Resistance

Resistance

(Matthew 6:19-34)

Yearly Theme:  “Goodness is… Glorious”

Series Title:  “Beyond the Noise”

September 15^th, 2024

Something to think about:

How many birds have ever been killed by a scarecrow?...  None!

Then why are they so effective?...  Fear.

As we continue our series today on the spiritual disciplines of solitude and silence, we come to a very powerful word – and feeling – that we all struggle with:  Fear.  Fear binds and imprisons a person like nothing else.  Fear causes resistance, and resistance causes complacency, and complacency leads to apathy, and apathy ultimately leads to death. 

Solitude and silence with GOD can stoke our deepest fears.  Though this seems counterintuitive, being alone with GOD can conjure thoughts and feelings of inadequacy and vulnerability.  To be in the presence of a perfect GOD, and having to face our own imperfections directly, can be very uncomfortable and disconcerting.  As a result, the natural inclination for many people is to resist the disciplines of solitude and silence and being alone with the Father in heaven.

So, how do we overcome fear, and the resistance to be alone with GOD?  Jesus helps us to unpack this in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:

Turn in your Bible to:  Matthew 6:19-34

Key Point:  “Anxiety and worry are the vices that make us resistant to being alone in solitude and silence with GOD.”

Let’s take a look at three of the most common fears that we contend with that are inhibitors of our willingness to sit in silence with GOD:

• The fear of not  enough.

Matthew 6:19-20 (NLT),  ¹⁹ “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.  ²⁰ Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.  ²¹ Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

• The fear of not  enough.

Matthew 6:22-24 (NLT),  ²² “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body.  When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light.  ²³ But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness.  And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters.  For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

• The fear of not being in  .

Matthew 6:25-34 (NLT),  ²⁵ “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear.  Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?  ²⁶ Look at the birds.  They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them.  And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?  ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

²⁸ “And why worry about your clothing?  Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow.  They don’t work or make their clothing, ²⁹ yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.  ³⁰ And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you.  Why do you have so little faith?

³¹ “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat?  What will we drink?  What will we wear?’  ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.  ³³ Seek the Kingdom of God^* above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

³⁴ “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.  Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Something to take home:

An Indian fable talks about a mouse that was constantly in fear of a cat.  So one day, a magician changed the mouse into a cat.  But then the cat was afraid of a dog.  So the magician changed the cat into a dog.  But the dog was afraid of a tiger.  So the magician changed the dog into a tiger.  But then the tiger was afraid of a hunter.  Finally, in exasperation, the magician said, “Be a mouse again, you have only the heart of a mouse and I cannot help you.”

Even with the heart of a mouse, you can step into the presence of GOD because of what Jesus Christ has done for you.[1]  It takes faith, surrender, and confidence through Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life.

Have you learned to overcome the fears of not having enough, not being enough, and not being in control?  Have you learned to press through the resistance of being alone with GOD and being vulnerable and transparent with Him?  Remember, our doing comes out of our being.  GOD desires for us to be with Him before He ever desires for us to do anything for Him or others.  Push through the resistance, face your fear, and surrender to the loving presence of GOD.

Key Point:  “Anxiety and worry are the vices that make us resistant to being alone in solitude and silence with GOD.”

^* 6:33 Some manuscripts do not include of God.

[1] Hebrews 4:14-16.