June 2, 2013
God's Unbroken Promises
I Will Care for You
1 Peter 5:6-7
(Advance Slide 1)
Welcome
Prayer
Introduction
(Advance Slide 2)
Have you ever heard it said, "If God was so powerful…"
- Why doesn't He stop or alleviate the pain and the suffering in the world?
- If we say that He can't co-exist with this pain assumes that there is no good reason for it.
- Is it possible for HIs kingdom to be advanced in the midst of pain and suffering?
(Advance Slide 3)
His ways are not always understood.
- Last week we studied the promise, "I will be with you"
- We know that this is not an escape hatch from trouble, but a comfort and a presence through our troubles.
- Many of our "issues" come form the fact that God has given us free will.
Question of the day:
(Advance Slide 5)
- Does God care?
- If He does then how will His care be shown.
Text
(Advance Slide 6)
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7
(Advance Slide 7)
Peter knew that Jesus cared:
- Jesus healed his mother-in-law - Mrk. 1
- Jesus gave him the great catch - Lk. 5
- Jesus helped him pay the temple tax - Mt. 17
- Jesus helped him walk on water - Mt. 14
- Jesus repaired the damage caused by his sword - Lk. 22
In these two passages Peter draws out the significance of humility and grace for the suffering believers.
- The instruction was for them to humble themselves "under the mighty hand of God"
- Why? Only he alone can affect the dark world.
- Why should we turn to Him…HE CARES!
Christians are empowered by the knowledge that God cares for and loves us!
Lesson
(Advance Slide 8)
What is the best way for us to see how God cares?
- We see this in the person and work of Jesus.
- More specifically we can read about it in Jn. 11 and the death of Lazarus
The Sickness
(Advance Slide 9)
We find that Lazarus is named in vs. 1
- This is important…the lame man, the blind man, the paralyzed man…they were not named.
- This was not some random guy off the street.
- More so we learn in vs. 3 that Jesus loved him.
- If this is true then we are confused by Jesus reaction when He gets the news that Lazarus is sick.
- He waited…He didn't go running.
I think we'd all agree that Jesus is all powerful and good.
(Advance Slide 11)
- If so, then why not rush to His friend's side.
- Why did they call for him in the first place?
- Imagine the reaction of His disciples and their confusion.
After 2 days He decides to make His move - vs. 7
(Advance Slide 12)
- "Let us go to Judea again."
- The disciples get scared, "The Jews there want to kill you…why would you want to go there again?"
- Lazarus is asleep and I'm going to go there to wake him up.
- Well, if he is asleep then he will get better.
"No, he IS dead and for your sake I am glad." - vs. 14-15
- Why say this…so that they may believe!
The Comforter Appears
When Jesus arrives you see two very different reactions from Mary and Martha…and Jesus too.
- Martha didn't even wait for Jesus…she ran out to Him.
- "Lord, if you had been here…" - vs. 21
- "Whatever you ask God will give you." - vs. 22
He will rise again Jesus tells her.
(Advance Slide 14)
- “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Martha is acting very logical and she is seeking truth and that's what Jesus gave her.
Mary came to where Jesus was - vs. 32
- She fell at His feet in an emotional episode, and says the same thing as Martha.
- "Lord, if you had been here…"
- Jesus saw her weeping and the weeping of the others and HE WEPT TOO!
- Our Lord shed tears.
When we are hurting we need both truth and tears…logic and emotion.
- Martha needed the logic.
- Mary needed the emotion.
- Their comfort came form two different reactions, and He was able to show that He cared for them.
(Advance Slide 17)
Action Step:
What do we need?
(Advance TEXT on Slide 17)
- In our lives we need fixers and feelers.
- Some want to logically think things through and fix the issue.
- Other have the emotion needed to bring comfort that way.
(Advance Slide 18)
How do we see that He cares?
- But here is the great blessing that we have as Christians…we are a part of His church.
- The church is a community of thinkers and feelers.
- "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Gal. 2:20
Conclusion
Does God care? ABSOLUTELY!
- First - He gives us both truth and tears.
- Despite the appearance of abandonment He is present and in charge.
- God is sovereign and in control.
- Second - God has a built-in mechanism to give care and comfort.
- "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." - Gal.2:20
- "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." - Rom. 12:15
God DOES care!
- No trouble or hardship can separate us form His love!
(Advance Slide 21)
"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom. 8:38-39
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