HE CARES FOR YOU

PHBC November 28, 1999

Series: First Peter, Sermon #84

HE CARES FOR YOU

TEXT: 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

INTRO: This is another of those verses that tend to just grow upon you when you meditate on them as I have done this one for almost three weeks now. In commenting on this verse, Matthew Henry wrote, "The best remedy against immoderate care is to cast our care upon God, and resign every event to the wise and gracious determination. A firm belief of the rectitude of the divine will and counsels calms the spirit of man."

If we are convinced that God will always do what is right and best for our good and his glory, and we are convinced that his will always prevails, and we will cast our care upon him, it will have a great calming effect upon us. When the prophet Agabus warned Paul that great harm awaited him in Jerusalem if he were to go up there, those with him pleaded with him not to go. He told them he was ready to go and suffer and even to die if God willed, Luke wrote, Acts 21:14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. They cast their care, their anxieties, upon the Lord and his sovereign will.

In this message I want to deal with the last part of the verse before the first. If we are to cast all our cares upon the Lord, we must first be convinced that he cares for us. I know that you do not doubt that but let me reconfirm it in to your minds and hearts today.

I. THE EVIDENCE THAT THE TRIUNE GOD CARES

A. He set his love on us before the foundation of the world. Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

B. He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.

C. He predestined us to the adoption of children before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.

D. He ordained the death of Christ for our salvation before the foundation of the world. 1 Peter 1:18-20 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.

E. His loving care for us was manifest toward us even though we were sinners. Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

F. His prevenient grace and kind providence worked in and around us to bring us to the point where he regenerated us, called us by his grace and imparted to us repentance and faith so that we might lay hold of his beloved Son whom he sent to die for us.

II. WAYS IN WHICH HIS CONTINUING CARE IS REVEALED

A. His continuing care is revealed in his loving chastening when we sin. Hebrews 12:6-12 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees.

B. His continuing care is revealed through the fact that Christ is in heaven as our perpetual intercessor. Hebrews 7:25-26 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.

C. His continuing care for us is revealed in his firmly and securely holding us in his everlasting, all-powerful hand. John 10:28-30 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one.

D. His continuing care for us is revealed in the fact that even if we stumble and fall he is there to sustain us. Psalm 37:23-25 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. 25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

III. IN VIEW OF HIS ETERNAL AND PERSEVERING CARE FOR US WE SHOULD CAST ALL OUR CARE UPON HIM

A. When discouraged, let us encourage ourselves in the great care and grace of the one who cares for us. 1 Samuel 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

B. We need to wait upon the Lord when distressed for he cares for us and will show us his goodness in the times of darkest despair. Psalm 27:13-14 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

C. We need to commit all our way to the Lord who cares for us. Psalm 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

D. We can cast our care on the Lord for he will sustain us. Psalm 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

E. God who cares for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field surely cares for his chosen, redeemed people more. Matthew 6:25-32 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

F. He who cannot lie and who has never reneged on a promise has assured us that he will never leave nor forsake us so let us cast our care on him. Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

G. If we will cast all our cares upon him, we need not be anxious or fretful about anything. Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

H. Remember that the Lord is always watchful for our welfare. Psalm 34:17-20 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. 20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

I. In the very darkest hours, and when it seems no one else cares, we can still know that he cares for us. Psalm 142:4-7 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. 5 I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. 6 Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I. 7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

J. If the Lord Jesus Christ were a hireling he would leave us to perish for a hireling cares not for the sheep but Oh, how he does care for his sheep. John 10:13-15 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

IV. CONSIDER WHAT CARES WE MAY CAST UPON THE LORD BECAUSE OF HIS CARE FOR US

A. We can cast all our family cares upon him for he cares for us.

B. We can cast all our financial cares upon him for he cares for us.

C. We can cast all our health cares upon him for he cares for us.

D. There is no care that we cannot cast upon him. 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

CONC: We are truly blessed to have such a Saviour and God. Nothing can arise in our lives that is so terrible and so distressful that we cannot cast it upon him. Though we do not deserve such care, yet, he cares for us. Cast all your care on him for your anxieties and troubles cannot surpass the level of his care.

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