Sermon Notes

THE STRESSLESS LIFE

Week Four – Making Ends Meet

Matthew 6:25-34

According to the American Psychological Association annual stress report, the single biggest source of stress in 2021 was personal finances (72%). https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/what-causes-stress/

“According to the Deloitte Millennial Survey, many young people feel high levels of stress, and money is near the top of their worry list. The survey found that 41% of Millennials and 46% of Gen Z respondents were stressed all or most of the time, and about two-thirds of each group listed their financial future as a significant source of that worry.” – Sara Li, How Financial Stress is Impacting Young People’s Mental Health,

“More than half of Americans spend more than they earn, according to recent joint research by the Association of Young Americans (AYA) and AARP… Close to half of them have nothing saved for retirement. The 70 percent of Americans that consider their level of debt to be problematic are right to be worried.” – Liz Stevens, What Percentage of Americans Spend More than they Earn?

Definition of “Stress”: Fearful concern experienced when life’s demands seem greater than my ability to meet them.

THE BIG QUESTION: Why are we so stressed about money?

“But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness… As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” – 1 Timothy 6:6-11, 17-19

We have a lack of contentment (1 Timothy 6:6-8)

“If you made a graph of American life since the end of World War II, every line concerning money and the things that money can buy would soar upward, a statistical monument to materialism… Income per American household has tripled. The size of the typical new house has more than doubled. A two-car garage was once a goal; now we’re nearly a three-car nation. Designer everything, personal electronics and other items that didn’t even exist a half-century ago are now affordable. No matter how you chart the trends in earning and spending, everything is up, up, up. But if you made a chart of American happiness since WWII, the lines would be as flat as a marble tabletop.”—Gregg Easterbrook, “The Real Truth about Money.” TIME magazine

We have a love of money (1 Timothy 6:9-10)

We don’t manage our money by God’s design (1 Timothy 6:11, 17-19)

We are in the middle of circumstances beyond our control

“’Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.’” – Matthew 6:25-34

LIFE APPLICATION: When I honor God with my resources, I can trust Him to satisfy all of my needs.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ‘HONOR GOD WITH MY RESOURCES’?

GIVE TO THE LORD

“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce.” – Proverbs 3:9

“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” – Malachi 3:10

SAVE FOR THE FUTURE

“The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever they get.” – Proverbs 21:20 (NLT)

“65% of Americans save little or nothing and halve could end up struggling in retirement.” https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/15/bankrate-65-percent-of-americans-save-little-or-nothing.html

BUDGET TO LIVE

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” – Proverbs 21:5

“A little over 55% of Americans do not use a budget to manage their heard-earned income… 56% said they have now idea how much they spent last month.” – Nicole Dow, The Penny Hoarder

Biblical target = 10-10-80

HOW DO I KNOW I CAN TRUST HIM TO SATISFY MY NEEDS?

His relationship to me

His sovereignty over me

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be,’ declares the Lord.” – Isaiah 66:1-2a

His sufficiency/adequacy/abundance for me

His intimate knowledge about me

His value of me

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8