The N Commandments (4) – Worry Not

Welcome to CROLCC, we are so glad you are here worshiping with us. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers today! Thank you for taking such good care of us. Thank you for all your hard work and your sacrifice in putting our needs before your own. We pray that you will be encouraged often not only by our Heavenly Father, but also by everyone around you, especially from your sons and daughters. We pray that you be showered with more love, more wisdom, and more blessings as you continue to pour out your life.

We are in the middle of our series The N Commandments. We said the early Christian church was a “resurrection religion”—it was motivated less by a set of rules than by the event of Jesus’ death and resurrection. During his earthly ministry Jesus initiated a New Covenant based on love instead of rules. But that doesn’t mean he threw out the rules. In fact, he passed along an odd assortment of new commandments that sounded impractical . . . until he initiated and punctuated this New Covenant by dying on a cross and then rising from dead.

Today we are going to talk about Worry Not. Is it really possible?

Moving Forward

When you’re tempted to borrow from tomorrow, look for a way to participate in what God is doing today. Begin your day declaring your trust in God. This is a way to seek first God’s kingdom. Before worry starts whispering in your ear, start trusting your heavenly Father who loves you.

Changing Your Mind

“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? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

Matthew 6:26–27

Discussion Questions

1. When you face a worrying situation, do you tend to take action or to be more passive? What are some advantages and disadvantages to the way you respond to worry?

2. Read Matthew 6:27. We all know intuitively that what this verse says is true, so why is worry such a problem for so many people?

3. Think about some of the things that cause you to worry. What are some of the costs of spending your time and energy worrying about those things?

4. Read Matthew 6:30–34. What are some obstacles to you believing what Jesus said about trusting God? How would your life be different if you believed him?

5. What is something that worries you right now? What can you do this week to declare your trust in God, relabel your worry as “tomorrow,” and participate in what God is doing today? How can this group support you?