Anxiety and Worry - Pentecost 10 - August 9, 2020

Theme: God Speaks to Worry and Anxiety

Luke 12:32-34 "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 "Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. 34 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

There’s a catch-22 in our text today. A catch-22 is a moniker for a paradoxical dilemma where two situations contradict. In simpler terms, a catch-22 is a lose-lose position. No matter what you do, both routes before you lead to the same conclusion.

The “you” in this scenario is God. What He teaches in our text is difficult to accept – to say the least. It seems as if God puts Himself in a catch-22. On the one hand, the immediate words of these verses stand true. God tells us “Do not fear.” We think of this phrase as encompassing the love and compassion of God, and the Scriptures testify in many places to this very truth.

But on the other hand, if we continue in the context of Luke 12, Jesus will soon say (v.48), From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Step back and recognize the theme of this section and you’ll understand what I’m getting at. The context is on the Final Day of the Lord’s judgment – of all people; a day that is completely unknown to us and a day on which our sins and limitations will be laid bare. And yet, Jesus says, “Do no fear.”

This is the catch-22 in the eyes of our human understanding. How can God comfort us while also warning us of a day of final reckoning? Indeed, for many, this is the very contradiction that causes them to deny Jesus. Human reason says, what kind of person would believe in and trust a God who says such things? He tells you, don’t worry, but then also says, much will be required of you.

Maybe you don’t struggle with this supposed contradiction. Maybe you have more Scriptural knowledge to shed light on why God presents these two truths – for there is certainly a further explanation of both in the Bible, and questions can be answered if people are willing to dig deep enough.  

But it’s more what this example represents that we find troubling and difficult. Because, even if you don’t struggle to understand God’s divine mercy when compared with God’s divine justice – if you walk long enough with Him by faith you’re bound to encounter many similar catch-22’s that will eventually prick your conscience. How could it be any different? God is God, we are human. No matter how sensible He seems to us, there will be plenty of differences that make us wonder, question, and even shutter. Perhaps we seek to avoid those unpleasant confrontations because they shock our core a bit too much. But, no one can avoid them – it is the result of the divine interacting with the mortal.

There is an underlying catch-22 at the root of all these situations, and it’s our focus of study today. In summary it is this: people want God to address the problems they face, but people also complain about how God addresses them. Consider this in the context of Judgment Day. Anyone who has a shred of moral fiber in their being wants God to condemn wickedness and correct injustice. How often we hear the cry of people fighting injustice today – it’s certainly not something that has gone out of style. People demand this because God created us as moral beings. We know that the world, and human nature, is not complete without justice.

So, God addresses injustice. He demands holiness. He punishes wickedness. He disciplines the wayward. He sets up safeguards in His Word. He even enacted the full payment of injustice from His own holy Son on the cross. So, you’d think mankind would be eternally grateful. Not so much – people are not satisfied with God’s work. People want God to do things their way. And people really don’t like it when God tells them that they’ve been part of the problem – when His righteous justice zeros in on their lives. So, God provides a solution to our pressing need, but we’re not satisfied with it. This is the catch-22.

Now at this point you might object. You might say, yes pastor, you chose your words wisely – it’s the world that does this. See, I’m different. I follow God. I come to church. I make time for Him. I am willing to be faithful to God even to death. This is not my problem. We like to think in such ways, don’t we? It eases the pain and guilt that we carry because of our sins. But, this is not just some problem “out there” in the world. It’s in here too (the heart). In fact, God says if we think we aren’t part of the problem, then we deceive ourselves, the truth is not in us, we are walking in darkness, and we have even made God a liar – because He says this is a problem with everyone.

These are the thoughts swirling around our text today. What hope is there? Jesus says, “Do not fear.” You know, that idea of fear presents a unique challenge doesn’t it – its own catch-22 of sorts. In the preceding verses Jesus condemns trust in earthly goods and He encourages believers to trust God in all things. That sounds straightforward right? But, what does that trust involve? Jesus says, “Do not worry.” “Do not seek food or drink.” “Think not of clothing or possessions.” “Do not be anxious in your heart.” “Don’t make money more important than faith.” “Be rich toward God.” On the surface, trusting Gods sounds easy, but these are the more specific activities of faith that we don’t like so much.

We have our own catch-22 going on. We want to claim to follow God, but we also don’t want to fully devote ourselves to what that means. We want a little of both. “God, be with me, guide me, and protect me – but let me have all the answers my heart desires and keep my life comfortable.” Sorry, it doesn’t work that way. The life of faith is one that pushes away from earthly and human influence, and directs us to Godly influence. Jesus summarized the thought well in our text: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Aren’t we tempted to live in this catch-22 especially with worry and anxiety? We plead to God for help, but we resist the help that God gives – because He’s pushing us from earthly influences to Godly influences. It’s become so offensive in our world to tell someone they shouldn’t worry – to essentially share the very words of Jesus in this text. When we hear Jesus say those simple words, “Do not worry,” how quickly the defenses erupt in our hearts.

·       I have a right to worry.

·       You don’t know about my life.  

·       It’s not that simple.

·       I have anxiety because of past trauma.

·       It’s not a choice, it’s a medical condition.

·       It’s not as easy as saying, “Don’t worry.”  

How quickly we take the simple message of God – meant to ease our burdened hearts, and we turn it into a statement we loathe with the deepest contempt – the same root catch-22 at work. We all know how easily these defense responses can arise in our hearts. When a Christian offers the words of Jesus, it’s not because he or she never worries or that he or she has overcome all struggle with fear or anxiety. We all taste fear in life – and that’s exactly why Jesus spoke these words.

Think how often you have heard people speculate, or perhaps you have thought yourself, that God simply doesn’t approach some issues. Modern problems. Real-life scenarios. Today’s issues. We hear people say, the Bible is ancient wisdom. It’s abstract. It’s general, not specific. It was written for people long ago, not me today. So, people believe that with a modern ailments like anxiety, worry, and fear, the Bible isn’t equipped to address them. It doesn’t incorporate modern philosophies of the human condition. It’s not based on the empirical evidence. This is part of the catch-22, God provides healing, but the world doesn’t like it – and it tries to drag us along with the same thoughts.

Jesus is not saying “Do not fear” because He’s out of touch with the reality of your life, or because He’s trying to judge you or to shame you into trusting more. The natural reaction of defensiveness that says, “What do you want me to do – just choose to be better?!” is exactly that – a reaction. Jesus is not instructing you to simply pull yourself up and stop worrying. He knows that will only spiral further down into deeper despair. His sole intention here is to point you away from yourself and more to Him. And the same is true when a fellow Christian shares these words. They are not a judgment. They are not a moral chastisement. Rather, they are a beacon of hope. What will be better for the person who struggles with anxiety, than to be drawn closer to Jesus?

Jesus is offering a treatment for worry and anxiety here. We’ve talked about Judgement Day, but these are the core issues in the heart. His treatment is the best – it always works, it covers every issue, it can accomplish so much more than any earthly method. And yet, it’s often the last choice we seek.

Why do we do this? Probably because it calms our hearts to some extent. When you can avoid something difficult or hard to understand, it doesn’t bother you. Simple. But, when that difficult thing is also the truth, suppressing it eventually causes more problems. Jesus is not telling you to buck up, or to get over yourself, or to try harder – whether it be a single issue like anxiety or an eternal issue like judgment. In fact, Jesus directs you to the exact opposite of anything about yourself. He tells you to lose yourself when confronted with anxiety and worry. He implores you to set aside your ideas and pre-conceptions about the Final Day. Instead, Jesus says, “Do not fear,” and here’s the key, “for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” 

That’s Jesus’ treatment for fear, anxiety, and judgment. This is the truth that shatters the catch-22 that you place on God. You are safe, you are healed, you are protected, because God the Father looks at you with tender love and good pleasure. You are accepted into God’s kingdom – now and in eternity. Not because you overcame anything on your own. Not because you escaped this wretched world unscathed. Not because you changed your mental outlook. Not because you are better or different than any other miserable struggling person in this world. Only because of God’s love for you – a love that manifested itself in Jesus taking on every affliction, torment, and disease of mind, body, and soul on Himself so that nothing could keep you from His kingdom anymore.

God put the rending of the catch-22 more simply in: Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man. Don’t fall for the false belief that God’s solutions aren’t possible, relevant, or trustworthy. His truth and wisdom is always sound for your life. Strengthened by our heavenly Father’s good pleasure, may we be led to invest in heavenly treasures by faith – in Jesus’ name. Amen.