MEANT FOR EVIL, GOD WILL USE IT FOR GOOD
James 4:13-14
Unless you have been out of the country or have been in total seclusion we each know what happened this past week in Uvalde, Texas.
- And as I thought about what happened I asked “what is it I need to tell you to reassure you, to comfort you, and to encourage you, and perhaps even warn you?”
And one thing that came to my mind immediately, and I don’t mean to be depressing or discouraging, but my intent is to remind you of what God has told us and what the event in Uvalde confirms to us and that is: no one has a guarantee of tomorrow.
- God through James says here in the passage that was read that “we might make plans for today or for tomorrow…and yet we don’t know what our life will be like tomorrow; for we are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”
- And that event this past Tuesday confirms that to us once again.
- Tomorrow isn’t certain for anyone.
And it doesn’t have to be a mass casualty situation; it can be an accident; or a health issue; or even the “return of our Lord”; but the reality is, none of us has the assurance of tomorrow.
- And if tomorrow doesn’t come, then what? What will it be for you and for me?
- And I know we don’t like to think of that but it is a very real possibility.
- If tomorrow doesn’t come, then what?
If I read my Bible right, if tomorrow doesn’t come for you or I, there are only two possibilities (heaven – 1 Peter 1:4) and (eternal punishment – Matthew 25:46) those are the only two possibilities and whichever it will be all depends on what you/I have done with Jesus.
- Have we obeyed Him? Have we followed Him? Have we put our faith in Him?
- So, if tomorrow never comes, what will it be? Are you and I ready for that possibility?
Now, one of the things that has happened since Tuesday is a lot of finger pointing: “Whose fault is it?”
- And sadly, in situations like this, there will be those who want to point fingers at God.
- “If God is a loving God, He wouldn’t let this kind of thing happen.”
- And so, people abandon God.
Let me ask you this and think carefully before you answer: Did God create this world?
This world that we live in today is not the world that God created. The world that God created, you can read about it in Genesis chapters 1-2.
- In that world everything God created was “good.”
- There was no death, no dying…the only thing that was not “good” was man being alone.
- So God fashioned a woman for the man and the two lived in a “garden.”
But then the “serpent” came along and deceived the woman and the man and they sinned against God and everything changed.
- The man and the woman lost their innocence.
- The woman would bring forth children in multiplied pain.
- The ground would be cursed and the man would toil all of his days just to eat from it.
- And the ground would bring forth thorns and thistles; and man would die, “from dust he came and from dust he would return. “
And so, because of the “serpents” deception; and because of man’s rebellion and his propensity to sin the world that God created was cursed; man was driven from the garden; and paradise was lost.
- And it wasn’t long until evil manifested itself when Cain killed his brother Abel.
- And evil has continued to manifest itself down through the centuries.
- It manifested itself by nailing Jesus to a cross.
- And this past Tuesday, the serpent’s deception, and man’s rebellion against God; and man’s propensity to commit sin manifested itself again in Uvalde, Texas.
And for you or I or anyone else to blame that on God and turn away from and abandon God because of what “the serpent” did; and because of what a rebellious and sinful man did, is to do just exactly what “the serpent” wants us to do.
Paradise was lost a long time ago but it is only because of God and His grace and mercy and love that any of us can find that paradise again.
- In a fallen, contaminated world, where tragedies occur, God is the only hope we have.
Now, some will ask, “Why does God allow these kinds of things to happen?” Why doesn’t God stop it?”
- Let me give you 3 reasons.
Remember in Job 1, Satan accused God of building a “hedge” around Job and protecting him.
- And “blessing the work of Job’s hands.”
- And Satan tells God, “If you will touch all that Job has and take it from him, he will curse Thee to your face.”
So God does. He allows Satan “to put his hand on Job” and Job loses his sons and his daughters, and his livestock; and eventually Job is plagued with “sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.”
- And Job’s wife comes to him and says, “Why do you hold to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
- And Job refuses.
God allows Job to suffer severely all for the purpose of proving Job’s devotion and faithfulness to God.
And you read basically the same thing in James 1; and God allows trials and tribulations to come up in our lives so that, just like Job, we can prove our faithfulness too.
- And, that is true for the incident in Uvalde; or any other tragedy that comes up in our lives; those situations, has bad as they are, give you and I the opportunity to prove to all our faith and devotion to God.
- They give us opportunity to defeat Satan’s attempt to get us to “curse God and die.”
Second reason why God allows tragedies to come into our lives is found in Luke 13:1-5.
Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And He answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered this fate? 3 “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 “Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? 5 “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
God often allows tragic events to get people to realize their spiritual situation; their need to repent and turn to Him; so that they will not perish.
- Sadly, for some people you can tell them all day long that they need to repent, you can even perform miracles, Jesus did; but the only thing that will get their attention is tragic event.
Third reason why God allows tragedies to come into our lives is found in Romans 8:20-21. The apostle Paul says, “20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope (this is God’s hope) 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”
- God allows us/people to go through some trials and tribulations and tragic events HOPING that we/or people will turn from their “slavery to corruption” into the “freedom of the glory of the children of God.”
- God is an evangelistic God; He desires that none should perish; and He has sent prophets; and teachers; and evangelists; and yes, even His own Son to tell people of their need to seek God and His will so that they may be saved…
- But unfortunately, the only thing that will wake them up is a tragic event.
These tragic events, large or small, are horrible and we can only imagine the heartbreak and pain that goes with them.
- But being eternally separated from God is much, much worse.
Now, what about the children? 19 children were killed. Is there any consolation? Any comfort for those who have lost a child? Look at Mark 10:13-16.
And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it at all.” 16 And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands upon them.
We grieve over the children who were killed and most of us cannot imagine what that would be like as a parent.
- Every parent wants to see and hold their child again and I can’t blame them for being angry!
But we should not turn away from God when tragedy strikes because it is God alone who gives hope, and comfort, and assures us that those children will be in His kingdom.
- Hopefully, in time, that will be solace for those who have lost a child.
So, as we deal with the news of a horrible tragedy, as God’s people, what do we do?
There are many verses that we could turn to but there are two that come to mind. Look with me at Matthew 5:13. Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth;”
- In the day, and still does today, salt served as a preservative; it slowed down the decaying process.
Our world is not going to get better.
- Every day there is something new that makes us shake our heads in dismay.
- And it won’t end until the Lord comes again.
But until that time comes we can slow down the decaying process.
- We can preach and teach and stand against abortion that takes the lives of innocent children every day. (Irony: many are protesting the death of the children and yet they support the killing of )
- We can stand against other acts of evil like human trafficking, drug trafficking, child abuse, sexual abuse, murder, incest…and on and on we could go.
- We cannot stop it but we can, as Jude says, “snatch some from the fire.”
- As “salt” we can slow down the decaying process.
And look at vs. 14: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
Tragic events often turn an individual’s world completely dark.
- They search for hope; they search for a little ray of sunshine in the midst of the gloom.
- And hopefully we can help them find that hope and that ray of sunshine that they might glorify our Father who is in heaven.
What took place last Tuesday in Uvalde was nothing but pure evil. It has devastated many families; an entire community; and shattered lives for many years to come.
- And as we consider what has happened at the hands of one individual who gave no thought to the immeasurable grief and unbearable despair that he was going to cause those people to suffer…as you and I, as God’s people think of what we can do…
- I hope that our attitude; our resolve is that of Joseph in Genesis 50, when he told his brothers who sold him into bondage: “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.”