WHY SUFFERING?

SCRIPTURE: ROM. 8:28.

I. (SIN & ITS INFLUENCE EXIST)

  1. REVIEW SETTING OF HUMAN CONDITION.
  2. ORIGINALLY: PERFECT. GEN. 1:31 (IT WAS VERY GOOD.)
  3. CREATED WITH POWER OF CHOICE.

1. FREELY GIVEN SERVICE:

ONLY SERVICE OF ANY VALUE.

2. GOD WANTS TO SHARE CONSCIOUS EXISTENCE WITH INTELLIGENT BEINGS.

  1. MAN CHOOSES TO DISOBEY.
  2. SIN ENTERS HUMAN RACE.
  3. SIN= TRANSGRESSION OF LAW. 1 JOHN3:4.
  4. EZE. 18: 4 – SOUL THAT SINSSHALL DIE.
  5. ALL HAVE SINNED- ROM. 3:23.
  6. PAIN USUALLY PRECEDES DEATH AS BODY DETERIORATES.
  7. THEREFORE: WE LIVE IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF SIN, WHICH CONTAMINATES OUR SOULS AND BODIES AND LEADS TO SUFFERING, FOLLOWED BY DEATH.
  8. SOIL, WATER, & AIR POLLUTED.
  9. MORAL ATMOSPHERE POLLUTED BY SOCIETY DEDICATED TO PLEASURE AND ATTEMPTING TO DO AWAY WITH A DIVINE CREATOR AND DESIGNER.
  10. ATTEMPTING TO DO AWAY WITH A PERSONAL GOD.
  11. ATTEMPTING TO SET UP A POSITION WITH NO CREATOR/JUDGE SO THAT THEY ARE FREE TO CHOOSE WHATEVER LIFESTYLE THEY WISH.
  12. TEN COMMANDMENTS VIRTUALLY IGNORED, ESPECIALLY THE FIRST AND FOURTH.

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II. (CHOOSING TO SUFFER FOR SAKE OF OTHERS)

  1. CHRIST SUFFERS & DIES ON CROSS FOR EACH ONE HERE.
  1. CHRIST CHOSE TO SUFFER FOR OTHERS.
  2. LOVE- BASIS FOR CHOICE.
  3. SOME TYPES OF LOVE:
  4. PHILEO- BETWEEN CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
  5. EROS- PHYSICAL LOVE SUCH AS THAT BETWEEN A HUSBAND AND WIFE.
  6. STORAGE- FAMILY LOVE SUCH AS THAT BETWEEN A MOTHER AND CHILD.
  7. THEOL- BENEVOLENT LOVE.
  8. AGAPE- SELFLESS, UNCONDITIONAL.
  1. WITHOUT SPILLING OF BLOOD, NO REMISSION (FORGIVENESS) OF SIN: HEB. 9: 21,22. (READ)
  2. BLOOD MAKES ATONEMENT FOR MAN’S SINS. LEV. 17:11.
  3. PASSOVER LAMB: QUALITIES:
  4. PERFECT PHYSICALLY.
  5. SYMBOL OF INNOCENCE.
  6. MALE- CHOSEN ON 10TH OF ABIB (AW-BEEB) FIRST MONTH OF JEWISH YEAR.
  7. KILLED – ON 14TH OF ABIB
  8. BLOOD SPRINKLED ON DOORPOST & LINTEL.
  9. BLED TO DEATH.
  10. BONES NOT BROKEN.
  11. ROASTED AND EATEN ON 14TH, ABOUT SUNDOWN.
  12. CHRIST OUR PASSOVER SLAIN ONCE FOR ALL: 1 PETER 3:18.
  13. WHY WOULDN’T ANIMAL SACRIFICES DO PERMANENTLY?
  14. THE SACRIFICE MUST BE PERFECT:
  15. PHYSICALLY.
  16. SPIRITUALLY/MORALLY.
  17. MUST DEMONSTRATE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO LIVE WITHOUT SIN.
  18. CHRIST- HEB. 4:15: INALL POINTS TEMPTED AS WE.
  19. LIVED AS HUMAN FOR SOME 33 YEARS, OVERCOMING EVERY TEMPTATION.
  20. CHRIST BECAME MAN AND PROVED THAT KEEPING HIS LAW IS POSSIBLE.
  21. ANIMAL SACRIFICES COULD NOT PROVE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO KEEP GOD’S LAW, THE DECALOGUE.

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  1. JOB: TREATED UNJUSTLY FROM HUMAN VIEW, BUT FOR A DIVINE PURPOSE.
  2. SATAN CHALLENGES GOD AT AN INTERPLANETARY CONFERENCE.
  3. YOU ARE NOT LOVEABLE- WANTING TO JUSTIFY HIS OWN REBELLION.
  4. THERE IS NO MAN THAT IS FAITHFUL TO YOU!
  5. GOD- JOB? (SEVERAL TIMES CALLS JOB A “PERFECT MAN.”)
  6. HE IS FAITHFUL BECAUSE HE IS SO BLESSED, SATAN CLAIMS.
  7. SATAN SAYS- REMOVE HIS WEALTH AND HE WILL “CURSE YOU TO YOUR FACE.”
  8. GOD- SAYS, TAKE ALL, BUT NOT HIS LIFE.
  9. LOSES: ANIMALS, WEALTH, FAMILY, AND HEALTH (BOILS).
  10. I WOULD LIKE A CONFERENCE WITH GOD- TELL HIM A THING OR TWO.
  11. WIFE- CURSE GOD AND DIE. (SPEAK AS ONE OF THE FOOLISH WOMEN.) SHALL I RECEIVE GOOD FROM THE HAND OF GOD AND NOT EVIL?
  12. JOB’S FAITHFULNESS REVEALS SATAN’S LIE AND CONFIRMS GOD’S CONTENTION THAT HE IS A LOVEABLE GOD.
  13. JOB’S KEY LESSON- TRUST GOD UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.
  14. GOD’S WAYS ARE FAR ABOVE OUR KNOWING; THEREFORE, WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITIES OF HUMAN EXISTENCE, INCLUDING HUMAN SUFFERING.
  15. HIS WEALTH AND FAMILY ARE FINALLY RESTORED DOUBLY.

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  1. LUKE 15: 11-32. WAYWARD,FOOLISH SON.
  2. SUFFERING BROUGHT ON BY FOOLISH DECISIONS.
  3. SHOWS THAT WE OFTEN BRING SUFFERING UPON OURSELVES.
  4. WHO ARE YOU THIS MORNING?
  5. THE PRODIGAL SON?
  6. THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS OLDER SON (THE PHARISEE)?
  7. ONE OF THE SERVANTS, REJOICING THAT THE LOST SON HAS RETURNED TO HIS FATHER?
  8. ARE YOU BRINGING PAIN AND SUFFERING UPON YOURSELF AND OTHERS CLOSE TO YOU?
  9. IF SO, RETURN TO YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS AND POWER TO OVERCOME TEMPTATION.

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CONCLUSION: WE HAVE FOUND THATSUFFERING HAS AT LEAST 4 SOURCES:

  1. HUMAN CONDITION- SIN BRINGS SUFFERING AND DEATH.
  2. SUFFERING FOR OTHERS.
  3. SUFFERING FOR A CAUSE WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
  4. SUFFERING BECAUSE OF UNWISE CHOICES.

THEREFORE: TRUST AND OBEY IN ORDER TO BE HAPPY IN JESUS.

READ WORDS OF HYMN- “TRUST AND OBEY.”