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WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO PEOPLE–PART 3

Introduction

We’ve been looking at the tough questions that people ask in the face of tragedy, whether that tragedy be a personal tragedy or a wide-scale tragedy such as the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina.

Why? Why did this happen? Why this place at this time? How can an all powerful, all knowing all loving God allow this to happen?

We’ve been trying to give you some ground on which to stand in order to come to some resolve within yourself and perhaps even to be able to offer comfort support and understanding to others who ask you, “Why? “

If you were here the first week you know that we first considered some of the many possible answers that are being offered.

I.         IT IS POSSIBLE FOR US TO TRY TO EXPLAIN IT NATURALLY.

II.       IT IS POSSIBLE FOR US TO TRY TO EXPLAIN IT SPIRITUALLY.

            We said that this may come in several different forms:

            A.      It Is Possible To Explain It As Satan’s Work.

            B.        It Is Possible To Explain It As A Consequence Of Living In A Sin Cursed World.

            C.       It Is Possible To Explain It As God’s Judgment Of Unbelievers Or Even As Chastisement Of His Children.

            D.    It Is Possible To Explain It As Part Of The Signal Of The End Of The Age!

            E.   It Is Possible That There May Be Multiple Reasons.

Last week we said that there are some things that we need to understand when things such as this happen

I.     GOD IS SOVEREIGN OVER ALL THINGS– OTHERWISE HE WOULD NOT BE GOD.

            A.   God Is Sovereign Over Storms.

            B.   God Is Sovereign Over Satan.

            C.   God Is Sovereign Over His Second Coming.

                        Ultimately the reason for these things happening lies with God.

II.    GOD’S JUDGMENT AND MERCY OFTEN GO TOGETHER.

            A    In Many Ways This Disaster Could Be Called An Act Of God’s Judgment.

            B.   In Other Ways We See God’s Mercy – For The Believers In Christ.

This morning I want us to look at how we should respond when bad things happen.

In looking at this I want us to look at it from three viewpoints.

One view point will be this–How should we as believers respond if we on the inside and are caught up in a tragedy personally? The second view point will be this–How should we as believers respond if we are on the outside looking on the tragedy that has occurred? Thirdly, how should unbelievers respond to the tragedy that they see?

I.         HOW SHOULD WE AS BELIEVERS RESPOND IF WE ARE CAUGHT UP IN A TRAGEDY PERSONALLY? (Psalm 61)

            A.        We Should Cry Unto The Lord.

                        1.         God Is Our Shelter In The Time Of Storm. (Vs 3)

                        2.         God Is Our Strong Tower From The Enemy. (Vs 3)

                        3.         God Is An Ear For The Soul.

Psalm 77:1–“I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.”

Psalm 102:17–“He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.”

            B.        We Should Remember The Lord. (Psalm 61:2-3)

                        “For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.”

                        We should remember what the Lord has done for others as well as for us!

                        1.         Remember The Lord’s Goodness.

Psalm 100:5–“For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

                        2.         Remember The Lord’s Grace.

1 Peter 5:10-11–“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 11To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

                        3.         Remember The Lord’s Mercies.

Psalm 33:18–“Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;”

Psalm 103:11–“For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.”

Lamentations 3:22-23–“It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

Psalm 118:1–“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.”and in Psalm 136–26 times in 26 verses “. . .for His mercy endureth for ever.”

                        5.         Remember The Lord’s Works. (Psalm 143:1ff)

Psalm 145:5–“I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.”

                        6.         Remember The Lord’s Sovereignty.

God has a purpose in allowing us to go through whatever it is that we are going through. Seek to glorify Him through your suffering.

                        We Should Cry Unto The Lord.

                        We Should Remember The Lord.

            C.        We Should Abide In The Lord. (Psalm 61:4a, 7)

The mistake that many folks make when they become overwhelmed is that they abandon their only true source of help.

                        In our time of despair we should not quit on God!!!

                        We need to keep on keeping on for God!

                        Job 13:15–“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him:”

                        James 4:8–“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you”

1 Peter 5:6-7–“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

            D.        We Should Trust The Lord. (Psalm 61:4b; Psalm 37:2ff)

Nahum 1:7–“The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”

                        Psalm 118:9–“It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.”

Psalm 146:3-5–“Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:”

Psalm 62:8–“Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.”

Psalm 115:11–“Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.”

Proverbs 3:5-6–“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

            E.        We Should Sing Praise Unto The Lord. (Psalm 61:8a; Psalm 30; Psalm 34)

                        Satan wants to steal our song and he will do exactly that if we not careful. 

Psalm 50:23–“Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God.”

            F.        We Should Serve The Lord Continually. (Psalm 61:8b)

1 Corinthians 15:58–“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

                        We should look for opportunities to witness for the Lord!

            So we’ve seen how we should respond when we are caught up in a tragedy ourselves.

II.       HOW SHOULD WE AS BELIEVERS RESPOND WHEN WE SEE TRAGEDY IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS?

            A.        We Should Respond With Compassion. (Luke 10:27-37; 1 John 1:17-18)

James 2:15-16–“If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?”

John 13:34-35–“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

            B.        We Should Respond With Comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3-7)

            C.        We Should Respond With Commitment.

Ephesians 6:10-11–“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

Ephesians 6:13–“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

            D.        We Should Respond With The Commission. (i.e. The Great Commission.)

As God allows us to respond with compassion, comfort, and consolation, we should look for the opportunities that God provides for us to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

            E.        We Should Respond With Communion (i.e. Prayer)

                        We can pray – for the survivors and the relief workers.

                        We can pray for the relief effort itself.

We can pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering that they would remain stedfast in the Lord and trust in Him for deliverance and help and that their testimony in suffering would provide opportunities to witness.

We can pray for all of those who have opportunities to minister in the name of Christ and to bring the hope of the Gospel to those who are suffering. .

III.      HOW SHOULD THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW THE LORD RESPOND?

            (Luke 13:1-5)

            1.    Were these Galileans mentioned worse sinners because they died this way? NO!

            2.    Were the 18 people who lost their lives in the falling of the tower of Siloam worse sinners than the rest of the people in Jerusalem at the time? Jesus answers – NO!

            3.    Those thousands of people in the southern U.S. – were they worse sinners than other people in the World? – NO!

            4.    What about those who died on 9-11 or in the Tsunami disaster last year – were they worse sinners than the rest of us the folks in the world? – NO!

            5.    What about those whom we read about every single day in the obituaries – are they worse sinners than the rest of us gathered here in this congregation? – NO!

            6.    Jesus clearly and emphatically says there is no difference – but He does want to point out that these things should be alarms and cautions to everyone.

Death brought about by disease, violence, terrorism, war, accidents and natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis are to get your attention.

They should cause you to stand up and take notice and that perhaps you shouldn’t spend so much time wondering and pondering, “why? Why? WHY?”

Instead, you should be considering in your hearts and lives – Am I ready? Am I right with God?

                                    Have I repented my sin?

Do I stand clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ who paid the penalty for my sin on the Cross?

                                    Do I cling to Christ alone for salvation?

Do I have the confidence and hope that the Apostle Paul had so that I too can say “For to me, to live is Christ, but to die is gain!”?

            7.    Jesus says basically that if you cannot answer these questions positively – If you have not repented or your sin and turned to Christ then you will also perish – not just from this world but for all eternity.

I urge you to seriously consider these questions in your heart, even now, for none of us know what tomorrow may bring our way.

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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!