Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Don't Worry! Part 12 of 31

TEXT: "Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6:25-34).

IDEA: General revelation tells us much about God.

PURPOSE: To help listeners embrace the truth that "This is my Father's world."

Theologians talk about "general revelation" and "special revelation." What do you think these terms mean?

I. General revelation comes from observing the world around us to understand something about God.

Would you agree with the hymn that "this is my Father's world"? When we look at his world, can we learn something about the God who created it?

Jesus appealed to the birds.

Look at the birds and realize that the heavenly Father cares for them. How?

If the Father cares for little birds, how much more will He care for His people who were created to reflect His glory and speak His praises?

Jesus appealed to flowers: what did He want us to see?

They don't worry but they are beautifully clothed. Are they?

How long do they last?

II. What do we learn about God from general revelation that can keep us from worrying?

God cares for His creation and for His creatures.

Einstein said that people who can look at the mystery of creation and not have a sense of awe and wonder are as good as dead, a snuffed-out candle.

Conclusion:

Strip away our awe and wonder at God's creation and we are "snuffed-out candles." And that is something to worry about.