The Problem of Pain (2)

I wish you could have met my Grandmother. Juliette Green.

Sweet woman. Stern when she needed to be. She was a

hard worker, a devoted wife, a Christian who loved Jesus,

loved God’s Word.

It was odd not to see her at church on any given Sunday,

and so when we didn’t, my Dad called her after church and

didn’t get an answer. He eventually told my mother he was

going to go over and check in on my Grandmother, she

didn’t live very far away.

When the phone rang, less than ten minutes later, it was my

Dad, saying that his mother had died.

I’ll never forget the sound of him crying when we came into

her house, how he held my mother.

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1I’ll never forget the sound of him crying when we came into

her house, how he held my mother.

Grief, pain. These are things that absolutely flatten us. They

can crush us. Maybe you’ve heard a loved one, grieving the

loss of someone else. Maybe you’ve been that person who’s

experienced loss, and hurting and brokenness. And it might

not be the death of a loved one.

There is a wide, wide world out there, and sadly,

it’s full of pain.

We instinctively shrink away from pain. We all deal with it,

and process it in many ways, but, I’ve never actually met

someone who longs for emotional trauma……

We think that because pain is unpleasant that it’s best if we

avoid it. Or block it. Or if we don’t acknowledge it.

But blocking our pain doesn’t work. Pretending that there is

no suftering in the world doesn’t work. Evil is present in our

world. We can’t say that it’s not.

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2And while these things are facts of life, there’s another fact

that sometimes doesn’t get as much notice.

For the Christian, we can face

pain, loss, and evil with

assurance and confidence.

You will face pain. You will face loss. But what we’re going

to take a look at tonight, it gives us assurance….and

confidence that we are not alone in this. That God sees us.

That He hears us. That He’s with us. And that there is a

purpose in our pain.

In John 11 We’re going to read of an account of pain, and

loss, death……and hope.

1-4 See, Jesus knew this was going to be a time of pain. But

He was ready to face it with confidence.

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3Because God can bring good out of it.

Vs 5-6

He stayed, BECAUSE HE LOVED THEM!

Charles Spurgeon said this; I’ve learned to kiss the waves

that throw me up against the rock of ages.

What he means is, I see my pain as something that can drive

me to God. As something that God can use to bring about

good in my life.

Jesus knew what was going to happen; check out vs 11-15

When we see understand that our pain is

something that God can use, it transforms grief

into grace.

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4Takeaway: There is no pain that is pointless.

Because God is sovereign over it.

vs 7-10

Jesus is acknowledging that they are going into a dangerous

situation. He can FACE it because he KNOWS that God won’t

bring Him into pain, suftering, or loss haphazardly.

He’s saying, I can approach danger….and pain…..and even

death in broad daylight. I don’t have to be afraid of it. I

don’t have to HIDE from it, or shrink away from it. Because

Death is a Dog on a Chain, and pain is a Lion in a Cage. Our

God. He holds the key.

Luke 12:7 - Why, even the hairs of your head are all

numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many

sparrows.

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5Luke 12:7 - Why, even the hairs of your head are all

numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many

sparrows.

Your Father loves you so much that He’s going to

put you through as little pain as possible.

And the pain He does allow you to go through are for His

glory, and your good.

Because God will bring an end to it.

17-44

Lazarus’ death had accomplished what Jesus intended. And

so when He was done using it. He put it away.

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6There’s coming a day when Jesus is going to be done with

death, and pain, and sadness once and for all. And just like

He did with Lazarus, he’s going to put it away. He’s going to

bring an end to it. For good.

Rev 21:1-4 21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,

for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and

the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new

Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from

God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I

heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the

dwelling place[a] of God is with man. He will dwell with

them, and they will be his people,[b] and God himself will

be with them as their God.[c] 4 He will wipe away every tear

from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall

there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the

former things have passed away.”

Death gets a say. Jesus has the final word.

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7As you can imagine, this sent shockwaves through the

community. It riled up Jesus’ enemies, in fact, we’re going

to look at the fact that THIS event is what set in motion a

chain of events that culminated with Jesus’ death.

Jesus faced it with heartache. He faced it was tears. But He

was able to face pain, and His own death with confidence.

He knew that God would bring good out of it. He knew that

God was sovereign over it. And he knew that God, one day,

would bring an end to it.

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