WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE?

Sermon Notes, September 23, 2012

Pastor Kelly Padgett

Pastor Kelly’s sermon was based on the book of Job, and was an answer to one of the big questions we hear when sharing our faith: “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Short answer, because sin is in the world.  But we need to explore the terms: what is bad?  Tragedy? Something we don’t like?  Bad to whom?  What is good?  Compared to whom? To God?   Job’s life is a symbol of Jesus’ life.

In the Old Testament, the Tabernacle was God’s portable dwelling place. There was the outer court (for everyone), the altar (where the priests offered sacrifices daily), and the Holy of Holies (containing the Ark, where a priest was allowed once a year). The tabernacle is a representation of the heart of man.  Sin ejects God from the Holy of Holies.  Sanctification is God taking over the heart.  God cannot exist with sin.

In Job 1, we see that Job is a good guy—blameless and upright.  God allowed things to happen to him for the rest of the story.  One thing we see is that Satan isn’t everywhere.  The only way he has power is we give it to him.  Take back the power: Jesus said “It is finished.” He has defeated Satan.  Job loses everything—his wealth, his family, his health—but he did not sin. His wife tells him to curse God and die, and his friends “comforted” him, giving him reasons why he’s suffering. In Job 7:19, Job tells God to back off, to leave him alone.  Then in Job 9, he asks “Where are you?”  

Job rebukes his friends when they tell him he’s suffering because he has sinned.  Shortly after Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ in Matthew 16, Jesus rebuked his friend when Peter said Jesus would not be killed.  We see that we are to rebuke those who are lying to us, just as Job did, and just as Jesus did

In Chapter 19, Job tells God He’s wronged him, and that he’s angry with Him.  When Job exhausted human solutions, only God was left. In chapter 38, Job tells God, “Just kill me already.”  If you’ve got the guts to challenge God, be ready for His answer.

God talks to Job out of a storm.  “Who are you?  Were you there when I spoke the world into existence?  You listen to me!”  God explains why Job should listen.  In Chapter 40 God says, “Let him who accuses God answer him!  Stand up, put your clothes on and listen—you started this, now listen to me.”

Job answers in Chapter 42.  “I spoke before I knew what to say.  I had heard of you; now I see you.  I repent.”

We are the tabernacle of God today, His dwelling place. We carry God’s power into the world.  After seeing God, all we can do is repent.  Our trials are vehicles for grace.

When the trials were through, Job helped his friends.  We, too, are to deal with trials, and when we’re through, we’re to help others.  Our lives are living sacrifices.