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http://proxy.autopod.ca/podcasts/chum/6/8445/good_news_018_sept16.mp3
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Matthew 6:25-34 - (NIV)
Footnotes:
Cross references:
I think everyone has worries. Each day has troubles of its own. We are told by Jesus not to worry, and yet most people suffer diverse anxieties. If we are Christians, we are learning to cast our cares on God, and trust him to sustain us. Yet what are these things we care about? Are troubled by the things that trouble God? Or are we still troubled by matters that have little to do with his kingdom and his righteousness? Jesus addresses some very basic needs, when he says that we should not worry about food, clothing and shelter. Why then are we so often preoccupied by even lesser things than these?
In my summer reading I’ve had a chance to look at the challenges facing Christians in the developing world, and have noticed a model for life and prayer that could be very instructive for us in the “first world.” So today I hope we can look at what God thinks of our “first world problems.”
Conclusion of Message:
What are "first world problems"?
What are “third world Problems”?
What are “Kingdom Problems”?
God’s heart for third world problems
God’s grace for first world problems
God’s call to Kingdom problems.
God is worthy of our sacrificial service, and he is trustworthy to make us fruitful in his service. He has shown us that He can be trusted with the needs of today ... and He wants to trust us with the needs of His Kingdom. Kingdom problems can be our focus, and our aim, and the hope that we have in God can turn us from trivia to truth.
PODCAST LINK to CFRA
broadcast - Sunday, September 9th, 2012:
 |
| Rev. Brian Wilkie |
____________________________________________
by Rev.
Brian Wilkie
Pastor of St. Andrew's United
Church,
Rockland, Ontario
|
Broadcast Notes:
**********************************************************
‘First World Problems’
‘First World Problems’
Today
our theme is “First World Problems”
Our
Reading from the word of God is taken from the Gospel according to Matthew. It’s
what I hope to be a familiar passage from the Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 6:25-34 - (NIV)
Do Not
Worry(A)
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry(B) about your life, what you will eat or
drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and
the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air;
they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father
feeds them.(C) Are you not much more valuable than they?(D) 27 Can any one of you by worrying
add a single hour to your life[a]?(E)
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the
flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I
tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor(F) was dressed like one of these. 30 If
that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and
tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of
little faith?(G) 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What
shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For
the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you
need them.(H) 33 But seek first his kingdom(I) and his righteousness, and all these things will
be given to you as well.(J) 34 Therefore do not worry about
tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of
its own.
Footnotes:
Cross references:
Introduction of Message:
I think everyone has worries. Each day has troubles of its own. We are told by Jesus not to worry, and yet most people suffer diverse anxieties. If we are Christians, we are learning to cast our cares on God, and trust him to sustain us. Yet what are these things we care about? Are troubled by the things that trouble God? Or are we still troubled by matters that have little to do with his kingdom and his righteousness? Jesus addresses some very basic needs, when he says that we should not worry about food, clothing and shelter. Why then are we so often preoccupied by even lesser things than these?
In my summer reading I’ve had a chance to look at the challenges facing Christians in the developing world, and have noticed a model for life and prayer that could be very instructive for us in the “first world.” So today I hope we can look at what God thinks of our “first world problems.”
Conclusion of Message:
What are "first world problems"?
·
Prom
night
·
Career
success
·
Material
abundance
·
Diets
and addictions
·
security
What are “third world Problems”?
·
Food,
shelter, security
What are “Kingdom Problems”?
·
Salvation
of the lost
·
Care
for the weak
·
Grace
to the needy
God’s heart for third world problems
·
Care of
the widow and orphan, give all you have to the poor, blessed are the peace
makers.
God’s grace for first world problems
·
It’s
amazing how caring God is.
God’s call to Kingdom problems.
·
Seek
first the kingdom of God
·
Don’t
run after these things, in fact let go of these things when called to.
·
Petty
problems distract us from the higher call?
·
“selling
blood” to buy tools for evangelism.
·
Suffering
beatings and threats to share the gospel
·
“You
have not resisted to the point of losing blood”
·
It’s
incredibly unlikely that we will suffer what others have suffered, and what
others are now suffering in other parts of the world.
God is worthy of our sacrificial service, and he is trustworthy to make us fruitful in his service. He has shown us that He can be trusted with the needs of today ... and He wants to trust us with the needs of His Kingdom. Kingdom problems can be our focus, and our aim, and the hope that we have in God can turn us from trivia to truth.
Closing:
Would
you pray with me?
Loving God, Increase our faith. Didn't you lovingly addressed the disciples as "ye of little faith", who worry about little things? Lord, we admit that we often don't have a lot of faith; but we pray that you would increase us in faith, and that you would lead us and show us how we can take part in greater things: in eternal things, as we become a blessing to the world around us.
We ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ, who gave up everything, for our sakes, when he died on the cross for us. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.
May you
know Jesus Christ personally and profoundly. May the Holy Spirit reside deep
within your heart. And may the heavenly Father surround you with his constant
and abiding and accompanying love.
Rev. Brian Wilkie
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To listen to the above broadcast, click on the
following link:
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON TWITTER:
ReplyDeleteTheBestQuotesDaily -(@BestQuoteDaily on Twitter)
"Take problems as God s ways to improve you. Remember, it takes a ton of pressure to make a diamond."
TheyCallMeHope - (@AmelleHope on Twitter)
"God doesn't send you problems you can't handle, or people you can't face.
God's love is greater than your problems."
Bobby Hughes - (@BobbyHughes5 on Twitter)
"Trusting God turns problems into opportunities."
idil - (@idillionaire on Twitter)
"A normal person prays to God, 'Don't give me problems.' but a great person prays to God, 'Give me the power to face my problems.'"
PassionNetwork - (@PassionNetwork on Twitter)
"The more you think on God's strength, the smaller your problems will seem."
ItsThingsInLife ♕ @ItsThingsInLife (on Twitter)
"Stop telling God how big your problems are and start telling your problems how big your God is."
God Loves - (@God_Loved on Twitter)
"Too often we spend all of our time seeking God for answers to our problems when what we should be doing is just seeking God."
L. Spenser Smith - (@LSpenserSmith on Twitter)
"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (Philippians 4:6 NLT)"
Lovable Words - (@LovableWords on Twitter)
"Don't worry about tomorrow, God is already there!"
God Posts - (@GodPosts on Twitter)
"If your plans don't work out don't worry, because God has better ones."
Brian Pruett - (@Brian_Pruett on Twitter)
"Give all you stress, worry, and struggles to God. He'll keep you going & He'll never let you fall. Psalm 55:22"
Speed Prayers - (@speedprayers on Twitter)
"God please let us come to You in Prayer when we get a knock at door from worry and anxiety~Amen"
Follow Jesus - (@FwJesus on Twitter)
"Too often we spend all of our time seeking God for answers to our problems when what we should be doing is just seeking God."
Originally Posted on Twitter:
ReplyDeleteFollow Jesus - (@FwJesus on Twitter)
"God cares about everything that concerns you, so feel free to talk to Him about anything."