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Church of Christ
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Bobby Stafford |
Why Is There Evil,
Pain & Suffering?
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March 11, 2012 |
Sunday PM Sermon |
Why Is There Evil, Pain, and Suffering?
Introduction:
Many of us
can relate to the cries of Jeremiah in
Jeremiah 4:18
or those of the psalmist in Psalms
55:4.
You’ve experienced pain and suffering and know how it feels. But
where and when did suffering originate and how should God’s people
view it in their own lives?
Body:
I.
Suffering Has Not Always Existed
- The
creation account –
Genesis 1 and 2
Because of God’s infinite power and wisdom, everything He
created was “good.” This is a term used several times in chapter
1. Then read
Genesis 1:31.
All the heavenly bodies, plant life, animal life and people were
“good.” There is no mention of suffering at all. There is no
evil at all, only good.
- Goodness
us part of who God is. Psalms 145:1-7 God cannot be blamed for evil or
suffering. The original creation was all “good.”
II. Sin
Enters the World
- Genesis 3:1-19
When sin entered the world, disastrous consequences followed.
That was the beginning of every kind of sin, pain, suffering, as
well as physical and spiritual death.
- The
apostle Paul refers to this in
Romans 5:12-19.
The one man is Adam. Eve was deceived by Satan, but Adam
rebelled against God. Both were guilty; but Adam more so.
“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one,
much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift
of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus
Christ.”
Romans 5:17 NKJV
See also I
Corinthians 15:21-22.
- The
consequences are truly tragic!
III. Good
Can Come from Bad
- Why does
God allow pain and suffering?
- It
promotes humility.
II Corinthians 12:7-10
Because of the many things that God had given Paul, it would
have been easy for him to become proud and boastful. His
affliction helped him to rely on God, not himself.
- It
helps us minister to others.
II Corinthians 1:3-7
Experiencing pain and afflictions equip us to better offer
comfort to others who are suffering.
- It
teaches us patience.
Romans 5:3-4
It strengthens our character.
- It
prepares us for an eternal home.
II Corinthians 4:16-18 Even
if we experience pain and suffering during our entire
earthly lives, it is momentary compared to that of eternal
weight of glory.
Invitation:
Even though
pain and suffering entered the world because of sin, the faithful
will one day enjoy that heavenly home where pain and suffering are
no more.
Revelation 21:3-4
Bobby
Stafford
March 11,
2012
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