WEBVTT 00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:20.480 Welcome to the Ambassador Church Podcast, a church in the city for the city, on Milwaukee's east side. 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:27.039 We pray this message meets you where you are, challenges your faith, and draws you closer to Jesus. 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:31.440 It's good to see you all this morning. 00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:37.280 Um, this summer, if you haven't been here yet, we have been going through the Sermon on the Mount. 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:40.479 And so our series has been affectionately called The Summer on the Mount. 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:44.799 And so we've been taking a look at Jesus' best sermon ever. 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:51.439 And this week we're going to continue on in Matthew chapter six uh from where we were last week. 00:00:51.679 --> 00:00:57.520 Last week, if you missed that, Jared covered uh chapter six, verses 19 through 24. 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:06.000 Um, and we saw Jesus talking about fun things like money and possessions of in the reality that we cannot serve both God and money. 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:08.640 So if you missed that one, go back and listen to it. 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:14.640 I really wish we would have had the second service recorded because if any was anybody here at the 11 a.m. 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:15.519 service last week? 00:01:15.760 --> 00:01:16.480 A couple of you? 00:01:16.640 --> 00:01:16.879 Okay. 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:25.439 So Jared's in the middle of teaching on uh on money, and he drops the line from Jesus uh that money is the root of all kinds of evil. 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:27.359 And I'm not exaggerating. 00:01:27.519 --> 00:01:34.640 There was the loudest thunderclap I've ever heard in my entire life, and the power went out right after he said that. 00:01:34.959 --> 00:01:36.079 Dead silence. 00:01:36.319 --> 00:01:50.239 So, like, I'm low-key really scared to say that phrase now because somebody in the room needed to hear that, and I don't know who did, if that's you, hopefully that's sunk in because that's about as extreme as we can get right now, other than just straight up being smited. 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:56.400 So, um, so what's gonna happen this week uh is we're gonna continue on in Matthew chapter six. 00:01:56.480 --> 00:02:06.400 So we're gonna follow up from that passage that Jared taught on last week, and we're gonna bridge the gap between money and this next topic of worry and anxiety. 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:10.400 So if you have your the crowd, you guys just went dead silent when I said that. 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:10.800 That's great. 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:11.840 Love that for us. 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:16.240 Um if you have your Bibles, you can go ahead and start turning to Matthew chapter six if you haven't already. 00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:19.360 We're gonna start in verse 25 this morning. 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:21.520 Um, don't be afraid to use the table of contents. 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:29.840 And if you don't have a physical copy of God's word, you can borrow one in the pews around you, or we would love to give you one for free back at the Connect table. 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:33.039 We want you to have a physical copy of God's word. 00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:39.360 Um, but while you're turning there, I want to start with a personal story from my own life. 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:47.520 In the winter of 2024, 2025, uh, I experienced my first panic attack. 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:51.439 We were living in Madison at the time. 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:54.560 We were getting ready to actually plant this church. 00:02:54.719 --> 00:02:58.800 Um, and there was one night I was sitting there uh with my wife, Madison. 00:02:59.120 --> 00:03:05.680 Um, we were watching, I don't know, some sort of show, uh, whatever we were trying to cure our winter blues with. 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:11.120 And I just remember feeling like I thought I was having a heart attack. 00:03:11.360 --> 00:03:12.960 And it was just, we were sitting there. 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:15.199 I don't know, we weren't doing anything strenuous. 00:03:15.439 --> 00:03:21.039 I was laying on our couch watching a show with my wife, and I felt like I was having a heart attack. 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:26.240 And I remember sitting there going, What's happening right now? 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:29.759 Like, am I like am I what what's going on? 00:03:29.919 --> 00:03:32.240 My my grandfather had a heart attack, right? 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:35.919 I'm like, I'm like, is this some sort of genetic thing that I'm experiencing right now? 00:03:36.159 --> 00:03:39.280 Like I my mind started to race. 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:41.759 And at the time we just had my son Bo. 00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:47.919 We didn't have our daughter Bella yet, and and my wife could not take me to the ER without waking up our son. 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:53.759 And so I did what I thought was the next logical step, and I called Jared, our lead pastor. 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:58.240 And so I called Jared to come and pick me up and take me to the ER. 00:03:58.319 --> 00:04:02.159 And the whole time I'm thinking, man, I don't know why I have this like this chest pain. 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:04.400 Like, I just I feel like I'm having a heart attack. 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:06.000 I need to go get this figured out. 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:11.439 My heart was like, I had a I had heart palpitations, all of these symptoms I'd never really had before. 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:13.280 And so Jared took me to the ER. 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:20.800 He drove up in the minivan, dropped me off at the front door, and I checked in because I thought, guys, I'm having a heart attack. 00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:32.480 And so what ended up ensuing was about three hours worth of testing and talking with doctors and trying to get to the bottom of what was happening to me. 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:37.920 And eventually, after they went through their long checklist of things, I don't know, you med students can check me on this. 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:43.680 I don't know what you do in the process of checking for heart attack symptoms, but whatever that was, they ran through the whole thing. 00:04:43.920 --> 00:04:53.279 And I remember this doctor that really didn't look like he wanted to be there at all, looked at me and he was like, Are you feeling anxious about anything? 00:04:55.680 --> 00:05:00.720 I'm like, No, I'm not feeling anxious about anything, right? 00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:01.759 Why? 00:05:02.399 --> 00:05:12.560 I was feeling super overwhelmed and anxious about what we were about to do as a family and a church body of coming here to Milwaukee to plant a church. 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:18.319 I was overwhelmed to the point where I thought I had a heart attack. 00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:27.040 And the reality started to set in that I had a panic attack. 00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:31.439 It was overwhelming for me. 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:45.040 And even after they told me that's probably what was happening to me, and that I realized that I was feeling anxious about what we were about to go do, I was constantly on edge after that for the next attack. 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:55.680 Like if you were around me during that time, and some of you were in Madison, I was physically present, but I was emotionally and relationally distant from the people around me. 00:05:55.759 --> 00:05:57.920 That includes my wife and my kids. 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:01.439 I was bad at my job. 00:06:01.920 --> 00:06:04.480 I remember having a mid-year performance review. 00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:07.279 Like, hey, do you want to do you want a church plant? 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:09.360 Like, do you want to do this thing? 00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:19.279 Because I was so bad at my job because I was letting worry and anxiety run rampant in my mind and in my life. 00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:30.639 And I remember finally I sat down in our lead pastor's office and I finally told him, I was like, hey, this is what's happening. 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:33.439 Like, I can't function right now. 00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:50.560 The panic is too much, the worry is too much, the anxiety is too much, but I know for a fact that God has brought me here in order to go to the next place in Milwaukee to do what we're about to do, but I don't know what to do next. 00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:58.959 And I'm saying this with tears coming down my face because I know what I'm supposed to do, but I feel like I can't do it. 00:07:01.040 --> 00:07:20.959 And I remember sitting there, my shirt wet from the droplets of tears, and I got this realization about how, even in the peak of my anxiety, my distress, my absolute mess of a winter, that God had never left me. 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:25.759 God had never forsaken me. 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:34.160 He had never stopped providing for me, he had never stopped being a good God, even though I was a worrisome wreck of a son. 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:41.040 Now I share that with you, not because I want to make today about me. 00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:42.800 Today's not about me. 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:44.720 I never want to do that. 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:56.480 But I share that because I want y'all to know that if you are struggling with anxiety or worry in any form, that you are not the only one who is or has before. 00:07:56.720 --> 00:08:06.959 I want you to know that even people who are in vocational ministry like myself can have bouts of worry and anxiety to the point where they think they're having a heart attack. 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:13.120 I want you to know that church staff were not perfect people. 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:18.879 I know you know if you spent enough time around us, but I want to say that from stage, we are not perfect people. 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:23.040 And we are people who can get anxious just like you. 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:32.879 And what I learned that winter wasn't just about my personal survival, it was the realization that I was not alone in this struggle. 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:37.360 Like everybody gets anxious in some way, shape, or form. 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:41.360 Like I don't care who you are in the room right now, we have all experienced this. 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:45.440 And this is not an isolated issue, but a widespread problem. 00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:51.440 Okay, so the reality is, y'all, that worry and anxiety is a problem for all of the world. 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:53.519 Okay, not just a handful of people. 00:08:53.600 --> 00:09:00.399 And not only is it currently a problem, but it has been a problem for thousands of years. 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:12.399 Okay, so even in ancient Israel, it was a big enough problem for Jesus to make sure the topic of worry and anxiety had a reserved spot in the Sermon on the Mount. 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:20.480 Okay, so this morning we're gonna open up our passage to see what Jesus has to say about these two sort of interchangeable topics of worry and anxiety. 00:09:20.559 --> 00:09:24.480 So he's gonna use the term worry, it's simultaneous with anxiety. 00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:31.120 And so, with that, hopefully, that was enough time for us to get to Matthew 6, 25. 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:33.600 So let's dive into our passage this morning. 00:09:33.759 --> 00:09:35.360 If you got it, say got it. 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:37.200 Good. 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:38.159 That's where we should be. 00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:39.679 All right, verse 25. 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:48.639 Therefore I tell you, don't worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. 00:09:48.879 --> 00:09:52.559 Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing? 00:09:52.879 --> 00:09:54.320 Consider the birds of the sky. 00:09:54.399 --> 00:09:58.799 They don't sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly father feeds them. 00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:00.799 Aren't you worth more than they? 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:06.480 Can any one of you add one moment to his lifespan by worrying? 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:08.720 And why do we worry about clothes? 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:11.039 Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow. 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:18.080 They don't labor or spin thread, yet I tell you that not even Solomon and all of his splendor was adorned like one of these. 00:10:18.480 --> 00:10:26.879 If that's how God clothes the f grass of the field which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won't he do much more from you, you of little faith? 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:30.879 So don't worry saying, What will we eat, or what will we drink, or what will we wear? 00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:36.159 For the Gentiles eagerly seek these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:42.399 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. 00:10:42.799 --> 00:10:47.120 Therefore, don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:51.120 Each day has enough worry on its own. 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:59.919 So Jesus is going to start this section of his sermon on worry and anxiety with something pretty profound. 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:05.200 Okay, he says in verse 25, he says, Therefore I tell you, don't worry. 00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:08.159 Great. 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:13.759 Like, have you ever told somebody don't worry when they're right in the middle of their peak of worrying? 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:18.960 Like, like husbands in the room, you ever say to your wife, don't worry about it, just chill out. 00:11:19.759 --> 00:11:21.759 No, you haven't, or else you'd be with Jesus right now. 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:22.720 You know what I'm saying? 00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:31.519 But in all seriousness, this is Jesus' first choice in how to start this teaching on worry and anxiety by saying, Don't worry. 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:34.399 Okay, now why would he start it this way? 00:11:34.639 --> 00:11:48.879 Because Jesus is going to start talking about the cure for anxiety by telling his audience about the first step in the process of curing it, and that is addressing the problem with worry and anxiety. 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:55.120 Okay, Jesus doesn't begin with a suggestion, he begins with a statement. 00:11:55.200 --> 00:12:05.279 And sure, it can seem sort of like insensitive if you just stop reading after don't worry, but Jesus is going to go on and explain why it's not good to worry about your life. 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:07.679 Okay, verse 25, he said this. 00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:11.840 Therefore, I tell you, don't worry about your life. 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:16.960 What you will eat or what you will drink or about your body or what you will wear. 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:21.200 Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing? 00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:26.159 Don't worry about your life. 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:33.440 Don't worry about what you'll have for food or whatever is happening to your body or whatever clothes you think you might need down the line. 00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:34.320 Why? 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:38.559 Because life is so much more than that. 00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:42.960 And you were made for so much more than that. 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:57.759 And the problem that the people had then and that we do now is that we're letting the emotions of worry and anxiety lead us in how we think, speak, and act, and they were never supposed to do so. 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:02.960 We worry about not getting the promotion that we want so badly. 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:06.960 So it detracts us from how present we are at work and even at home. 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:14.399 We worry about not getting the bonus at the end of the year because money's been tight and you really want to go take that nice vacation that you've been planning. 00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:24.000 We worry about not having enough clothes in our closet when we already have 15 more outfits than Jesus and his disciples ever had, and we look at it and we say, I have nothing to wear. 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:33.120 We can let these emotions cripple our ability to enjoy the good, good gift of life for what it is. 00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:39.759 This is an incredible gift and blessing, this life that we have. 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:46.480 But when we let worry and anxiety lead us, what does that actually do for you? 00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:50.480 What does worry actually do for you? 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:51.840 What does it give you? 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:53.840 Nothing. 00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:57.840 Jesus says this in verse 27. 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:06.399 He says, Can you add, can any of you add one moment to his lifespan by worrying? 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:09.120 That's rhetorical. 00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:11.679 The answer's no. 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:14.879 Worry cannot extend your life. 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:21.120 Worry cannot give you more years, more months, more days, more hours, more minutes, more seconds. 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:23.200 It can't do anything. 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:25.279 So why do we worry? 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:30.480 Well, we have a trust problem. 00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:42.559 We let worry and anxiety lead us because ultimately we don't trust that God will be the good God that He truly is and take care of His people. 00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:59.120 We don't like to admit this out loud, whether it's subtle distrust of God or not so subtle, but when we let worry and anxiety lead us, we try to put the control of our life into our own hands, and we end up conveying to Jesus, I don't trust you to take care of me. 00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:15.840 But here's the thing if we trust Him to take care of us in eternity, but we don't trust Him to take care of us in this life, what does that say about our trust in God as a follower of Jesus? 00:15:17.679 --> 00:15:27.759 What does that say about our faith if we believe that God is big enough to save us from eternal punishment and separation from him, but he isn't big enough to make sure your family has enough to eat this month? 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:38.799 What does that say about our faith if we believe that God can heal the sick and perform miracle after miracle, but he isn't big enough to make sure we have enough money for what we need? 00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:43.919 Is God somehow less powerful here than in heaven? 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:49.600 Like is God somehow less faithful of a father while we're still here on earth? 00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:52.320 By no means. 00:15:54.000 --> 00:16:02.159 The same God that's faithful to save you from your sins by grace through faith is the same God that wants you to trust him to take care of you in this life. 00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:09.679 God wants you to stop worrying about your life because he is the one who's holding it, not you. 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:18.240 See, worry looks at what you lack, but trust looks at who holds your life. 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:22.879 God wants you to trust him. 00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:30.559 Not just for your salvation in eternity, but for your life here and now because it's in the palm of his hand. 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:48.480 And when we know that God doesn't just save us in eternity, but provides for us what we need in this life right now, we can give up letting our worries and anxieties lead us, and ultimately we can get to step two of trusting the provider. 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:54.799 See, Jesus doesn't just address that there's a problem and sort of like leave it. 00:16:54.960 --> 00:17:00.080 He doesn't just say, like, worrying is a problem, don't do it, worry can't do anything for you and be done. 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:05.839 But he actually tells us why we don't have to worry and why we can trust that God will provide. 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:10.880 He says this in verse 26 Consider the birds of the sky. 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:15.680 They don't sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:17.759 Aren't you worth more than they? 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:24.400 Like you ever walked around here and seen like sparrows in the trees, right? 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:27.920 You don't really notice them right until they bug you. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:28.559 Okay? 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:35.440 They don't have a refrigerator, they don't have a freezer, they don't have a pantry, they don't have anything. 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:39.359 But yet Jesus says, your heavenly father feeds them. 00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:45.440 Like the little birds that you only notice when they annoy you are getting fed by God, even them. 00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:48.319 They are being provided for. 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:59.759 Like, have you ever thought about think about all the thousands of little animals who are nowhere near us on the food chain, and yet they're getting what they need. 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:07.039 But yet, we can struggle with the idea of God doing the same thing for us. 00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:12.079 Did you catch the question at the end there from Jesus? 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:14.559 Verse 26, don't miss this. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:19.440 Aren't you worth more than they are? 00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:33.279 You, a human being created in the image of God Himself, you are worth infinitely more to God than those birds that he provides for. 00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:41.200 So why aren't we trusting him to do for his beloved what he does for even the blue jay? 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:49.039 Like, why wouldn't we expect not only that level of provision, but even more so? 00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:55.440 God is a provider. 00:18:57.599 --> 00:19:01.680 He's not just some heavenly bird feeder, but he provides in all the ways. 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:06.960 Verse 28, it says this, and why do you worry about clothes? 00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:10.640 Observe how the wildfire flowers of the field grow. 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:12.799 They don't labor or spin thread. 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:19.519 Yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:30.000 If that's how God closed the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won't he do much more for you, you of little faith? 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:35.920 Have you ever looked at a field full of wildflowers before? 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:38.079 I had to think about this growing up in Iowa. 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:39.119 There are wildflowers. 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:41.920 If there's no if there's not farmland, there's probably wildflowers. 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:50.319 But if you've ever looked down, you've driven down a country road and you just see a field full of gorgeous wildflowers blowing in the wind. 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:56.559 No person actually went out and potted them and planted them. 00:19:57.119 --> 00:19:59.359 Yet they are just there. 00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:04.000 They're there because God did that. 00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:06.480 God provided for them. 00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:17.279 Amongst all the other things that God created, He even took time to make things like temporary wildflowers for us to admire and to enjoy, even if they're here for a few weeks at a time. 00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:25.359 God chose to provide for them and clothe them with petals and color, even though I can't see much of it because I'm colorblind, we can talk about that later. 00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:33.279 But God clothes them in beauty that wasn't even matched by the richest person to ever live's wardrobe. 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:34.079 Okay? 00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:36.240 It's better than that. 00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:38.559 It's more incredible than that. 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:49.759 And if God did that for the wildflowers, if he provided that abundantly for those temporary plants in the field, won't he do infinitely more for us? 00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:55.440 Did you see what Jesus says there at the end of verse 30? 00:20:56.400 --> 00:20:58.079 You catch that little comment. 00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:01.759 You of little faith. 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:28.640 And Jesus isn't saying this like there's some expectation for like every hour of every day you should be 100% full of faith, never doubting, never wrestling. 00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:33.200 We can't do that because we are broken, sinful humans. 00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:42.480 Okay, but what he's trying to do is he's trying to tie the listeners' level of worry with their level of faith that God will provide for them. 00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:50.160 Like if you're letting worry run rampant within you, you won't have a whole lot of room for your faith. 00:21:52.880 --> 00:22:06.720 Jesus wants his audience and us to know that when we choose to not let worry and anxiety lead us, when we try Trust in the provider, when we have faith that God will provide for us, we're right where we're supposed to be. 00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:15.359 One of my favorite names for God that we see in the Bible, it comes from Genesis chapter 22. 00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:15.920 Okay. 00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:17.839 Familiar with this story off the top? 00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:18.799 Bible nerds? 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:19.920 Yeah, you know what I'm talking about? 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:20.960 Genesis 22? 00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:23.039 We don't have time to fully go there this morning. 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:25.359 It won't be up on the screens, but you should read it this week on your own. 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:26.480 Genesis 22. 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:30.480 But it's the story of Abraham and Isaac. 00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:37.440 Okay, and God had just told Abraham to sacrifice his one and only son. 00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:40.640 And Isaac was who he waited. 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:46.480 Abraham waited decades into his old age to have as his first child. 00:22:46.960 --> 00:22:52.400 And God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on an altar to him. 00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:54.799 And what does Abraham do? 00:22:55.119 --> 00:22:56.480 He doesn't go bump that, God. 00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:57.200 I'm not doing that. 00:22:57.279 --> 00:22:57.920 This is my kid. 00:22:58.000 --> 00:22:59.440 This is my only kid. 00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:00.480 No. 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:06.400 Abraham takes Isaac up the mountain to sacrifice him as God asked him to. 00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:07.200 Okay? 00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:14.240 He has faith in what God is trying to do, and he's willing to kill his only child. 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:23.759 And the story goes, he takes the knife up and he's ready to sacrifice his son, and God says, wait, don't do it. 00:23:24.880 --> 00:23:27.039 I've seen your faith. 00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:33.279 And I will provide the sacrifice for you today. 00:23:33.839 --> 00:23:37.440 Spare your son because I have provided. 00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:51.519 And Abraham, with the knife still in his hand, he looks up and he sees a ram stuck in a bush that God provided for him to sacrifice instead. 00:23:53.359 --> 00:24:03.119 And it's in this story where we see the Lord called Jehovah Jira, which means the Lord will provide. 00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:07.519 Notice what it doesn't mean. 00:24:07.920 --> 00:24:11.680 It doesn't mean the Lord did provide. 00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:15.920 It doesn't mean the Lord has provided. 00:24:16.720 --> 00:24:19.920 It means the Lord will provide. 00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:30.640 This is a name spoken to God, sure, but it's also a look into what God has done, is doing, and will continue to do. 00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:32.160 Provide. 00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:36.720 He is the provider. 00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:40.160 He is Jehovah Jirah. 00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:43.920 And Jesus' audience would know that name for the Lord. 00:24:44.559 --> 00:24:54.240 They would have heard that story hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of times of Abraham being willing to, in faith, sacrifice his only son Isaac. 00:24:54.400 --> 00:25:04.079 And they've seen how it's not just with Abraham, but all over the story of God's people that he has indeed provided for them time and time again. 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:13.920 And what Jesus is trying to remind the people of is that God has no intentions of stopping his provision. 00:25:16.319 --> 00:25:22.880 He's trying to tell them that they need to trust the provider to do what only he can do. 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:35.519 And because we've established that God is our provider, the only logical response is to pivot our energy, which leads us to step three, and that's make the pivot. 00:25:37.680 --> 00:25:46.000 Okay, when we begin to trust the provider more, what happens is our time spent on worrying actually decreases. 00:25:46.319 --> 00:25:46.559 Right? 00:25:46.720 --> 00:25:56.880 When we fill ourselves up with trust in God and faith that He will provide for us, the space and time to spend worrying slowly begins to disappear. 00:25:58.400 --> 00:26:11.440 But what if we actually chose to channel our energy and time spent on worrying into energy and time spent doing something that actually helps heal us of our anxieties and grow along the way? 00:26:12.160 --> 00:26:15.039 Okay, watch what Jesus does here, verse 31. 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:20.960 So don't worry saying, What will we eat or what will we drink or what will we wear? 00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:37.759 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows you need them, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. 00:26:39.920 --> 00:26:46.240 Jesus says, Don't do what you've been doing and let worry run rampant in you. 00:26:47.039 --> 00:26:48.799 The Gentiles do that. 00:26:48.960 --> 00:26:53.200 The people that don't know the one true God of the Bible, that's what they do. 00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:56.799 And God already knows what you need. 00:26:59.119 --> 00:27:06.000 But instead, seek first the kingdom of God. 00:27:09.039 --> 00:27:10.319 Don't worry. 00:27:11.440 --> 00:27:12.400 Seek first. 00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:17.680 Okay, now what does it actually mean to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness? 00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:22.640 Okay, when we worry, it's an active energy. 00:27:23.119 --> 00:27:27.440 Okay, and seeking God must be an equally active energy. 00:27:27.680 --> 00:27:31.359 It means that the priorities in your life should reflect this order. 00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:32.079 You ready? 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:37.200 Number one, the kingdom of God and his righteousness. 00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:41.920 Everything else. 00:27:43.119 --> 00:27:44.400 That's the list. 00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:46.480 That's what Jesus means. 00:27:46.880 --> 00:27:51.759 And you want to know something I think is incredible about this Greek word here used for first? 00:27:51.920 --> 00:27:56.880 Okay, I'm not a I'm not a Greek scholar, not a Greek nerd, but I thought this was fascinating. 00:27:57.119 --> 00:28:06.160 The Greek word here for first, protos, it literally means before anything else is done. 00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:07.519 Okay? 00:28:08.160 --> 00:28:10.160 Before anything else is done. 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:19.279 It's almost like Jesus is trying to paint a picture of how we are supposed to start each and every day by seeking him first. 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:26.079 Like he isn't trying to get his audience to just generally like put God first in their life. 00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:27.759 You ever see that in an Instagram bio? 00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:28.640 God first. 00:28:29.279 --> 00:28:31.599 And then you look at what they've posted and you're like, really? 00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:32.480 I don't know. 00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:33.440 Maybe. 00:28:33.920 --> 00:28:34.960 Maybe not. 00:28:35.839 --> 00:28:49.279 But he's trying to get them to understand that not only should he be the most important aspect of their lives overall, but he needs to be what gets all of their attention right away, first thing every day. 00:28:51.519 --> 00:28:51.839 Okay. 00:28:52.640 --> 00:28:59.920 Like how many of us wake up first thing and immediately the first thing that goes into your mind is worries and anxieties? 00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:00.720 Right? 00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:04.880 How many of you us is that the first thing that comes into our minds? 00:29:05.839 --> 00:29:08.960 Oh no, that thing is due today. 00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:11.119 I overslept. 00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:14.079 Like, I'm not done yet. 00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:15.519 What am I gonna do there? 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:16.079 Right? 00:29:16.240 --> 00:29:18.400 College students, you've been there, right? 00:29:19.200 --> 00:29:22.079 Or why is my son at 5 a.m. 00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:26.160 screaming for a toy from the other room? 00:29:26.319 --> 00:29:26.640 Okay. 00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:28.240 That's a real life example. 00:29:28.319 --> 00:29:30.319 My son has screamed at 5 a.m. 00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:33.279 the past three mornings for just absolute nonsense. 00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:33.759 Okay. 00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:36.480 Real anxiety from that. 00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:37.680 Okay. 00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:46.720 But we so often wake up, and the first thing that bombards our minds is the worries and the anxieties of our lives. 00:29:47.759 --> 00:29:54.319 And Jesus' word picture here of seeking first the kingdom of God, it shows us that choice that we can make. 00:29:54.640 --> 00:29:57.599 It shows us the pivot that we can take. 00:29:57.839 --> 00:30:10.480 Okay, instead of letting worry lead us throughout our day and letting those first thoughts of worry and anxiety run rampant in our minds, we can give our worries and anxieties to God right away by seeking Him first. 00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:18.640 Praying things like, God, I don't know how I'm gonna do this today. 00:30:19.200 --> 00:30:24.559 I don't know how it's gonna happen, but I want to let worry, I don't want to let worry and anxiety lead me. 00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:26.079 I want you to lead me. 00:30:26.240 --> 00:30:31.680 I want to seek first today, even in the midst of your worry and anxiety. 00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:35.920 God, I feel so much anxiety about that doctor's appointment today. 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:37.839 I feel like I can't even think straight. 00:30:38.000 --> 00:30:40.880 I don't want this anxiety to lead me in my emotions. 00:30:41.039 --> 00:30:42.240 I want to seek you first. 00:30:42.400 --> 00:30:44.559 I want you to lead me. 00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:57.039 Like seeking first the kingdom of God should be almost automatic to us because of what we know and what we believe, but we are broken people living in a broken world. 00:30:58.559 --> 00:31:04.960 Jesus knows that the worries and the anxieties will come because we all experience them. 00:31:05.359 --> 00:31:08.799 But he also knows that there is a choice that we can make when they do. 00:31:09.839 --> 00:31:14.480 We either let worry lead us or we seek first the kingdom. 00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:23.920 And Jesus is calling us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and when we do, what does Jesus say? 00:31:24.240 --> 00:31:31.839 At the end of verse 33, he says, All these things will be provided for you. 00:31:34.480 --> 00:31:36.400 Everything that we need. 00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:38.640 Everything. 00:31:39.200 --> 00:31:43.599 And if we have all of what we need, what is there really to worry about? 00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:57.039 Like, why would we spend any energy worrying if we can spend that energy seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and rest in knowing that the provider will provide? 00:31:59.680 --> 00:32:01.599 We need to make the pivot. 00:32:01.839 --> 00:32:08.640 Or in other words, we need to trade our anxiety for assurance. 00:32:12.240 --> 00:32:16.960 And the reality is that this is not a one-time deal when we do this. 00:32:18.160 --> 00:32:25.519 We have to continuously trade our anxiety for assurance every time we experience it. 00:32:25.680 --> 00:32:30.240 Okay, that wasn't the only panic attack that I ever had two years ago. 00:32:30.559 --> 00:32:31.680 There were more. 00:32:33.519 --> 00:32:35.519 This is going to take time. 00:32:35.680 --> 00:32:41.200 This is going to take prayer ultimately and repetition, these practices. 00:32:41.440 --> 00:32:48.079 Okay, so we need to take the last step, and that's this pursue the practice. 00:32:49.759 --> 00:33:01.279 Okay, because we will have feelings of worry and anxiety arise in our lives, we can't just pursue the practice of seeking first the kingdom of God once and for all and just call it good. 00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:08.559 This is a daily practice of trading our anxieties for assurance. 00:33:09.359 --> 00:33:12.240 Jesus says this in verse 34 at the end of our passage. 00:33:12.319 --> 00:33:19.119 He says, Therefore, don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. 00:33:19.839 --> 00:33:24.079 Each day has enough trouble of its own. 00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:32.160 Why? 00:33:32.559 --> 00:33:34.960 Because tomorrow's gonna worry about itself. 00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:37.839 Any of your grandparents ever say that to you? 00:33:38.640 --> 00:33:39.680 My grandparents did. 00:33:40.720 --> 00:33:42.960 And did you catch the last bit there? 00:33:44.079 --> 00:33:47.839 Each day has enough trouble of its own. 00:33:49.920 --> 00:33:56.640 Jesus doesn't want you to worry about tomorrow yet, because tomorrow has its own challenges coming. 00:33:58.160 --> 00:34:05.279 Okay, and when you want to know something, two days from now, it will also have challenges too. 00:34:05.920 --> 00:34:11.360 Okay, and the next day and the next day, all the way until Jesus returns. 00:34:12.079 --> 00:34:16.400 Guys, wow, bummer, Jesus. 00:34:17.199 --> 00:34:18.239 Trouble is coming. 00:34:18.400 --> 00:34:18.880 Sick. 00:34:19.119 --> 00:34:20.800 Love that for us, dude. 00:34:21.519 --> 00:34:22.960 But here's what's true. 00:34:24.960 --> 00:34:31.039 Jesus has actually given us the blueprint for what to do when that trouble comes. 00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:35.039 And you want to know what's even more crazy but true? 00:34:35.840 --> 00:34:42.800 It's that Jesus has actually lived these steps and principles out in his time here on earth. 00:34:43.519 --> 00:34:52.960 Okay, Jesus had experienced the emotions that we experience, including stress, anxiety, worry, sorrow. 00:34:53.280 --> 00:34:56.480 Okay, but you know what Jesus did with those emotions? 00:34:57.679 --> 00:35:00.239 He didn't let them lead him. 00:35:02.320 --> 00:35:08.800 Watch what happens with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of his betrayal before his crucifixion. 00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:10.320 Okay, it's not going to come up on the screens. 00:35:10.559 --> 00:35:11.679 If you want to follow along, you can. 00:35:11.760 --> 00:35:14.159 It's Luke 22, 39 through 44. 00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:15.119 It says this. 00:35:15.360 --> 00:35:20.639 He went out and made his way as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 00:35:20.880 --> 00:35:24.800 When he reached the place, he told them, Pray that you may not fall into temptation. 00:35:24.880 --> 00:35:30.719 And then he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, knelt down, and began to pray. 00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:37.599 Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me. 00:35:38.800 --> 00:35:43.119 Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. 00:35:43.440 --> 00:35:54.000 And then an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him, and being in anguish, he prayed more fervently, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. 00:35:54.159 --> 00:36:00.239 When he got up from prayer and came to his disciples, he found them sleeping, exhausted in their grief. 00:36:00.400 --> 00:36:01.920 And he said, Why are you sleeping? 00:36:02.079 --> 00:36:05.920 He asked them, Get up and pray so that you won't fall into temptation. 00:36:09.199 --> 00:36:16.639 Jesus experienced incredibly intense, raw, and extreme even human emotions. 00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:22.320 He's about to take an unfathomable weight upon himself being crucified. 00:36:22.400 --> 00:36:24.000 And what does he do? 00:36:25.280 --> 00:36:30.719 He takes the brutally intense emotions that he's feeling and he doesn't let them lead him. 00:36:32.639 --> 00:36:38.079 He doesn't let them cause distrust in God the Father, the provider's plan. 00:36:39.119 --> 00:36:45.760