Isn't Christianity Insensitive to Suffering?

Introduction:

· The strongest (emotional) argument: How could a good God allow such great suffering?

· Wildfires; sex trafficking; war in Ukraine; drunk driver… cancer; loss of a job

LET’S LOOK AT THE PROBLEM OF SUFFERING, THE RESPONSE TO SUFFERING, NAD THE HOPE IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING.

I) The Problem of Suffering

A. Almost the Closing Credits: The Happily Ever After the mess

i. The backstory:

1. Far from the illusion of happy & healthy families, this family is a mess

2. A bratty & self-absorbed brother and cruel and vindictive brothers

ii. Like it did to Joseph, sometimes suffering happens to us

1. Joseph was a brat…but didn’t deserve what came his way

2. EXAMPLE: A supervisor has an ax to grind, writes a bad review; child of an alcoholic

iii. Like it did with the brothers, sometimes we create our suffering (vv.15-16)

1. The brothers suddenly fear that their evil is about to catch up with them

2. EXAMPLE: You flirt with a coworker; you send an email (to the whole office!); you blow off a semester…and now you have exams

B. How Does Suffering Challenge Belief in God?

i. Some assume that Suffering is God’s response to bad behavior

1. In the face of suffering, we seek explanations: Hurricane? Earthquake?

2. EAMPLE: The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder

ii. Some assume that God is indifferent to suffering

1. When did Jospeh ask God for help? (In the pit? The jail? Etc.)

2. How many of you know this from experience?

Transition:

II) The Response to Suffering

A. An A-theistic Response

i. Suffering is meaningless.

1. The world is a chaotic place; suffering happens without cause or meaning

2. EXAMPLE: death with dignity Law assumes suffering has no meaning

3. But even if we can’t see it, why assume that suffering has not purpose?

ii. Suffering is an obstacle to a good life

1. Life is meant to be happy, free from pain, and suffering derails this

2. EXAMPLE: Viktor Frankl showed that suffering created a good life

iii. Suffering is harmful because we are fragile

1. Suffering is a threat to us because it might ruin us

2. EXAMPLE: Parenting

B. A Hopeful Response (vv. 19-21)

i. God is sovereign and we are not (vs. 19)

1. Because we are not God we can rest in his sovereignty

2. How? Lament…biblically: acknowledge pain, trust God’s sovereignty

ii. God redeems evil for God (vs. 20)

1. Redeeming evil means God “takes back” evil to accomplish his purposes

2. EXAMPLE: Joni Erickson Tada

iii. God calls us to trust in his sovereign purposes in the midst of evil

1. The brothers are trusting in their purposes to shield them from evil

2. Trusting means obedient living without understanding

3. EXAMPLE: Forgive the people who hurt you

Transition:

III) The Hope in the Midst of Suffering

A. The Hope of a Christian View o Suffering

i. God used the suffering of Jesus to accomplish the greatest good of salvation

1. Though we assume suffering means God doesn’t care, that can’t be so

2. God himself enters the problem of suffering (losing the love of father)

3. Why? To accomplish the far greater good of our salvation

ii. God used the resurrection of Jesus to secure the greatest hope of heaven

1. Not only this – but he secured the certainty of heaven, a new world where not only will our tears be wiped away, but its power will work backwards to create a joy we will be far better for

2.

Transition:

Conclusion

God in the Dock