The Resurrection and the Life

“Why do bad things happen?” No doubt this is a question that all of us have asked. Intellectually, we are troubled by the things that go on in this world.

“Why do bad things happen to me?” Again, another question that I’m sure most of us have asked. Emotionally, we are troubled by the fact that we experience trouble and hardship – even though we do all that we can to remain faithful to God.

As a result, we ask yet another question… “Why doesn’t God fix things?” That is its basic form, but it can come in other forms as well… “Why did you let this happen?” “I don’t understand why this happened.” Or it could even be a bit more antagonistic… “If you loved me, this would not have happened.” “If you were really God, you would not allow such evil in the world.”

There are no easy answers to these questions. There are, of course, Sunday School answers, but without faith, those answers may ring hollow. It is easy to say “God has a plan… a purpose… we just don’t understand it.” In times of crisis, however, that doesn’t help much … UNLESS… you’ve prepared yourself in advance so that you know God’s plan and your faith is prepared for the crisis before it happens.

John chapter 11 helps us with that faith – and shows us that plan. We will not always see the plan in the moment of crisis, but we must have faith that it is there. When Lazarus died, Mary and Martha could not see the plan. They just thought Jesus abandoned them in their time of need. Obviously, he was not. Rather, he was working out God’s plan.

And lest you think otherwise, God’s plan was not to raise Lazarus from the dead. The plan is the same as it always has been. The raising of Lazarus was just one part of that plan – a necessary moment of suffering to accomplish a greater purpose – God’s purpose.

As with everything else that has happened since the beginning of time, God is working out his grand plan. A three dimensional plan:

To Glorify Himself
To Increase Man’s Faith (for the purpose of salvation)
To Prepare Man for Eternity in Glory (and the resurrection of the dead)

How is this plan accomplished in the suffering you experience? I honestly don’t know. Perhaps you will know one day, but maybe you will never know until we ourselves reach Glory. But I do know this. God gave us a very real example of another family’s suffering and then specifically showed them how their suffering accomplished this plan. Then, just in case there was any doubt left, he demonstrated his power over life and death.

Jesus truly is the resurrection and the life. To hear more about this, click on the link below to listen to this week’s sermon.

I AM The Resurrection
http://www.box.net/shared/dovzxxdwg8