We’re nearing the end of our sermon series on the
remarkable story of Jesus from the Gospel of Mark.
From here on, we will see Jesus turn His attention
toward the cross and toward suffering. Obviously,
there must be another way to look at pain.
Well-known atheist/actor/comedian Stephen Fry was
recently asked what he would say to God if
suddenly faced with the reality of His existence.
“Suppose it’s all true, and you walk up to the
pearly gates, and you are confronted by God,” asked
Byrne, host of The Meaning of Life. “What will
Stephen Fry say to Him?”
“I’d say, ‘Bone cancer in children? What’s that
about?’” answered the 57-year-old Brit. “How dare
You? How dare You create a world to which there is
such misery that is not our fault? It’s not right;
it’s utterly, utterly evil. Why should I respect a
capricious, mean-minded, stupid God who creates a
world that is so full of injustice and pain?” Fry
said. “That’s what I would say.”
There are just so many ways to respond to Fry. If
there was never anything sour, how would we know to
enjoy the sweet? If we never felt pain, how would we
know what healing felt like? If we never went
through difficulty, how would we know what it’s like
to be delivered? If we never felt sadness, how would
we know what joy was? If we had everything we ever
wanted, how would we know to appreciate it?
Paul wrote to such attitudes as that of Fry. “But
who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?
Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,
‘Why did you make me like this?’ Does not the potter
have the right to make out of the same lump of clay
some pottery for special purposes and some for
common use?” (Romans 9:20-21) There is another way
to look at pain.
A shark attack can be a dangerous thing, and in the
instance on October 18, 1999, a shark attack in
New Zealand had one major difference: the shark was
the victim. Beverly Marshall-Smith, 56, was fishing
on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island when
she noticed a "fish" chasing her lure. When the fish
beached itself right in front of her, Marshall-Smith
waded in with a piece of driftwood and began beating
what turned out to be a 6-foot blue shark. She said,
"I didn't realize it was a shark. I just went and
grabbed it, my adrenaline was running, and I just
made sure I kept away from his head. Every time he
wrestled, I hit him." Wow, that’s one tough woman.
How much do you want to bet she’s now wearing his
teeth for a necklace?
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Sometimes you never know when you might have to do
battle with a shark. Beverly just kept hitting until
she had it beat. Problems can come unexpectedly. In
those moments, just keep swinging.
Peter tells us there is a very important reason we
face adversity. Pain gives us the opportunity to
prove our faith and rely on God.
“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a
little while, if necessary, you have been distressed
by various trials, that the proof of your faith,
being more precious than gold which is perishable,
even though tested by fire, may be found to result
in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of
Jesus Christ...” (I Peter 1:6-7).
We need to be reminded at times that suffering and
adversity has its place in our lives. No one enjoys
facing pain; however, God uses it for our good.
Trusting He knows what He is doing may give us the
strength to see pain from another view.
Now, look again at the cross of Jesus. Did we gain
from His pain? You better believe we did!
Current Sermon Series
Mar 1-Seeing Jesus for Who He Really Is! (Mk 8:27–9)
Mar 8-What Jesus Stands For! (Mk 10)
Mar 15-Jesus Enters Jerusalem (Mk 11:1–12:44)
Mar 22-Jesus Unveils the Future (Mk 13)
Mar 29-Jesus—Suffering King? (Mk 14:1–15:20)
Apr 5-Jesus Finishes His Work (Mk 15:21–16:20)
[Ron Otto, Lincoln Christian Church]
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