January 19, 2003 - Lesson: Matthew 6.25-34

Sermon Title: Don't Worry, Be Happy

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INTRODUCTION:
  1. An effective opening illustration (1)

A preacher was standing in a receiving line after his first service. Everyone was telling him what a 'nice' sermon it was, when a strange-looking guy came through the line, grabbed his hand, and said, 'Preacher, that was the worst sermon I ever heard.'

The pastor was a little surprised, but went right on shaking hands. A few minutes later the same guy came through the line again. This time he said, 'That sermon had nothing to do with the text.'

Later, this same fellow showed up a third time: 'Preacher,' he said, 'If all your sermons are as boring as that one, I'm never coming back here again.'

  1. Now what are you going to do?
  2. The pressure is building.
  3. Your doubt is showing.
  4. Your thoughts have moved from concern to real worry.
  5. It's the first service.
  6. It sets the tone for everything that is to follow.

At that point, a considerate member of the Staff-Parish Relations Committee drew the pastor aside and said, 'Don't worry about him. He's just a little crazy. He just repeats what he hears everyone else saying.'

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  1. We do worry and we ought to take a look at what causes us to worry and how it may be addressed.
  1. Maybe we simply ought to listen again to the song written by Bobby Mcferin.

DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY

Sung By Bobby Mcferin

Here's a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don't worry, be happy
In every life we have some trouble
But when you worry you make it double
Don't worry, be happy
Don't worry, be happy now

Don't worry, be happy
Don't worry, be happy
Don't worry, be happy
Don't worry, be happy

Ain't got no place to lay your head
Somebody came and took your bed
Don't worry, be happy
The landlord say your rent is late
He may have to litigate
Don't worry, be happy
Don't worry, be happy

Don't worry, be happy
Don't worry, be happy
Don't worry, be happy
Don't worry, be happy

  1. Maybe that will not be too effective.
  1. Worry consumes energy.
    1. We have only so much energy available to us.
    2. We may use much of our energy worrying.
    3. If we do what do we have left for the other parts of our lives.
  2. Jesus counsels us, "Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life."
    1. what you will eat
    2. or what you will drink,
    3. or about your body, what you will wear.
    4. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
  3. This is a very problematic text for us.

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MAIN BODY:

  1. We do worry and we ought to take a look at what causes us to worry and how it may be addressed.
    1. A few years ago I attended a minister's convocation where we talked about worry and I was given a copy of the Worry Table.

Worry Table: Things we worry about.

Things that can never happen 40%
Things that can't be changed by all the worry in the world 35%
Things that turn out better than expected 15%
Petty, useless worries 8%
Legitimate worries  2%

The point of this little table being that it is 50 to 1 odds against the worry being a real cause for concern.

    1. Maybe we ought to take a look at these statistics because I have come to believe that there is something out of kilter with them.
      1. What are the things that can never happen?

Getting the real villain (2): A visiting preacher was quite concerned when he began the first night of a revival meeting and noticed all of the men were wearing a gun.

Although rattled, he did the best he could with his sermon. When finished, his anxieties heightened as several of the men walked to the front with their guns drawn.

In panic, he turned to the chairman of the deacons who was sitting next to him. The deacon quickly calmed his fears, "Oh, don't worry about them. They ain't coming after you. They're looking for the guy who invited you to preach."

        1. You don't have to worry about the guy who invited you to preach.
        2. What are some other things that can never happen?
          1. Don't use another persons experience.
          2. Though we have much in common, we are also unique.
          3. What is unique to you?
      1. What are the things that can't be changed by all the worry in the world?

Good Advice (3) -- Maureen O'Hara told about a camping trip she took many years ago. A horrible storm set upon the campers and started to blow away all their belongings. In the midst of it all, Ms. O'Hara's young nephew held out his hand to her and said, "Don't worry, Aunty, when things are flying about, you just have to hold hands."

        1. That is something to consider.
        2. When things are beginning to blow, hold hands.
        3. Seek help.
      1. What are things that turn out better than expected?
        1. A famous personality writes: (4)
          1. I was only graduated from public school because the principal wanted to get rid of me and let the high school worry about me.
          2. I attended Central High School for one term, at the end of which the principal, Mr. Stebbins, informed my father that I was flunking every course. My father hired a private tutor to help me pass the final examinations. I failed them all.
          3. At last Mr. Stebbins summoned me to his office. "Benjamin Kubelsky," he said, like a judge pronouncing sentence, "we have no place in this school for people like you. It would be better if you left. But I want you to know that forgiveness is part of our philosophy here at Central. If you mend your ways and are prepared to buckle down, we will open our doors to you in the future. I know you are not a fool. Education is a key that opens many doors. I hope you will think this over."
          4. I didn't. I was in 107th heaven.
          5. After I was thrown out of high school, I was also cut off by Dr. Kortschalk. He told Papa if I wouldn't practice he did not want to teach me any longer. Next Papa sent me to a local business school. I took to bookkeeping and accounting like a fish takes to land. Before you could say "double entry" I was kicked out of the Waukegan Business College.
        2. That person was Jack Benny who became a famous personality and comedian
        3. Name some things that could turn out better than expected.
        4. What could help them turn out better?
      2. What are petty, useless worries?
        1. John Madden, television sports commentator and former professional football coach, was asked what words of encouragement he gave to his team at half-time. He replied: "Don't worry about going blind! Just load the wagon!"
        2. He confessed later that he didn't have the vaguest idea of what this meant but, it appeared to work!
        3. Well he misquoted the expression. It ought to read:
          1. "Don't worry about the horse going blind, just load the wagon." (5)
          2. A blind horse guided by a sighted driver will always make the trip successfully.
        4. For us the meaning is rather obvious: "Get on with it! (The work of Christ!) There's no place for defeatism or negativism."
        5. Name some petty, useless worries.
      3. What are legitimate worries?
        1. There are a few of them.
        2. They can be handled with grace and wit, courage and confidence.

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  1. Jesus wants us to develop the capacity to be able to control worry.
    1. If you choose to ignore the above and worry anyway than you have another alternative.
    1. You can. Of course. Worry scientifically.

How to Worry Scientifically (6)

      1. Never worry over rumors of what "they say." First, get the facts.
      2. Know definitely your worry problem. Write it down. Face it with the grace of the Holy Spirit.
      3. Worry about only one problem at a time.
      4. Set a definite day, afternoon or night for worry.
      5. Never worry in bed, in the dining room, in the living room or at church during worship.
      6. Select an air-conditioned room. Lean back in the easy chair.
      7. Set a time limit. If you must go beyond it, give yourself credit for time-and-a-half.
      8. Never worry with a frowning face. Smile, sing, whistle.
      9. Never worry when you are tired, sick, angry or depressed.
      10. Never worry while you are working, playing, visiting, shopping or gossiping.
      11. There are two times never to worry: when you can help the situation and when you cannot.
      12. Never worry alone. Take it to the Lord and leave it there.
    1. We can overcome worry by letting God help us.
    2. Paul writes in Philippians 4:6-7:
      1. [6] Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
      2. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
    3. Peace is a powerful word; it means:
      1. 1515. eirene, I-ray'-nay; prob. from a prim. verb eiro (to join); peace (lit. or fig.); by impl. prosperity:--one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again.
      2. Set at one again.
      3. To bring the pieces together into one integrated whole.
        1. Not according to how we might or would attempt to create wholeness.
        2. But, according to the way that God would create wholeness.

Sylvia in Pickles is giving dad a piece of fruitcake:

Hey, Dad, have a piece of fruitcake. I made it myself.

Its that recipe of Mom's that you like so much.

Ooh!

Except that we didn't have any walnuts so I used peanuts.

And I couldn't find a brown sugar so I substituted powdered hot chocolate mix.

Oh...and the recipe called for candied citron, but I no clue what that was so I used jelly beans instead.

So, how is it.

To be honest, it tastes a little weird.

Well, don't blame me...Its Mom's recipe.

      1. What a fruitcake!
      2. Don't blame me.
    1. God gives us the ingredients for a wholesome, healthy, satisfying and productive life.
      1. We can take the pieces or not.
      2. Its up to each of us to find out what the pieces are.
        1. I can help with suggestions and sources and counsel, but you have to do the work.
      3. If we make substitutions because of personal choice or ignorance then don't blame God if things do not taste very good.

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CONCLUSION:

  1. There once was a family who worried about everything.
    1. They were all up tight and unhappy with themselves and with one another.
    2. One day they had a great idea.
    3. They would throw their worries in the worry ditch.
    4. They had a place just outside of town.
    5. It was a wild place where the brambles grew.
    6. The walls were steep and not easily traversed.
    7. They would take their worries and mentally throw them in the ditch.
      1. They did not want to pollute the earth.
      2. It was such a place that the worries had to be left, it was not possible to recover them.
      3. They discovered that the ditch was so vast that nothing they could worry about would fill it up.
    8. It became a place they often went to relieve themselves of the burdens of worry.
  2. Why worry, God offers peace.
  3. If you do, develop your own worry ditch.

    1. As retold by James A. Harnish, First Things First, 14 June 1992, Tampa, Florida.

    2. W. E. Thorn, Watching the World Go By, 1987.

    3. "If Not Now, When?" Vital Speeches of the Day, p. 45.

    4. Sunday Nights at Seven (New York: Warner Company, 1990), pp. 9-10.)

    5. Paraphrased from a sermon by Bishop Robert Spain of KY, Dr. John Bardsley

    6. With thanks to Fr. Greg Noga, from his parish bulletin for St. Michael's Byzantine Catholic Church, Mont Clare, Pa.

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