"Suffering and Questions", Traditions

10-11-20Sermon Notes“Suffering and Questions”
I can think of nothing that pulls up questions from deep inside of us like suffering! When things are going really well, nobody sits around and asks deep questions…like “Why, God?” Well – except for that old Kris Kristofferson song that I really like…
Why me Lord, what have I ever done
To deserve even one
Of the pleasures I've known?
Tell me Lord, what did I ever do
That was worth loving you
Or the kindness you've shown?
Anyway – let things really start to fall apart and all of the sudden we are questioning everything. And the same suffering that causes some people to run toward God causes other people to turn their back on God. I hear people say, “I don’t see how anyone could make it through this without their faith in God.” And I hear people say, “If there truly is a God, then why is there so much trouble/hate/crime/suffering, etc… in the world?” This is not just a philosophical question…it really does hurt. Why is life sometimes…unfair?
Take Job for instance. He was a really good guy! Job 1: 1 says that Job was “perfect and upright.” That doesn’t mean he was sinless – nobody but Jesus can claim that. But it does mean that he was complete and mature in character, and that he had integrity in his conduct. And then, BAM!
When Job lost all his possessions and all his children, his wife (who was obviously shell-shocked) said this to him:
9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die.” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2: 9-10 NRSV)
Job’s wife asks an interesting question that we might want to really take to heart: “Do you still persist in your integrity?” Even in the face of suffering and loss? Even when your heart is broken in two?
This Sunday, we will talk about some of the questions that suffering brings out of us. Of course, we will look at, “Why?” But we will also look at some other questions that may be more important than that one. This Sunday, we will also celebrate Children’s Sabbath, so our children will be doing some special things in our in-person worship services. If you would rather join us online via Facebook Live or YouTube or Sermon.net – welcome!
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Sam