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What To Do With Worry: Fear, anxiety, and worry produce a constant and overwhelming struggle for many people today. Out of all the anxiety and worry you experience, how much of it is related to money? Jesus knows how much we tend to worry about our money or possessions. But the way of Jesus, of seeking first his kingdom and his righteousness, is the only way to find true freedom from fear. Recorded on Sept 18, 2022, on Matthew 6:25-34, by Pastor David Parks. This message is part of our sermon series “The Unexpected Way,” from the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7 in the Bible. The way of Jesus is totally unique; it’s different from every other way of life, philosophy, or religion. Why? Because the teaching of Jesus — emphasizing holiness, humility, justice, faith, and sacrificial love — leads to a whole new gospel-centered ethic. This ancient ethic, if actually practiced, has the power to bring abundant love and joy, and peace to anyone, anywhere today. This is the way. Sermon Transcript All year, we’re focusing on Learning the way of Jesus, which means that all year, we’ll basically be answering the question, “If the gospel is true, how then should we live?” And we’ve been working through a very famous teaching of Jesus known as the Sermon on the Mount in a sermon series called, The Unexpected Way. Jesus’ teaching has covered a lot of ground from thinking about the values of the kingdom of heaven, what it means to be a good person, the traps of religious works, and more. Last week, we started a little two-part series within the Sermon on the Mount as Jesus shifts his focus to our money, wealth, and possessions. And this is so helpful because, for whatever reason, issues relating to our wealth run deep within the human heart. Last week, we saw that one of the temptations/traps to avoid is thinking that making money or accumulating stuff is the highest value or the purpose of our lives. These things should not master us; Jesus clearly says we cannot serve both God and money. Today, in the second in our two-part series, we’ll move from love to fear — including the very real fears that start to well up when we think about our bills or debt, our financial security, or our future. Will we have enough? Will we be able to accomplish our goals? Should we be making/saving/investing more? What if the economy falls into a recession, or what if we can’t work for some reason? Out of all the anxiety and worry you experience, how much of it is related to money? If you have a Bible/app, please open it to Mt 6:25.  Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV), “25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry 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. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 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 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? 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. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is teaching his disciples or followers what it looks like to follow his way. And what is his way regarding our money or our stuff? Let’s start back at v.