Don't Be Anxious

Anxiety - Full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried.

Bring out what causes anxiety with teens?  Ask them. 

• Appearance
• Relationships with the opposite sex - Dating
  
• Making friends/Acceptance from peers
• Parental relationships/broken homes
  
• Performance in classroom
• Performance in sports.
• Bullying
• Negative self image - Appearance, lack of self confidence
  
• Negative peer pressure - Attempts to be accepted into group
  
• Cigarettes/Nicotine
• Alcohol
• Illegal drugs
• Sex
• Unruly behavior
• Foul language
• Disrespect
  

Maybe give statistics about drug abuse, teen suicide.  Mention Michael Jackson - Riches, fame didn't fulfill him.


Do Not Be Anxious - Luke 12:22-34

²²Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.

• ^{Why did Jesus use the word therefore?  He is referring to what He just said.  Really verse 22 is right after a discussion on wealth in verses 13-21 (The parable of the Rich Fool).:}

¹³Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." ¹⁴Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?"

¹⁵Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
¹⁶And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.

¹⁷He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'
¹⁸"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

¹⁹And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '
²⁰"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
²¹"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." - Luke 12:13-21

• It is important to point out that the needs that Jesus mentioned were essential to survival in ancient times.  Much of the world's population still doesn't know where their next meal is coming from.  In modern America however, most people have plenty of food and clothing, but greed has expanded to the clothing style and less essential material goods.  Cell phones, cars, iPods, etc. are now things we worry about.  The recent financial collapse was basically caused by greed.

²³Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.

• Jesus gives three reasons we shouldn't be anxious.  This is the first.
  
• Life is more than getting material things, self-gratification.

• If life is more than food and the body more than clothes, how much more is it? 

¹⁰The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. - John 10:10

• Jesus' promise of abundant life, which begins already in the here and now, brings to mind OT prophecies about abundant blessing (e.g., Ezek. 34:12–15, 25–31). Jesus calls his followers, not to a dour, lifeless, miserable existence that squashes human potential, but to a rich, full, joyful life, one overflowing with meaningful activities under the personal favor and blessing of God and in continual fellowship with his people. - ESV Study Bible
• Jesus didn't come to take away our happiness, but to bless us (above all, to bring glory to His Father). 
  

²⁴And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. - Heb. 10:24

• Life has meaning when we live it for God.  It becomes more fulfilling when we are not worried about our own needs.
  

²⁴Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!

• Second reason:  If God takes care of birds, he will take care of us because we are worth more than many birds.
• How do we know we are worth more than birds (contrary to science and political correctness)?
• "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,^[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16
• The Father sent His only Son to die for us.
• Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, ^[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground."²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
• God gave us rule over His creation and we are created in God's image.
  

²⁵Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

•  Third reason:  We can't change how long we live by worrying.

²⁶Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

• We can't add to our lifespan by worrying, not to mention the rest of our life.
  

²⁷"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

• Two 'lesser to greater arguments' (vv. 25-26 and vv. 27-28)
• Who was Solomon?
  

²⁸If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!

• the grass . . . is thrown into the oven. Due to the scarcity of wood in ancient Palestine, dry grass was used as fuel. 
• O you of little faith implies a deficiency rather than an absence of faith

²⁹And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.

• Eat or drink... or all the other things we focus too much on.  Can you think of any?
• This doesn't mean you become a slacker at all.  It means you should put first things first.  The main thing is to keep the Main Thing the main thing.
  

³⁰For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.

• What are examples of people that focused too much on possessions?  Michael Jackson, U.S. economy.
• Do you think God wants the best for you or do you think God is out to 'smite' us?
• Does this mean every time things don't go our way, God is mad at us?
  

³¹But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

• What does it mean to seek His kingdom?  I think it is answered at least in part by vs. 33.  Be generous and giving.
• What are 'these things'?  What you need.  Ultimately more than we can comprehend.  Our problem is that we set our sights not too high, but too low.  Sex, drugs and rock and roll can't come close to what God offers us.
  

³²"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

• He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? - Rom. 8:32.  This says it all.
  

³³Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

• What can you give to others?
• Money
• Time
• Attention
• Respect
• Love
• Thoughts
• Support
• Who is the poor?  Maybe it's anyone who needs what you have.
• What happens to the what the world offers?  It wears out, it is exhausted, it is stolen.
• What happens to what God offers?  It never wears out, it will never be exhausted or stolen.  It is never out of fashion, or dated.  It will last forever.
  

³⁴For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

• Think about what Jesus is saying here.  What is your treasure?  Popularity, pleasure?  These things will wear out soon.  They are elusive.
• Where is your heart?  On earth or in heaven?
  

Practical considerations:

• We all worry.  It is natural.  Jesus offers a way to reduce anxiety by focusing on what's really important. 
  
• Just because you worry doesn't mean you are a bad person who doesn't love God, but if you focus on God, you will have much less anxiety and stress in your life.
• How do we put this teaching into practice? How can we lessen anxiety?
  
• Live a balanced life.  What is a balanced life?
• Set aside time for God:  Alone in prayer and in His Word, and publicly at church.
• The more time you spend in prayer and Bible study, the more closer to God you become.  This helps you to be understanding when life throw's you a curve.
• We need to spend time with fellow believers.  We have to help each other through life.  And we need to worship God together.  He commands it.
• Seek out good people to be in your life.  At church, at school.  You are known by the company you keep.
• Do things for God.  Help people, be a willing servant.  He will bless you and give you more than you ever thought you could have.
• Eat right.
• Exercise.
• Get rest.
• Don't spend all your social time on social networking sites like Facebook.  Go talk to somebody face to face.
• What else can we do to fulfill this teaching?