makes DOUBLE the impact on world resources than Africa (640 million) does!)

So, suffering is the symptom. The root problem is SIN. The world is suffering from a kind of “spiritual appendicitis”, and it doesn’t matter how much you treat the symptoms, the root problem is still the same - and it needs to be cut out!

[PAUSE.]

“Well, if that’s true, preacher, why doesn’t God DO something about the ‘root problem’?”

My friend, I’m so glad you asked me that. PRAISE GOD, HE HAS!!! To think that God would leave this world as it is, is to have no understanding of His nature - as He is revealed in the Bible. He is absolutely pure and holy, just and true in all His ways. And shortly we’re going to see exactly what God HAS done.

But let me just pause at this point to challenge you, personally. Have you yet come to the place where you have realized that, without God, you are a sinner? We all are. We have offended God; and we have withheld from Him the honour that He is entitled to from our lives. If you need any tangible evidence of the fact of our sinfulness - it’s all around us in this suffering world tonight. Have you realized your need of a Saviour?

I’m not asking how many church services you’ve attended, or any other such thing - you cannot understand ANYTHING of Christianity, of your need of Jesus Christ, until you have come to this place of understanding that you are a sinner, and as such the judgment of God is impending upon you, and you are hopelessly separated from Him.


2. THE CHRISTIAN RESPONSE TO SUFFERING.

Before we come to looking at God’s answer to suffering, we need to examine this.

If suffering is the symptom of sin, and if, therefore, it will never be eradicated until sin is eradicated, does this then mean that the church should ignore the needs around us - write them off as “hopeless”? Surely there’s no point even trying?

GOD FORBID! That is an entirely UNCHRISTIAN notion! We have the example of Jesus, Himself, in this. He came to earth on a mission of far greater consequence, with the whole world in the balance, but He never lost sight of the individual. He ministered to all those that He could. He healed the sick, He comforted the bereaved, He fed the hungry. In short, He LOVED people - even at the expense of His own reputation.

No true Christian will divorce themselves from human need. Suffering should not evoke from us mere philosophic speculation, still less self-righteous fatalism, BUT RATHER compassion and material support.

God reveals what He desires of His people in this in Deuteronomy 15:11 [READ].

Micah 6:8 says - "God has shown you, O man, what is good; what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before your God."

James 1:27 - "Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."

Church, for the love of our Saviour we need to be reaching out to those who are in need in whatever ways that we can.


3. GOD’S ANSWER TO SUFFERING.

Finally, I come to the very heart and centre of my message this morning, WHAT IS GOD’S ANSWER TO SUFFERING?

As I intimated earlier, GOD HAS DONE SOMETHING ABOUT THE VERY ROOT CAUSE OF IT ALL - SIN. In one great plan He has provided for the destruction of the power of sin and death! You