Sunday Sermons
Questions for God
Back in 1999 a survey in the USA Today reported the most popular questions people would like to ask God. The following question was posed to people across the nation, “If you could get in contact with God directly, ask a question, and get an immediate reply—what would you ask?” It should be noted that twelve percent of those surveyed had no idea what they would ask God, which may say something about the shallowness of our society. Before we move into the questions we need to be reminded concerning a couple of Biblical precedents in this area. When Abraham was seeking to find out God’s will on a matter in Genesis 18, he clearly understood his “place” before God. “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes” (Genesis 18:27). There is a tremendous amount of humility on the part of Abraham (18:23,27,30)---he realizes to Whom he is speaking. He is not trying to tell God what to do, and neither is he questioning God’s wisdom or His governing of this world, rather, he is trying to find out the range of God’s mercy. Secondly, Job had questions concerning why various hardships had come upon Him, and God did not care for Job’s attitude, “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now gird up your loins like a man, and I will ask you, and you instruct Me!” (Job 38:2-3). People need to be reminded that having a “question” does not give us the right to become God’s critic. The person who criticizes or complains about God’s governance of some aspect of this universe needs to repent (Job 42:3). In addition, those who are critical of God or something in the Scriptures are people who are only adding more ignorance and confusion by their criticisms and false conclusions, “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?”; “Here is one that must ever be clouding the truth...with words ill-considered” (Knox).
Micah 6:8
When I heard many of the questions that people would like to ask God I am reminded of a statement that God gave through Micah, “He has told you, O man, what is good”. Many of the questions that sadly keep some people from believing in God or serving Him have already been answered long ago in the Scriptures (2 Peter 1:3; John 16:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). Thus the real question becomes, “Are we honest enough to accept God’s answer to our questions?” “Will we believe the truth when we hear it?” “Are we looking for answers or are we looking for excuses not to believe and obey?”
The Question of Our Purpose
The highest percentage (34%) wanted to know, “What is my purpose here?” As Wayne Jackson notes, “The Lord has answered that question already. Our purpose is to glorify God. That is the reason for which we were made (Isaiah 43:7). The whole duty of man is to fear (reverence) God and obey His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13). There is no reason for human existence apart from serving the Creator, and in this we find our greatest contentment” (Christian Courier: Penpoints, 6-14-1999). Consider the statement in Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Because this applies to every person”: Therefore, to obey God is what it means to be truly human. “Humanity sought to become like God in disobeying Him, but instead they lost the one thing that made them truly human” (Garrett p. 344). Lit., this expression (this applies to every man) means, “this is every man”, that is, “this is the duty of every man”. “We might translate it, ‘is all that there is to man’” (Kidner p. 107). “For this man was made and placed in the world; this is his real object, the chief good, which he has to seek, and which alone will secure contentment and happiness” (P.P. Comm. p. 306).
The Question of Life after Death
The next group (19%) was anxious to inquire, “Will I have life after death?” Yes, there is life after death, but it will be either an eternity with the Lord (Philippines 1:21-23), or an eternity of suffering (Luke 16:22-26; Matthew 25:46; Matthew 8:11-12). Once again, are we willing to accept God’s answer to our question? Our destiny depends upon whether we are obeying Jesus Christ or not (Matthew 7:21-23; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Romans 2:6-11; John 8:24). At this juncture, some ask the question posed by the agnostic Charles Templeton: “How could a loving Heavenly Father create an endless hell and, over the centuries, consign millions of people to it because they do not or cannot or will not accept certain religious beliefs?” First of all, men and women can believe the truth and are without excuse for not accepting it (Romans 1:18; John 3:19; Revelation 2:21). The issue is not one of an inability to believe, but a selfish unwillingness to obey (John 3:36; Acts 7:51-53). Secondly, rejecting God’s truth has resulted in war, rape, envy, jealousy, pride, and all the things we call “social pathologies”. So what should God do about it? What if God said, “I don’t care?” It would be like one of us saying, “Oh yeah, the Holocaust—I don’t care”. Even non-Christians would be shocked if God did not have moral judgments in such matters. Let us remember that hell is not a place where people are consigned because they were good people but merely did not believe the right things, rather, they are consigned there because first and foremost, they are defying their Maker! Rejecting God’s truth is what has brought all the pain and suffering upon our world and is not some innocent “ I see things differently”, rather it is rebellion, defiance, and insisting that one be at the center of the universe.
The Question of Human Suffering
Another segment (16%) wanted to know, “Why do bad things happen?” This is a common question that seems to be asked by one generation after another and yet the answer is very simple. God created mankind with a freewill (Deuteronomy 30:15), and the selfish exercise of that will often brings suffering. We can suffer because of our own sins (1 Peter 4:15); we can also suffer because of the sins of others (Romans 5:12). Yet we cannot complain when we suffer because of the wrong choices of others, because we have sinned as well (Romans 3:23), and are really unaware of how much suffering we have added to this world. Jesus also noted that we could be in the wrong place at the right time (Luke 13:4-5), time and chance happen to all(Ecclesiastes 9:11-12). Neither can we ask God to exempt us from such suffering, for it is common to all men and God is impartial (1 Corinthians 10:13; Romans 2:11). Jackson notes, “The important question is not: Why do these things happen? They will continue to happen whether or not we understand their purpose. The question should be how are we to act in response to life’s hardships?” May I also add, those who want to claim that God does not exist because a “good” God would not allow bad things to happen to good people have not solved the problem, because suffering still exists in the world that even the atheist inhabits. Denying the existence of God does not remove suffering, only in their thinking people suffer for apparently no good reason and with no hope of vindication in the afterlife for the innocent nor punishment for the guilty. Peter noted that the Christian response to suffering was not to consider it has some “strange” thing (1 Peter 4:12), but rather to rejoice in such sufferings, knowing that they can serve to make one stronger (1 Peter 1:6-8; Psalm 119:71).
The Question of Life in Outer Space
A few (7%) would like to know it there is intelligent life elsewhere. Jackson notes, “A cynic might wonder whether there’s much ‘intelligent’ life here on earth!” Compare this statement with Luke 18:8 “When the Son of man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” Yes, there is intelligent life beyond this earth. In heaven there is the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, in addition to all the angels. Added to this there are the souls of the dead (Luke 16:23). Then there are all the powers of evil, the devil, and his angels (Ephesians 6:12).
“How long will I live?”
Six percent would like to know exactly how long they would live. Jackson responds, “Would you really want to know that? Such would be like being on death row—counting off the days until the time of execution. Moreover, many would live unrestrained, wicked lives saving the day before their death as a time of obedience. What glory would there be in that for God? Indeed, what honor for man?” The very fact that God has not informed each one of us as to how long we have, must mean that ignorance on this subject is beneficial for us. In reality, we need to be living as if each day were our last (Colossians 4:5 “making the most of the opportunity”; 2 Peter 3:9-12).
“Why were humans created?”
Some have erroneously concluded that God created mankind because He was lonely or that He needed someone to love. In response Paul noted that God does not “need” anything or anyone, “nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things” (Acts 17:25). God is completely self-sufficient. Jackson notes, “It is one thing to say that God created mankind because He is a God of love (1 John 4:8), and it is quite another to suggest that He created angels and people because of a need to love”. Long before angels and people were created there had been eternal love between the members of the Godhead (John 1:1; 17:5).
Some Questions for Us
People often forget that at the last day, God may have some questions for us:
“How did you use your mind?”
“How did you use your influence?”
“How did you use your time?”
“How did you use your talents?”
“How did you use your resources?”
“How did you respond to adversity?”
“How did you treat other people?”
“How did you respond to the truth?”
“How did you trust?”
“How or what did you love?”
“Who did you bring to Me?”
