Why do bad things happen to good people

1
Why do bad things happen to good people?

• The Source of Suffering

2
A Significant Part of Our Story

• Job, out of his wretchedness and deep anguish,
  once declared that Man who is born of woman is
  of few days and full of trouble (141 see also
  Job 57).

3
A Man Born Blind

• In the fall of the year before He died, Jesus and
  His disciples came upon a blind beggar in
  Jerusalem which moved the disciples to ask,
  Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that
  he was born blind? (John 91 NKJV).
• They presumed that physical tragedy was always a
  result of divine judgment on sin.

4
A Man Born Blind

• Jesus answer, Neither this man or his parents
  sinned, but that the works of God should be
  revealed in him (John 92 NKJV) opened up a
  much broader perspective on suffering.
• This mans suffering had a purpose.
• The disciples had seen it only as a consequence.

5
The Source of Suffering

• It can come from GOD in the general, physical
  suffering and death unleashed in the world after
  man sinned.
• Genesis 316-19
• The CURSE on man himself was fourfold
• Sorrow
• Pain Suffering
• Sweat or Tears
• Physical Death

6
The Source of Suffering

• It can come from GOD in the general, physical
  suffering and death unleashed in the world after
  man sinned.
• Romans 820
• Seems to be an allusion to Genesis 316-19
• GOD is the One who did the subjecting
• The curse of sorrow, pain and suffering, sweat,
  tears and physical death was brought about by GOD

7
The Source of Suffering

• We live in a sin-cursed world.

8
The Source of Suffering

• It can come from GOD in the general, physical
  suffering and death unleashed in the world after
  man sinned.
• I returned and saw under the sun that
• The race is not to the swift,
• Nor the battle to the strong,
• Nor bread to the wise,
• Nor riches to men of understanding,
• Nor favor to men of skill
• But time and chance happen to them all.
• Ecclesiastes 911 NKJV

9
The Source of Suffering

• It can come from GOD in specific cases to humble
  and/or strengthen.
• Job (Job 1-2)
• Israel (Deuteronomy 82-3)
• Miriam (Numbers 121-10)
• Manasseh (2 Chronicles 3310-20)
• Paul (2 Corinthians 127)

10
The Source of Suffering

• It can come from Satan through GODS allowance.
• Job (Job 1-2)
• Paul (2 Corinthians 127-10)
• GOD used each of these for very different
  purposes than the Tempter intended.

11
The Source of Suffering

• It can come as the inevitable fruit of our own
  sins.
• the way of the transgressor is hard. (Proverbs
  1315 ASV)
• be sure your sin will find you out. (Numbers
  3223 NKJV)
• Sin has temporal consequences physical,
  emotional and social.
• What fruit did you have then in the things of
  which you are now ashamed? For the end of those
  things is death. (Romans 621 NKJV)

12
The Source of Suffering

• It can come as the result of living a righteous
  life.
• But even if you should suffer for righteousness
  sake (1 Peter 314 NKJV).
• persecuted for righteousness' sake (Matthew
  510 NKJV)
• Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ
  Jesus will suffer persecution. (2 Timothy 312
  NKJV)

13
The Source of Suffering

• Yet, at last, unless there is some direct link to
  our sin it is very difficult to know the exact
  origins of our adversity.
• And that is just as well.
• For far more important than knowing why we are
  suffering, is our response to it.