“What is God’s Strategy for Anxiousness?” 8-15-21
Overview
God's Strategy for Anxiousness
Anxiety is on the march. Even before the pandemic, bookstores reported a 25% rise in titles dealing with worry, and the conversations of daily life confirm what the numbers suggest. Yet Scripture is striking in its directness: God does not make a polite suggestion about anxiety—He gives a command. Jesus says, "Do not worry about your life" Matthew 6:25, and Paul writes, "Do not be anxious about anything" Philippians 4:6. When God commands, He also empowers. So what is His strategy?
Consider Martha. Jesus tells her, "You are anxious and troubled about many things" Luke 10:41-42. The word "distracted" means to be pulled away. Martha's recipe for anxiety was a real burden plus eyes pulled off of Jesus. The remedy begins with a different verb: cast. "Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you" 1 Peter 5:7. The same Greek word appears in Luke 19:35, where the disciples threw their cloaks on the colt for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem—a deliberate transfer of a burden onto another. We are good at gripping our worries tightly, but the Lord pries our fingers loose and invites us to hand the weight over to Him.
How does this transfer actually happen? Through prayer. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:6-7. By grace, items move off the worry list and onto the prayer list. Thanksgiving matters here, because as we name who God is—sovereign, attentive, the One who notices every sparrow and every hair Matthew 10:29-30—we are reassured of the One receiving the burden. The word "guard" is a military term: God posts a sentry over heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
The strategy also includes a reorientation of focus. Rather than asking, "What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?" Jesus says, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" Matthew 6:31-33. And here is the gospel underneath the command: we strive for what God has already given us. In baptism He has claimed us as His own; on the cross Christ bore every sin, including our anxious refusals to trust His sovereignty; the tomb is empty. We are already wrapped in His righteousness, so we strive from victory, not for it. The world promises, "Don't worry, things will work out," but life quickly proves otherwise. As Lloyd Ogilvie put it, "Things don't work out. God works out things." That is the promise of Romans 8:28—not that all things work out, but that God works all things together for good for those who love Him.
So when anxiety presses in this week, remember the pattern: He pries the fingers, He commands the cast, He empowers the transfer through prayer with thanksgiving, and He refocuses our gaze on the kingdom and righteousness already ours in Christ. Cast all your anxiety on Him—because He cares for you.
Transcript
Would you open your Bibles please with me for our text of study today to first Peter the first chapter 1s
if using a Pew edition? 8s
You're going to find that on page 208 first Peter the fifth chapter for our study today. 10s
Angziety. 20s
It is on the march is it not? 23s
In fact it seems to be increasing day after day after day. 28s
As I reflect on my ministry in conversations with people, I believe that the days that we 36s
are living in are some of the most anxious days expressed in people's conversations, their 45s
fears, anxiety. 57s
Barnes and Noble of the Bookstore has reported that there is a 25% increase in books that 62s
deal with anxiety. 70s
20% increase and that's a pretty healthy increase. 72s
Here's the thing that was before the pandemic. 77s
Exiety is on the march. 82s
God is very clear with regard to anxiousness, isn't he? 87s
Jesus says in Matthew 6, therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life. 92s
Paul under the inspiration of the Spirit in Philippians 4 writes, do not worry about anything. 100s
Notice here, God is speaking to us by command. 108s
This is not a suggestion. 112s
This is not God saying, it sure would be nice if you might be so inclined if you might 114s
not worry about a few things. 120s
Or please would you do this? 123s
I'd really appreciate it. 125s
No, God speaks in declarative sentences. 127s
God speaks clearly. 131s
God here is speaking in terms of command and he is saying, don't. 133s
Don't. 143s
We continue our sermon series today. 144s
Q and A. Here's the question I want to pose and explore with you, Bibbably. 146s
What is God's strategy for anxiousness? 153s
What is God's strategy for anxiousness? 159s
I think of the two sisters, Mary and Martha. 166s
The story recorded in Holy Scripture, where Jesus comes over for dinner. 169s
Martha is busy preparing everything who knows what the state of the house is. 175s
Has to have all the details just right. 180s
She's busy busy. 185s
And Mary was busy too, the Scripture reveals. 188s
Mary was busy listening to the Lord. 191s
Martha has finally had enough. 199s
Turns to Jesus and says, Martha, Martha, you are worried or you can translate it 201s
in word as anxious. 206s
Martha, Martha, you're anxious and distracted by many things. 208s
There is need of only one thing. 212s
Mary has chosen the better part which will not be taken away from her. 214s
Now, Mary and Martha, these are two adults here. 224s
But can't you just hear echoes of the two of them growing up? 226s
It's the child voice saying, mother, father, she did this. 230s
Or she did that. 236s
Or she didn't do this. 237s
Well, it's just translated now into the adult frame of things. 239s
Isn't it? 242s
Don't you care that I'm doing all of the work and what was Jesus' response? 243s
Jesus says, Martha, you're anxious and distracted by many things. 251s
There's need of only one thing. 260s
Mary has chosen the better part which will not be taken away from her. 263s
He word there is the word distracted. 273s
Jesus says, Martha is distracted by many things. 277s
That word there means to be pulled away and to have your attention put on something else. 281s
Jesus, nothing to matter with serving here is there. 290s
Jesus is addressing the issue of Martha's distraction, addressing the issue of Martha's anxiety. 293s
And what was the recipe that went in to the anxiety? 300s
But the recipe that went in to the anxiety was being burdened down by something, 304s
plus take your eyes off of Jesus equals. 312s
Anxiousness. 321s
Anxiousness. 322s
So what is God's strategy for anxiousness? 326s
I think of Luke the 19th chapter. 335s
There, Jesus is getting ready for the triumphant entry into Jerusalem. 338s
The cross is very, very close. 344s
The animal has been obtained. 346s
And the scripture tells us in verse 35 of Luke 19, 350s
it says, after throwing their cloaks on the cult, they set Jesus on it. 354s
Here's another interesting word. 360s
That word there throwing. 363s
It means to cast a burden to cast a burden. 365s
So they had the burden of the cloaks and what were they doing. 370s
But they cast the burden of holding the cloak onto something else. 375s
That's what the word means. 379s
Whatever is the burden that one has, they cast it away from themselves onto something else. 381s
Okay, we're ready now for first Peter 5. 394s
Look on the please, first Peter, chapter 5, verse 7. 397s
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 403s
See that word cast there? 413s
That's the same word used in Luke 19 verse 35 416s
about the casting of the cloaks upon the animal. 421s
It's the same exact word. 428s
It's the transfer of the burden. 430s
They cast the cloaks onto the animal. 435s
The animal then took the burden. 439s
Here, Jesus is saying, cast all your anxiety on him. 443s
God Almighty cast all of it. 450s
Take the burden and place it on someone that's someone being God. 456s
Cast, cast it away. 469s
Throw the anxiety and how much anxiety are we to throw? 475s
Cast all your anxiety on him and the reason being because he cares for you. 481s
To throw it away from ourselves onto him, but we're really good at gripping, aren't we? 490s
We're really good at holding on. 498s
And so when those things come in our life that make us anxious, we grip and we hold on to them. 500s
And the fingers are tight. 509s
It's the what if or what now or what will we do? 512s
And we hold onto it. 518s
Cast Jesus says, but all our grip is really good. 523s
So what does he do? 532s
He prize our fingers away. 536s
He prize the fingers away and empowers the burden transfer. 545s
Now, how does he do that? 557s
What's the mechanism? 559s
Because the coal here is to cast and remember the principle. 562s
If God calls us to something, he will empower it. 565s
So this is not a turn into self-sufficiency here. 569s
This is an exhortation of God which then carries with it. 575s
The empowerment that he will empower it. 579s
He carries with it the promise that this is what God will do. 583s
And so when the Lord Jesus says cast, what's the mechanism then for the cast? 588s
The first is the pry of the finger, right? 593s
Prying away of the grip. 597s
Now what is the mechanism for the transfer of the burden? 599s
What's the mechanism? 605s
Let's go now. 607s
To Philippians the fourth chapter, please. 609s
That's page 175. 611s
Turn there, please. 613s
Philippians chapter four. 614s
And we'll pick up in verse six. 618s
Paul writes this. 624s
Do not worry. 628s
It's the same word there. 631s
You can translate this anxious. 631s
Do not be anxious about anything. 633s
Now remember what's the echo there? 639s
First Peter cast. 641s
How much anxiety on him? 643s
Cast all right. 645s
And now you've got Paul saying, do not worry about anything. 646s
But in every thing by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, 651s
let your requests be made known to God. 658s
The empowerment then of the transfer of the burden of the anxiousness, 664s
the empowerment of that is through the vehicle of prayer. 672s
God calls us to pray, inspires the prayer, motivates the prayer. 680s
And that is the vehicle whereby there is the transfer of the anxiousness 686s
on to him. 692s
That's the vehicle whereby the cast occurs. 694s
It's through prayer. 698s
You know, I've heard some people that will advocate what you should do each day is you should 701s
set aside a certain amount of time for worry. 705s
And you say, this is when I do all my worry. 709s
And so you set aside ten minutes or 15 minutes to navigate for and you, you worry. 712s
And then you say, okay, I'm done worrying now because I've had my 719s
worry session. 722s
How biblical is that? 724s
Not at all. 726s
Because if God does not say, have no anxiety about anything. 728s
He doesn't say, don't worry about anything. 731s
But what you can do is you can take ten minutes and just focus it all there. 734s
There is that constant transfer unto God through the vehicle of prayer. 741s
So in other words, by God's grace, we take what would fall on the worry list and transfer 746s
it to what list? 754s
The prayer list, right? 756s
Because now instead of being distracted by that which has been put on our quote-unquote 760s
worry list, it is thrown. 767s
And the burden is cast onto the other unto God and the eyes are not distracted. 770s
Like Martha was that pulled her away from that which was truly important. 781s
It's not distracted onto the anxious list. 787s
It's moved to the prayer list. 791s
There's the transfer. 797s
Look at that verse again. 799s
Do not worry about anything. 801s
But in everything, here's the vehicle of the cast by prayer and supplication. 804s
Notice how it gets more detailed with thanksgiving. 810s
Let your requests be made known to God. 814s
What's the thanksgiving for? 816s
As we pray, we are thankful that God is sovereign and all powerful and knows. 818s
Every hair that falls from the head, the bird, from the sky, God knows all about us. 826s
And so there is that thankfulness. 831s
When prayer is coupled with thankfulness, there is release is there not. 833s
Because we are reminded when we transfer the burden, we are reminded of the one to whom we are transferring it to. 839s
When we thank God for who he is, that assures us of who he is and that he indeed has power and is sovereign, overall. 849s
Do not worry about anything but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. 870s
Let your requests be made known to God. 875s
Now notice what happens then for seven and the peace of God. 877s
See, and said the anxiousness, what's happened? 883s
It's been replaced by peace. Why? 885s
Because the burden has been cast. 887s
Berns been cast. 890s
And so the peace of God of the awareness of His sovereignty and the peace of God, which surpasses all 891s
understanding, which is far greater than any comprehension we have, which surpasses all 898s
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 903s
Guard is a military term here in the Greek. 908s
It means to post a century. 911s
So the century is posted here. 914s
The transfer is to God. The peace then comes. 918s
The century is posted where the heart and the mind then are guarded and where is the assurance of all of this. 922s
In Christ Jesus, remember, every promise scripture says has its yes in the Lord Jesus. 932s
He prized the fingers from the grip. 945s
He says, cast. 952s
And he empowers the cast by the prayer which he empowers. 956s
What else? 973s
What else? 974s
What else has involved in the mechanism of the living out of the cast? 976s
They've got us. 983s
Let's go now to Matthew 6 to our gospel. 985s
Matthew 6, you're going to find that on page 6. 990s
Matthew 6, verse 6, verse 31, rather. 994s
Jesus says, therefore, do not worry saying, what will we eat? 1002s
What will we drink? 1006s
What will we wear? 1007s
Let me ask you this. 1008s
Where is the focus there? 1009s
The focus is on what list? 1011s
It's not on the prayer list. 1014s
It's the distraction onto the other list, right? 1015s
That's where the focus is. 1018s
That's where the distraction has gone. 1020s
Therefore, do not worry saying, what will we eat? 1022s
What will we drink? 1025s
What will we wear? 1026s
For it's the Gentiles who strive for all these things. 1027s
And indeed, your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 1030s
Here's the mechanism of the cast. 1036s
Verse 33. 1038s
But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness. 1041s
All these things will be given to you as well. 1046s
You see the replacement of the focus that just occurs here? 1050s
Just as God says, the focus isn't on the worry, the focus is on the prayer. 1056s
The focus is on, what am I going to eat? 1063s
What am I going to, what am I going to, what am I going to, where? 1067s
A feeling whatever the question is, and know the focus becomes then on this. 1068s
Strive for this. 1076s
What do we supposed to strive for? 1079s
Strive first for the kingdom of God, what's the kingdom of God. 1082s
That's his reign and his rule. 1086s
Now, here's the grace in all this. 1088s
The Lord Jesus Christ is calling us to strive for that which He's already given. 1091s
God has already come and claimed us as His own in the waters of baptism. 1098s
God has already called us His child. 1103s
We're already wrapped in the victory of what Christ won on the cross when the Lord Jesus 1110s
Christ bore all of our sin, including all of our anxiousness upon Him, including all of the 1116s
times when we don't act as if God's sovereign. 1125s
All of that born by the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. 1129s
That's been paid. 1134s
The tomb is empty. 1135s
God now impowers us to strive for the very thing that He has already given us. 1139s
You see, that's a transfer in focus, isn't it? 1147s
That's the transfer when one then focuses on His reign and His rule in our life. 1150s
Instead of, boy, this sure concerns me over here. 1157s
See the focus then that God inspires is to focus on the gift that He has already given. 1162s
He's a reign in rule. 1168s
So the prayer then comes, thank you, Lord. 1172s
Thank you, Lord, for your reign and rule in our lives. 1175s
Thank you, Lord, for your reign and rule and you can fill in the blank of whatever area 1181s
it is that you're tempted to be distracted upon. 1186s
Thank you, Lord, for your goodness, your grace. 1191s
Strive first for the kingdom of God and His righteousness. 1196s
All these things will be given to you as well. 1203s
Here's the thing. 1207s
We are called to strive after that which is right, that which is God pleasing with full 1210s
awareness that we've already been made right through the Lord Jesus Christ. 1217s
So we're not striving to somehow earn our salvation. 1223s
We are striving in the full awareness that in the eyes of God, the perfection of the Lord 1229s
Jesus Christ has already been applied to us and we are wrapped in that. 1235s
What's God doing here? 1242s
I don't look here. 1245s
You know, I'll let worry. 1248s
Look here. 1250s
Look at who you are. 1253s
Look at the kingdom that you are in. 1256s
That you are my child. 1261s
Look here in the righteousness that is already yours. 1263s
He prized our finger from the grip. 1275s
He calls us to cast and then he empowers the mechanism of prayer and striving for what 1284s
is already given us His kingdom, His righteousness and the attention shifts. 1303s
You know, I would dare say, I would dare say that in probably quite a few of those books 1320s
that Barnes and Noble has indicated prior to the pandemic. 1329s
There was a 25% increase on anxiety. 1334s
I would venture to say that in a lot of those books is going to be a chapter, something 1337s
entitled, don't worry, things are going to work out. 1347s
You don't have to live very long, do you, to realize that things don't always work out. 1360s
Do they? 1368s
They just don't. 1369s
How many times in your own life have you said, well, that didn't work out? 1373s
That's not work out. 1377s
I like how Lloyd Ogrewy put it. 1379s
Ogrewy put it this way. 1383s
Quote, things don't work out. 1385s
God works out things. 1391s
Things don't work out. 1396s
God works out. 1398s
Things. 1401s
What did Paul say? 1403s
We know that all things work together for good. 1406s
We know that all things work together for good, including those things that don't work out. 1412s
Notice Paul isn't saying here. 1421s
We know that all things work out. 1422s
No. 1425s
You say we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who are called 1426s
according to his purpose. 1433s
Things don't work out. 1435s
God works out. 1437s
Things. 1440s
Cast. 1443s
All your anxiety on him. 1445s
Because he cares for you. 1449s
Do not worry about anything. 1452s
But in everything. 1457s
By prayer and supplication with things giving, let your requests be made known to God. 1459s
Therefore, do not worry. 1469s
Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness. 1475s
How good is God that he prized our fingers continually from the grip, empowering the cast. 1483s