Sequim Bible Church September 16, 2001
911 WHERE WAS GOD?!
Luke 13:1-5
As long as each one of us lives, we will not forget the ruthless and gutless attack by fanatic terrorists on innocent hard-working Americans and upon our country.
Just as, December 7, 1941, is remembered nearly sixty years later as "A Date Which Will Live in Infamy," so will, September 11, 2001, live on in our thinking!
I don’t know about you, but I experienced all sorts of emotions throughout this week. Even now I must confess that I have a sort of numb feeling. I considered not saying anything at all this morning. Even as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, the reality, is beyond comprehension!
DISBELIEF
Throughout the day on Tuesday, I had a numb feeling of disbelief. When Matthew, my son came into my bedroom to tell me what had happened as he was listening to his radio, I dismissed it, thinking he had misunderstood what was said.
In moments I found the horrible reality of just how true this event was that was unfolding! As I drove to the church, the streets of Sequim were nearly empty.
FEAR
Next, a certain amount of fear was experienced. For some it might have been apprehension.
What was going to happen next?
Would the attacks continue?
What does this mean for America?
ANGER AND RAGE
Anger was also very real. Someone has to pay for this great evil perpetrated upon our citizens.
How dare these individuals do this to civilians?
Do we know who did this?
Why haven’t the jets taken off to bomb these terrorists?
Can’t we use a small, tactical nuclear missile?
The comic strip character, Hagar the Horrible gave this advice to his son:
"Son, don’t let the sun go down on your wrath…Attack your enemy at once
and waste him while what he did to you is still fresh in your mind."
THEN, THE ENDLESS LIST OF QUESTIONS STARTED TO BE ASKED BY THE MEDIA!
Where was our Intelligence Agency?
Where was Congress who could have appropriated more money for better intelligence?
Where was the Airport Security?
Why didn’t the FBI acts on leads given to them by the CIA?
Then, BINGO! The question that you knew someone was going to ask – Where Was God?
WHERE WAS GOD ON 9-11-01?
Was He too Busy?
Didn’t He care?
Is He judging America?
Or, are the skeptics right after all, it is because God doesn’t exist?
Raw, undiluted evil, terrorizing our lives is too much for us to handle. It doesn’t fit into our thinking! Those of you whose parents tried to teach you how to pray since you were a child might remember:
"God is great, God is good.
Let us thank Him, for our food."
Amen!
GOD IS GREAT!
We say that He is:
Omnipotent (All-powerful)
Omniscient (All-knowing)
Omnipresent (Everywhere Present)
GOD IS GOOD
We believe that God is good. We speak about His attributes of love, mercy, righteous, justice and grace.
Evil is just too hard for us to comprehend!
Philosopher David Hume made this observation:
"Is He willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then He is impotent.
Is He able, but not willing? Then He is malevolent.
Is He both able and willing: Whence then is evil?"
David Hume – Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, Part 10
COULD IT BE THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE REALITY OF EVIL?
"The animal fable Watership Down tells of a colony of wild rabbits uprooted from their homes by a construction project. As they wander, they come across a new breed of rabbits huge and beautiful, with sleek, shiny hair and perfect claws and teeth. How do you live so well? The wild rabbits ask. Don’t you forage for food? The tame rabbits explain that food is provided for them, in the form of carrots and apples and corn and kale. Life is grand and wonderful.
After a few days, however, the wild rabbits notice that one of the fattest and sleekest of the tame rabbits has disappeared. Oh, that happens occasionally, the tame rabbits explain. But we don’t let it interfere with our lives. There’s too much good to enjoy. Eventually, the wild rabbits find that the land is studded with traps, and death ‘hangs like a mist’ over their heads. The tame rabbits, in exchange for their plush, comfortable lives, had willingly closed their eyes to one fact: the imminent danger of death.
…The presence of suffering vastly complicates that lifestyle – unless we choose to wear blinders, like the tame rabbits."
WHERE IS GOD WHEN IT HURTS?, pgs. 68-69, Philip Yancey
People of every generation have asked questions like the ones being asked this morning.
LOOK AT LUKE 13:1-5 Two different types of disasters took place. Each disaster represents the two main categories of evil in our world.
MORAL EVIL
Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?
Luke 13:1-2 NIV
It is obvious that Pilate, that political crony from Rome, slaughtered some Galileans who must have been worshipping. Perhaps they were zealots.
Moral evil is always around us. Murder, adultery, stealing pride and dissention to name a few. We wake up, when a terrorist flies a jet airliner into what use to be the tallest buildings in the world at 345 MPH. What about the death of a missionary’s wife and baby? How about persecution around the world? Somalia and Indonesia?
Where is our outrage for evil when more and more families are being destroyed and carried out in body bags each day as their morals are destroyed?
NATURAL EVIL
Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them —do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?
Luke 13:4 NIV
Floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, droughts, tidal waves, fires and a variety of other natural disasters daily take their toll on human life!
WHERE WAS GOD ON 9-11-01?
On His throne ruling His creation!
WHERE DO WE BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR WORLD?
First we must take comfort and hope knowing that God is absolutely sovereign and in complete control! The events of, September 11, 2001, did not take Him by surprise! Neither were the terrorists more powerful than God. And because He did not answer, they way we might have thought He should have answered, does not mean He did not care!
He cares very much!
Have you ever thought it might have been God, Himself, that refused to allow the downed plane in Pennsylvania from reaching its target?
Are you thankful that God didn’t let the plane hit the White House of the Capital Building (He might have when the last President was in office).
Over 50,000 workers could have perished in the World Trade Centers plus untold tourists if it had been later in the day. Let’s thank the Lord that He kept the towers up long enough for many to escape!
God is Sovereign (Ephesians 1:11; Acts 15:18; Psalm 135:6). This speaks about God’s Authority and power. It is His ability to rule all of His creation. Ephesians 1:11 speaks of God’s Eternal Decree. What is the Eternal Decree of God? I quote the answer to question Seven of the Westminster Shorter Catechism:
"...His eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His will, whereby, for His own Glory, He foreordained whatsoever comes to pass."
He is sovereign over His creation. God’s sovereignty intensifies all His other attributes. Because He alone is God He can make good on His plan.
While we may not like, or understand what is taking place in our world, we must rest and trust in the fact that He is absolutely in control.
This is His world and creation
We are His creatures
There is no such thing as a good God and a bad god fighting for control of the world. Dualism holds to such a concept. It teaches that there are two forces in the universe: One good and One evil. This is the fictional stuff of Star Wars! God, is God alone and His Name is Jehovah! I AM, that I AM!
The imposter, the small false god of this world, satan, was behind the terrorists this week. He would like nothing more than to keep the world in turmoil so that the gospel message will not go forth!
Rev. 12:9 NIV The great dragon was hurled down —that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
When God created the world and mankind, He called all that He made, good!
Gen. 1:31 NIV God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning —the sixth day.
Gen. 2:9 NIV And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground —trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS PERFECT WORLD?
Sin was introduced into the world by Adam and Eve’s sin!
They walked with God fellowshipping with Him
No natural or moral evil existed.
No pain or hurt had entered their world
In the midst of perfection, Adam and Eve chose to disregard God’s Word and believed satan’s lie. The Paradise that the had created was now – Paradise Lost!
Tony Evans Illustrates it this way:
Have you ever cleaned up your house in preparation of receiving guests or visitors and when they arrive, they begin to mess up your house?
In the back of your mind you know it is still a good house, it is just messed up right now! This can be annoying!
Now think about how God feels about mankind messing up His perfect Creation!
After the fall we would like to think that man is still basically good, but that he has some of his priorities messed up! Create the right environment and man will do what he is suppose to do!
We should know better! Soon, Cain kills his brother Able! This is nearly the perfect family. They still live in a basically sinless environment! Yet, he kills his brother!
Within a short time, God has to flood the entire world destroying everything and everyone accept those individuals and animals in the Ark! God could not stand the evil and wickedness of man!
Only Noah and his family survive. And the reason God allows the world to continue now is because of the promise He made to Noah.
Gen. 8:20-21 NIV Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
The break from sin is short-lived. Soon sin is rampant throughout Noah’s family. God’s people –Israel are judged over and over again because of their wickedness and disobedience.
Then the most evil and diabolical act ever executed took place as The Land Owner’s Son – The Lord Jesus Christ – came to redeem mankind on a mission from His Father and the people killed Him.
God the Father, the Perfect Creator and Landowner could not even look at His Son become sin to redeem evil sinners.
Genesis through Revelation is the story of God’s attempt to restore Paradise! The Word of God unfolds the eternal plan of God to save the lost who put their hope and trust in Him!
COULD GOD HAVE CREATED A WORLD WITHOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR EVIL?
Yes if He wanted merely robots or animals with nothing more than instinct to guide them! How about after the fall making the perfect, sin-free world, without changing the heart of sinful mankind?
It would be a world where we could drink water and not worry about drowning.
It would be hard to make a hammer that was tough enough to drive a nail to build something but that would not allow us to hit someone in the head and kill them.
Think about making a gun that we could use to hunt with or to shoot a criminal and yet not fire when pointed at a another human.
You could only think about adultery but would never be able to sin.
God created trees to be very useful. They give a place for birds and animals to live. They shade us. They produce oxygen for us. We can build our houses and furniture with them. We can heat our homes with wood and some even make their living from cutting them down. The Lord would have to keep us from using a log to kill another human or to make a false idol with it.
Every so often mankind thinks that they have grown up and no longer need God to solve their problems. Their philosophers, educators, economists and politicians have everything figured out!
Then the Alarm Clock Rings! Tuesday’s events were a wake up call! Man is not in control of his world and environment. Evil strikes again!
Now lets go back and see how Jesus answered the questions raised in His day!
Luke 13:2-3 NIV Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
Luke 13:4-5 NIV Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them —do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
WHAT WOULD HE SAY IF WE ASKED HIM ABOUT THIS WEEK?
Do you think New Yorkers are worse sinners than you in the Northwest?
Wrong Question!
I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
Repent! Change the direction you are heading! Turn to God and away from sin!
Ask Him for Help!
Ask Him for Mercy!
The evil that was seen on national television is the same evil that is lurking in your own heart if you are not yielded to the Holy Spirit!
You may not believe that, but it is true! How else can a mom or a dad come home and murder all of their children one by one?!
JESUS IS SAYING, FOCUS ON WHAT IS IMPORTANT!
A greater intelligence agency will not ultimately protect us!
Better airport security will not ultimately protect us!
A stronger military defense will not ultimately protect us!
They might stop the terrorists of our day. They cannot stop the terror of going to a Christless eternity in hell without God! Neither can they stop death from coming!
Jesus gave the only warning he could give:
I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE FOR EVIL IN THE WORLD?
Let’s learn a lesson from that great theologian, Archie Bunker and his wife Edith:
Michael is speaking: "Tell me Archie. If there is a God, why is this world messed up?"
Archie is dumbfounded. He stands stock-still for a moment, and then tries to bluff his way through. He turn to his wife Edith and says, "Why do I always have to give the answers, Edith? Tell this dumb Polack why, if God has created the world, the world is in such a mess."
Edith answers: "Well, I suppose it’s to make us appreciate heaven better when we get there."
I think that we can get an even clearer picture of why the Lord allows pain in our world:
As C. S. Lewis wrote: "…Pain insists upon being attended to, God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
C. S. Lewis
God is saying to us: "Hello!" "Wake Up!" "Your time is Running Out!"
Have you ever stubbed your toe? What happens? The pain message rushes right to your head!
Evil while horrible, shakes us from our complacency to look to God for our answers and to cast ourselves before His mercy! Pain is trying to tell us something is wrong!
After this week, the evil we observed helps us to understand that evil is real. It is not merely a concept.
Man isn’t basically good. He is depraved! He is selfish and pride-filled!
Evil Humbles us. It reveals we are not in control! We are very creative, made in God’s image, but God is in control of His creation. He is the Creator and we are His subjects!
Evil clarifies our thinking about eternity! I hope that is has sharpened your focus!
Our hope must be in the Lord!
John Donne was sick and facing death. Daily the plague took another life. Each time another individual died the bell would ring. Night after night he listened to this. Finally he found relief and made the following conclusion!
"No man is an island… Never send to know for
whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
Tuesday was a wake up call for Me!
Tuesday was a wake up call for You!
Tuesday was a wake up call for our Church!
Tuesday was a wake up call for the World!
FOR THE CHRISTIAN THE LORD WILL WORK THIS OUT FOR GOOD!
Rom. 8:28-30 NIV And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
"Can a sovereign God allow suffering? I believe that He does so that His ultimate purpose of redeeming men is fulfilled. Man was judged and condemned in the garden. God’s greater mercy is seen in allowing some to be saved before His wrath is unleashed. The Psalmist states that God’s ways are not ours and I am content to allow Him to control His creation."
Rick Finitzer, pg. 5, paper: The Role of Suffering in the World, Systematic Theology I
At the Community Prayer Meeting on Friday the Mayor of Sequim quoted from a Seattle Paper about the foolishness of attacking America. The writer informed the terrorists that if you thought you were weakening America by attacking America, that they needed to know how wrong they were. Your attack did not weaken us, but it will make us strong. You do not understand us, he said. We are like a big arguing family. We waste time on foolishness. But when we are attacked or hurting we pull together. We value our freedoms and you in the days ahead will come to understand what makes us great.
The same is true about the church. The church in America has been sidetracked. We can be like a big arguing family. I trust that we will wake up and that satan will see by our fervor and dedication what the Lord can do through believers yielded to Him!
Is this the ends times? We have been living in the "Last Days" since Jesus departed. Jesus could come today, but He may leave us here for 5, 10, 25 or more years to complete His work!
The section of scripture we looked at this morning was prefaced by these Scriptures:
Luke 12:54-56 NIV He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?
America needs to remain humble, depending on the Lord in the days ahead! No nation on earth has survived without God’s blessing and protection.
The Lord allowed Israel to be scattered for thousands of years!
The Lord allowed Assyrian Empire, Babylonian Empire and the Roman Empire to disappear as world powers. Merely a shadow and a memory of their glory.
I’m going to try to be a better pastor!
I hope that you will try to be a better Christian in your service for Him!
Collectively may we shine brighter than ever as a Church!
My greatest concern is that when the morning Market Bell sounds
again to begin another day of trading all will begin to go back to normal routines!
God’s giant Megaphone has given America and the Christians who live here
a wake up call! It is really an act of His mercy and grace.
Will our lives be different?
