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Text:1 Pet. 5:5-9
Title: "The Lord Who Cares For You"
Intro: Some 2000 yrs. ago on a stormed tossed sea, as their ship
filled with the violent water, the disciples awoke the sleeping
Christ to inquire, "MASTER, CAREST THOU NOT that we perish?"
Also, some 2000 years ago a Christian woman in the midst of serving
the resting Christ, complained to her Divine Guest, "LORD, DOST THOU
NOT CARE that my sister hath left me to serve alone?"
Almost 2,000 yrs. have passed since the disciples and Martha uttered
those questioning words, "LORD, DOST THOU NOT CARE?", yet I wonder
how many of us have harbored this same question in our heart of
hearts?
I must admit that when this question, "LORD, DOST THOU NOT CARE?",
fully penetrated my heart, I was taken back by the sheer blasphemy
of the implication. Could it be that the eternal God of glory come
in the flesh really does not care about everything that affects our
lives? Could the disciples and Martha be correct?
The verb "care" means to, "be the object of one's regard or
solicitude." It also includes the idea of "concern" and "to take
heed." It is passive in the sense of "someone caring" about us. It
is active in the sense of, "someone meeting the need."
The question is, is there One, of Whom it may be said that you and I
are the "object of His regard"? Is there One Who is not only
"concerned" about you and I, but puts action to His concern on our
behalf? And does this "active concern" cover every "care" of our
heart and life?
I submit to youthose burdened by cares now, and those that will
bethat there is such a One! It is the Lord Jesus Christ"The Lord
Who Cares For You."
1 Pet. 5:5-9 -- "The Lord Who Cares For You" -- prayer
God's care is one of the great themes of the Scriptures. V7b wraps
the divine care of God into a precious 5 word package, "FOR HE
CARETH FOR YOU." With the thought of God's superintending care
before us, let's consider God's care in this passage.
I. THE LORD'S CARE RESISTS SOME (v5c)
Note: We naturally think of the Lord's care in a positive sense, but
v5 says that God resists some.
A. "Resist" = to set in battle array against, to be in opposition to
1. He resists the proud
.Note: God must resist the proud. His holiness and justice demand
it! Pride is the boasting of self, instead of boasting of God. The
"Proud" are those that hold themselves to be above or better than
others, treating others as if they were not as good as you. Prov.
15:25 says, "The Lord will destroy the house of the proud..."
b. What do the proud do?
Note: Some say that there is no God, making themselves better than
God. God calls these folks "fools." Some make someone or something
other than God their god. God says these folks have darkened minds.
Some believe in God, but they expect God to accept whatever they do
regarding God. God calls these folks lost. Some believe in God, but
trust their own good works. God calls these folks self-righteous.
But if you substitute your plan for God's plan, God calls you proud,
and He must resist you.
a. God's act of resistance proves His care
II. THE LORD'S CARE GIVES GRACE TO SOME (v5d)
A. "Grace" = unmerited favor. It is God being favorably disposed
toward you (bending His ear).
Note: It is God inclining Himself to our cry. It is that divine
favor which we do not merit, nor can we earn. Grace is that
unmerited favor of God which we will find to be sufficient in time
of trial and temptation. It is the holiness of God bestowing the
abundance of His favor on the vilest of sinners. Heb. 4:16 "Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
1. Gives grace to the "humble" = those that are brought low (those
that are done with self, that want to live to exalt Another
[Christ]). The proud are resisted, the humble are favored. Which
would you prefer?
III. THE LORD'S CARE EXALTS SOME (v6)
A. God wants to Exalt You
1. "Exalt" = to raise high, elevate, lift up
2. But you must humble yourself, you see yourself as God sees you,
not as you see yourself, or others see you
3. Humility must be under the mighty hand of God
a. Seeing God as all powerful in your behalf, and seeing yourself as
only weak and needy
B. God Will Exalt the Humble
1. "May exalt you" (If you are high, God will bring you down
[resist]. If you are down [humble] God will lift you up.) Are you "exaltable"?
2. "In due time" = in God's own time (when it is best for you and
most glorifying to God.)
Gal. 6:9 "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season
we shall reap, if we faint not."
IV. THE LORD CARES FOR YOU (v7)
Note: He alone makes you the "object of His concern." He alone
"takes heed" to your situation. He alone is able to "meet your
need".
A. Because He created you
1. You are not a mistake. You are the individual handiwork of the
omnipotent Creator. He cares for you.
B. Because He died for you
1. You are the individual purpose of God's gift of eternal life
through Jesus Christ. Have you received His gift by repenting of
your sins, and trusting in the shed blood of Christ for eternal
life? He cares for you.
C. Because He cannot forget you
Ps. 139:16 (I.P.) "...in Thy book all my members were written..."
Isa. 49:16 "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands;
thy walls are continually before Me."
Heb. 13:5 (I.P.) "...for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor
forsake thee."
D. Because He has no cares of His own (self-satisfied)
V. CAST ALL YOUR CARES ON HIM (v7)
A. Sources of care in context (what brings "cares" into your life?)
1. Problems of submission, or problems from submission (v5ab)
2. Problems of humility, or problems from humility (v5c)
Note: Our activity is to submit to each other; our attire is to be
clothed with humility.
3. Problems of [Christ's] authority, or problems from [Christ's]
authority (v6a)
a. "Mighty Hand" = Designation of Christ
b. "Under" = protection and persuasion
1) God has His ways!!
4. Problems of impatience (v6b)
5. Problems of "afflictions" = passions (good/evil) (v9)
B. What to do with those cares (v7a) (that come from submission,
humility, authority, impatience, and afflictions?)
1 "Cast" = throw (all your cares upon Him)
Ps. 55:22 "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain thee:
He will never suffer the righteous to be moved."
C. What will happen if you continue to carry your cares? (v8)
1. Satan will eat you up and spit you out!
Concl: "Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you." Are
you full of pride tonight? God cares enough to resist you! Are you
humble tonight? God cares enough to pour out His grace upon you. Are
you "under the mighty Hand of God" tonight? He cares enough to exalt
you in due time. Are you under affliction tonight? God's care will
keep you from the evil one. Whatever your situation, "Cast all your
care upon Him, for He careth for you."
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