complete dependence upon the
Lord for all needed help this morning. I wish to direct your
very prayerful attention to the first epistle of Peter chapter
5 this morning considering verses 6 and 7. The first epistle of Peter chapter
5 verses 6 and 7. Humble yourselves therefore under
the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon him,
for he careth for you. humble yourselves therefore under
the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time casting
all your care upon him for he careth for you chose very deliberately as our
final hymn that hymn by John Newton As most of you will be aware,
John Newton led a very interesting life. A very well-known, hard and rebellious
man. A hardy man. An experienced sailor. But the
Lord broke him down. And this observation has been
made, although there's a lot that we know about John Newton,
there's undoubtedly, from this hymn, a lot that we don't know. And thus do we not prove that
it's been quite a common practice for our people when it comes to the
end of their days to write an autobiography or quite a lengthy
obituary of our experience of life and grace but no doubt there's those things
which we can't put in those things that we don't put in those things
which are between ourselves and the Lord and thus John Newton
expresses this in his hymn. When he says in verse 3, And
thus, we prove the very same throughout our lives. So, as the Lord will enable me,
we'll consider something of these two verses here as we find them
in this fifth chapter. However, firstly, we'll consider
something of the context and what leads us to find ourselves
here. This epistle of Peter was undoubtedly
penned by him. And for those of you who have
an interest in the Old and New Testament days and what took
place at the time in the ministry and the missionary journeys of
Paul and of the Apostles, you will notice that mention is made
of the circulation of this epistle at the very commencement. Even
in the very first verse, Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout
Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and by Thinian. These are all part, or most of
it, is part of what we would now call modern Turkey. But what's
interesting, if we look at each of those places upon the map,
we find a circular venturing, a circular picture. If we drew a line on where they
went, and thus this is consistent with the transportation of the
day. They simply traveled around as
ordinary people preaching and teaching Jesus Christ. And this is the ministry and
this is the circulation of this epistle. It was cyclical in that
sense. Geographically and practically
And we would also note the date, around AD 62 or 63, we notice
that Peter speaks in the second chapter in verse 13, "...submit
yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether
it be to the king as supreme or unto governors, as unto them
that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers." and
for the praise of them that do well. Peter gives an unqualified
approval of the civil government and there's a reason for this.
This was just preceding Nero's ascension to the throne
as emperor, who of course ordered the most bitter persecution of
Christians. But before that we see this relative
freedom and we see Jew and Gentile coming together within the church. There was no less than three
generations of Jews that had settled in that area and that's
one of the reasons for the language which we might say was very Jewish
in its nature throughout the epistle. And Peter writes upon
many subjects. But we find ourselves at the
beginning of the chapter, he turns his attention to the officers
of the church, but then in verse 5 we see a
change. He is speaking unto all members
of the church. He changes when he says, likewise
ye younger submit yourselves unto the elder, yea, all of you
be subject one to another. We have here the doctrine and
the principle of the priesthood of all believers. Some refer,
of course, to the priesthood and the laity. But here we have
the truth that each believer is one in Christ
Jesus, whether male nor female, bond nor free. And thus here, Peter turns his
attention directly to all the church all the church and thus he exhorts here he exhorts
and he says in verse 6 humble yourselves therefore under the
mighty hand of God now he writes these things because
we have a nature that will not bend the old man is there, it is present
and always wants his own way but we see here very deliberate
language, because Peter speaks of being clothed with humility. Clothed with humility. And actually,
we mustn't bypass that word clothed because it means something. It
means to put on. It means to have an approach
very much even today. Somebody's clothes speak something
about them. It speaks something of their
approach and their general attitude and what's important to them.
And thus, we think particularly, and this is not an inappropriate
illustration of Legion, Here he is, in the country of
the Gadarenes, bound with fetters and chains, a wild man. Always, we read in Mark 5, night
and day he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying and
cutting himself with stones. We see the practice of self-harming,
as it's now known, is not a new thing, but an old practice. But we read, when he saw Jesus
afar off, he ran and worshipped him. Now, we won't dwell on legion
for very long, but suffice to say, in verse 15, we have this
statement. And when they come to Jesus and
see him that was possessed with the devil and had the legion
sitting and clothed and in his right mind and they were afraid
clothed we read and in his right mind all of a sudden he was still he was still he was reflective he was meditative
he considered the grace of God and thus we see here this practice
of what the Lord does when he humbles a person you see here we have two different distinctions
don't we? Humility before men being subject
one to another speaks of the fact and the truth that although
we may act differently sometimes the reality of the fact is nobody
is any better or any worse than anyone else we are all temporal
beings we are all sinners we have all broken the law of God
every man hath his proper gift and some people excel in some
talents and in some ways mentally and physically more than others
we know that we don't dispute that but essentially the Lord
has made his people of all one blood we are flesh and blood
and our natures have good elements and bad elements but thus we're
sinners and no better and no worse than anyone else but before
the Lord here's the difference we're all debtors we're all debtors
and thus we read here of a humbling under the mighty hand of God
now what does this do? this drives us to the feet of
Christ humble yourselves, consider everything
that you are. We notice this, to humble under
the mighty hand of God. I believe it was one commentator who said, nobody will do this for themselves. if the Lord hasn't done this
for you first and this is absolutely true because notice here this
is directed to believing souls this is directed to those of
whom have that and by necessity need to be fed feed the flock which is among
you and does that not result in circumspection? does that not result in reflection?
does that not result in that consideration? as to what we here all need but
we notice this that he may exalt you in due
time he may exalt you in due time now this also is the work
of the Lord and it has a double meaning this exaltation because
it speaks of exaltation in this life and exaltation in that which
is to come the Apostle John says Blessed
is he who hath part in the first resurrection. Now that is speaking
of the first exaltation, this exaltation that we have in this
life. You see, the gospel is always
a two-edged sword. It's always a two-edged sword.
and thus the two elements of the truth must always be brought
out where we have one without the other well we have not the
gospel because if we have only law we have the sentence of death
that sentence of death is already there, it's within us but we're
making it known but if that's where the situation ends then
we're in despair but likewise we can't have forgiveness
without repentance we can't have salvation without the knowledge
of sin and thus here we see this exaltation exaltation this is gospel liberty
and notice who goes before Christ the forerunner we come back to
the central point here in the central aspect of the gospel
which is the Lord Jesus Christ in his resurrecting power even
does not the Apostle, hear Peter speak of this again, going back
to the opening chapter, verse 3, he writes in his greeting,
it was common to begin letters with a greeting of this type,
Blessed be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which
according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a
lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And we'll never get past that. That's the exaltation in this life. That's the basis
of every victory. For we are more than conquerors
through Him that loved us. That's the basis. and thus there
may be times when again in this life we're cast down but we have
to return we have to return to where the victory is found and
surely it's only found in Christ in that exaltation you see our
victory is only found in His victory to exalt you to vindicate
you and surely the Lord will vindicate
all His people thus we'll consider something
of that even this evening if the Lord will but the exaltation has another meaning this is speaking
on that great day when the Lord shall divide the sheep from the
goats you see there's a resurrection is there not of the just and
the unjust the dead in Christ shall rise
first but you see then and immediately
following there is a resurrection of the unjust But you see, this
is the mercy. With Gennet speaking to believers,
he'll exhort you. Notice this, it says, in due
time. In due time. The Apostle is deliberately
under the Holy Ghost. Deliberately. Vague about these things, because
in our lives when the Lord calls His people by His grace. I think
it's fair to say most of the Lord's people are dealt with
in their younger years. Most of them. Not always, but
most of them. Some are dealt with in middle
years and a few in older years. You see, that's due time, isn't
it? But it's all the Lord's time. And thus, due time in the end. This does not make any prediction
as to when the end of the world will be. Indeed we are warned
against giving predictions of such a nature. Many predictions
have been given in their folly and of course dear soul they've
all passed, they all will. Because we read that the Lord
will come as a thief in the night and will come when men least
expect Him. But then we come to verse 7. Casting all your care upon Him
for He careth for you. Casting all your care upon Him
for He careth for you. Now We would be negligent if we did
not see the Old Testament comparative text here. Many believe that
Peter here is reinforcing that which was spoken of by David
in that psalm. In fact, Our pastor preached
from this text, doesn't seem very long ago to me, but it could
be more than a year. Psalm 55 and verse 22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord
and he shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous
to be moved. We have the very same sentiment
there, don't we? Casting the burden, casting Care. Now, the first two words have a verb in the original which
we cannot overlook. the limitations of the English
language don't allow us to bring it forth the same as the original,
but casting all has that meaning of a continual exercise. Now, that's very important because
the same exercise is that in which we read, we consider that
Psalm, it appears in other places as well, where the Psalmist says,
pray without ceasing. Pray without ceasing. That's
not that we lock ourselves away from the rest of society and
spend all day and all night in religious practice. That's not
the meaning of that. what this is speaking of is the
continual exercise of the mind and heart to go on praying to
go on and to go on and to go on and thus are there not those
things of which we have prayed for for years and are there not those things
which even now have been the subject of our prayers for many
many years or months as well as those answers to prayer that
we find both in the positive and in the negative but we see
here a casting all a casting all and this is here where we
have a problem isn't it? because inevitably Human nature
gets in the way, and will say, I can sort this problem out. This is within my means. But even if things appear to
be within your means, they're not. How many times in our lives
have we had plans that have been completely overturned? and thus what's the end of all
of this but once again you see we find ourselves humbled under
the mighty hand of God because we have to cast all before him everything and thus we find ourselves
here in the right place if we're casting all before him and all
on him now we therefore come to this
word care which today in our modern English may
be translated anxieties we think of that scripture be
careful for nothing but in everything with thanksgiving in prayer and
supplication make our requests known to God be careful means
not that we ignore our problems but not to be over anxious not
to be over filled with care and thus we see the exhortation to
cast it upon him and is there not by the eye of faith even
a relief in pleading the Lord's Word. Once we've cast all upon Him is there not even underneath
that upholding of the truth that the Lord is true to His Word?
You see, this is the problem that we have, isn't it? That unbelief within us doesn't
take the Lord at His Word And thus, we have care. Now, care
really is broken into, I'm not going to dwell on these points,
but it's broken into these three parts, isn't it? There is retrospective
care. There is contemporary care. And there is future care. And
these are the things that often exercise the minds and hearts
of the Lord's people now retrospective care those things
that are past the pain that the Lord's people often feel are
those words those deeds those omissions and commissions of
those things that have gone on years before. Now it might be that we've walked
in open sin. It might be that we have been
negligent in our souls, we may have looked the part, continued
going to chapel, but expressed really underneath
it all a carnal unworldly attitude to life and thus squandered our time and our lives
before him. These are the past sins and thus
we may feel that they bear to they bring to bear on upon us
now now what does the Lord say? cast him all upon him thus it's only the Lord you know
that can make the crooked straight and the rough places plain but
you see the mercy is he does you see this is the mercy of
the gospel the Lord will say pay what you owe But Calvary speaks of gentler
things. And thus, the Lord puts away
the sins of his people. This is the mercy. This is the
truth of the Gospel, casting all upon him. You see, the person
of Christ, there is no sin too great for
him to forgive. The trouble is with you and I
is that we're proud hard-hearted sinners and that unbelief stirs
within us and we'll say, oh no, too much, too much. But you see here we have a casting
all. There's nothing accepting here
at all, retrospective care but then we come perhaps to contemporary
care and thus I found the illustration more suitable in Gatsby's hymns
here you know the best way to treat our hymn book is not to
quote it as it is the Bible as I'm afraid some are guilty of
doing, we can't prove any point of doctrine by the hymn book.
But the hymn book should serve as a commentary upon the Bible
to explain what the doctrine here is saying.
William Gadsby says in 699, it's actually a New Year hymn, but
it's more suitable for us, he says this, sometimes in solemn
silence we have sat Then peevishly cried out, how hard's our lot? Each trial we have viewed with
fretful eye, And every mercy passed in silence by. We've swelled our woes to an
immense degree, And often said, none are so tried as we. God's
righteous ways our carnal hearts despise, and often say they're
neither, just nor wise. Yet, sovereign favours we have
often enjoyed, to us the Holy Ghost has them applied. Through
God's free goodness, mercies rich and rare, have cheered our
souls and vanquished every fear. And thus, there are those things
before us even now, which no doubt causes care and anxiety,
but the exhortation is still to cast
all before Him. You see, do we not see this?
That yesterday's blessing is yesterday's blessing. We must
remember what the Lord has done for us. and as legion was exalted go
ye and say what great things the Lord hath done for thee but you know we must continually
find ourselves at the throne of grace and continually be looking
unto him casting all care upon him casting all care upon him and
thus we find our needs met But thirdly and finally, do we not
see those and find those future cares? Those things that go before. And are we not often sunk in
the prospect of what is to come? But you know, very often, the things that we fear the most
the things that we do not feel we can face the most often the
Lord makes a way so that they're not a problem at all I'm sure
you can find many things in your life which have been a real exercise
unto you and a real care unto you and the Lord has just removed
just like that and you've not had a hand in the matter And you see, very often it's
like that, isn't it? But we have to pray our way along
casting all upon Him again continually. This time of year is always a
difficult one. The letters come in for next
year in July and you look at the dates on the calendar as
you inevitably have to put the preaching list together and every
year we feel sunk. How can we meet this? How can
we preach and all these occasions with everything that we have
to do and all our responsibilities in life and all the rest of it? But you know sufficient unto
the day is the evil thereof. We can't boast of what will take
place on the morrow. We're exhorted to cast all upon
it. You see the Lord knows the end. from the beginning. These
things are not a surprise to him, are they? They're not a
surprise to him. And thus we must plead the promise. What's the promise of all these
things? Retrospective, contemporary and future. He careth for you. He careth for you. And thus of
all the things is this not what we have the most trouble in seeing
and embracing you know even if we don't always
feel the sweetness of Him there's a mercy even in pleading these
things because we can leave them there the Lord will exalt you
in due time the Lord will make a way where there appears to
be no way the Lord will do for you more than you can ask or
even think why? because he careth for you now again because we find these
things here we can't exhaust them you know many a time we may feel
that we've sinned away the day of grace or that our unbelief
is such that we read a scripture such as this we say we can't
plead this now but the mercy is that we can ever plead these
things He careth for you and you see all these things
are centered in the truth that the Lord's rich and atoning work
in the Gospel makes all this not possible, but certain. If it wasn't for Calvary, we
couldn't plead these things. If it wasn't for Calvary, there
would be no care. If it wasn't for Calvary, there
would be no mercy. All these things, as all these
truths, are spring from the rich mercy of the Gospel
as we find them in Jesus Christ. And thus I trust that we're each
enabled to say even this morning, humble yourselves therefore under
the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time,
casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. Amen.