Title: Let's Rely on the Lord
Contents
It is the content of a fairy tale called ‘The Sparrow and the Waterfowl Conversation,’ written for children by a satirical Christian writer. One day the waterfowl said to the sparrow, “Sparrow, look at the humans walking around on the ground down there. I mean, look at the way people who live clamoring and struggling.” Upon hearing this, the sparrow said: “Waterbirds, they probably don’t have a Heavenly Father to care for us!”
How do you guys live in this world? Are you living like a sparrow and a waterfowl? Are you living as if there is no Heavenly Father? In fact, our times are unsettling times. Every day is a time of tension and anxiety, nervousness and fear. Students are worried about the entrance exam. When you graduate from college, you are worried about getting a job. When you get a job, you worry about retirement. From anxiety to worry. That is why it is said that the most common disease that people suffer from today is headache. This is an era when doctors dealing with mental illness make a lot of money.
The Lord speaks to us who are living in these times of anxiety and anxiety. “Don’t worry.” In today's text, we are told four times that we should have no worries. Verse 25. “Don’t worry.” Verse 27. “Who among you can add one more moment to his life by being anxious?” Verse 31. “Therefore, do not be anxious.” Verse 34. “Therefore, don’t worry.” In the text, the Lord repeats the words, “Do not be anxious.” You prove it. Emphasize. You are arguing. I hope that you will be freed from your worries through the word of the Lord.
1. The Lord tells us not to worry about the needs of our lives.
Verse 25. “Therefore, I say to you, do not worry for your life what you will eat or drink or about your body, about what you will wear.” The Lord tells us, “Don’t worry” about the food, clothing and shelter that we think are most needed in our society today. He says we don't have to worry about this.
So, why should we not be concerned about this issue of food, clothing, and shelter?
1) The Lord gives the reason in the second half of verse 25. “Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” what do you mean? Who gave our lives? God gave. It is saying that if you gave your life to us, we would naturally give you food that is not more important than your life. Who gave us the body? God gave. It means that if you give your body, of course you will be given clothes that are not heavier than your body. The same logic is found in Romans 8:32. “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him also gift us all things?” God created us and takes care of us. He is the Father who loves us. Everyone, please believe.
2) The Lord proves the reason by giving two examples. Verse 26 says, “Look at the birds of the air.” Our Heavenly Father keeps birds. Birds don't even plant. It doesn't even pick up. They don't even store them in the warehouse. Our father nurtures us. If this is true, it means that God, our heavenly Father, gives us what we need. This is because we are precious to God that cannot be compared with birds. It means that God will take care of our needs. It just tells us not to be anxious and rely on God alone. Please believe it.
In verse 28, the Lord tells us to think, “How does the lily of the field grow?” In verse 30, God takes care of “the grass of the field that is today and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow.” “How much more do you think it is? You of little faith.” He challenges us by speaking. All you have to do is believe in God.
That's right. Folks, we have a Heavenly Father. We have a heavenly Father who has the responsibility to care for our children. Fathers are supposed to provide their children with the necessities of life and provide food and clothing. Because we are children of God, our Heavenly Father has a responsibility to care for us. Please believe it. Friends, trusting in our Heavenly Father is the key to overcoming anxiety.
2. The Lord tells us not to worry about our lives. Verse 27.
We care about our lives. No one likes eggplant to go to the hospital for a health check-up. I hate it all. Could I get sick? because I'm worried. What if elderly people get dementia? I am concerned. So is my mother. When you meet me, you always worry about this problem. right? But the Lord tells us not to worry about our lives.
Ladies and gentlemen, our worries do not extend our lives. Verse 27 says, “Who of you, by being anxious, can add one cubit to his stature?” asks. Here the key is interpreted as life. Unable to. Because our lives depend on God. He said that not a single sparrow will fall to the ground unless God permits it. It is said that God counts even our hairs. As we live with this kind of Heavenly Father, we do not need to worry about our lives at all. And for us, death is the door to heaven, so there is no need to worry at all.
3. The Lord tells us not to worry about tomorrow, which has not yet happened. verse 34
We are always concerned about the future. I worry, imagining things that haven't happened yet. It's just worrying about tomorrow. But when tomorrow comes, the things you feared will not happen. It was worrying and worrying about things that would not happen needlessly. We have been told that there is little left for us to worry about, except for concerns about events in the past and concerns about the future. So the Lord tells us not to worry unnecessarily about the future. “Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about tomorrow. One day of suffering is enough for one day.” It means to live each day relying on God the Father.
Once upon a time, in the old school, there was a bell chime. He contracted neurosis while ringing the bell. People looked at him and asked why he wasn't so happy. The bell replied, as if it was very painful for the man. “I have to hit this bell 36,000 times. Every day I ring the bell 10 times at this school, and if I count it 70 times a week, 300 times a month, 3,600 times a year, I have to ring the bell for another 10 years to finish this work.” I gave this wise advice because no one could see it. “Brother! Can't we just ring the bell ten times a day and only ring the bell once at a time?”
How foolish are you guys? Please don't be a foolish bellboy who worries ahead of time about things that haven't happened yet. Tomorrow I don't know live day by day I am worried about tomorrow.
4. The Lord urges us to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Verses 31-33
Unlike unbelievers, we do not have to worry about food, clothing, and shelter. Our Heavenly Father knows that we need all these things and provides for our needs. Please believe it. There is no need to worry about our lives either. Don't worry about tomorrow either. So what should we do?
Verse 33. “Seek ye first his kingdom and his righteousness. And all these things will be added to you.” This is a combination of command and promise. The command is that we always seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. I always say , because the verb “to ask” is in the present tense. But what I want to point out is the word “first”. He did not say to seek only his kingdom and righteousness. First, seek his kingdom and righteousness. Because we have other duties as well. Nevertheless, the word “first” makes it clear that God must be first in everything we do. The number one priority in our lives should be God and His righteousness.
What then is specifically seeking his kingdom and righteousness? Let me explain with an example. I have read the testimony of deacon Dong Dong Kim of the Gwacheon Church. This butler is the president of two large companies. It is said that he prays like a habit every morning when he gets in the car and starts the engine. 'God, please help me meet someone who is determined to believe in me today. Please help me find someone who is determined to believe in God and evangelize.' His interest is evangelism, and his interest is the kingdom of God.
One day, as I was praying the same prayer and going to work, I got caught by a red traffic light. So I was waiting for a while, and someone from behind got my car with a 'bang'. I looked down. Then the driver of the car behind me came out and apologized, 'It was totally my fault.' But when I saw that the bumper was halfway inside. But at that moment, I thought, 'Maybe, this accident happened because God gave me an opportunity to evangelize today.' I was told that I had a flash of thought. So he said this to the person who caused the accident. 'The bumper is something you put on to receive it. Do not worry.' Isn't it easy to come up with such a word? Then, the other person was so surprised that he presented these three things: a business card, a national ID card, and a driver's license, and said, 'Take any of them. And I'll pay for everything.'
So I decided to contact him and came to the company. It was close to lunchtime, so I called. Based on the estimate, it looks like the damage was about 100 million won. 'Yes, I am the one who supported you in the morning. It will cost some money to fix it, but I won't fix it and I'll just take it with me. Instead, buy me lunch or one meal today.' So we met. He was the vice president of a foreign company. Deacon Kim evangelized for an hour to believe in Jesus with his own testimony.
How do you guys live in the world? Are you living your life worrying about the things of the world like an unbeliever, a stranger? Ladies and gentlemen, if you seek first the things of the earth, you will not get neither the earthly nor the heavenly things. However, if you first seek the heavenly things, you can also obtain the earthly things. Please believe it. Therefore, as it says in 6:33, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” May you be the one who receives all your needs from Heavenly Father. Folks, we have Heavenly Father. There is a father who wants to meet our needs. Our Father has the power to do just that. Please believe it. Leave everything to him. Everyone is now worried.