Anxiety and Worry

Summary:

This sermon underscores the significance of allowing God to guide one’s life and actions, especially during prayer, without being overwhelmed by anxiety. As part of a series on the Sermon on the Mount, it focuses on embodying the teachings of Jesus through generosity, love, and kindness. It addresses the role of Christians in political engagement, particularly concerning the upcoming presidential election, urging believers to vote without fear and place trust in Jesus above political choices. Inclusivity and acceptance within the congregation, regardless of political beliefs, are emphasized. The sermon references Matthew 6, advising against hoarding earthly treasures and encouraging reliance on God’s provision. It advocates for seeking God’s kingdom first and explores the interplay between money, generosity, and anxiety, providing ten tips for simpler, more generous living. Practical advice for managing anxiety includes beginning the day mindfully and practicing gratitude. The sermon recommends therapy or spiritual guidance for those carrying heavy burdens and stresses the value of prayer and community support. A communal practice of pausing to pray together is proposed as a way to share burdens and seek divine guidance.

Transcript:

I do not like to see men work too hard at their prayers. Beware lest the zeal of thy house shall eat thee up. When one strains and labors over their dream, they are too often carving ivory, not polishing horn. Don’t cut too deeply. Don’t carve too hard. Don’t paint the picture too much yourself. Get still a while and let God paint through you.

Such a beautiful word picture and pertinent for us and our conversations that we have been having here at Journey. We are in the middle of a series called The Narrow Way, in which we are looking at the Sermon on the Mount, a sermon that Jesus preached, found in Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7. The tenets of this Sermon on the Mount can be found throughout Jesus’s teaching and all of the Gospels. And so we have stated that this teaching—and one of the reasons why we’re moving so slowly through it—is for us, as it pertains to following the way of Jesus, the most important teaching that we can seek to put into action and live by.

This is the foundation for what Jesus says: “This is how my people move and operate in the world.” And so it is very important for us. The idea we have been leaning into is that following the way of Jesus will lead us to be people who are generous, loving, kind, and, my favorite, relaxed. So the question for us today is, what is it that you are pursuing in life? Jesus wrote this, at least as translated by Eugene Peterson in the Message version of the Bible: “Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” As I think about what it means to follow Jesus, this version of living freely and lightly, to me, is extremely compelling.

What I see today in our world, and even in the church, is that the most important thing for us to understand when it comes to following the way of Jesus is that the gospel of Jesus, the calling of Jesus, the life of Jesus in us, will enable us to relax into lives of love. Anything that has the opposite effect on us than that is not sourced in the kingdom of God. So, living generous, loving, kind, and relaxed.

I don’t know if you are aware of this, but we are screaming towards a presidential election here in the next couple of weeks. Our country will elect a new president. And I don’t know if it’s just me, but I have noticed that it seems like there have been more churches preaching sermon series on the election. I’ve been sent more stuff on the election than ever before. Some of you have sent me videos of sermons or articles written about the election, and there’s just so much information out there.

Sometimes, the question I think is most important for us is, what does it look like for us as followers of Jesus to participate in the government of our country? There is a lot of great information, as well as some bad information. So I wanted to share three thoughts from my perspective—a pastoral perspective—on political engagement and following Jesus.

The first thing I want to say is from my own experience. I have run the gamut of political engagement. I have been a party voter, voting straight down the line of a political party. Increasingly, I find myself without a home in either political party, leading me to try different approaches. I have chosen the lesser of two evils, though I loathe that idea. I think it reflects our society’s state and what we should work on together. Sometimes, I’ve just picked one candidate on a hope and a prayer.

Where I am now is that I think it is a cool opportunity we have in our country to vote, and it’s one that we should at least consider exercising. The second thing is personal, but also about what it means to be the people of God: I refuse to be manipulated by fear. If fear is all that is used to persuade me, then I’m not interested. Jesus has much to say about fear; scripture is consistent about it. Perfect love casts out fear. Our trust and hope is in Jesus, not in how an election turns out.

Finally, if you cast your ballot for Trump and Republicans, Harris and Democrats, zigzag between parties, or even choose to sit this one out, you are welcome here. Jesus is far more concerned with our obedience to the kingdom of God than who we vote for. Seek the Holy Spirit, and know that you are welcome here.

Today is Prayer Sunday. I wanted to discuss our topic in light of the Sermon on the Mount, but condensing the sermon means less time for commentary. So, I will let Jesus speak for himself by reading through several verses in Matthew 6, beginning in verse 19. I encourage you to hear these words as Jesus is speaking them to us.

Matthew 6:19 begins, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Jesus speaks about money and worry, and there’s an interesting correlation between generosity and worry. I wanted to highlight these two things. Richard Foster, in Celebration of Discipline, shares ten tips for being generous and living simple lives, such as buying things for their usefulness rather than status and rejecting anything that causes addiction.

When it comes to worry, each of us handles it differently. Some worry is fleeting; for others, it’s deep-seated. But here are some thoughts. How do you start your day? Consider starting with stillness, reading Psalms, prayer, or deep breaths. This simple start can be crucial for combating anxiety. Try focusing on things you are grateful for instead of what’s causing worry.

The loudness of our world can drown out God’s voice. It’s important to befriend silence. As we confront worry, note what triggers it and consider ways to avoid it. Seek therapy or spiritual direction if necessary—there’s no shame in it. As we talk about following Jesus, we recognize the power of prayer.

On this Prayer Sunday, we will pause and pray together. James tells us to invite others to pray for us when we have need. We will also anoint those who desire it. If you prefer, you can sit and envision laying down your burdens at Jesus’ feet. Let us come together in this spirit of prayer, ready to support each other.