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.
  1. 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.
  1. God’s love is consistent with His character
a.         He fully exhibits all the love He expects us to give.
1)         Day by day, God’s love is our perfect example. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) “Charity suffereth long patient, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself boast, is not puffed up arrogant, Doth not behave itself unseemly rudely, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil of others; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
2)         God’s love is always sincere. (Romans 12:9) “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
3)         God’s love always does what is best for us. (Romans 13:10) “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” That is why Paul was able to glory in his infirmities when God refused to heal him. (2 Corinthians 12:9) “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
4)         When God allows a sickness, an accident, a burden, or the death of a loved one, He lovingly sees the big picture and knows it is the best thing for all involved. God loves as a mother who does what is best even when misunderstood.
b.         God always loves gives to benefit in every situation
1)         (1 Corinthians 16:14) “Let all your things be done with charity.” It would be inconsistent for God to demand this of us if He did not always do the same.
2)         When our boys were young and disobeyed, we did not love their disobedience, but we still loved them. God is far more loving than any parent. We must never forget that God cares for us deeply.
3.        God loves us beyond measure.
a.         He loves us more than we can comprehend.
1)         (Ephesians 3:19) “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
2)         Scientists tell us that 90% of an iceberg is below the surface and out of sight. When Paul wrote that God’s love passeth knowledge, like an iceberg, we only know a tiny portion of His love, far more exists, but is hidden from our observation.
3)         Fredrick Lehman described God’s love in these words. “Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made; Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade; To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry; Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky.”
b.         God will never stop loving us.
1)         (Jeremiah 31:3) “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
2)         (Romans 8:35) “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
3)         (Romans 8:38-39) “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
4)         Philip P. Bliss, wrote in his hymn “Jesus Loves Even Me”. “Tho I forget Him and wander away, still he doth love me wherever I stray; Back to His dear loving arms would I flee when I remember that Jesus loves me. I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me; I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves even me.”
4.        God loves us more than a parent or a dear friend
a.         His love is beyond maternal love
1)         Animals care for their young instinctively. Magpie birds will dive and do harm to any human or creature that comes near their nest of babies. Similar protection is true of most animal parents.
2)         Being created in God’s image, God has placed in human mothers an agape-type love their babies. God’s love is far greater! (Isaiah 49:15-16) “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
3)         In love, the Lord disciplines His children to train them to do right. (Hebrews 12:6) “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
b.         Jesus was a perfect example of love.
1)         He dearly loved His friends at Bethany. (John 11:5) “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
2)         He had a special love for the Apostle John. (John 13:23) “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
3)         He loved His disciples in many practical ways. (John 13:34) “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Conclusion: My friend, God loves you with a greater love than you can comprehend. Not only did God love you enough to die in your place, He loves you enough to take all your cares on Himself and care for you personally. (Jude 1:21) “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” No matter what trial He may allow in your life, no one cares for you like Jesus!
Song: Jesus Loves Even Me, 492