God Cares!
29 August 2021 PM – 1 Peter 5:6-7 – Burdens – Scott Childs
Introduction: On Thursday, as I was praying for a friend who has an illness, the Holy Spirit rebuked me for not believing more confidently that God really cares. He reminded me that God really loves my friend more than I do and more than any other human does. As I pondered the love of God, I realised even more how distorted my view was of God’s love. I knew God loved us enough to die for us, but my view of His love for us as persons was twisted. Let me explain.
We know God loved us so much that He came to earth and died in our place. We somewhat grasp His sacrificial love on Calvary. However, do we really believe that God loves us as a mother loves her newborn infant, as a father loves his son, as a husband and wife love each other, or as we love a dear friend? Do we really believe that Jesus cares about our daily struggles, pains, heartaches and burdens? If we do not truly believe that God dearly loves us as a person, we will hesitate to trust Him fully to care for us when we have a burden. We will worry instead of confidently leaving our cares in His loving hands, truly believing that He will do what is best.
I have chosen one of the clearest Scriptures on this subject for our text this evening, 1 Peter 5:7. In its context, Peter has just commanded young people to submit to older people, and that each humbly submit to one another (v.5). In the same manner, we must humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God (v.6). In doing so, we may fear that others will mistreat us. All such care we must cast on the Lord. Why? Because He cares for us. His care comes from His love for us.
Transition: This evening, I want us to uncover several facts about God’s love that I trust will increase our confidence in His care for us.
-
God is love
(1 John 4:8) “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.“
a. Love exists because it is one of God’s attributes
1) Love is agape or charity. It is giving sacrificially to meet another’s needs or to bless. Such unselfish caring originated in God’s very nature. God loves like this more than we will ever love. The only reason that we can love at all is that God created us in His own image (Gen 1:27). Sadly, sin marred our ability to love like God.
2) His Holy Spirit can produce love in a Christian because He is love. (Galatians 5:22-23) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, ...“
3) Because God is love, He intrinsically has a caring heart to meet the needs of His children.
b. Calvary assures us of God’s continual love.
1) Since Jesus gave His life for us, we can be sure that He will continue to love us. (Romans 8:32) “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?“
2) God loves you, with all your scars, warts and failures. Just as the father loved the prodigal son, so our heavenly Father loves us and wants the very best for us.
-
God’s love is consistent with His character