REAL – Wk 1

Introduction

We are starting a new series called, “Real” … We are real people, who live in a real world, that is marred by real evil and pain … We are real people. With real struggles. It’s no surprise that there are:

Problems in the world …

Syria, politics, rape/murder, human trafficking

Connect to Audience

I imagine in your personal world you can relate. Problems, suffering, evil. Maybe you have even asked the question, “If God were a loving God, how could he allow evil and suffering in this world?”

Real Problems in the Real World point us to a Real God

“We live in a world that we crippled, and a crippled world produces crippled people and crippled circumstances.” Greg Koukl

Genesis 1:31 CSB

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed. Evening came and then morning: the sixth day.

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Genesis 2:15–17 CSB

The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”

1. Evil is something. It’s real.

Genesis 3:17 CSB

And he said to the man, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘Do not eat from it’: The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life.

Romans 5:12 CSB

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.

2. Evil is not some thing.

1. Evil is something. It’s real.

How do you know the difference between a good golfer/bowler and a bad golfer/bowler? There has to be a way to measure a good score and a bad score. We do not know a score is bad unless we are able to first to know what is good.

2. Evil is not some thing.

3. Evil is an intruder, not brought by God but by man.

Evil isn’t a blob of “stuff” infecting the universe. It isn’t something that gets attached to man, forcing him to go bad. Evil describes an unnatural or improper use of things that are not evil in themselves.

It isn’t something that gets attached to man, forcing him to go bad.

Evil describes an unnatural or improper use of things that are not evil in themselves.

2. Evil is an intruder, not brought by God but by man.

4. Moral freedom—a good thing—makes evil possible.

3. Moral freedom—a good thing—makes evil possible.

Connect to Jesus

Matthew 9:18–38 CSB

As he was telling them these things, suddenly one of the leaders came and knelt down before him, saying, “My daughter just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” So Jesus and his disciples got up and followed him. Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years approached from behind and touched the end of his robe, for she said to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I’ll be made well.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Have courage, daughter,” he said. “Your faith has saved you.” And the woman was made well from that moment. When Jesus came to the leader’s house, he saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly. “Leave,” he said, “because the girl is not dead but asleep.” And they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. Then news of this spread throughout that whole area. As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When he entered the house, the blind men approached him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus warned them sternly, “Be sure that no one finds out.” But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that whole area. Just as they were going out, a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak was brought to him. When the demon had been driven out, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!” But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons.” Jesus continued going around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”

Romans 5:12 CSB

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.

We are all unclean, isolated, hopeless, and dead in our sins. We need Jesus!

So, what now?

Non Believer – Jesus.

Believer and Mature Believer

1). Preach the good news of the Kingdom

2). Point people to spiritual healing

3). Pursue people with compassion

4). Pray for workers and how God wants to put you to work

What now?