Good morning and welcome to Oldfield Free Church.

I’m Ian and it’s great to see you here. We’re going to sing a few songs, pray and have notices,

...before the message: Why do bad things happen to good people?

If you’re new here welcome. Please do fill in our welcome card so we know how best to serve you and please take one of the leaflets on the table at the back and stay for a cuppa after the service and introduce yourself.

We’d appreciate it if you switch your mobiles to silence so we are not unnecessarily distracted during the service.

Let’s pray

Lord, You know all things and are above all. We worship You for there is none like You. You are our creator and our redeemer, our Saviour, our healer and our friend and so much more. You are worthy of our allegiance on these things alone.

Lord, we ask you to reveal Yourself to each one and to reveal what you have done for us in Christ Jesus. We ask for your healing for those struggling with sickness and ask for your grace in time of need. We ask that you forgive us our sin and cleanse us. And ask for your peace in our hearts and minds in trying times. In and through the precious name of Jesus who died, rose, ascended and will come again. Amen.

Sing: (Play: )I will sing the wondrous story

Sing: I will trust my Saviour Jesus

Sing: The Steadfast Love of the Lord

SONG: Stay strong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY-jh4RS_I0

Notices - Prisca says thanks to all for prayers for Chika.

Sermon

Today’s subject will be something you have heard from me before but I want to revisit it. I briefly wrote of it in the Church Newsletter last year but because of the occasional surprising and unwelcome things that have happened recently, I wanted to revisit this subject.

What I am talking about goes against the grain of those prosperity gospellers who ply their trade on God TV and elsewhere. We are told by them that only good is in store for those who are Christians. We are told that problems simply go away because we belong to God. We are told that there is no sickness, no pain this side of Heaven that God will not heal. We are told that we will have money enough to spare. And if this is not the case then we are without faith.

This is a mindset that is difficult to overcome and is a very typical western view of how God should be to His children: the one who is on demand on our command. We give so He will give back to us not out of genuine thankfulness. It is difficult to overcome because those who have believed these things can only feel condemned that their lives are not rosy and comfortable or snug because it is not all going their way. Millions of Christians around the world think it is their right to have everything go their way.

I can’t imagine how this goes down in India, Pakistan and North Korea! We know that millions have been conned and many of them give their belongings to the tele-evangelist, like those who laid their money at the feet of the Apostles, except these people are anything but Apostles but false teachers. Apart from exposing this as I have on many occasion, and I will do so in the future, but today’s subject is not about them as much as to ask the question:

Why do bad things happen to good people? Are wealth and health our rights as God’s children?

Is there something wrong with good people if things go pear-shaped?

It is another sermon to deal with the goodness of people – but I am addressing those who have been made righteous in God’s sight.

Why do bad things happen to God’s people and is there something wrong with them if things don’t go right?

Let’s read from Scripture and see what it has to say:

Job 1 ESV

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

And in chapter two when his health was taken Job said

Job 2:10 ESV

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Notice that Job did not sin by saying that adversity came from God. In another translation it says:

“Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?” (NRSV)

So, should we only expect good from God and no bad to come our way? Today it even sounds heretical to say that the trouble we have actually comes from God. But this is what Job says and he did not sin by saying that – meaning he was right in his estimation even though we, unlike him, have the insight to see that Satan was the one to actually cause all the pain and hurt he suffered – but this was allowed by God, permitted by Him.

Job lost his wealth and his health. I would say he experiences one of the greatest losses in life that anyone has despite Scripture clearly teaching that he pleased God. I heard Benny Hinn say that Job was wrong - God never takes away. Well, I would rather take God’s Word over Benny’s any day.

But this is only in the Old Testament, right? Sorry to disappoint you...

1 Peter 1:3, 7-9 (ESV)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! ...If necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

James 1:2–4 ESV

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Peter mentions that some may have had trials but James says when you fall into trials...it seems that if we have come out of trouble and not having trouble now we are guaranteed that trouble is on the way. Out of Jesus’ own words He says:

John 16:33b; In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

What does that mean? It means this world is trouble but we are not worldly.

If we have no challenge and no trials it can only lead to a bland Christian life; a life that does not cause us to rely upon God. We naturally do not seek God when things are well and comfortable. Faith grows in the crucible of fire, of trouble and trials, where we are forced to rely upon God even when the circumstances can seem unbearable.

1 Peter 4:12–13, 19 (ESV)

12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

Suffer according to the will of God. There it is again! It seems so hard to accept that suffering is part of God’s will for us and so against the grain of what we have heard before. You have no faith if bad things happen to you, so says certain preachers. Nonsense, the bible says!

For Job, he had done nothing wrong. There was a backstory that Job had no idea about far outside his control. God controlled the events, gave permission to Satan. Other people will accuse you of a lack of faith. This has happened to me when I was very ill. Others will say, it is because of some sin, like Job’s friends accused him.

We all want to make sense of what happens and we try to say it is because something went wrong. But as for the blind man that Jesus met and the disciples asked was it because of his sin he was blind. No! Jesus said. But so that the glory of God could be revealed in his life. There are no neat answers for suffering. We do not know why. But God is God. That is the point of chapter 38-41 of Job. We are but a speck compared to God.

Job 38:2 ESV

“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

We have nothing to answer to God. All we can do is trust Him. His ways are always right.

And this is our response to Earthquakes, Tsunamis, and when missionaries are killed on their way to mission field or by falling buildings.

At the end of the Book of Job we are told, after Job had regained his health:

Job 42:11 ESV

Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold.

Even after the trouble was over it left its mark on Job... but notice that others helped in comforting him. We may know someone now who is going through the mill. When they have come out the other side we need to be those who draw alongside and help where we can. When we, ourselves, have been through the fire then we can empathise with those who also suffer...and this world is full of suffering.

Let us beware of how we respond to those in troubling times and not be judgemental and be like those whom Paul saw in Galatia:

Galatians 4:13–14 ESV

13 You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, 14 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.

Even Paul was not well. It would really seem that we are not promised that anything will go right for us this side of Heaven, if anything we actually are promised the opposite.

We have gained the idea in the last forty or so years that somehow we can demand of God our rights as Christians. We are entitled to healing and wellness and a good life. But I think we are mistaken as to what those rights are. We do have a number of rights: we have the right to become sons of God, we have the right to be forgiven, we have a right to sit in heavenly places in Christ, we have the right to be co-heirs, we have many rights – these are gifts from God through the suffering of Jesus. Then, we also have the right to suffer, a right that not too many Christians want to claim, but it comes with great rewards.

And anything we do gain in this world should be held onto with very light hands because we realise their true worth.

God DOES heal today. There is no reason not to ask for it. And God may tell us that we shall be healed or we are given the gift of faith for healing; then hold onto God’s promises but we are not promised this as a right.

I read earlier that Paul was sick, we read that Job was sick, in Acts and the Epistles we discover others who were sick such as Timothy and he was advised to pray, believe? No, but to take medicine. If our great apostles needed healing and others were sick from time to time without being condemned as lacking faith are we to expect that we will live a sick-free, trouble-free life?

2 Corinthians 12:10 ESV

10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul is content in troubles and in whatever happens. Nobody should invite trouble but our attitude about them reveals our maturity in Christ.

Paul says elsewhere:

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Now, this IS a promise. But do we think that God’s good for us means monetary rewards? Do we think that the future that God is giving us is a life of luxury here below? Are not the things of this world at enmity with God? Sometimes God will bless us with these things and indeed we should be exceedingly thankful if so and to use what we have been given for God’s service. But as said before we are to treat these things with light hands.

If we were to look up the word ‘riches’ in the Bible we would find that it refers to our inheritance; to the knowledge of Jesus; to the riches we have in glory.

1 Timothy 6:9 ESV

9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

The things we covet can lead to our spiritual downfall.

Do all things work for the good of those who are God’s?

Bernard Gilpin, accused of heresy before Bishop Bonner, set out for London for trial. His favourite maxim was, “All things are for the best.” On his journey, he broke his leg. “Is all for the best now?” jested a scorner. “I still believe so,” he replied. And so it proved, for before he was able to resume his journey, Queen Mary died. And instead of going to London to be burned, he returned home in triumph.

We are like fish in a goldfish bowl. We can only see so far. The bigger picture escapes us. God uses the things that happen for his purposes. God sees the whole picture whereas we are only aware of our own situation. God sees the end from the beginning.

God does promise all things for good but it may not be what accountants call tangible assets. Tangible assets are those that you can value with money and can touch with our hands: things like cars or computers or money. Most often, though, the good we receive is an intangible asset – an intangible asset is hard to put a value on because these are assets you cannot actually put your hands on. In business this is things like the goodwill in business. But In Christ these intangible assets are

Galatians 5:22–23 (ESV)

the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

These are far more important to God, and should therefore be what we pursue rather than worldly possessions.

When He comes back He will set everything right…He will give us a reward and riches that nothing can corrupt but above all we will be with Him forever.

2 Corinthians 4:17 ESV

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

When bad comes our way we are not to demand our rights but seek God and allow Him to do His work in us, so that the end result is a greater trust in Him with an even greater reward. It maybe that God will give healing or wealth among other things but probably not. We know that these things are transitory and temporary.

We can say when we are having a hard time of it:

“I know that God has a purpose in this. I know that God will bring me through this. I know that God is a good and loving Father and that He is doing a good and eternal work in my life.”

Through it all God never leaves us or forsakes us. Keep clinging to and trusting God.

Sing: (If can - play) O lord my God - How great thou art

Benediction

Romans 11:33–36 ESV

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Bibliography

Further Notes

Like the footprints poem He carries us. He is with us through thick and thin.

One night I dreamed a dream. As I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that at many times along the path of my life, especially at the very lowest and saddest times, there was only one set of footprints. This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it. "Lord, you said once I decided to follow you, You'd walk with me all the way. But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life, there was only one set of footprints. I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me."

He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you. Never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you."

I will end with a poem I’ve shared before by Walter Knight who it would seem knows something of trials and pains:

Pressed out of measure and pressed to all length,

Pressed so intensely it seems beyond strength;

Pressed in the body and pressed in the soul,

Pressed in the mind till the dark surges roll;

Pressure by foes, and pressure by friends,

Pressure on pressure, till life nearly ends,

Pressed into loving the staff and the rod;

Pressed into knowing no helper but God;

Pressed into liberty where nothing clings,

Pressed into faith for impossible things;

Pressed into living a life in the Lord,

Pressed into living a Christ-life outpoured!