In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus describes the person… “who hears the word, but the worries of this age and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” There are many factors that can decimate our spiritual life—but two stand out more than all the others.
The first factor is the “worries of this age.” Have you ever noticed how worries come in multiples? We don’t typically have a singular “worry” but rather a multitude, an avalanche of worries. This week I read the entire gospel of Matthew. I was curious. “What are some of these worries (points of discontentment) that choke spiritual life?” Jesus introduces three areas of worry in a single verse. In Matthew 6:25 Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear.”
We worry about Life. Our worries about health alone have a way of eclipsing every other concern in life. We worry about health more than any other thing. This isn’t always bad. Life/health concerns drove the masses to the feet of Jesus. see Matthew 4:24: “Then the news about him spread throughout Syria. So, they brought to him all those who were afflicted, those suffering from various diseases and intense pains, the demon-possessed, the epileptics, and the paralytics. And he healed them.”
We worry about Needs. In Jesus’ day, people literally worried about bread/water. Our church regularly provides food pantry items for students at Lee School. Why? Because it’s hard for students to focus on much of anything when their stomachs are growling. Jesus point here is greater—our appetites can consume us. Maybe as a kid, it only took a peanut butter & jelly sandwich to satisfy you. What does it take now to satisfy you? It always seems we have the Food Network channel on. No, that doesn’t help matters.
We worry about Image. This past week the 64-year-old Grease star, John Travolta, shared a picture of his sleekly shaved head with his million+ Instagram followers. He vowed to begin 2019 “follicle free.” USA Today reported that his followers were “totally wigged out.” Celebrities aren’t the only ones who make a big deal about their image. The two most spiritually lethal inventions ever: The mirror and social media. In the mirror, we obsess over our selfies; On the Internet we obsess over others.
In Matthew 3, John the Baptist is the antithesis of celebrity! He “lived in the wilderness”, “wore a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist,” ate locusts and wild honey for food.” He’s a total brute. He always had sticky fingers, pieces of Locust carcasses in his beard, probably bad breath, probably looked like the Geico commercial Cave Man. But loved Jesus! He didn’t care about his image. In Matthew 11:7-8 Jesus was asked about John the Baptist, “What did all you people come out in the wilderness to see… a man dressed in soft clothes… those who wear soft clothes are in king’s palaces.” I wonder if I could get away with that. “What did you people come out to Lakeside to see… a man dressed in skinny jeans… those who wear skinny jeans lead worship.”
We worry about Our Stuff. Matthew 19:21-23, the Rich Young Ruler, so eager to follow Jesus. But then Jesus tell him? “Go sell everything you have and give to the poor.” The Bible says, “The young man went away grieving because he had so many possessions.” Jesus’ warns that, “It’s quite hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.” We don’t consume possessions; our possessions consume us.
We worry about Prestige. We worry about Power. Jesus fasted in the wilderness, 40 days/nights, and was tempted. 1st Temptation was for Provision. Instead of trusting God with his needs, would Jesus look elsewhere? Jesus understood “man doesn’t live on bread alone but on every word that comes from God.” 2nd Temptation was for Prestige/Popularity. “Jesus what a spectacle it would be if you’d throw yourself down from the temple, and let the angels catch you. You’ll be a viral sensation!” 3rd Temptation was for Power. “Jesus If you’d just sell out your soul, your character, your principles, the Kingdom, you could have the world!”
We worry about Commitment. In Matthew 5:33 Jesus warns about breaking oaths, not letting our yes be yes and no, no. We’re perpetually wanting to keep our options open. We start things but never finish them. We make vows, but don’t fulfill them. We quickly go back on our word if a new option presents itself. We’re always afraid of missing out on some new thing. In Jesus’ day people were like, “Jesus, we want to follow you, you’re the bomb, BUT. . . but I have this family matter… but I just bought a field… but I just bought a head of cattle… but I’ve got this work thing, this family thing, this business idea, this sports thing, this hobby thing, this social thing.”
Jesus doesn’t mince any words about the “worries” suffocate spiritual life. You can read Matthew and expand this list. But it isn’t just “worries” that are the problem…it’s our remedy, our solution. In the Parable of the Sower there are two factors that decimate spiritual life. The first is worry/discontentment; but the second is the “deceitfulness/seduction of wealth.” We believe that affluence, greater wealth, more money, is the solution. On our money we declare “In God we Trust.” But by the way we actually live, we declare, “In Money we Trust.”
In Matthew 6:24 Jesus says, “No one can be a slave of two masters, since he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money.” When our worries and money become everything, everything else gets relegated to the margins of our lives starting with God.
How honest can we be, about what’s choking out our life in God? Let’s turn our attention to what we can do about worry and discontentment…
First, we can practice faith. We can realize that when we pray, God already knows everything we need. We can trust God to provide our daily bread. Not that we don’t have to work, or be responsible, but to trust that God to be part of the equation.
Second, we can practice gratitude. Whenever Jesus broke bread, he always looked to heaven, and gave thanks to the Father. For all that we need in life, God in his goodness, has already provided so much. I find myself thanking God all the time…
Third, we can practice generosity. One of several things is likely to happen. 1) Moth and rust will consume what we have. 2) Thieves will break in and steal what we have. 3) Everything we have will get redistributed to someone else when we die. Ultimately though, everything will be destroyed with fire. The one exception is whatever treasure we store up in heaven. Jesus says, “Store for yourselves treasure in heaven where moth/rust cannot destroy, nor thieves break in and steal.”
Fourth, we can serve God. Matthew 6:24, “No one can be a slave of two masters, since he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money.” If serving self is our disease, serving a cause greater than self is the antidote. I’ve noticed that the more idle, or self-serving, the more discontent I become. But the more I serve God, the more satisfied I feel.
Fifth, we can embrace worth. Jesus asked, “If God takes care of sparrows, how much more will he take care of you/me? Are we not worth far more?” I never noticed it before, but in Matthew 12:12 Jesus tells us we’re worth more than sheep. How much of emotional/spiritual energy do we waste trying to establish our sense of worth before God, to others on Social Media, or to ourselves? God resolved our worth when he allowed the precious blood of his One and Only Son to be slain for us. If we could see yourselves through God’s eyes, we’d understand our supreme worth!
Sixth, we can change focus. Matthew 6:22-23, “The eye is lamp of the body. If your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad your body will be full of darkness. So, if the light within you is darkness—how deep is that darkness!” What’s your focus? Billions of advertising dollars are spent daily to stoke our discontentment. We have to learn to unplug if we hope to tune into God.
Seventh, we can practice self-denial. Matthew 16:24-28, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. 26 For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each according to what he has done. Matthew 19:29, “Everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters, fathers, mother, children, or fields because of my name will receive 100 times more and eternal life…”
Every point of worry/discontentment can be countered with a spiritual practice.
Let me share the ONE BIG IDEA, that is the most promising of all. Go Find the Pearl of Great Price. What is the pearl of great price? The Pearl is something that matters ultimately, and eternally. It’s something that though it may cost you everything, it benefits you infinitely.
In Matthew 13:44-46 Jesus says, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had, and bought it.” The Pearl is the Kingdom of God!
None of the things we worry about adds a minute to our life. But seeking first God’s Kingdom and Righteousness matters for all people, for all times. When the disciples were confronted with the power of God’s Kingdom, they willingly laid down their nets to follow Jesus. For them, the Pearl of Great Price was a greater YES! When you have a greater YES, everything else pales in comparison.
As 2019 begins will you walk in faith? Will you trust God more deeply with your daily needs? Will you consider being more grateful than demanding? Will you explore what it means to serve a cause greater than self? Will you allow your worth to be rooted in God, instead of all the things the world chases? Will you consider unsubscribing, unplugging, unfollowing, turning away from those things feeding your discontentment? Will you explore what it looks like to gain by losing, to gain by denying yourselves and taking up your cross daily? Will you realize giving to God is never in vain, it’s one of the greatest investments we could ever make.
But most importantly, will you reflect on what is your pearl? Jesus told us to seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness. He told us to lay down our nets, and follow him, to go on an adventure of braving His mission in the world. After the service were going to give you a book “More than a Carpenter.” If you’ve never started a relationship with Jesus, this will help you. But for the rest of you, we want you to share the book with someone far from God. What’s greater than changing a life for God’s glory?
This month we're focusing on the vision of Lakeside. God has big plans for Lakeside. We’re growing. We’re helping people connect with God. People are believing in Jesus, becoming like Jesus, build up God’s church, braving Jesus’ mission. Leaders are being raised up. Miracles happen when the Kingdom of God becomes our pearl of great price. Too much is at stake, for us to choke. As we come to our time of offering let’s pray for two things. Let’s seek first God’s Kingdom and Righteousness, and ask that God would meet all our needs in Christ Jesus. But let’s also remember that God sacrificed everything (his Son) to save many, and that now he’s inviting us to live lives of sacrifice.