Disasters, Calamities and Evil in the World: Is God Asleep at the Switch?
(topical)
1. As a pastor, one of my most challenging responsibilities is to comfort the grieving. People can suffer in horrible ways.
2.The earthquake & tsunami that hit Japan killed thousands and left lives in shambles. It resurrects a question I have heard countless times, How can a good God allow this?
3. Recent tragedies: Friends lose a child to an accident/disease; a child dies from abuse.
4. These situations are differ. Some result fromf human choice. Others are "acts of God. "
6. If God is good, if God is all-powerful, and God knows all things, why do such seemingly random disasters take place? Do they take God by surprise, as some assert? Has God created the universe and then left, as some of our Found Fathers believed?
Or is he not really there? Or is he not really good?
7. Who among us has not asked this question? Unless your head is buried in the sand, this question first came to you as a child or perhaps a teen. It is obvious.
Main Idea: Our choice is to go through calamities and trials with God or without Him, but go through them we must. Still, it helps to understand what we can of the "whys and wherefores."
I. God Takes RESPONSIBILITY for Disasters (Isaiah 45:7)
A. Disasters Reveal God’s Wrath (Romans 1:18-20)
Looking at it from another angle, "If God is holy and demands justice, why does he allow sinners to enjoy life at all?"
B. God takes the blame for DISASTER and HANDICAPS
Isaiah 45:7, "I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster;
I, the LORD, do all these things…"
Exodus 4:11, "The LORD said to him, ’Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD? ’"
C. Before our new birth, we are naturally HOSTILE to the true God (Romans 3:11, Romans 8:7, Colossians 1:21)
Colossians 1:21, "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior."
Have you ever noticed that the same people who do not bother to give thanks and praise for God’s blessings are the first to express their disgust at him when disaster strikes?
Jesus predicted there would be many wars and earthquakes throughout the age, and that they would worsen in the end times. Revelation talks about the horrible plagues that will make life on earth miserable during the Great Tribulation. Biblical Christianity has always been married to a God who brings disaster. Sadly, many professing Christians have recreated God and Christianity to be more to their liking.
II. Disasters Result from the CURSE (Romans 8:18-23)
Romans 8:18-23, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies."
A. God created man knowing that man would FALL
B. The created physical universe is under God’s CURSE
We know God loves us, not because of how our lives go, but because of Calvary. Romans 5:8 puts it clearly, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
III. We Do Not KNOW What We Do Not Know (I Corinthians 13:12)
"For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." (I Corinthians 13:12)
A. God has all power, but that does not mean he can do ANYTHING
B. He cannot CONTRADICT his nature
C. Whatever God is accomplishing might require cursed nature to run its COURSE
Application: This does not mean we should deny our feelings or live in a dream world.
• Take the example of Job; lost 10 children and all his wealth at once. Job 1:20, "’Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.’”
• David haggles out his grief in the Psalms, and we studied the Psalm of Korah, including the "Dark Night of the Soul," Psalm 88, which closes with, "darkness is my closest friend."
We know God loves us, not because of how our lives go, but because of Calvary. Romans 5:8 puts it clearly, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
IV. God Allows Evil for a GREATER Good (Romans 8:28)
Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
A. For THOSE who know God
B. Take the FALL of Adam and Eve
We know God loves us, not because of how our lives go, but because of Calvary. Romans 5:8 puts it clearly, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
V. Ultimately, We Are Wise to Look to the ETERNAL Perspective (2 Corinthians 4:17)
2 Corinthians 4:17, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all…"
A. For the believer, temporal life is a struggle and eternal life a GLORY
1. Tragedies remind us of our vulnerability and our need to be right with God
2. God sends tragedy to some to shake up the rest of us. Turn to Luke 13:1-5
B. Being prepared for eternity is more important than earthly COMFORT
1. That doesn’t mean we ignore this life; we should try to avoid unnecessary suffering by being wise.
2. We should be eager to comfort and help the suffering.
3. We must recognize that we are or will be fellow sufferers
We know God loves us, not because of how our lives go, but because of Calvary. Romans 5:8 puts it clearly, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Conclusion: What about you? Are you postured for eternity? Is your life anchored to serve the eternal God, or are you like most other people?
