- When was the last time a trip to the theater left you truly inspired about God?
- Movie "God’s Not Dead" - Here in town
- Freshman college student Josh Wheaton's faith is challenged by his philosophy professor, who believes God does not exist. He has to defend God's existence to the entire class.
How Can A Loving God Allow Innocent People To Be Hurt So Badly?”
Josh wants to go to Law School
His fiancé leaves him
Professor wants to destroy his faith & future
Ayisha a muslin is ostracized from her family
Amy reporter finds out she is going to die from cancer
Mina - Secret Christian the professor is her boyfriend & mother with dementia
Pastor Dave is struggling in his church
Martin a Chinese struggling with his loyalties to his family & belief
How can a loving God allow innocent people to be hurt so badly?”
3/26/14 Mud slide in Washington state 49 homes, killing at least 24 people 90 missing
3/8/14 Malaysia Flight 370 - Down in Indian Ocean with 239 on board
4/15/13 Boston Marathon bombings 5 deaths - 280 injuries
7/20/12 Aurora Colorado movie shooting killing 12 people and injuring 70 others.
12/14/12 Sandy Hook School - 20 kids & 6 adults shot
Try to explain evil tragedies like:
Columbine HS massacre
9/11
Syrian Slaughters
Tsunami in Japan
Typhoon in the Philippines,
Constant famines in Africa
People killed in senseless wars
Terrorist bombings that cripple and maim
Fatal car accidents
Infant deaths
Sickness & disease
Where Is God In All Of This?
Lee Strobel commissioned a national survey asking people what question they'd ask if they could only ask God one thing The Number One response was: “Why is there suffering in the world?”
Jesus first message begins with the beatitudes
Last of the beatitudes is Mt. 5:11-12
Jesus last message to the disciples Jn 14-16
Starts with Jn 14:1-3, 27
Note the "Abides" Jn 15:4-7, 10
Next verse John 15:11 (AV)
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Jn 16:1 - Starts with same words
These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. -- "stumble", "fall away", "lose your faith", "giving up"
Note the last verse
John 16:33 (AV) — 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye SHALL have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Matthew 5:11 (The Message)
“Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable.
What Is This For?
C. S. Lewis, who watched his beloved wife die of cancer, put it this way.
• God whispers to us in our pleasures,
• Speaks in our conscience,
• Shouts in our pains:
it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world." God's plan is for us to return to him, (fall upon Him) and to lead the best possible life on earth; sometimes we need to be reminded of our purpose, and pain is a sharp, clear tool to achieve that purpose.
-- A needle may be necessary to prevent disease or infection; nobody welcomes or enjoys the injection, but it prevents a far greater suffering, just as what may seem like even intolerable pain now will lead to far greater happiness later.
Re. 5:5 (ESV)
.... “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, .....
The Fog Of Life
Think about driving a highway in the dark, it is raining heavily and you hit dense fog. You can barely see the white stripe on the edge of the road. You can't stop because you are afraid someone might come along and rear-end you. It's white knuckle frightening!
Suddenly from behind a truck passes and is in front of you. Now you can clearly see his taillights through the fog. He apparently has fog lamps in front, because he is traveling at a confident and deliberate pace, and you know if you could just follow those taillights, you'd be headed in the right direction
God knows our needs better than we do. We may not be able to make out all the peripheral details of why — they may be obscured from our view
The Points Of Light We Need To Follow
1. God Has Not Created Evil & Suffering.
God saw all that he has created and it was good
Genesis 1:31 (AV)
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. ....
WHY EVIL
- We are created with free will to choose to love or not to love
- Gen 3:16-19 -- Sin resulted in moral evil & natural evil
Genesis 3:16–19 (AV)
Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
2. God Can Use The Shambles Of Life For Good
Romans 8:28 (AV
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
He did not cause evil
We may not see good immediately
This is not a blanket promise
- Example in the life of Joseph - Ge. 50:20
3. All Evil Will Someday Be Removed
Read the end of the book
Revelation 21:4 (AV)
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
His delay is for people to turn to the Lord
4. Today's Pain & Suffering Will Pale To What Is Coming
2 Corinthians 4:17 (AV)
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
What! My light & momentary trouble
This is Paul speaking
2 Corinthians 4:7–10 (AV)
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
Think of starting out this year
• You had an emergency root canal at the dentist
• He ran out of pain-killers.
• You crashed your car and had no insurance.
• Your investment went belly up.
• Your spouse got sick.
• A friend betrayed you
But then every other day of the year was just incredibly terrific.
• Your relationship with God is close and real and intimate.
• A friend wins the lottery and gives you $100 million.
• You get promoted at work to your dream job.
• Time magazine puts your photo on its cover as “The Person of the Year.”
• Your marriage is idyllic,
• Your health is fabulous,
• You have a six-month vacation in Tahiti.
- That trouble was momentary & light for what you now have
5. We Decide To Turn Bitter or Better
Life can be cruel & painful
It's where we turn to & gaze on
We need to hold on for the moment
Matthew 5:12 (AV)
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: ....
- A choice
