Pastor Rick A. Flowers
First Baptist Church - Flushing, MI
“Does God Care About Me?”
Psalm 139:1-6
This is week #3 of the “What If It’s True?” campaign. For approximately 6 weeks, hundreds of ads were run on local cable channels, asking the question, “What If It’s True?” These ads were intended to get unchurched people thinking about the issues that were brought up in these ads. To date, we have addressed the first two questions:
· “Is Jesus The Only Way?”
· “Are The Bible And Church Relevant Today?”
This morning, I would like for you to ponder the question, “Does God Care About Me?”
· As you do, take a look at the clip that asks this important question.
“Does God Care About Me?”
· If you a regularly attend a bible believing, bible preaching church, you would answer this question with a definite “Yes”!
· You could probably quote a few verses - 1 Peter 5:7 - Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
· Perhaps you could share about a time when you experienced God’s care!
· On the other hand, you may question how God could care about you as an individual with all that is going on in the world!
Let’s turn to Psalm 139 as we attempt to answer the question, “Does God Care About Me?”
Psalm 139:1-6
1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.
3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.
I. God Knows Us
According to Psalm 139, God knows everything about us!
1. He knows when I sit down, when I get up, the path I take and when I lay down.
2. He knows my thoughts.
3. He knows my ways.
4. He knows what I have said, what I am saying and what I’m about to say.
There’s nothing that God doesn’t know about you and me!
Psalm 33:13-15
13 The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.
14 From the place of His dwelling He looks On all the inhabitants of the earth;
15 He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works.
Could anyone know us better than the one who “Fashions” (Forms) our hearts?
Jeremiah 17:9-10
9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.
Matthew 10:29-31
Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
II. God Knows Us And Wants A Relationship With Us
· The amazing thing about God is that He knows all there is to know about us, and He still desires a relationship with us… Warts and all!
· When you think about it, where can love and care always be found?
· It is always found within the Context of Relationships!
With:
- Spouse
- Parents
- Children
- Other Family Members
- Friends
- Church Family
God Has Always Desired a Close Relationship With Man:
· In The Garden of Eden
Genesis 3:8 - And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
Why would The Creator be in the Garden? He desired fellowship with Adam and Eve, but their sin had separated them from God!
· The Holy of Holies in the Temple/Ark of the Covenant – God’s Presence
2 Chronicles 7:1-2 - When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house.
(The temporary place was the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, but now the Temple)
· “God With Us” – Jesus Christ
Isaiah 7:14 - Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. (God With Us)
- God came to dwell among us.
- As we read the Gospels, we understand that Jesus spent most of his time with the poor, the troubled, the sick and with those who had needs.
- He hasn’t changed! - Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
· Indwelling Of The Holy Spirit
John 14:16-17 - And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
· Man With God Throughout Eternity
Revelation 21:3 - And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
- In this vast universe that God has created, why would He desire a relationship with us?
- He created us in His very own image!
- He created us in order to fellowship with us!
- That was hindered by Adam’s sin!
Key:
We are created in God’s Image: Intelligence, Emotions and a Will
Ever wonder why? Because God wants us to be able to commune with Him!
Didn’t create animals in His image… He created us! That should tell you something!
III. God Has Made A Relationship With Man Possible
God is love and that love is what moved Him to make an atonement for man’s sin! According to an old legend, a man became lost in his travels and wandered into a bed of quicksand. Confucius saw the man’s predicament and said, "It is evident that men should stay out of places such as this." Next, Buddha observed the situation and said, "Let that man’s plight be a lesson to the rest of the world." Then Muhammad came by and said to the sinking man, "Alas, it is the will of God." Finally, Jesus appeared and said to the man, "Take my hand, brother, and I will save you."
- God Became A Man and Dwelt Among Men – 1 Timothy 3:16 - And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.
John 1:14 - And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
- Christ Was The Lamb Of God Sent To Take Away Man’s Sins – John 1:29 - The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
- Christ Tasted Death For Every Man – Hebrews 2:9 - But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
- Christ’s Sacrifice Proved God’s Love For Man – Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
1 John 4:9-10 - In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
- Christ Shed His Blood As Payment For Our Sin Debt – Ephesians 1:7 - In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace…
Revelation 1:5b - To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
- Christ is Risen From The Dead – 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 - For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
- God Know Us
- God Knows Us And Still Wants A Relationship With Us
- God Has Made A Relationship With Man Possible
Based Upon All Of These Things, He Extends To Us Two Invitations:
1. Come To Me For Salvation – Matthew 11:28-30 – 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
2. Come To Me For Help In Time Of Need – Hebrews 4:14-16 - 14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
What Will You Do In Response To The Fact That God Cares About You?
Invitation
Unsaved:
- It doesn’t make any difference what you have done in your life… Good or Bad!
- If You Will Respond To Christ’s Invitation, you Will Find Rest For Your Soul!
- Peace, Forgiveness, A Relationship With God!
Saved:
- No Matter What You Are Facing, God Cares About You.
- He Loves You and Wants To Help!
