Posts tagged Matthew 6
Jesus Teaches How to Stop Worrying | Matthew 6:25-34

Series: All: All Authority, All Nations, All Allegiance

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34 (Main); Philippians 4:6-7; 2 Corinthians 11:28-29

Title: Antidote to Anxiety, pt 2: Jesus Teaches How to Stop Worrying (Darien Gabriel)

(See below for bibliography)

Bottom Line: We don’t have to worry about anything in life because

  1. our Creator is our Father (he cares) +

  2. our King (he can).

  3. He can and wants to take care of all our needs.

I. What do I want you to know? Worry is unproductive and unhelpful.

Why? Because worry and anxiety rob us of the joy of the Lord that comes when we believe that God cares about us and can meet all our needs.

II. What do I want you to do?

  1. Decide what kingdom you’re going to live for.

  2. Seek first his kingdom and his righteous way i.e. Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly

Why? Because when we seek first his kingdom and righteousness, all these things will be added to us.

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

1. How is worry sin? Have you considered worry a sin and repented of it?

2. How does Jesus's instruction not to worry about what you eat shape how you think about diets, eating lifestyles, and food choices? What is the difference between wise eating and worry eating?

3. What in your life creates the most worry? Why does that event or item cause you to worry? What does the gospel say about that issue that can help you trust God?

4. How does thinking about eternity help you not worry about your life?

5. How does your culture and economic status shape what you consider to be the appropriate standard for God's feeding, clothing, and taking care of you? How might your perspective change if you lived in a different context?

6. Were first-century Christians less susceptible to the desire for clothing than Christians today? Why or why not?

7. How can our trust in God, when we would naturally worry, be an

evangelistic witness to others?

8. Do you ask God more often for wants or for needs? How does God

handle our requests for things we want?

9. How can increasing our desire and concern for God's kingdom

lessen our worry over our lives and the future?

10. If your treasure is in heaven, how will that affect how much you are

willing to sacrifice now on earth?

Final Questions (optional or in place of above)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Intro

Bring back the coins (problems) and show how focusing on (worrying) just one problem affects everything else in life. It blinds us from the resources we have available to us and the perspective that keeps us grounded in those God-given resources.

If I have a handful of coins representing a handful of problems (family, marriage, work, school, finances, health, addictions), I’m going to have stress, worry and anxiety as long as I obsess on those from a perspective that God doesn’t know, doesn’t care, can’t help, isn’t trustworthy, or isn’t your King/Lord.

  • Worry is a symptom of a greater disease.

  • Worry is also a sin. It is the sin of unbelief. It’s not believing that God is who he says he is and/or that he won’t do all he’s promised to do.

  • The disease is heart disease—a heart of “little faith” in an infinitely loving Father and King.

  • “Do not worry” is a present imperative from Jesus. That is, it’s a command of constant and continuous action of not worrying. (Not do not be concerned but don’t worry from a self-centered place)

Outline

Jesus tells them not to worry about life.

  • Be concerned, sure.

  • Be worried, no way.

Gives 3 reasons why.

Gives 3 examples/illustrations to support those reasons.

Gives the antidote to anxiety and worry about life today.

And tomorrow. You have enough to deal with the worries of life today.

You don’t have enough to deal with the worries of tomorrow. So don’t try.

“Anxiety can never be cured by getting more of what we have already…Anxiety can be cured only by the assurance that our needs will be met by our King. For this reason, the chief drive in our lives should be to live under the authority of the king and to see his kingdom extended in every possible way—morally, socially, and geographically, as well as personally, inwardly, and spiritually. When our hearts are set on his righteousness pervading our lives, we have our priorities in order, and will discover two things:

First, all we need, he will provide. He has never failed one of his children.

Second, many of the things we thought we needed we now discover we did not really need, and do not now want.” —Sinclair Ferguson

Food, drink and clothing are great servants. They are terrible masters.

Simple Outline (Hughes)

I. Do not be anxious! Why? Because God is the King of life. (25-30)

II. Do not be anxious! Why? Because your the King’s Children. (31-34)

6:26

“Look at” the birds.

  • They are industrious, hard workers.

  • They do not sow or reap though.

  • Birds don’t deal with ulcers, see counselors or tranquilizers.

  • They have what they need most of the time.

  • Yes, bad things still happen to them.

  • Yet they fulfill their purpose in life.

  • Aren’t you worth more to God than these?! Yes! Why?

    • You’re human > animals

    • You’re greater because you’re created in the image of God. They are created but not in his image.

    • They call God their Creator, yes. But they don’t call God their Father and King!

    • Not only are we created in his image, we’ve been redeemed even though we were traitors and rebels. And at the cost of his one and only son Jesus.

6:27

Worry is pointless, fruitless, and foolish. It may add to the quality of your life—but not because it improves it!

  • Worry won’t lengthen our lives. In fact, if anything, it shortens your life!

Why worry when your Father + King has your life in his hands?

Your worry is a sign that

  1. You don’t adequately know him

  2. You don’t trust him

  3. You haven’t yet yielded to him

6:28-30

  • Avg American family spends $1,700/yr on clothing. (Johnson, “Real Cost”)

  • 1st century Hebrews in Israel had what they needed but not much more.

  • South Sudanese own 2 sets of clothes and a pair of sandals according to “Pastor Sam”

  • Did God not clothe Adam and Eve in the garden when their need became obvious even though they’d just rebelled against him?

  • “You of little faith” is intended as a “healing dagger”

  • Worry is energized by “little faith”—the issue is faith; do we trust God or not?

  • “Call it what you want: tension, anxiety, worry. But we need to call it what God calls it: unbelief. At it’s core worry is practical atheism, practical deism, or practical finite theism.” -Akin

    • Practical atheism—I don’t really believe God is real or knows about me

    • Practical deism—I don’t believe God cares

    • Practical finite theism—I don’t believe God can do anything about it

Transition: Now it gets more personal…

II. Do not be anxious! Why? Because your the King’s Children. (31-34)

6:31-32

Worry makes you like those who don’t believe or live like they don’t believe God matters. As a result, they worry because they have nowhere else to turn for help with the problems in this world.

  • If this is us, it should sober and humble us towards faith.

  • If this is those around us, as Christians, it should move us compassionately towards others.

  • Little faith

  • Misplaced faith

Jesus concludes with a simple truth: “Your Heavenly Father knows that you need them.” -Akin

  • “Heavenly” as in sovereign God who can.

  • “Father” as in YOUR loving Father who cares.

He knows.

He sees.

He cares.

How then should we live?

6:33-34

We should not be anxious about anything but instead seek first his kingdom and his righteousness knowing (believing) that all these things that we’re tempted to be worried about will be given to us.

  • “Seeking his kingdom primarily means trying to spread the reign of Christ through the spread of the gospel. It involves a profound poverty of spirit.”

  • “Seeking his righteousness involves making his righteousness attractive in all areas of life—personal, family, material, international.”

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” 5:6

Again Jesus uses present imperative (command, continuous action) “But (constantly) seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” -Akin

Seek God’s rule

Seek God’s righteousness

Life’s needs will be provided

Cure for worry —> First things first: Stop worrying and start seeking. Stop worrying for your little kingdom and start seeking God’s big kingdom first. The watch him care for you.

6:34

“We are not to worry about tomorrow. Worry will not destroy tomorrow’s trials, but it will sabotage our strength. George Macdonald put it this way: ‘No man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when tomorrow’s burden is added to the burden of today, that the weight is more than a man can bear.’

“Worrying does not enable you to escape evil. It makes you unfit to cope with it. The truth is, we always have the strength to bear the trouble when it comes. But we do not have the strength to bear worrying about it.”

Therefore, live for today instead of worrying about tomorrow. “Focus on today, and watch anxiety disappear.”

“In John Piper's excellent study of Matthew 6:24-34, he highlights eight reasons not to be anxious:

1. Life is more than food and clothing (v. 25).

2. The birds of the air work and count on God (v. 26).

3. Anxiety doesn't get you anywhere (v.27).

4. God delights to adorn things (W. 28-30).

5. Unbelievers are anxious about food and clothing (v. 32).

6. Your heavenly Father knows your needs (v. 32).

7. God will carry your burdens if you seek first his honor (v. 33).

8. Tomorrow will be anxious for itself (v. 34). ("Nine Arguments")

The last two items on Piper's list summarize well what we find in Matthew 6:33-34. God knows our needs and will take care of them so we do not.

have to worry.”

Phil 4:6-7 is another key ingredient.

Conclusion

Bottom Line: We don’t have to worry about anything in life because

  1. our Creator is our Father (he cares) +

  2. our King (he rules—because he’s able).

  3. He can and wants to take care of all our needs.

“In summary: Reject the secular reductionist mindset. You are more than a body. Along with this, refuse to focus on the world’s trinity of cares.

Consider the birds and the flowers. If God cares for the lesser, what will he do fro the greater—for us?

Do not live in the future. Live now. Put your arms around your wife right now. Take a walk with your child today. Enjoy the life God has given you.”

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” 6:33

Pray

My Notes:

References/Bibliography:

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“Sermon on the Mount” by Charles Quayle’s

“The Sermon on the Mount: Kingdom Life in a Fallen World” by Sinclair Ferguson 

Bible.org https://bible.org/seriespage/12-maintaining-peaceful-relationships-matthew-521-26

“CSB Christ Chronological,” Holman

“Jesus Manifesto” sermon series, by Darien Gabriel: https://youtu.be/x65i2tqFrXk

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

“Exalting Jesus in Matthew” by David Platt (CCE)

“Exalting Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount” by Daniel Akin (CCE)

Outline Bible, D Willmington

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB)

ESV Study Bible

ESV Gospel Transformation Bible (GTB)

"Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes" by Kenneth E. Bailey

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How Did Jesus Teach Us to Pray? | Matthew 6:9-15

Series: All: All Authority, All Nations, All Allegiance

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-15 (Main); Matt 18:32-35

Title: How Did Jesus Teach Us To Pray? (Darien Gabriel)

(See below for bibliography)

Summary of passage: Jesus lays out the principles and rules of kingdom living.

Bottom Line: Jesus teaches us to pray resting on the Father as we forgive one another.

Group Video Outline:

I. What do I want you to know? How Jesus taught his disciples to pray.

Why? Because it’s essential to know God as Father.

II. What do I want you to do?

  1. Forgive where appropriate

  2. Pray this prayer daily

  3. Teach it to someone else

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

1. How would prayer change negatively if you were not able to call God Father?

2. Why does Jesus instruct you to pray for God's name to "be honored as holy" and "his kingdom come" before making requests for daily bread and forgiveness of sins?

3. Should Christians wait for God to make all things new or work now to shape the world to what it will be one day?

4. When God's kingdom does come, how will all of life (politics, art, education, science, economics, etc.) be different? Why should your

prayers be concerned with aligning these areas now to how God will change them in the future?

5. How does praying "your kingdom come" spur you toward action in social justice?

6. How does Jesus's resurrection demonstrate that you can pray confidently for God's will to be done in your life?

7. Do people in first-world countries need to pray for their daily needs less than people in third-world countries?

8. How can having easier access to food, water, and shelter hurt your dependence on God?

9. Why is your forgiveness from God dependent on you forgiving others?

10. Are you regularly aware of Satan's work against you to tempt you? How does knowing that temptation comes not only from your sin inside but from Satan outside help you pray and fight against sin?

If you have time…

11. What do you learn from the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant? How does this relate to Jesus’ words on forgiveness? Matt 18:21-35

Final Questions (optional or in place of above)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Intro

Have you ever been in a situation where you just didn’t know what to do?

I remember the day 9/11 occurred. We watched the TV in stunned silence in the church office. I was a youth pastor and staff in North Carolina. Didn’t know what to do. Eventually we went to the conference room and we went to the one who knew what to do. We prayed to God the father.

Who do you go to when you don’t know what to do?

Well, here’s a great verse, principle and life-lesson to consider:

“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” -2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV

Today’s message is how Jesus taught his disciples to pray. He taught them this because Luke tells us they asked. This is the only thing scripture records the disciples asked him to teach them.

  • I hope today that you will become more familiar with the model prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray.

  • I hope today that you will choose to pray it daily letting Jesus teach you it’s depths every day.

  • I hope that you will learn it, pray it and share it for the rest of your life.

Outline

Review from last week: (optional)

  1. Don’t pray for show. Why? Because

    1. You rob God of his glory (for which you were created to give)

    2. You rob yourself of heavenly rewards. (5-6)

  2. Don’t babble on like pagans (7)

  3. Don’t forget that God knows…but ask still (8)

  4. Lord’s Prayer (this week)

  5. Forgiveness (this week)

    1. Summarize parable in Matt 18:32-35

    2. God is king. But he’s a merciful king. He’s a merciful father too.

This week: How did Jesus teach us to pray?

Q1. What do I you to know?

A1. How to pray like Jesus taught his disciples.

  1. He used what we call the Lord’s Prayer

    1. It’s a model prayer or pattern for prayer.

    2. It’s a prayer to be prayed. (See v. 7-8 for warning though)

  2. It’s all about Father!

    1. Father—Kid jumps from refrigerator: “When I was a young father and my children were small, my younger son hid on top of the refrigerator one day. As I walked by, with no warning, he suddenly dove off the refrigerator onto my back. I did not see him, I did not feel him coming, but he just tackled me and held on. Carey felt that if he jumped in the direction of his father, he would certainly be safe. It never occurred to him that I would not catch him. And that is the way it is with our Abba, our heavenly Father. He gives us a great sense of security and confidence--and we know he will not disappoint us.” Kent Hughes, p. 161-2

    2. Abba, dear daddy or dear father…immanent vs. transcendent.

    3. This is partly what we’re going for when we ask fathers to come up and pray for their children. In a couple of weeks, we’ll do this with grandparents. 9/10 is grandparents day weekend.

  3. Mike Breen’s breakdown centers our Father in heaven…(these are all elements of salvation):

    1. The Father’s character

    2. The Father’s kingdom

    3. The Father’s provision

    4. The Father’s forgiveness (Jesus expands on this in vs. 14-15)

      1. The forgiveness you give others is evidence that you have truly received his forgiveness.

      2. This is not you forgive to get forgiven transaction.

    5. The Father’s guidance

    6. The Father’s deliverance/rescue

      1. “Lead us not into temptation” - what does this mean?

        1. Temptation = trials (similar, but not exactly)

        2. Temptation of Christ (Matt 4, Luke 4) - the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness “to be tempted by the devil” (4:1)

        3. RSV translation: “And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.”

        4. “For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he temp anyone.” James 1:13

        5. So, God tests and allows trials and temptations to come our way. Just ask Job. But we can ask for his mercy and help in this, apparently.

        6. Hughes says 3 possible solutions:

          1. Jeremias: 2 shades of meaning from Aramaic language:

            1. Causative = “Don’t cause us to go into temptation (i.e. don’t lead us into) which he can and does.

            2. Permissive = “Don’t allow us to go into temptation/trials

              1. He allows trials

              2. We give in to temptation “Oh,Lord, hold us back and do not let us take that path”

          2. Bailey: Every desert traveler needs a reliable guide. “The phrase in the Lord’s Prayer expresses confidence of an earthly pilgrim traveling with a divine guide. The journey requires the pilgrims to affirm daily, ‘Lord, we trust you to guide us, because you alone know the way that we must go.’ This affirmation of the trusting traveler reflects the confidence of the community that prays this prayer.”

          3. Father Mattah al-Miskin of Egypt: Reflects on the story of Job…a righteous man severely tested by Satan with God’s permission.

            1. “When we pray, argues FAther Matta, we are protected by Jesus and his cross from Satan and his attacks.”

            2. Deliver us from the evil one” could mean keep us out of Satan’s court room of accusation. Satan = accuser

      2. “But deliver us from the evil one”

  4. Kent Hughes breakdown shows 6 petitions we pray in this prayer: (optional)

    1. Upward

      1. Your name

      2. Your kingdom

      3. Your will

    2. Us-ward

      1. Give us

      2. Forgive us

      3. Lead us not…but deliver us

Q2. Why do I want you to know this?

  1. Because if Jesus taught the disciples that this is how you pray, you need to know this!

  2. Because of these benefits (optional):

    1. It’s your lifeline to God. Jesus teaches us how to commune with God.

    2. It’s life-giving. It is how we receive the life-giving, spiritual sap of Jesus to flow in and through us to the world.

    3. It’s defining. Are you his son/daughter or not?

    4. It’s equipping.

      1. It gives us structure on which to hang our beliefs.

      2. It empowers us to live out our faith well.

    5. It’s essential theology.

Q3. What do I want you to do?

A3. I want you to:

  1. Forgive any and everyone you need to forgive.

    1. Whether they asked for it or not

    2. Cut the strings that you are tempted to use to remind people of how they’ve hurt you or others.

  2. Pray this prayer daily

  3. Memorize it

  4. Teach it to someone else

    1. Kids

    2. Grandkids

    3. Friend

    4. Family

    5. Stranger

Conclusion — Summary questions:

  1. What do I want them to know? The summary principle and warning: Don’t practice your righteous deeds (shine your light)

  2. Why? Because to not heed the warning is to

    1. Rob God of his glory.

    2. Rob yourself of his rewards.

  3. What do I want them to do? Live out your Christian life (Shine) with a heart bent towards pleasing God over yourself. This helps you minimize or avoid hypocrisy.

  4. Why?

    1. You fulfill your chief created purpose fro existing—glorify God.

    2. You reap a superior reward—from God.

References/Bibliography:

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“Sermon on the Mount” by Charles Quayle’s

“The Sermon on the Mount: Kingdom Life in a Fallen World” by Sinclair Ferguson 

Bible.org https://bible.org/seriespage/12-maintaining-peaceful-relationships-matthew-521-26

“CSB Christ Chronological,” Holman

“Jesus Manifesto” sermon series, by Darien Gabriel: https://youtu.be/x65i2tqFrXk

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

“Exalting Jesus in Matthew” by David Platt (CCE)

“Exalting Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount” by Daniel Akin (CCE)

Outline Bible, D Willmington

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB)

ESV Study Bible

ESV Gospel Transformation Bible (GTB)

"Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes" by Kenneth E. Baile

Read More