Thursday April 2, 2015

Read Mark 15

 Finally and most importantly God doesn’t stand aloof from our suffering. He doesn’t turn a blind eye. He doesn’t pretend.  God actually took on our suffering upon Himself.

When mankind disobeyed God for the first time God said that death would enter the world. Evil, suffering and anguish followed. God also said that every act of disobedience required punishment. If we take Romans 3:23 seriously then we all deserve punishment. But what did God do? He sent His own Son Jesus into the world to bear the punishment that every act of disobedience required.  The truly innocent one suffered like none of us have ever suffered. When Jesus died a horrid death on the cross He cried out ‘My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?’

The result?  Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Or take 1 Peter 3:18 ‘For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.’ John 3:16 puts it another way, ‘For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.’

You can have a personal relationship with God through Jesus. You can have a sure hope of entering the new, perfect creation when Jesus comes to judge the world. You can be one of God’s children right now!

 Conclusion:

The Bible assures us that suffering and evil will come to an end. We are assured that God has been and is, working things towards that great day when all things will be renewed without evil and suffering.

We read of that new creation in the book of John’s Revelation.(21:3-7)

‘And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.  ... To Him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be His God and he will be my son.”

But note the outcome for those who persist in evil and rebellion against God. In Revelation we also read (21:8)

‘But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur.’

Rest assured God will deal with the problem of evil and suffering. He already has. When His own Son Jesus died upon the cross 2,000 years ago evil suffered defeat. This Jesus was resurrected to life and now reigns as judge of the world. When He returns He will bring with Him that new and perfect creation that you and I know we were meant for. When He comes, God will dwell with us and no evil will be present, nor will it ever come to mind.

That paradise is waiting for you. You can start to enjoy its benefits right now by submitting your life to Jesus and by giving your life to Him.