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Breaking Free from Worry Mount Pisgah Allen R. Hunt
Luke 12.22-31 4/29/07 (Thanks to Osborne, Lucado, and Bouknight)
I.Young man answered ad for an accountant.
Interviewed by a very nervous man who ran the business.
'I need someone with an accounting degree,' the man said. 'But mainly, I’m looking for someone to do my worrying for me.'
'Excuse me?' the young accountant said.
'I worry about a lot of things,' the man said. 'But I don’t want to have to worry about money. Your job will be to take all the money worries off my back.'
'I see,' the young accountant said. 'And how much does the job pay?'
'I will start you at eighty-five thousand dollars'
$85,000!' the young accountant exclaimed. 'How can such a small business afford that?'
'That,' the owner said, 'is your first worry.'

I get that because I am a Shiite worrier – and my Mom is the Mohammed of worry
So today I am preaching about what I know best

II. Worry has a lot of benefits
1) The benefits of worry
A)It helps our health
Nothing like a good dose of worry to cause some sleepless nights – fretfulness
Linked to high blood pressure, stomach issues, migraine headaches, weakened immune system so more colds, arthritis, chronic anxiety –maybe worry not so good for our health

B)It gives us joy
But I do know that worry brings a lot of joy
Max Lucado even suggests that we take a worry vacation – sit on the beach on Monday and worry about the Middle East all day; then Tuesday, stay in the room and worry about violence out in the world; then Wednesday, worry about disease and all the ways you might die – you get the picture
Worry sucks the joy right out of your life

C)It solves our problems
By the way, find an April 1957 newspaper and see a lot to worry about just like today
Middle East crisis then was in Jordan not Iraq
Murder and violence was that of a young heiress killed horribly
City corruption – not in the police officers but in the mayoral regime
And the Braves were in Milwaukee and fans were not sure if they could overcome their weaknesses – they did to win the World Series over the Yankees 4-3

2) Why Worry doesn’t make sense
A) It changes nothing (Luke 12.25-26)
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? (Luke 12.25-26)
Jesus may be on to something here
Study of how we allocate our worry suggests that 40% of what we worry about never happens, 30% of what we worry about is in the past (which we cannot change), 12% is regarding other people’s opinions (which you cannot control), 10% is about health issues (which are made worse by worrying), and 8% is about real problems
I.e., 92% of our worrying is completely useless or even harmful
That is why worry dishonors God – because

B) It is fear-based not faith-based
(Exodus 16.3-4; Luke 8.22-25; 12.32; Matthew 25.24-30)
[Show Global video here] - shows us the magnitude of the greatness of God
He knows the details of the finest, minutest strand of your DNA
And created the galaxies beyond our comprehension – holds all things together
Worry denies the power of God – denies the provision of God – denies goodness of God
Worry says God cannot handle this so I need to step in
Worry says I cannot depend on or trust God – I am on my own
Worry is the opposite of faith because it is fear-based

C) It assumes I’ll face tomorrow’s challenges with today’s resources
(Matthew 6.34; Luke 12.11-12; 1Cor. 10.13)
Radio ministry calling became clear to me over past 6 months or so
My immediate response to God was, “No way.” Fear led the way
Just like the disciples in the boat during the storm – worried and fearful – gotta love Peter – he looks a lot like me
First it was not my idea – not crazy about things that are not my ideas
Second, how in the world am I going to support my family – leave remarkable church, step into unknown – I prefer the comfortable, familiar and predictable
Third, how in the world are we going to convince mainstream stations to give us, a faith based show, a shot at a M-F slot – there is no way – I cannot do that
See flaw in all those arguments? They assume it all depends on me or other human beings
All rooted in fear not faith
Worry nudges God aside, assumes He will not provide resources necessary when time arises – and slowly God has day by day provided the signs that He is making way for us
Tripling of web traffic, more than doubling of ratings, inquiries from stations, provision of advertising, extension of contract and hours with WSB, and responses from listeners with real struggles and no faith – turning to us for help
God is providing if only I will listen – faith overcomes fear

3) God’s Simple Solution (Exodus 16.1-36; Numbers 11)
Let me remind you – Israelites just left Egypt a few months ago
Heading into the wilderness – and they wanted to hear the plan
High anxiety – high worry – high stress
“How are going to eat? Moses, at least in Egypt we had food and place to sleep”
What is the plan?
Now you would think the Israelites would have remembered – plagues that set them free, God’s hand at Red Sea that freed them and destroyed armies of Pharaoh
Forgot that God had always taken care of them
And forgetfulness leads to fretfulness

So God gives Moses the plan
Provide manna in the morning when you awaken – gather enough food for the day, on 6th day gather enough for 2 days because I rest and you rest on the Sabbath
A) God meets daily needs daily
Just what God did – manna in morning, quail in the evening for dinner
B) God meets daily needs miraculously
God is a God of abundance and He does it His way – does not have to explain to us how He will provide – just know that He will
Israelites come out the next morning – there is the manna scattered all around them
They ask – “Man-nu?” – What is it? – i.e., word for manna comes from Hebrew word for “What is it?”
God has resources you do not even know about

D)Therefore, trust God (1Peter 5.7)
Solution is simple – trust yourself and your own meager abilities and resources
Or trust God
There is a reason why Jesus taught us to pray, Give us THIS DAY our DAILY bread
Israelites did not get it at first either – some gathered more than a day’s worth – extra
Wanted to save up – just in case God did not come through
What happened? Rotted, became wormy and stank
Try to solve tomorrow’s problems with today’s resources and today stinks

Greek NT word for worry - Divided mind – merizonous or merimnao
Worry divides your mind – split between today and tomorrow and do neither one well
Spanish – preoccupado – to occupy ahead of time – try to get there ahead of God
God not behind us yelling “Go” – He is ahead of us inviting, “Come”
Trust God

4) SO How do I do that?
A) If you’re worried about it, pray more
(Philippians 4.6-7; Matthew 6.8-13; Luke 12.11-12, 31)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Phlp. 4.6-7)
Bishop Fitzgerald ordained me into the UMC ministry
He used to pastor in WNC mountains – life hard in isolated farming community
One farmer had little hillside farm – at mercy of wind, drought, and cold
But most contented and peaceful man Bishop Fitzgerald knew – so he asked farmer one day if he had ever had troubles that caused sleepless nights
“Sure I’ve had my troubles but no sleepless night. When I go to bed, I say, “Lord, you have to sit up all night anyway. There’s no point in both of us losing sleep. You look after things tonight and when tomorrow comes, I’ll do the best I can.”
When worry arises, pray – be amazed at how worry subsides and God steps in
Prayer service begins next week – 8:15 am every Sunday downstairs and 6:00 pm first Sunday of each month upstairs led by lay people

B) Want less (Luke 12.13-21, 29; Philippians 4.10-13)
A lot of folks miss a crucial point on this passage about worry
Notice where it comes – right after the parable of the rich fool
Man who was so worried and hurried about his business and his assets that he put off everything else in his life – building bigger barns to store his stuff
Figuring that tomorrow he would eat drink and be merry
Tomorrow never came – he died and imagine the horror as God calls him a “fool”
Harsh language – but his life had been consumed by wanting and wanting leads to worry
A simpler life is a contented life
A consuming, desiring life is a fretful life

C) Quiet your fears with thanksgiving (Philippians 4.6-7; Matthew 6.25)
When you are fretful, you’re probably being forgetful – like the Israelites
Instead of worrying and fearing – sit down and list all the things you are thankful for
Discover, again, how God has provided for you just as He did for the Israelites

D)Live one day at a time
So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has enough worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (Matthew 6.34) (see also Luke 10.41-42)