Worry Less, Trust More - Matthew 6:19-34

Worry Less, Trust More Matthew 6:19-21, 24-34 September 6, 2024

BIBLE READING: 

Matthew 6:19-21, 24-34

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 

20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

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? 

26 Look at the birds 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? 

27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

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?

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.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

INTRODUCTION:

Yesterday evening my wife and I were talking with our son, and in the conversation he reminded me of something I had said to him a long time ago. He still remembered it. “Some things in life are more important than money”.

Yet money seems so important to us. Money buys things. Things that we need.

So if we do not have money, we worry about what will happen. Will we have food to eat? Will we be able to get our motorbike repaired? How will we be able to pay the bills?

Money was as relevant to the Jews in Jesus day, as it is to us.

The verses we will look at today are in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), in which Jesus tells his followers about what the Christian life looks like.
We all have things that worry us—our jobs, families, health, or future.
But in Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus gives us a simple yet powerful teaching: don’t worry.
God knows what we need, and He will provide.

A young boy watched his father, a skilled carpenter, build a chair. The boy asked questions and worried about whether the chair would be strong enough. The father smiled and assured him, “I’ve done this many times before. You don’t need to worry. Trust me.” When the chair was finished, it was sturdy and beautiful. The boy learned that his father’s experience and care meant he didn’t need to be anxious.

Just like the boy worrying about the chair, we often worry about things in life that are out of our control. In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches us that worrying about the future won’t change anything. Instead, He calls us to trust in God, who is always faithful and knows what we need.

Today, we’ll explore what Jesus says about worry and learn how to put our trust in God’s plan for our lives.

The purpose of this sermon is to help us see that worrying is not helpful. Instead, Jesus encourages us to trust in God, who takes care of our needs. By focusing on God, we can live with peace, knowing He will provide.

WORRY DISTRACTS US FROM WHAT REALLY MATTERS

A farmer spent so much time worrying about the rain and the condition of his crops that he neglected to plant seeds in time.
While he was focused on things he couldn’t control, he lost sight of what was important: taking care of what he could do today.

Worry often distracts us from the things that matter most.

Jesus says in Matthew 6:19-21 that we should not focus on earthly treasures or worry about things that fade away.

Instead, our hearts should be focused on God and his kingdom.
When we focus on temporary things, we lose sight of the eternal.

Matthew 6:19-21
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven."

There is nothing wrong with working for a living.
In fact God tells us we should be taking care of our families.
The point is that money should not be the focus of our life.

Colossians 3:2
"Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth."

Instead of having our focus on the material, physical problem, or our own possible solutions, our focus should be on our heavenly Father, and allowing him to take care of it, his way.

Philippians 4:6-7
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."

Instead of worrying or being anxious, tell God about your needs, and ask him to take care of them.

GOD KNOWS WHAT WE NEED

A mother was worried about how she would provide food for her family.
But one morning, she opened her front door to find a basket of groceries left by a friend.
She hadn’t told anyone about her worry, but God had known her need and provided.

Just like the mother in the story, we may worry about how our needs will be met.

But Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:25-26 that God takes care of the birds in the air and the flowers in the field, and we are much more valuable to Him.
If God takes care of His creation, how much more will He take care of us?

Worrying doesn’t add a single hour to our lives, but trusting God brings peace.
He knows what our needs are, and he will take care of us.

Matthew 6:25-26
"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. Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them."

God takes care of his creation.
He cares about each of us. He loves us.
He will provide for our needs.

Psalm 55:22
"Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you."

1 Peter 5:7
"Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

Instead of worrying about how our needs will be met, ask God to take care of them.
Then trust him, that he will take care of it.

TRUSTING GOD BRINGS PEACE

A young girl was learning to ride a bicycle. At first, she kept looking at the ground, worrying about falling. Her father gently told her, “Keep your eyes forward. Trust the bike and focus on where you’re going.” Once she followed his advice, she found her balance and enjoyed the ride.

Worry is like looking down, focusing on all the possible problems.
But when we trust God and focus on His kingdom, we find balance and peace.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33 to "seek first the kingdom of God," and when we do that, God takes care of the rest.
Worrying won’t change tomorrow, but trusting God gives us peace for today.

Matthew 6:33
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

It may not seem sensible to trust that God will provide for our needs.
But the story of the Bible is that God does do this.
Many times in the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), Jesus says, “According to your faith be it unto you.”
If we trust that God will take care of things, he will respond to us.
And we will not be full of worry, but peace instead.

Isaiah 26:3
"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."

Here again, we see that trusting God gives us peace.
We dont need to worry.

Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

If I trust God to take care of a need, I no longer need to worry.
Trust and faith give us peace.
I don’t need to think up elaborate schemes to take care of ourselves.
God will provide for the need

SUMMARY:

Worry distracts us from what matters most—focusing on God’s kingdom.
God knows our needs and promises to take care of us.
Trusting God brings peace and helps us focus on what is truly important.

CONCLUSION:

Remember the boy who worried about his father’s carpentry?
Just like the boy, we often worry about things that God is already handling.
Our heavenly Father is skilled and knows what He is doing.
We don’t need to worry.
Instead, we can trust God to take care of us, knowing that He is always working for our good.
Let’s live each day with faith, trusting that God has our future in His hands.

PRAYER:

“Dear Lord, thank you for your love and care for us. I believe you know our needs, actually even before we bring them to you. But you welcome our faith and trust in you, and you promise to supply what is needed. Thank you. In Jesus name, Amen."

When Life Doesn't Make Sense - Romans 8:28

When Life Doesn’t Make Sense
Romans 8:28
September 29, 2024

“Dear Lord, thank you that we can meet together this day. We pray that you would please speak to our hearts this day, and calm our fears, and let us know inside ourselves that we can trust you, totally. You are our provider, and you promised to never forsake us. In Jesus name, Amen.

BIBLE READING

Romans 8:28

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

INTRODUCTION

A man was going through a tough time. 

He had lost his job, and nothing seemed to be working out. 

Day after day, he prayed, but nothing changed. 

He began to wonder, “Does God even care? Is He still in control?”

Then one day, he got a call for a job interview. 

It wasn’t the job he had wanted, but he decided to go. 

Little did he know, that job would lead him to meet new people, develop new skills, and eventually, it became the best job he had ever had. 

Looking back, he realized God had been guiding him all along, even when it felt like everything was falling apart.

Sometimes life doesn’t go the way we want. 

We face disappointments, setbacks, and trials that make us wonder if God is really in control.

Romans 8:28 reminds us that God is always working for our good, even when we can’t see it. Today, we’ll explore how we can trust God’s plan, especially in the hard times, and learn to see His hand at work in our lives.

Today we are going to examine this verse, and find peace in knowing that God is always working for our good, even in trials.

GOD IS ALWAYS WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES

A young boy watched as his grandmother carefully wove a rug. 

He couldn’t understand why she was putting certain threads together—they didn’t seem to match. 

But when the rug was finished, it was beautiful, and everything made sense. 

From his small perspective, he couldn’t see the whole picture, but his grandmother had the perfect design in mind all along.

Like the boy watching his grandmother, we often don’t understand what God is doing in our lives. 

Things might seem confusing, and we might wonder why certain things are happening. 

But Romans 8:28 assures us that God is always working behind the scenes. 

He has a plan, and every thread of our lives, even the hard times, has a purpose.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

Isaiah 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord."

TRIALS CAN LEAD TO BLESSINGS

A farmer once had a horse that ran away. 

His neighbors said, “How unlucky you are!” The farmer replied, “Maybe, maybe not.” 

The next day, the horse returned with several wild horses. 

The neighbors exclaimed, “How lucky you are!” The farmer replied again, “Maybe, maybe not.” 

Shortly after, the farmer’s son was thrown from one of the wild horses and broke his leg. 

The neighbors said, “How unfortunate!” The farmer replied once more, “Maybe, maybe not.” 

A week later, soldiers came to the village to recruit young men for the army, but because of his injury, the son was not taken. 

The farmer knew that even in trials, blessings can come.

Often, we see trials as setbacks or punishments, but God can use them to bring about blessings we never expected. 

Romans 8:28 reminds us that God can turn even our struggles into something good. 

We may not see the blessing right away, but we can trust that God is working everything out for our good.

James 1:2-3 "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience."

Genesis 50:20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."

2 Corinthians 4:17 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

TRUSTING GOD BRINGS PEACE

There was a man who loved to go sailing. 

One day, while out on the water, a storm hit. 

The wind and waves were fierce, but the man didn’t panic. 

He trusted the strength of his boat and knew how to navigate through the storm. 

After some time, the skies cleared, and he sailed safely to shore. 

His confidence in his boat and his knowledge of sailing kept him calm through the storm.

When we trust in God’s plan, even when we face trials, we can find peace. 

We don’t have to understand everything or have all the answers. 

Just like the man in the boat, our trust in God’s power and goodness gives us the confidence to face life’s storms without fear. 

Romans 8:28 teaches us that we can rest in the knowledge that God is working all things for our good. 

This brings us peace in the middle of the storm.

Philippians 4:6-7 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."

John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

SUMMARY

Romans 8:28 teaches us that God is always working for our good, even when we don’t understand what’s happening.

Trials can lead to unexpected blessings, and God uses even our struggles for His purpose.

Trusting God’s plan brings us peace, even in the middle of life’s storms.

CONCLUSION

Remember the man who lost his job and felt like God wasn’t listening. 

In the end, God was leading him to something better all along. 

Just like that man, we may not always understand what God is doing, but we can trust that He is always working for our good. 

When we face trials, let’s hold onto the truth of Romans 8:28 and trust God’s plan, knowing that He sees the bigger picture and has a good purpose for everything.

PRAYER

“Dear Lord, thank you for your Word. Thank you that you have the big picture, and your plan and purpose for each of us will stand. Help us please to walk in faith, trusting you, and that all this will work together for good. In Jesus name, Amen.”

Compassion in Action - Luke 10:25-37

Compassion in Action September 22, 2024 Luke 10:25-37

Good morning friends! I hope you are doing well.

BIBLE READING

Luke 10:25-37
“Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”

29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

INTRODUCTION

Imagine walking down a dusty road when you suddenly see someone lying by the roadside, clearly hurt and in need. You see others walking by, ignoring the person. You feel a pull in your heart to help, but also a hesitation—what if it’s dangerous, or what if you don’t know what to do? After a moment, you decide to stop and offer assistance. Your act of kindness could make a huge change in that person’s life.

The story of the Good Samaritan is one of the most famous stories Jesus told. It teaches us how to be a good neighbor, not just to those we know, but to anyone in need.

The purpose of this sermon is to understand how God calls us to respond to trials—not just our own, but those of others around us. As we explore the parable of the Good Samaritan, we’ll learn that God calls us to act in love and compassion, even when it’s inconvenient or difficult.

Today, we’re going to look at this story and learn what it means to truly help others, even when it's not easy. We will also see how this parable can teach us how to face trials with kindness and compassion.

SHOWING COMPASSION

There was once a busy man who saw a stranger struggling with a heavy load. He was in a hurry and didn’t want to be late for work, but something in his heart wouldn’t let him just pass by. He stopped and offered to help, even though it cost him time. In the end, the stranger was so grateful, and the busy man found that his small act of kindness brought him more joy than making it to work on time.

The priest and the Levite in the story of the Good Samaritan were both busy people. They saw the man in need, but they chose to walk by, likely because it was inconvenient. The Samaritan, however, stopped. He let compassion guide his actions instead of his schedule. This teaches us that true love doesn’t just show up when it’s convenient. It shows up when it’s needed. Helping others may take time, but it’s worth it.

Matthew 9:36

"But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd."

Colossians 3:12 

"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering."

1 John 3:17 

"But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?"

LOVE IN ACTION

A man once saw a person by the side of the road with a broken cart. He didn’t have any tools on him, and it would have been easier to keep walking. But instead, he stopped, found help, and even gave some of his own food to the person. His action showed that love isn’t just a feeling; it’s something we do.

The Samaritan didn’t just feel sorry for the man who was attacked; he did something about it. He bandaged his wounds, took him to a safe place, and paid for his care. Love is more than just feeling bad for someone—it’s about taking action to help them. When we face trials, or when we see others going through tough times, God calls us to show our love by what we do, not just what we say.

James 2:15-16 

"If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?"

1 John 3:18

"My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth."

Luke 6:31

"And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise."

HELP WITHOUT HESITATION

One day my wife and I were at a railway station. That day I was having a severe allergic reaction, and the soles of my feet were swollen and painful, and I was hobbling along, carrying two heavy suitcases. We had to climb the stairs to get from one platform to the other. A stranger saw my need, and immediately came up to me and offered to carry my suitcases. His generosity amazed me.

The Samaritan didn’t wait to be asked for help. He didn’t wonder if someone else might come along. He saw a need, and he acted immediately. When we face a situation, hesitation can keep us stuck in fear or doubt. But when we see others going through hard times, we shouldn’t wait for them to ask us for help. We should be quick to offer assistance, just as the Good Samaritan did. Our quick response can make all the difference. More than that, God’s heart is to respond to our needs quickly. We should do the same, for our neighbor.

Proverbs 3:27 

"Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so."

Galatians 6:2 

"Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Hebrews 13:16 

"But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."

SUMMARY

The Good Samaritan story teaches us that:

We must act with compassion, even when it’s not convenient.

True love is shown through our actions, not just our words.

Helping others should be done without hesitation. Because this is God’s heart toward us.

CONCLUSION

Remember the story of the person walking by the roadside and choosing to help. Just like that person, we are called to be quick to offer help when we see someone in need. 

Trials and difficulties come in many forms, and sometimes, they come to us in the form of someone else’s pain. 

When we see other people with those trials, let’s not hesitate—let’s show our love in our actions, just like the Good Samaritan.

1 John 3:18

“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth”

PRAYER

“Dear Lord, thank you for teaching us to have your heart for the people around us, our neighbors. Help us to show your compassion and help to them. Help us be Your hands and feet. In Jesus name. Amen.”