According to Minirth, Meier & Hawkins (Worry free living book, in p.17 RBC).”Worry is the number one mental health disorder in America”.
Worry is a feeling of uneasiness, apprehension or dread. These feelings are usually related to negative thoughts of something that may happen in the future. Worriers dwell in the “what if’s “of life. Worrier lives in the future. They spend unreliable amount of time guessing or speculating on what might occur, and then fearing the worst. People who worry are usually distracted or preoccupied.
No person ever lives on earth without some worry. A person who claims he does not worry a bit or does not care of what happening in the world is in a state of denial.
Every person who takes responsibility seriously can’t help but feel a certain amount of worry. In fact, it is one reason thing get done. Some of the great leaders like George Washington, Winston Churchill were worriers. Interestingly, they were high achievers but worriers. They are driven by their worries what might happen if they fall short. But people, who appear to be laid- back, worry too. They just don’t show it. So, everyone worries… everyone!
The major teaching on worry in the New Testament was given by Jesus in the Sermon in the Mount (Matt. 6:25-34). In this passage Jesus gave us the antidote to worry. He is speaking to devoutly religious people who are looking for Messiah but are not ready for His coming. Linked verse: Luke 12:22-34; Philippians 4:6-9 &Ps. 84:1-12 (Reasons to avoid worry.)
The Greek word for worry is “Merimnao” which means “to be anxious, to be distracted; to have a divided mind. It is the word Jesus when he said: Do not worry about your life (Matt. 6:25). The word “Merimnao” came from the root word “merimna” which also has its root from merizo = divide – drawn in different directions - Which is exactly what worry does to most of us! Literally means letting ourselves be drawn in different directions! But this is the same word Paul used it when he wrote “Be anxious for nothing” (Phil 4:6).
Is Living Without Worry Possible? Yes, it is possible because…
1. The Lord commanded us not to worry.
25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry 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?
Jesus commanded us 3 times that we should not worry about: [v 25, 31 & 34] our life, what to eat or drink and our body or clothes to put on. We should free ourselves from the everyday cares of this life. Jesus intended to free His disciples from worry, not from work.
The word “life” in Greek is also the word for "soul." It refers not only to biological life but more importantly to the totality of a person's purposeful existence in the presence of God. In Matthew 16:26 Jesus says, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? “In these statements, Jesus is simply saying that life which has meaning and purpose derived from God is more important than the life that is merely concerned with the toil of daily existence.
2. The Lord cares and values His creation.
26 Look at the birds [ravens] [fowls of the air] [sparrow] of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Jesus supports his exhortation with three illustrations from natural life: the birds, the lilies and the grass.
Birds of the air: In this passage, it did not mention specifically what kind of birds Jesus is telling about. But most of the birds that are common on that day are ravens and sparrows.
A raven refers to a wide variety of crows that inhabited Palestine. Interestingly, they were unclean creatures in Old Testament thinking (Lev 11:15; Deut 14:14; Job 39:13-14; Ps 147:9).and among the least respected of birds (Lev. 11:5 Deut. 14:14) so the example is important because of the cultural perception of these creatures.
Sparrows- These sparrows were the cheapest thing sold in the ancient market, and is worth an assarion [copper coin] was the lowest valued Roman coin, being worth one-sixteenth of a denarius[silver coin]or a half-hour's minimum wage. The denarius (plural: denarii) was a small silver coin first minted in 211 BC. It was the most common coin on that Roman currency system.
Jesus is simply saying to his disciple that if God values these small creatures and even five sparrows that sell for a few pennies do not escape from God's attention, God knows that people are more valuable than sparrows.
We need not to worry or fear even the terrible of oppressions, because God knows what is taking place. If God cares for those insignificant birds, how much more value we are? God is aware of our situation no matter how bad it gets.
Now, let us turn to Jesus’ next natural illustrations.
28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
The Greek word for lilies means “generic wild flowers” or "weeds" that grow on their own without cultivation.
The human activities of sowing, reaping and storing refer to men's work, this is the normal and necessary human activities, the activities described in verse 28 as labor and spin refer to women's work. This implies that there were women among the followers of Jesus.
Both the lilies and the grass manage to be clothed with beauty. Lilies are arrayed more beautifully than courtly apparels in the golden age of Solomon. Remarkably, the wealthy of Solomon did not clothe himself as God has clothed the lilies. Since wood was limited in Palestine, dry grass was used for fire. Even such short-lived weeds whose destiny was the fire were the object of God's care . . . so grass is cared for, even though it is soon thrown into the oven for fuel.
Grass is often a symbol for what is transitory in creation (Job 8:12; Is 40:6-8). If God cares for these basic, short-lived plants, how much more will he clothe us? Just as the ravens illustrated God's care to feed, so the lilies and the grass picture God's ability to adorn (beautify or decorate). My point here is this: food and clothing are basic necessities that God knows we need.
Biblically, the opposite of worry is trust. That is why after offering some more illustrations Jesus addresses His disciples as of little faith in verse 30
30 “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?.”
Jesus wants His disciples to come to trust God again.
3. The Lord says it is useless to worry.
Afar the illustration from creation, there is a practical reason not to worry: it does no good.
27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
Although a cubit is about eighteen inches, Cubit then emphasized here means a “length of time” not distance. The stature means “length of life” or age. Jesus is using the term to speak of the ability to increase one's stature or to lengthen one's life. Jesus is simply saying … worrying does not help!
In one way, worrying may shorten one's life. Interestingly, the Old English word wyrgan for worry, meant “to strangle.” (Ed note: Isn't this what worry does to our joy?) Worry is wasted energy, an emotional investment that produces nothing. Worry actually reflects the tension we have when we feel that life is out of our control; it is the product of feeling isolated in the creation.
Charles Horace Mayo (one of the foundesr of the Mayo Clinic In Rochester, Minnesota, USA.) once said: “Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands, and the whole nervous system. I have never known a man who died from over work, but many who died from doubt.”
4. The Lord knows all what we need.
31 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
This is the second time that the Lord instructed us not to worry. Jesus explains His call not to worry by seeing that life is more than food or clothing. We can trust God to provide for us because God knows precisely what we need.
Take notice of the Gentiles or pagans were singled out here not because of racial bias but because they worshiped many gods in contrast to Jews who worshiped the one true God. People who don't know God as heavenly Father are prone to run after all these things. But Jesus is calling on disciples to realize that the pagan world runs after all such things, and the Father knows that they need them. It is no accident that Jesus refers to God as the Father in this context, for our intimate relationship with God should encourage us that we will receive His care. Being aware that we are the sons and daughters of the Heavenly Father, our security comes from our relationship to God.
5. The Lord gave us the antidote to worry.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Jesus is simply saying before anything else: We are to seek the 2 most important thing: Which are equally significant, seeking FIRST The Kingdom of God and His righteousness"
The reason why we worry is simply because we have the wrong priorities. We are seeking security in the things of this world rather than in the Creator of this world. Notice that in the passage, Jesus never defined the kingdom of God. He simply means God is absolute King in one's life.
Romans 14:17 The Kingdom of God does not consist of external things like food, but in spiritual realities like righteousness in action and thought, peace that seeks harmony and joy that comes from the Holy Spirit
It Means that we are to desire first and foremost the God’s righteous rule on this earth.
We must prioritize:
· God’s Sovereignty- Dominion [authority, command, say so]Rule [law or decree]Power [influence or supremacy]Control [be in charge of, have power over]
· God’s Territory- Subject [focus]Within jurisdiction [within scope]
· God’s Empire- Domain [field]Area [region or district]Field of expertise [ground, foundation]
· God’s Realm- [area or sphere of influence].
We are to focus on His lordship in our lives, His will for our lives and our desire to please and obey Him.
Norm Rasmussen once said: “Our purpose for living is to PLEASE THE KING! We exist to PLEASE THE KING. We do NOT exist for the King to please you.
Matthew 6:33 has a longer form of this saying: to pursue God's kingdom is to pursue His righteousness.
2 Corinthians 5:21: For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him:
In this passage, “Righteousness” means: To be in right-relationship with God.
Jesus is teaching us that our top priority is to strive diligently to pursue right relationship with God, His will and the evidence of His rule and guidance in our lives as we seek to serve Him.
To be in right-relationship with God, one must strive to be obedient to God. The whole scripture clearly instructs us in how to be in right-relationship with God. It tells us what is pleasing, and what is not pleasing to God.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
The word “added” means extra, more or other. The verb here means to add something more to what has already been given. Jesus offers a promise with the exhortation: God will provide these other things as well. We can major on what God desires for us because He is committed to our care. If we will make it our number one priority, to seek these two things on a consistent basis: His Kingdom and His Righteousness … the other things we need to make it in life will come much easier for us. Because God promised He will see to it.
CONCLUSION
Jesus concludes His exhortation by simply saying:
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Lord instructed us not to worry about tomorrow, for our future or what to come. Each day has enough trouble of its own. The optimistic promise in v. 33 (added other things) must be put side by side with the harsh realities of life that we may face. A beggar is concerned for enough food for one day. As a children of God we must learn to live a day at a time, trusting God for the daily bread and leaving tomorrow in His hands.
I understand that “Living free from worry” may be hard in our present times, where unemployment and the future are often not very secure. But Jesus is calling us all to realize that the world runs after all such things, and our Father knows that we need them.
Winston Churchill quoted “When I look back on all the worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which never happened.”
Remember what the psalmist said that we are the apple of His eyes not the sores. We must believe and view ourselves as God views us that we are beautiful masterpieces designed by the Father. And by such … we must be convinced that Our Heavenly Father really cares. (Ps. 23). He promised that He will make us strong.
So, is living without worry possible? Yes, because…
1. The Lord commanded us not to worry.
2. The Lord cares and values His creation.
3. The Lord says it is useless to worry.
4. The Lord knows all what we need.
5. The Lord gave us the antidote to worry.
I want to close my message quoting what Oswald Chambers said in his devotional “UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST” (SEPT 1 - Destined To Be Holy)
“We must continually remind ourselves of the purpose of life. We are not destined to happiness, nor to health, but to holiness. Today we have far too many desires and interests, and our lives are being consumed and wasted by them. Many of them may be right, noble, and good, and may later be fulfilled, but in the meantime God must cause their importance to us to decrease. The only thing that truly matters is whether a person will accept the God who will make him holy. At all costs, a person must have the right relationship with God.”
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