Hooked on a Feeling Worry Matthew 6: 25-34

A. Legitimate Concern vs. Illegitimate Worry “Worry-” from word meaning “to strangle” or “to choke” “A disease of the imagination” (N. Wright) It paralyzes us and chokes life out of us

A. Legitimate Concern vs. Illegitimate Worry We could say simply that it is “incompatible with the Christian faith.” J Stott. So stop worrying But, We need to make sure we are attacking the right problem

A. Legitimate Concern vs. Illegitimate Worry Positive Concern is Right Some people wrongly apply a passage like this one We must consider how God made us, and we must look at the balance of Scripture

A. Legitimate Concern vs. Illegitimate Worry Anxiety immediately experienced in the midst of crisis is not sin. Our “adrenaline response” is natural, good and necessary for our protection It is how we are hard wired

A. Legitimate Concern vs. Illegitimate Worry When Jesus says not “do not worry” He is not saying go through life with no serious concern or attention to matters. Some people have a false view of the Christian life

D. A. Carson “There is little justification in Scripture for picturing the Christian life in terms of constantly effervescent joy, unbounded peace, unbroken serenity; and still less is there warrant for irresponsibility toward the Lord in the use of his gifts. Joy and peace and freedom there are,… within the matrix of… commitment to Jesus, along with all the pressure such commitment must inevitably bring.”

A. Legitimate Concern vs. Illegitimate Worry In this passage Jesus is calling us to have concern for His kingdom and His righteousness For His work (2 Corinthians 11: 23-28) For holiness (life is a battle, boxing match)

A. Legitimate Concern vs. Illegitimate Worry This is strongly condemned in Scripture This is an emotion and thought process where we become focused on a problem or a potential problem in the wrong way

A. Legitimate Concern vs. Illegitimate Worry We fear the future We are discontented with the present We fail to trust God We are like the dog “worrying over his bone”

B. Corrective Lenses Loyalty and Trust v. 25– “Therefore” Based on choosing the right values and loyalty you can choose to overcome worry Our value system should not be ordered like the world’s value system

B. Corrective Lenses Common Sense Worry is foolish It solves nothing It exacerbates problems

C. Suggested Strategy Identify the Worry Believe God will help you Jerk yourself to reality Believe God will help you Some may have to work harder than others because of their predisposition

C. Suggested Strategy Believe God will help you Hear His gentle rebuke (Luke 10: 38-42) 1 Peter 5:7 Confess where values are inverted

C. Suggested Strategy Confess Make changes in light of God’s values Phil. 4:6-7 Commit to focus on God (Is. 26:3) Make changes in light of God’s values

C. Suggested Strategy Realize deliverance may not be immediate Take one day at a time and keep moving