INTRODUCTION
• GRINCH CLIP
• SLIDE #1
• Have you got your Christmas shopping done yet?
• As we approach Christmas we have to be careful not to lose sight of what is really important.
• As a matter of fact, we need to be careful not to lose sight of what life is all about.
• During Christmas families will spend a lot of time and money on gifts. We spend a lot of time and money looking for the perfect gift.
• With the amount of money spent many families stress out about Christmas.
• The Gallop Economy web site estimates the average family will spend about $770 on gifts this Christmas. (http://www.gallup.com/poll/158897/christmas-spending-intentions-pace-2011.aspx)
• 30% of those polled were planning to spend a $1000 or more.
• I guess we can see why Christmas can be stressful to many.
• Today I really do not want to spend time talking about spending and Christmas, but I want us to focus on another blessing we can be thankful for as Christians.
• Today in our Thankful Blessing Series we will examine the blessing of God’s provision.
• There are a lot of stresses and pressures in life, especially when we look at our economy. Talks of fiscal cliffs that the politicians dreamed up. Talks of rising taxes.
• It can get to the point that we are consumed by anxiety.
• In this series we have been working on shining light on the blessing that we receive from God that we do not really think about.
• This reminds me of the air we breathe, until it is gone, we do not give it much thought.
• In our text Jesus is addressing the disciples. He is telling them that Christmas is coming and for them not to stress out about their credit card debt.
• Oh, wait, Jesus has just reminded the disciples that no one can serve two masters, that where you treasure is that is where your heart is also (Matthew 6:19-24).
• In the section we are going to examine together today, Jesus is going to share a practical way in which one can show which master he or she serves.
• On put another way, Jesus shares one of the blessings of making Him the one you choose to serve.
• Let’s start by turning in our Bibles to Matthew 6. WE will start in verses 25-26.
• SLIDE #2
• Matthew 6:25–26 (ESV) 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or 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? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
I. God’s provides the necessities for life.
• As we look verse 25, we see the word THEREFORE. This indicates that since one can serve two masters and since you have chosen to serve Jesus, you do not have to be anxious for the necessities of life.
• When we have s SINGLE-MINDED devotion to Jesus (no one can serve two masters) we can enjoy the peace of knowing God will take care of us! WE can be free from anxiety.
• Jesus is more or less challenging His disciples to follow up the teaching on SINGLE-MINDED devotion to Him.
• We are called to keep our focus on heaven lest we fall prey to anxiety for the necessities of life!
• When we are told DO NOT BE ANXIOUS, we are being told to STOP being anxious right now.
• One must remember that during Jesus’ day just everyday existence was a chore.
• They had no microwaves, running water, air conditioning, or donut shops to go to.
• They did not even have an Olive Garden where they could get real fake Italian food!
• When we decide that the world is our master, anxiety and worry follow. That is one of the consequences of being a slave of the world.
• When we allow Jesus to be the one we seek, peace, and joy follow us.
• I have been amazed in my own life how God has provided once I decided to really follow and trust Him.
• God can and will provide in amazing ways.
• Anxiety is a word that comes from an old German word that means to strangle, or choke.
• That is what anxiety or worry does to us. It can choke the joy out of life.
• This verse does not Imply that we do not plan for the future or that we do not consider the future, but we are not called to be anxious about it.
• We do not have to let anxiety rule our lives because God provides the necessities for life.
• I believe He will also provide much more if we will let Him!
• SLIDE #4
• Psalm 37:4 (ESV) Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
• Not only are we TOLD that God will provide for us, we are given an example of God doing that in verse 26.
• 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
• God takes care of the birds of the air!
• The birds do not serve the world, God takes care of them.
• Jesus says as great as birds are, we have more intrinsic value to God than the birds.
• If God will take care of the birds will He not take care of His children?
• WE see in verses 27-30 another example of God’s provision.
• SLIDE #5
• Matthew 6:27–30 (ESV) 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
• Jesus says the fields are clothed by God. Once again if God will clothe the fields will He not cloth you also?
• Ultimately we need to put trust in the fact that God will take care of us. In verses 31-32 we will see why.
• SLIDE #6
• Matthew 6:31–32 (ESV) 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
• SLIDE #7
II. Anxiety reveals a lack of faith in God’s ability to provide our needs.
• Now with what has been said, Jesus reminds us not to be anxious for what we will eat, drink or what we will wear.
• Ladies, He did not say you cannot plan for what to wear, just do not be anxious about it.
• Men, we can plan where we are going to get our donuts, just do not be anxious about it.
• Jesus reminds us that since God provides for our needs that when we live in anxiety, we are not trusting in God. He says the Gentiles (or the unsaved world) behave that way.
• The lost world does not know God so it is easy to see why they would be anxious at every turn.
• God takes care of the grass that lasts but a season; He will take care of you.
• We are reminded that God KNOWS that we need the things we are stressing over.
• The Gentiles because of their ignorance of God built idols to various gods to try to make sure they were provided for.
• They would bow down to those gods and then they would anxiously await an answer.
• Would it rain on the crops, would the sun rise, would they have food to eat?
• Those who bowed down to the idols did not know if they would get want they needed, they did not know if they had made the gods mad or not.
• Today we bow down to many gods. The god of self-reliance and the god of luck are but a few.
• We have a God who we can rely on, a God who KNOWS your needs.
• When we allow anxiety to rule, we end up pushing faith to the side. Then we put all of our focus on the material things of life. For us to live life in that manner is to tell God we do not believe Him.
• The world lives for getting stuff, the world focuses on the here and now because they have no hope for the future.
• Let’s finish up with a look at verses 33-34
• SLIDE #8
• Matthew 6:33–34 (ESV) But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
• SLIDE #9
III. God provides so we can achieve our higher calling!
• This anxiety thing must be a BIG problem for folks; of course none of us would know anything about that.
• Jesus in these few short verses mentions anxiety or worry five times.
• Now, we see that God provides for us so that we can achieve the higher calling. He provides for us so that we follow the real pursuit of life, GOD!
• Our life is not to be preoccupied with stressing over basic needs. We have a high calling.
• There is more to life than the pursuit of stuff. There has never been a moving truck behind a Hearse.
• Jesus tells us that if we SEEK FIRST the kingdom of God that our needs will be taken care of!
• The word SEEK means to search for, to strive for, or to aim.
• Jesus should be aim and our purpose.
• We are to seek HIS kingdom; in part means to be an active part of it, striving to let others know about Him.
• WE are also called to SEEK His righteousness!
• That means we are to aim or strive to person conformity to His standard of righteousness!
• King Solomon in the Old Testament had some real struggles with seeking His kingdom and His righteousness.
• As Solomon pursued almost anything and everything he found that life was void of meaning.
• At the end of Ecclesiastes he finally got back on track when he wrote:
• SLIDE #10
• Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 (ESV) The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
• When you pursue God, you will find real satisfaction in life along with real meaning for life.
• When we seek our higher calling, then we are promised that God will take care of the rest.
• This should be our consuming priority for life. Our pursuit is not just for God, but it is also to be about becoming more like Him!
• SLIDE #11
• Galatians 2:20 (ESV) I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
• This is the HIGHER CALLING!
• The grand conclusion to this section reminds us, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
CONCLUSION
• DO not let the joy of life become choked out be anxiety.
• Fulfill your calling by trusting and seeking God.
• God has given you a Blessing to be Thankful for! The gift of His provision!
