PSALM 142:1-7 "DO WE REALLY CARE?"
A) The Psalmist had come to the point that he wondered if anyone really cared about him!
* David was in the ditch of despair and in v.4, he expressed how he felt at this point in his life!
* If you were living in the days of King David, would you have been one of those of which
he spoke of in v.4 when he said, "No man cared for my soul?"
B) Have you ever been in a situation in which things just looked completely hopeless?
* And you looked around to others for help and concern, and then found out that they were
completely indifferent to your problem? * Maybe you thought or made the statement,
* "Doesn’t anyone care what happens to me, or what happens in my life?"
C) I’ve been there, and I’m sure that most of us have at one time or another!
* We are living in a generation of hurting people and they want to know that someone cares about
their lives and their eternal destiny! * Now, it’s obvious that God cares about us!
* When God had nearly finished the process of creation, He said, "Let us make man in ......."
D) Now if God made you in His image & after His likeness, then you are worth something!
* Doesn’t it make sense that if God made us in His image that we would have value?
* Even when man rebelled against God and sinned, God still cared and actually planned for
man’s forgiveness and reconciliation - John 3:16 "For God so loved the world ......."
* C.A.R.E. - Concerned about our needs ... Able to meet our needs ...
* Ready to meet our needs ... Enjoys supplying our needs!
E) It’s also obvious that Jesus cares! * Rom.5:8 "But God commendeth his love ......."
* He cares enough that He endured the cross, despising the shame - Heb.12:2
* So, we know that God cares, Jesus cares, the Holy Spirit cares, but do we really care?
F) To care means "to have thought or regard toward another, or to feel concern about!"
* Have you ever found yourself in the shoes of the Psalmist?
* Perhaps there have been those times that you wondered if anyone cares about you!
* How can we show people that we really care about them? * Three things .......
(1) BY OUR WORDS! * If you truly care about God’s people, you should tell them so!
* How long has it been since you told someone that you love them in & through the Lord?
A) It is not for us to assume that others know we love and appreciate them!
* It is our responsibility to verbally let them know we care!
* Husbands and wives ... Parents ... Children ... They need to hear it from you that you care ...!
B) The Apostle Paul was a man who let people know how much he cared for them!
* To the Philippians, he said in Phil.1:7 " ... I have you in my heart."
* To the Corinthians, he said in 2Cor.12:15 "And I will very gladly spend and be spent for
you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved."
* To the Thessalonians, he said in 1Thes.2:8 that "he was willing to depart his own soul to
them because they were dear to him." * Many other places in the Bible of Paul’s love .......
* So, make it a point to go out of your way to say, "I love you and I care about you!"
(2) BY OUR WORKS! * It is one thing to tell someone that we love him or her,
* And then turn around and speak differently in our actions!
* There is so much unconcern & uncaring going on in our churches today!
A) How do we show we care for others in our lives? * First, give attention!
* Attention means: "The act of attending, to notice, to care and give thought"
* When you really love and care for someone, you pay attention to them!
B) The Bible says it this way - Rom.12:15 "Rejoice with them that do ..., and weep ......."
* 1Cor.12:26 "And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member
be honored, all the members rejoice with it."
C) There is a second way of showing you care, and that is, give protection!
* If you really love and care for someone, you want to protect them, even if you must reprove
or correct at times! * That don’t just mean the Pastor ... Eph.5:11 "And have no ......."
* Protect your loved ones from hell ... Story Johnnie Bullman told of woman who left the service.
* "But Preacher, I don’t want to push them." * Where are you gonna push them to?
* It’s time we start showing our lost loved ones that we care where they’ll spend eternity!
D) There’s a third way to show someone you care, give preference!
* Preference means: "The act or attitude of liking better, a thing preferred."
* Rom.12:10 "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring ......."
E) The word "honor" means to reverence, respect, and esteem!
* The word "preferring" means to go before, to lead, to set an example! * The charge is clear!
* The believer is to take the lead in esteeming & expressing respect for others!
* Imagine a church full of believers with each taking the lead in esteeming & honoring the other!
F) What a picture of true love & care! * So, it simply means putting others before ourselves!
* Phil.2:3 "Let nothing be done ... but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better ......."
* The word "better" ... more important .. Let each esteem the other "more important" than himself!
* So, we show people that we care for them by our words and by our works, and last .......
(3) BY OUR WILLINGNESS! * "Willing" means: cheerfully ready, freely done or offered.
* Because there are so few who are willing to let others know they care about them, we should
be willing to be a help and blessing to others!
A) First, be willing to share someone’s load! * Gal.6:2 "Bear ye one another’s burdens ......."
* "Bear" - to hold up or support, to carry! * Rom.15:1-2 "We then ... strong ... Let every ..."
* We please, help, support, & live for the good of our brothers & sisters in Christ so that they
might be edified and built up in the faith! * Be willing to share someone’s load!
B) Second, be willing to speak to God about them! * Everybody needs prayer!
* It don’t take long to ask God to help someone going through a hard time!
* Every time I pass a house with a wreath on the door, I pray for that family ... They’re hurting!
* So, just be willing to talk to God about others’ situations that they go through!
* You remember this, you’re gonna need prayers from other Christians sometime in your life!
C) Last, be willing to speak to them about God! * Let’s face it, everybody needs God!
* How can we say we really care about someone if we’re not willing to speak to them about God?
* Let’s let others know we care about them and point them toward the Lord Jesus Christ!
CLOSE
A) We need each other, and we’re suppose to care about one another!
* There are millions in the world today who feel that no one cares for them! (Tammy & Katie)
* You probably know someone who feels that nobody cares for them, and you probably come
in contact with some nearly every day ... You may be even one of them!
B) You need to know that God cares, Jesus cares, the Holy Spirit cares!
* But the question I want to ask Faith FWB Church tonight is, "Do We Really Care?"
* What about it leaders and teachers? * Do we really care?
* Then what will you do in response to their care? * Caring demands response!
