How Can God Allow Suffering? (Mark 14:32-42) - full transcript

7/27/2019 How Can God Allow Suffering? (Mark 14:32-42) - full transcript

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Lets cut to the chase. After the horrors of the 20th Century, this is now easily the hardest

question for Christians. Let me state it as baldly as I can.

For we are dealing primarily with:

1. THE PROBLEM WITH GODOr perhaps to be more precise, it is theapparentproblem with the Christian God. If you believedin the ancient Greek or Roman gods, human suffering wasnt a problem - because those deities

were appalling, with behaviour worse than the playground. The Greek Gods like Zeus andVenus were simply mass projections of the extremes of human nature. But here is the problem -the description of God throughout the Bible is consistent. It is like a 3-legged stool:

God is WiseGod is GoodGod is Powerful

The point is this. If just one of these legs was missing, then suffering would make more sense andcould coexist with God, but the stool would fall.

Good & Powerful but not Wise: hesnot clever enough to solve sufferingWise & Powerful but not Good: hesnot good enough to care about sufferingWise & Good but not Powerful: hesnot powerful enough to act against suffering

But all 3 together? How is that possible? No wonder, for so many, that suffering is the clincher:there cant be a God who is all these things, so no Christian God. And many go further: therecant be a God at all. A big challenge!

So:

How can God allow leaders to use chemical weapons on their own people, with the mostdeadly attack in August killing 635? I dont knowHow can God allow terrorists to overrun a Nairobi shopping centre and kill 72 and injure175 on 21st September? I dont know.

And then on 22nd September, allow a double suicide bomb on a church in Peshawar killingover 80 and wounding 130? I dont know.How then on Sept 24th, can God allow an earthquake size 7.7 on the Richter scale killing825 people also in Pakistan? I dont know.How can God allow Cyclone Phailin to ravage the state of Orissa in India on October 4th,

killing 27 and leaving 100,000 stranded? I dont know.How can God allow people I really care about, family and friends, to die slowly of cancerand other grim diseases? I dont know.

If God is all wise, all good, all powerful, I just dont get it. Youll have your own list. Theexistence of evil and suffering is a problem for a God-created universe.

But heres the dilemma. The atheist has an equally tricky problem:the existence of goodness andbeauty is a problem for a godless universe. Why do we think things are beautiful, why do welong for things to be good? How can that really be the result of an accidental chemical reaction?But atheism has never really answered this satisfactorily, to me at least. But then were back to

theism. How on earth do we get round the problems Ive raised?

Now you wouldnt expect me to sort out all these issues in just a few minutes. Im not going totry. There are some great books downstairs that go into further detail. But because I realise that

How Can God Allow Suffering?Mark 14:32-42ASLP 20th Oct 2013

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this is a very personal and acute question for many, I want to avoid the philosophizing of anivory tower, and deliberately keep it down to earth. Im going to do that by looking at theexperience of Jesus Christ himself. For in fact, he must be the heart of any possible resolution of

these problems. That is why countless people in history find that far from destroying faith,suffering actually deepens faith. Turn to Mark 14 now.

2. THE HORROR OF GETHSEMANEI recently read a gripping book, JFKs Last 100 Days by Thurston Clarke, fascinating because itgoes week by week through President Kennedys final months before his assassination exactly 50

years ago next month, in Nov 1963. Its clear that if JFK had lived, the world would have beenvery different. The US would have pulled out of Vietnam before the conflict escalated further;the Cold War would have become a lot less intense, and the civil rights movement might haveachieved some of its goals much more rapidly. Why did God allow JFK to be killed? I dontknow. Terrible things happen. And people do terrible things to other people. But one of the

weirdest things of this time is that several friends observed the President talk about assassination

quite a lot in those last months. He took an almost obsessive interest in Abraham Lincolns lastdays. He knew that there were many Americans who hated him. He merely resigned to the

possibility.

Yet in Jesus last hours (in Mk14), hes not like JFK at all; its relentlessly grim.

14:33-4 Traumatised: Deeply distressed and troubled, to the point of death. Mark isdeliberately employing strong words14:35 Terrorised: Prays for different future: take this cup from me. This is notresignation - this is terrified reluctance.14:37-38 Deserted: its the early hours. Theyve been travelling for months. Everyonesexhausted. Jesus simply pleads. Keep me company. But they cant. Friends deserted him.

14:42 Betrayed: only possible to be betrayed by a friend - so much so that Judas is acommon term for a traitorMark14-15 The story goes on:Arrest, Trial and Execution on an instrument of torture

Why does Jesus suffer? Because of other people - its clear. Mans inhumanity to man. But Iwant to do something a little unorthodox. I want to freeze frame the drama right at this point inv42. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer! Think about what sort of advice you wouldgive to Jesus - in the middle of a terrible situation - cant think of any human context that is

worse, can you? I realise Im going to offer caricatures a little - but bear with me. How wouldsomeone from:

(i) Eastern Mystical Mindset: The DENIAL OF SUFFERING

Everything is illusory - what you think exists, doesnt actually exist. So Jesus, none of whatyoure experiencing is real. Just go with the flow - there is no such thing as pain or pleasureultimately, no joy or sadness - it is all one. Embrace it and think nothing of it - serenely andcalmly. Youre making to much of a big deal out of it. Accept it. It is effectively a denial ofsuffering.

So take one of the most disturbing images from the Vietnam War. A Buddhist Monks protest bysetting himself on fire. Somehow he is quite serene in the face of it - hes almost in a trance.Compared to him, Jesus last hours seem rather less impressive: a failure perhaps as hes scared

and desperate for support; he wants to avoid it. And in fact, it has always been a bit of a mystery,

How Can God Allow Suffering? (Mark 14:32-42) Mark Meynell (All Souls Langham Place, Oct 20 2013)

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why Jesus followers throughout history seem to have coped with execution better than Jesusdid.

But is it really fair to deny the reality of human pain and suffering? And what about injustice?Jesus suffered the most appalling miscarriages of justice (as even his judge Pilate would accept).Is it really fair to say that has no significance? I find that chilling, dont you? By suggesting that

it is mere illusion, it belittles the experience of acute suffering. Much more could be said, but letstake another view, closer to home.

(ii) Western Secular Mindset: The AVOIDANCE OF SUFFERING

There are some people who do extraordinary and noble things for others out there. People willendure a great personal cost for a cause. But ultimately, the secular mindset says that it is allmeaningless. Suffering is not an illusion - it is real. But it is pointless. What we do or dont dodoesnt really matter ultimately. It is a harsh reality but were just have to resign ourselves to it,however reluctantly. So as Richard Dawkins famously puts it:

In a universe of electrons and selfish genes, blind physical forces and genetic replication, some peopleare going to get hurt, other people are going to get lucky, and you won't find any rhyme or reason in it,nor any justice. The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is,at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference. DNA neitherknows nor cares. DNA just is, and we dance to its music. (River Out of Eden, New York, Basic Books,

1993:133)

This it follows - if everything is meaningless, why go through with suffering. Surely it makesbetter sense to avoid it. And that is why for countless people today what matters is the presentmoment and making the most of it. Which is why so many do what they can to avoid suffering atall costs.

Unlike all previous generations and cultures perhaps, modern life gears everything around the

prevention, minimizing and avoidance of trouble. From labour-saving devices to assisted,painless suicide. So a modern secularist looks at Jesus in the freeze frame and says, youre beingabsurd. Why go through with this? No point! Theres no reality beyond this one, so eat, drinkand be merry and let nature take its course. Have an easier life. So in v42, he ought to say lets gohome. Instead he says, lets go to my betrayer. Its so alien, its crazy. So the big question is

why?!

(iii) The Christian Mindset: The DEFEAT OF SUFFERING

14:36 Abba, Father. Everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will butwhat you will.

Some of the most mysterious, perplexing and even chilling words in the Bible, and perhaps everwritten? Because you see, Jesus is not suffering from some nebulous dread or premonitions ofwhats ahead. Hes not like JFK, resigned to an unknown future. No. He knows exactly whatsahead - and he heads straight into it. In a sense this is a man who feels the need, for whateverreason, to climb down onto the train tracks and walk headlong into a high-speed train. So again,

we ask why? How could God allow this, let alone want it for His Son?

Well, astonishingly, the answer lies in what it will produce. But first please understand. Sufferingand evil are never good in themselves. We are right to be appalled, to rant and rail against it.Jesus did when a close friend died for example. There is always going to be something irrationaland senseless about evil; suffering is not something to be relished. And Jesus execution on the

cross was the worst thing that humanity ever accomplished. Killing Gods son was quite simplythe worst we could do.




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But the process of suffering can somehow, mysteriously, stupefyingly, be used to bring aboutgood. We know that in life. We know that from cancer treatment through the agonies ofchemotherapy and radiotherapy. It has to be endured, but it brings good. Or take the decadesNelson Mandela suffered in prison - which was itself a key factor in the moral victory overapartheid. And Jesus endured the horror of the cross because of the glory that would result: the

triumph of justice, the resounding cry of hope. You see point of this cup he refers to in v36 is thatit is Gods just response to human sin - to that humanity and horror weve talked about. God isnot indifferent to injustice and what we do. He must judge it. And he will. But that leaves each ofus in a perilous state. Each of us bears guilt. So the good news of Gods justice in an unjust

world, is also a threat to people like you and me who live lives without reference to our God.This is the cup that we all face - the cup of Gods righteous and holy justice.

But Jesus says - Ill drink it down for you. Its not because he had a death wish, but a love-wish,if I can put it like that. And it is the joint plan of God, Father, Son and Spirit. They do this

because this is what they have decided and planned. This is what they want to do. Does thismean its done lightly? Of course not. It is terrifying. Overwhelming in its horror. Jesussuffering here is then unique. He does this so that we dont need to. He suffered on the cross

precisely so that we dont have to. And thats why followers of Christ have died with greaterserenity and confidence than him. For we are rescued from suffering through his suffering. TheChristian mindset to suffering is built on the fact that Christ has defeated suffering. So here ina nutshell is the wonder of the cross.

Who has ever demonstrated such love? he went to the cross, he drank the cup, willingly, inorder to protect and love those who trust him. God truly is GOOD - cant get better. This is

the BEST of God, in the face of the WORST of humanity?Who would ever have solved the enigma of justice and mercy? No human justice system

has ever been able to square the circle of doing what is just (not least for the victims), whileshowing mercy to the guilty. But at the Cross, God does just that. It takes divine genius. Godis WISE.

Who could ever have orchestrated all this? You see, even though he sat in the Oval Office,JFK knew he was not the master of events. But Jesus is different. Take any of the 4 gospelaccounts and it is clear. Throughout the whole sequence of events at his death - Jesus is in

total, calm control. He chooses to be silent before his judges. And in our passage, he choosesto go out to meet his betrayer. At the cross, God is in control. God is POWERFUL.

SO - lets be clear. We dont have all the answers. I simply dont understand how God can allowso much of what goes on. But I can get Jesus and what he did at the Cross - the 3-legged stool isintact at the cross. At the Cross, God is Good, Wise, AND powerful. And it worked - becauseJesus rose from the dead, he defeated death which is our greatest enemy. He breaks throughdeath to the other side. So do you perhaps begin to see what all the fuss with Jesus is about?

3. THE HOPE IN SUFFERING(i) The divine experience of suffering

Jesus own life shows us very clearly that suffering is real - the eastern mindset hasnt got itright. Suffering just cant be brushed aside as illusory. He wept, he starved, he agonized. Hesuffered. And he bled. And that matters for anyone who suffers in any way. For we know a God

who understands. He can therefore sympathize. As the great preacher Spurgeon put it, a Jesuswho never wept could never wipe away my tears.




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(ii) The divine redemption through suffering

Jesus own determination to go to the cross shows that suffering can have a meaning, can have apurpose. The western secularists havent got it right. It is not meaningless. That never means itsa good thing in itself. But there is a mysterious divine creativity behind this destruction. Godredeems through suffering. There is hope.

Ultimately because:

(iii) The divine defeat of suffering

The story we freeze-framed does not end here - he rose from the dead. Death lost sting - we havehope when every tear will be wiped away. This means there is life after life. And when we trustHim, that means all suffering has an end point.

I want to suggest to you that no other worldview has comes anywhere close to as comprehensivea response, for the reality of pain, the reality of evil and injustice, the confusions of my own painas well as the big macro questions. It doesnt mean I always get it. Just read the Psalms to see

people clinging to God despite their confusions. But it does mean we have hope. And that is whywe worship Jesus!



How Can God Allow Suffering? (Mark 14:32-42) - full transcript

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