The Fullness of God’s Love

Ask Billy Anything

Why do bad things happen to good people?

There are no good people — sin has entered the world.

God allows bad things to happen so He can promote a greater good.

Genesis 50:19–21 “But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.”

The book of Job covers God’s power and control over all situations. Job was attacked by Satan because Satan thought that Job would reject God if he lost all of the good things he had. Job remained faithful, but still had to repent later because he wanted to talk to God like he was equal to God and question how God was governing the world. We are not God, and we cannot understand God’s ways. So we need to remember God is good and in control even when we don’t know why God allowed what He allowed.

Why do good things happen to bad people?

We need to define “good”. Our lives would be easier on this earth if we had more money or status or power. But is this earth all there is? Is the desire of our hearts to have comfort in this world or to serve the Lord of the world to come?

Psalm 73 has some great insight and encouragement for us when we are upset at evil people prevailing while we who want to serve the Lord suffer.

(Read applicable verses from Psalm 73)

In the aftermath of tragedy, of seeing the sin that has corrupted this world on display, we must remember that God is in control. Nothing has slipped through His hands. He does not create evil, but uses the evil intentions of others for a greater good. While bad things happen to good people, the worst things happened to the best person. Jesus was the only true Righteous One, yet He suffered more than anyone could have imagined. We are called to follow in His footsteps — to pick up our cross and follow Him — even in suffering.

1 Peter 2:20–23 “Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you. For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.”

When we are unsure of why things are happening, we must trust in the Lord with all our hearts and not lean on our own understanding.

Ephesians Lesson

Ephesians 3:14-21

Ephesians 3:14–21 NLT

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Context and Info

This prayer is the hinge between Paul’s theological portion of the letter in the first half and the practical portion of the letter coming up in chapters 4-6.

Paul’s prayer demonstrates how we should pray for other’s spiritual growth. Which also means we should seek to be spiritually growing ourselves.

The Fullness of God’s Love

As the church, we should seek to know and experience God’s love. Verse 18 talks about how “wide, long, high, and deep” the love of God is. Have you ever thought about what that means? These descriptors showcase the boundless nature of Christ’s love, but let’s take a look at these individually and what they may help us understand about God’s love.

How do we know and experience the width of God’s love?

The imagery of the width of God’s love makes us think of Jesus’ outstretched arms on the cross. The love of Jesus does not stop at any specific country, or ethnicity, or social status, or gender. His love covers the whole earth.

To experience this, we must be willing to break down the barriers we have made and love everyone that Jesus loved. Jesus’ love did not condone or approve of sin, but it did treat each person with respect as an image bearer of God. It shared the truth of the Gospel with them.

God’s love is for everyone — no one is outside the reach of Jesus.

How do we know and experience the length of God’s love?

The length of God’s love reminds us of the everlasting nature of Jesus’ love. He loved us before the beginning of time and will continue forever after this world passes away. How do we experience this everlasting love? We remind ourselves of eternity. That there is more than just what is happening right now. We must focus on Jesus and the work he has for us to do here on earth while we are here knowing that this life is not all there is.

God’s love is forever — it never runs out or gives up.

How do we know and experience the height of God’s love?

We experience the height of God’s love because Jesus came down to earth to save us. When we talk about the height of God’s love, we are talking about the love that allows us access to the throne room of the Father. On our own, we could not make it anywhere close, but by the blood of Jesus we can approach the Lord boldly.

How do we apply this? We thank God everyday for the blood of Jesus. We remain humbled that the Father even hears our prayers, let alone answers them. We spend time each day reflecting on God and honoring him.

God’s love lifts us up — giving us access to the very presence of God.

How do we know and experience the depth of God’s love?

God’s love addresses the deepest, darkest needs of our hearts. God loves sinners no matter who they are, what they have done, or where they have been. That is true for all of us here tonight. The height and depth may be the hardest pieces of God’s love to explain. Why would God choose to send Jesus to die for sinful, evil people like you and me? This concept is difficult because we naturally love with conditions. “If you meet this criteria, you are now worthy to be loved.” But the depth of God’s love is on full display in the fact that God loved us before we had the chance to meet the standard, and then loved us anyway when we proved we wouldn’t meet the standard.

How do we experience this? We forgive others. Jesus said seventy time seven times we should forgive someone who has wronged us. God is the judge. Do you want to find yourself judging someone harsher than God does? After all that he has forgiven you for? Leave the revenge to the Lord. Forgive people who don’t deserve forgiveness. Light up the darkness of this world by exposing the love of Jesus to the ones who need to see it the most — those living in the dark.

God’s love meets us at our lowest — forgiving and transforming us completely.

Closing

God’s love is wide enough to reach everyone, long enough to last forever, high enough to bring us into His presence, and deep enough to meet us at our lowest — and through Jesus, we get to live in and share that love every day.