Title: If God is Just, why isn’t life Fair?
If you have your bible, I want to invite you to turn to Luke 7:11
We’ve heard it all our lives – we’ve probably even been guilty of saying it
Now Children, play fair
Hopefully the concept of fairness was instilled in us by our parents and our teachers at an early age
What we didn’t know then is that what these significant adults in our lives was asking us to do was something many of them still hadn’t mastered
One of the passages we go through en route to becoming adults – that produces a certain loss of innocence – is the realization that life isn’t always fair
By the time we reach our late teens - we’ve usually arrived at this conclusion
For reasons we don’t always understand – good things happen to bad people and sometimes bad things happen to good people
And although we know this is true
Whenever we sense that we are being treated unfairly - it stings
I think this is often because of how we define fair
We run into problems when we try to impose our definition of fairness on God
When God’s actions – or lack of action - doesn’t fit our definition
Inner conflict can arise within us
Because – on the one hand –
We know God is fair
But on the other hand – sometimes He doesn’t seem fair
Rom 2:11
11 For God does not show favoritism.
Don’t we tend to interpret his verse to mean: God is fair
Paul doesn’t say God is fair – He says God doesn’t show favoritism
Well then, is God fair?
Absolutely
But His fairness is certainly not confined to our definition of fairness
When we think of fairness – don’t we tend to think of things like:
Equal rights - Equal opportunity - Equal benefits -
It’s part of our national constitution
While it’s true that we are all equal in value
We are not equal in gifting and abilities
The parable of the talents tells us that God creates some of us to be one talent people, some to be two talent people, and some to be five talent people
Is it fair that God created me as a one talent person and you as a five talent person?
Yes - it’s fair - but not necessarily according to our definition
Understanding the inherent shortcomings of how we define fairness is important
Because as we go through life - there will be times when God is going to test our definition
Causing us to reconsider and possibly redefine what really constitutes fairness
He’ll do some things we don’t understand
And He won’t do some things we expect Him to do
When God begins to stretch us to redefine our definition of fairness – He enlarges our Faith -
With the ultimate goal of increasing our capacity to trust and follow Him
I want us to take the next few minutes and consider the question of fairness from God’s perspective
And see how John the Baptist wrestled with it
Let’s pray
Luke 7:11-28
11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him.
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.
13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don’t cry."
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!"
15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people."
Perhaps you are familiar with today’s text
If so – let’s be careful not to miss it’s emotional impact
Because here we catch Jesus right in the middle of doing one of his God Acts – as he resurrects this woman’s dead son
Imagine that this young man is one of your loved ones
Imagine it was their funeral you were headed to when Jesus interrupted the procedures
Several years ago - I received a call at 2:00 am - and was asked to come up to the hospital
Nothing in all my background or training could have prepared me for what I was to encounter when arriving there
As I entered the hospital - I was directed into the emergency room
Where I met a family - a mom and dad - and the fiance’ of a young lady who had just been killed in an automobile accident
Preparing for their upcoming wedding - they had gone to Eureka to purchase her wedding dress
And were on their way home when Her fiance’ momentarily dozed off - and hit a redwood tree
Because her parents had taken their own car and were traveling directly behind them - the witnessed the entire nightmare
As I tried my best to console them - the mother kept saying - pray for her - she isn’t dead, not my baby girl - she’s just sleeping
Because I believe that God can do anything - including raise someone from the dead - I did pray and ask God to raise her
But He chose not to
But for a moment - let’s superimpose this young lady into our story
Let’s imagine Jesus raised her from the dead
Can you picture the sheer exuberance - the sheer joy - on the faces of her mom and dad, and her fiance
And the accompanying disbelief among the e-r doctors
Listen to the response of the crowd that were there when Jesus raised this young man
16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people."
When Jesus did what only God can do
People were forced to conclude
"God has come to help his people."
It seems to me that this is the gospel - in 7 words
God has come to help his people
And because Hebrews 13:8 promises us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever
God is still coming to help his people
Luke 7:17-19
17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.
Once again – Jesus made the Headlines
This is a recurring theme in the bible
When Jesus does what only God can do – we often read:
And news about him spread through the region
When John the Baptist’s disciples heard of this wonderful miracle that had taken place
They could hardly wait to tell john
V. 18 says:
John’s disciples told him about all these things.
The reason they had to take this news to John was because John was locked up in one of Herod’s prisons
Why was he in prison?
Matt 14:3-4
Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for John had been saying to him: "It is not lawful for you to have her."
While he could have opted to play it safe and keep silent - John choose to confront Herod’s sin
This gives us some insight into the kind of person John the Baptist was
This man was no coward
He was not some nominal Christian
John the Baptist was a man of great character and substance
Jesus describes John in Luke 7:24-28
After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind?
If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces.
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
This is the one about whom it is written: "’I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’
I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
Jesus says that John is the greatest human being ever born - in the natural sense
John was a man of great convictions and great courage
He was apparently afraid of no one - save God
But even this great man - with his great courage and his great convictions
Found himself disillusioned by the news about Jesus
In Verses 18 and 19 - we see John’s response to the news about Jesus’ miracles
John’s disciples told him about all these things.
Calling two of them, he sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"
Jesus’ actions didn’t fit into John messianic definition
When Jesus’ said: "young man, I say to you, get up!"
He raised more than that young man - he raised hope for every one who has ever faced death - or the death of a loved one
Hope that when the doctors say that there is nothing more that can be done
God always has the final word - and therefore - it’s never over until it’s over
But this young man’s resurrection raised another question
The why question -
Do you hear this why question in John’s response
Jesus - are you the one - or should we be expecting someone else to come as the messiah?
Jesus, if you’re the one, - if you really are the one God has sent to help his people - like everyone is saying - why don’t you help me!
Can you sense his pain?
Jesus, if you are the one – tell me why has God has seemingly abandoned me in this prison
There is another why question John may be asking
Like all good Jews - John was expecting the messiah to come and set up his reign on earth - which included political authority
Think about it
It the messiah became the new world leader - John would be pardoned from his prison sentence
But Jesus isn’t doing what John expected him to do
Jesus - if you are the one - why aren’t you acting like the messiah is supposed to act?
Why aren’t you exercising your political authority, rising to power, and getting me out of this mess
While the Jews were – and still are looking for a messiah who would assume a man made throne
Jesus came to assume another throne - the throne of our heart
Jesus was never swayed by popular opinion - he was compelled by God’s will
Because Jesus acted differently than John expected him to act -
And because John’s circumstances were so difficult -
Which caused John’s faith to waver a bit
Rehearsing John’s history helps us understand why he had such high expectations
John was the son of Zechariah - a priest - and Elizabeth - from the line of Arron
Next to Jesus’ birth - John’s birth is probably the most heralded in all of scripture
In fact - God sent His Archangel - Gabriel - to deliver John’s birth announcement –
And anytime Gabriel shows up - it’s a big deal
As John was growing up - How many times do you suppose his parent’s rehearsed the prophecies God sent to them through Gabriel?
No wonder John had such high expectations for his life
He was hand selected by God to prepare the way for Christ’s arrival
To equip Him for his calling – God filled John with the Holy Spirit at Birth
John knew beyond any doubt that God had a unique calling and purpose for his life
And in time - he began to see this calling take shape
As the prophecies given to his parents concerning Him began to come to pass
Try to imagine the emotional roller coaster John must have been on
One day John is baptizing the messiah, a few days later, he’s locked up behind bars
Nothing in his past had prepared him for what he was now facing
His picture of God’s will for his life didn’t include prison
It’s no wonder John struggled with doubt and questions
No wonder he asked:
’Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’"
No wonder he thought – this isn’t fair!
So how does Jesus respond to John’s question – are you the one?
While he could have simply told John’s disciples – yes, I am the one
He chooses instead to show them that he is indeed the one through his actions
7:21,22
At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind.
So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report
to John what you have seen and heard: 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.
Go tell John what you’ve seen - and what you’ve heard
Then Jesus makes a remarkable statement
23 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
Jesus sees John’s faith being shaken - and understands why it’s happening
He knew that John’s question was the result of unfilled expectations
Expectations about fairness
Jesus, it isn’t fair that you are healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons, yet leaving me here in prison
Jesus was carrying out the will of God, doing the work of God
And John simply couldn’t understand why He wasn’t included in Jesus’ agenda
This is why Jesus says:
23 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
Notice - that Jesus takes a specific situation and makes a general application of it
Jesus understood that John wouldn’t be the only one who would struggle with this issue of fairness
He knew that people throughout history - people like you and me - would struggle with this same issue
Perhaps John’s question has been on your heart, if not your lips
Maybe you’ve suffered physically, yet have seen others healed
Maybe you’ve had a loved one die from an extended illness, while others have been miraculously healed
Maybe you’ve been hurt by other Christians who have continued to be the recipients of God’s blessings
If so –
Listen to Jesus’ words:
23 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
Jesus is saying:
Blessed are those who will trust my heart – whent hey don’t understand my actions
You have all just come through the heart wrenching resignation of your pastor
Perhaps you’ve asked the question –
Why is this happening to our church?
Or the closely related How question – How could God allow this to happen?
In the midst of these questions – Jesus reminds us that this church belongs to Him
That He is the head and Lord of his church –
So let’s remember that He loves this church – and when I say this church – I certainly not talking about this building
I’m talking about each of you who form this church
And if you will stick with him – he’ll take what looks like a stumbling block and transform it into a stepping-stone to further the purposes for which he initially birthed this church
Let’s pray
