Where Is God?

Last Sunday, you may have heard by now about the release of a report from an independent 3rd party investigation of the SBC Executive Committee regarding sexual abuse.

It was a months-long investigation instigated by the SBC at its meeting last June.

To be clear, it is not an investigation of the entire SBC, but rather an investigation of how the Executive Committee has handled its response to reports of sexual abuse.

They were wrong in the way they responded including some of our prominent leaders.

More importantly, after years of dismissing the accusers, they are finally getting the help and hopefully justice they deserve.

You may hear more about this in the coming days; especially in June when the convention meets and deal with the recommendations.

I want to declare today that our church is committed to creating a church where women, men, children, minorities, the irreligious, and the vulnerable can be safe, not just saved.

It matters that we do the right thing.

And it matters that we are honest when we don’t.

We have policies to protect the vulnerable.

We probably need to strengthen them.

We must recommit ourselves to better training and actions that serve the way Jesus served.

We must continue to embrace and showcase the love and grace of Jesus to the hurting.

After all, His way is the only way forward.

Second, this week has once again been filled with evil, horrific violence in our nation.

We’ve had 21 killed and 15 injured in a school shooting in Uvalde, TX

10 killed in a grocery store in Buffalo, NY.

Even in our own community, we’ve seen people shot in drive-bys, a young mother in a motel not far from here, a plumber going to a job, and 4 teens going out for ice cream.

So far in our county we’ve had over 36 homicides. That number was of May 2nd.

That ties the record of the most homicides set in 1994.

We also hear of bullying, drug overdoses, auto thefts, burglaries, and on and on it goes.

We are living in a world that is being over run by evil.

It all began in Genesis.

Genesis 4:3–11 CSB

3 In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? 7 If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” 8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian?” 10 Then he said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! 11 So now you are cursed, alienated from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed.

Notice that sin brought into the world through Adam’s rebellion and disobedience has infected his children.

Envy and jealously led Cain to plot against his brother.

God approaches him to warn him to not do what he is planning.

Why? Sin is crouching at the door.

Instead of listening, he goes ahead and murders Abel.

Later, he was judged by God Himself.

Sin and evil have been in the world since the beginning, but why?

Why?

One of the most common questions asked about Christianity is, "If God is good, why is there evil in the world?"

I am sure someone somewhere has asked question.

Why were 9 and 10 year olds murdered like that.

Why did God allow 10 grocery shoppers get shot.

Why were 4 teenagers on their way to get ice cream shot?

Why God why?

That's a hard question, and let me give an answer:

God created the world good, and He created humans to do good.

However, He also gave humans the ability to choose, known as free will.

This means that even though humans were created to do good, they can also choose to do the opposite of good, what we have termed evil.

We cannot blame God when humans choose to do the opposite of that which they were created to do.

Therefore, why did God create humans with a free will?

He did it so that humans could truly love Him and each other.

If humans had no choice but to love God and each other, then that wouldn’t really mean very much at all.

Humans would just be little robots performing the action they were programmed to do.

However, since humans have the choice to either love or to not love, it truly is love that is conveyed when humans choose to love God or each other.

Therefore, it would be impossible and illogical for a world to exist in which humans with free will exist without the potential for evil.

The very existence of free will produces the potential for good and for the opposite of good.

I saw Frank Turek, a great apologist give a similar answer to a young lady then he said he made a mistake.

That answer is a philosophical answer and not a pastoral answer.

This morning we need a pastoral answer for what has happened.

How Should We React?

How should we react?

How can we comfort those in the midst of tragic circumstances?

What do we tell our children and grandchildren?

This week reminds us of the persistence of sin, both individual and corporate, in the fallen world around us.

We should have a sense of outrage at the injustice that reminds us that our sense of justice points beyond us to the Judgment Seat of Christ.

We are created in the image of God and loved by him.

We need see that our secret sins are not secret and will be exposed at judgment.

Folks, life is fleeting.

We need Jesus Christ who lived out the life we cannot live, bore in his own body the judgment of our sin, and was raised from the power of death.

We are living in the end times and this type of ungodly activities will become more prevalent as a sign of the coming of Jesus

Remember the most important name this Sunday is Jesus.

Jesus knows about suffering 1 Pet 3:18

1 Peter 3:18 CSB

18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

Jesus knows about justice John 5:30

John 5:30 CSB

30 “I can do nothing on my own. I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

Jesus knows about being wrongfully treated 1 Pet 2:21–24

1 Peter 2:21–24 CSB

21 For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth; 23 when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Jesus knows about surprise tragedy and perishing souls Luke 13:1–5

Luke 13:1–5 CSB

1 At that time, some people came and reported to him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 And he responded to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all the other Galileans because they suffered these things? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well. 4 Or those eighteen that the tower in Siloam fell on and killed—do you think they were more sinful than all the other people who live in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well.”

Jesus knows about living in a wicked world John 3:19

John 3:19 CSB

19 This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.

So What Do We Do?

First of all let’s pray right now:

Dear Lord Jesus, we abandon ourselves to you today—we come running with our tears and our fears, our anger and our anguish, our lament and our longings. We collapse in your presence, with the assurance of your welcome, needing the mercies of your heart. Some stories are just too much for us to absorb; some evil just too great to conceive; some losses are beyond all measure. We need your tears and your strength today. That you wept outside the tomb of a beloved friend frees us to groan and mourn; that you conquered his death with yours, frees us to hope and wait.

But we turn our thoughts from ourselves to the families who have suffered an unconscionable violation of heart and all sensibilities. Bring your presence to bear, Lord Jesus, by your Spirit and through your people. May your servants weep with those who weep and wail with those who wail. Extend your tear wiping hand—reach into this great tragedy with an even greater grace.

We pray for the families grieving in Uvalde, Buffalo, and here in our own community. We have seen so much senseless death and violence, including those who have passed away due to COVID.

In Jesus name, Amen

As followers of Jesus, we lean on God’s sovereignty.

While this doesn’t diminish the pain and shock of the depravity we see in the world—which we should lament—it’s a supreme comfort to know God allows good and evil to happen in our lives with purpose Romans 8:28-29

Romans 8:28–29 CSB

28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

We need to be reminded that good and evil are not new, and they aren’t surprising to God.

He is in control.

And only a God in control can help us find meaning or hope amid tragedies.

You can Pray and share hope in times like these.

“Thoughts and prayers” are often ridiculed in the wake of a mass shooting, but that shouldn’t deter believers from coming to God in prayer.

We need to pray: for the victims and their families, for the first responders, the medical personnel, law enforcement, administrators, and leaders in the community.

We need to pray for God to change people’s hearts, causing them to love good and hate evil; and we need to pray for God-honoring societal changes which might reduce, if not eliminate, mass shootings.

We need to pray that God would bring justice to those who would wreak such chaos.

Whether it is mass shootings or sexual abuse, we are likely to be fearful, angry, and sad.

These are emotions God created, and they don’t need to be avoided.

But we look for the hope beyond ourselves—the God of resurrection who has sustained his people through all manner of horrific tragedies.

In such moments, this is the true hope we all need.

Let’s Pray!

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