“Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff”

I. Introduction

A. Most have heard "Don't sweat the small stuff ...and it's ALL small stuff!"

B. Usually meant to have a carefree attitude about life.

1. Admirable prospect, but should we really let the little things go? And is it all really "small stuff?"

C. The Bible has a lot to say about "little things."

1. Jesus got after the Pharisees about it

a. Matthew 23:23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

b. He didn't say to not sweat the small stuff, but rather to not forget the big stuff as well.

c. It's ALL-important!

D. Let's explore what the Bible says about some little things

II. A Little Now Brings A Lot Later

A. A little foolishness - Ecc 10:1

Ecclesiastes 10:1 NKJV 1 Dead flies putrefy the perfumer's ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor; So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.

1. One foolish act can be remembered longer than all the good one does in his lifetime.

a. Just ask my wife!

2. Consider Hezekiah's foolish deed

a. 2 Kings 20:12-19 NKJV 12 At that time Berodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah was attentive to them, and showed them all the house of his treasures-the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory-all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. 14 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, "What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?" So Hezekiah said, "They came from a far country, from Babylon." 15 And he said, "What have they seen in your house?" So Hezekiah answered, "They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them." 16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD: 17 'Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,' says the LORD. 18 'And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.'" 19 So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good!" For he said, "Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days?"

3. We could also mention the rich man and his barns in Luke 12:16-21

a. God called him a fool!

4. The solution: Acquire wisdom

a. Ecclesiastes 10:2 NKJV 2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand, But a fool's heart at his left.

b. Proverbs 3:13-18 NKJV 13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; 14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her.

c. Colossians 1:9-12 NKJV 9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

B. A little laziness - Prov 6:10-11

Proverbs 6:10-35 NKJV 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep- 11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.

1. How many times have you settled in for "20 winks" only to get up and find out the whole day is gone?

2. Laziness is maligned because it epitomizes someone completely unprepared.

a. So, we have the example of the industrious, hardworking ant –

b. Proverbs 6:6-8 NKJV 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest.

3. The solution to laziness: Diligence - Be ready!

a. Hebrews 6:11-12 NKJV 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

b. 1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

C. A little tongue-wagging - James 3:3-5

James 3:3-5 NKJV 3 Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!

1. Once words are spoken, they are forever loosed and cannot be retrieved.

a. "I am master of my unspoken word, yet slave to those which should have remained unspoken."

2. The solution: Watch your tongue!

a. Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

b. Colossians 4:6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

c. "Tact" is the word!

D. A little trouble between brethren - 1 Cor 6:1-6

1 Corinthians 6:1-6 NKJV 1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? 4 If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? 5 I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!

1. Unity is an ideal to strive for but it's inevitable that disagreements will arise.

a. Strange how a little matter can sometimes grow to monstrous proportions!

b. Do we air our dirty laundry before the world?

(1) The Collinsville lawsuit a good example - A woman being withdrawn from sought to sue the church ... and won a $400,000 settlement at a legal cost of approx $900,000 to the church!

2. The solution: Strive for unity always, but take care of matters among ourselves.

a. Matthew 18:15-17 NKJV 15 "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 "But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' 17 "And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

b. Matthew 5:22-24 NKJV 22 "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 "leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

c. Better to eat a little crow, or humble pie, than to risk your soul!

E. A little sin - 1 Cor 5:1-6

1 Corinthians 5:1-6 NKJV 1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles--that a man has his father's wife! 2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

1. We must realize that unless we deal with sin among us, it will spread until all are infected.

a. A sin against one is a sin against all, even the Lord

(1) 1Corinthians 8:12 NKJV 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

2. The solution: Reach out and restore the sinner.

a. Galatians 6:1-2 NKJV 1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

b. If necessary, discipline –

(1) 1 Corinthians 5:7-13 NKJV 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--not even to eat with such a person. 12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil person."

c. Restoration after repentance - 2 Cor 2:4-9

(1) 2 Corinthians 2:4-9 NKJV 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you. 5 But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent--not to be too severe. 6 This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.

III. Conclusion.

A. The message is clear: We MUST Sweat the small stuff!

B. Jesus tells a parable that illustrates the point.

1. Luke 19:12-13 NKJV 12 Therefore He said: "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. 13 "So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business till I come.'

C. If we want the big blessings, we must show responsibility in all things, even the little things.

1. "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much." Luke 16:10

D. INV

Modified from Zeke Flores