Some will say:
• "I am going to be late for lunch because you preached so long."
• "You must not have had much time to prepare that sermon."
• "My former pastor preached a much better sermon from that text."
• "You acted like you weren't feeling well while you preached."
• "I'm sorry I fell asleep while you were preaching. Your voice just puts me to sleep."
• "Your subject/verb agreement was incorrect three times in your sermon."
• "Let me tell you what you missed in your sermon."
These are the things that preachers do not like to hear after a sermon.
But there is one more thing that he occasionally hears and that is, “I WISH ( ) HAD BEEN HERE TO HEAR THAT SERMON!”
Have you ever attended a church service and you heard a sermon that you wished a certain person was there to hear? I don't want you to do that this morning. I want you to take this sermon personally and ask yourself, "HOW DOES THIS SERMON APPLY TO ME?"
Why do I want you to apply this sermon to yourself? BECAUSE I AM PREACHING ON A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC; I AM PREACHING ABOUT BECOMING LIKE CHRIST IN CARING FOR OTHERS.
Caring for others is something most people know very little about today. We see in times of crisis there are many generous souls who contribute muscle and money to help, but often in every day physical and spiritual needs, there are few who want to help.
For example-
(1) We have PARENTS who do not care about their children spiritually
• They will not teach them what the Bible teaches about Heaven and Hell.
• They will not faithfully bring them to church so they can hear the teaching and preaching of God’s Word.
For this reason we conclude these parents really do not CARE about the spiritual needs of their child.
(2) We have POLITICIANS who do not care about the citizens of this country
When they campaign for an office, they convince the citizens of this country that they care about them, but once they get into office, the only thing many of them care about is advancing themselves.
(3) We have DOCTORS who take an oath to care about our physical needs.
Often they prove to care more about the money they make. There are doctors today who will do surgery on a patient that does not even need surgery, for the almighty dollar.
(4) We have CHURCHES whose members do not care about their fellow church members.
People can be sick at home, and not a deacon or a member of the church will call them, or send a card. NOT ONE! They can be admitted to the hospital and not one person will visit them.
(5) We have FRIENDS that tell us they love us.
But, when we need them, they are full of excuses proving they really do not care about us at all.
Now I am not trying to be NEGATIVE in this sermon. I am NOT a NEGATIVE PASTOR, but it does us no good to bury our heads in the sand and pretend these things are not so.
We live in a, “DO NOT CARE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE” society. We recognize:
• People care about money
• People care about power
• People care about influence
• People care about themselves
• People care about sports
• People care about their race
• People care about their brand of religion
• People care about material things
BUT THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT US!
We live in a society where people do not CARE. I have mentioned a few of the ways we see that people do not care for others.
Listen, it is bad enough that PARENTS, POLITICIANS, DOCTORS, CHURCHES, and FRIENDS do not care about us - we can survive these things in our lives.
If it be true that GOD DOES NOT CARE ABOUT US, WE REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM! There are people alive today who BELIEVE THAT EVEN GOD DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THEM.
WHAT DOES GOD’S WORD SAY ABOUT HIS CARING FOR US? God’s Word tells us HE DOES CARE for us. 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for HE CARETH FOR YOU.”
This precious little verse tells us God wants us to CAST ALL OF OUR CARES UPON HIM, AND THEN HE TELLS US WHY WE ARE TO DO THIS - BECAUSE HE CARES FOR US.
Let me give an illustration that will help you to see what God means when He says HE CARES ABOUT US!
Illus: A youth minister was attending a Special Olympics where handicapped children competed with tremendous dedication and enthusiasm. One event was the 220 yard dash. Contestants lined up at the starting line, and at the signal, started running as fast as they could.
One boy by the name of Andrew quickly took the lead, and was soon about 50 yards ahead of everybody else. As he approached the final turn he looked back and saw that his best friend had fallen and hurt himself on the track.
Andrew stopped and looked at the finish line. Then he looked back at his friend. People were hollering, "Run, Andrew, run!" But he didn't. He went back and got his friend, helped him up, brushed off the cinders. And hand in hand, they crossed the finish line dead last.
But as they did, the people cheered, because there are some things more important than finishing first in a race.
Andrew cared more for his friend than he did about winning a race.
When the Lord Jesus left the comforts of Heaven to hang on that cruel cross, He was showing us that He cared more about us than He did the comforts of Heaven.
This verse of scripture tells us that God truly cares about us.
• If something is bothering us, it is bothering Him
• If we are concerned about something, He is concerned also
We live in a world where others do not really care about us, but WE MUST NOT PUT GOD INTO THAT SAME CATEGORY. HE CARES ABOUT US.
Solomon wrote, in Ecclesiastes 4:9 10, "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up!"
We do fall or get knocked down at times, don't we? How wonderful it is when we have a friend like the Lord Jesus, who cares enough to lift us up, dust us off, and help us continue on.
The apostle Paul was a CARING person. In fact, if he had not been a caring person, most likely we would not be reading about him in the scriptures.
Listen to the concern Paul speaks of in Philippians 2:19-30. We read, “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.”
In this passage of scripture, we see demonstrated in the lives of Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus, nothing but LOVE AND CARE for the church at Philippi.
As we look at Philippians 2:19-30 this morning, I want us to consider 3 very important things that we need to have in our lives. We are to …
I. CARE FOR OTHERS
In verse 19, Paul says, "But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state."
Notice, in this verse of scripture we can see that Paul had a real concern for others. It is difficult for some people to be CONCERNED about others because they have so much concern for THEMSELVES; THERE IS NO ROOM IN THEIR LIFE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT OTHERS!
Illus: We are told:
• When a shoe salesman sees a man, he looks at his shoes
• When a barber sees a man, he looks at his hair
When Christians look at a man, we should be CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE THAT PERSON WILL SPEND ETERNITY.
Illus: A Sunday school teacher was telling the story of the Good Samaritan to her class of 4-5 year olds. She was making it as vivid as possible, to keep the children interested in her bible story.
• Then she asked the class, “If you saw a person lying on the roadside all wounded and bleeding, what would you do?”
• A thoughtful little girl broke the hushed silence, “I think I’d throw up.”
God wants us all to learn to love and care for others the way the Samaritan did. Jesus put it this way, in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
Illus: A man was meditating by the river. One morning he saw a scorpion floating on the water. When the scorpion drifted near the old man, he reached to rescue it but was stung by the scorpion. A bit later he tried again and was stung again, the bite swelling his hand painfully and giving him much pain.
A man passing by saw what was happening and yelled at the meditator, “Hey old man, what’s wrong with you? Only a fool would risk his life for the sake of an ugly, evil creature. Don’t you know you could kill yourself trying to save that ungrateful scorpion?”
The old man calmly replied, “My friend, just because it is the scorpion’s nature to sting, that does not change my nature to save.”
We all are born with a selfish nature and God wants to teach us to have a LOVING AND CARING NATURE for each other, LIKE HIM.
Listen, every day of our life:
• We who are healthy are surrounded by sick folks
• We who are wealthy are surrounded by poor people
• We who live in a free world are surrounded by people who have no freedom
• We who have many opportunities to advance ourselves are surrounded by people who have no opportunities.
• We who have many earthly treasures are surrounded by people who have no treasures
In this world that we live in, it is difficult for a pastor to teach his congregation to love others, when there is no room in their life to love others because their life is filled with themselves.
To be like Christ, we all need to ask the Lord to create within us a LOVING AND CARING HEART FOR OTHERS.
Paul was a missionary in prison, and he could have written a letter saying, "I'm in prison here at Rome, and the conditions are really bad. I need help, so please take up a special offering and send it to me quickly." But Paul did not do that. Instead, he was concerned about them. He sent Timothy to find out how things were going with them.
For a lot of people, Saturday mornings are "check on family" times.
• Married children call their parents, and parents call their children
• Brothers and sisters call each other just to visit and hear about what is happening in each other's lives
When you hear good news, there's joy all around.
It is wonderful when a family CARES about each other. But also it is wonderful when friends CARE about each other.
Illus: Lou Gehrig was 1st baseman for the New York Yankees. He died on June 2, 1941, of A.L.S., later called "Lou Gehrig's Disease." The doctors really didn't know how to treat it. He was in the hospital for a long time as they experimented with different drugs, trying to find one that would work.
Just before he died, Lou Gehrig called his friend, Bob Considine. He said, "Bob, I have great news. The boys in the lab have come up with a new serum, and they're trying it on 10 of us. It seems to be working well on 9 out of 10."
Bob Considine asked, "Is it working on you, Lou?"
Lou answered, "Well, no. But 9 out of 10; how do you like those odds?"
He was really joyful because 9 out of 10 were being helped.
That kind of attitude is probably why Lou Gehrig is remembered with such fond memories. He was such a LOVING AND CARING FRIEND!
Do you ever ask yourself on Sunday morning, "Why am I going to church?” Why should we go? If we're genuinely interested in others, the church becomes a training ground where we learn how to help one another.
The scriptures tell us, in John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
(1) When you come to church, be on the lookout. Maybe you're sitting near a guest, here for the first time. Introduce yourself and tell them, "We are so glad you came." It is so awkward to go into a church and no one speaks to you. YOU KNOW THEY DO NOT CARE FOR YOU!
(2) When you listen to the prayer requests and learn of someone who is having a difficult time, write them a note and let them know that you'll be praying for them. SHOW THEM YOU CARE!
(3) When someone you know is struggling with a heavy burden of grief or loss, hold their hand and maybe weep with them. Just let them know that YOU CARE.
I realize that many of you are already doing that, and I praise God for you. Isn't it refreshing to know that we can care about each other without hidden agendas; to care about each other because, "you're my brother or sister in the Lord Jesus Christ?"
Now things happen when you're genuinely concerned about others.
(1) You begin to forget your own problems
We seldom realize that. We think that when I'm having trouble, I need to do something just for me, something extravagant, or indulgent. But that's not the answer.
The Bible teaches us, and psychologists are learning that the quickest way to get rid of our troubles is to become involved in helping someone else.
The prophet Isaiah knew that a long time ago. Isaiah 58:10-12 says, "And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in."
(2) When you're genuinely concerned about others, you'll find that when you're in trouble, others will be good friends to you.
You sowed good seeds and now you are reaping a good harvest. When it comes to CARING, the Bible teaches, from cover to cover, to CARE FOR OTHERS.
We are to CARE FOR OTHERS and . . .
II. ENCOURAGE OTHERS
In vs. 20, Paul says, "For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state." Paul is talking about Timothy. Paul had mentored Timothy, and watched Him grow in his faith. Now Timothy is an adult and has a ministry of his own.
In fact, the New American Standard Version translates that verse to say, "I have no one else of kindred spirit."
Illus: Chuck Swindoll points out that the two Greek words used there are words that mean, "same soul."
Paul is saying, "Timothy and I have the same soul. We're kindred spirits, like minded." In other words they are TWO PEAS IN A POD!
We have different levels of friendship.
(1) Most are casual friendships. We know each other's names, and we greet each other; "How are you?" "I'm fine. “How are you?" "I'm fine, thank you."
Perhaps neither of us may actually be fine, but we don't feel like unloading on each other, so we answer, "I'm fine." That's a casual friendship.
(2) Some are close friendships, where we enjoy going out and spending time with each other, doing things together. It's a deeper relationship, and we share things that we wouldn't normally share with others.
(3) But there are very few "same soul" friendships where you're so close to each other that you think alike, and you're motivated by the same things.
It's scary sometimes to be around someone like that, because they think so much like you that they know what you're going to say even before you say it.
Now I’m convinced that you're really blessed if that, "same soul" friend is your husband or your wife.
Paul writes that Timothy is a "same soul" friend. Then in vs. 21, he says, "For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s."
I think Paul is presenting a contrast. He is saying, "Most everybody else looks out for his own interests, but Timothy is not like everybody else. He's special, and he's interested in you."
We need friends like that. And we need to be a friend like that; someone who will pick them up when they fall down, and brush them off, and hold their hand, and go on with them toward the finish line.
Conclusion:
In this life, it is great to have parents, friends, doctors, churches, and politicians who care for us. But when it comes to CARE, the greatest blessing we can have is to have the Lord Jesus as our very special friend. He LOVES US SO MUCH that He tells us TO CAST ALL OF OUR CARES UPON HIM BECAUSE HE CARES FOR US.
This morning, if you don't know Him as your friend, if He is not your Lord and Savior, then we extend His invitation to you.
He stands ready to meet every need in your life, forgive your sins, and give you the promise of everlasting life. Will you accept Him today?
We need to:
I. CARE FOR OTHERS
II. ENCOURAGE OTHERS
