Sermon Tone Analysis

Someone To Watch Over Me

1 Peter 3:12-3:12

 

A little boy who lives up north was eagerly looking forward to the birthday party of his friend who lived only a few blocks away.

When the day finally arrived, a fierce blizzard was making driving hazardous.

But the boy insisted that didn’t matter – he could walk to his friend’s home.

And he could do it all by himself.

He didn’t need any help.

In fact, he didn’t want any help.

He was a big boy now.

Still his father hesitated.

"But Dad," he pleaded, "all the other kids will be there.

Their parents are letting them go.”

Finally, the father replied, "All right, if that’s what you want to do.” Overjoyed, the boy bundled up for the trip and plunged out into the storm.

The swirling snow sometimes made it difficult for him to see, and it took him nearly half an hour of trudging through the snow to get there.

But finally he was there.

He climbed the porch steps, and reached up to ring the doorbell.

As he did he turned briefly to look back behind him and out of the corner of his eye he saw the form of a receding figure.

It was his father who had followed him all the way just to make sure that he arrived safely at his destination.

I like that!

I like the idea of a father who would allow his son to tackle something difficult on his own, but who at the same time would make sure to be there if he were needed.

I think that’s one of the characteristics and evidences of real love.

You know, whether we realize it or not, I’m absolutely convinced that everyone of us needs someone to watch over us, someone who really cares about us, someone who’ll celebrate with us in the great events of our lives, who’ll offer us a shoulder to cry on in seasons of sorrow, and encouraging words when we most need them.

With that in mind, listen to these words of Scripture found in 1 Peter 3:12: "… the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil"

\\ 1. HIS EYES ARE ON US

Did you hear that?

The apostle Peter tells us that “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous..."  And Psalm 139:1-3 says, “O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

…

Vs’s 8-10 “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

…

Vs’s 13-14 “You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…”

God knows us and He loves us!

He knows us even better than we know ourselves.

And His eyes are upon us!

He is aware of the frustration that makes you weary, the dreams you have dared to dream even when everyone doubted, the fears that trouble you, and the joys that fill your heart.

He knows your disappointments, and the heartaches that have come your way.

He knows you!

You see, He created you, and He loves you.

And in the midst of all that complicates your life - remember this uncomplicated but marvelous truth: "…the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous."

And because they are, be assured also that “His ears are attentive to their prayer"

2. HIS EARS ARE OPEN TO US

Charles Swindoll, in his book “Stress Fractures,” tells about one time finding himself in a bind with just too many commitments and not nearly enough time in which to accomplish them.

As a result, he became very nervous and tense.

"I was snapping at my wife and our children, choking down my food at mealtimes, and feeling irritated at any unexpected interruption during the day.

Before long, things around our home started reflecting the pattern of my hurry-up style.

It was becoming unbearable.

I distinctly remember after supper one evening, the words of our younger daughter, Colleen.

She wanted to tell me something important that had happened to her at school that day.

She began hurriedly, ’Daddy, I wanna tell you somethin’ and I’ll tell you really fast.’

"Suddenly realizing her frustration, I answered, ’Honey, you can tell me - and you don’t have to tell me really fast.

Say it slowly.’

I’ll never forget her answer: ’Then you listen slowly.’"

The apostle Peter assures us that not only are God’s eyes upon us, but that He hears us, He’s attentive to our prayers, and He listens slowly!

Bob Keeshan, whom most of us remember as "Captain Kangaroo" once said: "Attention is like a daily bouquet of love."

You can be sure that God is waiting for you to come to Him, to talk to Him, to lay before Him your goals, your dreams, your fears and your uncertainties!

C. S. Lewis once wrote: "The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals.

And the first job each morning consists in shoving it all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in."

"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer."

John McArthur, in a sermon called, "Praying For The Right Things," said: "Sadly, the prayers of most Christians are directed toward the wrong stuff.

… The prayers are often misdirected, short-sighted, and selfish.

“Christians typically pray for health and happiness and success.

They pray for personal benefits.

They pray for comfort.

… They pray for a healed body, or a home, or food, or a job, or a car, a husband, a wife, a promotion, and more money.”

Those things, while they certainly make up a big part of our lives, are very low on the Apostle Paul’s priority prayer list.

Listen as he tells the Christians in Thessalonica what he is praying about concerning them: “With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.”

(2 Thessalonians 1:11)

In other words, he is telling them that he and Silas and Timothy are constantly praying for them – for them to be living lives pleasing to God, worthy of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for them, and that God will be able to use their attitudes and actions as living witnesses of His love.

"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

\\ 3. HIS FACE IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL

I can understand what it means when the Bible says that “His eyes are on us,” and that “His ears are open to us.”

But what message is it trying to get across to us when it says that, “His face is against those who do evil”?

Is it saying that someday, when we’re all standing before the judgment seat, that those who have done evil in their lives will finally face the wrath of God and receive the punishment that they so richly deserve?

Well, yes, the Bible does tell us that, Matthew 25:31-32, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory.

All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”

And the time will come when He will say to those on His left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels….

Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

(Matthew 25:41,46)

So there will be a judgment day, and it will be a time of rewards and punishments.

But is that what Peter is talking about in the Scripture we have been using this morning?

I don’t think so.

And let me tell you why.

Let’s look at it again.

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

Think about what it is saying.

“…the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous…” When?

When are His eyes on the righteous?

Right now.

Right now He sees us, and watches over us, and cares for us; oftentimes in ways that we never even realize.

And when are “His ears open to us and attentive to our prayers?”

Once again, it’s now.

Time and time again we have seen prayers answered; maybe not always the way that we would have desired, but God has answered our prayers.

He’s opened doors that were closed, healed bodies that were hurt, provided guidance when we didn’t know which way to turn, ransomed lives that were mired in sin, protected us, and brought peace and joy into our lives.

God does answer our prayers!

So do we dare suggest that “the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” right now?

Does all of God’s wrath and punishment have to wait until the Judgment Day? No, I don’t think so.

In fact, the Bible clearly tells us that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

(Hebrews 13:8) And God speaks in Malachi 3:6 saying, “I the Lord do not change.”

Now why am I pointing this out?