Be Speaking to the crowds… vs. 13-21 (2 things)

• 1^st – Do not live for this world… vs. 13-15
  • A man in the crowd demanded Jesus tell his brother to divide their family inheritance…
    • The suggestion is he was the younger brother – and wanted his older brother to share…
    • Deuteronomy 21:17 – the younger brother was only to receive 1/3 the inheritance…
    • But this man was not looking for justice – he was just plain greedy…
    • So Jesus answered – who made me a judge or inheritance divider over you…
  • Beware of covetousness…
    • Jesus turned to the crowd – be careful about seeking after money/things…
      • We in stead should be content with whatever the Lord has provided for us…
      • Too often we get caught up seeking after things we want / rather than need…
      • We might think they are ‘needs’ – I NEED a new cell phone – but it is only a WANT…
      • How can you tell the difference between a need and a want – simple…
      • God promises to provide for everything we need – so if don’t have it – don’t need it…
    • Life does not exist in the abundance of your possessions…
      • There is an old saying – he who dies with the most toys wins…
      • But the truth is – he who dies with the most toys – is just dead…
      • You never see people ‘following the dead’ – with all their possessions in tow…
      • Ecclesiastes 5:15 – “People who live only for wealth come to the end of their lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day they were born.”
      • When we were born we had nothing – when we die we will ‘leave’ with nothing…
      • So all even if we had all the possessions – money in the world – it does not last…
      • We could chase after these things and waste our life – or choose to be content!
      • The Bible tells to be content with Food & clothing – I Timothy 6:8…
      • Your wages – Luke 3:14 / with what God has given to you – Hebrews 13:5
• 2^nd – Instead live for the Lord… vs. 16-21
  • Parable of the rich man – there was a rich man whose fields had a bumper crop…
    • He had so much he did not even have enough room to store all he had harvested…
    • So he decided to tear down his barns – so he could build bigger and better barns…
    • He would have enough room to be able to store all he had harvested…
    • Then he could sit back and enjoy the easy life – eat / drink / and be merry!
    • Most people dedicate their life to find – the BIG PAYDAY – the path to ‘easy street’…
    • The reason people give thousands of Pesos every day to the Lotto – just hoping…
    • Thinking if only I had a LOT of money – then all of my problems would go away!
  • God said to him – Fool!
    • Your will die tonight – then who will get the things you have stored up…
    • When we are young we tend to have nothing – no money / no possessions…
    • So we work hard all our life to try and get all the things we ‘want’ – only then to die…
    • * Ecclesiastes 2:18-20 – “I am disgusted that I must leave the fruits of my hard work to others.  And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? And yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work. How meaningless!”
    • That does not mean we are not to work hard – it means we work hard for God…
    • Don’t strive after the riches of this world – they do not last…
    • Instead strive after the eternal riches that come through living your life for God!

Speaking to the disciples… vs. 22-34 (2 things)

• 1^st – Do not worry… vs. 22-30
  • Jesus turned to His disciples – you do not have to worry… vs. 22-23
    • The promise ‘not to worry’ was not for just anyone – it was only for His disciples…
      • We would do most anything to make sure our kids have everything they need…
      • But we are not willing to make the same sacrifices for someone else’s children…
      • In the same way God promises to take care of His kids – those who believe in Jesus…
      • God does not make the same promise to those who belong to this world…
    • Two things they were not to worry about…
      • Food and Clothing – a big concern in the days of Jesus – just as they are today…
      • How many hours of sleep have we lost worrying about how to feed our families…
      • How many fights have we gotten into over not having enough money…
      • Outfits for school / paper & pens / fare to get back and forth / lunch money…
    • Life is more than food and clothing…
      • The basics needs of life – are not the meaning/purpose of living…
      • We were not created by God to eat / or to wear the latest fashions…
      • We were created to have a personal relationship with God – to be His children…
      • When we miss that – we miss out on the abundant life God intended us to have!
  • Three examples God will provide for us…  vs. 24-28
    • 1^st – Look at the ravens… vs. 24
      • They have no barns to store up extra food in – yet God always provides for them…
        • Leviticus 11:13-15 – “These you shall regard as an abomination among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination… every raven…”
        • Ravens were an abomination to the Jews – they were a forbidden bird…
        • A Jew would not have cared if a Raven lived or died – but God cares for the ravens!
        • The equivalent for us would be rats – creatures we rather see dead than alive!
        • My guess is none of us have ever gone to bed worried about rats…
        • We don’t lie there wondering if the little rats had enough food to eat today…
      • Yet God does care – He looks after something we despise – could care less about!
        • If God makes sure the rats have enough to eat – if He care for them…
        • How much more will He make sure His children have food to eat!
        • Psalms 37:25 – “Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly forsaken, nor seen their children begging for bread.”
        • God gives HIS children the amazing promise – you never have to worry about food!
    • 2^nd – Add one day to our lives…  vs. 25-26
      • Cubit – a measure of length / stature – age or length of life…
        • Which one of us can add a even one day to our lives…
        • We worry and tress about the future as if we have some control of its outcome…
        • Yet we cannot even add one day to the length of our lives…
        • In fact more than likely all our worrying takes days away from our lives!
      • If we cannot do the simplest of things – why do we worry about the rest…
        • If you cannot pick up 100kg – why would you try to lift up 1000kg!
        • Stress comes when we try to control something beyond our control – the future…
        • But God know the future – and He is in complete control of all things…
        • If we abide in Jesus – trust in Him – there is no reason to be stressed!
    • 3^rd – The flowers of the field…  vs. 27-28
      • Flowers are beautiful – but they do not have to work hard to be that beautiful…
        • You never see a flower having to ‘style’ its pedals / trying on the latest fashions…
        • You never see a flower spending hours in front of the mirror ‘getting ready’!
        • Jesus compares the flowers to Solomon – the richest / wisest man in the OT…
        • Yet with all the he had he still was not as beautiful as a simple flower…
        • Yet the fate of a flower is to be withered by the sun – here today / gone tomorrow!
        • If God makes the flowers – that’s only here for a moment – so beautiful…
        • How much more will He clothe you and me – His children!
      • Too often we ask the wrong question – is God going to provide for next week/year…
        • We get ahead of God – and that gets us worried / stressed…
        • The right question is ‘Do we lack anything – food/clothing – right now!’…
        • Not what do we need a year from now – or month – or 5 minutes from now…
        • God has been faithful to provide everything we need for this very moment!
        • And He will continue to be faithful – taking care of every need!
  • With such amazing promises – why do we still worry… vs. 29-30
    • Those who don’t know Jesus worry – because they don’t know Jesus…
      • Those in the World have no guarantees in life – they are not looking to Jesus…
      • Those who do not know Jesus have every reason to worry and be afraid…
    • But we should not worry – because our Father in heaven knows what we need…
      • And He promises to give us food / clothing – all they we require…
      • We only worry when our heart gets caught up in the things of this world…
      • If we find ourselves worrying – it is likely because we got our eyes off of Jesus!
• 2^nd – Seek Jesus first… vs. 31-34
  • Rather than worrying – seek Jesus… vs. 31-32 (3 things)
    • 1^st – Seek Jesus by letting go of the past…
      • Philippians 3:13-14 – “One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
      • To often in our Christian walk we hold onto our past – our mistakes and failures…
      • But in Jesus the past is forgotten – whether the past is 10 years ago or 10 minutes…
      • And if we are focused on our past – then we are not looking to Jesus…
    • 2^nd – Seek Jesus by spending time with Jesus…
      • Luke 10:38-42 – “And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. “But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Instead let us invest in our relationship with Jesus – and find our fears melt away!

Are we worried and troubled about MANY things today…

Rushing around – busy – no time to spare – no time to sit at Jesus feet…

That is why we are worried and troubled – we did not find time for Jesus!

When we take the time 1^st to sit at Jesus feet – everything else falls in place…

So take the time today – sit at Jesus feet – in His Word and in Prayer!

3^rd – Seek Jesus by putting Jesus first…

John 15:4-5 – “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”

Bottom line – how do we seek Jesus first – Abide!

In Him we can do all things – without Him we can do nothing….

That does not mean we ignore the rest of our lives and read our Bibles all day…

What it means is that we put Jesus first before anything else in our lives!

Do not fear my little sheep… vs. 33-34

If Jesus says ‘fear not’ – then we must be terrified…

Notice – what our Father want to give us – not just what we need…

He wants to give us His whole kingdom – bless us beyond imagination!

The only reason He wouldn’t give us something is He knows its not good for us…

Since He desires to give us EVERYTHING – what do we have to worry about!

Sell what you have and give it to the poor (not that you have to sell everything)…

Lay up treasures in Heaven…

The things we strive for here on earth do not last – they rust / wear out / stolen…

Jesus warns us not to story up ‘treasures’ here on earth were things fade away….

Instead make heaven your treasury – where the rewards never fade away!

Because where your treasure is there is your heart also!

We do not choose where are heart is – we do choose where we put our treasures…

Wherever we put our money / time / talents – is where our heart will also be!

Are our treasures stored up in heaven – or is our heart focused on something else…

Are we focused on the Lord – or caught up in the concerns of this world!

If we store up all our treasures here on earth – then we will not be seeking Jesus…

As a result we will end up living a life full of worry and fear…