Don’t Worry About It
Delivered November 14. 2010
In my last church in Pennsylvania, the church was only about a twenty-minute drive to the Pittsburgh International airport. So we had several church members who worked there. We had two air traffic controllers, three flight attendants, a baggage handler, a TSA agent and a pilot for US Airways. Therefore there were always airline jokes being told. Here is one such joke.
While cruising at 40,000 feet, the airplane shuddered. A passenger looked out the window. "Good heavens!" she screamed, "One of the engines just blew up!" Other passengers left their seats and came running over; suddenly the aircraft was rocked by a second blast as yet another engine exploded on the other side. The passengers were in a panic now, and even the flight attendants couldn't maintain order. Just then, standing tall and smiling confidently, the pilot strode from the cockpit and assured everyone that there was nothing to worry about. His words and his demeanor made the passengers feel better, and they sat down as the pilot calmly walked to the door of the aircraft. There, he grabbed several packages from under the seats and began handing them to the flight attendants. Each crew member attached the package to their backs.
"Hey," spoke up an alert passenger, "aren't those parachutes?" “Yes,” the pilot replied. The passenger went on, "But I thought you said there was nothing to worry about?" "There isn't," replied the pilot as a third engine exploded. "We're going to get help."
Today I am going to try to provide some help about worry, something we all do, including me, but which we know it would be better if we did less of it.
The title of my sermon comes from the song by Bobby McFerrin, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” It was by the Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards back in 1989. It starts off: “Here is a little song I wrote. You might want to sing it note for note. Don't worry be happy. In every life we have some trouble. When you worry you make it double. Don't worry, be happy.”
Although McFerrin’s song may be too simplistic in its philosophy of life, Jesus says something similar – although tempered with deep spirituality and realism - in the Sermon on the Mount and elsewhere. I went through the NT looking for every teaching on the subject of “worry.” Different translations use different words. Some use the word “worry” and some use the word “anxious.” I found that the Bible teaches us not to worry concerning six different areas of life.
1. First, don’t worry about Money. This is actually Jesus’ main point when it comes to worry. So it fits in very well with the tough economic times we find ourselves in today. Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” He goes on to point to the lilies of the field, and the grasses of the field which are clothed by God, saying, “will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” Concluding in verse 31 “Therefore do not worry….”
Jesus may not use the word “money” here, but that is how his words apply in our society. We no longer live in an agrarian pastoral society where people raised or hunted all their own food, built their own housing, and made their own clothing. We buy them, and we need money for these basics like food, clothing and shelter. Jesus tells us not to worry about these things; God will provide. That does not mean we sit back and do nothing. The NT also says, “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” It doesn’t mean you don’t plan and budget. It doesn’t mean that you don’t do everything we possibly can to provide for the needs of your household. Paul says in I Tim. 5:8 “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” We do everything we possibly can, but we don’t worry.
I have heard worry defined as practical atheism. Many people say they believe in God, but they act as if God doesn’t exist. They say they trust God for their eternal salvation but do not trust him in the ordinary things of life. When the going gets tough they are not sure God will really be there for them. What we are actually saying when we worry is that God may not be real after all, so we better have a backup plan. Worry says that God may exist but we can’t count on him in any practical way when it comes to providing for the basics of life. But in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says (in effect), “God cares for animals and plants. Will he not care for you, O you of little faith?” Verse 32-33 “For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” He says, Put God and his kingdom first and God will take care of the other things. Don’t worry; Seek God.
2. Second, don’t worry about Health. Jesus says in Matthew 6:27 in the NIV “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” The NKJV talks in this verse about adding a cubit to his stature, but I think the NIV is better here. Jesus is referring to the length of your life, not the height of your body. If there is one thing other than finances that people worry most about it is health. Some people make it the dominant concern of their lives. The fact that our country spends more on healthcare than any other is no accident. The fact that national healthcare was a major issue in the last election and in this midterm election – second only to the economy – even before war – tells us something about our preoccupation with our health. But Jesus says that all the worry in the world will not add one hour to our live.
Some people don’t believe that. Some believe the more you worry, the more likely you are to identify a medical problem early and add, not just hours but, years to your life. Jesus is not saying not to take care of our bodies and have health screenings. In fact the Bible calls our bodies the temples of the Holy Spirit, and that we need to take care of that temple. Paul says in I Cor. 3:17 “If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” We are supposed to take care of our health, but not worry about it. God will take care of you.
The apostle Paul had a serious health problem. We don’t know exactly what it was, but most biblical scholars think it was some type of eye disease. He called it his “thorn in the flesh” and a “messenger of Satan.” Paul prayed three times for God to heal him of this illness. God said no. Listen to 2 Cor. 12:8-10 “Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Paul was told not to worry about his health, but to trust in the power of God, even when – especially when – God does not heal! Don’t worry, trust God.
3. Third, Don’t Worry about the Future. Jesus says in our passage in verse 34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” This is a wonderful teaching of scripture. Jesus tells us to live in today instead of tomorrow. Again, this does not mean that we do not plan for tomorrow. Jesus told the parable of the man who was building a house and did not plan for tomorrow. He told the parable about a king who went to war and did not plan for tomorrow. We are supposed to plan for tomorrow. Build up our retirement accounts. Get a good education so we can have a good career. Jesus does not tell us not to plan for tomorrow; he tells us not to worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow is in God’s hands. We don’t know what tomorrow holds.
Jesus’ brother James wrote in his letter, “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15) Jesus says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” In other words, Jesus is saying, “Don’t worry. Take one day at a time.”
4. Don’t Worry about People. Jesus says not to worry about people who are against us. He repeats this over and over in the Gospels because there were so many people against him! He says in Peterson’s translation of Matthew 10:17 says, “17-20"Don't be naive. Some people will impugn your motives, others will smear your reputation—just because you believe in me. Don't be upset when they haul you before the civil authorities. Without knowing it, they've done you—and me—a favor, given you a platform for preaching the kingdom news! And don't worry about what you'll say or how you'll say it. The right words will be there; the Spirit of your Father will supply the words.” Don’t worry about people who do not like you and are against you and mistreat you or even persecute you. Don’t worry about defending yourself. God will defend you.
Don’t worry about pleasing people. Paul say sin I Corinthians 10:29-30 (Peterson’s translation) “I'm not going to walk around on eggshells worrying about what small-minded people might say; I'm going to stride free and easy, knowing what our large-minded Master has already said….. how can I worry about what someone will say?” Don’t worry about pleasing people. Please God.
5. Don’t Worry about Death. In Luke 23 we have Luke’s account of the crucifixion of Jesus. It records the conversation between Jesus and the two thieves crucified on either side of him. All three had death on their mind because they would be dead in a matter of hours. One was angry with Jesus, cursing him and telling him if he was the Messiah to get them off these crosses. The other was defending Jesus to his companion, saying they deserved death but Jesus had done nothing wrong. He said to Jesus, “Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus responded (in Peterson’s translation) “Don’t worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise.”
As Christians, death is one thing we need not worry about. Yet the truth is that as a pastor I see Christians not only worrying about dying – which is more understandable, especially about pain – but also worrying about what comes after death. We cannot judge anyone in this situation, for we do not know how we will react when we are in the same situation. But I know that we need not fear death.
If we are in Christ we have already passed from death to life. Because he lives we will live also. Christ has conquered death. Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God’s love is stronger than death. As Paul says in 1 Cor. 15: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “ O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Christ has died for us on the cross. He has vanquished death and hell. He took all the punishment for all our sins so we no longer have to fear either death nor punishment after death. For there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. As the apostle John says (again Peterson’s translation that uses the word worry here) “we're free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ's. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.” Don’t worry about death. We have life in Christ.
6. Lastly, to sum it all up - Don’t Worry about Anything. Paul says in Philippians 4:6-7 Peterson’s translation: “Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”
Do not worry. Instead, pray. Give everything to God in prayer. Lay it before God and leave it there. If you are like me, you may give it to God in prayer and then ten minutes after you get off your knees you have already taken it back from him. Give it to him and let him keep it. And in return he will give you his peace, the peace of God which surpasses understanding.
There is an interesting phrase in Peterson’s translation of James 1:5 about prayer and worry. It says there, “Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.” The phrase “worry their prayers” is insightful. Many people prayer is just another form of worry. They “worry their prayers.” Prayer becomes a way or keeping their worries alive instead of trusting their worries to God. Give your worries to God in prayer and leave them there. Don’t worry about anything. Pray.
I want to end with some figures. I read that the average person's worry normally divided into five areas:
40% of worry is about things that will never happen. So don’t worry. Mark Twain is reputed to have said, “I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened”
30% -- things about the past that can't be changed. So don’t worry.
12% -- things about criticism by others, mostly untrue, and you can’t do anything about it anyway. You can’t change people’s minds, only how you will react to them. So don’t worry.
10% -- about health, which gets worse with stress. Don’t worry.
8% -- about real problems that will be faced
That means that 92 % of our worry is completely unnecessary. Even the remaining 8% is not helped by worry. Worry just gets in the way of facing your problems. Let me suggest that you give that 8% to God, and let him work it out. For we have the promise of God that all things work out for good to those who love God who are called according to his purpose. Don’t worry.
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