Worry is our longest lesson. I feel that it's the one thing that can inhibit our relationship with Christ because it creates doubt and our faith isn't fully put in Christ and what He has promised. In the last lesson we brought up the scripture in Matthew 6:19-34. We will look at these verses and find God's reasons for why it is wrong and unreasonable to worry about simple details of life. What's wrong with worrying about earthly things? Why is it wrong to worry?
1. It is unfaithful because God is to be our master and it distracts from our pursuit of heavenly treasures (Matthew 6:25). "For this reason I say to you...".
- Heavenly values far exceed earlthy concerns
- You cannot serve two masters - God and things. (Yes, things can be worshipped. Anything that takes our focus from God is taking place of us worshipping Him.
- It causes us to ignore God, His word, and his purposes.
- It makes us unfaithful to God who is our master.
2. It is unreasonable because of the makeup of man (Matthew 6:25). "Is life not more than meat, and the body, and than raiment?"
- Is there more to your life than what you eat and what you wear? If so, why does that seem to be our biggest concerns? What happens to our body once we die? Matthew 16:26 says "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?". Our soul should be our main concern. We do many things to our bodies. We pamper, excercise, diet, protect it from disease and pain, and decorate our bodies. There is nothing wrong with doing these things, until it begins to hinder our walk with God.
- As a society we believe we are what we own, and the more we own, the more we are. When we begin to focus more on who we are and what we have, we not only lose our focus on eternal things, but we lose sight of why man was created. We are to be like Christ. These days we think being man is nothing more than time and chance.
- By Comparison, how much time do you spend getting ready for church or to go on a date? How much time do you spend on spirutal food, drink, and clothing? Read the following scriptures to find out how you should be using your spiritual food, drink and clothing: Isaiah 55:1-3, Romans 13:14, Revelation 3:17-18, and Ephesians 4:22.
3. It is unnecessary because of the much more care of our father (Matthew 6:26-30).
- These verses use several comparisons to other members of God's creation. God first mentions the birds. He created them just as he created us and he will take care of us both. "As believers in Christ, we are his children and we are sealed in his love." - Romans 8:31.
- In Matthew 6:27 it says "Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" This scripture clarifies the fact that worrying is not good for our bodies or our minds. It won't lengthen your life - in fact, medical science has proven that worrying will shorten your life.
- Finally he mentions the lillies. He gave the flowers beauty by clothing them. If he did this for the plants, he will do it for you! When we worry we are showing that we really are not living by faith. We doubt God and his word. In the hymn "Living by Faith", the first stanza sums up this scripture quite nicely. "I care not today what the morrow may bring, If shadow or sunshine or rain, The Lord I know ruleth o’er everything, And all of my worries are vain."
4. It is unbecoming because of our testimony as God's children (Matthew 6:31-33).
- The command "take no thought" is emphasized again. If you don't trust God, what does that say about your faith in your Christian life? What will it say to others if you can't put your own faith in God's promises?
- The unbelieving world eagerly seeks out to gain worldy treasures because to them those things represent position, power, pleasure, posessions, financial security, etc. Those things are the only source of happiness that they have because they don't have the eternal hope and promises that we do as believers. The world has no God that they can trust. We need to set the example and show the lost world the great happiness and power that we have in God's word.
5. It is unwise because of the nature of today and the nature of tomorrow (Matthew 6:34).
- It is not wrong to plan ahead for the future, but it is wrong when we become preoccupied with it and go to extremes, to think we have to have enough today for the rest of our lives before we can be secure. As part of our human nature, we live between the regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow. We rarely focus on the present and live in the moment. The end of verse 34 says "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." This means that each day has enough trouble of its own. We must learn to live one day at a time. God promises His grace for tomorrow when tomorrow comes, but He only gives His grace one day at a time. Worrying about tomorrow cannot change tomorrow, but it can ruin today.
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