FREEDOM FROM WORRY

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos

Pulpit Series Volume 20 Issue 10 June 13th, 2010

The key to freedom from all fear and worry is found in two words - sparrows and hair.

Matthew 10:28-33 One of them (sparrows) does not fall on the ground without your Father knowing. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered….

Sounds simple - but what Jesus says here is very profound.

King David boasted, "He delivered me from all my fears!"

He was able to say this because of he saw the greatness of "Him who made heaven and earth."

In Matthew’s passage about sparrows and hair, Jesus was teaching the disciples that He created every sparrow, formed every human body numbering every hair.

For by Him were all things created, in heaven and earth. All things were created by Him and for Him: by Him all things consist Colossians 1:16-17

The disciples didn’t really understand… perhaps Jesus should have said, "Peter, you have 127,550 hairs on your head, 162 in your right eyebrow and 165 in your left; 306 hairs in your left ear and 319 in your right!   Won't you trust me?”

What if He said, "James, did you know that in the last 24 hours 2,000,603 sparrows died a natural death, 986,152 were trapped or killed. In Jerusalem's marketplace there are 2,950 for sale.

Not one falls to the ground without the Father being aware of it. Knowing this, will you now stop worrying?

Won’t you trust Me to take care of all your needs?

Can you now believe your heavenly Father knows what you need and that He will gladly supply It?

David said, Many, O Lord my God are your wonderful works which you have done and the number of times you think about us are more than can be numbered Psalm 40:5

Precious are your thoughts towards me, If I could count them, they would number more than the sands Psalm 139:17-18

God said to the Israelites in captivity: the thoughts I think toward you are thoughts of peace, not of evil Jeremiah 29:11

Heaven is filled with witnesses to the faithfulness of our God.

If God failed in any one of His promises, all heaven would become chaos and ruin.

Yet the fact that all heaven praises God,  is proof that they’ve witnessed and believe in His trust-ability!

God can be trusted to do all

He said He would!

Don’t be afraid - you are more valuable than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore, [in light of all of this] shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven

Matthew 10:31-33

Here is the key: Psalm 31:19 Oh how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for them that fear God and trust in Him before the sons of men!

This "confession" must be seen - not just heard!

He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord Psalm 40:3

When we think of "Witnessing for Jesus”, we picture it as street preaching, passing out tracts, or telling friends and strangers that Jesus loves them.

Beloved, that is only part of it!

The world is not looking for more doctrinal proof of the reality of God!  

It Is not looking for greater proof of the resurrection or better arguments about creation.

The world is looking for Christians who under every crisis, fear, trouble and difficulty, remain calm and at rest in the midst of it all.

The world needs to see God's children trusting wholly in their Lord.  

The world must be able to point to a Christian and say, "There goes one who is not a complainer! He doesn't fret or fear or run in times of trouble. He isn't worried about tomorrow! His faith holds strong at all times!"

Whether you know it or not, you are witnessing and confessing every day -- people see you going through a difficult time, and they watch and listen, saying to themselves, "Will they live what they preach? Will this Jesus let them down?

What do those around you hear coming from your lips when things get tough?

Psalm 124 He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud. He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn't slip. He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God. More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God.

God wants us to be bad-news-proof!

He shall not be afraid of evil tidings [bad news]: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established, he shall not be afraid Psalm 112:7-8

When you lie down, you shall not be afraid... your sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear... For the Lord shall be your confidence and shall keep you…  Proverbs 3:24-26

Trust God with all your heart.

To have freedom from fear and worry is to rest confidently in the Lord of Hosts. Rest in the very One who created you!

If you want to worry about something

· worry about worrying too much!