Where is God When Tragedy Strikes?

“Where is God When Tragedy Strikes?”

Matthew 2:16–23

Matthew 2:16-23

16 Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.

17 Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

18 “A cry was heard in Ramah— weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.”

19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.

20 “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”

21 So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother.

22 But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee.

23 So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

2 Corinthians 5:14-19 14  Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 15  He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. 16  So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17  This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18  And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19  For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:14-19 14  Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 15  He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. 16  So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17  This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18  And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19  For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

INTRODUCTION:

George Floyd Murder in Minneapolis, Minnesota

The murder of Ahmaud Arbery near Brunswick, Georgia

Violence, Vandalism and looting that have occurred in conjunction with protests

In the middle of the unbelievable tragedies and violence that transpired in the last few weeks, the Bible answers some rather pointed questions:

1. Is it permissible to grieve when tragedy strikes?

Answer: Yes.

(Matthew 2:18) “A cry was heard in Ramah— weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.”

(Romans 12:15)

“Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who

weep.”

As disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, sin ... especially sin of this magnitude ...

should cause us to grieve.

If the wickedness in the days of Noah grieved the heart of God (Genesis 6:5-6), it should grieve ours!

(Genesis 6:5-6)

5 The LORD observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.

6 So the LORD was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart.

2. Who do we blame for the actions that produce tragedy?

Answer: The person who performs the actions that causes the tragedy.

(Matthew 2:16)

Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.

A- The root cause is not a political one, it is spiritual.

1. While we are commanded to pray for our political leaders, nowhere in

scripture (Romans 13) do we find them being the solution to the

world's problems.

a. Many times, as in the text, they were the source of problems.

B- The root cause is sin …

With Herod, it was the sins of pride, anger and rebellion

against God. He was unwilling to submit to God’s authority.

In our world, the sins of pride, anger, and rebellion against

God and his authority lead to the same results. (Romans 3:23; 6:23).

(Romans 3:23)

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

(Romans 6:23)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

3. What is God doing when tragedy strikes?

Answer: He is working to provide redemption, restoration, and

comfort for all who will trust in Him.

In the days of the tragedy in Ramah, God was providing the way

of redemption for all of mankind. (Matthew 1:18- 2:3).

Note: Matthew 1:20-23

20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

B- In our day, God is still working to provide redemption, restoration, and comfort to all who will respond to Him.

(1 Corinthians 5:21) “He made the One who did not know sin

to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness

of God in Him.”

(John 1:12) “But to all who did receive Him, He gave them

the right to become children of God, to those who believe in

His name.”

4- What are Christ-followers to do when tragedy strikes?

Answer: We are to serve as Christ’s ambassadors to the reconcile the world to Christ.

(2 Corinthians 5:14-21)

14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.

15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!

17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.

19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

In the days of the early church, it was Christ-followers who were unjustly persecuted and martyred because of who they were…not because they committed any crime. Ye they continued to be Christ’s ambassadors to that sin-ridden society.Apologists like Aristides, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Tatian and others, called for justice toward Christians. For decade after decade…century after century, the pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears. “And those among yourselves who are accused you do not punish before they are convicted; but in our case you receive the name as proof against us, and this although, so far as the name goes, you ought rather to punish our accusers. For we are accused of being Christians, and to hate what is excellent (Chrestian) is unjust. Again, if any of the accused deny the name, and say that he is not a Christian, you acquit him, as having no evidence against him as a wrong-doer; but if any one acknowledge that he is a Christian, you punish him on account of this acknowledgment. Justice requires that you inquire into the life both of him who confesses and of him who denies, that by his deeds it may be apparent what kind of man each is.”

First Apology of Justin Martyr” (Chapter 4). Early Church Fathers - – Ante-Nicene Fathers: The Writings of the Fathers Down To A.D. 325.

Christ followers continued to heed the words of Peter,

(1 Peter 3:15-16)

15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.

16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

In our day, we must make our main mission and focus the proclamation of the timeless Gospel of Christ that transforms lives and can transform communities and even nations!We must recognize that our primary task is to carry out the mission of Christ to seek and save the lost. We must tell them that there is one and only hope- Jesus Christ! We must do so in a Christ-like spirit.

Conclusion:

Hymn: Rescue the Perishing:

Rescue the perishing,

Care for the dying,

Snatch them in pity from sin and

the grave;

Weep o’er the erring one,

Lift up the fallen,

Tell them of Jesus the mighty to

save.

Though they are slighting Him,

Still He is waiting,

Waiting the penitent child to

receive;

Plead with them earnestly,

Plead with them gently;

He will forgive if they only

believe.

Down in the human heart,

Crushed by the tempter,

Feelings lie buried that grace can

restore;

Touched by a loving heart,

Wakened by kindness,

Chords that are broken will

vibrate once more.

Rescue the perishing,

Duty demands it;

Strength for thy labor the Lord

will provide;

Back to the narrow way,

Patiently win them;

Tell the poor wand’rer a Savior

has died.

Rescue the perishing,

Care for the dying;

Jesus is merciful,

Jesus will save.