Why Do Good Things Happen to Bad People?
Introduction:
God knows our weakness - that we are prone to worry when we don't get rewarded while the wicked reap rewards from their sin. Unrestrained by Christian morals and scruples, some people seem to score all the wealth and self-indulgence they desire. Looking at their gains, we start to question why we obey, why we deny ourselves. Our faithfulness seems pointless.
- "Where is the reward of my good life?" writes Augustine, capturing our basic frustration. "Where is the wage of my service? I live well and am in need; and the unjust man abounds"
- (Expositions on the Psalms 73.15). That sort of attitude moves quickly from anxiety to envy. But, as with the outrage and fear we feel, the Scripture speaks directly to this impulse as well.
- "I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked," says the psalmist.
- Why? Because they are "always at ease" and "have increased in wealth." And it's not just the prosperity of the wicked. We could envy their power and luxury, their easy access to sex and pleasure. We could envy all the signs and trappings of the good life in this world.
- "Surely," says the psalmist with a fatal resignation, "in vain I have kept my heart pure. . ." (73.3, 12-13).
The envy we feel exposes our own sinfulness.
But surprisingly, the Scripture reveals our hearts without much condemnation. Rather, it acknowledges the feeling we have, identifies it as a trap, and then warns us - repeatedly - to back away from the ledge.
- Now let me ask you a question: What is Life all about?
- We are here for such a short time and then we die!
- There are things in life that we don't understand!
- There are circumstance that we cannot control!
- Yet there are Joys unspeakable and full of Glory! Life is full of mystery, Misery, and magnificence, but it doesn't seem to make sense.
Our General text: Romans 8:28-39
In Romans 8 we will find that God will bring an increase in clarity and we can learn something magnificent from it as well. We will learn about the Amazing Grace of God in all and through it all.
Some time back a man by the name of Harold S. Kushner wrote a Book entitled "Why do bad things happen to Good People?" There is only one thing wrong with the title of the Book... There are no good people.
Let's Read: Luke 18:18-19
A ruler questioned Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
Let's Read: Romans 3:9-11
What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD.
Let's Read: Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.
In and of ourselves there are NO Good People!
Today In today's message we have reversed that title to say:" Why do Good things happen to Bad People?"
- Good things Happen to Bad People which shows us the Grace of God.
- That is to say everything good in our lives is the Grace of God in spite of our sinfulness.
Why do Good things happen to sinners such as us?
Well we are going to find a divine plan, an incredible promise and four things I pray the Holy Ghost will etch indelibly on your heart... Four things about you if you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior.
#1- I am graced with a grace (A God Purpose)
Romans 8:28-31
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
That's Right, God Has a Purpose!
Benjamin Disraeli Said" Youth is a Blunder, Manhood is a struggle, and Old Age is a regret. That is the voice of a cynic!
But what is the voice of the Apostle Paul? He is saying God has a purpose!
- Now what is God's Purpose?
- Why Did He Create the Universes?
- Why did He plan the Planet Earth?
- Why did God Create Adam and Eve and all their progeny?
- Why did the Lord Jesus step out of Heaven and come to earth?
- Why did He suffer, bleed and die on a cruel cross?
- Why did he walk out of that grave and ascend to the glories of Heaven?
- Why has He forgiven your sins and why are we here? What is the eternal Purpose of God?
Do you want to know? Would you like to see it?
Well we are all graced with a Purpose and it is to be made in the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ! To be made conformable to the image of His son.
Why does God want you and me to be made into the image of His son?
Let's read it again. Romans 8: 28 and we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
Well When God Created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden they were perfect, they were made in His Image and could know God, Fellowship with Him and Worship Him until they disobeyed God. Then the perfection and the image of God was marred.
But why did Jesus come to the cross? He did it to restore the image by taking away the sin of the world.
Romans 5: 17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Jesus restores us by:
- Regeneration: We are saved when we believe and trust in Him, then we are made partakers of the divine nature when we receive the Holy Ghost!
- Sanctification: as the Spirit works in us to make us more and more like Jesus Christ.
- Glorification: as one day Hallelujah when Jesus comes in Glorification we two will in the twinkling of and eye be given a glorified body. The image of God completely restored.
Now do you want to know how you are doing in your Christian Life? Would you like to check?
Question: Are you becoming more like Jesus? That's it!
I didn't ask you if you are becoming more like Brother Ron or if you are happy at Crosswinds. No the question is, are you having God's purpose fulfilled in you? Are you becoming more like Jesus in every way?
- Now God our Father is not primarily concerned with making you healthy, or wealthy or popular. God's foremost plan is that you become like the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Now if you if you are healthy or wealthy or popular, give thanks to God.
- But you might ask; "Pastor, what if God's purpose in me is not fulfilled!
Friend, if you are born again, it will be fulfilled, you can bank on it!
You have been graced with God's purpose and "He who began a good work in you will perform it"-
Philippians 1:6
Look at Romans 8:30
And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Now did you know that it is already settled, you are going to be like Jesus! The Heavenly Council has already determined it.
God has Pastor Ron's destination predetermined, He predetermined me to be like Jesus Christ!
Now let me pause right here to say parenthetically, God never predetermines anyone to go to hell! Never!
Predestination never deals with the lost but the Saved!
Romans 8: 29For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become
conformed to the image of His Son.
When God saw me receiving Jesus Christ as my Lord and personal savior, He predestined me to be Like Jesus!
Predestined means it is already done in the heart and mind of God.
Well you say, does that mean I don't have to make any choices?
- We all make lots of choices every day! Some bad, some good, some neutral.
- Once, Sheila and I flew to Phoenix Az. on a 747. While we were in the plane we made many small decisions, whether to read, what we would drink, what we would eat, whether to write a sermon... but none of these decisions changed the fact that the jet left the Atlanta airport and was predestined for the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport. Nothing changed our direction or our destiny!
#1 We are Graced with His Purpose
#2 We are guided by His providence
Romans 8: 28 and we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren...
For is a preposition and this particular preposition in the Greek Language means we are moving toward a goal... It implies movement toward an object. God has a plan in mind for you and me.
When we use the word providence, what does providence imply?
Pro: which means ahead of time and video or vide which means to see an event before it gets here.
- God sees ahead and He moves everything toward the goal He has in mind. That my friend is Providence.
- We don't always see ahead or understand what God is doing, but we don't live by explanations but by promises.
- Now having said that, don't get the idea that everything is God's will. Murder, rape, perversion, racial hatred, adultery, sodomy, Idolatry are certainly not God's will.
- The Bible tells us that all men have a will and an evil heart.
- But where God does not rule He over Rules
and God is still in charge!
Sometimes you'll know that God will engineer by providence...circumstances that may seem to you evil but they are far from evil as they move you closer to the Image and purpose of God.
God just has the most wonderful plan for you.
Ephesians 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:
#1 We are Graced by His Purpose
#2 We are guided by God's Providence
# 3 we are guarded by His Power
Let's look at Romans 8:31
what then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
This does not mean that if we serve the Lord Jesus Christ people will automatically honor us. The lost of the world will cut your head off if they get a chance...
The Idea here is that Jesus being in your place, He died for you and is your substitute. Think about it this way... who can stand against the one who stands for you.
Now Satan wants you to doubt and to have questions in your mind. (I.E. The Garden) See Genesis 3: 1
HATH GOD SAID?
Satan even had the audacity to ask God about His Faithfulness to Job. See Job 1:9
Doth Job serve God for Naught?
Five Questions Satan Cannot answer!
1- If God be for me Devil, Who can be against me?
Romans 8:31 Who Can Be Against Us? (No Intimidation)
See Isaiah 41:13 For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand, Who says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you.' 14"Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel; I will help you," declares the LORD, "and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
Jesus is in my place and I may be a worm but He is almighty!
2- How shall he not with Him freely give us all things? (No Deprivation)
Romans 8:32He who spared not His own son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall he not with Him freely give us all things?
You see God loves you! He loves you so much He gave up His only Begotten son... the Logic of Paul is that if you have his son you can have his stuff too.
If God gave up His greatest gift (Jesus) then why would he hold back any good thing from those who love him and are called according to His purpose? He gave His son while we were still sinners.
3- Who is qualified to accuse you?
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? (No Incrimination)
See Rev. 12: Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. 11They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
Who is qualified to accuse you? Satan will try
Colossians 2:13-15 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him....
Romans 4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
4- Who can condemn us?(No Condemnation)
Romans 8:34
Who is he that condemneth?
It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Yes, people used by Satan will try to condemn you, but they are not qualified! Has anyone ever told you to go to Hell? Listen friend, because of Jesus Christ we do not have to!
Hebrews 7: 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
5- Who can separate us? (No Separation)
Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
There is nothing Stan can do to separate you from the Love of God!
Finally and in closing:
#1 We are Graced by His Purpose
#2 We are guided by God's Providence
# 3 we are guarded by His Power
# 4- We are gladdened by God's Presence
Matthew 28:19-20
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Let us Pray!
