Untitled Sermon (9)

Faith Under Fire

Life ought to come with a list of side effects. There should be a tag on every newborn baby saying life can be full of fun and adventure and excitement and joy, but there are side effects. There’s illness . . abuse . . . broken relationships. . . betrayal . . . sorrow . . . loss . . . injuries. . . disappointment . . . heartache . . . crime . . .and death.

Actually, life did come with a warning.

Jesus said in (NKJ)

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

(NKJV)

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

Why is there suffering and evil and pain and such hard times -- time to time in our lives?

“WHY” IS THERE .... World Wars, the Holocaust, devastating famines, killing fields, AIDS, racial & cultural genocides, ethnic cleansing, and the attacks of 9/11 -- and NOW THE CORONAVIRUS

Why all of this if there’s a loving and powerful God?

WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE?

ILLUSTRATION

On a trip back to Kentucky one time - we ran into some horrible storms and real dense fog to the point that at times you couldn’t even see the white lines on the highway - Linda was driving at the time and at times all she could do was follow the tail lights of truckers and that would keep us headed in the right direction on the highway curves.

And the same is true in understanding why there is evil and suffering in our world -- WHY OUR FAITH COMES UNDER FIRE -- We may not be able to make out all the details of why — but there are some key Biblical truths that can become those “Tail Lights In The Fog of Life -- if we follow those lights, they will lead us in the right direction ....

FOG LIGHT #1 -- God Is Not The Creator Of Evil And Suffering

GOD DID NOT CREATE COVID 19

“Why didn’t God merely create a world where suffering and evil didn’t exist?” The answer is: HE DID.

says:

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

But if God is not the author of pain or evil or death, where did they come from? Well, God decided to give human beings free will -- which is necessary if we are to be able to express love to God and to each other.

Unfortunately -- we humans have abused our free will by rejecting God and walking away from Him. And that has resulted in the introduction of two kinds of evil into the world: “Moral Evil” and “Natural Evil.”

MORAL EVIL is the immorality and pain and suffering that comes because we choose to be selfish, arrogant, uncaring, hateful, and abusive.

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

The second kind of evil is called “NATURAL EVIL” — these are things like earthquakes, tornadoes, and hurricanes that cause suffering.

But these, too, are the result of sin being allowed into the world.

says it’s because of sin that nature was corrupted and “thorns and thistles” entered the world.

says,

For we know that up to the present time all of creation groans with pain like the pain of childbirth.

Nature longs for redemption to come and for things to be set right. That’s the source of disorder and chaos.

God did not create evil and suffering and death. Now, it’s true that He did create the potential for evil to enter the world, because that was the only way to create the potential for genuine goodness and love. But it was human beings, in our free will, who brought that potential evil into reality.

FOG LIGHT #2 -- Though Suffering Isn’t Good, God Can Use It To Accomplish Good

1ST - God can use pain to SHARPEN our CHARACTER; to help His children become more like Christ.

We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Improvements in our character, our virtue, and our wisdom usually come through a process involving sacrifice or difficulty or trials or even pain. That’s how we learn and mature and grow.

(TLB)

These troubles and sufferings of ours are, after all, quite small and won’t last very long. Yet this short time of distress will result in God’s richest blessing upon us forever and ever!

2Nd -- God can accomplish something POSITIVE out of the NEGATIVES of life.

HOW?

(ASV)

Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye are otherwise minded, this also shall God reveal unto you:

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.

ILLUSTRATION

LISTEN -- God will take the bad circumstances that befall us and cause good to emerge, if we’re committed to following Him.

The Old Testament gives us a great example in the story of Joseph, who went through terrible suffering, being sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused, falsely imprisoned. Finally, after a dozen years, he was put in a role of great authority where he could save the lives of his family and many others.

This is what he said to his brothers about his suffering in ....

:

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

(GW)

I consider our present sufferings insignificant compared to the glory that will soon be revealed to us.

You Know -- when I think about all that I’ve had to face in my life (tough times, lean times, etc) -- if someone said to me, “How can you rejoice right now - didn’t you have a tough time after getting saved,”

I’d have to say, “Well, yes, it’s true that I’ve had days that were painful, I can’t deny that. But when I put them into context, in light of all God’s outpouring of goodness to me, those bad days aren’t even worth comparing with the eternity of blessings and joy that I’ve experienced.”

In The Light Of Eternity Folks - All The Hardships, Tribulations, Pains We Go Through Here On Earth Will Be No Different Than Spending A Night In A Really Bad Hotel Room.

God promises a time when there will be no more crying, no more tears, no more pain and suffering, when we will be reunited with God in perfect harmony, forever -- BUT -- DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT ....?

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.

FOG LIGHT #3 -- We decide whether to TURN BITTER or TURN TO GOD for PEACE and COURAGE

We’ve all seen examples of how the same suffering that causes one person to turn bitter, to reject God, to become hard and angry and sullen, can cause another person to turn to God ....

WE MAKE THE CHOICE TO EITHER RUN AWAY FROM GOD OR TO RUN TO HIM.

But if we run to him, look what Jesus says ....

(NKJV)

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

That Is Why Jesus Sent The Holy Ghost - which means - “one who walks alongside of us.”

He sends the Holy Spirit to minister to us and to comfort us during the very dark time in our lives.

Look what he said in John16:7,

The Holy Spirit cannot come and help you until I leave. But after I am gone, I will send the Spirit to you.

When You Make The Choice To Run Into His Arms -- Instead Of Bitterness Fear & Anger, You’ll Find Peace And Courage And Love And Hope And Eternal Life In Heaven.

The Bible says,

God is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Does That Describe You? You Have A Choice: To Turn Fearful, Or To Turn To God And Find The Kind Of Peace And Courage THAT YOU NEED RIGHT NOW!!!