| Dear Friends in the Faith,
Following my message this past week, I want to share links to the two articles I mentioned during my sermon on Sunday:
a. Gotquestions.org article on “Why do we suffer?”
b. Beliefnet interview with Joan Osborne
The questions that come to mind:
1. Why is there suffering in the world if God is good and loving?
2. Does God care about me?
I often find that if we help our friends and family answer the second question about God’s care and providence, then allows the first question about suffering in the world not shake our faith.
Jesus did suffer like us. God was one of us, though God did not have to be.
In Paul’s epistle to the Philippians 2, Paul has this to say about the passion (suffering) and Incarnation (God-in-the-flesh) of Jesus Christ:
2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. – Philippians 2:1-11 (NIV)
As the recent advertising campaign stats about Jesus: “He gets us!”
I hope to see you at our March 22nd church-wide day retreat. It will be a healing experience of God’s care for us.
Blessings,
Pastor David |
