Monday, September 23, 2013

Don't Worry! Part 26 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: It is because we have ignored God's righteousness that many physical needs are not supplied.

PURPOSE: To help listeners realize that without God's righteousness, human needs are not supplied.

Does it bother you that half the world goes to bed hungry every night?

Do you think American Christians are specially favored over those who pray each day for "bread"?

I. What do you think Jesus means by "righteousness" in Matthew 6:33?

"Righteousness" throughout the Bible means a "right relationship" with God and with others around us.

When we pray to "our Father in heaven, Give us this day our daily bread," whom do we have in mind by "us" and "our"?

II. Do you think God provides enough for people to have their prayer for bread answered?

Why isn't it enough?

Do you think if money spent on war was spent giving people "daily bread," we would have enough?

Does any of this have to do with "righteousness"?

Should Christians be concerned at all with economics or politics?