Matthew 6:25-33 sermon recap: Don’t Be Anxious
Why Not
A look at the three primary questions Jesus poses in his lesson on anxiety:
1. Isn’t life more than the things you worry about? (v.25)
We don’t get anxious because our world gets too big. We get anxious because our world gets too small as we zero in on one or two or three aspects of our lives and become obsessed.
When we are anxious, we are forming a black hole within us. A black hole is an object in space with such strong gravity that no matter or energy can escape, including light. What is your black hole subject? What is it that pulls you inward in anxiety until you can’t love God or others because you’re too consumed in your own world?
Bring to mind that thing you’re anxious about. What’s the worst case scenario for this thing? If all goes as badly as it could possibly go in this area of your life, what will you be left with? Will you still have breath in your lungs? Will you still have relationships? Will you still have eternal hope in Jesus? Will you still have God?
Don’t be anxious, because your life is bigger than the sum of your worries.
2. Aren’t you more valuable than birds and flowers? (v.26, 28-30)
Birds don’t work jobs or bring home paychecks. They don’t have bank accounts or investments. They don’t use the Dave Ramsey financial peace plan. Yet, God provides for them. Similarly, flowers don’t go to Concord Mills and shop for clothes. Yet, God clothes them beautifully.
The logic here isn’t, birds don’t work and neither should you. It’s, since God provides for insignificant and momentary creatures, how much more will he provide for you, who are so valuable to him that he sent Jesus to die for you?
When a band is on tour, they’ll send information ahead about what specifications they need to be able to perform at a venue. Often, they’ll bury a minute detail in the middle of that information just to make sure their hosts are paying attention. For instance, if they ask for a bowl of brown M&M’s in the dressing room and it’s there when they arrive, they can rest assured that their hosts have paid careful attention to their requests. Since God pays careful attention to even the smallest details of his creation; you can rest assured that he is caring for you too.
What many Christians don’t realize is that anxiety is functional atheism. Anxiety says either, God doesn’t exist, or, God doesn’t care. This is what Jesus is getting at in verses 31 and 32. When we’re anxious, we’re living like people who have no God.
Don’t be anxious because you are valuable to God and God is attentive to you.
3. What have you ever accomplished by being anxious? (v.27)
Don’t confuse anxiety for thinking, planning, considering, pondering, or concern. Those things mobilize you to action. Anxiety paralyzes. Anxiety is a complete waste of time and energy. It’s a brilliant trick of Satan, because it’s so closely connected with concern that we often feel justified in our worrying (or even noble!).
Don’t be anxious because it doesn’t accomplish anything.
How To
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room. There is a major assumption underlying all this that many don’t believe: you can stop being anxious on command.
I have never been in a counseling situation with an individual struggling with anxiety and simply said, Stop it. But maybe I should change my approach, because that’s how Jesus does it in this passage. How can we stop being anxious?
So far, Jesus has informed our mindset and worldview, which feed into our anxieties. But he does offer one positive command: Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (v.33).
Our anxiety is a result of misunderstanding our lives, ourselves, and our God. But it’s also a result of incorrect priorities. We’re seeking the wrong things first. When we feel the clinching grip of anxiety, we mustn’t wrestle with it. It’ll only get tighter if we do. Instead, we must turn from it completely and pursue the kingdom of God. Worship. Meditate on scripture. Love someone. Serve someone. Forgive someone. Give something away. Confess sin. Encourage someone. Disciple someone. Write a note to someone. Pray for someone. Do kingdom work.
Energy given to anxiety is energy hijacked from the kingdom.
Don’t do battle with your anxieties. Even if you slay one dragon, two more will enter behind it. It’s the wrong fight altogether. Your life is not an epic battle against stress. It’s an epic march into the kingdom of God.
Conclusion
Your life is bigger than your worries. You are more valuable to God than you understand. God is more attentive to you than you know. And anxiety accomplishes nothing. So when you feel its squeeze tightening, drop everything and run toward the kingdom of God.
Discussion Starters
1. How was your week? What’s the best thing that happened? What’s the worst thing? Share a bit about it with each other to get started.
2. Share with the group your experiences with anxiety. When were you most anxious in your life? When were you most at peace?
3. Read verse 25. Do you think it’s possible to stop being anxious on command? Why or why not?
4. According to this passage, is anxiety a choice or an affliction? Are anxious people victims of anxiety or perpetrators of it? How does this compare with the way our society views anxiety?
5. What do you think are the most common stressors in our culture? What specific things make us anxious?
6. Read verses 26-30. Share ways in which God has provided for you in the past. (Can be normal ways, through jobs and family, or miraculous ways, like random, perfectly timed acts of kindness.)
7. What is the difference between anxiety and concern?
8. Read verse 33. How can we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness? Talk specifically in light of your own anxieties.
9. How can your group pray for you this week?
