GOD'S KINDNESS IN ALLOWING ADVERSITY (44 OF 48)
Scripture: Genesis 42:1-38, Genesis 43:1-34, Genesis 44:1-13
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God's Kindness in Allowing Adversity (44 of 48)
Series: Kingdom Foundations - Genesis
Patrick Edwards
Genesis 42:1-44:13
Introduction
I want you to take your sermon outlines this morning, or just glance up here at the screens, and take a look at our title this morning: God's kindness in allowing adversity. No that's not a typo or a mistake: God's kindness in allowing adversity. The reason I call your attention to it this morning is because perhaps there is no more illogical statement to the human mind and heart then this one I've made this morning. How can we possibly claim that allowing adversity, allowing suffering is kind of God? You see to call it kindness insinuates an active choice of God to allow us to face and endure hardship; how is God choosing to let us face adversity a kind choice of His toward us? I mean just think for a few moments of some time in your life when God allowed hardship to befall you. At that time did you consider it God's kindness?
Perhaps not, but the Bible constantly says the opposite. You remember James tells us to count it all joy when we face trials. Paul tells us of the great hope that lies ahead of us when we suffer in this life. Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount to rejoice and be glad when we suffer and face persecution. In other words, the Bible is quick to remind us that nothing befalls us outside the hand and will of God. Now, we need to be clear as these passages remind us, that we understand our adversity or hardship can be caused by different things even though it is always under the will of God. As Jesus tells us, sometimes we suffer because we follow Christ and the world hates us for it. In this case our suffering is simply the result of being a disciple of Jesus. As James tells us sometimes we suffer because God is maturing us in our faith. As Paul tells us sometimes we suffer because we live in a fallen world that awaits the consummation of Jesus' redeeming work.
But there is at least one other ...
Series: Kingdom Foundations - Genesis
Patrick Edwards
Genesis 42:1-44:13
Introduction
I want you to take your sermon outlines this morning, or just glance up here at the screens, and take a look at our title this morning: God's kindness in allowing adversity. No that's not a typo or a mistake: God's kindness in allowing adversity. The reason I call your attention to it this morning is because perhaps there is no more illogical statement to the human mind and heart then this one I've made this morning. How can we possibly claim that allowing adversity, allowing suffering is kind of God? You see to call it kindness insinuates an active choice of God to allow us to face and endure hardship; how is God choosing to let us face adversity a kind choice of His toward us? I mean just think for a few moments of some time in your life when God allowed hardship to befall you. At that time did you consider it God's kindness?
Perhaps not, but the Bible constantly says the opposite. You remember James tells us to count it all joy when we face trials. Paul tells us of the great hope that lies ahead of us when we suffer in this life. Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount to rejoice and be glad when we suffer and face persecution. In other words, the Bible is quick to remind us that nothing befalls us outside the hand and will of God. Now, we need to be clear as these passages remind us, that we understand our adversity or hardship can be caused by different things even though it is always under the will of God. As Jesus tells us, sometimes we suffer because we follow Christ and the world hates us for it. In this case our suffering is simply the result of being a disciple of Jesus. As James tells us sometimes we suffer because God is maturing us in our faith. As Paul tells us sometimes we suffer because we live in a fallen world that awaits the consummation of Jesus' redeeming work.
But there is at least one other ...
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