"The Good, The Bad and The Ugly"
Romans 8:18-28
Romans 8:28 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.
Introduction: I hope you will excuse me for borrowing a title from an old Clint Eastwood movie but it just seemed to fit the theme of this text pretty good. In referring to the good, the bad and the ugly I'm alluding to all the things that happen in life, particularly the bad things and the ugly things. Every person in this room this morning has had some good, some bad and some ugly things happen to you. One old time preacher said that there are "wounded" people in every pew and that is true from my experience. Also, in all the years that I've been pastoring the one question that keeps coming up over and over again is the question of why bad or ugly things happen. Questions like why does a loving God allow good people to experience bad things? Why does He allow His own children to suffer? What is the purpose, if there is one, in these experiences? Paul knew something about bad things and ugly things and he knew something about suffering. Listen to what he says in the letter to the Philippians.
Philippians 1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
We have a record of what happened to him throughout his ministry in his letter to the church at Corinth.
2 Corinthians 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
Now I don't pretend to know all the answers but I want to suggest some things for you to consider. First:
I. THE PROMISE
Paul was confident in the promises of God for several reasons and we can be too!
a. The Sovereign's virtues
When God makes a promise He can back it up and the more you know about the character of God the more you will understand this. For example:
God is omniscient, which means that He sees and knows everything, past, present and future.
God is omnipotent, which means that He can do anything that He chooses to do.
God is immutable, which means that He cannot change nor is He capable of change.
God is infallible, which means that He cannot make a mistake and that He cannot fail.
Now I could go on but you can plainly see that He is able to work out all things by providential arrangement to accomplish His purposes in our lives. The Divine superintendent/governor of the universe is able!
b. The Sovereign's veracity
God has never broken a promise, no not one single time. His word is reliable and dependable.
Joshua 23:14 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.
Psalms 117:2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.
c. The Sovereign's values
God is zealous of His word and He is at work and even when we cannot see He can. He knows the end from the beginning. The greatest thing He values is the eternal soul of a man and He is always "seeking to save that which is lost."
In Guidepost Magazine a few years ago there was a story about a young couple in Ft. Worth, TX going home after church one evening. The driver of a truck did not see them, & he pulled over & hit their car, throwing them from the wreckage. The young wife died instantly, & her husband lived only a little while longer.
The church where they attended mourned their death. But a few weeks after the accident, a man showed up in church, & at the time of invitation came forward to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord & Savior.
When asked why, he said, "I witnessed an accident on the highway a few weeks ago, & I stopped to see if there was anything I could do. I went first to the young lady & it was obvious she was dead. But I could hear sounds from the young man. So I turned to see if there was anything I could do to help him."
"As he looked up at me through eyes of terrible pain, he asked me a question, `Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior? I'm going to meet Him soon. If you were in my place, would you be going to meet Jesus?'"
With tears in his eyes the man went on, "Since that night those words have never left me, & that is why I'm here today, to accept Jesus Christ as my Savior & Lord, too."
II. THE PARADOX
a. Our perspective can change
One of the things about our circumstance is that time has a way of changing the way we look at things. Have you ever had something bad happen to you or a loved one and yet months or even years later it proved to be a good thing? Think of the life of Joseph. He was sold into slavery by his brothers, accused of rape and thrown into prison, forgotten for two years by a man whose life he saved and then finally he becomes the prime minister of Egypt! At the end of this roller coaster ride Joseph says:
Genesis 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
b. Our plans can change
Moses is another case where things looked one way yet turned out another way. He was raised in the house of Pharaoh for 40 years, ran for his life after killing an Egyptian and lived in the desert for another 40 years and then spent the last 40 years of his life leading the children of Israel to the promised land.
Acts 7:20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months:
21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.
22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:
25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.
26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?
27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?
29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons.
30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.
31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,
32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.
33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.
34 I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.
35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.
ILL - A story is told of an old man who had a prized stallion. One day, it leaped over the corral, raced down the road, and disappeared into the distance. His friends came to comfort him. "That's bad news," they said sadly. "Who's to say if it's good or bad," said the old man. "All that we can say is that the horse ran away."
A few days later the stallion came bolting back into his corral, bringing with it a dozen other wild horses. His friends crowded around. "That's good news!" they cried. "Who's to say if it's good or bad," said the old man. "All that we can say is that the horse has returned."
Later, the old man's son--his only helper-- began the dangerous challenge of breaking in the dozen wild horses and was thrown to the ground, badly breaking his leg. The old man's friends once again gathered, saying, "We heard the bad news that your son--your only helper--has broken his leg."
Again, the old man replied, "Who's to say if it's bad news. All that we can say is that my son--my only helper--has broken his leg."
A few day later, war broke out in the land, and all the young men were called to duty. But the old man's son could not enlist because he was still nursing his broken leg. As the war raged, one-by-one the sons of his friends were reported injured or killed.
III. THE PURPOSE
Christians believe that God has a purpose in everything He does. God is not arbitrary or capricious but deliberate and intentional. What might be some of God's purposes in allowing us to experience the good, the bad and the ugly?
a. The way that you respond can stimulate interest in Christ.
Paul says, "Here I am in prison, & what's happened? It has served to advance the gospel." Paul is not complaining. Rather, he is rejoicing & sharing his faith with others.
I can just see Paul sitting in his prison cell chained to a Roman soldier. Every 8 hours the shift changes & he gets a new guard. For 8 hours this soldier will be attached to Paul by just a few feet of chain. And for 8 hours Paul literally has a captive audience.
He tells him about Jesus & His miracles & parables & teachings. He tells him the difference Jesus has made in his life, & what Jesus can do for the soldier, too. I'm confident that, after spending 8 hours with the apostle Paul, no soldier could ever be quite the same again.
What a wonderful way to handle difficulties in life. And what a wonderful way to turn those difficulties into something positive.
ILL. There have been times that I've visited church members in the hospital, & have had nurses & doctors tell me, "I'm amazed at how well this patient is doing. There has to be some reason why this patient seems to be handling the pain so much better than others who have gone through the same thing."
I think I know the reason. Our faith in Christ makes a difference. And oftentimes the way we endure suffering can be a tremendous testimony to others. Melvin Newland
b. The way that we respond authenticates your witness for Christ.
Our world is hungry for that which is genuine. There is so much phoniness around us that it is really hard to know, isn't it, who is telling the truth & who isn't?
We go through political campaigns where phony promises are made. We have salesmen who lie to us. We live in a world where it is hard to find something real & authentic.
The world is hungry for someone who will stand up for truth, even if it's unpopular truth, & say, "I will not compromise what I believe because I stand for those things that are right." That's authenticity. And when you are an authentic person then your witness is strengthened.
c. The way that we respond can encourage others to live for Christ.
Finally, I think that the way you live can encourage others for Christ. There are few things in this world that are really worth dying for. But when you see something worth dying for, & others being willing to give up their lives for it, that is a tremendous witness & encouragement.
ILL -- Bill Borden was heir to the Borden fortune but chose to respond to the call of missions instead. He was on his way to the mission's field when he contracted meningitis and died in Egypt before ever reaching the field. Some would say what a waste but he left his entire fortune to Christian causes and hundreds respond to the call of missions after his death. A note was found under his pillow that said no return, no retreat, and no regrets!
ILL - When I read about Corrie Ten Boom, & how she stood up for Jesus in the midst of a Nazi concentration camp, I'm deeply challenged & encouraged, aren't you?
ILL -- How many young people have been influenced for God by the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer who perished in a German Concentration Camp. He was executed by hanging on April 9, 1945, as the Nazi regime collapsed, just two weeks before Allied forces liberated the camp, and three weeks before Hitler's suicide.
When I read the list of heroes in Hebrews 11, & realize that they never saw the result of their faith, but they kept on being faithful in spite of persecution & suffering, I'm encouraged to try to live a life of courage & faithfulness too.
And what an impact the way we live can have on others! Jesus describes it in a number of ways: "Returning good for evil...turning the other cheek...going the extra mile...doing good to those who hate us...loving our enemies."
By living a life of real love we accomplish a two-fold objective: #1, we put an end to bitterness, & #2, we prove the truth of the age-old axiom, "Love conquers all." Melvin Newland
ILL - Lt. John Blanchard was stationed in Florida during WW2. One day he wandered into the base library & found a book to read. As he worked his way through the book he became impressed, not so much with the book, but with the notes penciled in the margin. The feminine handwriting showed insight & understanding as well as a bit of tenderness.
He flipped to the front of the book & found the name of the previous owner of the book, the one who had donated it to the USO. Her name was Miss Alice Minell. Blanchard made some inquiries & found her address in New York state. He wrote her a letter, & the following day was shipped overseas. But her answering letter found its way to him overseas.
For 13 months they corresponded. They opened their hearts to each other & realized that they were on the verge of falling in love. In one of his letters he requested her picture, but she refused by saying, "If you really love me it won't make any difference what I look like."
Finally he was shipped back to the states, & they made plans to meet. The place would be Grand Central Station, & the time was to be 7 p.m. She would carry a rose. He would be in uniform, carrying a copy of the book that started the whole thing.
Finally it was 1 minute to 7:00. He straightened his uniform, his heart pumping anxiously. Now what I'm telling you this morning is a true story, & from here on I'm going to let Blanchard tell it in his own words.
"A young woman came toward me. Her figure was long & slim. Her hair was blond with curls. You could see a glimpse of her delicate ears, & her eyes were bluish black. Her lips & chin had a gentle firmness, & she wore a pale green suit. She looked like spring come alive.
"I started toward her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not carrying a rose. As she passed me, a small provocative smile curled on her lips & she said, `Going my way, soldier?' Almost uncontrollably I made a step in her direction, & then I saw the woman with a rose.
"There she stood, past 40, gray hair tucked under a worn hat, more than plump. Her thick ankles were thrust deep into low heeled shoes. But she had a rose. The girl in the green suit walked on quickly, & I felt like I was going to split in two. I had a keen desire to follow that beautiful woman who had just passed. But I also had a deep longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned me in her letters during the war.
"There she stood. Her pale plump face was gentle, sensible. Her gray eyes were warm & had a twinkle. I did not hesitate any longer. My fingers gripped the small worn book that was to identify me. I thought, `This may not be love, but it will be something precious.'
"I squared my shoulders, held out the book to the woman & said, `I'm Lt. John Blanchard, & you must be Miss Minell. I'm so glad finally to meet you. May I take you to dinner?'
"The woman's face broadened in a smile. She said, `I don't know what this is all about, soldier. But that young lady in green who just went by begged me to carry this rose. She said that if you were to ask me out to dinner, that I should tell you that she is waiting for you in the restaurant across the street.' Then she asked, `Is this some kind of a test?'"
Lt. Blanchard passed the test. Will you?
When God allows us to experience the good, the bad and the ugly He always has a reason for doing so. He is working all things for good to those that love Him. How we respond determines the outcome for good or for bad. We are tested in circumstances so that we can be tried, tested, tempered and ultimately triumphant!
