Emma’s story beautifully illustrates the challenge that suffering presents to all believers. We know in our heads that God is good, but the question in our hearts is whether “He is good to me.”
Our message Sunday (Acts 1:12-26) addressed the replacement of Judas.
“Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.”
Acts 1:16
Peter quotes Psalm 69 and 109 as prophecies from King David about Judas. David, the anointed King of Israel, was betrayed and attacked by his oldest living son. As David prayed for justice and deliverance, the Holy Spirit used the King’s faith-filled anguish to predict the betrayal and suffering of the ultimate Anointed King, Jesus. Peter announces these prophecies fulfilled and states that they had to be fulfilled. It was necessary in God’s great plan of salvation.
Suffering and evil are a great challenge to faith. When you are betrayed, when you are attacked, when you lose a loved one or face a crisis, how do you relate to God in the midst of that trial? Is He for you or against you? Is He good even when bad things happen? This is the crux of faith – to trust God even when it hurts and doesn’t make any sense.
Scripture presents two truths on this topic. First, God is sovereign. He is in control of everything that happens, guiding, limiting, directing and redeeming all events in line with His perfect will. Second, people are responsible. People make choices and God holds them accountable for those choices.
Consider Judas. David’s prophecies 1,000 years before Judas was born make it clear that God knew Judas would betray Jesus and, in fact, God ordained this terrible event to take place. Jesus was not surprised by the betrayal – He clearly saw it coming and calls Judas “the son of destruction” (John 17:12). On the other hand, Judas was responsible for choosing to betray his rabbi for 30 pieces of silver and Judas suffered the consequences for his sin. Peter describes Judas’ gruesome death at his own hand as “the reward of his wickedness” (Acts 1:18).
J.I. Packer expresses this tension not as a paradox (two assertions that cannot both be true at the same time like “this is a round square”) but as an antinomy. The two truths seem incompatible but since Scripture clearly teaches both we have to accept the limits of our own understanding and trust God as we live in the tension.
“Accept it for what it is, and learn to live with it . . . put down the semblance of contradiction to the deficiency of your own understanding; think of the two principles as not rival alternatives but, in some way that at present you do not grasp, complementary to each other”
Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, J.I. Packer
Maybe this analogy will help. If I took a kitchen knife and cut my wife’s chest open you would rightly conclude I was crazy and the courts would rightly throw me in prison for the rest of my life. But if a trained surgeon cut my wife’s chest open to give her a needed heart transplant we would all be grateful for that incision. The critical difference is in the wisdom, skill and resources the surgeon has that I do not. The doctor is in a position to help her, where I would only harm her.
Think of the suffering in your life as God’s scalpel. I do not have the wisdom, skill or resources to plan and provide pain in your life. I would only do harm if I tried to hurt you for your good. But God has perfect wisdom, infinite skill and limitless resources. So when He lifts His scalpel to cut open your chest, you can be absolutely certain that the Great Physician is doing it for your good. There is soul surgery that you need. There is cancer to be removed. There is new life to be infused into you.
When it comes to knowing God we must begin with the humility that recognizes how much we cannot understand. By definition God is beyond us in glory, knowledge and power. If we could fully comprehend everything about God and His ways He would not be God.
In His great mercy and love God has made Himself known and many of the truths we know about God must be held in tension with other truths. That’s what this video attempts to summarize.
When you struggle with evil and suffering, go to Scripture. Read Psalms like 69 and 109 and let the psalmist help you express your anger, sadness, fear and faith to the Lord. Hold on to the truth you know even when it is clouded by many things you don’t know.
Also go to other believers. Be encouraged and inspired by the faith of others who have been through deep valleys and met God there. Don’t isolate and walk alone in your pain.
Finally, and above all, go to Jesus. Whatever evil and pain you have experienced it is negligible next to what Jesus endured for you. Reflect on the betrayal, the persecution, the suffering that He went through. Fix your faith right there. That is God’s ultimate answer to all evil and suffering: the cross of Jesus Christ.
We deserved eternal punishment for our sin. God poured that judgment on Jesus instead of us. Don’t let your pain take your eyes off of that ultimate proof that God is for you, that He is good and loving. Cling to that old rugged cross and know that you will exchange it some day for a crown!