HE CARES
SCRIPTURE:
I Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
I Peter 5:7 “Casting the whole of your care--all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all--on Him; for He cares for you affectionately, and care about you watchfully.” Amplified Bible
Psalms 55:22 “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
Psalms 55:22 “Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved--made to slip, fall or fail.” Amplified Bible
INTRODUCTION:
Peter knew that a “fiery trial” was about to occur, and he wanted the entire church family to be prepared. W. W. Wiersbe pg 431
I. THE CARES
A. Defined
1. care--"anxiety”
2. Strong’s
3308 merimna {mer'-im-nah} from 3307 (through the idea of distraction);
TDNT- 4:589,584; n f AV- care 6; 6
1) care, anxiety
3. Vine’s
probably connected with merizo, "to draw in different directions, distract," hence signifies "that which causes this, a care, especially an anxious care,"
4. “Dictionary of Bible Types” by Walter Wilson
a. This refers to the problems of daily living which become so burdensome that there is no heart for the things of God. Matthew 13:22
b. It is any problem in the life which hinders the soul and weighs down the spirit.
5. WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT by MARVIN R. VINCENT, D.D.
It is uneasiness and worry about the future which our Lord condemns here,
B. Many Different Cares --- They come in all shapes and sizes.
1. Cares about your family.
2. Cares about finances, the future, personal health, and the health of others.
3. Cares about world conditions, hunger, war, and poverty.
4. Cares about the Church.
C. Distracts
1. The cares even of good people are very burdensome, and too often very sinful; when they arise from unbelief and diffidence, when they torture and distract the mind, unfit us for the duties of our place and hinder our delightful service of God, they are very criminal. Matthew Henry
Matthew 13:22 “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the
word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.”
2. Cares are roadblocks to blessings.
3. And what does your anxiety do? It does not empty tomorrow, brother, of its sorrow; but, ah! it empties today of its strength. It does not make you escape the evil, it makes you unfit to cope with it when it comes. It does not bless tomorrow, and it robs today. For every day has its own burden. God gives us power to bear all the sorrows of His making; but he does not give us the power to bear the sorrows of our own making, which the anticipation of sorrow most assuredly is.
Ian Maclaren From Present Day Parables by J. Wilbur Chapman
4. Worrying is one of the greatest drawbacks to happiness. Most of it can be avoided if we only determine not to let trifles annoy us; for the largest amount of worrying is caused by the smallest trifles. Anon.
5. They who live in a worry, invite death to hurry. Anon.
II. THE CAUSE
A. Trusting In Man
1. Too often when life is easy we forget God and start to depend on our own wisdom and strength. W. W. W. pg 27
2. Many people have the idea that the Christian life is something that starts with faith
in Christ, but continues on the basis of our own efforts. W. W. W. pg 27
B. Doubting God
1. One problem we face as human beings is the malfunction of the memory. Too often we remember what we are supposed to forget, and we forget what we should remember! W. W. Wiersbe “The Bumps Are What You Climb On” pg 25
a. Ask God to give you a poor memory when it comes to the sins of the past that God has already forgiven, buried, and forgotten. W. W. W.
b. Ask God to give you a good memory when it comes to the help He has given you in the past years of your life. W.W. W.
2. For some reason, we forget the mercies and blessings of the past; for that reason, we get discouraged in the present and become fearful about the future. W. W. W. 26
Never doubt in the darkness what God has told you in the light.
Luke 12:29 “And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.”
3. Dishonors God
a. We often judge the parents by the children; when a child of God is full of worry and fear, will not the world think they have a neglectful Father? D. Guzik
b. Christian! do not dishonour religion by always wearing a brow of care; come, cast your burden upon your Lord.You are staggering beneath a weight which your Father would notfeel. C. H. Spurgeon “Morning & Evening”
C. Denying His Providence
1. Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
2. Therefore we should most confidently abandon ourselves to all the dispositions of divine providence, since they are for our own good. ALPHONSUS DE LIGOURI “Uniformity With God’s Will”
III. THE CURE
A. Humble Yourselves
1. Submission is an act of faith. We are trusting God to direct in our lives and to work out His purposes in His time. W. W. Wiersbe
2. Under the Mighty Hand of God --- Recognizing that God is in control regardless of the circumstances surrounding you.
3. The advantage flowing from humbling ourselves under God's hand is confident reliance on His goodness. Exemption from care goes along with humble submission to God. JFB
B. Casting Your Cares Upon Him
1. Casting ---Strong’s
1977 epirrhipto {ep-ir-hrip'-to} from - 1909 and 4496; TDNT 6:991,987;
v AV- cast 2; 2
1) to throw upon, place upon
2. We must not hand them to Him piecemeal, keeping those care that we think we can handle ourselves. If we keep “the little cares” for ourselves, they will soon become big problems! W. W. Wiersbe
3. By this we are told to throw all our problems, difficulties and griefs at the feet of the Savior. Someone has said, "Take your burden baggage to God's depot, and check it." “Dictionary of Bible Types” by Walter Wilson
4. The idea is that of rolling a heavy burden from ourselves on another, or laying it upon him, so that he may bear it. The burden which we have not got strength to bear we may lay on God. Everything, in regard to the manner in which we live, and all its results, are to be committed to the Lord. Barnes’ Notes
5. The meaning is, that we are to commit our whole cause to him. If we suffer heavy trials; if we lose our friends, health, or property; if we have arduous and responsible duties to perform; if we feel that we have no strength, and are in danger of being crushed by what is laid upon us, we may go and cast all upon the Lord; that is, we may look to him for grace and strength, and feel assured that he will enable us to sustain all that is laid upon us. The relief in the case will be as real, and as full of consolation, as if he took the burden and bore it himself. He will enable us to bear with ease what we supposed we could never have done; and the burden which he lays upon us will be light. Barnes’ Notes
Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
C. He Careth
1. Vine’s
signifies "to take care of," involving forethought and provision (epi indicating "the direction of the mind toward the object cared for"),
2. careth for you--literally "respecting you." Care is a burden which faith casts off the man on his God. JFB
3. Somehow we have the idea that when life is easy, God is with us; but when life is hard, God has forsaken us--and just the opposite might be true. W. W. W. pg 27
Yesterday God helped me,
Today He’ll do the same.
How long will this continue?
Forever--praise His name!
4. He has promised to care for us, and if He doesn’t keep His promise, then He has ceased to be God. You can be sure this will never happen. W. W. W. pg 28
5. Let us place ourselves unreservedly in his hands because he will not fail to have
care of us: ALPHONSUS DE LIGOURI “Uniformity With God’s Will”
IV. CONCLUSION
I Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
devour — entangle in worldly “care” (1 Peter 5:7) and other snares, so as
finally to destroy. JFB
The Devil is never satisfied with his conquests. He seeks constantly to wreck and to ruin the lives of men, women and children to make them to doubt God, to turn away from the Word of God, and to follow his wicked designs. “Dictionary of Bible Types” by Walter Wilson
Majority of quotes taken from The Bumps Are What You Climb On “Constant Care” pg 25
W. W. Wiersbe
