really care less about me. Everyone is just going through the motions trying to pretend for their bosses that they really care about what they are doing.
Why? Why do I feel so blah about life? Have you ever felt that way? Some of you are thinking, that is my life you’re talking about, you don’t have to convince me. Nothing really excites me any more. I’m just going through the motions and I really don’t know how to get out of this rut that I’m in.
Many of you might say, when I was younger things seemed to be different. Have you ever thought that way? Back in my college days and through seminary God gave me a big vision to be the next Billy Graham of Russia. These thoughts were something that consumed my mind and my prayers that God would use me to win thousands and thousands of people for Christ in Russia. At seminary we had to write down our vision and make a plan as to how this was going to happen and wow, it was like I couldn’t write fast enough. This was something that got my motor running, I felt so alive.
I had big plans but what got in the way of those plans? Life set in along the way. The things of this world started distracted me more and more away from that vision until it was a distant memory. Life sets in on all of us doesn’t it at times. We get so wrapped up in ‘living life’ that we get distracted away from those big things God called us to in our youth. Many of us had big plans and visions of what we were going to do for Christ. But life gets in the way doesn’t it?
I had a friend ask me this great question recently and I want to ask you all the same thing today. What are you working on and praying for that is BIG? You have to do all the normal stuff of life but what are you working on that is big? Are you willing to push back from your life and do something that matters? It’s a great question. If we’re not careful we’ll just go day to day and never push back and look at the big picture. Perhaps there is something bigger and grander God has for your life.
This question is for you not someone else. This forces us to look in the mirror and ask the question, what am I working on that matters?
Jesus actually said the same thing in Matt 6:31…
31So 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. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
You spend all your time worrying about the day to day activities of life and they’ll probably just take care of themselves anyway. You’re just like the pagans. Be consumed with Him.
Here is the question…what are you praying for? Are your prayers consumed with the minutiae of life? Your at a big mall and in a hurry, Lord, Help me to find a parking spot, or you just sped past a cop with a radar gun and you cry out, God, help me to not get a ticket, or you come to a test unprepared, God help me to pass the test, … would this all get taken care of any way. Do you really want to spend another year with just that stuff? Isn’t something bigger and grander?
What have you been praying for that is big? Is there anything so big that when you pray you know it won’t happen if God doesn’t intervene? Let me ask you, what are you praying for big? I want you to commit this year to latch on to something big this year and not let go until He moves.
Are you asking God anything that honors His size and His magnitude? You know God can move the mountains. Do we believe that? One thing I learned at seminary was that God is a BIG God. God is limitless and all powerful and we bring His name no glory when we only ask him for the mundane things of life. God help me to find just the right kind of outfit for that party next week. God help me to get up on time this morning. God help me to find a good mechanic for my car. Are these things unimportant, no, but God says those things he will take care of. He will take care of you, stop worrying about all that minor stuff of life and focus on something BIGGER.
If you’re a family that prays together? The size of your prayers determines the size of your God. Is He bigger then just the next test or the next
Have you ever noticed this in a prayer group? I’m as guilty as the next guy but it’s just an observation. What prayer requests do we have? People sit there and try and think up something. If you’re actually praying for something that will be right on the top of your head, you won’t have to search your brain.
What are you asking for that it consumes your mind and you are regularly crying out to God.
Luke 11. The disciples ask a great question, teach us how to pray. These were guys that have been around him for quit a while and saw him praying.
1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."
Jesus launches into this discussion about prayer…When you pray...
Before Jesus teaches them how to pray he teaches them what they should be praying for and we looked at this in a previous sermon but in the prayer we call the Lord’s prayer the main point is that we should be praying for the things that are important to God. Making Him known and personally knowing Him.
So the first thing we see as to why we feel so blah about life is that we’re focused on the wrong things. We’re focused on all the stuff of life we’re trying to get for ourselves rather then the things that are important to God, making Him known.
Let’s go back to the story about my vision for Russia and when I was writing out that vision I couldn’t write fast enough. My heart was racing, my face felt flush. Why? When we’re focused on something that excites God and something he’s created us for we come alive inside.
The next part I’m going to focus the majority of our time on goes beyond the what we should be praying for but the how.
Luke 11:5-
In these days and in this culture hospitality was a crucial obligation. The host must feed the traveler who has come to someone’s home. And what is going on here is normally you would buy enough bread for the day.
5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'
So one late night a certain home has some surprise guests show up at their house. The custom was to give them, not just a piece from your loaf but an entire loaf of bread for their travels. This certain home didn’t have any full loaves left so they went knocking on their neighbor’s door late at night because they knew this certain neighbor had a stash of loaves.
7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.'
So this neighbor comes knocking late at night, please give me some bread for my guests. Now, the neighbor is completely asleep with his family and kids all in the same room and the same bed which was customary. The doors of these days had a huge bar across them with all kinds of noisy rings and to unbolt the door would have caused a huge noise and awaken the entire family. So he refuses and sends the friend away empty handed.
Now in these parables often somebody in the story represents us and somebody represents God the Father. The guy sleeping represents God, strange huh? Jesus represents God the Father this way not me.
v. 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
The only thing that makes the guy get up and give him what he asks was his boldness.
Boldness-means shameless, inappropriateness, persistence. His shameless asking. Surely you don’t mean God is like that? Luke 18 says a similar thing about the judge not being bothered. This widow just keeps coming and the judge says just to get the woman out of his hair. Alright enough already.
What is Jesus talking about? Are we supposed to just bug God to death until He gives us what we want? Actually yes. This is pretty much what this story Jesus teaches is saying. That if we go to God with boldness, shameless persistence, even inappropriate persistence He will give us what we ask.
Our way of praying is much more tame isn’t it. “Lord I have this friend who isn’t a Christian, if it’s your will would you speak to him. If not, no problem I won’t bug you about it again.” We see this kind of begging and pleading and inappropriate and rude don’t we? Jesus is talking about begging and pleading.
Story of Natalie’s shameless pleading.
v. 9 keep seeking, keep knocking, keep asking…in other words you keep coming at God until He gives you what you’re asking for. If that makes you a little more uncomfortable you’re not alone. God is not annoyed by that but he is honored by that.
But, surprisingly, if you look at the prayers of the OT these guys came after God with persistence and boldness. God I am coming after you and I’m not going away.
One of the most unusual stories is the story of Jacob wrestling with God and would not stop until God blessed Him. We look at that story as pretty unusual but in light of this context it makes perfect sense. Jacob was not going to give up until he got what He wanted from God, His blessing. Jacob wanted more then anything else to be a part of God’s plan for this world.
Now, he’s not talking about coming after God for that new car you’ve always wanted. Just before this Jesus teaching us what we should be praying for.
When was the last time you cried out to God, God use me for your purposes. I am not going to stop asking until you use me to bring the world to you. I am going to be so persistent that you are going to get tired of me. I’m sick and tired of just going through the motions of this boring life. God I want to be a part of something BIG you are doing and I’m not going to go away until you answer my prayer. Keep seeking, keep knocking, keep asking because God is honored by that. God honors those who pray in this way.
v. 10 for everyone who asks receives. You may have to ask for years not just once. I know you hear me God. The door will be opened.
Do you pray like that? Is it any wonder that our lives are so powerless and boring? Is it any wonder that our churches are so feeble?
Some of you are a result of your mom or dad asking seeking and knocking for years and years and years and now you are here. Some of you are in the faith or in this position of life because someone who loved you understood this principle.
When you ask in this way God realizes that this is something big and serious and passionate to you. This isn’t just, God help it not to rain for the mothers day picnic. God wants us to ask of Him something BIG. And when he finally answers it takes our faith to new levels its never been.
Don’t spend another year asking for things that will be taken care of anyway.
Sometimes God wants to know if this is just a passing fad or if we’re really serious about this. We’ve all had those friends we commit to pray for then after the 2nd or 3rd day we’ve totally forgot. Why do we do this? Because ultimately its just not that important to us. And God wants to know, is this really important to you?
Bill Bright. He was a businessman, things were going well but God began to come into his life. Spread out a map on their kitchen table and he and his wife asked, God give us this world. God answered that prayer with campus crusade for Christ. Why because he prayed big.
I went to Sam recently and told him, yea, maybe after this starting point class we can do three a year. Sam wrote back and said, why not have multiple classes going on at the same time, not just 2 or 3 a year. Sam is thinking big.
What’s your vision for this church? What’s my vision? As I worked on this sermon I kept asking God what’s my vision for this church? After Friday night when we had met one on one with each other in discipleship and prayer for one another, I was reminded how incredibly important those kinds of relationships are for spiritual growth. Getting with someone who knows you so specifically that they are praying for you is such a fertile place for spiritual growth to happen. And my vision for this church is to see a thousand people involved in these kinds of providential relationships.
Ask and seek and knock. You are not going away. What is it? What are we going to ask God for that is big. If you have nothing, ask God to give you a vision for something big. Or pray this, God I’m not going to go away until you make me a part of something BIG you are doing.
It may be 10 years, 5 years, or a year before you see any movement on this issue but would you be willing to pray for something big, something outside of your day to day life, something outside of the minutiae of life, something BIG.
Jesus loves when we keep asking, he loves relentlessly people, and He’s moved by this because he is moved by people that won’t go away. If you’ve never been gripped like that then maybe you haven’t been praying like God wants you to pray.
If you pray like this it will change your life, change your heart, and change your perspective. It will change your thoughts about God. When you pray for months and months and years and years for something and God begins to move it will change you like nothing else. You will be changed forever.
What are you going to pray for this year? When we pray like this for something bigger then ourselves God gives us purpose and meaning and direction and excitement we’ve never felt before and that blah of life will go away.
Why Do I Feel So Alone?
Who has a myspace page, facebook account or twitter account? Millions and millions of people are on these programs aren’t they? I saw a news story about you tube this morning and they said they get 50 hours of video uploaded every minute and 100 million views a month. Incredible. Why? They said what is driving all this is people sat around for years and years desiring to be on the stage of TV and now they have their chance.
What are all these millions of people looking for? What is driving this? We all want to be known and be known for something. I was looking at facebook and here are some things that I noticed people want to be known for…There’s those people that want to be known as the world travelers, some as the politically conscious, those as the crazy fun party people, those as the super active busy people. We all want to be known for something.
Some more general things people want to be known for are…Good looks, healthy lifestyle, active lifestyle, accomplishments, success of our kids, education, super mom and wife and business woman, business success, family guy, great dads and husband, loyal friend, known as a leader, known for your talent, then there’s those that want to be known as the guy who doesn’t care what anybody thinks about them. …everyone wants to be known and known for something whether you realize it or not. People around you can figure this out by the type of things that you project to be important.
The problem is that when there is a gap between what I want to be known for and what I really am, there the problem lies. When there is this gap we all project a different image then what we really are. We put on this happy face.
When we do this it sets us up for secrets. All of us have some gaps so we learn to pretend to be something or someone we’re not exactly.
When you’re dating someone you learn this very quickly. Think back to your dating years if you can remember or if you’re dating right now this is very familiar. You will do everything to put your best foot forward. Why? You want them to see your best side and that part of you that’s a little embarrassing you try your hardest to keep that hidden. This is just human nature. I’ve never experienced this personally but I’ve heard of girls pretending to cook something for the guy to make them think that they are this great cook.
We’d all like to be known as a healthy person. The health craze is everywhere but we say one thing and then go eat a 2000 calorie meal.
Married couples know about this gap. Every couple here has probably fought all the way to church and then when we enter the door we’re all smiles. Why do we smile and why is it even weird right now to say this out loud? Because what we want to be known for and who we really are are very different things at times. Married couples have fought all the way to church then when you get out of the car you are happy and waving at everyone.
We train our kids to pretend don’t we. We train them to maintain an image. Then when the reality of our kids show up we make up an excuse, oh they didn’t get enough sleep last night. This way of life becomes engrained in us from a very early age. When we’re around church people or in public we must act a certain way. Now when we’re at home all bets are off. My family was especially trained at doing this and because of that this is a real struggle for me.
Financial debt is a good proof of our need to present an image. We buy things we can’t afford because we want to known as someone with a lot of money because we have a lot of nice stuff.
We hope that nobody gets to know the real me but we all feel so lonely at times, why?
We’re going to address this issue today, why do I feel so alone? And next week we’re going to answer the question, why do I feel so blah about life? Is there more to life then just this 9 to 5 rut I’m in?
There is a discrepancy between what we want to be known for and what we really are. Everyone struggles with that.
And the question I have for us all today is who really knows you?
I’m not unrealistic. I know you don’t just go around and pour out your life struggles with a perfect stranger but the question is … who really knows you?
People, whether they will admit it or not want to be known by someone, really known. One of the most difficult things to deal with in life is to feel all alone, to feel like no one really knows you. That is one of the most empty feelings in the world to walk into a room and realize no one knows you and no one really cares to know you.
Our society is a scattered society. America is one of the most mobile societies of all time. Because of this, many of us live far from families, we go to colleges that are far away, we bounce from one church to the other and the result of this mobile society is isolation and feelings of loneliness. This exasperates the problem of feeling alone doesn’t it? I would love to live close to all my family but none of them live in the same town. Ashley’s family is the same way.
Thus, facebooks popularity. Facebook is a place for people to feel connected but it really never meets that deep longing in all of us to really be known. This social networking sites just touch the surface of our need to be known.
Adding to the problem of loneliness is we’re all afraid that if someone really knows us they’ll reject us. And that’s why we settle for something less, we settle to pretend to be someone we’re not so that people will like and accept us for who we … want to be? Strange isn’t it, but we all do it.
Now if you say, hey, my life is an open book. That is what people know me for. Then this sermon might not be for you but be careful that you’re not just pretending to be the guy or gal that’s totally transparent. That’s another popular one people want to be known for these days especially in the Christian circles, the my life’s an open book guy. Many of us can act like we’re an open book but once again, it’s just an act.
None of us are alone in this struggle so if you’re thinking you’re abnormal, you’re wrong, because everyone struggles.
What we all really need is not just to have more followers on your twitter account (I have 1 person following me).
If you hear nothing else today hear this, what we need is to be known by a community of believers who know you and accept you for who you really are and support you in becoming who you really want to be.
This goes well beyond just sharing your problems with a friend. More then just feeling connected on facebook. We’ve all had those friends that we share all kinds of things with. We tell them all of our problems with life and they generally know us which is good to a point. But what the NT advocates is something beyond that, something deeper and something more meaningful.
To be known by a group of people who actively help and spur us on to become who we want to be in the power God.
This might be surprising, but this is exactly what the local church is supposed to be doing and offering. There lies the difference between what the world has to offer and what the local church should be doing.
A place where people can go and say, there is this gap in my life, but here is who I really am and we should accept them, forgive them. We should be experts and being accepting and forgiving people because we’ve been accepted and forgiven ourselves.
Romans 8:1 says, “There is no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus.”
We should be doing and offering the same thing this verse is talking about. A safe place where broken people just like ourselves can come and get support for their gaps in life. Unfortunately, the church so often is known for the exact opposite. A group of people who are judgmental and un accepting of people who are struggling.
So many times people think that they need to get their lives in order first before they can ever take a step into the church. How wrong is that?
We here at The Bridge want to be a place that is different, not only do I accept you but I’m going to work along side you to help you be all that God wants you to be. That should be the local church.
Today I want to look at the scripture scattered throughout the NT.
James 5:16 “therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
Here’s the second question. Who have you confessed your sins to? When was the last time you confessed your sins to someone else? When was the last time? Think about it. Not just saying your sorry after a fight with your spouse or girlfriend. This is probably one of the most neglected verses in all the Bible. We are told to confess our sins not just our life problems to one another.
There’s a hilarious video swirling around that’s a little too out there for showing at the church but the title of it is, called white people problems. The video very sarcastically points out how most of the things we get all up in arms about are pretty trivial.
Problems that I’ve faced these last couple of weeks…
a/c on one of our cars is blowing not as cold as it should
I accidentally bought the non fat plain yogurt instead of low fat vanilla. Now my breakfast routine is messed up.
Someone accidentally turned the power off to my tivo machine and I missed a mavs game. Why do they have to have a mavs game at 3 in the afternoon anyway.
Some milk we bought went sour before the exp date.
I got hardly any chicken in my sweet and sour chicken at pei wei.
My haircut lady sold me some shampoo that she guaranteed would solve my scalp problem. She was wrong.
Ashley and I can’t decide whether to spend our 1st anniversary in San Francisco or Colorado.
We all have real sin problems on the inside that we desperately need to be healed from. We are all addicted to some sort of sin and if you don’t then you are either not being honest with yourself or you have disillusioned yourself because no one has ever been perfect. We all have areas in life that we can be working on.
And as I’ve noticed those that are closest to God usually are those that see their depravity the most. Have you ever noticed that? People that are far far from God tend to be those that see little fault in themselves and those closest to God see how far from perfect they are and how much they need support to bridge those gaps in their lives. Look at some of Paul’s statements,
16But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.
We’re all addicted in one way or another. It may not be alcoholism but we have somethings. You might say, I’d like people to know me as a loving and caring person but every time I go home I can be the most unloving person to my wife. I’d like to be that kind of person to those that are closest to me but it’s a struggle.
James says, don’t just tell God, tell someone else. That is the way God designed us. What’s the purpose in telling someone else? Look at the last part of that verse.
16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
Here’s the 3nd question for all of us. Who is specifically praying for you? Who is praying for you so specifically because they know your innermost struggles you are going through right now because you share with them on a regular basis what’s going on inside? Anyone? No one?
About 4 years ago I started meeting with a Christian friend on a regular basis and I regularly confessed my sins and he specifically prayed for me about these things and I look back and realize that this was some of the most fruitful growing times in my Christian life. Why? Because God honors it when people get together to do this confession and prayer on a regular basis.
Who is specifically praying for you?
2nd verse: Hebrews 10:24-25
24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
The only way I will know how to spur you on is to know where you are struggling. You might say, hey, I’ve struggled for years with looking at the wrong things on the internet. Or you might say, I spend way too much time thinking about the next thing I’m going to buy and very little time thinking about the things that are important to God, making Him known. Or, I want to be an encourager, but honestly, I don’t encourage anyone.
We are here to spur each other on towards good deeds.
Look at the last part of this verse, 25, this is very practical teaching. Keep meeting together. You can’t grow in your faith if you rarely meet with other believers. This isn’t rocket science. If you want to grow, it doesn’t happen in isolation, it only happens with a group of believers.
Galatians 6:2 says, Carry each others burdens (sin burdens, the gap burdens). In the context of Galatians the burdens he is talking about are sin burdens not just life burdens. So often we think of that in terms of hardships of life, my mother is sick, or my car broke down, or I’m struggling at my job, or I missed my flight.
We get wrapped up and concerned about all the wrong things don’t we. Those aren’t the burdens of life Paul is talking about here in Galatians, he’s talking about our sin burdens.
What exactly does that mean? This means you have someone who knows exactly what you are struggling with and they commit to pray specifically for that, and they commit to call you on a regular basis to talk about that and encourage you along.
You might have a friend that you’re meeting with on a regular basis and he’s calling you up regularly asking you specifically how you’re doing with that sin issue, he’s praying for you daily, he’s encouraging you every time you meet together.
Romans 15:7 says, Accept one another just like I have accepted you.
How did Jesus accept you? Just the way you are. Why are most people reluctant to share their real sin problems? Because we’re all afraid that we won’t be accepted by the other people.
I want you to find a group of people you can trust and they can help you carry that Gap burden going on inside of you.
My dream is to have small groups of guys and women with women walking together, carrying one another’s burdens.
Would someone get under the burden with me because I’ve tried it on my own and it’s not getting any better.
The NT doesn’t just think this is an add on but this is at the core of the NT church. Is Sunday service important, yes. Is bible study important, yes. Is fellowship time important, yes. But the most important thing the church can be doing is this right here. That is why we think this should be happening all over the church, groups of people who at the core are accepting and burden sharing with one another.
Where can and are we trying to do this? Structured environments we call community groups can help facilitate this to happen. This doesn’t just naturally happen, very rarely does it?
God honors it when people come together to do this.
We know what you want to be known for but who really knows you. Secrets eat at your soul and will come out at some point one way or another.
This past week something very shocking happened at my work. The police came down to arrest a guy that has worked for me for years for solicitation of a minor online.
Why not allow a group of people who love you and accept you to pray and walk with you in this life.
We all need this. We all struggle, we’re all addicted to sin in one way or another. If you don’t think so then you are disillusioned. If you allow that sin in your life to go unchecked it will only get worse and you can’t overcome that by yourself by the way.
It is so unhealthy to carry secrets. Once we reveal secrets this burden being lifted can do wonders to help free us from guilt.
Plug for community groups. Starting point. If you want to join one of these groups just come see me or write that on your visitation card.
So, let me go back to my original question, who really knows you? Does anyone? And who have you confessed your sins to lately and who is praying specifically for you about your sin problems? Anyone?
You might say, I want to be a great wife or husband, a successful businessman or woman, a loving father, a devoted Christian, a gracious person? But I’m not there yet honestly.
I want all of us to close the gap between what we want to be known for and who we really are. To do this it’s going to take some risk of opening up to a group of people who are fellow strugglers and they can help share that burden with you.
The last couple of weeks we’ve been looking at the subject of worry. We saw that Jesus taught us to stop worrying and the primary way to stop our worrying is to shift our devotion. When we shift our devotion away from all these things such as family, career, financial stability, etc. to the things that God is devoted to, knowing him and making him known. All these other needs of life we worry about God takes care of.
Can we be devoted to the right things and still be worrying? Yes. I’ve learned over the last several weeks that as a pastor I can be devoting myself to the right things and still not trusting God with the future. Pastors can be some of the biggest worriers out there can’t they. But God wants us to even when we’re devoting ourselves to making Him know to trust Him. Today we’re going to look at a Prophet of God who was trying to do the right thing but in the midst of it stopped trusting God with His future and tried to take control Himself.
The ultimate reason we worry is because we can’t control the future. We’re usually fine today but it is tomorrow we worry about. Controlling people are usually people who can’t trust anyone else, including God with their future. Jesus comes along and says don’t worry about tomorrow trust your heavenly Father about tomorrow. When we hear someone say don’t worry, we start thinking your’re saying “don’t care”. Well, I care about it so I’m going to worry right.
Jesus doesn’t say these things are important but he says the things that you worry about will be the things that you are devoted to. Kids grades. What if we shifted your devotion to something else. And we learned that the bigger your faith the less you will be worried or stressed right.
The temptation is to push back and say that this is just too simplistic. When I worry I feel more responsible and when I don’t worry I feel irresponsible. My thoughts are consumed with tomorrow and if I stop worrying things won’t get done. Is that right? Jesus says to stop worrying and trust God with tomorrow. All you can do is to be in the now and trust God with tomorrow.
Today. We’ll rap up this series with a story. 1 Kings 19: We’re not going to go over the entire story but I’d love for you to read the rest of the story when you go home. But at the end of this story God asks Elijah a great question that God asks all of us at one time or another. This is a great question obviously because it comes from God but it zooms right into our hearts especially for us worriers. And if you struggle with this issue as most of us do this might be a question you could write on a 3x5 card and pin it on your wall or some place you see often.
When the nation of Israel became a kingdom their first king was Saul, then David, Solomon, after Solomon the kingdom split.
Northern kingdom was called Israel and the southern kingdom was called Judah. The northern kingdom’s king was Ahab at this time. Ahab was a wicked king and had lead Israel way away from God. Lead them into worshipping all kinds of bad things like Baal. Because of this God sent a messenger Elijah with some voice of reason to come and warn them.
Have you ever had a voice of reason come into your life? A message you felt, this must be from God? We may not always embrace the message but God is often speaking to us today just like he spoke to Ahab back in the day.
Elijah said that God wasn’t too happy with how things were going so God is going to turn off the rain. Months went by all the sudden without any rain.
Meanwhile God tells Elijah you’re going to have to hide out for 3 years because everyone is going to be ticked off at you. God provided for Elijah while this drought was going on. Elijah goes back on God’s request and says God has a lesson for you if you’re ready to listen to it. If so, God will let it rain again.
God knows when we are ready to listen and knows when we’re not ready to listen and He will wait us out won’t he. Even if it takes a life time. Why? Because He loves us. And often God uses difficult circumstances to try and get our attention doesn’t he. If you’re going through a trying time, if you’ve been in a difficult season for many years. Stop and think about what God may be trying to teach you. God’s primary purpose for us is to change us to be more like Jesus so that we can be used for His purposes and His glory. But some of us have been stuck in the same rut for so long, but God will keep trying.
So apparently Ahab seemed ready to hear the message so Elijah tells him to bring your Baal God to this mountain and we’re going to see which of these God’s are going to make it rain. Ahab says fine. They met on top of Mt. Carmel. Over 400 prophets of Baal are there and thousands of people from all around have heard of this competition and come to watch.
So they build their alters and get to work with the sacrifices. Elijah rebuilt an old alter that used to be used (in disrepair). So the next morning the Baal side starts to make their sacrifices, they dance around, they scream they yell, they cut themselves all the while Elijah is sitting there watching this and he begins to make fun of them in some pretty politically incorrect ways.
But Elijah starts to very vocally mock them and their God. Pretty politically incorrect isn’t it. While they’re dancing around, singing and shouting and cutting themselves, Elijah says, shout louder, perhaps Baal is traveling, maybe he is sleeping, maybe …he really makes fun of them. This goes on into the evening and no rain.
Now it’s Elijah’s turn. He says before I’m going to pray I’ll drench my alter to show that it’s not a trick. He prays and God lit up that alter. The people get furious at these Baal prophets for misleading them and they slaughter them all.
Now Elijah goes to Ahab and says you better run back to the city because before you get there its going to rain.
Now Elijah is like a rock star. He has the ear of God.
In the mean time Ahab goes back home and has a talk with Jezebel his wife. Does anyone know whose wife Ahab was?
She’s about as wicked as it comes and this is where the story really begins. All that was just a ramp up for this story so let’s jump into the text.
1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."
Elijah here’s the deal you’re going to be as dead as all the prophets. Jezebel is one of the most powerful people in all of the nation. Elijah should have been full of confidence because God has just done some amazing things through him, but look at verse 3.
3 Elijah was afraid [a] and ran for his life.
he runs for his life. He was afraid of tomorrow. He was okay with today but totally afraid for tomorrow.
I think if we could see all the things God has done for us in the past and the things we struggle with now we’d probably all be confused about why don’t you just trust God. Just like we’re thinking with Elijah.
Stones of remembrance. We need to remember past faithfulness so that we can be reminded over and over that God is in control, he knows whats best, and we are supposed to just trust him.
When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. Does this remind you of another prophet of God’s who went under a tree to die? Jonah did the same thing. Not sure what it is about sitting under a tree to feel sorry for yourself.
All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
Strengthened by that food he travels for 40 days and nights to Horeb. This is where the burning bush was and this is where the Ten Commandments were. This is where the Israelites thought that God hung out. So he travels there to die and to be close to God. Goes into a cave.
v.9 And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
You are miles and miles away from where I had you. Suddenly tomorrow seems threatening and you ran away? Elijah what are you doing here? I love this question because I have a feeling some of us have done some running haven’t we? I know I have at times in my life just run away mentally and emotionally.
Some of us have run mentally because we’re so stressed out and worried about tomorrow.
Emotionally they just aren’t there. The passion of life is just gone.
Some of us have physically run away.
Some of us have checked out of the relationships.
You are in a place you have no business being. You would have never imagined yourself there in a hundred years but you’ve drifted so far from where God would have you.
Why have you allowed a future you can’t control take you away from me? What are you doing here? Why did you run? Why have you allowed the uncertainty of tomorrow to take you into a cave? You’re physically there but emotionally you are so distant. You’re physically here but so detached from all emotions.
V10..Elijah want to give God some information. We love to do this too. But God, you know my children, etc. Let me explain my circumstances to you God. Not sure if you realize what’s going on.
10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
He reviews what has happened. They’re trying to kill me. You expect me to stay there under threat of death? Do you know what’s going on around me?
11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
Wonder what was going on in Elijah’s mind. How is that going to help my situation God? Wow, you’re going to pass by and they’re just going to stop chasing me?
Elijah stayed in the cave and didn’t obey…so God sent him some loving reminders that he’s not going to stop pursuing him.
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
What in the world are you doing here? Elijah was so far from God’s plan and purposes at this point. He allowed worry and control for tomorrow to take him away.
14 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
v.14 I have been very zealous for blah blah blah….same speech, they are trying to kill me too. As he’s saying all this he starts to think about what God is trying to get across to him and it starts to hit him.
Has God been trying to speak to you lately? Has he been trying to say some things to you?
Are you so wrapped up in the things of this world God’s asking you “what are you doing here?”
Is your devotion so concentrated on making sure your kids are going in the right direction, so wrapped up in figuring out where you’re going to spend your next vacation, so into your career and making sure you’re savings account is where it should be?
God says to all of us, “what are you doing here?” Your life is wrapped up in things I never intended you to get wrapped up in. Shift your devotion to the things that are important to me, knowing me and making me known.
Let’s see what happened as a result of Elijah’s running.
15 The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."
v.15 alright, go back the way came and go to the dessert of damascas and anoint this new guy as king. They already have a king. Also anoint this other guy as king of Israel. Also appoint a new prophet.
So God has a purpose and plan. Hmm…God is in control and He is doing his work.
v.17 Elijah you think you’re the only one left but you’re not. You don’t know what’s really going on in this plan.
God has some great things and ways he wants to use your life for His glory but as long as we keep worrying, we keep trying to control our futures we keep going for what is the safe route for us God can’t use you. We’re fearful of the future just like Elijah and the danger is that eventually God will just use someone else.
God’s work and God’s plan will get done with or without you just like with Elijah. Elijah could have continued to be a part of His plans but he refused to trust God so he was replaced.
So when I start to worry and fret about how this ministry is going to come together…oh, God is in control, I can only take care of my responsibilities today, there’s nothing I can do about tomorrow. Oh and when I worry about these things too much I’m a real grouch with Ashley because I’m not living in the moment but worried about the future. I’m burdened down so I can’t really relate with others the way I should be.
Your worry and stress hasn’t added a thing to your life but it has taken away many great things, like your relationships, your joy, your peace, your abundant life.
If you have allowed your worry to drive you to do all kinds of stupid things, to drive you away from your relationships, away from good business practices, away from…
God is still in control and still has a purpose and plan for your life despite all the detours you’ve been on. Not only has worry not helped solve anything but its gotten you and your family far off the trail. Today’s worries can blank out past God’s faithfulness.
We’re simply to do what we know we should be doing today and not worry about tomorrow. Devote yourself to the things that are important to God, not important to yourself. God I’m going to do all I can today and trust you with tomorrow. I’m going to walk into tomorrow with confidence.
Your other option is to worry. Build things up in your mind and trust yourself and you’ll keep running, you’ll keep living in your own strength.
Let me ask you. Have you gone some places you shouldn’t have gone. If so, you need to go back. Some of you have to make things right with your relationships. Some of you need to apologize to those closest to you. Some of you need to go back in your mind and remember what God was calling you to. Some of you need to break some bad habits you’ve developed during these stressful times. You need to get some help to break those habits.
You do what you can do today and then trust me with tomorrow. If God really cares for you He will take care of you.
My prayer is that during these stressful times we would respond in a totally radically different way and our light would shine so brightly in the darkness that many people will be drawn to the Father.
Shift My Devotion
Worry is like an old friend who has over stayed his welcome isn’t it. We love him but we’re just tired of him being around. We’d all love to be done with worry wouldn’t we?
Worry is a pre occupation with tomorrow. I’m okay right now but tomorrow I’m not sure of. It’s about control isn’t it? Those uncertain things we want to control them and the only way we know how to do that is to worry. We can’t actually do something so we decide worry is our only option. And in those free moments our minds just can’t stop racing with all the worries of the day.
These days we have more to worry about then ever don’t we?
New York Times has an interesting feature on their website. They are taking a poll from people around the world and asking them to pick one word for how they are feeling during this economic downturn. The bigger the word the more people are choosing that particular word. Here are some of the big words. Disgusted, anxious, uncertain, concerned, scared, worried, frustrated, angry, powerless, stressed, cautious, resigned, outraged,
All these words can sum up our feelings on any given day can’t they? We all have these feelings lately especially with all the problems going on around us. The opportunities to worry are plentiful in all our lives.
Someone once said, ‘Worrying is like prayer in reverse’. Prayer makes issues smaller…worrying makes issues bigger.
This wee we’re going to look at the solution to how to stop worrying. And next week we’ll have a special Easter service and then the following week we’ll finish our series on Worry with a look at an OT character who dealt with many of these issues.
Jesus comes along and says there is a solution to all this worry. You don’t have to medicate, you don’t have to pay hundreds of dollars to your counselors.
Review of last week. What you are devoted to will fuel your worry. Your worry reveals your devotion. Jesus outlined some very negative consequences of worry.
worry keeps you from enjoying what you have “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it only empties today of its strength.” Spurgeon.
worry makes you forget your worth
Worry solves nothing. You can’t add anything to your life by worrying. You can’t impact anything by worrying.
Worry erases the promises of God from your mind
Question from last week: What am I most devoted to?
Read Matt 6:27-34
27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So 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. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Oh you of little faith! there is a relationship between the size of your faith and the size of your worry.
There is a compound word that doesn’t show up anywhere else we can find it in the greek. Literally it meant, “you little faither”. You’ve already believed the harder to believe parts yet you’re getting tripped up by this issue, trusting God with the next series of events. The reason you’re so worried all the time is you are little faithers.
Have you ever met someone who lives with little worry in much more perilous situations? If I had to live in that situation I’d be a basket case yet they’re not too worried. You’ve just met someone with big faith.
31So 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.
Verse 31: The what we eat, drink, wear were the worries of the day. This was a hand to mouth economy. Today we’re worried about different things aren’t we.
Watching videos, forefathers sacrificed so we could worry about things other then food, drink and clothes.
But the problem is that we still worry. We still worry about our retirement, whether our job is the right fit for us, we worry about our kids and how they’ll turn out, we worry about our family, we worry about our jobs, we worry about whether we’re going to get married and if so will that be the right person. we worry about everything.
Worry ultimately has nothing to do with our circumstances and everything to do with our faith. We say, if this were a better situation I wouldn’t worry as much. Not true at all is it. As soon as one situation gets resolved the next one comes right along because worry has nothing to do with your circumstances and everything to do with who your putting your faith in.
Pagans run after…that is parallel to worry. If you’re a Christian and you’re so stressed out you’re acting like there is no God. You’re living your life like an atheist. We say one thing but practice in are life much different.
But, as you are with non believers and they see your life and no worries the unbelievers should be wowed by are lives. How are you handling this different? This is a huge opportunity to shine and stand out in the crowd. They aren’t chasing after all these things that all our friends chase after and yet they seem at peace? How is that possible? The only Bible many people will ever read is your life in front of them.
And if you give into worry there might as well not be a God for you. You are not representing me very well.
I believe in my heart, especially from personal experience, that God allows bad things to happen to good people so that our faith can grow and so that we can stand out from the world. Why? Because when a believer handles a difficult circumstance differently then this stands out like crazy to the world. Where are they getting their peace of mind?
You might say, “Is there any other way I can shine my light to the world. I want to be one of those super rich people who are generous with their money. Let me shine like that God.” Have you ever had that dream? I know I think about that some time. God let me be one of those mega rich people who uses your money so wisely that everyone will see it and be moved. But we don’t get a choice.
I was reading a book on prayer recently by Dr. Constable and in there he tells the story of how he and his wife never had children. He says that at some point they had to come to the faith that God not allowing them to have children was for the best because God loved and cared for them. They viewed not having children as a blessing from God to serve Him in a greater capacity and to reach out in ways that they never could if they had children.
Verse 32 and your heavenly Father knows that you need them..
This is what separates you from the pagan. Do you really believe that God knows that you need these things and cares? When we don’t trust God to take care of us in the way He knows is best for us we are not representing the Christian life well. When we live like God knows and cares for all my needs and we trust him totally for are here and now we will stand out like crazy from the world. The bigger your faith the smaller your worry. The unbeliever doesn’t have that assurance but we do and we should.
Verse 33 the solution. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
There is something you can do about worry other then just try to stop worrying. The solution to worry is redirecting your devotion. Remember the first part that you can’t serve God and money. God knows our hearts and he knows that we want it all. We want everything the world has to offer and at the same time we want just enough Christianity to help us get by. But Jesus comes along and says that that will not work.
Jesus comes along and says, But seek first ….what you have been seeking first is the wrong thing. What you have been devoting yourself to has left you in a worrying lifestyle. The solution is to channel your devotion to something else. The kingdom of God
…as long as your primary devotion is financial security, your marriage, your kids, your business; you’ll live a life filled with worry. This is Jesus’ invitation to live an entirely different lifestyle.
You’ve probably sang and heard this so many times you’ve forgotten what it actually means.
Remember our sermon from several weeks ago on the Lord’s prayer? Why did he teach us to pray like that? Lord make your name great and help me to make that my passion. Help me to do your will and make you known. Lord, give me the basics in life and if I have extra help me to use it for your kingdom. Why did he teach us to pray like that? Because he knows that when we pray like that it begins to change our hearts. Our hearts begin to be focused on his kingdom first. On making his name known instead of our own pleasures of life, instead of what the pagans are running after. When we pray like that it changes us.
What does it mean to seek first the kingdom of God? Your kingdom comes before mine.
This shift isn’t just a half hearted shfit. Look at the rich young ruler.
Luke 18:18A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
19"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. 20You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'[a]"
21"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
23When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.
It doesn’t really matter our wealth status does it? It’s hard for all of us to make this shift in devotion.
We are willing to follow God through everything but don’t mess with my standard of living. Don’t mess with the plans I have for my life and my family. These things are just too important to me to have a good house in a good neighborhood with family all around. These things are not negotiable. Jesus knew the heart of the rich young ruler and he knows our hearts.
If Jesus marched right in here today and asked you to sell everything you have and give it to the poor and follow Him in a totally radically different way. How would you respond? Well, Jesus, if I sold my house now, it’s just not a good time in the market. Can this wait until my kids get out of school? I’m right in the middle of my program at college and…
Jesus says, I have a mission for you, you’re not going to need anything other then the basics because all these things just weigh you down. If you were rid of all this you could and would serve me with a much fuller heart. What would your first reaction be? Would it be like the rich young ruler who had to pause…you know, I don’t think you realize how difficult that would be for me.
What does it mean to seek first the kingdom of God? Your kingdom comes before mine.
Are those other things wrong? Bad? No, but it’s what our hearts desires are. It’s what we’re pursuing after.
What does it means to seek first the Kingdom of God? We are totally focused and passionate about winning our friends to Christ. What can I do to know God better and to make Him more known to those around me. How can I use the extra money, time, resources God’s blessing me with to make His name known?
What does it mean to seek first the kingdom of God? I want your will to be done in my life first then my way. When you make that shift, that transition, the clouds part and the joy of life returns or comes for the first time. Suddenly there is a peace that passes all human comprehension.
And all these things will be given to you as well. Really? Yes, because you’re more important then the birds and the flowers. Of course he’s going to take care of you.
Ashley coming back from overseas without a worry in the world.
34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Verse 34. Don’t worry about tomorrow. In other words, when your mind goes to all the worries of tomorrow, just stop, thy will be done tomorrow. I’m going to seek his kingdom today and not worry about the IF’s of tomorrow. What can I do today to know him more and make him known to others.
As my faith gets bigger my worry gets smaller. And as my devotion shifts to God’s will rather then my own my worry gets smaller.
And when your worry gets smaller your relationships get better, your joy of life gets fuller, your business gets better, all the things that you were focused on, God will give you those things too.
Application:
Turn your bulletin over and make a list of all your worries. Then next to those worries make a new list of things you can start doing to be a part of making Christ known with your life and to those around you.
Move from believe that to action, I trust in. We can say all we want but when we actually start taking action and living differently, that is where the exciting life is.
Your Devotion Dictates Your Worry
Well, for the next 3 weeks we’re going to talk about worry.
As I look at you all it doesn’t look as if any of you are worried. If we were able to look down into the depths of the soul I may be able to find a worry or two.
Proverbs 14:13
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief.
We all have the ability to put on our “happy face” and appear “normal”. Despite all of our happy faces down deep we have some real life problems we’re dealing with don’t we. Worry is one of those things that lurks below the surface in all of us.
We all have more to worry about these days because we’re all worried more then ever these days with the financial situation out there. If you watch or read any news at all many are talking about the possibility of a financial collapse, about another great depression, etc. I don’t have any idea what type of worries might be heavy on your heart today. Those things that keep you up at night thinking instead of sleeping. Most of us have real life situations that we can be worrying about.
MetLife, the company I now work for as my weekday job has a new marketing campaign. “for the IF in life”. This is a pretty brilliant campaign because it taps into that part of all of us that worry about the future. We worry about the unknown out there in the future don’t we.
There are different levels of worriers out here today. Some of you don’t worry at all no matter what. Some of your spouses try to get you to worry more. Others worry about everything. You internalize everyone’s problems. You’ve tried to worry less but it just doesn’t work. You can’t get your mind to stop at night because you have a million things on your mind. And the rest are some where in between somewhere but lately probably all of our worry levels have risen. Because if you watch the news at all you’ll get 10 new things to worry about a day.
We’re going to look today at some teachings on worry given almost 2000 years ago but surprisingly these things are still so practical and applicable to us today. And surprisingly worry isn’t anything new. People worried about very similar things 2000 years ago.
We’re going to start off with three questions…
1. Who of you by worry can add a single hour to your life?
2. Who of you have worried so much may have take a year or two off your life? your spouses life? kids life? Worry has a physical effect on us, look at the presidents hair color.
3. Has worry ever helped any situation you’re worrying about get better?
In summary … if worrying can’t extend your life, if worrying shortens your life, and if it can’t help any situation out…why would we ever worry? So why don’t we just stop it! Is it that simple? Usually not. Don’t you love when someone tells you to just stop worrying? You tell them you’re really worried about this situation and they just tell you, well, don’t worry about it…thanks. That’s like someone telling you to try and go to sleep. How do you do that? Same with worry, have you ever tried to stop worrying by stop worrying? It doesn’t work does it. Then you’re worrying about worrying.
So right up front, I want to give you the heart of the message. Jesus says that the things that you’re most devoted to fuel the things that you worry about the most. In other words the things that your most devoted to is the thing that you’ll worry about. Jesus says that I want to take away the mystery of worry to you, the thing that you’re most devoted to is the thing that you’ll worry about the most, those things that keep you up at night.
Here some proof. If you lost your job I would not go home and worry about it. If your kid was doing bad in school I wouldn’t go home and worry about how your kids are doing in school. Do I sit around and worry about your retirement? No. You might say, “you’re not a good pastor!” I would agree with you, I have a cold heart don’t I.
The point is that my worry is tied to my devotion. The things you worry about reflect your core devotion. What if….What if you shifted your devotion? What would happen to all your worry?
We’re going to look at that question next week. But this week we’ll start in verse 24.
24"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Matt 6:24 When Jesus decided to launch his preeminent discussion on worry with what, money. Money = mamun = stuff. Statistics show that most peoples number one thing that they are worried about is Money. Interesting isn’t it. Jesus is pretty smart, it’s almost as if he knows our hearts.
Money is also the number 1 thing that causes marital problems isn’t it? Why is that? Because what you’re devoted to will be emotional to you. That’s why money is such a hot topic for us because that is where our hearts are at.
Illustration of Ashley buying $200 at walmart. Why was my first reaction such an emotional one? Because that’s where my devotion is. Jesus knows us all too well and that’s why he began this discussion about worry with the topic of money.
Jesus is saying here, you can’t serve God and your stuff. You can like both but you have to decide which one you’re most devoted to. Our hearts make that decision for us don’t they?
This sermon is going to be broken into two parts. We’ll look at the first half this week and then the second half next week. The first half we’re going to focus on 4 negative consequences of worry. And next week we’ll focus on the ultimate solution to worry. How to shift your devotion. Jesus does something remarkable that a lot of these self help books and other things don’t do, he tells us how we can actually stop worrying.
25"Therefore I tell you, do not 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?
25 Jesus then takes us into a discussion about that topic of who you’re serving. Therefore, a connecting phrase. I know you’re thinking about what you’re going to eat or wear. I don’t want you to worry about. These were the things that they were worrying about at that time. If he were writing directly to us he would say don’t worry about your health, your job, your 401k, your children’s education. Don’t worry about those uncontrollable details of your life.
Jesus, are you saying that its not important if we eat, have a job, have kids, etc. He’s not saying these things aren’t important but he’s saying you still don’t have to face the uncertainty about tomorrow with worry. Stop worrying. “Is not life more important then food and clothes.” He’s trying to pull us out of our hyper focus on things.
A life lived to the fullest (or the abundant life Jesus came to give us) is more important then whether my kids get into a certain program at school? A life lived to the fullest is bigger then your health? A life lived to the fullest is more important then whether or not your married? Is life more important then whether you health is good?
1. worry keeps you from enjoying what you have. Worry is assuming the responsibilities you can’t handle. Those things that you can’t handle you leave alone. Worry about things you can’t control keeps you from enjoying the life that Jesus came to give us. Jesus said in John 10:10 “I have come to give you life and to have life to fullest.” Look at the last part of Jesus’ sermon about worry, 31So 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. Worry should not be the characteristic of a Christian. Jesus came to give us a different kind of life that isn’t bogged down by the worries of this world. We should be different, not the same.
26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
He goes on…In the midst of all of our worries (list several big ones)…He stops us and how insensitive is this…Look at the birds of the air…what? I don’t have time to look at the birds of the air…I don’t have a job…I don’t have time to look at the birds of the air...i’m scared to death all the time that terrorist are going to attack.
Jesus would say, slow down…look at the birds of the air…stop for a minute and look. They don’t sow and reap, In our day and age he’d say…They don’t have a college education, they don’t have a 401k…he’s saying the birds of the earth really don’t try. They just do things because they want to…they don’t have plans, day timers, blackberrys, mortgages, birds just go with the flow and on instinct. And yet, your heavenly father feeds them.
Here’s the question. Are you not more valuable then the birds of the air. Do you think you are more important then the animals. Remember in creation, he made man and women different, in his image. When he sent a savior into the world he sent a savior to die in the form of humans, not birds.
Do you think he cares more for you then he does more for the birds? Yes
2. worry makes you forget your worth. Makes you feel forgotten or worthless.
I’m telling you why you can face the uncertainties of life without worry b/c God cares for you. I’m telling you why you can face the day without a job. I’m telling you why you can keep moving forward even though you’re scared to death of something bad happening out there.
Pause for a moment and think…what would your life be like without worry? How much freer would your life be? How much better would your relationships be? How much more peaceful would you heart be? How much happier would you be?
If you think I’m making it too simplistic, you think this is too silly, Get super hyperfocused on all those things…can you by worrying today bring certainty to tomorrow. Jesus says, if your worry isn’t going to get you anywhere then take my advice, look at the birds of the air. Really look at them. Look how greatly I take care of them. If God loves them so much don’t you think he loves me even more.
27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
3. Worry solves nothing. Do you know why you worry? You worry because at the core it’s about control isn’t it? We want and love to control things don’t we? And we don’t want to let go of our “seeming” control of our problems. When one worry is gone you replace it with another. There are always a line of worries waiting to get in the door. You enjoy entertaining them. Worry will never solve anything. If I was the world champion worrier would I be able to control the outcome of any situation with my worry? NO.
Who are you going to put your trust in? Yourself? Who can do nothing to change tomorrow? Or God who is in total control? I’m going to trust the only one who can do something about my tomorrow.
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Look at the flowers of the field. If God takes care of birds and flowers and they don’t do anything, don’t you believe that God will take care of you.
4. Worry erases the promises of God from your mind. The promise of God is that he will not allow his children to beg for bread. Romans 8:31-32 a promise from God, “31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
We start thinking that God doesn’t care for me. He doesn’t care if I have the baby I’ve always wanted. He doesn’t care if my marriage works out. He doesn’t care if I find the job I’m looking for. Worry erases from you mind that God cares and that he will take care of you. God cares for you more then anything in this world. And he knows what is best for us and we have to trust that he’s all knowing and all caring. But when we worry we erase all these promises of God don’t we?
I know many of you are saying, “I know what you’re saying is right but I just can’t stop. I want to stop and I’ve tried to stop but I just can’t stop.”
When I was in seminary I took a class on psychology and in there I learned that most of our negative behavioral patterns are patterns because when we do something over and over for many years it changes the pathways of our brains. If we worry a lot our brains begin to form patterns of worry. And when we’ve done the same thing for many many years it becomes harder and harder to change those patterns doesn’t it? Some of you have been there. Sometimes it takes a life changing situation to break us out of those patterns. So if we can form negative patterns by doing something negative over and over again we can also reverse those patterns by doing something positive. And the Bible says that we can renew our minds by memorizing the promises of God.
And then you goes right to heart of the issue. O you of little faith?
Jesus is connecting some huge dots here and he’s saying if you’ll connect these dots, step back and look at the big issue here. At the core of worry is you placing your faith not only in these things but also in yourself to control the unknown rather then God.
Worry is a devotion issue. Worry is a faith issue. Worry is a trust issue.
His point is not that these things are important; his point is that you should not put your trust, your faith, and your devotion in these issues.
What if you could wake up every day and you were totally confident God loved you more then the birds and flowers. You would not worry would you. This is a faith issue.
How much better would your life be? Your relationships? Your business? Your church? Your relationship with your kids?
One question to ponder and one practical application:
1. If the emotion of worry is driven by our devotion then here’s the big question. What are you most devoted to? Next week Jesus is going to draw this parallel where he calls us to shift our devotion. If my worry pinpoints my devotion, what am I truly devoted to? Once I really determine what I’m really devoted to, is that really life? that’s why Jesus started the conversation with, you can’t be devoted to your stuff and God.
2. Would you be will to do something once a day…read these verses we’ve talked about and the one’s we’re going to talk about next week. Here is what may happen…God may start to point some things out in your life. God may start to do something permanent in your heart. If jesus commanded us to stop worrying about things in life then we have to assume that there is a way to stop isn’t there. Many of you may be thinking that, I’ve tried to stop before, there’s no way. But if Jesus commanded it there must be a way isn’t there.
How many times have you heard non Christians joke about the hypocrisy of Christians? How many disillusioned people have you met that have been burned by a fake Christian?
Preachers falling have become so common place that we no longer even bat an eye do we? People aren’t stupid. They see all this that goes on and it just keeps adding to their ideas that Christians are all hypocrites. They say and or portray one thing but live privately in a different way.
Matt 6:1 …definition of hypocrisy. Practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them.
Hypocrisy in any form, giving, praying, fasting. Hypocrisy seems to touch a raw nerve in Jesus doesn’t it? Jesus didn’t just speak out against it he went on a full on assault. Jesus assaulted it, he attacked it over and over again throughout his ministry here on earth.
Jesus attacks it so often because the insiders have such a tendency towards hypocrisy.
Listen to Jesus’ words in Matt 23:33 to those he was confronting the Pharisees with hypocrisy…
33"You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?
Jesus hated hypocrisy and left not grey area for misunderstanding.
But unfortunately, for far too many people being a Christian and being a hypocrite go hand in hand. We could try to say that the outsiders just have misunderstood those in the church but sadly most of their perceptions are true.
Religious artificiality is a disease of the soul that can only be healed by having an authentic relationship with the great healer.
Let’s look at the Old testament –
Isaiah 29:13
13 The Lord says:
"These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
is made up only of rules taught by men.
Their reverence is a tradition learned by rote. Down deep in their hearts they are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. Sound familiar. This sounds eerily like many of the legalistic churches out there I described.
I don’t blame non Christians from being turned off from Christianity because hypocrisy is rampant isn’t it? When a Christian is authentic he can’t help but stand out because it is different.
I have been a around Christians my entire life and authenticity is rare.
Ezk 33:30-33
30 "As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, 'Come and hear the message that has come from the LORD.' 31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.
Like a performer, you have great words, you bring out the urges in us to do what is right but in the end no life change really happens.
Scary isn’t it? God was condemning them because they came, heard the words of the Lord, expressed devotion with their mouths but in their hearts nothing was changing, they put nothing into practice.
Do we act one way with some people and another with others?
Now let’s go back to the passages we’ve been looking at.
Matt 6:1 Warning right off the bat…beware…definition of hypocrisy. Practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them. Don’t do that, say’s the savior, otherwise you’ll get your reward right then and there.
At the time this was written there were 3 great works among the Jews of the day…giving, praying, and fasting. Understand Jesus doesn’t dispute these as good works. He is all for giving, praying and fasting. His concern was that this had degenerated into a masking of evil motives. He attacks their motives.
Look at the Beginning verse
3, 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
5 5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men.
16 16"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting.
When you give, when you pray, when you fast. Don’t be hypocrites. He is attaching the hypocrisy surrounding these acts not the acts themselves.
Give generously but keep it to yourself. When you announce it in your own ways no matter how subtle we may be that is your reward. Motivations can be so deceiving can’t they? What’s at the heart of your giving?
Hypocrisy is about the heart. What is your motivation. To discover our hidden motivations are often more and more difficult the older we get. The more we do things the more we are blinded by our ways. We get so used to putting on the masks that we get to the point where we have deceived ourselves. We’ve all seen these people in our older people. Put an end to it now while there is still a chance. Don’t be part of the problem, be something different.
6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray
Take a look at your prayer life. How much of it is phony? How much of it is real? Is it hard for you to just get real with God all by yourself?
16"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do
And fasting. Whenever you fast don’t put on a gloomy fase. That tells you that Jesus’ face was not gloomy. Why are all the pictures of Jesus so gloomy? Don’t do it to be seen. I don’t think this is a problem we struggle with but we have our own ways of displaying pride. Just fast for God’s glory.
Three practical tips and two warnings…
1. Exposing hypocrisy is helpful. Overexposure to Christianity will produce hypocrisy. Don’t model a pias religious front.
2. Practicing hypocrisy is natural. It appeals to our old nature. So watch yourself, it can creep up on us before we know it.
3. Breaking with hypocrisy is painful. Someone who is steeped in religion for many years is painful to train. It starts with an admission by saying I am a hypocrite.
Warnings:
1. Evaluate your private life vs. your public persona. If you’re doing these things, giving, praying, or fasting in public only something is wrong. Evaluate your heart. Why do you do the things you do? Is your private life dead as a door knob? Don’t hide behind a mask. Be real. Ask for help. Admit your weaknesses. Jesus loves when we admit our weaknesses and ask for help but he hates hypocrisy.
2. Watch how strongly you embrace your traditions. Hold them loosely. Things that aren’t the essentials of the faith you should hold loosely. Ask yourself, is my holding on to this turning others off? Is my holding on to this burdening my children?
Intimacy in any relationship doesn't just happen. It requires regular relational deposits. Imagine the state of a marriage where the husband and wife did not put any time or attention into their relationship. It might be characterized by a lot of things, but intimacy would not be one of them. Our relationship with God is no different. An intimate relationship with Him is not something we arrive at; it is something we continually pursue. And as we do, we enjoy the benefits and demonstrate the marks of a maturing follower.
Matt 6:1 1"Be careful he’s setting up the discussion not to do your 'acts of righteousness' private disciplines before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no say this out loud with me reward from your Father in heaven.2"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Money does more to compete with our faith then anything else. We worry about money more then anything else. That is a human reality. We all struggle with that whether you are a Christian or not. Jesus comes along and says, I know you’re trusting me for eternal life but I want to teach you to trust me now and now is this thing of money.
So Jesus asks I want you to trust me and give…we start saying things like, well, the church doesn’t need my money. The only way to teach you to trust him is to mess with the thing that is getting in the way, your wealth. God is eventually going to be calling for your checkbook, not because he needs it but because he wants your heart. He says, no, its not about needs it about your heart. He wants to teach you to trust him. You have a choice in the matter. Give first, save, and live on the rest.
By doing that I’m trusting you more then I trusting in money. Money is an emotional thing isn’t it? Why is it emotional? Because you trust in it. Money represents your security. Why should it be so emotional? It’s just a piece of paper with some guys picture on it. God knows you. Jesus knows this so he messes with it not to just mess with you but because he wants to play that role for you. He wants you to put your security in Him not this money.
