SLIDES

Why Bad Things Happen to Good People

(Part 3)

For the last couple of the weeks, we have been discussing Why bad things happen to good people? Why do people experience pain, suffering, and problems. The reasons we discussed concerning why people experience pain, suffering, and problems are:

1.    Because of bad decisions people make that have negative consequences.

2. Because the LORD uses them to draw lost people to Himself for salvation.

3.    Because the LORD uses them to encourage and persuade believers to return to Him for fellowship.  

4. Because they help equip believers to comfort those who are suffering. 

Today we are going finish our study of the reasons why people experience pain, suffering, and problems.

The fifth reason people experience pain, suffering and problems is because the LORD uses them to bring good.

Remember the story of Joseph being sold by His brothers into slavery.  He ended up in Egypt and in prison for 12 years.  This was very, very bad.  But then because of different circumstances orchestrated by God, he became the second most powerful man in Egypt.  There came a famine in the Middle East that included the land of Cannan where Jacob and his 11 sons who were living at the time.  Through different circumstances orchestrated by God, Jacob and his 11 sons ended up in Egypt by the invitation of Joseph.  Joseph revealed to his father and his brothers who he was. He forgave his brothers because they sold him into slavery and invited them to live in Egypt during the famine. At the beginning of the book of Exodus, we find that Isarel had been living in Egypt for 400 years.

In any case, the sons of Jacob selling Joseph into slavery was terrible and disgusting. However, as Joseph said in Genesis 50:20, “… you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” Even though a bad thing happened, God used it and turned it into a good thing to allow Jacob and his sons to survive the famine.

In Enterprise, Alabama, there is a most unusual monument erected in a prominent place in town. At the top of the monument is a large statue of a boll weevil.  A man who was from out of town told this story. “When I was in Enterprise for a revival meeting and saw that monument, it struck me as strange, indeed. I used to raise cotton, and I never did feel kindly toward boll weevils. They were a cotton farmer’s nemesis. But then I learned the story of that monument. For years in that part of Alabama cotton had been king, as it was throughout much of the south. Then, in 1919 the boll weevil absolutely wiped out the cotton crops in that area. The farmers decided to try planting peanuts. The peanut crop grew well in that soil. They received a good price for their crop, and so year after year peanuts became their major crop. That county became known as the peanut capital of the world. So, the people erected that monument, which contains the following inscription: “In profound appreciation of the boll weevil, and what it has done as the herald of prosperity, this monument is erected by the citizens of Enterprise, Coffee County, Alabama.” Who would have ever thought that God would have used an ugly, pesky old boll weevil to bring blessing!

In 1977 I applied for a job in a school district that was building a new vocational center. They needed a vocational administrator. I was the only applicant who had a master’s degree in vocational administration, and I was the only applicant who had experience as a vocational administrator. I had been a vocational administrator for five years. Even though I was the only applicant who had a master’s degree in vocational administration and the only one with experience, I did not get the job. At that I had not been saved for long, so I did not understand why I did not get the job since I was the most qualified among the applicants. To make a long story short, I applied for the job in April and in July, the Lord moved a new administrator into the school district. We became friends and he ended up discipling me. The Lord used him to begin teaching me Scripture and to give me a burden for Isarel and the Jewish people. At least from my perspective the Lord used something bad and turned it into something good. The Lord may use something bad or disappointing in our lives to turn out to be something good.

Something may be happening in your life today that is bad or disappointing, but the LORD may turn it into something very good for you. 

Questions and Comments

The sixth reason believers experience pain, suffering and problems is because it gives believers the opportunity to glorify God.

The 12 disciples and other followers of Jesus began to be ridiculed and persecuted when Jesus began His ministry and His claim that He was the Messiah. After Jesus death, burial, and resurrection, we see the reticule and persecution continuing in book of Acts for the disciples and other followers of Jesus. All the 12 Apostles were martyred for their faith except two.

Peter – crucified upside down

Andrew – crucified

James the greater – brother of John. Beheaded or stabbed with a sword by Herod Agrippa.  

Phillip – died a cruel death

Thomas –speared to death by four soldiers

Matthew – stabbed to death

Barthalomew – martyred

Thaddaeus (bother of James the lesser – crucified

James the lesser (son of Alphaeus) - stoned to death

Simon the Zealot – murdered after refusing to offer a sacrifice to a sun god

John – natural death

Judas Iscariot – suicide by hanging

Mattathias – burned to death

Paul – decapitated

All the disciples, but two, were martyred for their faith. The result of them being martyred was that in each case they, they glorified God by staying strong in the faith about Jesus being the Messiah and the Savior of the world who died, was buried, and was resurrected so that all who believe in Him would receive forgiveness of sin and eternal life.

In 1563 John Foxe published a book entitled Fox’s Book of Martyrs which is a history of the lives, suffering and triumphant deaths of the early Christian and the Protestant Martyrs. It is a great read about the death of the Apostles and other Christian leaders.

Peter in 1 Peter 4:12-19 discusses how the persecution and suffering of Christians glorifies God.  First, 1 Peter is specifically written to Messianic Jews who were in the diaspora as we see in 1 Peter 1:1.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

The word aliens mean those who are residing outside of Isarel in a strange or foreign place, sojourning, residing temporarily. The word scattered comes from the Greek word diaspora which means Jews were scattered or dispersed into Gentile nations. The term diaspora is used in the Gospels - John 7:33-35.

33 Therefore Jesus said, “For a little while longer I am with you, then I go to Him who sent Me.

34 “You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.”

35 The Jews then said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He is not intending to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, is He?

The diaspora of the Jews began in 722 BC when the Northern ten tribes of Isarel were forced to go into captivity in Assyria. The second wave of Jews to go into the diaspora was in 586 BC when Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, and his army destroyed the Temple and forced the two southern tribes. Judah and Benjamin, to go into captivity in Babylon.  Of course, the third and greatest scattering into the diaspora was in AD 70 when Tiitus the Roamn General and his army destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem and began to scatter the Jews around the world. The diaspora did not end when Israel became a nation in 1948 for there are mor Jews today scattered around the word than there are in Israel.  The diaspora will end at the Second Coming when God will gather all Jews around from around the world to Isarel. Peter wrote 1 Peter about 64 AD.  Obviously, the scattering of the Jews around the world in AD 70 had not occurred. Now let’s read 1 Peter 4:12.

12    Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange things were happening to you;

Messianic Jews were and are dearly beloved by God and by Peter because they are part of the remnant of Jews who had trusted in Jesus as their Savior. They should certainly not find it strange nor be surprised by the intense suffering that might befall them to test their faith in the Messiah as they lived in the diaspora. Like one Jewish lady told me during our Hanukkah outreach that the persecution and horror of October 7, 2023, in Israel was not the Jewish peoples’ first rodeo. In almost every generation, Jewish people have been harassed or persecuted in some way. Therefore, in Peter’s generation it was no different. These Messianic Jews got a double portion of persecution because they were being persecuted by non-messianic Jews and Gentiles alike.

In verse 12 the word fiery means “an intense degree of some painful occurrence or experience.” It refers to severe suffering that a believer may go through. Most believers who live in America have never experienced server suffering because of their faith in Jesus. Jewish and Gentile believers should also not be surprised when persecution begins to increase from liberal so-called Christians and non-Christian Gentiles. As the United States continues to deteriorate morally, harassment and persecution will increase. This may occur for believers from those who live in their neighborhood, in their office, at school, by the government, and many other places.

Let’s now read verse 13.

but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.

Both Peter and James exhorted Jewish believers in Jesus to continually rejoice during suffering for their faith regardless of the degree of that suffering. The result for the exhortation to continually rejoice during suffering is so that at the revelation of Jesus Christ they may exceeding rejoice and shout for joy. The word revelation means to uncover. This may refer to the Rapture but maybe also refer to the Second Coming. If we rejoice while being persecuted, we will be able to be exceedingly joyful at the Rapture.

14    If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

15    Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a btroublesome meddler;

If someone demeans you, mocks you, reviles you as a way of shaming, you stand firm for Jesus, consider yourself blessed because it is evident that the Holy Spirit is in you and guiding you and that you are a witness for Christ.

Peter mentions several ways in which a believer can suffer that differs from a believer suffering for standing for Christ. He mentions one can suffer as a murderer, a thief, or an evildoer.   There are probably not any murderers, thieves, or evildoers in this class, but could there be any troublesome meddlers?  Do any of you meddle in other people’s affairs or in things that do not concern you? Are you a busybody? Well, if you are, Peter says cease and desist. In 1 Timothy 5:13 Paul also talks about the destruction that busybodies can do. Being a busybody is not good for the individual believer nor for anyone in the class.

16    but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.

If you are persecuted and suffer by being:

•   avoided

•   ridiculed

•   mocked

•   isolated

•   ignored

•   neglected

•   overlooked

•   by-passed

•   cursed

•   questioned

•   abused

•   mistreated

•   slandered

•   persecuted

•   imprisoned

•   martyred

You should not be ashamed. Being ashamed is difficult for most people to deal with. It can be very humiliating many times. But Peter tells the Messianic Jews he is writing to, and us today by application, that instead of being ashamed while suffering or being persecuted, let us view it as glorifying God instead.

17    For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

18    And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?

In 1 Peter 1:6-7 Peter referred to persecution and suffering as trials that refine and prove one’s faith. Now he added that God allows persecutions as disciplinary judgment to purify the lives of those in the Christian Community. If believers need disciplinary earthly disciplinary action for disobedience, how much more will those who do not obey the gospel by trusting in Jesus as their Savior who are ungodly and unforgiven sinners, deserve everlasting judgment? This can be said of the non-Messianic Jewish community 2000 years ago and can be said of Jewish and Gentile nonbelievers today who live in the 21st century. Now let’s read verse 19.

19    Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

Jewish Believers 2000 years ago could be sure that they were being called on to suffer according to God’s will they were suffering solely because they bore Christ’s name. Believers can be sure of that same thing today. Peter encouraged suffering saints, then and now, to endure through the exercise of Christlike faith. Just as Christ trusted Himself to His Father, so believers should entrust, an accounting term that means “to deposit or entrust,” themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

Questions or Comments

Other reasons why believers experience pain, suffering and problems:

A.  Sometimes, if it were not for pain, we would not know we were sick.

B.   To show us that we humans are weak and mortal beings who need God.

C.  To encourage us to examine our hearts.

D.  To humble us and to help us overcome pride in our lives.

E.   To refine and purify our faith. (Peter 1:6-7; James 1)

F.   Sometimes we may never know why we experience pain, suffering and problems.

Job suffered more than anyone recorded in the Bible.  He lost all his possessions to include livestock, all his children, and he became very, very sick for a long time.  He had a choice of cursing God or depending on Him every day to help him.  Job asked God why, but He never got a response. Also, during the entire ordeal, He never cursed God.

Even though God never told Job the reason for his suffering, He did tell him that He created everything, and that Job created nothing. God told Him to trust Him because He was the creator of everything, and He was in complete control of everything. Job did exactly that. He trusted God. 

Suffering, pain, and problems can occur for many reasons that we have seen.  Suffering, pain, and problems allows us to trust God daily. He wants us to trust Him and depend on Him. That is the most prudent thing we can do for the remainder of our lives.

SELAH