Thursday/Friday of Holy Week
Don't Worry
God is Perfect in All of His Ways
He always knows what he is doing.
We don’t always have to understand him, but he asks us to always trust in him.
A dense fog that covers a seven-city-block areas 100 feet deep is composed of less than one glass of water divided into sixty thousand million drops.
It’s not much, but it can cripple an entire city.
A bunch of “tiny worries” can cripple our lives as well.
First example tonight
1. The Month of Nisan
Nisan = the 7th month of the Jewish “Civil” Calendar.
The Month of Nisan - 17th
“…on the 17th day of the 7th month the Ark [Noah’s Ark] came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.”
-Genesis 8:4
The 17th was a very significant day.
New Beginning of world.
The Month of Nisan - 10th
The 10th was a very significant day.
“Tell the whole community of Israel that on the 10th day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household… [Palm Sunday] “The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the 14th day of the month, [Maundy Thursday at twilight - 6pm] when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.
The Month of Nisan
10th - Pick Lamb
11th
12th
13th
14th - Sacrifice the Lamb
15th
16th
17th - Jesus, the Sacrificed Lamb of God Resurrects.
Also, Israelites were thought to have crossed Red Sea
Remember…
“God is Perfect in All of His Ways”
God always knows what he is doing. We don’t always have to understand Him, but we can always trust Him.
“Don’t worry”
Second example tonight
2. The Arrest
Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment [400-600 men] of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. 4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” [He took the initiative] 5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” 12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. [Only Jesus] They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.”
-John 18:3-14
Remember…
“God is Perfect in All of His Ways”
He always knows what he is doing.
Jesus is always in control.
We don’t always have to understand Him, but we can always trust.
“Don’t worry”
Holy week is a week of worry.
Somebody was worried about something every day of Holy week.
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
Not unlike the average week today
You can help others with their worry.
“Anxiety [Worry] weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”
-Proverbs 12:25
You can trust God in the midst of the events of the day in the world and politics.
“Do not fret [Worry] because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this… 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret [Worry] when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret [Worry] —it leads only to evil… 10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more…” 13 the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming… 28 the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones.”
-Psalm 37:1-28
Think of Worry as:
Having faith in the negative.
Having belief in defeat.
Wasting today’s time to clutter up tomorrow’s opportunities with yesterdays troubles.
“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?... 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
-Matthew 6:25-27, 33
What may be, may not be.
An Average person’s worries focus on the following categories:
40% Things that will never happen.
30% Things about the past that cannot be changed.
12% Things about criticism by others that are mostly untrue.
10% About health (which gets worse when we worry)
8% About real problems that we will face.
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