Does Anyone Care?
VBC Albuquerque · Aug 11, 2024
The sermon shows that indifference and apathy are dangerous attitudes and the core of inhumanity. Through the story of Nehemiah, who genuinely cared for the people and the city of Jerusalem, we see how heartfelt concern leads to actions that change history. Believers must care for one another as members of Christ's body to build up and strengthen the church.
The opening section presents a serious but often overlooked problem: indifference and apathy toward events and people around us. The preacher compares such apathy to an inattentive student, a family lacking mutual care, and emphasizes that this is the core nature of inhumanity. When Jesus addressed the church of Laodicea (Revelation 3:15-16), He warned that being lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—is more dangerous than coldness because it reflects complete spiritual carelessness.
The second section develops the thesis that genuine concern is the foundation of true service and authentic faith. The preacher cites French historian Alexis de Tocqueville, who observed three characteristics of America: freedom, religion, and voluntary service—all inseparably linked together. Christ's teaching through Apostle Paul (Acts 20:35) and Mark 10:45 confirms that faith and concern expressed through service cannot be separated. Anyone who claims to believe in God yet willingly serves no one either has not truly understood Scripture or is deceiving himself.
The third section focuses on Nehemiah's story, a man who genuinely cared for the people and city of Jerusalem despite being 800 miles away and living in the luxurious palace. When he heard that the people were in distress, shame, and the city walls were destroyed, Nehemiah wept, mourned, fasted, and prayed to God. Rather than remaining indifferent or criticizing previous leaders, Nehemiah confessed sin on behalf of the people and asked God to use him to rebuild the walls. The preacher notes that God chose to use Nehemiah not because of his position or abilities, but because of his genuine concern for God's work.
The fourth section contrasts with the counterexample of Prophet Jonah, who cared nothing for the salvation of Nineveh but only hoped God would punish them. The preacher applies the lesson to church life: when facing family or church problems, instead of remaining indifferent, criticizing, or blaming one another, we must show concern and work together to build up. The question is not "Do you care?" but "What do you truly care about, and what is the priority of those concerns in your life?" Genuine concern requires prayer, careful thought, concrete planning, and courage to act as Nehemiah did when he asked the king for permission.
The final section explains why believers must care for one another: all are members of one body with Christ as the head. Scripture teaches believers to care for each other through phrases such as "one another," "together," "for one another," "with one another." The preacher concludes with Elie Wiesel's story at Buchenwald concentration camp, where American soldiers showed righteous anger at the horrors they witnessed—that genuine concern made all the difference to those being liberated.