How Not To Worry

or How to have God take care of you

Matthew 6:24-34

 

 

(A) Introduction

 

(A1) Answer the question "What does God want us to do" with every verses

(A2) Read Matthew 6:24-34 for an overview

 

 

(B) Matthew 6:24-34 

 

24 No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

 

25 That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

 

28 And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

 

31 So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God[e] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

 

34 So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. 

 

 

 

 

(C) The First Key

 

Matthew 6:24  No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.  --What does God want us to know and do?

 

1. No one can serve two masters, therefore I can only have one real master.
2. Besides money (materialism and security) some other potential masters are power, approval, control, success, security, pleasure, and respect.  Which potential master I struggle with the most?
3. How can I know who my master is?  It's the one I'm loved and was devoted to this week.  The one my thoughts and time was focused on this week.
4. How can I stop serving the wrong master?  Focus on loving and being devoted to God more each day and realize I'm actually despising God when I serve another master instead of him.
5. Serving God as my only master will free me from worrying about our lives and bodies.  A slave doesn't worry about his future because his master will take care of him/her.
6. What typically stops you from being devoted to God?
7. Who do I want to be enslaved to?  
8. If I'm not serving God with love and devotion does that mean I'm serving another master?
9. Who are you serving, loving, devoted, and enslaved to?
10. Use John 14.21 as CR for Love
11. Use Mark 8:34-35 as CR for serving
12. Use Matt 6.33 as CR for devotion
13. How well am I serving my master with love and devotion?
14. How can I better serve God with love and devotion this week?

  

Matthew 6:25-27  25 That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?  --What does God want us to do?

 

1. We tend to center our lives around food and clothing (materialism) and worry if we'll have enough in 1, 10, 30 years from now.  Thus denying the love, wisdom, and power of God who promises to take care of his servants (v33).
2. Assuming we have God as our master Jesus commands us not to w____ about food, drink, and enough clothes.  Instead we are to look at birds and remember and trust (1) God f_____ the birds and (2) I'm f__ more v_______ to God than the birds and therefore God will meet my needs.
3. Worry about the future not only dishonors God, it is also futile because it can't add a s_____ moment to my life. 
4. Don't doubt that God will take care of his servants

 

Matthew 6:28-30   28 And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?  --What does God want us to do?

 

1. Key issue, or measuring sticke is Faith
2. Why do we worry?
3. What must our faith be in

 

Matthew 6:31-33   31 So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.   --What does God want us to do?

 

Make v33 it's own?

 

1.   
2. In v32 what do the pagans run after (seek first)
3. v33 says v24 differently
4. Righteousness --> 5:20
5. His Kingdom --> 6:10, 3:2, 4:17,23, 5:3,10 ... 7:13,21, Lots of Matt 13 parables, 18:3, 24:14
6. Kingdom of heaven is described in Sermon on the Mount including all commands including 5:19.  And references in the whole Gospel of Matthew 
8. The Kingdom of God = Mark 8:34-35 and Matthew 6:10
9. What is to dominate our thoughts?
10. Matt 25:28-30 "What ultimately condemned this disciple, and made him unready to meet his Lord at the parousia, was the fact that he had proved to be "useless" for the kingdom of heaven. ... pg 957  RT France  See also 22:13 and 12:50
11. Define the Kingdom of God with verses in Gospel of Matthew
12. What do you seek the most in your life?

 

 

 

Matthew 6:34  34 So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.  --What does God want us to do?

 

1.  Even if we do v24-33 this verse makes clear we will have troubles

 

Conclusion  

 

1. Summary Because I'm a slave (v24) I don't have to worry because my master (God v25-33) promises to take care of me. My job is to focus on serving him WELL (v24,33) and not on providing for my future (not today's) needs.
2. What are the top 5 applications I want to daily ask God to help me to do this week?
3. Which one of the 5 is my key application?
4. What about this passage could you share with someone else, and who might that be?