“Where was God when Haiti Happened?”

Jan.24, 2010 1Cor.15:20-28  Play AUDIO (mp3)  Play VIDEO (wmv)

●    NIGHTMARISH POST-QUAKE CLEANUP

    ○    distressing loss of life causes people to have religious doubts

●    TOOLS FOR THE JOURNEY

    ○    God’s Word like a flashlight / hammer (3f; Mt 24:35; Jer 23:29)
    ○    reason like a 6' tape measure - has its limits (Mt 22:37)
    ○    conscience a bubble-level or stud-finder (Rom 2:15)
    ○    witness of other believers / ‘tradition’ - tool-set (3,5-8)
    ○    Jesus’ redemptive victory - our Master Carpenter/coach (3ff, 24ff)

●    WHICH OF THESE THREE DOES NOT BELONG?

    ○    seeming conflict between God’s power, God’s goodness, and the presence of evil
    ○    “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good” (1Chron 16:34; Ps 118:29, 136:1; 145:9; Ex 34:6)
    ○    the Father ‘Almighty’ - nothing impossible for Him (Rev 19:6; Ps 147:5; 2Chron 20:6; Dan 4:35; Lk 1:37; Gen 18:14)
    ○    attempt to limit God makes Him not worthy of worship
    ○    evil not an illusion; moral outrage points to existence of absolute point of reference

●    NOT JUST CHATTY DOLLS

    ○    evil corollary of free will for Adam & Eve: ‘death came through a man’ (1Cor 15:21f; Rom 8:20ff)
    ○    sinners suffer from ‘misplaced locus of amazement’: suppose we deserve better (Lk 13:4; Mt 6:34)

●    VICTORY OF THE VICTIM

    ○    Jesus died and rose so we’re not still lost in our sins (17, 21)
    ○    God allowed sin even though knew He’d suffer as a victim to make us victors
    ○    final victory awaits Christ’s return: time necessary in the equation (24ff)

●    REDEMPTIVELY BRINGING GOOD OUT OF EVIL

    ○    God causes all things to work together for good - i.e. conforming us to Jesus’ likeness (Rom 8:28f)
    ○    present sufferings not worth comparing to future glory and honour (Rom 8:18; 1Pet 1:6f)

●    KEEP TRUSTING THE BOSS - WHILE WAITING

    ○    spunky 69-year-old survived week in rubble by praying – models trust for us (Gen 18:25)