Leave It There (Outline)

Introduction

Matthew 6:25-34

"If the world from you withhold, Of its silver and its gold,

And you have to get along with meager fare,

Just remember, in His word, How He feeds the little bird;

Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.

Leave it there ... leave it there ... Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there;

If you trust and never doubt, He will surely bring you out,

Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there. (Charles Tindley)

Charles Tindley (1851-1933) was a popular Methodist preacher whose church could not hold his 10,000 members and the visitors who came to hear him preach. Tindley and his congregation were excited that he had been nominated as bishop of the Methodist Church in spite of the fact that he had never graduated from high school. When he returned home from the yearly conference, he was discouraged because he was not appointed as a bishop. Someone had given a letter to all the delegates accusing him of immoral conduct, a lack of formal education, and insensitivity to his fellow ministers. He was not allowed an opportunity to refute these charges. His wife encouraged him by reminding him of the sermons he preached about the disciples being in the storm with Jesus. It was during this bitter experience that God gave him the song, "Leave It There."

Lots of things in life attempt to cause us to fret and worry. Jesus gave three rules for avoiding worry.

I. Consider the Essence of Life

Matthew 5:25-30

Is not life more than these things we worry about? (v.25) He clarified this point with three illustrations.

A. God's Care for the Birds (v.26)

God's care for the birds. (v.26)

If God cares for the birds, surely He will care for us!

B. Worry Cannot Add To One's Stature

The fact that worry cannot add to one's "stature" or length of one's life. (v.27)

The truth is that worry actually subtracts from the length of one's life.

C. Beauty of the Lilies of the Field

Matthew 5:28-30

Showed from the beauty of the lilies of the field that we should not worry about rainment.(v.28-30) In v.30 Jesus revealed the real cause of our worries.

II. Consider the Emphasis of Life

Matthew 5:31-33

As God's children, we should not emphasize material things as the heathen do, but rather seek "first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness." (v.33) If we emphasize these things, God will care for our needs because He is our Heavenly Father. (v.32)

III. Consider the Evils of Life

Matthew 5:34

Each day has enough problems of its own without worrying about tomorrow! God gives grace to live only one day at a time.

Conclusion

Worry will not rob tomorrow of its anxiety, but it will rob tomorrow of its strength.

Psalm 118:24 reads, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."