Why Does God Allow Suffering?

Notes: Why Does God Allow Suffering?
Greg Laurie
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Series: Life: the Gospel of John
John 9
Music: Harvest Worship Band

We all have questions.

John 9:1-7 NLT
[1] As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. [2] "Rabbi," his disciples asked him, "why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?" [3] "It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins," Jesus answered. "This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. [4] We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. [5] But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world." [6] Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man's eyes. [7] He told him, "Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam" (Siloam means "sent"). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!

Some Jews of that day believed in reincarnation. Karma teaches that good deeds are rewarded and bad deeds are punished. That is Hindu teachings of today.

Christians understand that a soul comes at conception.

Psalm 139:13-16 NLT
[13] You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. [14] Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous-how well I know it. [15] You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. [16] You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

The disciples asked why God allows sufferings.

C.S. Lewis said that pain is the atheist most powerful weapon against the faith.

Can physical suffering on this earth be a result of sin? Yes and no. The sin of Adam and Eve has had repercussions on all of us.

Bad things just happen, they don't always have to have a cause and effect.

1. Corrective Suffering 

God will allow or even send some pain in our lives to get our attention.

Sickness can come as a result of our sin.

Sometimes we bring pain on ourselves.

Hebrews 12:5-6 NLT
[5] And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, "My child, don't make light of the LORD's discipline, and don't give up when he corrects you. [6] For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child."

2. Consecutive Suffering

2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT
[17] For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

Paul had his thorn in the flesh.

3. There is sickness and tragedy allowed to glorify God.

Joni Ericsson Tads is a champion of the faith as she is in a wheelchair. 

Nick Voicich with no arms or legs lives in Gods glory.

John 9:3-4 NLT
[3] "It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins," Jesus answered. "This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. [4] We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.

Isaiah 53:4-5 NLT
[4] Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! [5] But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

1 Peter 2:24 NLT
[24] He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.

God can heal. Does God heal everyone, no.

Don't ever be afraid of "thy will be done."

Maybe God is just waiting for you to ask Him for help.

John 9:6-7 NLT
[6] Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man's eyes. [7] He told him, "Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam" (Siloam means "sent"). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!

Jesus changed the way healed people so that we can focus on God and not God's methodology.

John 9:10-17 NLT
[10] They asked, "Who healed you? What happened?" [11] He told them, "The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.' So I went and washed, and now I can see!" [12] "Where is he now?" they asked. "I don't know," he replied. [13] Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, [14] because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. [15] The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, "He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!" [16] Some of the Pharisees said, "This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath." Others said, "But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?" So there was a deep division of opinion among them. [17] Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, "What's your opinion about this man who healed you?" The man replied, "I think he must be a prophet."

The entire life of Jewish people revolved around the synagogue.

John 9:24-28 NLT
[24] So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, "God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner." [25] "I don't know whether he is a sinner," the man replied. "But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!" [26] "But what did he do?" they asked. "How did he heal you?" [27] "Look!" the man exclaimed. "I told you once. Didn't you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?" [28] Then they cursed him and said, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses!

Classic statement: John 9:25 NLT
[25] "I don't know whether he is a sinner," the man replied. "But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!"

No one is a greater authority on what has happened to you, then you. Can you tell others that, once you were blind and now you can see?

God did not give us the gospel to horde it, He gave us the gospel to share it.

John 9:35-41 NLT
[35] When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" [36] The man answered, "Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him." [37] "You have seen him," Jesus said, "and he is speaking to you!" [38] "Yes, Lord, I believe!" the man said. And he worshiped Jesus. [39] Then Jesus told him, "I entered this world to render judgment-to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind." [40] Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, "Are you saying we're blind?" [41] "If you were blind, you wouldn't be guilty," Jesus replied. "But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.

Religion turned the blind man away, Jesus took him in.