The Pharisees and Material Anxieties Matthew 6 25

The Pharisees and Material Anxieties Matthew 6: 25 -34 Consider the lilies…. .

Where Your Treasure Is…. • There your heart will be also – v. 21 • The Pharisees’ heart was this-world oriented – Luke 16: 14 declares that the Pharisees loved money • Extreme #1: "God will take complete care of me; I don't need to do anything. All I need is faith in God. " Irresponsibility • Extreme #2: "God does nothing; I do everything. It is all up to me. " Total Responsibility • Balance Trusting God, Loving God, and Obeying God For His Glory

When Material Things (Mammon) Is Your Master • You Worry About Physical Things • Success Under Lord Mammon Is Measured By Physical Amount and Physical Quality – Life is all about food, drink, clothing, appearances, the here and now – God’s kingdom and righteousness are minor, passing concerns • …things to worry about LATER

What is the Difference? Masters that men have created for themselves Was Israel the only foolish people? “You daily climb my altar and sacrifice your influence to me” “I own your time, your priorities, your values, your energy, and your soul. ”

Good Stewardship? • Wise planning is to keep our bodies going so that our hearts can stay close to God – God is central and honored by industrious stewardship – Economics is kept as a means to a greater end • Knowing Christ is far greater riches – Phil. 3: 12 f • Working industriously is also viewed as part of serving God (providing for family, good deeds, supporting the church) • Foolish stewardship is to be consumed with material desires while spiritual needs suffer

Do not live to seek wealth; do not make material security the focus of your life. Reason #1: material wealth is itself insecure. Reason #2: the wealth you store in heaven—is the only wealth out of the reach of the dangers of the physical world. Reason #3: your heart will reside with your treasure, on earth or in heaven.

What Law Is Destroyed By Worry? • Old Testament – – – Ps. 37: 1 -7 - "Fret not yourself. . . trust in the Lord. . . trust in Him" Ps. 38: 18 - "I am full of anxiety because of my sin" Ps. 94: 19 - "my anxious thoughts multiply within me. . . “ Prov. 12: 25 - "anxiety in the heart of man weighs it down" Isa. 35: 4 - "Say to those with anxious heart, 'Take courage, fear not. '"

What Law Is Destroyed By Worry? • • • • Old Testament Ps 27: 10 -14 10 When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me. 11 Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. 12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence. 13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! NKJV Were the Pharisees thinking like this? Is This The Way YOU Think?

What Law Is Destroyed By Worry? • Old Testament Ps 37: 3 -9 • 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; • Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. • 4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, • And He shall give you the desires of your heart. • 5 Commit your way to the LORD, • Trust also in Him, • And He shall bring it to pass. • 6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, • And your justice as the noonday. Were the Pharisees thinking like this? Is This The Way YOU Think?

What Law Is Destroyed By Worry? • Old Testament Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; • Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, • Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. • 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Were the • Do not fret — it only causes harm. Pharisees • 9 For evildoers shall be cut off; thinking like • But those who wait on the LORD, this? • They shall inherit the earth. • Ps 37: 3 -9 Is This The Way YOU Think?

What Law Is Destroyed By Worry? • Old Testament Ps 34: 9 -10 • 9 Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! • There is no want to those who fear Him. • 10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; • But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing. • NKJV Were the Pharisees thinking like this? Is This The Way YOU Think?

Facts about anxiety or worry • You cannot address tomorrow's worries today • Your task today is to trust God and work with Him on today’s challenges • This will help you see today that you and God can handle tomorrow too

The fundamental questions of life are not: • "What will we eat? " • "What will we drink? " • "Where will we find clothes? " If seeking the kingdom and God's righteousness are your priorities, God will provide opportunity to have food, drink, and clothes.