Gracious Jesus 4 – Kingdom Lifestyle Part 2 Sample

Averting Anxiety

The rapid advancement of technology and society has brought about collateral damage of increasing stress and anxiety levels even from young ages.

Jesus demonstrates how it is possible to live without anxiety even in the midst of gloom and doom around us.

Anxiety is:

· A disquieting, tormenting thought (Lack of peace)

· A distrustful, unbelieving thought (Lack of trust)

Jesus indicates that placing our security in the world is a key cause for anxiety. “Seeking” these things results in anxiety.

Seek” carries the idea of:

· concentrating on

· highest priority

· burning attention

· center of your life

Commended Cares

There is a positive twist to anxiety or care if we redirect it in a healthy manner to:

·Stewardship – responsibility Prov. 27:23

• Church care as Paul did - 2 Cor. 11:28
• Spiritual well-being – as Timothy did - Phil. 2:20.

Jesus teaches from the Horns of Hattin: two volcanic hills overlooking the beautiful Jordon valley. In view are the ruins of the city of Sappores, once a refuge city, destroyed by Romans when enemies were using it as their strategic hideout. It was covered with salt and stone, surrounded by trenches of perpetually burning sulphur. In these ruins grew the lilies and birds Jesus was talking about.

Consider Creation

Jesus points to the birds flying and to the Sosanna lilies thriving in the place where no life was meant to survive. He then illustrates that the grass too, is luxuriously clothed by the Heavenly Father.

How much more then, is His care and watch over us despite our surroundings which could even be toxic.

Jesus encourages us that we have the privilege of knowing a God who knows and cares. We too can thrive in the most challenging situations.

In Jesus’ time itself at a later date, the burning city of Sappores was reborn anew and known as Phoenix city – the city that rose from the ashes.

Cure for Anxiety

The cure is seeking God’s kingdom and prioritizing it over comfort zone, family, wealth and status. God’s kingdom starts here on earth (Matt 13) and gets perfected in the future for all eternity. (Matt 19:27-30).

The cure involves seeking God’s righteousness which means prioritizing holiness over happiness

Jesus then adds a huge bonus that “all these things will be added to you.”

When drive to succeed for God exceeds any other drive in the world, that is when true success and productivity results - even if it may not be visible to us!

Value life; every minute is a gift. There is not much time left.