DOES JESUS CARE?

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sSERMONS FROM OUR SONGS
“DOES JESUS CARE?”
1PETER 5: 7

Intro:
I came across the following story this past week. I want to warn you up front, it is not pretty. It will be difficult for many to hear, but I truly feel that it will help us find our way into our subject today. As you will see, the story is told from the perspective of a 17-year-old young man. His name isn’t given, but certainly our prayers should be with him and for him, considering all that he has been through.
“For someone who is only 17 I have been through a lot in my life already. I have always had to take care of myself because my family never properly looked after me.

My dad treated me bad right from when I was a baby. It was like I was never good enough for him. He would bait me, even as a small kid he used to hit me and then say 'come on, hit me, stand up and be a man' and I would try to hit back and he'd belt me twice as hard. He used to kick or hit me if I didn't do what I was told. So I learnt to go along with whatever he said, and to keep out of his way.

The worst thing was that mom never told him off for the way he treated me. She would just yell at me 'don't get him mad, it's your fault you should do what he says. She never defended me from my dad; she acted like I deserved everything I got. I started to believe that everything was my fault.

When I was about 13 I started drinking heavily and smoking pot every day. I also used whatever drugs I could get, just to get out of it, so I didn't have to think about anything. I skipped school just about every day, until the school told my parents and my dad bashed me up real bad to punish me.

I hated school because I was always in trouble for having fights with other kids or with the teachers. But also I hated being at home. I used to stay over at friend's houses, and sometimes I would sleep out in car parks. The more I stayed away, the more scared I was of going back home; because I knew I would get A BEATING for running away. I started sleeping in the city, in doorways or wherever, and hanging out with other kids there. It still was better than going home.

After a while I went to a youth support service and they got me into a refuge. Some of the workers there are cool and you feel like someone cares about you for once. They went in to Centrelink with me and helped me get some money, and they have just helped me organize my life more. They are trying to get me into long-term accommodation. Now at least I feel like I might have a future.”
I’m not sure how this story makes you feel. If you are like me, you feel sad, angry, disappointed in your fellow man, and even happy that the boy seems to have found a life after abuse. However, the question which I have for you is how many others are there who are like this young man? Oh I’m not talking about those who are victims of abuse. There are millions throughout this world who are enduring atrocities such as these, and worse. I am talking about the countless individuals who feel as though no one cares about them.
Allow me to ask you; are you one of those people? Do you live with sadness in your heart because you feel as though you are all alone? Do you find yourself looking around and wondering, “Does anyone care about me?” Often when these thoughts begin, the next thought to come is, “Does God care about me?” We begin to question his compassion, mercy, power, and even his ultimate plan for our lives.
As we continue with our current series, we come to a song written by a man by the name of Frank E. Graeff. The song, found on page 507, is entitled, “DOES JESUS CAERE?” Mr. Graeff spent his life in service to God. Born December 19, 1860, Mr. Graeff served faithfully as a minister in Methodist churches around Pennsylvania for many years. During his time on earth, he wrote the words to 200 hymns, and even found time to write a novel.
If you were to consider all the works of Frank Graeff, without question the one which has had the most impact on those who have heard it’s words would be “DOES JESUS CARE.” Mr. Graeff was said to be a happy man. In fact, he wasn’t just happy, he was so exuberant about living life that he earned the nickname “The Sunshine Minister.” Despite his great disposition, Mr. Graeff was like all of us in that he experienced moments of great stress and suffering. It was during one of these times when he wrote the words to this song. As he sat one day studying his Bible, he came across 1Peter 5: 7. There Peter instructs us saying: “Casting all your cares upon him; for he cares for you.” After reading these words, Mr. Graeff wrote out the words to the song before us. In the main, the point of the song is to remind you that no matter your condition in life, Christ cares for you.
This morning, I want us to look at the three times of life which are found in this song, during which we are tempted to believe that Jesus just doesn’t care about us. I want you to leave here this morning knowing that you matter to God. I want you to leave here today with the understanding that God cares for you! Join me, and let’s answer the question, “DOES JESUS CARE?”

I. DOES JESUS CARE ABOUT MY WORRIES?

“Does Jesus care when my heart is pained, too deeply for mirth or song, as the burdens press and the cares distress, and the way grows weary and long?” Here in this first verse, we see one of mankind’s great enemies, and one of Satan’s most powerful tools. “When the BURDENS PRESS AND THE CARES DISTRESS AND THE WAY GROWS WEARY AND LONG.” Without question worry is one of the biggest problems that we face each day.
Well, what is worry? How can it best be defined? I came across the following on a blog of sermon illustrations. The author wasn’t known, but I think his or her idea is worth our consideration.
“Worry is faith in the negative, trust in the unpleasant, assurance of disaster and belief in defeat...worry is wasting today's time to clutter up tomorrow's opportunities with yesterday's troubles.” People don’t like to hear this, I don’t like to say this, but worry is a lack of faith. Worry is you and I looking at a given situation, deciding that God can’t, but if we ponder on it long enough, maybe we can. There is something we must keep in mind and that is, taking problems out of God’s hands is a bad thing. When we try to out think God, we will find each and every time, that he was always six steps ahead.
Let’s think about this from the Apostles point of view. Throughout their time following Christ, They had different concerns and worries which plagued them. For example they worried over who would be first in the kingdom which Christ had been preaching. (Mark 9: 30-37) Of course Christ put their minds at ease by revealing to them that in order to be great, one must be humble.
The disciples also worried over worldly concerns. Let’s think about the passage in Matthew 14: 13-21. There Christ performs one of his more awe-inspiring miracles.
Following the death of John the Baptist, Christ here’s the news, and departs into the desert. Once there, he sees that a large contingent has followed him. He has compassion on them, and heals the sick among their number. Then, in verse 15, his disciples come and tell Jesus to send the group away because evening is coming, and they need to go find food to eat. Jesus instructs the disciples to feed the multitude.
Here is where this really gets interesting. Christ tells them how to do something to allay their worries, and they find reasons as to why his commandment won’t work. However, when they obey Jesus, bring the loaves and fishes to him; they discover that he was right all along. Their worries were unfounded, because he was with them. If they would just do as he commanded, all things would work out. Sound Familiar?
How many times do you and I allow ourselves to become consumed with worry over life’s troubles? How often do we look at those problems and say: “I am in such trouble, God must not care about me!” This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, just as Jesus offered a commandment to those first disciples, he has issued orders to us, his present day followers as well.
In Matthew 6: 24-33, we find all that we need to know when it comes to Jesus caring about our worries. There we find Christ addressing his disciples on the very subject which we’ve been speaking about.
I want to come back to verse 24 in just a moment. First, I want you to see what Jesus said in Matthew 6: 25. “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Christ wants us to stop our constant stressing over the things of this life. We are so much more than what we eat, or drink, or ware! This doesn’t mean that we stop working, and stop using the skills which God has given us to make a living. No, what I’m telling you is that we must realize that “Your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all of these things.”
The truth is that you cannot add one dime to your bank account, one level to your house, or one car to your garage by worrying over it. I would actually argue that the only thing you do win you worry is give Satan the victory. (I bet that caught your attention!)
You will recall that I said I wanted to return to verse 24. Let’s go ahead and take a look at it now. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Now, look down at verse 30, which states: “Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?”
What I want you to see is that we can’t have it both ways. We cannot say that we trust God, and yet refuse to give up our worries to him. He is there for us when our burdens press, and our fears distress. He indeed cares for us. But, when we refuse to let go we are without question revealing our lack of faith.
So, does Jesus care for our worries? In the words of Mr. Graeff, “Oh yes he cares, I know he cares!”

II. DOES JESUS CARE ABOUT MY FEARS?

“Does Jesus Care, when my way grows dark with a nameless dread and fear? As the deep daylight fades, into deep night shades, does he care enough to be near?”
Here in this second verse, we see a common concern. When we are frightened, we do not want to be alone. I can recall as a child, sneaking into mom and dad’s room in the middle of the night, because I heard some noise, or I thought I saw something in the corner of my room, or a million other reasons. The bottom line was that I didn’t want to be alone when I was so scared. Mr. Graeff illustrates this very idea for us by asking if Jesus will care enough to be near when those fearful moments stand at the door and knock.
Here’s what’s so interesting. Have you ever stopped to consider what fear really is? When you strip away all its layers, what is fear? I want to submit to you that fear is a lack of courage concerning that which we cannot see.
There is a story told about a boy who was in the kitchen one night while his mother was making supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and bring her a can of Tomato soup. The boy flatly refused because he was afraid of the dark pantry. The mother tried and tried to get him to go to the closet, but the boy wasn’t having any of it. He stated that he didn’t know what was in the pantry, and he didn’t want to find out.
Finally the mother told him that he didn’t need to be afraid, because Jesus would be in the pantry with him. After a moment’s hesitation, the little boy walked to the pantry door, cracked it open, and said, “Excuse me Jesus, could you hand me that can of Tomato Soup please?” See, the boy didn’t know what was in there, so he needed reassurance.
Certainly our fears are a bit more serious than a dark pantry, but they are founded upon the same premise. We don’t know what is behind that which we fear, so we cannot imagine facing it on our own. Normally fear reduces us all into small children. We want someone to come and make it better.
Think about the apostles in Mark 4: 37-39. There they were, all together, in a boat during a harsh storm. Notice what the Bible tells us that they did. “And they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4: 38) These men of faith, these disciples who broke bread with Jesus every day, asked the same question which we are looking at here. “We are afraid Lord, do you care?”
It is very important that you notice Christ’s reaction. Mark 4: 39-40 states: “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?” He eased their fears, and wanted to know what it was that they were so afraid of in the first place.
Brethren, the same thing holds true for us today. Oh don’t get me wrong. He might not come in and put an end to the storm. There are those occasions when the storm is just going to happen. However, his presents alone can provide peace. It can provide the peace which passes all understanding. (Philippians 4:7) He is with you during your times of greatest fear. He was with the nation of Israel when they coward in fear, but he told them that they could be of good courage, because he would never leave them! (Deuteronomy 31: 6) This isn’t just an Old Testament promise. The writer of Hebrews also affirmed it to us in Hebrews 13: 5.
I want you to think back to the definition which we gave of fear. We agreed that fear is a lack of courage concerning those things which we cannot see. Most of our fear in life is over the future. We cannot see what is going to happen regarding our jobs, our money, our health, our family, nor our lives, and that scares us. Here’s the great thing about the God we serve, he both knows and holds the future! (John 14: 1)
Again, we ask, DOES JESUS CARE ABOUT MY FEARS?” Again, Mr. Graeff shouts: “Oh yes He Cares!”

III. DOES JESUS CARE ABOUT MY GRIEF?

“Does Jesus care when I’ve said goodbye to the dearest on earth to me? And my sad heart aches, till it nearly breaks, is it ought to him does he see?”
Typically this is one of the more difficult points to cover. Most of us have lost someone close to us. At one point or another during the course of our loss, we have wondered “why?” Why did our loved one have to go? Why do we have to be alone? Does God care that I feel as though my heart is being torn apart?
As a minister, I have stood with so many as they mourned over that one who meant so much to them. I’ve stood beside parents as they wept at the loss of a child. I’ve stood watching, and have felt the pain myself, of children who are saying goodbye to a parent. I’ve even held the parent of a young person who made the decision to end their own life.
In each of these cases, there is something that I have noticed. In the situations where the family members have a relationship with the Lord, the grieving process was much more manageable. IN those cases, the family knew and understood that, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9: 27)
However, you who are here today, you are wondering, how is the Lord with me during these most difficult of times? I want to suggest to you that the Lord is with you through a promise which was revealed to us by King David during his time of grieving for his lost son.
Surely you recall the occasion to which I refer. In 2Samuel 11, David sees and possesses Bathsheba. Following their elicit union, she becomes pregnant. In 2Samuel 12: 14-18, we see that the child which was born of Bathsheba died. What is interesting is David’s reaction to the child’s illness, and his death.
Following the death of the baby, David’s servants hesitate to tell him that the child had died. According to their own account, he had been inconsolable while the child was ill; they just couldn’t imagine how hard he would take the news of the passing.
However David surprises them by cleaning up, going into the house of the Lord to worship, and then setting down for a meal in his own home. (2Samuel 12: 20) When they asked him about his behavior, David told them that he fasted and prayed for the child while he was alive because he didn’t know if God would indeed be gracious to him. However and here is where we see the proof that God is with us through his promises, David reveals why the weeping has come to a halt. 2Samuel 12: 23 says: “But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” Did you catch it? The Lord must have shared a wonderful fact with David. The fact being that while no amount of grieving can bring the dead back to life, a life lived in service to God can result in a marvelous reunion! Folks, the promise is Heaven.
Christ remains at our side even in our times of grief by offering us the opportunity to reunite in our Heavenly home!
Brethren, the question is, “Does Jesus care about my grief?” Mr. Graeff said it best when he said, “Oh Yes he cares, I know he cares, His heart, is touched with my grief!”

CONCLUSION:

As a child of God, you should never doubt that your savior cares for you. Hebrews 12: 2-3 reveals to us that Christ knew the suffering that was before him, yet he suffered it for us! Why? Because he cares for you. (1Peter 5: 7)