Everything Happens For a Reason

Series

Love is blind. ...Ignorance is bliss. We say them without thinking of them. They are easy to ignore because they have become cliches. How many of you who are married would say love is blind? How many of you refuse to read the ingredients on a food product and say, ignorance is bliss. Maybe their wrong. Maybe they are just half true. True some of the time. Maybe they aren’t true at all. We’re going to examine some Christian cliches - words that we use so much that we haven’t really examined them to see if they are even true. Or maybe just half true.

think!

Sermon Intro

act!

Sermon Intro

“everything happens for a reason.” Sometimes I believe this. Sometimes I don’t.

when people say this, apply it to good and bad situation

2 stories: Jesus mobile, neighbor across the street

2 stories: Jesus mobile, neighbor across the street

not preaching from book, supplement, give specific application

Today: Physical Healing (Why?) personal, pastoral and specific

Sometimes I believe this. I see this. I celebrate this. Praise God I’m healed. Praise God for my financial blessings.

p1:

Sometimes I believe this. I see this. I celebrate this. Praise God I’m healed. Praise God for my financial blessings.

Bible does teach a cause and effect - we sin and negative consequences happen. We trust in faith and we receive blessings.

Sometimes God is

Sometimes I doubt this is even half true

questions to help us think about chapter 1, think about the question, “Everything happens for a reason

2 Corinthians 12:7–10 NIV

or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians

Series: “Well, yes and no.” or, I’m going to answer that question with a question.” Or, like a good politician, look for a clever way to evade the question.

Chapter Introduction: All Things Happen for a Reason

neighbor, bullwhip, wheelchair ramp, cared for 3 years, lost his job. Came back from Jacob’s birth and learned his dad had died.

“All things happen for a reason.” carried him through - half true?

Sermon Intro

I want to apply this to sickness and disease alot, many applicatons

it applies to all sorts of situations. I don’t want to repeat the book, so I want to take this problematic statement - all things happen for a reason - you will hear me mention sickness and healing alot, but it can apply to any pain and suffering. Can we find any purpose in healing? Maybe. Maybe not. But we can experience God’s grace. That’s where i want to focus.

2 reasons: pastoral (wanting healed for others), personal (wanting for me -I’ve finally accepted this)

We may find purpose, discover reason, maybe not; but one thing I can promise: we will experience God’s grace; I’m not saying that to gloss over pain and suffering (physical and spiritual), or discover purpose:

Physical illness: That’s where i want to focus.

- alot, but it can apply to any pain and suffering. Can we find any purpose in healing? Maybe. Maybe not. But we can experience God’s grace. That’s where i want to focus.

I want to read a passage that has been so helpful to me. If I’m not going to be healed, is there another purpose? I can say yes, but that doesn’t satisfy me because if there is a purpose, shouldn’t I know it?

I think the answer is not necessarily, but I can through a chronic or even prolonged illness experience the powerful grace of God. That’s my focus: are you suffering from illness. Your body or mind is resisting medical treatment. Is your medical treatment untreatable? Is the pain dehibilitating? Do you get frustrated and demoralized because of this ongoing condition? I can’t promise you that you will experience divine healing - not everyone does. I can trust in the power of God to heal. But I can promise that you can experience God’s grace through your pain, even if the pain doesn’t go away. Here’s a passage that has helped me:

2 Corinthians 12:7–10 NIV

or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians

What was Paul’s thorn in the flesh?

dehibilitating; visible to others; Eye ailment? Vision was really bad. nice to hear from God, but not a long term “no”

How God’s grace is experienced in pain:

how did Paul experience grace, how can we: if we don’t get the healing we want, how can we experience

explain this - can’t always know why, how, get the healing or answer we want, but we can always experience God’s grace. We can look beyond the pain and anger; God’s grace is so powerful

1. Pain forces us to trust in God alone.

2 Corinthians 12:8 NIV

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

Nih, suffering, chaplain, john Adams, prayer guidance, scriptures, you're going to be here for awhile, what will you do with it, not saying god makes us sick, im asking what can. We do with our time

Nih, suffering, chaplain, john Adams, prayer guidance, scriptures, you're going to be here for awhile, what will you do with it, not saying god makes us sick, im asking what can. We do with our time

Irony: God’s power is highlighted through his absence of power. Power to do what?

2. Even in pain, we have what we need the most. 

My grace is sufficient for you…

Housing collapse suffering

Conviction, family is home, i have all that i need

Paul. I count all things a loss

Not something we learn as a result, a conviction that is a powerful resource we need now will help us later

e.g. Woman with cancer. Praising God to her death.

Unfortunately, the times we need God the most,

I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:8

Unfortunately, the times we need God the most,

3. Our pain can shine the spotlight on God’s power.

2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

...Christ’s power is made perfect in weakness v.9

Paul uses his thorn in the flesh - that he is going to live with - as a chance to praise God

e.g. Man / Woman with cancer. Seeing God and work in miracles or how we respond to the lack thereof; small group / worship at her house; I struggled with doubt - she did not

Praising God to her death.

3. Lean on God with all your weight. - Spurgeon

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. VIII Never! Never! Never! Never! Never! (No. 477)

Let us lean upon our God with all our weight.

2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

I’m thinking of the stubborn person who doesn’t want to experience the humility of having someone do simple tasks for them, but eventually realizes they cant

Stairs, bed, help, recognize lack of strength and lean

Stairs, bed, help, recognize lack of strength and lean

Realize you don’t have the strength: just lean on with all your weight;

some people experience God through miracles, the rest of us experience God through leaning;

that’s my invitation to all of you: lean on God with all your weight this morning

Is God Responsible

Romans 8:28 NIV

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Genesis 50:20 NIV

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Proverbs 14:12 NIV

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

Romans 8:28 NIV

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28 NIV

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

not going to bring comfort - test our faith - or turn us off;

not going to bring comfort - test our faith - or turn us off;

Are We Responsible?

Psalm 64:1–6 NIV

Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint; protect my life from the threat of the enemy. Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the plots of evildoers. They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim cruel words like deadly arrows. They shoot from ambush at the innocent; they shoot suddenly, without fear. They encourage each other in evil plans, they talk about hiding their snares; they say, “Who will see it?” They plot injustice and say, “We have devised a perfect plan!” Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

Deuteronomy 30:19–20 NIV

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Are We Responsible?

James 5:15 NIV

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.

Proverbs 14:12 NIV

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

Deuteronomy 30:19–20 NIV

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Deuter

James 5:15–16 NIV

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

James 5:16 NIV

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.