10-30-08-am

Sermon Series

Dr. Gary VanDeWalker Evangelical Free Church

10 Things That Annoy Me About God

1. He takes everything personally.

Matthew 25:40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

2. He thinks what He said 2,000 years ago applies to today.

Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

3. He won’t let me take anything with me when I die.

1 Timothy 6:7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

4. He allows evil to continue.

Psalm 74:10-11 How long will the enemy mock you, O God? Will the foe revile your name forever? Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!

5. He isn’t impressed by what I do.

Romans 4:2-3 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

6. He is way too generous with my possessions.

Matthew 5:40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

7. He doesn’t justify Himself to me.

Job 38:4 Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand.

8. He won’t let me earn my way to heaven.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

9. He won’t prove His existence to the world.

Luke 16:31 He said to him, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead. "

10. He isn’t politically correct.

John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.“

I may be overstating my case a bit. These 10 things no longer annoy me, but in the past they have. At different times in my life I have questioned why God does some of the things He does or why He has set up the world the way He has done. I’ve had more than 10 annoyances; however, these 10 are the ones I have found I have most in common with other people.

As I have thought about God, I’ve wondered…why is He so touchy about things? Why so dogmatic? Don’t the things I do count for something good in His eyes? If He is all-powerful, then why does evil exist? He could explain Himself to me and prove Himself to everyone, so why doesn’t He? Sometimes, He seems out of touch with the real world.

I love finding answers when I can. Questions bother me. When I have a question I pursue an answer. I haven’t found answers to all the questions I have. But to these 10 things, I have discovered amazing truths about God and this world.

For the next 10 weeks, I invite you to join me in the adventure of probing into these issues and discovering why what once annoyed me about God has drawn me into a closer and more personal relationship with Him.

--Pastor Gary

4. April 20

He allows evil to continue

Psalm 74:10-11

How long will the enemy mock you, O God? Will the foe revile your name forever? Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?
Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!

1. The God Problem

2. When you look at the ________, you are faced with the problem of evil

--Evil remains a ________________ for many people

--Evil is a ______________

--Evil is _________________

3. One option is to eliminate __________________ in the face of evil

--Problem: There is evil. If there is a God He would do something about evil. Nothing is done about evil. Therefore, there is not a God.

--An answer: There is evil. If there is evil, there must be a good. If there is a good, there must be a moral law. If there is moral law, there must be a lawgiver. Therefore, there must be a God.

4. Another option is to eliminate ______________________________:

--Problem: There is no real evil and there is no God.

--Answer: If there is no real evil and no God, then life is meaningless and one must be able to live consistently with this conclusion, which is impossible.

5. A solution:

--There is a God, He does do something about evil, He doesn’t violate our freewill, He has a plan which is written out in real history.

6. This week, I will confront the evils of my world by measuring the evils of the world with the first and second coming of Jesus Christ.

4. April 20

He allows evil to continue.

Psalm 74:10-11

How long will the enemy mock you, O God? Will the foe revile your name forever? Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?
Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!

1. The God Problem

2. When you look at the world, you are faced with the problem of evil

--Evil remains a mystery for many people

--Evil is a reality

--Evil is universal

3. One option is to eliminate God in the face of evil

--Problem: There is evil. If there is a God He would do something about evil. Nothing is done about evil. Therefore, there is not a God.

--An answer: There is evil. If there is evil, there must be a good. If there is a good, there must be a moral law. If there is moral law, there must be a lawgiver. Therefore, there must be a God.

4. Another option is to eliminate God and evil:

--Problem: There is no real evil and there is no God.

--Answer: If there is no real evil and no God, then life is meaningless and one must be able to live consistently with this conclusion, which is impossible.

5. A solution:

--There is a God, He does do something about evil, He doesn’t violate our freewill, He has a plan which is written out in real history.

6. This week, I will confront the evils of my world by measuring the evils of the world with the first and second coming of Jesus Christ.

4. Bible Study

1. What are some traits you gained from your family that are good? Are there any traits you wish you hadn’t inherited?

2. Have you ever had a possession you wished you could get rid of?

3. Read Romans 3:9-24

4. Its easy to find people who are worse than us in any way, but what does Paul warn us about in vs. 9?

5. Make a list of the traits in verses 10-18. What picture do they give of our inheritance as human beings? Is there anything that surprises you? How do you hear people try to argue to the contrary about these points?

6. What makes people feel privileged than others sometimes? How do these verses put things in a proper perspective?

7. Read verses 19-20. What is the role of the law in the life of the unbeliever?

8. What is the role of the law in the life of the believer? Is there any difference between the believer and the unbeliever in regards to the law?

9. If this passage ended with verse 20, what would you feel like?

10. What do verses 21-24 add to the truth?

11. Does what Christ done contradict the Law? (verse 21)

12. How is real righteousness found? (verse 22)

13. In your own words, what is the Good News of verses 23-24

14. If you only had Romans 3 to use, how you answer the question of here evil in the world comes from?

15. After studying this passage, describe what Christ has done for you personally?

16. What is something this week that you can do for Him?

New International Version (NIV)