From Fear to Faith • Luke 12:22-34
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Review & Overview
Review & Overview
1. Previous Study’s Review
1. Previous Study’s Review
Chapter 12 is in a section where Jesus experiences a series of rejections in His ministry.
The Samaritans reject Him
The Religious Leaders Reject Him - And then jesus rejects them in return lol
Now here in Ch. 12 Jesus gives out certain commands in light of Him Being Rejected.
2. Current Study’s Overview
2. Current Study’s Overview
This brings us to vs.22 and our study for today… Read…
Leading up to Vs. 22 Jesus had dealt with Fear… & Covetousness…
Now in these next 13 verses Jesus deals with the Topic of Anxiety:
The most common words in scripture translated to anxious or anxiety is: mer-im-naho, 19, 3 times in our text…
The Holman Illustred Bible Dictrionary Defines ANXIETY as “ A State of mind wherein one is concerned about something or someone. This state of mind may range from genuine concern (Phil. 2:20, 28; 2 Cor. 11:28) to obsessions that originate from a distorted perspective of life (Matt. 6:25–34; Mark 4:19; Luke 12:22–31).”
This is a topic that we all have struggled with at one time or another…
If you are taking notes we want to look at 3 things pertaining to Anxiety.
1. The Command About Anxiety Vs. 22-23
1. The Command About Anxiety Vs. 22-23
1.1 Do Not Worry Vs. 22a
1.1 Do Not Worry Vs. 22a
This is a command to Stop Worrying, stop being anxious - It implies that being in a state of anxiety is something we’re all ready doing, so knock it off…
And we are to stop being anxious about 2 things:
1. Our Life: vs.22b - I understand that when we think about life we think about food & water to stay alive… but…
Life: psuche, psychology, it speaks of our Mind… It speaks of the inner person of who we really are!
We’re created in futility, Rom.8:20, God has put eternity in our hearts Ecc.3:11.
APPLICATION: Because of that nothing in this life will ever quench or satisfy your life!
So, stop worrying about it! Why are we to stop being anxious about our life.
Well, because our life is empty and only Jesus Christ can satisfy the hunger we have in life… everything else is temporal…
John 14:6 “6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Colossians 3:4 “4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
John 11:25 “25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”
APPLICATION: So quite worrying about your life and focus on true life. Jesus.
2. Our Body: vs.22c-23 - the outward appearance: a we pamper it… paint it… put jewelry on it…
But we forget its only temporal…
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
In other words don’t worry about the external the temporal…
Because the Body, the physical are only here for a short time and then their gone…
2. The Illustrations Regarding Anxiety Vs. 24-28
2. The Illustrations Regarding Anxiety Vs. 24-28
2.1 Birds, Stature, & Flowers Vs. 24 - 28a
2.1 Birds, Stature, & Flowers Vs. 24 - 28a
Birds Vs. 24 - God thinks birds are valuable so He feeds them… takes care of them… provides for them...
And since you & I are more valuable to God… how much more will take care of us…
Stature Vs. 25 - 26 — a cubit is about 18”… but the word stature speaks of time or length of life…
We don’t ever worry about getting taller because we know we can’t do anything about it... so…
Since we don’t worry about our height… we shouldn’t worry about our life… because we can’t add one moment or even one second to it…
Flowers Vs. 27-28a — Like we mentioned already, we shouldn’t be anxious about our outside because it is temporary.
but notice there at the end of Vs. 28 why we worry why have anxiety.
2.4 O’ you of little faith Vs. 28b
2.4 O’ you of little faith Vs. 28b
Jesus here is not talking about quantity of faith, He’s talking about quality of faith
Romans 12:3 “…God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”
So everyone has faith. So the question is: What or who do you have your faith in?
If our faith is in Jesus we have big faith, but if our faith is in something or someone else we have little faith.
and when we are in a state of anxiety - We have little faith because we are not trusting in God.
In other words Jesus says that the root of anxiety is lack of faith in God! Unbelief…
As unbelief creeps into our heart, one of the results is anxiety.
So let’s talk about unbelief…
12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
When we first get saved and are born again, we are introduced into a life of warfare.
And this warfare listen! Is called the “Fight of Faith”
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
1 Timothy 6:12 (NKJV)
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life…
And going back to Hebrews…
12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
It’s called the battle against unbelief. The writer is saying, “Beware!”, be vigilant! Lest there be…
The most basic battle of our life is the battle to believe in the God of the Universe and His promises.
To believe so that we do not to allow our hearts to become an evil heart of unbelief.
And I know what some of us our thinking right now:
Pastor Anthony, if this is true, if the root of anxiety is unbelief or little faith in God.
Then my belief in God is useless because I struggle and deal with feelings of anxiety almost every day!
So now, how can I have any assurance of being saved, if I struggle with anxiety everyday, am I even a Christian?
Here’s my answer to the question and I am going to give it in the form of an Illustration.
ILLUSTRATION: Do we have any Mario Kart Fans here?
Lol, my kids and I love playing that game.
And you know when you are racing and someone throws the blooper at you that squid like enemy and sprays ink on your screen so you can’t see? Do you guys know what I am talking about?
So question: When someone throws that squid at you and you temporarily lose sight of your goal and start to swerve, does that mean you need to quit the race? NO!
Even in real life, you don’t give up when something splatters on your windshield. You use your windshield wipers to clean it off and keep going.
APPLICATION: What I mean is this - When anxiety strikes and blurs our vision of God’s love and purpose.
That does not mean that we have not faith, it means that our faith is being challenged!
At first, when anxiety creeps up. It’s like a punch in the face.
What we know in our hearts about God may sputter and swerve but us staying on track and making it to the finish lines depends on whether we resist the anxiety or not.
3 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.
God is compassionate towards you. He cares for you!
1 Peter 5:7 “7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”
3. The Cure for Anxiety Vs. 29 - 31
3. The Cure for Anxiety Vs. 29 - 31
Notice, it starts off by tellings what not to seek and then finishes with what we are to be seeking.
But also notice the word anxious mind at the end of Vs. 29.
That word anxious mind is not the same as the previous mer-im-naho.
Anxious Mind Greek - meteor-iz-omai, and scholar debate as to what it actually means.
But it appears to have something to do with meteors.
and you translate this verse to do not have a meteoric mind.
Some say that this word relates to high things that float above, like shooting stars, or clouds in the sky.
If they are right this word can speak of “Do not let your mind be like the clouds.
Do have cloudy minds, that are blown away with every wind of doctrine!
With every wind of thought.
Some of us here are allowing our minds to be like the clouds and your surrounding blow the way you think this way and that way!
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
ENDING…..