How Can a Good God Allow Evil?

Thank you, Ellen. Good morning, everyone.

Well, before I start, the topic today is a little bit somber, but it's a good week.

It's a good week. Those of you who are part of this community, you'll know that Alex and Joe

! welcomed in baby number two, Liliana Joy. Round of applause for Alex. No epidural, just

powered through and managed to give birth to baby in record time. It was super fast.

Also, I guess round of applause for Joe. He also didn't need an epidural. He was okay.

He managed to survive through all of it. I was reflecting. I was like, oh, I wonder whether

I'll get to see Joe these next few weeks. I was counting. I was like, actually, he's the

eighth most useful adult in his family right now in terms of looking after the baby. You've got

his wife, you've got his mother-in-law and his father-in-law, and they've got an auntie

and they've got a doula and then they've got someone else's. I'm just like, oh, Joe, you

are, you know, I mean, nothing I didn't know, but really no contribution other than, but we're

overjoyed. And today is a very special day because Eden Jane, EJ, it's her birthday today.

She's going through lots of emotions as a big sister, three years old. So shower her. Why

don't we shower her with blessings when she comes out? And so just pour blessing out on

this family. When we were in the hospital and actually Joe said something that was interesting,

he said, well, what a special day that there's life here. But of course, in the hospital, whilst

there's one room that has life just beginning, it's 20 seconds down the corridor and you see

actually a life is ending as well. Such is life, right? That that's really what it is.

And I'm approaching a topic today that is a tricky one. And actually, even as we were singing

and I was praying, I was like, God, I think there's something that I'm supposed to say that

I haven't prepared yet. Because I look around the room and I look around the people that are

in this room. This question will have come up for you at some point. I bumped into a dear

friend yesterday and she came up to me and she said, James, you're still young. And I said,

thank you. I know I am still. You've got people around you who are still giving births.

And having getting married and all these things. And my friends are now all dying one by one.

And another one of my boss for young life was like, in this last two years, I've lost all

of my mentors. They they all they've all moved on to be with the Lord. And if you live long

enough, you will experience suffering. You will experience death. You will experience loss.

I mean, it's just baffling for me. It sounds really morbid. But every single person in this

room, as you look around, will pass. Christina and I, we were talking yesterday evening and she

was reminding me her favorite book is Ecclesiastes, where just everything is just vanity, just

meaningless. And there's moments where you're just like, what is the purpose of all this,

especially when it comes to suffering? So we're talking about this topic,

but I want to approach it as carefully and as cautiously as I possibly can, because I know

for sure that there are people in this room who are going through suffering right now.

That you have sickness in your family with a loved one right now. And you're asking God,

why aren't you helping that person? And you're asking God, do you even exist? Do you even care?

Yeah. And I want to approach that. I'm not here just to tell you, hey, chin up, just suck it up.

It's going to be fine. Everyone's going to die. Just get over it. That's not what I'm here to do.

I'm here to try and unpack with you what God says about suffering, what God says about death and

disease, what God says about all these things. And I want you to know that. I want you to know that

I may not know exactly what you're going through, but I want you to know that I know that you're going

through something. You know, the cheesy statement that behind every smile is someone standing with

a pool of tears next to them. I know. If we look back, as I'm even looking around the room right now,

I look at Kelly leading worship with a smile on her face, but I remember a time when she couldn't

really even open her mouth and she was suffering through that. I remember a time when we've gone

through things that we just wish, God, would you help us get through that now already? And yet we look

back now and we go, actually, there was good in that. There was things that he did through that.

And I hope today as we open up the word to talk about the issue of suffering, it'll be able to

bless you because we are surrounded by it on a micro, just individual, personal level. There's

things that you're going through. And of course, as you age and as the aging process continues,

the body just starts to break down. That's just what it does. It was a few years ago when I started

realizing I was getting injuries to my body and I didn't even realize where I was getting them.

I would just wake up and my back would hurt. Right? Jay knows that as well.

And then we look around and we see all these problems that are happening.

Yesterday, I was preaching in the Chinese side and we were talking about actually so much of

our faith often, whether we like to admit it or not, is about us being engrossed with basically,

God, can you bless us with health and wealth? If we're super honest with ourselves,

that's what we're really asking him. Can you give us a safe flight to this place? Can you give us

nice weather there? Can you give us a smooth running to get the job that we want, to get the project that

we want, so we can get the money that we want, so we can get the lifestyle that we want? We're always

thinking about that. And then the moment something doesn't go our way, we say, why God? Are you even

there? Do you even exist? I'm not going to embarrass you, but can I, can, if you've gone through something

tough in your life and you found yourself questioning whether God exists or not, at some point,

would you raise your hand just to show me that I'm not alone? And you're like, God, are you even here?

It's interesting because you get asked that a lot and people are like, well, I don't believe in God

because here's how the question goes. If God is here and he is all loving and all powerful,

why are, why is there still suffering? If we peel back that question, often it's actually,

why am I still suffering? Or why is the world around me that I can see, the people that I love,

why is there still pain? Why is there still hurt? Because God, if you are who you say you are,

can't you just deal with this? Can't you sort this out right now? Can't you remove this? Can't you stop

all the wars? Can't you stop all the poverty and all the famine? Can't you deal with all those things

so we can all have lives that are filled with health and wealth? Isn't that what you're here for,

God? When we created to flourish, to glorify you, why are we so far away from that? And people ask

that question regularly, but maybe just a few things, just I wanted to say. We're going to be

looking at the passage of Romans 8, where we'll talk a bit about this. But one thing I'll say to you is

this, and you know, I know Bob Marley sings it, that, hey, don't worry. Everything,

every little thing is going to be all right. But I'm also here to say that some of the things that

you're going through are just not good. They're just not right. Cancer is not good. There is nothing

good about cancer. There is nothing good about war. There is nothing good about famine.

What I'm going to present to you is, well, even those things are definitely not good.

God still somehow will use, will turn for good at some point. This van is going to keep flicking my

Bible. So I'm going to keep moving back. So that's where I'm going to be going. But I want to just

maybe address a couple of assumptions there. If you're there thinking, well, actually, I don't know

if I believe in God because there's so many bad things that are happening in the world. I want to

just kind of maybe address a couple of those quick assumptions before we jump into the word. And first

of all is this, what's good? You say, if there is a good God, then why are there bad things

happening? My question to you is, how are you measuring what's good? What's bad? If there was no God,

as I said last week, if there was no God, if we look at an absolute terrifying, devastating injustice,

a baby lying on the street dying, if there was no God, then why is that not good? Or why is that bad?

We have no frame of reference. There is no measuring stick to measure what is good and what it's not

because everything's random. Everyone says survival of the fittest. Baby, you're not fit, so you won't

survive. Why do we even think that is good or bad? Where is the measuring stick? Another question I'll have

for you is this. Well, okay, then let's deal with some of the bad that you're talking about. What's

some of the bad? What are some of the worst people that are around in this world? Let's start with

the terrorists. God, you're powerful, you're good. Why don't you get rid of evil? And let's start with

the terrorists because they're definitely evil. They're definitely bad. Let's get rid of them.

You get rid of the terrorists. You're like, okay, well, somehow the world still isn't good. There is still

suffering. Well, okay, that's because we haven't got rid of all the murderers. Let's get rid of the

murderers. Let's do them too. Let's get rid of them. And suddenly you realize, oh, okay,

got rid of all the murderers. And yet somehow the world still isn't fully perfect. And okay,

well, let's, well, maybe we need to stretch this out a little bit more. Maybe we need to address

more of these sinners. Let's go, let's go for the bankers. Let's get rid of the bankers. They are

part of the big problem in this world. Let's get rid of them because there's, there's greed,

there's selfishness, there's all these things that should be no poverty. Let's get rid of them.

Well, we get rid of them. And yet somehow there is still problem. Well, okay, maybe it's the

tax evaders. Maybe we get rid of them. And can you see where I'm getting at here? We can just keep

going down this list of all the people who we think are bad, who we think are responsible for

some of the evil and some of the suffering in this world. The problem is if we keep going down that

line and go, God, why don't you get rid of them? The question ends up, the final question will be,

must be, God, you also must get rid of me. Because I too, I'm bringing sin into this world. I too,

am filled with sin. I too am part of the problem. And so do you realize that actually if it's God,

it's a God of love, it's not as simple as just destroying all those who are bad. Because if

that was the case, there would be no people left. Where do you get your measuring stick from? What

is good? C.S. Lewis says this, God created things which had free will. That means creatures which can

go wrong or right. If a thing is free to be good, it is also free to be bad. If a thing is free to be

good, it is also free to be bad. That is why we have suffering, because we have choice. And you and

I both know we have made choices that have led to our own suffering and also to the suffering of those

whom love us and whom we love. So why is there still suffering? Because we still get to choose and

sadly we choose this way. Another point about that when it comes to suffering is actually when

we're talking about suffering, it assumes there is meaning and there are moral values that are in

place for human existence. Because if there wasn't, if God wasn't there to give us this framework,

to give us this meaning and purpose, then suffering doesn't really, isn't really a thing.

Does that make sense to you? The fact that we are even appealing to this higher just concept that

actually humans and animals and creation should be flourishing already says that we're assuming that

there is meaning. There is an external meaning that is applied onto our existence. So we can't

actually say suffering basically disproves God, because if anything, suffering actually proves

there is something out there that is giving us meaning. We know that something is wrong. Well,

why do we know that something is wrong? Because a creator has told us what his purpose for creation

is, and we realize we are falling short of it. It's funny, another famous apologeticist guy said this,

and he traveled the world doing a lot of talks about apologetics and fielding this question. And he

would say this, do you know the question of suffering is really only exclusive to the modern

Western world? He only hears this question in the modern Western world, where people are basically

born and grown and taught to be entitled to comfort and to be entitled to health and wealth. And that's

the only place he hears this in the modern Western world, because if he goes to all the other parts of

the world, everyone knows that suffering is a part of human existence. But for some reason, the Western

individualism we have pursued and gone away, where it's like, no, we can have a human existence that is

apart from suffering, that we don't need to have suffering. But actually, the rest of the world knows that

that is not true. It is part of it. Just have a think about that for a second. Actually, you've got even the

classical Greek thinkers, who will actually know? Suffering is inevitable, it will happen. What is

important is how we respond and how we react to it. It's only now when we are, when something bad

happens to us, and we're like, I am outraged, God, this is ridiculous. Why is this happening to me?

The question really is, well, why not?

Why not? There are so many, so many terrible things that are happening in this world right now.

Why weren't you born in a place that is war-ridden? Why weren't you starving? Why did you make it out of

your mother's womb alive, with all four limbs intact? Why? Why you? Why not? Can you see, even our

questions of suffering, we have assumptions, we have things that we don't even realize, we have

entitlement that we don't even realize when we're asking that question. God, if you are so just and

loving, why don't you sort out all these things? Well, you are part of that thing that he is trying

to sort out. So we're going to try and unpack that through a little bit of scripture. Again, C.S. Lewis

talks a lot about this. If you are interested, his book, The Problem of Pain is a big one, and

actually afterwards, later in his life, he writes this book, and when he loses his wife,

it's called A Grief Observed, which is another fantastic one, where he really dives into this.

And I would say, we as Christians, we need to get acquainted with suffering. We need to get

acquainted with what it is, and actually, if you look at scripture, if you look at this book,

our friend Francis Chan noted one time, he said, if you look at every book in the New Testament,

every single book talks about suffering. Every single book, you will find it. He said,

the only one that may not is Philemon, but if you think, if you know the context of where

that letter was written, suffering. For some reason, even though every book in the New Testament

talks about suffering, for some reason, we are still outraged when we don't get the job

that we want. For some reason, we are still just heartbroken when we are turned away by that

person we're pursuing, and we question God's existence. We are still heartbroken when someone

we know or love, or even ourselves, we're going through a sickness. We're like, God, why?

Why do I have this? And somehow, we've misread the Bible. Somehow, we've misinterpreted, and we think

God is invested only, exclusively, in our health and wealth and comfort on this side of heaven.

But if we read it properly, we'll realize that is actually not the case. If I look at my own life,

people tell me that, okay, well, I can tell you, I'm 39 years old. Some people are shocked by that.

They're like, oh, I thought you were much older. And they say it in such a kind way, like they're

complimenting me, and as my heart just continues to cry, as they tell me that, I was like, I think it's

because I'm a tired 39-year-old. I've experienced different things that, again, it's all relative

in some ways. But I've experienced things that have maybe fast-tracked me on the journey of aging.

It does that to you when you lose your father at 17. It does that to you when shortly after,

you have to explain to his parents that they've lost their son. And then I'm actually not telling

them at all. Losing your hair at 25 does that to you. I still remember the day as a teacher,

I was walking down the stairs in the school with my colleagues behind me at 25, still just,

literally, I think, prime James 25, prime James, like NBA. That was the year I would have been

drafted were it not for my hair loss. And I'm walking down the stairs, and my colleague behind me

shouts, I go, James, you're losing hair. And if you knew how vain I was, oh my goodness,

my whole world came crashing down in that moment because there was something happening at the top

that I couldn't control. And trust me, I tried. When you have that, it happens to you. You start

aging and you start realizing, oh, life is not that easy. It happens to you when you end up in hospital

yourself. Me, stayed there for a month not eating anything. And then fast forward when I have kids,

one of my children, at the moment they are born into this world, need operation. We stay in the

hospital for a whole month. And I've told you these stories before. And I sit on them now, and I'm like,

oh, these were such precious stories. And these are times that I would never, ever swap and take away

because those were the times that I felt the most human. Those were the times that I grew the most.

Suffering does that to you. And C.S. Lewis says this, he, God whispers to us in our pleasures,

speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.

I have no cheap answers for you why you're suffering. I don't have that. If I did,

you shouldn't believe me because I'd be pretending to be God and I'm not. But I will say this,

I look at this book and I see Jesus promises many things. And one of those things is John 16,

33, he says, in this world, you will have trouble. You will. But take heart for I have overcome the

world. Peter in 1 Peter 4 says, don't be surprised when you're facing fiery trials because that's how

you're going to grow. The apostle James in chapter one says, count these trials, these various different

trials and basically face them with joy because they're going to be the thing that molds you.

resistance, suffering. What is Uday doing when he's going into the gym? He's causing his body,

his muscle fibers to suffer, to break, as I said last week, so I think he can come back stronger.

Life is the gym that we're in and God is using that. And maybe the most famous passage of all

about this that you see on Fridge Magnus all the time is Romans chapter eight, verse 28.

And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good for those who are called

according to his purpose. Have you heard that passage before? People look at you when things

are going bad and say, don't worry, God will use all things for good. I want us to dive into this

passage because I think we're missing a part of that. I think we actually are misunderstanding what

that passage actually means. And we take it and we think, God, everything should be good.

When actually that is really not the case. I'm going to invite you. We're going to look at,

we're going to fly through the, the, be at the preceding verses in chapter eight. And I think

we'll get a better idea of why God allows suffering. Can I invite you to stand for the word of the Lord?

I'm going to ask Queenie, senior counsel Queenie to read us Romans chapter eight, verse 18 to 30.

Thanks.

Romans chapter eight, verses 18 to 30.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is

to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

For the creation was subjected to fertility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it,

in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom

of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together

in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves who have the first

fruits of the spirit grown inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Likewise, the spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought,

but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the spirit, because the spirit intercedes for the saints

according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good.

For those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be

conformed to the image of his son in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

And those who he predestined, he also called. And those whom he called, he also justified.

And those whom he justified, he also glorified.

This is the word of the Lord. Thank you, Queenie.

Now take a seat.

Maybe before I jump into this passage, as I said, I know that all of us have got some kind of suffering in our lives,

whether it's in our own lives or whether it's someone that we know.

Why don't we just, as I go through this passage, I invite you to have those things in mind, those people in mind.

And it's not to explain those things away necessarily, but it's going, God, why is this here?

And what are you trying to show? And what are you trying to do?

That's really the purpose of it. So that fridge magnet passage,

and we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good.

You sit there and you think, okay, that is Bob Marley singing three little birds over me.

That is saying, don't worry, be happy. Every little thing is going to be all right.

And is that it? Is that all it is?

That is just this blind faith and hope that when we are faced with cancer,

when we are seeing all these things happening in the world,

we just close our eyes and just don't worry, be happy, because every little thing is going to be all right.

Is that all we're doing? Is that how we as Christians should face suffering?

And the answer is no, there is so much more to it.

We need to first understand why the suffering comes about.

And that's why Romans 8, we have to take the whole passage,

because if we just take verse 28, then yes, let the good times roll.

But sadly, you and I know the good times don't always roll.

In fact, they rarely ever come.

Highlights are highlights for a reason, because there's a whole nother life,

there's a whole nother real that you don't want to show,

that there is so much suffering that is going on in your own life,

in your own mind, in your own heart, and in your own families,

and in your own workplace, and in your own world.

So we look at this, and we look at Romans 8, and we see it from the beginning.

He says, there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

If you go down a little bit, verse 6, this is all setting the scene.

Of course, this whole chapter is just majestic and covers so much here.

But maybe the first one that I want to point out is verse 6.

For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the spirit is life and peace.

The reason why we have suffering, the reason why we have these things that are not flourishing,

life that is not flourishing, is because we as a creation, we as human beings,

we didn't do what God created us to do, which was to basically glorify Him.

We were made in His image, that we would glorify Him,

and cause basically a whole creation to flourish.

We didn't do that.

We set our minds on ourselves.

When we set our minds on ourselves, when we make decisions that are based on our own preferences,

flesh, we end up leading down a path that ultimately leads to death.

That is, that He's setting the scene here as to what we're actually doing and why we feel this way.

So if you go down, verse 12,

So then, brothers, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die.

But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

So He's saying, okay, we, you and I, we set our minds on the flesh.

That leads us down a path of destruction.

It is not good.

Creation, the world, is basically caving in on itself.

You look at just the temperatures that we're all experiencing in Asia,

you're like, oh, this world is changing.

Because we have basically had our own desires as priority.

And then He says, we are all debtors.

We are all debtors.

Romans 3 talks about this.

We are all fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 5 says, we are still sinners, but yet while we are still sinners,

He died for us.

And so then He launches His rescue mission is what He's saying here.

And 18 to 22,

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing

with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

So He looks and He considers and He calculates these sufferings.

And He says, okay, these sufferings are significant,

but they're nothing compared to the eternal weight of glory.

What awaits us in heaven is something that will far outweigh this.

Paul talks about this in 2 Corinthians 4,

where he says, actually, this whole world is wasting away.

Our bodies are wasting away.

But we take heart because these light momentary afflictions are nothing

when compared to the eternal weight of glory.

The sufferings that we're going through are like a feather

when compared to the eternal weight of glory that awaits us.

That's why we do not lose heart.

So you see this.

For the creation, verse 19,

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

Creation itself, all of us,

we're all just groaning and waiting for us as children of God

to realize who we actually are.

Do you know those epic Hollywood movies

where you've got someone who was an orphan,

and then they fight, and there's battles,

and there's a story that they have to kind of follow through

because it's a two-hour movie,

and then eventually you get to the end,

and they realize who they are,

and they're revealed as basically the son of the Most High.

All creation is waiting for that,

for the creation was subject to futility.

Why?

Because of our own decisions,

because we chose the flesh,

but because of him who subjected it

in hope that the creation itself will be set free.

That's God's plan.

That's God's plan.

The creation itself will be set free,

that there will be no more suffering,

there will be no more bondage,

no more corruption,

and we will all have the freedom of the glory

of the children of God.

Verse 22, this was especially applicable

to Joe and my family this week,

for we know that the whole creation

has been growing together

in the pains of childbirth until now.

Those who have given birth to a child

will know there is utmost pain,

there is almost just anguish.

Really, that's the stage that we're in right now,

as humanity in this world.

We're just waiting,

we're just groaning,

God, can you just reveal yourself?

Just like a mother would say,

baby, can you just reveal yourself?

And of course, the beauty and the joy is,

the sorrow is followed very quickly by joy.

I've been told,

I've been told,

not first-hand experience,

that after all the pain of childbirth,

once you see the baby,

for some reason,

the pain and the memory of the pain

just disappears,

is what I'm told.

But I guess it's the same here,

we're just waiting.

We're waiting.

In pain, as we look around,

if you look at the news

and you have a soft heart,

you'll be like,

this world is just falling apart.

The stories that we hear,

again, we only read them as news articles

and titles and subtitles and that's it,

but these are all real stories

of real people going through real suffering.

Our hearts should break for these things.

creation is waiting and groaning

like childbirth

until the moment God

basically deals with it all.

Verse later,

verse 26,

likewise,

the Spirit helps us in our weakness,

for we do not know what to pray for

as we all,

but the Spirit himself intercedes for us

with groanings too deep for words.

And he who searches hearts

knows what is in the mind of the Spirit,

because the Spirit intercedes for the saints

according to the will of God.

So he's saying,

we chose flesh.

It leads us to death.

We are now debtors.

Because of that,

creation itself is groaning

and waiting for God

to reveal himself again.

And now the Spirit knows

we don't know what we really want.

The Spirit knows

that we can't help ourselves

in some ways,

so the Spirit intercedes for us

and prays for us

because he knows what we want

and because he searches

our hearts and minds.

It's only after all that context

do we get verse 28.

And we know

that in all things,

God works for the good

of those who love him

according to his purpose.

Can you see that the context there

is so much more

than just that one passage?

Oh, God wants me to be well.

It is way more than that.

The project,

the rescue mission

is so much bigger

than just you being happy

in life in this season

with your job.

So much bigger.

And what does it actually mean

then if we go through that

a little bit,

just word by word almost,

verse 28,

and we know that

for those who love God,

this tells me one thing,

that actually this promise

isn't for everyone.

This promise is for those

who actually love God,

who choose to trust him,

who choose to follow him,

who don't have their identity

set in this side of eternity.

It's not for everyone.

Why?

Because it's for those

who actually understand

that their security

is not on earth,

their security

is in heaven.

It's those who have

had a new perspective,

those who have decided,

I'm not going to choose

the flesh,

I'm going to allow

the spirit to guide me

for those who are led

by the spirit of God,

our sons of God.

It's for those people,

it's for those who have

actively,

intentionally chosen

and say,

Jesus,

I trust you.

My comfort,

my destination is in heaven

and isn't in the things

of this world.

It's for those people.

So before we take this verse

and go,

hey, well,

God wants me to be happy,

that's not what it's saying.

It's for those,

for those who love him,

who trust him.

All things work together

for good.

Again,

quick things here.

He does not say

all things are good.

That is not what he's saying.

He's saying he will use

all things for good.

That's the difference.

You look at Genesis chapter 50

Genesis 50 · chapter mention

when Joseph was sold

by his brothers

into slavery

and he goes through this life

and he's in prison

for many, many years

and he comes out

and finally he has the moment

where he can basically

take revenge

and what does he say?

Hey, it's okay.

What you meant for evil,

God turned for good.

All the bad things

that happen in our lives,

all the prevailing darkness

that we're surrounded by,

God will turn for good.

We have to recognize

that when you look

at the news

or when you look

at your life

and things that are

not going well

and you're like,

man, that really sucks.

Why?

Because Ephesians 2 explains it.

It says,

and actually currently,

the power of force

in this world right now

is the spirit of disobedience.

Darkness is ruling.

There is a prince

of this world

that is causing people

to go astray.

So don't be surprised

at that.

These trials are coming.

Don't be shocked

when bad things

are happening.

God will turn it

for good.

He is in control

of all things.

You might be sat there

going, okay,

I've gone through

some really tough things.

James, actually,

there are some things

that I'm going through

right now.

There are thoughts

that I'm thinking

right now

that would terrify you

if you got to read my mind.

Surely God cannot use

those things.

And I'm here to say,

respectfully,

I disagree.

God isn't afraid

of those deepest

darkest corners

that you have.

In fact,

those moments

where you are walking

through the valley,

he is still with you.

And actually,

those moments

he will use.

He will use

for good.

And again,

what's good?

The good isn't

that you get

the perfect job

and the perfect life

that you have.

There is a present good,

but there is this

already but not yet

dynamic when it comes

to the kingdom

of heaven

whereas it is going

to be good here.

You will live

an abundant life here,

but you will also

have one

that comes in eternity.

Something far bigger.

Something much better.

That's what is good.

There is an eternal good.

Now,

it carries on.

Actually,

it's for those of us

who are really

just wanting God

just to kind of

give us our wishes

and grant us

what we want.

Actually,

it just gets worse

and worse for you.

So it carries on.

And we know

that for those

who love God,

all things work together

for good.

For those who are called

according to his

purpose.

So it's good

according to his

purpose for your life.

It's not what you

want for your life.

That's the difference.

I think that's why

when we come at

the topic of suffering,

we are coming at it

from our own perspective.

We're coming at it

from what do I want

to do?

What do I think

is fair?

What do I think

is good?

And God's saying,

no, no, no.

Love me.

Trust me.

Follow me.

I will mold

all these things

that are happening,

even something like cancer,

and I will mold it

and I will use it

for good

according to my purpose.

So ultimately,

what is his purpose?

I think his purpose

is to liberate

all of creation,

to allow creation

to flourish once again.

That is why

he is here.

That is why

he is coming back again,

to wipe away

every tear,

to remove every pain,

to remove every sickness,

to even remove

death itself.

And how is he going

to do that?

And how is he going

to do that?

And that's where

the final pie is

because another temptation

when we're reading

scripture is we take

verse 28.

We love it.

God, you're invested

in my happiness

so you're going

to turn everything

for good.

Great things.

I'll be happy

and I won't worry

because every little thing

is going to be all right.

And then it carries on.

There's a verse 29.

So just when you thought,

okay, well,

maybe that's it.

Maybe God is going

to be just purposely

involved in my,

invested in my happiness.

He says this,

for those whom he foreknew,

he also predestined

to be conformed,

conformed,

conformed to the image

of his son

in order that he might

be the firstborn

among many brothers

and those whom he predestined,

he also called

and those whom he called,

he also justified

and those whom he justified,

he also glorified.

I get it.

When you read that,

that second bit,

that is utter Christianese.

If you've grown up

in the church,

you're like justified,

sanctified, glorified.

I get it.

These are all great,

great words.

Something's happening to me.

God's purpose.

How is God going

to liberate creation?

How is he going

to allow creation

to flourish?

He's going to conform

you and I

to look like Jesus.

We are going to be

the agents

of that liberation.

And he's going

to use suffering

to mold us,

to conform us,

to look like Jesus.

I don't know about you,

but that gives me

some comfort,

but that gives me

more terror.

I'm just like,

I don't want

to be conformed.

I don't want

to go through

this hardship.

There's a video

that I saw many years ago

by a Christian comedian

who was kind of like,

it was a video

of him being

like,

imaginary chiseled

away,

just like a sculpture.

And God's just

going around him,

just basically,

just going at him.

And the pain

that that would cause,

but ultimately,

a beautiful sculpture

was created.

That's what God's

trying to do,

even through the suffering,

to conform us

to the image

of his son.

Because if we can

look like his son,

then we go back

to Genesis 1.26,

we will look like him.

We will be made

in their image

and then creation

will flourish.

Those around us

will flourish

because we look

like Jesus,

because whatever

he touches,

wherever he goes,

people are liberated.

People are healed.

That's what he's

trying to do.

That takes a bit

of time for my mind

sometimes.

When bad things

happen to me,

like God,

why would you allow

me to go through this?

And he'll tell me,

James,

you don't see

what I see

in your life.

You want me

to make this year

good for you.

But I want to prepare

you for eternity.

So I'm going to use

all these things

and this is going

to be short-term pain.

I get it.

It's going to be hard.

Every parent knows this.

It's going to be hard,

but you're going to

have to go through this

because it will prepare you.

It will mold you

for what is to come.

C.S. Lewis says this,

God isn't a grandfather.

He is a father in heaven.

He is not your grandfather

in heaven.

I have a few friends

who have the joy

of just being grandparents

and they told me

and I love the way,

I just love hearing

grandparents talk about this

and actually I hear

Vincent talk about,

talk like this

all the time

when it comes to EJ

and what he feeds her.

He's like,

I'm not the parent,

I'm the grandparent.

My job is just

to spoil them.

Whatever you want,

ice cream at nine o'clock,

sure.

You can't sleep,

not my problem.

I am your grandfather

because I am here

just to shower you

with whatever you want

and that's it.

You can be naughty,

you can be naughty,

you can climb a pad,

sure.

That's what grandparents do.

Well, maybe especially

Western grandparents,

Chinese ones maybe,

less so.

But God isn't a grandparent.

God is a father.

God is a father

who does allow

for suffering to happen

because he's using it

for a purpose

to prepare you,

to mold you,

to conform you

to the image of Jesus.

That's why he's allowing

these things to happen.

And so we need to get over

that mindset

that God is here

just for my comfort

and my health and wealth

right now.

Because then

he can really

just fulfill his purpose

through us

once we surrender

that.

His goal is to make us

more like Jesus.

So that's really

the final part.

Does God care

about my suffering?

The answer is yes.

How do you know

he cares about your suffering?

Because this is a God

that launches

a rescue mission

for creation.

Knowing that it is

in bondage,

knowing that it is groaning

and his mission

is Jesus.

And who is Jesus?

He is the suffering servant

as it says

in Isaiah 53.

When you ask,

does God care

about my suffering?

And you just need

to look to Jesus

and go,

he does care

about my suffering

because he's right there

with me

in my suffering.

You look at the scars

on Jesus' hands

and you realize

he cares just as much

about the sickness

that's around you

as you do.

That's why he came

to redeem creation.

That's why he's here.

And those of us

who have gone through

some deep,

sharp suffering

will know

those are the moments

when you feel

the closest to Jesus

because you know

that he is right there

with you.

You see that Jesus

weeps

in John 11

when his friends die.

And he weeps

and I've said this before,

it's just the most weird

scenario,

event that happens

for me

because Jesus

is just about

to blow the minds

of all the people

in that room

because he's going

to bring Lazarus

back to life.

So why would he cry?

And it says it three times

and he's deeply distressed

and he's moved.

Why does he cry?

He cries because I think,

because he's upset,

because he's angry,

because this is not

how it's supposed to be,

because he's angry

at the suffering

because it wasn't

what was designed.

Yet we as mankind

chose to set our minds

on the things of the flesh

and it leads down

to this death

and he hates it

and he hates the suffering

that we're going through

and he hates the suffering

that is surrounding

in this world.

That is why he came back

into the world

to save it.

So,

for me,

that's why suffering,

if anything,

reminds me that God

is very real.

It doesn't disprove

God's existence

for me at all.

Why?

Because of Jesus.

Paul Tripp says this,

when you suffer,

you realize you aren't alone.

Jesus didn't come

to explain away pain

or remove it.

He came to fill it

with his presence.

John Stott says this,

I could never myself

believe in God

if it were not for the cross.

In the real world of pain,

how could one worship

a God who was immune

to it?

We realize that in Jesus,

he is not a far away God

who doesn't care

about your suffering,

that he is right there

with you,

weeping with you,

lamenting with you.

I want to encourage you

with that.

If you're going through suffering,

if you're seeing a loved one

going through suffering

right now,

just the image

that this God is close

with scars on his hands,

having dealt

with the very thing

that we are just

so angry,

so upset,

so worried about.

Look at the scars

on his hands

and feet

and you see

that he dealt with it

once and for all.

That's why 1 Thessalonians 4,

it says,

we as Christians,

we don't grieve

as those who have no hope.

We can still grieve

and we talked about this,

I remember talking about this

with Queenie.

But we grieve

with hope.

We feel the loss

of the things

that we love

but we grieve

with hope

because we know

that actually he came

and that he will come again

and he will wipe away

every tear.

I think that's what

we're supposed to do

when we go and meet people

who are suffering.

We sit there,

we bring the tissues

and we wipe their tears

and we wipe our tears

and we go,

this sucks,

I am with you.

This sucks.

But I want to tell you

about the creator

who launched

this rescue mission for us.

I want to tell you

why there is still hope

and it might not be

on this side of heaven.

We need to redefine

in our minds

what a good life is.

What is good?

What is success?

You look at it

from the vantage point

of God

and you realize

he is interested

in far much more.

But how can he

who didn't spare

his own son

not graciously give us

all that we need?

That's what happens

later in Romans 8.

He said,

despite all this suffering

we hold on to hope.

Why?

Because God is for us.

He's not against us.

He's with us.

And he gave us his son.

So why do you think

he's holding out

on you

regarding that promotion?

He gave you his son.

Would you stop worrying?

His rescue mission

was to bring us back

to be connected

with him.

And he is coming

to restore

all things

and he will bring

to completion

what he started.

Can we take

that suffering

to him

and have joy

and have faith?

but can we also

stand beside

those who are

really,

really suffering?

Can we be

like Jesus

to them?

N.T. Wright

says this

and this is where

I'll finish.

The question isn't

why is there suffering

and what is God

doing about it?

The answer

is he launched

the rescue mission

in Jesus.

Only Christianity

gives suffering meaning.

It is temporary,

transformative

and redeemable.

Can we hold

on to that?

Kelly and the team

are going to lead us

in a song.

It's one of our

favorite songs

because if there's one,

if we were to distill

everything,

even those three

mission statements

saying why do we

gather here?

What is it to do?

It is to point us

to heaven.

It is to point us

to the place

where it's described

in Revelation 21

where there is

no more pain,

no more death,

no more fear,

if we can

understand that,

that he works

for the good

of those who love him

according to his purpose

by conforming us

to the image

of his son,

then we will have

what we need.

We will have

who we need

to face suffering.

Before we sing though,

I'd love for us

to spend a little bit

of time.

If the Lord

has reminded of you

of someone suffering

or some kind

of suffering,

whether it's

like what Ellen prayed,

whether it's

for the world

or whether it's

actually just

something in your own

life that you've

been wrestling with

and you've been

asking that question,

God, I don't know

if you're even here,

let alone whether

you care or not.

I'm here to tell you

he does care.

He is right here.

He is the suffering

servant.

He is the servant king.

He will lift you

out of this.

He will be the one

who saves you.

He will be the one

who comforts you.

He is near to you.

He is near to those

who are brokenhearted.

So he has never

left you.

He is your shepherd

because of that

you will lack nothing.

You lack nothing

right now.

And he leads you

on the right path

and sometimes

that path will lead

you to the valley

of the shadow of death.

But don't fear.

His rod and staff,

they are right there

with you.

He prepares a table

in the presence

of your enemies

and your suffering

and he says,

come sit with me.

It's going to be okay.

I'm not sure

if Bob Marley knew him

but he was right.

Every little thing

will be all okay

because of him.

If you forget everything

that I've said today,

he's here

and he cares

and he will fix.

that's it.

He's here.

He cares

and he will fix.

I'll spend a moment now

and respond to him.

I think I realized

what I was supposed

to say as we finished.

And it was a gem

that again,

it was actually my wife.

She talked to me

last night

about Ecclesiastes.

She's learned,

teach me to pay more attention

to what my wife says.

She finished

by talking about Hebrews.

She wasn't preaching

to me by the way,

this is just a conversation

we were having

during a foot massage.

But she was like,

Hebrews 11.

I was like,

all right,

let's talk about Hebrews 11.

And if you know,

that song just reminded me,

so thank you Kelly

for choosing it.

There's just this hall of fame

of all these greats

in scripture

who just follow God

and just do these

amazing things, right?

But there's this,

if you go towards

the end of the chapter,

it gets really messy.

You've got Abraham,

you've got Moses,

you've got Joseph,

like Joseph,

these are all greats,

they follow God

and great things happen.

Let me just read to you.

Hebrews chapter 11,

Hebrews 11:32

verse 32.

And what more shall I say?

For time would fail me

to tell of Gideon,

Barak,

Samson,

Jephah,

of David and Samuel

and the prophets

who through faith

conquered kingdoms

and enforced justice,

obtained promises,

stopped the mouths of lions,

quenched the power of fire,

escaped the edge of the sword,

were made strong out of weakness,

became mighty in war,

put foreign armies to flight.

Great things,

things that maybe you and I

will never get a chance to do.

But then it says,

women also received back

their debt by resurrection.

Some were tortured,

refusing to accept release

so that they might rise again

to a better life.

Others suffered,

mocking and flogging.

And even chains in imprisonment,

they were stoned,

they were sawn in two.

Did you ever realize that?

That in the Hall of Fame

there were people

who were sawn in two.

who had to return their dead,

who refused to go back to freedom

but would rather die

for their Christ.

They went about in skins

of sheep and goats,

destitute,

afflicted,

mistreated,

of whom the world

was not worthy,

wandering about

in deserts and mountains

and in dens

and caves of the earth.

These people made

the Hall of Fame.

And we go around going,

God, why does my job suck?

And then it says

at the very end,

and all these,

though commended

through their faith,

did not receive

what was promised

since God had provided

something better for us

that apart from us

they should not be made perfect.

Can you see that?

Those greats

followed by those

who were sawn in half,

they saw something better.

They didn't see

health and wealth

in this world.

They saw something

far beyond anything

that they could experience

here in this world.

The key,

the final part of this

that really hammers home

for me,

the final verse

of this famous chapter,

since God had provided

something better for us

that apart from us

they should not

be made perfect.

That whole list,

that whole roster

of giants of the faith

would not be complete

without us.

Without you.

Without you, Bill.

We are part of this

Hall of Fame list.

We are to suffer

in the same way

or not.

But to point people

to a better country.

I think we finish now

by asking you,

who do you need

to carry this message to?

Is there someone

in your life

that is really suffering

with terminalness

that is just

grieving

and destitute?

Can you bring hope

for that person?

Maybe you do have

someone who is actually

facing something

that in your eyes

is trivial.

Maybe it is a relationship

that has gone wrong.

Maybe it is something

that is not going well.

Can you be that person

that carries this message

to them and says,

it is okay.

There is hope.

Hebrews 11 flows

into Hebrews 12.

Therefore,

since we are surrounded

by so great

a cloud of witnesses

that also laid aside

every weight

and sin which clings

so closely

that has run

with the endurance,

the race that is set

before us,

looking to Jesus,

the founder

and perfecter

of our faith,

who for the joy

that was set before him

enjoyed the cross,

despising the shame

and is seated

at the right hand

of the throne of God.

That's actually

how Hebrews 11 finishes.

Can we be part

of this group of people

that points people

to a better country?

To sit with them

in their suffering,

to be prepared

for suffering ourselves.

How dare we

profess to follow someone

who was crucified

and then not expect

any trial

and tribulation

ourselves?

We too are part

of this hall of fame.

Let's hold on to that

and have a think.

Have a think who it is

that we need to share

this message of hope with.

Suffering is a part,

an essential part,

a crucial part

of the human existence

but it is temporary.

May the Lord bless you

and keep you

as you go from here.

Please take this message

to those who need

to hear it

that are in your spheres

of influence.

Bless you

and we'll see you

next week.

Thank you.