“Why doesn't God do something about the mess the world is in?”
Point One: Personal testimony of my Granddad dying of cancer and praying with seeming no answer.
· A good question? Philiosophical. Four views of the world for a student, however it is quite subjective.
Point Two: Different views as to whether the ‘world is in a mess’.
A. Could not care less: Hedonism (Hedonism is the philosophy that pleasure is of ultimate importance, the most important pursuit. The name derives from the Greek word for "delight" (ἡδονισμός hēdonismos from ἡδονή hēdonē "pleasure",
B. The world is getting better: Political optimism, evolutionary development
· The 20th century began with great optimism, expecting world peace and prosperity. They claimed regarding the Titanic ‘Even God cannot sink this ship”.
C. The World is getting worse: environment, wars, greed, famine
The twentieth century and two world wars teach that the world seems to roll from one mess to the next with a ‘survival of the fittest’ mentality. She’ll be right unless the problems affect me personally.
WW1:1914-1918 with over 11million casualties
WW2: 1939-1945 with over 58 million casualties (Russia 25+ million, China 11+ million, Germany 7+ million, Poland 6+ million).
Idi Amin: Ugandan Military dictator 1971-79, his rule was characterized by human rights abuses, political repression, ethnic persecution, extrajudicial killings and the expulsion of Asians from Uganda. The number of people killed as a result of his regime is unknown: estimates from human rights groups range from 100,000 to 500,000.
The Killing Fields in Cambodia: The Kamher Rouge regime executed 200, 000 but as a result of their causing famine and disease 1.4-2.2 million died out of a population of about only 7 million.
Aids: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome where in 2007 AIDS is now a pandemic with 33+ million infected worldwide and killed about 2.1 million people of which 330k+ were children.
The Credit Crisis, North Korea, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia….
George Santayana:
“Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it”.
George Bernard Shaw:
We learn from history that we learn nothing from history.
D. The world has a problem called Sin and God is the answer.
True Christians should be sober as a result of their view of sin and the sinfulness of mankind.
Point 3: Sin explains the mess the world is in.
What is Sin? Romans 3: 13-15 (Not living for the glory of the Triune God)
Where did sin come from?
How does God view sin?
A new question: Why is the world not in more of a mess?
Point 4: Why Doesn’t God do something about the mess the world is in?
Answer: He has! These are historical facts and even ordinary shepherds saw him.
2000 years ago in Bethlehem
Luke 2:8 ¶ And in the same region there were [some] shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
10 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people;
11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Sinless life
Pilate watched over the case and trial of Jesus and declared "I find no guilt in Him”.
Death, burial and resurrection
1Co 15:1 ¶ Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;
7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;
8 and last of all, as it were to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.
Personal Testimony at the University of Birmingham
Corrie Ten Boom: Illustration of the rug to explain the prisoner of war camp.
What is our response?
Mark 1:15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
2 comments:
Hi Kevin
"Answer: He has! These are historical facts ......."
I think this is a great answer to the question.
God Bless
Jem
This was a difficult subject to prepare for, especially when you consider that we were dealing with an audience that was maybe 25% non-Christian. They had the opportunity to ask deep and challenging questions afterwards. They were mainly people who were looking for intelligent and authentic answers.
I definately feel that this kind of a format with a buffet meal is an intelligent way to reach out to a certain section of unbelievers. I am fully behind inviting people to church but sometimes they need more of an intelligent answer than just cannon-balling them with a message to "Repent".
We have to remember that our audience is different to the one Jesus preached to. Israelites were Bible informed citizens with a general knowledge of God. Many people in the UK are ignorant atheists, hostile to anything that will challenge their personal opinions.
Kevin
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