Can You Hear Me Now? Good! Week 4
“Worry-Free Wireless”
MATTHEW 6:11, 25-34
INTRODUCTION:
The story is told of 4 men who were flying in a small commuter plane when the pilot noticed engine trouble. It wasn’t but a few minutes later when all power died he knew they were going down. So, the pilot went back to the passenger section and said, "Men, both engines are out on our plane and we are going to crash. Now, before you panic, I have some good news and some bad." The good news is that there are parachutes, the bad news is that there are only 3 and there are 4 of us." Then he said, "Gentlemen, since there is no way out and I have 4 children and a wife I’m taking a parachute. I will not have my family live a life of worry and stress without a father and husband." And just that quick he grabbed a parachute and was out of the plane before the others knew what was going on.
Now there were only 2 parachutes left and 3 men. One passenger quickly stood up and said, "Fella’s I hate to brag at a time like this but I’m a nuclear physicist and I am said to be the smartest man in the whole world. Our country needs me and I’m not going to sit here and worry either about whether or not we will survive." So, he grabbed one and was out of the plane in a flash. Of the two men left, one was an eagle scout and the other an old preacher. The preacher looked up and said, "Son, you take the last parachute. I have lived a good life, I’m not worried about whether I survive. I know my eternal destiny, I am ready to be with the Lord." To which the young scout said, "Well, preacher, you really don’t have to worry.. because the smartest man just jumped out with my back-pack!"
What is it that causes you to panic? What causes you to worry? Your finances? job? School? Kids? Your weight? Your schedule? This is the age of anxiety. People seem to be uptight and worry about so many things. Yet, one research project concluded that 40% of all worries are about the future and they never happen; 30% of worries are about the past and they can’t be changed; 22% of worries about petty things that have no lasting significance, and only 8% are legitimate concerns. No wonder Pro. 12:25- “Worry weighs a person down."(NLT) And although we know that worry is useless many of us still struggle with it. And God knows that. So He has provided help.
If you’ve been with us for the other messages in this series you know that our theme is based on hearing God say, “Can you hear me now?” And then saying, “Good!” as we apply each of these principles. Keeping that theme in mind, almost all wireless providers will try to convince you that they provide “worry free wireless” in terms of their coverage and service. Verizon says: “We never stop working for you” and claims the largest national coverage. Cingular says, “More bars in more places” trying to sell you on their growing signal strength. But God wants you to know that you can have more than worry free wireless, you can have a “worry-free life,” if you will put this simple phrase.. “Give us today our daily bread” into practice.
I. UNDERSTANDING THE PHRASE:
Let’s begin, as we have each week, by making sure we understand the phrase Jesus gives us in this model prayer. There are a couple of interesting insights here.
(1) Note the pronouns in the request. Jesus does not say, “When you pray say.. Give ME today MY daily bread..” but “Give US today OUR daily bread.” William Barclay writes: “`A man,’ runs the Jewish saying, `should always join himself with the community in his prayers.’ The very use of the plural precludes selfishness in prayer.” Prayer was never intended to be like Larry Bryant’s tongue-in-cheek- song.. “Shopping list.” The chorus reads:“Give me this, I want that, bless me Lord I pray, grant me what I think I need to make it through the day. Make me wealthy, keep me healthy, fill in what I missed, on my never ending shopping list.” Prayer certainly contains the element of asking for our own needs but it also must consist of praying for the needs of others. You see, this is a request for God’s provisions and Jesus is saying it must come from a generous heart not one only concerned about “my” welfare but about “our” welfare. Phil 2:4- “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
(2) Note the limitations of the request. We are to ask God for “today’s” food, for our “daily” bread, not for a lifetime supply or even a week’s worth, but only enough for today. Jesus is saying in this phrase that God supplies our needs one day at a time. Matt. 6:34- “..do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” You see, this is a prayer of dependence, reminding us that every day we count on God for our daily needs. In commenting on this verse Phillip Keller wrote: “What is it you depend upon? If it is anything outside the mighty hand of God it is unfit to trust. When will you get to the point where you realize that He who gives you the day will give you the things necessary for that day?” You see, God knows our hearts. If he gave you everything you needed for your whole life you wouldn’t talk to Him very often. He wants you to depend on Him each day, for our “daily..”
“..bread.” This word represents more than just a loaf of “Holsum Wonder bread.” This word represents all of man’s physical needs. Martin Luther defined “bread” as “Everything necessary for the preservation of this life, including food, a healthy body, house, home, spouse and children.” Everything you need. Your sustenance, what it takes to keep you going through the day. God is concerned about all of our basic needs.
“Bread” also denotes that Jesus is talking about our “needs” over our “wants.” We are to ask for our daily bread not “two all beef patties, lettuce, cheese, special sauce, on a sesame seed bun.” Phil. 4:19 "God will supply all that you ever need from his glorious resources in Christ Jesus."(Phillips) Did you hear that? God will supply all that you need.. Not, "My God shall supply all your greed." There’s a big difference. So, bread here represents just the necessities of life. So Jesus is saying that we are to ask the Father for what we need daily. And the Philippians passage we just read says, “God will supply ALL you need..” What does "all" include? Everything. Let me ask you, if that verse is really true, what do we have to worry about? Nothing. All that anxiety you’re carrying around is worthless if God really does supply all that you need on a daily basis. Do you really believe God’s promise? He will supply ALL you need?
II. ADMITTING THE PROBLEM:
But let’s be real this morning. We have a problem with worry. And we worry about all kinds of things. We worry about disease, we worry about crime, we worry about finances, we worry whether we’ll die in an accident or plane crash. Our world is filled with stress ridden people and we are not even worrying well. Some time ago "Industry Week" magazine asked managers to list their worries. #1 was their own health and fitness. #2 was a lack of leisure time, #3 was their jobs. Especially revealing to me was that the #6 worry was their estate planning. Yet not until #7 and #10 was their relationship to their children and their marriages listed! The world apparently worries more about what they will leave their families when they’re gone, then what they doing in being a integral part of their family while they’re here! But let’s be honest: we all have to fight the temptation to worry.
Maybe one of the things we haven’t grasped is that worry is sin. Jesus said very plainly in Matt. 6:25- "Do not worry.." That is said as emphatically as any other command in the Bible that Jesus gives. He says we should not speak falsely, so we know it’s wrong to lie. He says that we should not be sexually immoral, so we know promiscuity and adultery is wrong. He says don’t steal so we know it’s wrong to take what doesn’t belong to us. But when He says don’t worry, somehow we don’t think He’s that serious. I think sometimes we look at worry as a kind of personality quirk or a little flaw in our character. Or we make light of it like the web site that’s called “Worry University” offering a Doctor’s degree in “Worry Leadership.” But Jesus takes time to deal with this issue, because He thought it was important.
So, let’s understand what Jesus was talking about when He says, "Do not worry.." The Greek word for worry in Matthew 6 means: “to engage in a care- worn, worried fear, which takes the joy out of life.” That is why a great many translations use the word "anxious." Now, we understand that some pressure in life is essential in order for us to be properly stimulated but there is a big difference between anxiety and concern and it is important to know the difference. Jesus condemns one but not the other.
Concern focuses on probable difficulties that results in action. It is alright to be concerned about the future. We need to provide for our children’s education and we need to have insurance. In fact, Jesus told a story about the fact that no man builds a tower without first counting the cost or he’ll only be half way done and be out of money. He needs to be concerned as he plans. So it is not a sin to exhibit concern.
But anxiety, or worry is different. Worry focuses on uncontrollable difficulties where we have little or no control and results in inaction. So understand that when Jesus says "Do not worry.." he’s not talking about genuine concern - situations where we have some control and can take action. He is speaking of things wherein you have no control and just fret over them. He is talking about “stewing without doing.”
Let’s go through the Matthew passage that we have printed for you and let’s circle the four forbidden “F’s” of worry that Jesus gives us. These are four areas of life that we tend to be, but should not be anxious about.
(1) The 1st "F" is Food. (v:25a) "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat and drink..." Now, one of the blessings in our wealthy society is probably none of you worry about where you’re going to get your next meal. By the looks of some of us, we ought to skip our next meal because if you’re like me you’ve stored up enough to last for some time. But what we do worry about is the content in food. Too much cholesterol, too much sugar, saccharine causes cancer, salt causes high blood pressure, too many calories in that cake. Now, I think you ought to eat wisely and take care of your body, but some take that to the extreme and worry constantly whether or not they have just poisoned themselves. It can get confusing can’t it? Some foods that were branded as evil have now been pronounced okay, like eggs and coffee. So, it certainly isn’t worth fretting over.
(2) The 2nd "F" is fitness, "..or about the body." (25b) There is a great deal of attention placed today on physical fitness. Now, exercise is important. My attitude is much better when I am exercising regularly. But once again, we have taken it to an extreme. We’ve got a myriad of health spas and exercise classes and jogging and weight lifting clubs. Have you been to Blockbuster or Hollywood Video lately and seen the incredible amount of fitness videos? Step up on this, walk on this, ski on this, jump through this. There is so much emphasis on the body looking good. Yet, the Bible tells us in 1 Tim 4:8- "Working out in the gym is useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever."(MSG) Pumping iron, running, working on your physique, nothing wrong with that. But how does that exercise balance with your spiritual workouts? Do you know anyone who is anxious about how they look physically, yet they care little about how they are spiritually?
(3) The 3rd "F" is the area of fashion.(v:25c) Jesus said, ".. about what you will wear." Now, people in the first century realistically were concerned about enough to wear but we rarely have that problem. But what we worry about is how it looks. We no longer have teen-agers in our home but at one time we had three so we know about the "brand-name" thing. It wasn’t just any shirt but a “Tommy” or an “And 1." But are we much different sometimes? Ladies, have you ever looked in your over flowing closet and said those incredible overstated, dreaded words, "I haven’t a thing to wear!" And let’s not just pick on the girls. I’ve heard men say that they want this kind of suit or, I don’t want that shirt because it has a turtle on it instead of an alligator or whatever it is supposed to be.
(4) Then the 4th "F" is in the area of the future. (6:27) "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" The fear of death plagues a lot of people today. But life can be so fleeting. Ever heard of Eugene Christian? He wrote the book entitled, How to live to be 100, but died at 69! Or maybe you don’t fear death as much as you are anxious about aging. Time, last year had a lead article entitled: “How to live to be 100 and not regret it!”We worry so much about wrinkles or graying hair. People are making a mint off of products such as Oil of Olay or Revlon’s “Defy Aging” or hair transplants where the guy says "I not only own the company, I’m a client too."
Jesus says, “Do not worry.” But God, our perfect “Father” doesn’t just say, “Stop worrying” or “Hey, knock it off!” without giving us an antidote, a way for us to combat our fleshly tendency to be anxious.
III. APPLYING THE PRINCIPLE:
So, let’s spend our remaining time applying the principle which I believe is God’s antidote for this problem. Let’s use the phrase Jesus gave us to pray as well as the teaching He gave us in Matthew 6 to see how we can do better in this area.
(1) Ask for God’s assistance. The first step is really that simple.. Instead of worry, ask for help. James 4:2 "You do not have because you do not ask God!" If we prayed as much as we worried, we’d have a lot less to worry about. Over 20 times in the N.T., God says, “Ask.” Phil. 4:6-7 “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7If you do this, you will experience God’s peace...” Why does God want us to ask? Because it reminds us that He is the source of all things. This phrase is one of dependence. Ask God for whatever you need. He is committed to you. God lives with the self-assigned task of providing for His own, and so far, I think most of us would admit, He’s done a pretty good job.
(2) Remember God’s resources. Worry means we’ve forgotten God’s promises and that He has unlimited resources at His disposal. Maybe the most important question is: “Do you trust the Lord enough to REALLY believe what He says,” when Jesus said in 6:32-33 "Don’t worry at all about having enough food or clothing. Your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them and He will give them to you..” Remember the Phil passage we read? “ 4:19- “God will supply ALL that you need from His glorious riches in Christ?(Phillips) What part of A-L-L don’t you understand? Remember “all that you need,” not want. But remind yourself every now and again that God has taken care of me in the past, what makes me think he’s all of a sudden going to stop? He’s our heavenly Father and He’s well aware of all your needs. As a father, it gives me great joy to provide for my family. It gives God great joy to provide for you too. He’s waiting to give. He loves to provide.
Maybe the problem is we don’t realize that the promise is built on a premise. The condition is given to us in the Lord’s model prayer and in Matt. 6:33. God says He will give these things to you, if.. You precede your request by: acknowledging Him as Father, honoring His holy name, and submitting your will to His. Jesus said it this way in 6:33- “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” The sad thing is millions of people pray the Lord’s prayer on a regular basis, expecting God to answer the third request -- "give us today our daily bread" -- while in their recitation of the words they totally ignore the first steps of saying, “God You are first in my life!” Rom. 8:31 "Since God did not spare even his own Son for us but gave him up for us all, won’t he also surely give us everything else?" (LB) If God loved you enough to give his own Son, to die on the cross for you, don’t you think you can trust Him with your income, your retirement, your kids, your school, your problems at work, the economy, and everything else? If God loved me enough to send Jesus, certainly He loves me enough to keep shoes on my feet and clothes on my back, as I put Him first place in my life. I love that plaque that reads, "Lord help me to remember there is nothing that is going to happen today that You & I can’t handle together." So examine God’s providence in your life and believe it’s going to continue in the future.
(3) Trust God’s timing. You know, whoever said, “Timing is everything” was brilliant. Chuck Noland, in the movie “Cast-Away” understood that. He thought he had his life planned out perfectly, “no worries,” great job, giving his girl an engagement ring... that was just before his plane crashed and he was left on a deserted island for 4 years. When he comes back everything has changed. But, while on that island, Chuck learned some valuable lessons.. Like the fact that in the end he had control over nothing and that timing was everything.
{Video Clip - Cast Away - Chapter 30:2:08:43 - 2:12:15 = 3:32}
Sometimes that’s all we can do is wait. Wait for what the tide might bring in. Oh, you probably won’t be forced to wait on a deserted island but often times if we will just do what we can, keep breathing as Chuck said, and wait... the tide in the right timing will bring in a sail. But I’ll admit to you.. This is often the most difficult part in overcoming worry. And don’t miss the fact that we are dependent not on the tide but on God’s timing. You see, waiting requires faith. Because we’ve all learned that everything in this life doesn’t always work out like you want it. Jesus did say in Matt. 6:34 - “Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Somebody once said, “The shortest route between two points is always under construction.” And it’s during those “construction times” that you’ve got to trust God the most. God wants us to trust Him moment by moment. "Give us this day our daily bread..." Not weekly, not monthly, not annually. Daily bread. He wants you to trust for the crust. Matt. 6:34- "Don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time."(LB) I heard of a grandfather clock that decided ticking 60 seconds a minute was just too slow. He decided to double his ticks. He ticked twice a second, 120 ticks a minute, 7200 ticks an hour, 172,800 ticks a day, 1,209,600 ticks a week. At the end of one year he was ticked off. (P) A lot of people are like that clock, they are over ticking. They’re not just worried about today, they’re worried about tomorrow, next week, next month, next year. God says, “I’ll take care of your tomorrow. Live one day at a time.”
Let me ask you.. What are you worried about the most? You job? Your health? That relationship? Your child? Is it concern.. Confronting a probable difficulty with action and God’s help? Or.. Worry.. A presumed problem that has you stewing instead of doing and failing to trust God? Well, if it’s worry, there’s an antidote. But this prescription must be taken as a daily dosage. Pray, ask God for assistance. He loves to help. Remember. Recall what God has done for you already. Think back about His past resources and how He’s always provided what’s best for you before. He’s not going to stop now! And Trust. Understand that God’s timing is perfect and He says, “Live one day at a time.” So, instead of panic, pray.. Instead of worry, walk with God and say as David in Psa. 68:19 "Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!
For each day he carries us in his arms."(NLT) He wants so badly to teach us to live day by day in His care and that’s why He said, pray.. "Give us today our daily bread." And you know what? He’ll do it, He promised. And that’s a promise you CAN depend on.
{Scripture references taken from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.}
Video clips used by permission through CVLI.
Video clip resource is www.movieministry.com
