Embracing Presence: Overcoming Hurry and Worry
Summary
Today, we explored the profound impact of hurry and worry on our lives, drawing from Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. We often chase the American dream, believing that busyness equates to productivity and value. However, this pursuit can lead to a life filled with anxiety and a lack of presence in the moment. Jesus' words in Matthew 6:34 remind us not to worry about tomorrow, as each day has enough trouble of its own. Worry, in its essence, divides our attention and prevents us from being fully present.
We examined how our culture celebrates busyness, often at the expense of our well-being. The story of Moses being called to "be there" on the mountain with God illustrates the importance of presence. God desires us to be human beings, not human doings. Our identity and worth should not be tied to our accomplishments but to our ability to be present and experience the fullness of life.
The concept of "hurry sickness" was introduced, highlighting how our fast-paced lives rob us of meaningful experiences. We often rush through meals, conversations, and moments with loved ones, missing the beauty of life. Jesus, on the other hand, lived at a different pace, often withdrawing to pray and rest. His example challenges us to adopt a lifestyle that prioritizes presence over productivity.
To combat hurry and worry, we must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from our lives. This involves reevaluating our relationship with technology and intentionally slowing down. By doing so, we can align ourselves with the pace of Jesus and experience the joy and peace He promised. Let us strive to live at the speed of Jesus, embracing the fullness of life and not missing the moments that truly matter.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Illusion of Control: We often believe that busyness equates to control and productivity, but it can lead to a life filled with anxiety and a lack of presence. Jesus teaches us to trust in God's provision and not to worry about tomorrow, as each day has enough trouble of its own. [06:50]
2. The Importance of Presence: Our culture celebrates busyness, but God calls us to be present. The story of Moses being called to "be there" on the mountain with God illustrates the importance of presence. Our identity and worth should not be tied to our accomplishments but to our ability to be present and experience the fullness of life. [16:49]
3. Hurry Sickness: Our fast-paced lives often rob us of meaningful experiences. We rush through meals, conversations, and moments with loved ones, missing the beauty of life. Jesus lived at a different pace, often withdrawing to pray and rest, challenging us to adopt a lifestyle that prioritizes presence over productivity. [11:44]
4. Ruthlessly Eliminating Hurry: To combat hurry and worry, we must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from our lives. This involves reevaluating our relationship with technology and intentionally slowing down. By doing so, we can align ourselves with the pace of Jesus and experience the joy and peace He promised. [26:51]
5. Living at the Speed of Jesus: Embracing the pace of Jesus means living a life that is not dictated by busyness but by presence and intentionality. By slowing down and being present, we can experience the fullness of life and not miss the moments that truly matter. [29:22]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Introduction to the Series
- [01:45] - The Struggle with Hurry and Worry
- [03:20] - The American Dream and Its Side Effects
- [05:10] - Jesus' Teachings on Worry
- [07:00] - The Concept of Being Present
- [09:30] - Personal Story: Missing the Moment
- [12:00] - The Culture of Busyness
- [14:30] - Moses and the Call to Be Present
- [17:00] - The Idea of Hurry Sickness
- [19:45] - The Pace of Jesus
- [22:00] - The Importance of Rest
- [24:30] - Jesus' Example of Living Slowly
- [27:00] - Practical Steps to Slow Down
- [30:00] - Conclusion and Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Matthew 6:34
- Exodus 24:12
- John 10:10
---
Observation Questions:
1. In Matthew 6:34, what does Jesus instruct us not to do, and why is this significant in the context of the sermon? [06:50]
2. How does the story of Moses in Exodus 24:12 illustrate the importance of being present, according to the sermon? [16:49]
3. What does John 10:10 reveal about the kind of life Jesus wants us to have, and how does this contrast with the American dream as discussed in the sermon? [23:31]
4. What examples from the sermon illustrate the concept of "hurry sickness," and how do they relate to our daily lives? [11:44]
---
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon interpret Jesus' command in Matthew 6:34 to "not worry about tomorrow"? What does this suggest about our approach to daily life? [06:50]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our culture's celebration of busyness conflicts with the biblical call to be present, as seen in the story of Moses? [16:49]
3. How does the sermon use John 10:10 to challenge the notion of a "full" life, and what implications does this have for how we define success and fulfillment? [23:31]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between technology and our ability to be present, and how might this affect our spiritual lives? [26:51]
---
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent situation where worry divided your attention. How might Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:34 help you approach similar situations differently in the future? [06:50]
2. Consider a time when you were physically present but mentally elsewhere. How can the story of Moses in Exodus 24:12 inspire you to be more present in your daily interactions? [16:49]
3. Identify one area of your life where you feel hurried. What practical steps can you take to slow down and align with the pace of Jesus, as suggested in the sermon? [29:22]
4. How does the concept of "hurry sickness" manifest in your life, and what changes can you make to combat it? Consider specific actions you can take this week. [11:44]
5. Reflect on your relationship with technology. How might you adjust your use of devices to foster deeper connections with those around you? [26:51]
6. Think about the last time you felt overwhelmed by busyness. How can you apply the principles from John 10:10 to seek a more fulfilling and balanced life? [23:31]
7. What is one specific way you can practice being present this week, whether in a conversation, a meal, or a moment of rest? How will you hold yourself accountable to this practice? [16:49]
Devotional
Day 1: The Illusion of Control
In our fast-paced world, we often equate busyness with control and productivity. However, this mindset can lead to anxiety and a lack of presence in our daily lives. Jesus teaches us in Matthew 6:34 not to worry about tomorrow, as each day has enough trouble of its own. Worry divides our attention and prevents us from being fully present. By trusting in God's provision, we can release the illusion of control and embrace a life of peace and presence. [06:50]
"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." (Matthew 6:31-32, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel the need to control everything? How can you practice trusting God with this area today?
Day 2: The Importance of Presence
Our culture often celebrates busyness, but God calls us to be present. The story of Moses being called to "be there" on the mountain with God illustrates the importance of presence. Our identity and worth should not be tied to our accomplishments but to our ability to be present and experience the fullness of life. By being present, we can connect more deeply with God and others, experiencing the richness of life that God intends for us. [16:49]
"And he said, ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’ And he said to him, ‘If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.’" (Exodus 33:14-15, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent moment when you were physically present but mentally absent. How can you practice being fully present in similar situations this week?
Day 3: Hurry Sickness
Our fast-paced lives often rob us of meaningful experiences. We rush through meals, conversations, and moments with loved ones, missing the beauty of life. Jesus lived at a different pace, often withdrawing to pray and rest. His example challenges us to adopt a lifestyle that prioritizes presence over productivity. By slowing down, we can savor the moments that truly matter and experience the beauty of life. [11:44]
"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (Psalm 46:10, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one activity you usually rush through. How can you intentionally slow down and savor this activity today?
Day 4: Ruthlessly Eliminating Hurry
To combat hurry and worry, we must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from our lives. This involves reevaluating our relationship with technology and intentionally slowing down. By doing so, we can align ourselves with the pace of Jesus and experience the joy and peace He promised. Let us strive to live at the speed of Jesus, embracing the fullness of life and not missing the moments that truly matter. [26:51]
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29, ESV)
Reflection: What is one technological habit that contributes to hurry in your life? How can you modify or eliminate this habit to create more space for rest and presence?
Day 5: Living at the Speed of Jesus
Embracing the pace of Jesus means living a life that is not dictated by busyness but by presence and intentionality. By slowing down and being present, we can experience the fullness of life and not miss the moments that truly matter. Jesus' life was marked by intentionality and presence, offering us a model for how to live a life of peace and purpose. [29:22]
"And he said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat." (Mark 6:31, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on your current pace of life. What is one change you can make to align more closely with the pace of Jesus? How will this change impact your daily life?
Quotes
"Jesus says, do not worry, and this is all written in Greek. The Greek word for the word worry is a fun word. It's the word meris, which means a part or a division. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Jesus says, therefore, do not allow your life to become a part or a division. I think here's what Jesus is saying. Jesus is saying, do not let your life become so preoccupied by everything else that you're physically one place, but the rest of you, your emotions, your heart, your energy, your focus is somewhere else." [00:06:28] (34 seconds)
"According to Jesus, worry is the failure to be here in this moment. James, the half-brother of Jesus said it like this one time. James said, now listen, you who say today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money. Those of you who are really busy, here's what I want you to know, he says, why? You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. Then he asked this question, what is your life? Four profound words, he says, you are a what? You are a mist, a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes, Jesus said, he goes on to say this, he says, instead you ought to say, if it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." [00:08:44] (45 seconds)
"It's funny to me, I don't know if you've ever had this experience where you sat at the funeral of someone you loved, have you had this happen? And it's like you're sitting there and you just face the reality that this life is never promised. Like tomorrow is never guaranteed for us. I'll never forget, I was about 18 years old and I sat in a funeral back at my home church for the younger brother of the kid who was like my best friend in elementary and middle school. It was funny, this boy was the guy that I'd go to his house, he lived one street over, we'd play." [00:09:42] (31 seconds)
"Yesterday, yesterday, my son Joey, who's 17, he called me. And he's in Honduras on a mission trip for his spring break with his school and they're going to the place that our church goes to every year. I've been there many times. I love this place. And Joey, he calls me and I know that the first day he was there, he had the opportunity to share a devotional for his whole class of 40 or 50 students who were there with him and it went really good. But it went too good. And so the missionary pulled him aside a day ago and he goes, hey, listen, that was great, we're gonna have you tonight preach to all the adults at this church. It's a 35-minute sermon." [00:12:17] (35 seconds)
"What's so funny to me is of all the different things that we can get wrong in our life, this one has the tendency of being celebrated. Like, I thought about it like this this week, okay? Here's a list of what I would call holics. Alka-holic, shop-a-holic, golf-a-holic, choc-a-holic, come on, work-a-holic. And some of these things are like not great. Like, golf-a-holic could be expensive, choc-a-holic could be expensive to your waist. you can do it all, Shopaholic could be expensive. No one celebrates being an alcoholic. No one does this. But this one, workaholic, is the one that if you do it, if you kill yourself for your company, if you work 120 hour work weeks, they don't discipline you for it. You don't have to go through some sort of 12 step program. They celebrate you, they promote you, they give you a raise, they give you the corporate office, the corner office. This is what happens to us. We live in a culture that celebrates the wrong stuff." [00:15:23] (64 seconds)
"Corrie ten Boone, this amazing person who survived the Holocaust, said it like this. She said, if the devil can't make you sin, he'll make you busy. Somewhere along the line, we've bought into the American dream, the American life that says, if I'm busy, I'm productive. If I'm productive, I'm valuable." [00:16:46] (22 seconds)
"God says to Moses, come up to me on the mountain and then be there. Doesn't that feel silly? Doesn't it feel redundant? Like some scholars think that God stuttered in this moment, but I don't think he did. He says to Moses, I want you to come up on the mountain. He says. Ready? Why would he say and be there? Because if he came up, he would be there. Why would God say to Moses, be there? I think it's because Moses had the same tendencies and proclivities that we do, which is that if he finally made his way to the top, where does his mind immediately shift to? Coming back down. God says to Moses, I want you to come, and when you get here, I want you to be here. The Hebrew word for this phrase be here is the word waya, which literally means to be or to exist. And I love this about God, because God created humanity to be human beings, not human doings. And the funny thing is many of us, we find our identity, we find our worth, we find our value in what we do and what we accomplish. And I just wanna say to you, it's possible that you can give your life to doing all kinds of good stuff at the expense of missing the beauty of your life." [00:17:35] (80 seconds)
"The funny thing is this has bled into every part of our life. Just walk through your grocery store, and I want you to notice how many words for food are connected to not food or taste, but to speed. Look at this, we've got fast food, we've got express lunch, we've got minute rice, and if you don't have time for minute rice, we've got 59-second rice. We got Go-Gurt, it's yogurt, but it's on the go. We got drive-through, we got food that's ready in minutes, and all of these are about speed, not about joy and pleasure. You ever had a meal with friends? Where you, dinner served at six o'clock, and you sit around the table, and you eat your food, and you're laughing so hard that your face hurts, and then you wake up at one point, and you're like, oh my, it's nine, how did we spend three and a half hours here? It's because meals, even in the Bible, are beautiful, and even sacred kinds of places, and we hurry through them, and we rush through them, and I think we miss them. Why does this matter? Let me show it to you. Because hurry and love are incompatible." [00:20:04] (63 seconds)
"Never rushed, never hurried. As far as we can tell, there's maybe two times in Jesus' life where it kind of implies that he just said, let's do this now, but he was never hurried. Well, let me show you some examples of this. In the book of Mark, Mark chapter, next slide for me, please, Mark chapter six, it says the apostles, those close to Jesus, gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he, Jesus, said to them, okay, listen, all these people want their attention, and so Jesus pulls them in and he says, come with me by yourself to a quiet place and get some rest." [00:22:49] (45 seconds)
"Some years ago, I read something that forever changed my life. There's a pastor that I admire so much named John Orberg, and he was interviewing a man named Dallas Willard, who was one of the great theological thinkers from our most recent generation. And he sat down with Dallas Willard one day, and he said, Dallas, listen, help me. I wanna help people grow closer to Jesus. What do I need to teach them? Like, what is the way to get people closer to Jesus? And he said, Dallas, stop for a second. Didn't say anything. They sat in silence. And then Willard said this. He said, you must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. and he's saying, you must have a coach in it. the result of Philip Wings fala to him Love by the hand or a catastrophe you must have aiencia And certainly you must have a man Denn" [00:25:36] (42 seconds)
"Technology's the first one, and I'll be honest with you, I feel bad for our generation of people, because up until a few years ago, nobody had phones. Nobody had the constant sense of connection. I heard someone one time say that phones have actually given us this inflated sense of self-confidence, because 20 years ago, if we didn't know something, we didn't know it. Now, if we don't know it, we talk to our phones, and our phone tells us the answers that we didn't know. These are with us everywhere. And what is the promise of technology? Faster, more convenient, more connection. But what does it do? It actually causes distance between us. Let me give you an example. I started noticing for a long time that I would go to lunch with people, and I would sit down, hey, how are you, how's life? And I would put my phone face up on the table. What was I unintentionally saying? You're important to me, but there could be someone more important that needs me." [00:27:02] (55 seconds)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained only on this specific sermon. Do you have any questions about it?