The Cure for Worry

So far, 2022 is proven to be a year full of worries. There's war abroad, shootings at home. Meanwhile, inflation is skyrocketing, recession is looming. And we can't forget the residual worry a lot of people have over COVID-19. Since 2020, many around the world have been suffocated by anxiety, brought on by a global pandemic. But it's not like worry was invented in 2020 every year. Since year one, there have been countless occasions for fear and anxiety and worry. How do you deal with worry or how do you cure it? Anxiety can seem like a disease because it certainly affects the body. I'm sure you've experienced some time where you had great trouble and as a result, you were sick to your stomach, you couldn't sleep, maybe you even got an ulcer. Now, we know that worry is not actually a disease of the body. It's an affliction of the soul. The world having denied the soul tries to treat worry with drugs. Abandoned at best, at worst, it makes things worse with all the side effects. The answer seems fleeting can worry be cured. But the amazing thing is that cure for worries has been around for a long time. It was found on Osay 2000 years ago. Jesus holds the cure for worry and even offers it for free. Whatever your status, rich or poor, whatever your station in life, Christ's teaching holds the cure for worry. So we're going to learn about this morning. The only question will be, are you willing to take His medicine? Let's find out. Turn your bubbles to Matthew chapter 6. It's at the variant of Matthew 6 that we find probably the best known passage in Scripture dealing with worry and anxiety. We just finished going through verses 19 through 24 where Jesus addresses wealth. His message is focused on the rich, those who are prone to store up for themselves treasure on earth. The rich are those most tempted toward greed and covetousness. But such a self-focused use of wealth is unfurting for the Deceple. We don't live to serve wealth. We serve God. You can only have one master. You cannot serve God and wealth. He says in verse 24. We are those who serve God. He's our master. So we should live accordingly. Now, it's on that verse. On that hinge comes the next section 25 through 34. Notice verse 25 begins with this transition. It says, "For this reason." I say to you. Meaning, in light of the fact that God is your master, now what? Well, he says, "Do not worry." Do not be anxious about your life as to what you will eat or drink. Do not be anxious about your clothing as to what you will wear. It seems as if Jesus is now addressing the poor. The rich are those who are worried about stockpiling wealth. The poor are worried about just trying to get by. But neither should be consuming drives. Both the rich and the poor in reality are too prone to focus too much on self. Whenever you take God out of the picture of your life, anxiety is bound to result. The rich and the poor both go wrong when they don't include God in the equation of life. The rich live as if this life is the only life and therefore they pursue luxuries to satisfy them. The poor live as if this life is also the only life and they pursue necessities to satisfy them. Jesus says, "No to both." Not even the need for food and clothing is a good reason for believers to worry. Why not? Precisely because God is their master when God becomes your Lord, you gain a father. A heavenly father who cares for you is God's sovereign care for his children that eliminates the need for all worry. But temptation to take our eyes off of God as our father abounds. John McCarthy puts it best when he says, "The rich are tempted to become self-satisfied in the false security of the riches." The poor are tempted to worry and fear in the false insecurity of their poverty. False security on one side, false insecurity on the other side. They both stem from not properly seeing God and Jesus aims to open our eyes in this passage. Now have to say, for us as 21st century Americans that the previous passage probably resonates more with us versus 19 through 24, at least more relevant. In this sense that we're all rich by the world standards. Certainly by history standards. I mean how many of us genuinely have to worry about food, water and clothing. I'm sure there are some Americans in truly deep poverty, but I'm also going to wager that most of you have pantries that are perpetually full and wardrobes that have too much clothes. But that said, the command from the Lord not to worry about the things of this life still applies to us as do all of the reasons not to worry. That still applies as does the cure for worry. That still applies. Just because you've gained a measure of security in this life concerning food and clothing does not mean you've eliminated all worry, chances are the more you have the more you have to worry about. They've got to worry about keeping all your stuff. Probably don't have to convince you how worries have multiplied in our modern age, but we desperately need this word from the Lord. He holds out the cure to the poison of worry we drink daily. So let's see if we can find it. We're going to first read through this text along when we're taking altogether at the 625 to 34 so follow as we read it together at the 625. He says, for this reason, I say to you, do not be worried about your life as to what you will eat or what you will drink nor for your body as to what you will put on is not life more than food and the body more than clothing. Look at the birds of the air that they do not sow nor reap nor gather into barns and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they and who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life. And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow. They do not toil nor do they spin. I say to you that not even Solomon and all his glory clothe himself like one of these, but if God so close the grass of the field which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, well, he not much more clothe you, you of little faith. Do not worry then saying what will we eat or what will we drink or what will we wear for clothing. The Gentiles eagerly seek all these things for your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will care for itself each day has enough trouble of its own. It's hard to miss what Jesus is saying this passage because he repeats himself so much. He repeats the command three times three commands not to worry starting verse 25 for this reason I say to you do not be worried. That the word for worry means what you think it means to fret to be troubled to be anxious. The way it's phrased in the Greek indicates stopping in action that's already started so you could equally say do not or stop being worried. Stop all you're worrying about what two main objects in verse 25 your life in your body throughout the same two objects show up your life and your body your life and your body the term for life is broad but in connection in verse 25 to food and drink. He's talking about your physical life being alive and your body is in parallel with that part in parcel with being alive is your body is talking about just life and that really gets to our deepest worries is there anything more fundamental than worrying about living and to live we need food water and clothing. Jesus is certainly not saying we should not seek food water and clothing but he is saying we should not worry about them. He's not denying our need for provision just worry over provision he means it so much he repeats it verse 31 the second command do not worry then saying what will we eat or what will we drink or what will we wear for clothing. Now of course you care about life's essentials you're not wrong to do so you even work hard to get them and you must but he's saying you must not worry for them fret be anxious over them you must not seek them first as we'll learn later. Verse 31 has a different grammatical form the verse 25 verse 25 was about stopping the worry that's already started verse 31 just means that there's no place for worry altogether carries the force of never worrying at all don't worry about any of these things. If you're not getting the point there times a charm verse 31 or 34 rather he says at the very end so then do not worry about tomorrow and to finish Jesus expands the object of worry to include the future now so nothing today or tomorrow merits the response of worry. He's forbidding worry among his disciples entirely he's being clear and what he says is as universal as Philippians 4 6 which says be anxious same word for worry be anxious for nothing there's no exceptions there be anxious for nothing. Now something's going on here why is this such a big deal to Jesus this passage stands out like a sore thumb in the sermon on the mount because no other subject in the sermon of the mount receives this much attention. You might expect Jesus to rail against lust or anger or adultery or something else over the span of 10 verses repeating the prohibition three times but he doesn't nothing else gets this much attention why does he spend so much time on the subject of worry. The answer comes in his explanation he is saying more which is why he did not just bark the command do not worry three times and then move on. Worry results from a type of spiritual near sightedness a lack of spiritual perspective on what is true those who worry are so concerned with looking ahead that they forget to look up. You need to stop and look up if you would just listen to God trust his word you would find no more good reasons to worry. But Jesus knows this is especially hard for us we are fallen earthbound creatures so he's going to give us some glasses to correct our vision. He gives us here spiritual vision that we might not worry worry it sidelines us in the race that's why this matters so much you spend your time worrying you are effectively timed out of your Christian race we we have no time to worry. And so married to these three commands not to worry are five reasons not to worry. Jesus does not have to explain himself but here he chooses to do so in greater length than anything else in the sermon on the mount because he knows we need this. And I would say as as worry has only increased with modernity or modern age we really need this so let's give this our full attention now let's let's look up and hear from the Lord now these five reasons not to worry three commands they're straightforward now the five reasons not to worry. The first is because life is more than living first because life is more than living from verse 25 he questions is not life more than food and the body more than clothing. Now to this question those in the world would say no I mean for life what matters more than food and water without food and water we die. So what what could be more important than that to sustain your life you need food to protect your body you need clothes in a fallen world we can't live like we're still in Eden we need shelter we need covering to survive so what what matters more than food and clothing. Jesus is not saying you should not worry about food and clothing because there's more to life in the sense of you know pleasures luxuries possessions don't worry about that little stuff got big things in mind clearly not what he's saying no more fundamentally his point is you should not worry about food clothing because there's more to life than than living. It is the Gentiles who have a false view of life he'll say down in verse 32 that the Gentiles just speaking of the unbeliever they are the ones who chase after these things as if that's all there is to life not knowing God they've reduced the meaning and value of life to them this life is the only life you've got one life to live therefore you must preserve it at all costs. You saw some of the same anxious desperate clinging to life during the covid pandemic among those convinced this life is their only life not a logical it's just their worldview is wrong. Now of course you should take sensible measures to protect your life and body but the world has reduced man to a mere biological creature needs to be fed water and clothed. So their most basic goal in life is to eat and drink after that will be married because tomorrow you die and that's about it but as we've learned from Jesus this life is not your only. This life is not even your greater life you do not have one life to live but to realize you you're not the source of your life or your body didn't come from you. God is the source of your life and your body your life and your body both will return to him all will then find a second life with God or away from God but speaking as believers what are we waiting an eternal life and a resurrected body. So for us there is actually a lot more to life than food and clothing. God has made us he saved us eternally in Christ and if that's true what are you so worried about. Now that being said living here below it's not like God doesn't care for our needs Jesus is not telling us not to care for our lives or our bodies here he cares for them didn't he not just tell us to pray for daily bread. We pray for our daily bread but as much as we value our lives and bodies you must not become absorbed in the affairs of this life. You must not seek them first again as we'll see later. God knows we need food and clothing to keep living here below he knows that look he's the source of greater things shouldn't you trust him for lesser things that's the point here he's the source of your life and your body greater things should you not also trust him as the source of food and clothing lesser things yes you should from an argument of greater lesser. Jesus is telling us just trust the source of all things God. Now we're we're turned to that thought we want to keep moving here a second reason not to worry because worry changes nothing from verse 27 because worry changes nothing. Verse 27 jumping down he says and who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life. Worry changes nothing worry does nothing now keep in mind he's talking about worry he's not talking about planning for the future. If you learn that a great thunder a rainstorm is coming the house above or the hill above your house just burn down last spring and so you're in the path of mudslides. You would be wise and prudent to start filling sandbags under the reasonable expectation a mudslide is coming but you would be wrong to grow anxious and fearful over that. Such worry that just that worry by itself does nothing to change the situation. And birds know winter is coming they don't sit around and freak out and gal worry they do however start migrating south and great prudence and I'm pretty sure they do so worry free. Jesus is not forbidding preparation just worry not for thought just anxious thought. Because worry it doesn't do anything at nothing good that is specifically he points out how worried does not add a single hour to your life. Many today are become quite obsessed with extending their lives how much can they stretch to this life. Believing that this life is the only life they cling to it desperately and they want to extend it as long as possible. Endless articles pop up promising practices to prolong your life they digest them all they'll take them all and put them all into practice the latest fat. You know void overeating exercise daily don't smoke don't drink maybe drink a little try turmeric right get plenty of sleep. Ironically most of these lists about how to live longer say avoid stress and anxiety. But chances are the people reading these lists are doing so because they're stressed and anxious about getting old. But all such worries futile because it changes nothing God made us even more so you realize he has fixed the number of our days. He's determined every single heartbeat you get you will get not a single one more. Someone 39 16 says in your book or written all the days that were ordained for me when as yet there was not one of them. This does not mean it's wrong to exercise or eat healthy both our lives and our bodies are precious and to be preserved. But don't worry yourself to death and that's all you get when you worry you realize when someone's hyperventilating people never say hey stop it you're going to worry yourself to life. They'll say you're going to worry yourself to death because we all know that's what comes when you worry. Humanly speaking worry only shortens life how many countless studies have just plainly observed the connection between those given to worry and disease and shorter life spans. They suffer more from stomach ulcers to hypertension the very it's another irony the very desperation to live long robes people of long life. In the end worry is a thief it only steals time it's not going to give you days hours minutes it's really just going to take them away from you. It steals life in quantity and quality and like said before you're going to find yourself benched in the Christian race if you give into this worry you're going to be sideline you're so worried about what's over that next hill you just stop running become ineffective. It's futile would you ever take a drug that has zero benefits but then a long list of really serious side effects. I trust no who would do that but how often do we pop the pill of worry we stay up late at night we're pacing around thinking about something as if that's doing something it's doing nothing it's changing nothing don't worry worry changes nothing. Thirley because you don't know the future the third reason Jesus gives not to worry because you don't know the future jumping down to the last verse verse 34. He says at the bottom do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will care for itself each day has enough trouble of its own. You want an interesting exercise just right down the piece of paper all of your worries are at least everything that tempts you to worry I'm sure we all would have a very long list. Now separate that list into two columns the worries that belong to today and the worries that belong to tomorrow in the future now safely wager that your tomorrow list of worries is vastly longer than your today list of worries. And you double down on that take your tomorrow list or future worries track those over a year how many came true how many. Fizzle the way they never actually were realized out again safely wager that the vast majority of your future worries never come to be. They're they're vain to worry about you don't know the future having lived through why 2k I remember vividly what has to be the the greatest global worry that never came to be the young people are not laughing they don't understand. But just just trust me people literally thought that when the clock struck midnight January 1st 2000 planes would be falling out of the sky you remember this. But nobody knows the future you can't see tomorrow. Therefore you shouldn't worry about it. Verse 34 Jesus gives two sub reasons first he says tomorrow will care for itself he personifies the future let the future do all the worrying let the future pull out its hair and stamp late at night you you just sleep easy. Can't you trust God for the worries of tomorrow his grace is sufficient for all that we need but he's going to give it to you one day at a time you get the grace you need for today not for tomorrow kind of wait till tomorrow for that. But will you trust that there will be enough mana on the ground to sustain you when you wake up tomorrow there will be he'll give you daily bread trust him. The second reason verse 34 each day has enough trouble of its own. He's not saying like you've got enough to worry about today don't worry about tomorrow because you shouldn't even worry about today. But it's likely you have plenty of trouble each day. Surely that will tempt you to worry you have your hands full battling off today's temptations to worry so you just can't afford to be fighting off tomorrow's temptations to worry as well that's too much that enemies too much for you that's how you lose the battle today your too busy fighting tomorrow's potential enemies. Learn to live one day at a time again this doesn't mean we don't plan for the future you get what he's meaning one day at a time tomorrow is behind a thick veil you can't see behind it you might have some expectations even plans you can't for the life of you ever see behind tomorrow's veil. Now you can spend all day today worrying about what's behind tomorrow's veil but if you just stop and look around there's a lot to do and deal with now that you have passed through today's veil so just focus on that. You need all of your energy to defeat today's temptation and to overcome today's trials so do not worry about tomorrow you've got plenty for today tomorrow is just gonna have to wait. Number four because God is your father don't worry because God is your father become now really the biggest reason not to worry Jesus gives. We have a father a God who is our father in heaven and he cares for us Jesus now argues from the lesser to the greater. Showing how God cares for lesser creatures certainly he will care more for us back to verse 26. He says look at the birds of the air that they do not sow nor reap nor gather into barns and that your heavenly father feeds them are you not worth much more than they. He's pointing to the animal kingdom specifically birds and look out God providentially provides for them God never commanded animals to till the soil his plan was for them to be fed just from the land and they always have been. In fact how much do birds get fed by our labor we till we plant we grow and they come along at harvest time and take it all. We've got a row of berries planted I just had to put down some bird netting because they literally have been stealing the fruit of my labor. I don't worry they'll be fine but God made them to seek their daily bread their daily warm. And he will provide just that just like back in chapter 5 verse 45 it says that God causes the sun to rise the rain to fall. So God causes the birds to find food God gets the credit for feeding the birds because he's the creator and sustainer of all things Jesus knows very well birds have to go out fly around hunt find their food. But God ensures they will do so through the systems and causes natural cycles he upholds birds live in God's world under God's care they're fed daily and they don't worry. The points in verse 26 though are you not worth more than birds. Our world can no longer say yes we can still say yes you are worth more than birds. You're made in God's image birds are not and for those who are redeemed God is your father not true of the birds your heavenly father verse 26. Jesus did not call God the heavenly father of birds and that covenant sense is your heavenly father. The obvious point is that if God providentially cares for the birds which are lesser creatures well they're not much more so providentially care for you for your needs all the more. Don't worry about food about your daily bread also don't worry about clothes verse 28. He says then why are you worried about clothing observe how the lilies of the field grow they do not toil nor do they spin. I say to you that not even Solomon and all his glory clothe themselves like one of these but if God so clothes the grass of the field which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace well he not much more clothe you. Now back then clothing could be a major source of worry many people only possess the clothes on their back they lost that they'd be in dire straits especially their outer garment which was like their blanket for winter. But Jesus still says don't worry look to the lilies of the field all the wild flowers that likely would have been peppering the hills of Galilee around them as he taught. Everyone recognizes the unparalleled natural beauty of flowers this is why that the floral industry in America is worth $12 billion. Yet these flowers exert no special effort to clothe themselves no toiling no spinning no weaving is required. Solomon the great king had to do that he had to employ a small army of people to make his clothes is royal robes any article of clothing but especially fine clothing in the ancient world was an intensely pain staking process. I think this might be the greatest thing we take advantage or take for granted today rather just the access to cheap abundant clothing you've never once thought about making clothes. But who is responsible for the glorious garb of flowers. Jesus says God is for certain God so clothes the grass of the field his world is under his care and the natural systems he has made. And then Jesus makes a similar point since you are much more valuable than flowers that you think God will ensure you are clothed as well your need and care of. It makes this point by showing how transient the life of a flower is compared to us. Their beauty is real but it can fade in a day just takes one scorching wind in the land of Palestine for the flowers to completely wilt at which point they're only good for kindling and the fire. This is my biggest problem with flowers you spend all this money on mother's day and they don't even last a week. But if God would see to it that flowers would still be clothed beautifully though short lived how much more will he cloth you. He cares more about you than flowers and that's the point don't worry because God your Heavenly Father cares for you more than you know. He knows all your needs are talking all your needs and he will provide for your needs verses 32, 33. He says for the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things talk about food and clothing for your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things but ask for you seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you. See that verse 32 it says God God knows what you need just like back in chapter 6 verse 8 even before you pray he knows what you need he's not surprised you're not informing him he fully knows you need food and clothing if you're going to keep living this life. He says in verse 33 all these things they're going to be added to you as you seek first his kingdom God will care for your needs verse 32 he says it's the Gentiles again like the unbeliever they're the ones desperately clinging to life and searching for these things they're not striving after God but food but clothing because they're they're living for this life they're living for self. This life it's the only life to have they think so their basis strongest desire is just mere survival and they're often burdened with anxiety over it because it's a fallen world it's not easy just to survive sometimes. And it's like their gods will help them their gods are not providers there's some Hindus in India who give daily food offerings to the monkey God deep in the forest. Their God does not provide food for them he takes food from them but you know in reality you know who ends up eating all the food they bring monkeys like literal monkeys come in from the forest and eat all the food. And with God God's like these no wonder they're hopelessly burdened and striving for the things of this life. Now to clarify Jesus is not telling us not to seek these things food and clothing we do seek them we must if you misunderstand what Jesus is saying you make it the impression that you don't even need to work just mana and clothes will just fall from heaven to provide. That's not the promise the point is just as God provides for the birds he will provide for his children how does he provide for the birds through providence through secondary causes that includes work. But Jesus is prohibiting worry not work Jesus knows that that birds must work search hunt for food but it is God's providence that assures their ability will me opportunity they will be cared for and it is the same for us. The birds are not used as an example of idol this but of freedom from worry through dependence on God as their provider as they work we're not being promised mana from heaven here just like Deuteronomy 18 says we know God is the one who gives us the ability to make wealth to provide for ourselves knowing that God has commanded mankind to till the ground if you don't work you you don't eat. Literally second that's one is 3 10 says the one who does not work should not eat but we can work without worry like the bird trusting God's providence to provide what we need. This gets at the heart of Christ's message here looking at verses 31 through 33 you can see how worry and seeking are really used in parallel. What you worry about is that which you desperately seek seek first it's not a problem for us to seek food and clothes that's not the problem the problem is when we seek first food and clothes. When we worry about food and clothes we get that for the gentile mean they're living for self this is their only life but for us God is our Heavenly Father he's made us he's bought us with the price through the redemption that's in Christ Jesus. Therefore we don't even live for self anymore verse 34 or 24 only serve one master we've chosen Christ Christ is our Lord he's our master now we live for him knowing this life is not our only life and so it's not for us to seek first this world or the things of this world we still seek them but certainly not first we are to seek first him. So it all comes into this a fifth reason because you live for something else a fifth reason Jesus gives not to worry because you live for something else back in verse 33 he tells us seek first his kingdom and his righteousness all these things will be added to you. Seek there is the same root term for verse 32 how the Gentiles you really seek after these things here though this is further intensified by the adverb first seek first strive after this live for this what not food and clothes but his kingdom his righteousness that is what we are to live for first. Kingdom refers to the exercise of God's rule we've been made members of this kingdom its fullness is yet to come but we want to see God's reign expressed even now. So we seek the exercise of God's rule in our lives through greater obedience did not Jesus say he who loves me will keep my commands we want to see more of our lives brought into conformity with his lordship and we seek the exercise of God's rule in the world through evangelism. Or to be salt and light and witnessing the gospel of the king that others might find the narrow way. We seek the kingdom we're also to seek God's righteousness the righteousness that has been imputed to us is to be increasingly evident in our lives and again in the world. Jesus remember he taught us earlier in mathematics to pray for our daily bread we pray for our daily bread but only after we pray what first your kingdom come your will your righteous will be done we pray that first. You're to seek the things of the Lord first this is an essential part of discipleship this is a consequence of being redeemed. Everyone has some purpose in life some reason for living that it's a driving force behind all they do an undercurrent secretly motivating them for their decisions their actions. And we've seen that for the Gentiles their deepest purpose is just to stay alive at the end of the day that the deepest for those down purpose is to stay alive. But you have actually very little control over that in a fallen world which is why they're often just plagued with worry it's not hard to or not easy always to survive. But even for us Jesus is saying even survival is no longer our number one purpose you know why not. Because we're already dead right we died in Christ don't you know Roman six eight we have died with Christ Roman six six our old self was crucified with him. If you are in Christ by faith your old life BC is dead and gone you died erected tombstone over your old life it's gone. Jesus died to purchase you in addition to forgiving you to purchase you to redeem you with the precious blood of well of him of the lamb. You don't even belong to you anymore that's the point where we're repeatedly called slaves of Christ. And so every heartbeat you get after salvation belongs to him you're on borrowed time and your new life now for however long he gives you now here below before the second world is to be used for his purposes first is this not part of the call to faith. Market 34 Jesus said if anyone wishes to come after me he must deny himself take up his cross and follow me when he says take up your cross that was not seen as an instrument of suffering but an instrument of death there's only one end when you go to a cross the Romans crucified tens of thousands of people it's death it's a means of execution. You have to die to self to follow Jesus as he clarifies in the next verse market 35 says forever wishes to save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospels will save it. See that's what saving faith actually is it's total surrender of your whole life to Jesus not partial surrender total surrender of your life your will your destiny your plans you name it to Jesus. He's the only Savior who died on the cross and rose from the dead to pay the penalty for your sins he's the only one who can save you from the wrath to come and grant you eternal life. If you heard this morning you're still chasing things here below lost in the rat race of this life I mean repent and turn to this Jesus submit to him and trust your life to him cry out to him believe in him be saved. When that happens it changes everything because you know we didn't just die with Jesus we also rose with him to new life right now your eyes are opened this new life gives us a new vision for what is true and it brings into focus the two worlds this life and the life to come. Now concerning the future now in Christ and we got no reason to worry we know we're secure by grace we've received an inheritance as imperishable under filed it's reserved in heaven for you first Peter one for. Our undeserved place with God forever is guaranteed and secured by him so we can easily say with confidence like Paul says in second 10 before 18. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and he will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom we can say that no problem well what do we have to worry about regarding the second world. With new eyes we can see clearly that world we can long for it and until then we can also see clearly this world and how we're meant to conduct ourselves while we're still here. That is by faith ultimately fundamentally by faith which is about trusting in the promises of God where you believe him so much that's how you live. Glacians 220 says I have been crucified with Christ it's not only her I who live but Christ lives in me and the life which I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me. I mean however many days we have left in the flesh meaning this life until you die however many days we are to live them he says by faith not by sight we will make our decisions by what we see but by the unseen by what has declared the Lord has declared true by his word. And hence we seek first his kingdom and his righteousness we're going to devote our lives to worship to walk to witness for his name sake and like the Gentiles our number and goal is not simply just to stay alive because we know this life is fleeting this life will end everyone's going to pass through the final veil you don't know which veil is the last one but everyone's got a last one and you're going to pass through it. And then you find the next life this is not mean we hate this life or we squander this life we cherish this life and our bodies and we sensibly strive for food and clothing all the while trusting God's providence to provide of course but we just can't cling to this life anymore we can't seek it first. At the end of the day even birds die flowers fade this life will come to an end you must accept that now. But we know by faith that however many days we have left written in God's book he'll care for us every single day you have left in the book he will care for you. We don't know the time frame but we are to live each day one day at a time trusting him living sensibly righteously with his kingdom in mind and that is the very mindset that frees us from all worry that is the cure to worry. It's this seeking the kingdom first heavenly mindset and when you do this when you put on this this mind of Christ you really you find remaining no good reasons to worry. By no means does this mean we're entitled to a trouble free life just the opposite we know all to all verse 34 each day has enough trouble of its own we know we will have a lot of trouble in this life we will suffer. We might even lose access to food and clothing. Paul did second Corinthians 1127 he's relating his many sufferings long list of sufferings he near the end he says how several times he was without food and water and covering it was an exposure. Trouble will come in a fallen world but even that does not give us a good reason to worry seeking the kingdom first gives us perspective even behind life's troubles whenever we suffer when we're deprived we are to act responsibly while trusting God to deliver he does so through ordinary means sometimes through extraordinary means. We may suffer trials even that is part of God's provision because he is preparing us not just for this life but for the life to come. God is always working with our eternal good in mind we know as second Corinthians 417 says for momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison while we look not at the things which are seen. But at the things which are not seen the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal. Having you already seen all this proven at the cross and the degree to which you worry will be to the degree to which you fix your heart your eyes or mind on the things seen. So look if God has ordained this day to be my last day because of drought or famine or war or disease well so be it what is that to me I already died. I already died. Now we can say with Paul Philippians 121 to me to live his Christ to die is gained. It doesn't sound like a reason to worry kind of sounds like a reason to rejoice which is just what Paul said in Philippians 123 that desire to depart and be with Christ he says is very much better. But if not he says in Philippians 122 if we are to live on in the flesh you know what that means that just means more fruitful labor. It sounds like a win win sounds like either way there is no reason to worry. Now I know all this can sound quite radical but you realize faith is radical true saving faith is radical. Now we know to the world we seem totally crazy because we're going to spend and they would say waste this whole life for the unseen. And what can we say to that other than the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing that they want to understand this but to us who are being saved we know that Christ is the wisdom of God and the power of God. We know there is a God he set eternity in our hearts there's more than this life we know this we also know there is a judgment coming the Christ died to save us that salvation is available only by faith in him. And faith is a total surrender of your life to him. So lay down your life before this Lord when you do that you find the cure for worry and as you walk by faith you experience the cure for worry. We're saved by faith we live by faith now walk by faith and that's how you become totally free for more you get to live and just peace, contentment the attitudes that are required to be quite useful for the kingdom by the way. Now maybe you're here this morning as a believer you know you still have a hard time not worrying maybe agree and believe with everything the Lord says but it's just hard to get there and do you want to why Jesus tells us right in the middle first 30 when he says you of little faith. You might have real faith genuine faith but if you're seriously being choked by worry the Lord Jesus is the one who's going to diagnose your problem you just have little faith tiny faith. The answer for you then for all of us is to grow in faith that's something every believer needs to perpetually do you understand Jesus he has to tell us seek first the kingdom because he knows all too often we don't we don't seek first the kingdom we do worry because we don't always walk by faith and that's what needs to change. There is good news first it only takes a little faith to save you faith you might say the size of a mustard seed if it's genuine and Christ it saves. Secondly I guess we're in good company because all of the disciples have little faith right for other times Jesus uses this phrase you of little faith every time it's toward his disciples because of their doubt because they did not trust him. But just as the faith of those disciples grew from saplings to cedars so can yours all faith starts off as a sapling they can grow how well foremost pray pray to God like the disciples said in Luke 17 5 Lord increase our faith. It's a dangerous prayer you just might get it answered but do you want to overcome worry Lord increase our faith or pray like the father of the possessed boy said to Jesus in Mark 924 he said I do believe help my unbelief I do believe help my unbelief crowd to God to increase your faith and then avail yourself of the means God has given to feed your faith this has been a bit of running theme lately at the church but you should know what to do. Renew your mind with God's word set your mind on things above saturate your mind with God's promises the spirit will use these to increase your faith and give you that eternal perspective where you're all you also have the glasses on you seeing day to day life the things seen through the lens that which is unseen you make sense of everything you find when you put on the glasses I don't find any more reasons to worry. The key verse goes we've read it many times now clashes three one through three but it's so precious says therefore if you have been raised up with Christ keep seeking the things above or crisis seated at the right hand of God set your mind on things above not on the things that are on the earth for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. That's what our real life is let's think up there is also in perfect conjunction with the flippance for eight after verses six and seven give us the short answer to the cure for worry be anxious for nothing and everything pray trust God. But then it tells us how to get there if you're filling your mind with junk and you're you're feeding the flesh with all the worries of the world of course you're going to be a mess but try verse eight of flippance for. It says finally brethren whatever is true whatever is honorable whatever is right whatever is pure whatever is lovely whatever is of good repute there is anything excellence anything worthy of praise dwell on these things that's what you should be filling your mind with. Go to Christ for more spiritual vision but him fix your eyesight so that you can see the two worlds in proper perspective. If you don't want to worry all you have to do is die you just got to die or should I say realize you've already died with Christ you've already conquered death in Christ you've already risen to new life in Christ you already have eternal life in Christ what's there left to worry about. Just believe in him you know the story of Mary and Martha Jesus goes to visit their home and Martha starts freaking out because she's so worried about the affairs of this world in that case food. In that moment nothing mattered more than food how she the host how she went to feed the Lord and his disciples. But Mary had it figured out seek first Christ let him feed you first the rest will take care of itself you can make food if really wants to. But what matters more seek Christ first Mary has chosen the better part Jesus said that's not the end of the story for Martha though because later after their brother died it was to Martha that Jesus gave the secret to overcome all worry. What did he say to her John 11 25 26 Jesus said to her to that same Martha. He says I am the resurrection and the life he who believes in me will live even if he dies and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die do you believe this. And that's the question do you believe this believe in Jesus grow in faith and you will find the perfect piece he promises that we can be used for his kingdom and his glory for however many days he's ordained. Let's pray. And we exalt you this morning as we reflect on your word and the promise of life it beholds and gives to us and you offer Lord eternal life to the fullest and that's not just a quality of life is not just eternal days but in Christ there's a quality of life. This is eternal life knowing God and Christ to me as sent and you offer us a life even now of peace and of joy you promise it as you walk by the spear as we're filled with faith we can access what has been granted to us in the things unseen. We've not seen Christ but we we we have seen him we think it for causing the sun to shine in our hearts to open our eyes to the face of his glory that we might know you are real your word is true the sun has come he has risen. He has put away our sin we are forgiven and eternity waits for us now we can live and serve with all of our effort seeking for a sure kingdom pray these truths resonate in our minds and empower us to act on them to live them that we can grab hold of the life given to us experiences joy and peace and just serve you. If those who don't have that as they examine themselves pray some would come to true faith and come to saving faith for the first time that they've not yet yielded all of their life to the sun they do that now as you convict them and for those with little faith all of us need to look in the mirror be challenged and how can we seek you more. And we crowd to you may we fill your our mind with your word grow us all in faith that we might all be used especially in in dark days that the light can shine brighter by those who walk with great faith not worrying but seeking seeking first your kingdom your righteousness we do trust you we thank you for all that you have given to us this in Christ and we pray amen.