Freedom From Worry

[0:00] Luke chapter number 12, Luke chapter number 12, and if you're able to stand for the reading of God's word, ask that you would do so Luke chapter number 12. Good to be in the Lord's house. I appreciate that special because it just reminds us that there's nothing we walk through that God's not going to walk with us, that he'll walk through it all with us.

[0:16] And I'm thankful for that truth. Looking forward to our text here today in Luke's gospel, walking our way through. And this text is going to mirror a lot of the same text that you find in the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus taught there in Matthew chapter number 6, about seeking first the kingdom of God and all of those things.

[0:35] And so we're going to pick up our reading in verse number 22, and the Bible says this, And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, neither for your body what ye shall put on.

[0:49] The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which neither have storehouse nor barn, and God feedeth them.

[1:01] How much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then, being not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

[1:17] Consider the lilies, how they grow, they toil not, and they spin not. And yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

[1:37] And seek not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knoweth that you have need of these things.

[1:51] But rather, seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

[2:04] Sell that ye have, and give alms, and provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

[2:16] Why should we do that? For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Anybody worry about something this past week?

[2:28] Yeah, we all do. Anybody worry about something upcoming? Listen, Jesus wants us to live free from worry. You think, how is that possible?

[2:40] Well, he's going to show us. He's going to remind us. He's going to show us what worry does, but he's also going to give us the cure for worry. So let's ask him to help us as we go to him in prayer, and then we'll jump right in.

[2:50] Father, thank you for this time together. Thank you for the music that has been sung, that has prepared our hearts, and reminds us that we're to trust you, Lord, and it goes so beautifully with this passage.

[3:01] And as we've already kind of made mention, we've all kind of laughed and raised our hands, that there's things we've worried about, no doubt things that are on the horizon that we're worrying about. But Lord, you're calling us to trust you.

[3:12] You're calling us to be reminded that life is not about those things. It's about knowing you. Lord, I pray that you would just help us to take that truth home. I pray there's somebody here that does not know you as their Savior, Lord, that today would be that day.

[3:27] Lord, I pray you would help me now, Lord, that you would clear my thoughts and my mind. You would empty me of self. Lord, you would fill me with your spirit. Lord, that it would be a help to the hearer today, and we ask it in Christ's name. Amen.

[3:37] Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated. I've used this illustration when we preached through the Sermon on the Mount, but it goes so well here, and so I think you'll understand it, because obviously we have some worry warts here.

[3:49] Yeah, we do. But I heard a story about a man who was a professional worrier. This is what he did. Everybody knew this is how he was, and everybody, you ask him, say, hey, you know so-and-so. Oh, yeah, man, he worries about anything and everything.

[4:03] One day, they were all kind of sitting around drinking coffee, and this man walked by, this worrier, and he was happy. I mean, he was looking around. He was smiling. He was kind of skipping, zippity-doo-dah, zippity-day kind of thing.

[4:15] And they thought, what is wrong with this man? He looks relaxed. There's not an ounce of stress on his face. And so they called him and said, hey, hey, come here. We want to ask you a question. Like, what happened to you, man?

[4:27] You look so happy. I mean, we know you worry about everything. He said, listen, I've solved my worry problem. He said, well, I don't know. How did you do that? I mean, you've been a worrier as long as I've known you.

[4:39] He said, well, I found somebody, and I hired him to worry for me. And they said, oh, wow, I didn't know that. And obviously now these men are starting to worry about him because they're thinking, he can't afford that. And they said, how much does it cost to hire somebody to worry for you?

[4:52] He said, $2,000 a week. And they just kind of like, oh, man. Now they're trying to figure it out because they're probably having to pay for it. And they said, you know, how are you going to afford that?

[5:03] He said, that's not my problem to worry about anymore. That's that, guys. And as we've already alluded to, every one of us worries about things.

[5:16] At some points in our life, it seems more than often, some people worry occasionally. Some people worry about everything. And generally they marry each other. And that's another sermon for another day.

[5:27] And while most of us here cannot hire somebody to worry for us, the wonderful news is we don't have to. I think, well, how is that possible?

[5:39] Because Jesus reminds us that we have a Father who cares for us. We have a Father who knows everything about us. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it. And he has every intention to take care of his children.

[5:52] But before we kind of jump into the text we see here, I want us to see how this text here is linked to what we looked at last week. Last week we introduced the text that Jesus was giving a parable about the rich fool.

[6:07] It was a man who spent his entire life accumulating wealth and he had a really good harvest season. And the rains were just at the right time. And the crops grew. And he had so much stuff he didn't know what to do with.

[6:18] And so he said, well, I've got to tear down my barns and build bigger barns so I can put all my things in. And yet, while he spent his whole life and he was a very successful man in the eyes of the world, he stood before God with an empty soul.

[6:32] And we're reminded that these two texts, what we read last week and what we read this morning, are not disconnected. In fact, they're deeply connected. We saw last week in verse number 15 there in chapter number 12, the Bible says this, Jesus said unto them, take heed and beware of covetousness.

[6:50] For a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesses. And then we come to our text today here in verse number 23, and Jesus tells us that the life is more than meat and the body is more than rain.

[7:07] See, what I want us to see today is Jesus is reinforcing the same truth from two different angles. That the rich fool believed that life was all about what he had.

[7:21] And we come here today and we're reminded that the worrier believes life is all about what they need. It's really the same idea. It's the same situation, just from a different angle.

[7:33] We could say it like this. Greed says, I need more. Where worry says, what if I don't have enough? It's really the same coin with two separate sides.

[7:47] And the big idea is this, is when our hearts become fixed on our possessions, our minds become filled with anxiety. And that's what Jesus is teaching.

[7:58] And he wants us to understand this, that as his children, we don't have to worry about that. That's not, our life is much more than that. And if you're taking notes here this morning, what Jesus is doing is he's essentially answering an important question in this passage.

[8:15] Why should a follower of Christ live free from worry? Why should a follower of Christ live free from worry? Because Jesus doesn't simply tell his disciples, don't worry.

[8:29] Because we've all been there, haven't we? We're worrying about something and we pour our heart out to somebody. We tell them all our woes and all our problems and they say this, hey, don't worry about it. Easier said than done.

[8:41] But I'm so thankful that's not how Jesus operates. That Jesus knows that we're prone to this. And he doesn't say, hey, what's your problem, man? Get over it. No, he tells us not to worry.

[8:52] Then he reminds us why worry has no place in the believer's life. But he doesn't just leave it there. Jesus always gives the cure. Jesus gives the solution. And so with that in mind, I want us to dive into our text and see the first reason why worry has no place in the believer's life.

[9:09] Number one is this. Because worry forgets what life is really about. Worry forgets what life is really about. We saw there in our opening verse, Jesus says this.

[9:21] Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life. Now we wouldn't say it like that per se in today's vernacular. But here's what he's saying. Don't worry.

[9:32] He's reminding us that we're not to live a life that is consumed with anxiety. And before we go any further, we need to ask ourselves, what is worry? Because I would imagine we could get different definitions from all over this crowd here this morning.

[9:47] But here's a biblical definition of worry. Worry is the sin of distrusting the promises and providence of God. Maybe you're thinking like I thought when I first read that definition.

[10:00] Did you say sin? Listen preacher, I don't know what dictionary you're looking at, but I wouldn't classify it as sin. But I think that's what Jesus tells us.

[10:11] I think Jesus teaches that truth. Because Jesus tells us, don't worry. So if he tells us don't, and then we go out and start worrying about everything, we're distrusting what he said.

[10:23] We are looking at it. And if we're honest, most of us naturally think worry shouldn't be classified that way. I mean, I tend to think, if I'm just shooting straight with you, that worry is just something normal.

[10:38] We all kind of raise our hands. It's something understandable. I would say this. It's something almost unavoidable. Is it not? I mean, you're worried about it now. You're like, am I supposed to worry about it?

[10:49] I mean, it's just kind of built into our nature. But Jesus treats it much more seriously than we do. He knows what worry does to our lives.

[11:01] It kind of paralyzes us between maybe the past and the future, and we can't do anything in the present. And he wants to get us past that. And so when we give in to worry, what we're really doing is we're questioning the character of God.

[11:14] We may not say it out loud, but the way that we live, we're thinking to ourselves, God, I know you can handle a lot of things, but I'm not sure you can handle this situation. I mean, Lord, I know you've seen a lot of things, but you've never seen what I'm going through.

[11:29] We may not say that, but in our heart we think that sometimes. Because we look around and we think, well, everybody I know, they've never faced this. They've never had it as bad as I've had it. They've never walked through a valley as deep as I've walked through.

[11:40] We think to ourselves, God, do you really know what you're doing here? You know, my kids ask me that all the time. Dad, do you know what you're doing? I'm like, of course I know what I'm doing. I'm like, what are we doing?

[11:51] That's what I ask my wife. You know, she has all the answers. Sometimes when we go through things and we're worried about it, we think to ourselves, God, is this really best for me?

[12:03] Like, I know you may know what you're doing, but there's got to be a better way, right? See, that's what worry does. And that's why Jesus addresses it so directly. He comes right out of the gate and says, take no thought for your life.

[12:17] Because at the root, worry is not a mental struggle. It is a trust issue. That's what Jesus is teaching here. Who are we trusting? You know why we generally worry?

[12:28] Because we feel like it's all on our shoulders. That we are the ones that have to handle it. That we have to fix this and we have to do that. And we're trusting ourselves. We've already said, trust in the Lord with all thine heart.

[12:40] Lean not into thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. Now, don't misunderstand. That doesn't mean as believers we can never struggle with anxious thoughts.

[12:54] Because you're thinking to yourself, I'm going to fail this lesson real bad. No, but as we grow in our relationship with Christ, if he is our heavenly father, the more we know him, the more we love him, and the more we love him, the more we trust him.

[13:08] And the more we trust him, worry will flee our life. And see, Jesus wanted them to understand, and he wants us to understand still today, that worry reflects a problem in the heart.

[13:21] And he says, here's why you shouldn't worry. Verse 23, that life is more than meat and the body is more than raiment. See, in other words, he reminds us that life is about much more than surviving.

[13:35] You know, we say things like this, like, how was your week? Oh, man, I'm just surviving. And I get the idea. And I understand what we're saying, but God didn't call us to survive.

[13:48] He called us to thrive. He called us to live. And many people live as life is only about what we're going to eat. Sometimes I feel like that, do you not? I feel like the only question that ever revolves around my house is like, what's for lunch?

[14:02] Like, as we're eating a meal, we're worrying about the next meal. Because we need to know if we need to eat more here, because we may not like that next meal. Like, I need to know what's coming so I can stock up if I don't like what mom's making next time.

[14:16] What we're going to wear are possessions, security. And the tragedy is that many people spend their entire life chasing these things that can't satisfy the soul.

[14:27] That's what the rich fool was about. And Jesus shows us that you can have everything this world has to offer and have nothing to show for it. But as Christians, we can have the one thing that does satisfy and completely forget about it.

[14:42] Completely forget that life is not just about what we're going to eat and what we're going to wear. It's about much more than that. And the thought is these first couple verses as Jesus is introducing this idea to these disciples is that if we're not careful, as his followers today, we can slip into the same mindset.

[15:01] We can drift right into it. And we begin to believe that life is about stuff. It's about earning a little bit more money and having a little bit more security and accumulating just a little bit more things.

[15:12] And the problem with that is the more that we think about things, the more it's going to dominate what we think about. Because what you think about all the time is going to dominate your life.

[15:23] And then you're going to start worrying about it. And you're going to think, well, if this doesn't happen and this doesn't happen, then what's going to happen? And you're just on this vicious cycle. You ever seen a park at a merry-go-round?

[15:35] And those poor kids get on there and they just can't get off because they've got that one bigger kid that just is pushing them around. Sometimes that's how life feels on the worry-mary-go-round. We're thinking, I can't seem to get off of this thing.

[15:48] But as believers, we're reminded over and over and over and over again in Scripture, that's not what life's about. Life's not about that paycheck. It's not about this.

[15:59] Is it important? Yes. We're going to address that in a minute. The Lord knows what you need. And if he knows what we need, we shouldn't be worrying about it. We are to trust him. And it might look, we think, what does it look like in our life, preacher?

[16:12] It might be like constantly checking your bank account because you're afraid something might go wrong. And hoarding it and maybe losing sleep at night, fretting about the future. It might look like measuring success based on what you have instead of who you are becoming.

[16:28] Now, don't misunderstand when Jesus says take no thought. He's not commanding us to live irresponsibly. This isn't like live and let live kind of thing like, well, that ain't my problem anymore.

[16:38] That's not what Jesus is calling us to. But he is reminding us, and I think we all need this reminder, that life isn't about the things that all of us are so often prone to worry about.

[16:52] Because many of the things we worry about all the time, they've come to pass every single time. It's not saying that there's not a blip in the radar every once in a while. But listen, I look around this room this morning, and I feel like we're a people that are blessed.

[17:06] That we have more than we need. And yet we're worrying about, like, what if I don't have enough? And we do. Because Jesus is going to teach us throughout this that life is about knowing God and walking with him.

[17:21] When we walk with the Lord in the light of his way, what a joy he brings. We just sang that in the song. That's where happiness comes from. That's where that blessedness comes from.

[17:31] And when that perspective is in place, and it's not about all the stuff we're worrying about. It's about how can I know God more? How can he be more real in my life? When that is in place, all the overwhelming things, we realize this.

[17:45] They're not as big a deal as I thought they were. They kind of fade into the background just a little bit. And simply put, when our perspective about life becomes distorted, worry quickly follows.

[17:58] And so not only does worry forget what life is about, it also forgets something else that's just as important. It forgets, number two, how much God cares. Because we do.

[18:10] We think, does anybody care? And we put it on Facebook because we want people to say, oh, I'm so sorry. You know why we do that? We want them to care about our problems. But here's a beautiful thing. God cares.

[18:21] And he gives us two illustrations from creation to remind us of that. Verse number 24, the Bible says this. Consider the ravens. For they neither sow nor reap, which neither have storehouse nor barn, and God feedeth them.

[18:36] How much more are ye better than the fowls? I mean, we know this. Birds don't plant crops. If you're ever driving by a field, you look out there and there's a bunch of birds planting seed.

[18:46] You're thinking, what is going on over there? I mean, it's obvious. We know this. And not only that, they don't gather grain into barns. No, no. They steal your food on the patio. Like, let's eat outside.

[18:58] It's so joyful. And then there's all these ravens over here. And you're like, this is my chips and salsa. You stay away from them. Okay, that happens to me. But Jesus says this.

[19:11] They don't plant crops and they don't gather grain. But God still takes care of them. He feeds them. And if you know anything about ravens, they're not like real pretty birds.

[19:23] They're scavengers. They're everywhere. They're just like, get away from me, you creepy bird. You know, every time I see them, I think of like Edgar Allan Poe kind of stuff. Like, just get away from me. Nobody's like, oh, wow, come here.

[19:34] No, no. But God loves them. And he asks the question, how much better are you than this bird? That God, if he's willing to take care of them, if he cares for a scavenger, how much more does he care for his own children?

[19:50] That's the thought behind it. Jesus goes on in verse number 27. He says this. Consider the lilies, how they grow and they toil not and they spin not.

[20:00] And yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these. Same thought. Flowers don't labor like we would look at it.

[20:11] They don't go to work to provide for their family. No, you just wake up in the morning and they're just growing in your yard. Generally, my yard is full of weeds, but they look like pretty weeds sometimes. Little dandelions.

[20:22] They don't spin clothing. They don't dress themselves. And yet Jesus makes this unbelievable contrast and he would have drawn these Israelite minds to Solomon.

[20:33] And they had heard the stories. Read about Solomon. I mean, he had so much gold, he didn't know what to do with it. He just started like, let's just put gold on everything. And Jesus said, even Solomon in all his glory can't even touch the hem of the garment.

[20:48] I mean, you drive around and I'm thankful spring's coming. Because winter's just bleh. Everything's dead. But you look around and there's color. And there's the beauty of it there.

[21:00] And we see and it just reminds us of the creator. And Jesus is saying, listen, even in all, they do nothing. And God clothes them. And the grass and these flowers that come up.

[21:12] And if you live in Texas, you understand this verse very, very personally. They're going to be cast into the oven. That's coming in a couple months. And all that grass you're trying to keep alive, you're like, forget about it.

[21:23] And it's just going to be scorched up. I mean, they're not going to last. I mean, you know, I wish I owned a nursery. You people like, hey, come buy these because in three weeks you're going to have to buy new ones because these will be dead.

[21:35] But when you put them in your yard, you're like, my wife's like, oh, these are so pretty. I'm like, they are. They're so pretty. But if God cares so much for things that don't even last, that have really bring no value to humankind, we see their beauty.

[21:54] How much more will he clothe you? Will he take care of you? Will he give you what you need? He says, oh, ye of little faith. And the simple truth is this, that sometimes worry, it creeps into our lives because we forget who our father is.

[22:14] We believe we would sit in the service and we would talk about the sovereignty of God. We see it from Genesis to Revelation. We see it throughout history. And we see how God's fingerprints and hands were on all of these things.

[22:25] And we would agree that God is in control and he is on the throne. And we would believe that God is the great provider. He is Jehovah Jireh. The Lord will provide. And we would amen that. We would agree with that statement.

[22:36] But when life gets complicated, it's easy to begin living like he really doesn't care for us. But what we know about the character of God is that he cannot change.

[22:46] That he was the same yesterday. He's the same today. And he's always going to be the same. And he has promised time and time and time again that he will take care of our children. And what Jesus does is he points back at creation.

[22:58] And he says, look at those things. They do absolutely nothing. And God takes care of them. You know, maybe a challenge this week is when you see some birds flying around, maybe God just prick your heart and say, listen, I love you more than them.

[23:13] When you go buy all these flowers because it's springtime, don't buy them tonight because it's going to freeze tonight. But when your wife makes you go to the store and you buy them, look at those flowers and just be reminded, man, God loves me more than that.

[23:25] God's working in my life. And it just reminds us that creation itself is a daily reminder that God is caring for what he has made. And we are made in the image of God.

[23:38] We're not some plant. We're not a bird. And when we remember who our father is, it changes how we face life's uncertainties. But Jesus adds another reason why worry has no place in the life of a believer.

[23:52] Number three. It's because worry accomplishes absolutely nothing. Look at verse number 25. The Bible says this.

[24:02] And which of you, with taking thought, can add to his stature one cubit? I know this is true. Because when I was in middle school, I thought all the time about being taller.

[24:17] Because I wanted to go to the NBA. That was my goal. I thought, man, I know I'm 80 pounds, but if I was three inches taller, I would definitely be in the NBA. And I thought about it all the time.

[24:28] And I would do all these weird exercises and trying to stretch my legs and help me jump faster, jump higher. But guess what? I was the same height every time that they did it. And it's just kind of how it is.

[24:38] I know we know that. But here's what Jesus is saying. Is what you're worrying about, is it actually going to change it? We think about all these things. He says in verse number 26. If ye, then being not able to do that thing which is least, which is kind of crazy that he says that.

[24:53] I think growing a couple inches would be a pretty impressive feat. Somebody said, hey, how'd you grow? I was just thinking about it last night. And here I am, two inches taller.

[25:06] But Jesus says, that's not even a big deal. Why could he say that? Well, he's the creator of all things. He said, if you can't even do that, if you can't just make yourself just a little bit taller, why are you letting worry dominate the rest of your life?

[25:20] It's not going to change tomorrow's problems. It's not going to change the outcome of events. It can't not control the future. It doesn't solve the problem. Here's what worry does. It just drains our strength for the present.

[25:32] That's what Jesus says. In fact, the Bible repeatedly reminds us the future ultimately rests in the hands of God. James chapter 4, verse number 14. For what is your life?

[25:43] It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away. That we're here and we're under God's provision and he's the one that is giving us life.

[25:54] Psalm 127 in the first couple of verses reminds us, if the Lord doesn't build the house, it's not going to get built. The idea is this, that apart from God, nothing's going to happen. That he is the one that is leading us and that's exactly what Jesus is exposing here.

[26:09] I think the reason we're so prone to worry is because it promises control. Well, if I worry about it, then I'm going to have to do something about it.

[26:20] And as long as I worry, then I'm in control of my own destiny. No, here's what it gives. Frustration. Because you know what we think? I'm so frustrated. I've been worried about this all week, preacher, and nothing's happened.

[26:32] Well, I'm sorry. I could have told you that. Because that's what it does. See, if worry can't even accomplish the little things, we cannot dwell on it.

[26:44] I mean, think about how often we replace situations in our mind that we're worrying about. Some of you might have a conversation, your boss says, hey, we're going to have a meeting on Monday.

[26:56] This was last week. And you have been worrying about it and worrying about it and worrying about it. What if they say this? And what if he does that? And then what if I don't have a job? And then we're living in a cardboard box. Don't act like you've ever thought that.

[27:09] I mean, we do. And guess what? Sometimes that conversation never even happens. Sometimes we worry about it and he comes in and says, hey, I've noticed you've done a really good job of giving you a raise. And you were certain. I mean, you've sold all your possessions because you thought you were losing everything.

[27:22] I mean, I know that seems extreme, but sometimes that's where our mind runs that direction. We imagine scenarios that most likely will never take place. But in our mind, we're pretty certain of it.

[27:34] We run through every possible outcome and try to prepare ourselves for the worst case scenario. When I was in sixth grade, I called my mom to verify that I was in sixth grade.

[27:49] I was at school and I was kind of, you know, just trying to do all different things, you know, doing this and just trying to make time fly. And I was scratching my neck like this and I realized there was a bump right here.

[28:02] And I just started like rubbing it. It's like, what is that? And, you know, when you stretch it, you're like, when I go down, I can't feel it, but then I do this. And basically, probably like second or third period, I was certain I had a tumor right here.

[28:17] And I rubbed my neck all day long. And I was like, what is this? I'm like, it's some sort of growth. Like, how can I be like 12 or 13 years old?

[28:28] I've never felt this. I'm like, it must have happened last night when I was sleeping. And I rubbed and I rubbed and I got in the car and my mom could obviously tell something was wrong with me. And I was like, mom, we need to go to the doctor.

[28:39] She's like, what is wrong with your neck? I mean, it was visibly red. Because I just went like this all day. I'm like, what is that? I said, I have a tumor in my neck. And she said, that's called an Adam's apple.

[28:51] I'm like, oh yeah, that's what it is. But I had worried about it all day at school. I was sick to my stomach because I thought I was dying.

[29:05] Don't act like you've never thought of something dumb like that. Come to find out, I was great. I'm like, all right, I'm going to the park now. You know what worry does? It just robs us of peace in the present.

[29:17] I had no peace or joy that day because I thought, this might be the last day on earth. And I'm spending it at school. And I didn't want to do that. But see, what Jesus is doing here is he is not making fun of us.

[29:31] He is not being mean to us. No, he's calling us to live differently. Because that's what the world lives for. It lives for the here and now. They worry about all this stuff. Why? Because that's all they have to live for.

[29:43] They don't have a father in heaven that loves them, that sent his son to take their place on the cross of Calvary and gave them life and gave them life everlasting. And what worry does is it can't change tomorrow.

[29:54] But it can certainly steal the joy that God has for us for tomorrow. See, Jesus has shown us that what worry does, that it distracts us from what really matters. It forgets how much God cares.

[30:05] It accomplishes absolutely nothing. But I'm thankful as we close this text, Jesus shows us the cure for worry. He shows us this, that worry is replaced by seeking God first.

[30:19] What he does here in these two verses, in verse 29 and 30, is he really, he contrasts two different mindsets. Verse 29, it says, And seek not ye what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of a doubtful mind.

[30:36] For all these things do the nations of the world seek after. And your Father knoweth that you have need of these things. So what he does here in the first part of verse 29 and 30 is that he begins to show us how the world lives their life.

[30:52] When he talks about the word nations, what he's really saying is the Gentile world are people who do not have a relationship with God. He's saying, listen, you don't need to live like that.

[31:04] Look around, that's how the world lives because they don't know me. They don't have a Father that loves them and takes care of them. He does love them and he wanted all people to come to repentance. But the vast majority of the world doesn't know that.

[31:17] That God cares for them. But he says this, As a child of God, you don't have to live that way because I know what you need. That's what the end of verse number 30 says. Notice what Jesus does not say.

[31:31] He does not say our needs are not important. No, he makes it very clear that he knows what things we do need. That our needs, your needs aren't, it's not that they're not important.

[31:44] He doesn't say that food or clothing don't matter. They do. Listen, he designed us. He designed food to give us energy and to give us strength. But don't miss this. Believers do not face life as spiritual orphans trying to survive on their own.

[31:59] No, we live under the care of a heavenly Father who loves us and willing and wanting to take care of us. That's what he's reminding. Listen, as a child, I don't know if my parents struggled here or there.

[32:13] I just knew this. They take care of me. I didn't know a whole lot, but I trusted that, hey, there's going to be a meal. And looking back now, I probably complained a lot more about things than I should have.

[32:25] Just throwing that out there. It's expensive feeding people. But listen, God wants to take care of us. He's willing to take care of us.

[32:38] And that's why Jesus gives this command that is really central to the passage. He said, don't live like that. God knows what you need. And here's what he says in verse 31.

[32:49] He said, if you want to worry about something, worry about this. But rather, seek ye the kingdom of God. He said, if you think you have to worry, I want you to worry about seeking me.

[33:01] I want your life to be consumed about knowing me. But seek ye the kingdom of God. And the Bible tells us there, and all these things. What things? All the things you're worrying about, God's going to take care of that.

[33:14] What does that mean? Here's what Jesus is saying. Instead of allowing our lives to revolve around material concerns, he's calling us to pursue something far greater.

[33:29] Him. That's why when it says, seek ye first the kingdom of God. What does that mean? We're seeking him. We're not seeking a location. We're not seeking a kingdom like we would think.

[33:41] Oh, there's a castle and there's all these things. No. What does every kingdom have? Has a ruler. Who is ruling this kingdom? God is. And to seek the kingdom of God means that we are seeking the rule and the reign of God in our lives.

[33:54] And when God is in control, our priorities and our thoughts and our decisions are filtered through that idea. That's what he's teaching here. See, our first question is no longer, how can I secure my life?

[34:10] No, when we're seeking God, here's what our question has become. Lord, how can I honor you with my life? Lord, how can I let my light shine? Lord, how can I live for your purposes? Lord, how can I advance your kingdom?

[34:23] See, when we're not worrying about all the other things and we're just worrying about God and we're focusing on him and our life is pointed to him, it changes how we approach our work and our families and our decisions and our priorities because we're not worrying about, well, I've got to get this and move it here and store it here.

[34:38] No, Lord, what do you want from me? I want what you want from me. Because the more you love him and the more you trust him, you're going to realize this, that he has your best interest at heart.

[34:50] You know what I've come to find out? I don't even have my best interest at heart. I think I do. And then sometimes the Lord lets me get those things. I'm thinking, Lord, why'd you let me get these things?

[35:01] Because he needs to teach me a lesson sometimes. Don't misunderstand. Jesus isn't promising a life of luxury. He's promising something better. He's promising that when God's kingdom and his rule in our life is our priority, that God himself will take responsibility for what we need.

[35:21] What a place to be. Listen, all those things you may be worrying about this past week, have you given them to God? They've weighed you down.

[35:31] They've exhausted you of your strength. And God said, well, why don't you give them to me? Why don't you lay them down? See, when the kingdom of God becomes our priority in our lives, our grip on the things of this world loosens, and our confidence in his leadership and his ability to take care of us grows.

[35:50] And naturally, it leads to the final truth that Jesus gives us, that worry is replaced by trusting our Father. Jesus comes to the end of this section in verse 32.

[36:04] And I love the tenderness that you see in verse 32. Fear not, little flock. It's so comforting. And they are a little flock.

[36:16] These disciples, these early followers of Christ, they were small. They were a vulnerable group. They were unable really to protect themselves.

[36:28] But here's what Jesus reminds them. You're not alone. You're not without protection. Because I'm the good shepherd. And I take care of my sheep. I'm the one watching over you.

[36:39] And Jesus gives them the reason they can live without fear. He says at the end of that verse 32, Listen, it doesn't just simply say he'll give you the kingdom, that he's going to give you the things that you need.

[36:54] He says it's his good pleasure. Let me just remind you this morning, God is not a reluctant father. God is not hesitant.

[37:05] He does not care for you begrudgingly. That's not how he operates. Because sometimes as an earthly father, I know it's my job to take care of my children, but sometimes I'm like, I'm so tired of it.

[37:18] I can say that because it's real in my life. And it's probably real in your life. But then I'm reminded of how my father treats me. And that I'm supposed to be a picture of that to my own children.

[37:30] And that God is not reluctant with me. And he's not hesitant. And he's like, fine, get whatever you need. No, that he loves me constantly. That he loves me consistently. And the father, here's what it reminds us, delights in caring for those that belong to him.

[37:44] And when that is true, and when that is real in your life, that's why God can call us to live a way that is completely different than the world. He says in verse 33, sell that you have and give on.

[37:59] He's not telling us just to get rid of everything, to sell it all and abandon possessions. But here's what he's calling us to do. Because we trust him. Because he cares for us. Because we know that he loves us.

[38:10] And it's his good pleasure to take care of us. That we can live with open hands instead of clenched fist. That we're not living for the here and now. No, we get to do something even better.

[38:21] We begin to invest in eternity. Because why? Because where our treasure is, there will our heart be also. That is what he is teaching us. See, everything stored on earth is temporary.

[38:32] It can rust. It can be stolen. It can disappear. But treasures invested in the kingdom of heaven, of God, never fade. That every act of obedience, every sacrifice for Christ, every investment in the work of God, every act of generosity is for his glory.

[38:50] And he's going to store it where he promises it's going to be kept safe. And see, verse 34, what it really does is it just reveals the condition of our heart.

[39:03] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Think about it. I worry about so many things here sometimes.

[39:16] But you know what? I've never worried about heaven because I trust God is going to do that. I trust God with my soul. I'm not perfect, but I know this, that if I were to close my eyes in death today, I will wake up and see the Lord based on the word of God, not on anything I've done.

[39:34] And I can trust him without it. I've never worried about that to that degree. But I can't tell you how many times I've worried about a bill, about this, about when gas prices are going to go down.

[39:47] Let's just bring it where we live. The Lord knows. And he said, where's your heart? Well, what are you focused on? Because if you're focused on your things, you're going to worry about it.

[39:58] But if you're focused on him, you'll realize this. He knows what he's doing. He's got it in control. See, our heart always follows our treasure.

[40:10] What we value most, whatever we pursue most, wherever we invest most, that's where our heart will ultimately settle. And if our treasury is in possessions and security and success, our hearts are going to just find worry and we're going to live there.

[40:30] But when our treasure is in Christ and his kingdom, our hearts are going to be given a deeper sense of security. A security not tied to circumstances or not rooted in the world, but in the unchanging character of God.

[40:47] And that kind of trust can deliver your heart from worry. That's what Jesus wants us to live that way. See, worry is one of the most common struggles we face.

[40:59] But Jesus says it doesn't have to be that way. Just because it's common doesn't mean we have to live there. Because we're different now. We're not of this world. Paul tells us our citizenship is in heaven now.

[41:13] And I just want to leave this with you this morning. That the same God who feeds the birds and clothes the flowers is the same God who is caring for you.

[41:24] If you know him as your savior, if you place your faith and trust in Christ, he has promised to take care of you. So seek first his kingdom and trust him with the rest.

[41:37] That's what Jesus is calling us to do. Would you stand with your heads back?