Upside Down Kingdom: Mission & Message | Week 11 | Don't Worry, Trust the King | Matthew 6:25-34

Week 11 | Don't Worry, Trust the King

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." - Matthew 6:33-34

Matthew 6:25-34
 
What are we worried about? We are very fearful people. We have fears about how we are going to provide for ourselves or others. Fears of loneliness, fears of what others think of us, fears of not living up to others’ expectations or our own, fear of loss, and fear of the unknown. Jesus knows our fears and answers our anxiety with what is true about God the Father and how He is for us each day.

What is Life? (6:25-26) - Don’t be Anxious. He doesn’t say, if you get anxious or when you get anxious. Jesus tells us to not be anxious because he knows we already are. When we are anxious, we are seeing our problems as bigger than the God who made us and gives us life. We turn worry into worship when we remember what is true. Life is more than, but not less than, survival. We are made to thrive as we are loved by God. Yes, we have daily needs, but God loves us more than the birds, who find fresh food daily, so we have assurance He will provide for us.

Anxiety Does Not Produce, It Takes Away (6:27-30) – It would be great if simply being told to not be anxious took our anxieties away. Jesus goes further to tell us how fruitless our worries can be because He does not want us focused on futility. Jesus gives us more than a command to not be anxious for our benefit, He goes further explaining why we don’t need to be. God is the creator and Author of our lives and everything. He makes the birds of the air and the flowers of the fields. He provides for the birds even when they do not plan. He makes flowers beautiful to show He is the source of all beauty. We are valuable to God and He care for us.

Your Father, The King, Knows What You Need (6:31-34) – God is intimately aware of everything in our lives. He cares about the details of our lives. He knows all the hairs on your head because he made you. He knows what you need to survive. He also knows every aspect of our lives we are worried about. While you are worrying anxiously concerned about yourself with what may or may not come, God is orchestrating a billion details in and around your/our lives that we don’t even think about. He knows how each day has its own trouble, so we trust and focus on today.

QUESTIONS: 

1. What part of the text or sermon had the greatest impact on you? Did you learn anything new about Jesus or anxiety?
2. What are your fears? What gives you the greatest insecurity or anxiety? What would it look like to gives these to God?
3. When has worry or anxiety robbed you of joy? How do you wish you would have responded? What are we called to focus on and pursue in our anxiety?
4. When have you experienced God’s protection or provision in a way that gave you greater confidence in His character?

PRAY –  Praise God the Father for knowing what we need and His care for us. Thank Jesus for knowing our worries and calling us to casts them on the Lord who provides. Ask the Holy Spirit to meet your anxiety and worry with peace and comfort.