A Simple Answer to Some Complex Questions I John 4:7-21
INTRO.: There are many questions we face in this life. Some questions are downright dumb. Give examples.
Little children start life asking questions. One of their favorite questions is "Why?"
The questions we will discuss this morning are profoundly and eternally important. The answer to each of them is very simple, as we shall see. They are all "why" questions.
I. Why did God create the worlds?
A. It was God Who spoke the worlds into existence. The universe exists by the word of God.
1. Hebrews 11:3 "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible."
2. A scientist told God He was no longer necessary since man has now learned how to create life. God said, "Show Me." The scientist scooped up a handful of soil. God said, "No, no, get your own dirt."
3. Immediately, sin spoiled the creation. Geb. 1, 2 tells of the creation of a perfect universe. Genesis 3 tells of the destruction brought by sin. It was all downhill.
4. Every day things are done and said that must embarrass and enrage the Creator.
B. One has to wonder why God made it all in the first place.
1. It seems He just set in motion a lot of evil events He could have avoided just by doing nothing.
2. John says, "God is love." love is so much a part of His nature He cannot be separated from it.
3. We may say someone is short, old, gray, etc. that only describes him. If we say he is human, that defines him. It is cognate. Thus, "God is love" defines God’s character.
4. One thing love always needs is an object. God created man and his universe so God could lavish His love upon us.
II. Why does He allow us to rebel against Him as He does?
A. We have the power of choice and may accept or reject Him.
1. Cain and Abel provide an example. They chose different routes in life in regard to God. Heb. 11:4
2. We don’t know the details of why one offering was acceptable and the other not, but we know Abel offered "by faith." he did what God expected.
3. Cain chose to please himself rather than act in faith toward God. The result was the first recorded murder. From there on it was downhill in man’s relationship with God.
4. Every man who has ever lived (except Jesus) has, at one time or another, made bad choices.
B. Why did God give men the power to choose when they handle it so badly?
1. He could just as easily have created robots or puppets. Why not?
2. It’s because love must be a free response from the heart. One does not expect a robot or puppet to love.
3. God is love and love requires a personal relationship for its expression.
4. He created us with free will because He wants us to choose to love Him.
III. Why does God care for us and provide what we need when we are so unworthy?
A. We are led to wonder why God doesn’t just wipe every sinner off the face of the earth.
1. He tried that once in Noah’s day when men became too wicked to tolerate.
2. It really didn’t work out very well. As soon as Noah and his family emerged from the ark they began to sin and the cycle repeated itself.
3. He might have simply turned His back on rebellious man rather than continuing to care for him and try to lead him back.
4. He might have treated the entire world like Sodom and Gomorrah, but He didn’t.
B. The reason: "God is love"
1. Like a loving father who never gives up on his child, God keeps hoping we will make Him proud.
2. He never gives up on us. If we ask for bread, He will not give us stones. If we ask for fish, He will not give a snake. Why? Because He loves us.
3. He is good to us because He hopes we will be led to repentance. Some are. "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?" (Rom. 2:4)
IV. Why does He offer salvation from our sins?
A. We are certainly not worthy of His forgiveness:
1. Our righteousness is like filthy rags.
2. Law and justice demand we pay the maximum penalty for our sins.
3. Isaiah 64:6 points up the affect of our sins on our lives. It is eternal destruction. Rightly so.
B. He offers to save us because He loves us. The same simple answer.
1. John 3:16
2. Who can be worthy of His love? Grace means you don’t have to be worthy of His love.
3. ILLUS.: I used to think God couldn’t save me because of my sins and abuse of His love. My wife taught we about grace. You see, she loves me. If she can, surely God can.
4. If someone we love is critically ill, we will do all we can to save them. God sees men as dying eternally from the effects of sin and He does all He can to save them.
V. Why does God want to give us eternal life in Heaven?
A. We all want to go to Heaven, but, there is a reluctance to go right away. We want to live as long as we are comfortable here.
1. No matter how long we live, it seems life ends too soon.
2. There are unrealized drams and unfinished business we want to finish. I thinks sometimes God makes us suffer so we are prepared to go be with Him.
3. If we went to Heaven for a limited length of time, we can only imagine the agony of leaving paradise.
B. The answer to the question is the same as the others. God loves us.
1. He created mankind to be with Him and will not be satisfied with a limited visit. He wants us to enjoy His Presence for eternity.
2. Besides, eternity gives time for us learn all we wanted to know, realize all our dreams, and come to understand God Himself.
3. He is a loving Father Who will do all He can to avoid being separated from His beloved children.
CONC.:The Fiancee: A young woman brought her fiancee home to meet her parents. After dinner, her mother told her father to find out about the young man. The father invited the fiancee to his study for a talk.
"So what are your plans?" the father asked the young man.
"I am a biblical scholar," he replied.
"A Biblical scholar. Hmmm," the father said. "Admirable, but what will you do to provide a nice house for my daughter to live in?"
"I will study," the young man replied, "and God will provide for us."
"And how will you buy her a beautiful engagement ring, such as she deserves?" asked the father.
"I will concentrate on my studies," the young man replied, "God will provide for us."
"And children?" asked the father. "How will you support children?"
"Don’t worry, sir, God will provide," replied the fiancee.
The conversation proceeded like this, and each time the father questioned, the young idealist insisted that God would provide.
Later, the mother asked, "How did it go, Honey?"
The father answered, "He has no job and no plans, and he thinks I’m God!"
The young man was naive but he was right in thinking God is the answer to all life’s questions. Many eternally important questions can be answered with three little words; "God is love."
Does God care about you? Does He want to save you? Does He want you with Him for eternity? "God is love."
