Introduction: Would you like God to deliver you from all your troubles......to protect you from harm.........to preserve your life........to bless you in the land........to deliver you from your foes.......to sustain you on your sickbed.........to restore your health? Then have regard yourself for those who are weak. That is the message of Psalm 41:1-3.

I. God often reminded the Israelites to care for the weak....

Deu 10:17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.
Deu 10:18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.
Deu 10:19 And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.

Deu 24:17 Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge.
Deu 24:18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this.
Deu 24:19 When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
Deu 24:20 When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow.
Deu 24:21 When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow.

God cares much for the oppressed. He cares for orphans. He is concerned over the loneliness and weakness of widows. And He wants His people to have the same love and concern.

II. Jesus made a point of helping the weak.

Mat 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
Mat 4:24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them.

Mat 11:2 When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples
Mat 11:3 to ask him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"
Mat 11:4 Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see:
Mat 11:5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

Mark 12:41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.
Mark 12:42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
Mark 12:43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.
Mark 12:44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on."

Luke 7:11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him.
Luke 7:12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out--the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.
Luke 7:13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."
Luke 7:14 Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!"
Luke 7:15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

III. God has flatly commanded his people to help the weak...

Psa 82:3 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Psa 82:4 Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

Isa 1:17 learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

James 2:1 My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism.
James 2:2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
James 2:3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet,"
James 2:4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
James 2:5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

Conclusion: In Psalm 41, King David sang of God's blessings on us in THIS life, if we will care for the weak. In the New Testament, Jesus promised rewards in THE LIFE TO COME to all who will care for the weak.

Mat 25:34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
Mat 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
Mat 25:36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
Mat 25:37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
Mat 25:38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
Mat 25:39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
Mat 25:40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Luke 14:13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,
Luke 14:14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

May the Lord help each of us to have God's heart of compassion on the poor, the fatherless, the widows, and all who are in trouble. Amen.