How Not to Worry

Happy Sunday! Today we will finish chapter six of Matthew as we continue in our study of The Sermon on the Mount. I love the words of Jesus here; they're some of my favorite. Are you a worrior? I suppose all of us have done our share of worrying, some more than others.

In my lifetime there have been so many events to cause worry. Years ago in elementary school we would have to hide under our desk practicing for a nuclear bomb attack or a tornado. We'd be given shots to prevent polio or tuberculosis. And through the years we were warned of all sorts of things that were going to get a swine flu or Killer Bees or Legionnaire's Disease or global cooling or global warming or covid recently. I could have added many more things to that list; it's just the tip of the iceberg.

If we focus on this world, we'll be in trouble. Jesus comes to us with so much help in Matthew 6. Listen to his words: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sew nor reap nor gather into Barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of You by worrying can add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all of his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothe the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the the oven, will he not much more clothe you, you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we will we wear?' For it is the Gentiles who seek all these things, and indeed your heavenly father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's Trouble Is Enough For Today."

Jesus was very clear: do not worry about your life. How could he say that? Well, he could say that because he knows that God is there and that he will watch over us. Always has, always will.

One verse really jumps out at me. I particularly love verse 26, when Jesus said, "Look at the birds of the air; they neither SE nor reap nor gather into Barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" I look at this verse like a math problem. I've done the research. It's estimated that there are at least 400 billion Birds on this Earth.

The richest man in the world is Elon Musk. He's worth 200 billion. $200 billion divided by 400 billion Birds is just 50 cents per bird. Think about this: the cost of Labor and transportation and insurance, not to mention the feed, would make the cost of feeding all the birds way too expensive. Elon Musk could not do it, not for one day.

And we're only talking about birds here. We haven't talked about any other of God's creatures on this Earth or in the sea that eat just fine every day. God does it every day. He feeds all the birds and all the animals in the wild every day, every moment since Adam and Eve were in the garden. God has done his part; the richest man in the world couldn't last one day.

And Jesus calls worriers people of little faith. That's true. When we worry, we fail to trust God for a moment. Can you tell me the benefits of worrying? There are none.

In fact, so many of our ailments are caused by worry. Have you heard the phrase "I'm worried sick"? It is true; people worry themselves sick. Jesus wouldn't approve of that.

Verse 33 is a favorite of many: "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." It's a matter of priorities. God will take care of you. You also need to be prepared for tough times. Jesus didn't promise a life without difficulties.

In fact, Jesus ends chapter 6 with these words: "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring troubles, worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today." These words remind me of other words that Jesus spoke: "In this world you will have tribulation." So how do you deal with the messes around you without worrying? You pray more, you trust more, you seek more, and you even Rejoice more.

You are special, little bird, and don't you forget it. Pray with me. Father God, thank you for your watch Care. Thank you for your abundance that you have always showered upon us. Thank you for the things that we take for granted, among that is just the way you are so good to us.

So father, thank you for what you do that amazes us. It should amaze us every moment of every day. And watch out over us; you promise you will help us not to worry. In Jesus name, name, amen. God bless, thanks for joining me today.