Why Do Bad Things Happen?

Scott Risley

Luke 13:1-5

Jesus was approached with the question, "Why do bad things happen?" There are many explanations for the problem of evil: 1) divine retribution (almost everything has a spiritual cause); 2) eastern monism (the suffering world is unreal); and 3) naturalism (everything can be explained by cause and effect within a closed system). Jesus rejects these three explanations. The Biblical view is that everything can be explained by cause and effect within an open system. God created a perfect world with no evil. The perfection of this world was broken when humanity rebelled against God. The Biblical view displays the love of God, calls us to fight evil, and assures us that evil is temporary.

The Fall (Part 1): The Heart of the Problem

Jim Leffel

1 John 2:15-16

How do we understand and deal with evil? Adam and Eve's fall stemmed from an assault on God's character, their prideful autonomy, and the erroneous belief that satisfying their desires would lead to fulfillment.

Jesus' Supremacy

Conrad Hilario

Mark 5:41

Through several events, the disciples witness and recognize the absolute power that Jesus has as the Son of God. Jesus calms the waters while the disciples and him are on a boat; this act demonstrates Jesus' authority over nature. Later, the disciples witness Jesus cast out demons from a man, which shows Jesus' power over evil and the spiritual realm. Lastly, Jesus heals and brings back to life a sick girl; this shows his power over sickness and even death.

Enduring Injustice

Ryan Lowery

1 Peter 2:11-25

Inevitably, every Christian encounters injustice from others. Though our indignation in the face of evil is a correct response, we are meant to fight injustice by proclaiming the humility and love of Christ.

The Dynamics of True Heart Change

Dennis McCallum

2 Samuel 11:1-12:14

Many have withstood the trial of failure, only to fail under the trial of success. When King David became wealthy and had many wives, he hardened his heart and covered up his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah until the prophet Nathan exposed his sin and he repented. David then penned Psalms 51 and 32 describing the dynamics of true heart change. Thank God we can never out sin His immeasurable grace.\r\n

The Beast(s)

Dennis McCallum

Revelation 13:1-18

Three Beasts emerge in the next part of John's vision. The roles of the first Beast are reinforced by prophecy from Daniel, including his humanity, his total world dominion, and the abomination of desolation. The Beast will persecute the people of God, but will ultimately be destroyed by Christ when he returns. The course of history that would allow these predictions is dissected, and the possibility of this prophecy becomes clear.

Jesus is Coming Back

Jeff Gordon

Revelation 19:1-21

The next piece of John's vision depicts the end of the battle, when Christ comes back and defeats all evil. Heavy on the wrath of God, the passage illustrates that evil is temporary. The lack of knowing when this will happen creates urgency in making a decision about Christ's role in one's life, while the certainty of this event lets believers carry on without bitterness or worry, knowing that God will judge and avenge evil one day.

Babylon The Harlot

Jeff Gordon

Revelation 17:1-6

John describes the next scene in his vision: a prostitute called Babylon. This prostitute will parade around like a false church, fooling others into turning away from each other. She is the ultimate counterfeit church, having worldwide influence, wealth, and political power. She will persecute true followers, and she will ultimately be annihilated. The way to avoid being trapped in a spiritual deception like this is to establish truth-based friendships.

God's Judgment

Mike Sullivan

Obadiah 1:1-21

Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament and is considered among the minor prophets of scripture. The primary focus of this letter is to warn of God's coming judgment on the city of Edom. The city of Edom was arrogant and prideful before God and endures judgment from God. These similar attitudes can still creep up in the lives of Christians today, and have similarly damaging affects on our relationship with God. God's ultimately judgment towards people's sin has been taken care through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.