Questions & Answers Round Four
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06-28-2020
Questions and Answers Round 4
Welcome
Intro
Recap
If you will recall we have answered some difficult questions
The questions come from Jon Steinguard
The former lead singer of the Christian Band Hawk Nelson
He posted a message saying that he no longer believers in Jesus and began to ask questions
After reading that post I was left saying where is the voice to rice up and speak some truth for this young man
To answer those questions
So for the past few weeks we have set out to answer all of his questions and your questions if you have any
No one has put any questions in the box for us to answer
So either you don't have questions or you are answering them yourself
We have used scripture to answer these questions and will continue today
This is our opportunity to be that voice of truth to share the good news that Jesus loves you and I enough to die on a cross
Just like it was for John the Baptist
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Notice John’s message
Repent and believe
John was proclaiming truth
Church now is our time to proclaim the Truth of Jesus
We can do that by answering questions
If you will recall some of the questions we have answered thus far are
If God is so loving why is there so much evil in the world? 5-31
Can He do anything about it? 5-31
Does He choose not to? 5-31
Is the evil in the world a result of His desire to give us free will? 5-31
What about the famine, disease, floods, and all the suffering that isn’t caused by humans and our free will? 5-31
If God is loving why does He send people to hell? 5-31
Why does He say not to kill but then instruct Israel to turn around and kill men, women and children to take the promised land? 6-14
Why does He tell Abraham to kill his son and then basically say just kidding, that was a test? 6-14
Why does Jesus have to die for our sins? 6-7
If God can do anything, can’t he forgive without someone dying? 6-7
Is the Bible true? 5-31
Those were the questions this young man asked and rather than just moving on about
I felt God call on us to answer those questions for him and for anyone else out there that needs these questions or others answered
God is a big enough God you can go to him with your questions and ask Him
This morning we will answer the last 2 questions from Jon
Why does God let Job suffer horrible things just to win a bet with Satan?
1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” 8 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” 9 Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 “Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 “But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” 12 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.
Why does God let Job suffer horrible things just to win a bet with Satan?
I don’t know next question
At first glance that is a pretty rough and tough questions
God is still in control and notice Satan has to come seek permission from God about everything
Satan could begin to mess with Job until God gave Him permission
Then we might ask but why does God give Him permission
Becasue God knows the heart of the man
24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.
God knows what is in our hearts
He knows whether we will fall or now
He know what was in Job’s heart
He knew that Job would seek the Lord
God knew this would bring Him glory
That is a tough thing to wrap our minds around that nothing is off the table to bring God Glory
In the story of Job it starts with everything he has
then it goes to his health but not his life
in order that God might be glorified
That is a difficult thing for us to wrap our minds around
How can the evil things of this world bring God glory
Because it can bring us closer to God
We understand that the evil in this world is because of sin and when the bad things happen God can and will use that to draw us closer to Him
It can and will strengthen us in our walk
19 Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.
God is there waiting to help us and to walk through that struggle with us because of His love for us
It is a decision we have to make though
We have to decide to walk with Jesus through thoughs struggles when we suffer
When we do that it grows our walk with Jesus
I am not so sure that God allowed Job to suffer so that God could win a bet with Satan
But what if He allowed Job to suffer to refine Job
10 “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
What if God was refining Job to grow Job?
That is a big possiblity
Instead of focusing so much on God winning a bet with satan
When you study the scriture and pour into it we might find that God was allowing this to happen to draw Job deeper into the garden to grow His own walk with God
To refine Job
When we said earlier that nothing was off the table
That is what we mean
Nothing is off the table for God to work in our lives
Because it is all Gods anyway
Maybe that didn’t quite answer the question and maybe you have more questions about this particular topic
This may be one of those questions we can’t know
Either way this I know
God answers Job
1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, 2 “Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge? 3 “Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me! 4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, 5 Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it? 6 “On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, 7 When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8 “Or who enclosed the sea with doors When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb; 9 When I made a cloud its garment And thick darkness its swaddling band, 10 And I placed boundaries on it And set a bolt and doors, 11 And I said, ‘Thus far you shall come, but no farther; And here shall your proud waves stop’?
God answers Job because Job has been recieving some bad advice from his bad friends
And as I was doing this message I found Job’s response to God amazing
See what if this all happened to bring Job closer to the heart of God
1 Then Job answered the Lord and said, 2 “I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. 3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ “Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”
Job is confessing that He didn’t know and that He doesn’t need to know because God is good!
Praise the Lord church that is a truth that we can tether ourselves to that God is good
Our last question this morning
Why is God so angry in the Old Testament and then all of the sudden a loving Father in the New Testament?
He is not
Now onto the closing
Just kidding
God is the same through out the Bible
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
God is angry in both the Old Testament and the New Testament
God is a loving Father in both the Old Testament and the New Testament
This question really requires you to read the entire Bible
There are times in the Old Testament that God is angry because He is a loving Father
We must understand that God is the same through out the entire Bible
Different situations require a different response
But God does not change or wavier
6 “For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name.
God does not change
When God promises something, God will stick to it
God is angry about sin in the lives of His people
remember God cannot and will not be a part of the sin in our lives
Through out the Old Testament God prepared the way for Jesus
God gave them instructions to be in fellowship with God until Jesus arrived on the scene and they disobeyed God
So of course God would be upset about that
Jesus shows up on the scene to fulfill the law to complete the law not to get ride of it
Of course it seems like God is a loving father in the New Testament because
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
God absolutely loves you and He loves you and I
The same God who loves you in the New Testament loved you and I in the Old Testament
3 The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.
God has always loved you and I
The proof of that is
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Because sin separates you and I
God chose to send His son to die on the cross to pay for your debt and I
And God did that because He loves us
so that we would have a way to have a personal relationship with Jesus
The way to begin that personal relationship with Jesus
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Repent and believe
Repent to turn away from your sin
To turn away from the junk in your life that separates you from Jesus
To believe in Jesus as the son of God who loves you and desires a relationship with you so much that He paid for your debt of sin with His life on the cross
As we move into this time of invitation
the band will come up
and maybe thats you
maybe you are here today and you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus
We want to invite you this morning to repent of your sin and believe in Jesus
If you want to do that we want to invite you to the front and celebrate that decision with you
or maybe you are here and already have a personal relationship and simply need to spend sometime in prayer this morning
the altar is open