TH170720/Why Does God Allow Suffering?

Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners receive free email daily devotions were to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org you know we all have questions, lots and lots of questions and nowadays you know you have all of this electronic gear to help you know there was a time not all that long ago when if you needed an answer you. I got talked to a living human being or you want to look it up in a thing called a book that had pages in written all that is to be people selling the Encyclopaedia Britannica and you would invest in this big set of books to have in your library will those days are pretty much gone and now we have to do is just go to a Google search engine and ask a question or ask Siri or go to Yahoo answers and see what they have to say in the problem Egypt understand any random person can give you any random answer. I listen just because it's on the Internet doesn't mean it's true, we all understand that because people come in sick.

But I read it on the Internet. There's crazy people on the Internet so just know that of course, but I actually read these are real questions people typed into the search engine of Yahoo real questions. One person types in this question. Will my laptop get heavier if I put more files on it while okay how about this one a real question.

Do you think humans will ever walk on the sun walk on the sun. I love the answer. One person said best answer would be yes, but it would have to be at night.

Here's another one I can't believe someone sent this in if I put my cat in a sealed box. Is it still alive. That's gonna scare the answer would probably be no unless you get them out quickly about this one is it illegal to kill, enhance, really, some exactly asking the question is that governments give the old joke of what the pink panther said when he stepped on, and that you know the answer. Members bring panther's template and they went down and did and did at that job. So how about this one.

I like this when actually is spelled to become a mermaid that actually works so they fight other spells lead-in work and that was from Pastor Tim Harding in the front row. Tim and I here's one more. Can I lose weight without moving, and that was from me and I never got an acceptable answer within are serious questions that people ask and of course her questions like why is there suffering in the world. The question is what happens after we die is reincarnation true, but it we come back in a higher or lower life form depending on our karma for me.

The big question is why the way always just lose one sock. You know I always lose what I would rather just lose a pair of socks so will begin the someone somewhere.

But I lose one sock.

I don't know why but I always hang onto that sock that once one deal find that the other does walk along I saw sock in the gutter that there's one of you know, but you know these are questions we asked with the big questions are about suffering and about why things happen the way they do it by the way that's on the new questions of the 21st century or even the 20th century or even the 19th century. In fact, it was a question they were effectively asking in the first century. During the time of Christ himself. And we find answers in the text before us.

This is a story of a blind man who was healed by Jesus. One day he also became a believer in addition to having his blindness healed. We've all heard people say, seeing is believing in his case, believing was seen because he saw things he had never certain scene before he not just basis of friends and family, not just the beauty of God's creation.

What he saw spiritually as well, and he discovered what the real purpose of life was because he saw Jesus in fact I was the first person he saw when he was healed. The Lord himself and that is why he saw everything else in its proper perspective and so no were looking at what this all means to us and what the passage actually says. So let's go now to John chapter 9 and will read a few verses together now as Jesus passed by, he saw a man who was blind from birth and his disciples asked him, Rabbi, who send this man or his parents that he was born blind.

Jesus answered, neither this man nor his parents in, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day, the night is coming when no man can work. And as long as I am in the world I am the light of the world when he said these things, he spit on the ground and make clay with the saliva and he anointed the eyes of the blind men with the clay and he said go wash in the pool of silo which is translated, sent so the man went and washed and came back stop there. So here's his question who send this man or his parents, not of course we wonder why. How could this man have sinned if he was blind from birth and the reason this question was asked is because some Jews of the day believed in their own version of reincarnation and made more popular today through Hinduism, but even they had a view like this, not a biblical view of course, but some actually thought that you would have been alive and another time as another person or another life form.

Basically, reincarnation teaches that the soul moves from the body to another body, the status of each successive body, whether human or animal as a direct result of the quality of life. The soul lead in the previous body that's a good life, results in a rebirth to a higher life form a bad life, results in a rebirth to a lower quality life form. This forward and backward progression is based on the law of karma and its essential foundation of Hinduism another Easter based philosophies. Basically, karma teaches that good deeds are rewarded and bad deeds are punished now who would believe stuff like this while more people than you might think read I read that 25% of Americans believe in reincarnation heard people say of their newborn baby. Oh, he's an old soul you know like he was in another body was an older man at a previous time, and now that souls in the body of the little baby and the ideas that the souls preexistence over the well this is a biblical I you become a soul at conception. You then preexistent another life, and you will continue to exist in another life. For now, as Christians, we believe you live forever, but you don't keep coming back to the earth. You know, one time as a dog. Another time God for bid is a cat and then maybe as a matter a woman or whatever know it doesn't work that way the Bible teaches that that at conception, not a birth at conception, we become a living soul made in the very image of God. Someone 3913 says of the summonses you created my innermost being unique me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made your works are wonderful. I know full well that your eyes saw my uniform body all the days for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. So this is a very important thing. Of course or reading in Scripture that is telling us that God knew us in the mother's womb, God knew all about us and had a plan for life and that is why abortion is murdering an unborn child, and this is why it's such a horrible travesty in our culture today but we are One Life to live on this earth multiple lies on hundreds of lives, not thousands of lives and it's in this life that we call life would really mean we should call the before life.

We talk about the afterlife. The before life is much shorter than the afterlife is in its in the before life we determine where we will spend the afterlife.

There are no other chances beyond the grave. You will come back as a higher or lower life form to sort things out and all happens here now because the Bible says it's appointed unto men once to die. Then comes the judgment with this question of the disciples brings us to another often asked question why does God allow suffering this effectively with the rusting.

They say Lord verse two who send this man or his parents to be in the CDs.

In another words, why was this man born blind and we could take that further and asked the question why are babies born with a disability. Why is there war. Why is there terrorism. Why is a tragedy. Why why why goes on and on CS Lewis once wrote and I quote the problem of pain is atheism's most potent weapon agreements against the Christian faith. You know sometimes you see people who are atheists. I don't know that some of the more they say they are, but often they're not. But there are true atheists out there these they claim to be anti-and though say they've come to this conclusion after careful study and so forth and there may be a few examples of that. But I fell by and large, people end up as atheist because something traumatic happened in them earlier in life and thus they had to find a belief system or lack thereof, that would help them to deal with the pain that they had to face in an example is Ted Turner.

He founded CNN I and he, as a young boy, a Ted wanted to be a missionary, but his sister came down with lupus and Ted pray fervently that she would be healed and she died.

So from that day on, Ted Turner was mad at God's gone out of his way to mock Christians about the Christian faith in mock the Bible and so forth. Calling Christianity a religion for losers. He became an atheist because he experienced a personal tragedy and it made no sense to him because his problem was. He could not reconcile a loving God and human suffering and in some of you may be struggle with these things because you were dealt a bad hand in life, so to speak, you were raised in a home that fell apart turn abusive home or an alcoholic home or someone very close to you died when you were younger, some tragedy is befallen you even recently, and it makes no sense to you and your sort of angry at God. I hear people say I'm mad at God really in the classic statement of this problem. Either God is all-powerful, but is not all good.

Therefore, he doesn't stop evil or he's all good but is not all-powerful.

Therefore he can't stop evil in the general tendency is to blame God for all of the evil and all the suffering in the world effectively suppressed all the responsibility on to him. And so this is not a rational thing that is happening when people do this, but there's nothing rational about it. People are just upset and so they're passing these things on and so here now Jesus is going to sort of set the record straight and let's deal with this question. Can physical suffering on earth be a result of sin. The answer is yes and no. Let me say in a broad sense, all suffering is a result of sin and I don't mean personal son was born with a disability. I'm not suggesting they did something bad to deserve that not all all suffering aging. Even a death. It's all a result of sin could see it was never God's plan for us to get set. It was never God's plan for us to get old. It was never God's plan for me to be ball. I because of the curse of sin. It affects me the pics you it affects all of us because of the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden, you might say.

Well if I'd been on the garden. I would've never eaten of the forbidden fruit shop. Of course you would have an easy way to respond. That is, have you ever said well if you're honest she'll say yes. Will you would've responded to temptation just like they did, but have if they had not sin, the curse would not of, because they didn't sin the Chris did come in Romans 512 says that sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, death spread to all men because all men and women of course have sent well.

Immediately people. Why did God make it that way. Why didn't God create us so we would not sin. So what you're really saying is, what in God make us into robots right.

I have a grandson Christopher. He just turned four and die. He told me Papa I want a robot with an arm. I had no idea what he was talking about and so he had seen some commercial is mom or dad had no clue as to what this robot with an arm was so I went out and typed it to a search engine. After I asked him to Live in a sealed box that was me. By the way summarizer get it on the open. I'm joking someone will take that seriously.

He's walking out he so angry about it as such.

I generally sit anyway. So I typed in robot with our couple of videos popped up. I think I found it so I get a copy that sent the link over there.

He said they we think that's it. So I bought him the robot within our so you run it off your iPhone are just as little wheels on the thing reaches a grab something picks it up, but that that's the whole thing but it's kinda cool because last night he put his voice and it records your voice like a commercial for the stupid thing okay but he put his voice ended so it was his voice in the Roman by the way I post a little video and Instagram. If you look at the silly thing but anyway so here is this little toy will it's cute but you notice of the Bluetooth disconnects.

It just stops and its limited what you want to be a robot with an arm with a prerecorded voice he wanted for free will you know when one of the good things about getting back from a trip.

Hopefully as people missed you not feeling that from you but I others have no I am kind of budget or your grandkids hug you and your wife hugs which he was with me so she didn't hug me, but you know that we missed you. We love you. That's the best kind of affection that comes from the heart not something that's robotic or something is preprogrammed. Okay, so here's God he doesn't want to much of robots. He wants us to love him because we choose to love him, but with that choice to say yes also came the ability to make the choice to say no, so free will is our greatest blessing and in some ways our worst curse and so really we come down to this question about suffering when it happens it will is one of fine cause and effect. I remember when 9/11 happened in some said this was the judgment of God on America that don't really want one of the World Trade Center in particular other more wicked places in America than the World Trade Center.

Other more wicked places on earth, then New York City, you know, we begin to take that and think it through rationally and it begins to not make sense and I think it's always a big mistake to find cause and effect for tragedy. All that happened because they were wicked. Really what Jesus actually told a story in the book of Luke chapter 13 about a tower that fell in the group of Gentiles, a well-known news event, a tower fell and killed some people and so Jesus asked the rhetorical question. Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem and then he said no I tell you again unless you repent you will also parents.

So basically Christ is addressing this idea of bad things happening that make no sense, and here's what he saying in effect, bad things happen. People.there are not always explanations. Sometimes we see evil people do evil things and pay the consequences right and sometimes we see godly people killed bus full of people going to a church retreat are killed by a drunk driver that pulls out of his lane and gets them, and he survives we say where's the justice and that we don't understand that bad things happen that are inexplicable this side of heaven here was price point pay a you think they were the worst sinners.

Actually, they weren't in unless you repent you will perish. In other words, guess what guys, no one gets out of here alive.

Everyone's going to die sing great this is the most depressing message I've ever heard go back to the robot story. Let me finish it'll get better, but I want to leave this foundation because we need to understand that is a bad things happen Christians to cancer Christians are killed in automobile accidents. A godly people face tragedy. It is not always something we can explain, but the most important thing for us is we have hope this followers of Jesus Christ because there's more than life on this earth.

There is life beyond.

So that's a key so let's consider some ways that suffering can work in our life. First of all there is corrective suffering.

If you're taking notes. Write that down corrective suffering.

That's up on the screen as well. This is the idea that God will allow or send some pain in our lives to get our attention, let me say that again corrective suffering is the idea that God will allow, or even send some pain in our lives to get our attention, sort of wake-up call as he is losing" him quote God whispers to us in our pleasures.

He speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. Pain as his megaphone to arouse a deaf world." By the way, that was not the case.

In our story before is here of the blind man. There is no cause-and-effect or this was just something that happened to him but sometimes sickness can come as a result of sin. There can be cause-and-effect.

In some occasions because we read in John five of a man who was healed was a paralytic paralytic was and unable to walk. He said you were well again. Sitting or something worse may come upon you, and will sometimes we bring misery on ourselves. You know summonses while by my you know livers destroyed. I need a liver transplant in you because you drank for your entire life. Or maybe you went out driving drunk and you got in an accident or you got a DUI Ghana why these things happen because you are doing stupid things. That's why are you know maybe around living in a moral life, and you get an STD. Here even worse to get AIDS or something like that. I don't know whether seven because you were doing things you should to be doing. There can be cause-and-effect, but there are other times that God will just allow something traumatic to wake us up to wake us up. This happened to Jonah member he God told him to go to Nineveh and preach because God wanted to lay down the biggest revival in human history. And God wanted to do it through Jonah.

That was his plan. And Jonah said no way am I going to Nineveh because I don't want those people to repent.

Because her wicked brother got just judge those Ninevites, so God said go Jonah said no, God said all was in God will always have the last word right you know the rest of the story. Storm came. Jonah got thrown overboard, swallowed by a great this barked on the shores of Nineveh.

Finally, reluctantly I might add.

He did what God called him to do, and the result was the greatest revival in human history.

A million people effectively.

A believing in turning to God.

So you see there was discipline there in the Bible tells us in Hebrews 12 that the Lord disciplines those that are shares and he says don't be discouraged when he corrects you. It's a reminder that you're his child thing to reminder, so you shouldn't be concerned if you cross a line in the Lord gives US swot. You should be concerned when you cross a line and you feel no regret or guilt at all. You should be more concerned when you can send with the Brandon and even feel like it's okay with God. That's when I'd be scared of. Are you but your conscience is working and you kinda go over the line.

The Lord has something out of the kennel wake you up.

You should rejoice and be reminded that you are a child of God. So that's the first kind of suffering corrective suffering. Number two would be constructive suffering constructive suffering this agreement. God wants to do a particular work in your life were told that in second Corinthians verse 17. Our present troubles are quite small, but they won't last forever.

Yet they produce for us and immeasurably great glory, not Greg Laurie great glory that will last forever. Paul had his thorn in the flesh. Remember that you talked about it in second Corinthians 12 why why would God allow the great apostle to be afflicted well sometimes are great blessings come great responsibilities and with those responsibilities can come a certain kind of pain. Paul had the privilege of dying and going to heaven and being called back to earth again. He talked about it there. Corinthians.

He says I was caught up in the third heaven and I saw things I can't even describe for you what he says but less I get puffed up. I was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me to keep me from getting proud three times asked the Lord to take it away and the Lord said, my grace is sufficient for you are literally my gracious favor is all you need to pause and God's power works best in my weakness so I boast that in my weakness. I'm stronger that was constructive soft key third category. What is God allow sickness and tragedy in this is to glorify God to glorify God.

It can be the endurance of that suffering that can bring glory to God on this platform. I've had the privilege of interviewing Johnny Erickson, Todd, who many of you remember to me, one of the great heroes of the church. A lady who is gone through untold suffering. Starting with a diving accident is a young lady and since then she's had to do with breast cancer and so many hardships, but she so honest she's so truthful but yet she honors the Lord and and God is use Johnny sitting in that wheelchair to bring hope to millions of people around the world. So God is glorified through her suffering. I think of my friend Nick voided check which was born without arms and legs and yet he is taken. This powerful testimony and ensured it to bring encouragement to people all around the planet you one place that Nick is very effective is with young people and go to rallies in high schools and hears kids who are depressed thinking life is so hard. You know, for whatever reason their boyfriend broke up with them are the parents of their cell phone away or something. And then there is Nick without arms or legs. Speaking of his hope and his joy in the Lord and he radiates joy and that the idea seems being there is a testimony and then when he begins to speak it, it's even more powerful.

I can get that back out here again. It's been quite a long time is an amazing story, so God can be glorified through the endurance of that server. The listen to this. Forget this point God can be glorified by removing that suffering. Sometimes the Lord will allow it and then rose him to be glorified by removing it wrong to be glorified by answering your prayer. Everything looks bleak, show you my power. That is what happened in the story before zero literally reverses 3 to 4 and I want to add one thing to forward them understand when these words were originally given a written down by the scribes and those are recorded Scripture. First, there were not chapters and verses, Jesus did not say chapter 15 verse one then speak that was out of later so we could find a way around the Scripture and sometimes those chapters and verses are are very helpful. Often times, in fact. But sometimes there disruptive and I think if we not look at the verse numbers here and read the whole statement we get the idea. Jesus says neither this man nor his parents send that statement continues, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day for the night is coming when no man can work.

In other words, instead of telling how this man became blind or why he ended up blinders of Jesus is saying story about that person's gonna happen, to heal the sky right here right now. By the way, God still in the healing business. Did you know that he still in the healing business. You don't need a televangelist to throw was coded to. You don't need to go to some so-called miracle service but you do need to go and pray, and here's what the Bible says if you're sick go to the oldest of the church of them lay hands on you and pray and anointing with oil in the offense (prayer of a righteous man avails much. So we praying we ask God to intervene and he does. I always believe we should pray for healing. There's a promise of healing in Isaiah Isaiah 53, so surely he took up her infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. Listen, he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. Computer commenting on the same verse as in first Peter 224 he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sins and live for righteousness by his wounds or stripes you have been healed so in Isaiah's passage and tells us you can be healed and then Peter says it's actually horny happen in the New Testament when a word like this is using the speaking also of physical healing. So God can heal.

What is God heal everyone obvious answer no, but he does feel some solace.

Pray for that soon I'm called to pray for somebody in a hospital room. More facing some other physical challenge even if the odds are against them and things are looking bleak. We pray for a miracle and we've seen miracles we think not answer amazing prayers have butts but we always say will Lord you know if you have another plan we see not our will, but yours be done. Heard some preacher sick never see that God not our will, but yours be done. Then actually canceled your prayer really is what is God's a machine is God silly or foolish. Of course we praying thy will be done are Lord modeling for us in Gethsemane and he said father of it's possible let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will but as you will note was Jesus himself. So the point is, don't ever be afraid to save thy will be done but having said that, pray in faith, pray for God to heal leave the results in his hand, because I do believe there could be some who are sick. They don't have to be. And if they would just pray for God's touch, they would find it because James 42 says you have not because US not listen to this. I believe there are financial needs that can be met if maybe we just pray about. Maybe the Lord is actually waiting for you to say I need help from God. I've tried everything I can to make this work myself Lord would choose. Only you have not because US not think of all the things that God may want to do in your life that he simply waiting for you to ask him about okay so this is what happened and because of the way Jesus healed this guy just classic before we consider it. Let's review the way Jesus healed other people.

Sometimes people would touch him. There was a woman who had some physical problem or not sure what was a but she was always bleeding. She couldn't stop the bleeding and dies she reason. If I can touch the hem of his garment. I'll be healed. So one day Jesus was walking by. There's always a crowd around Jesus you know paparazzi people to consult these are the kind of thing and I and this woman said just touch them and I'll be healed and she manages to get her hand through a touches the little edge of his throat just touched it and all of a sudden Jesus sums it who touched me, who touched you everybody touched you the gravity of their pushing you know someone touched me Jesus I perceived power is gone out of me in the crowd parts and there's that lady hi settle key how it was more than okay. Jesus wanted to commend her for her faith.

She touched him, but then other times Jesus touch people would be his touch that would heal them right.

Sometimes he would just speak a word and they would be healed with this one is classic because we read that he spit in the dirt and wiped it in the guys eyes can imagine.

Someone came up for prone Greg to prevent sure what will you do it's in the Bible not suggesting I did that with here's my point. Why that what is the methodology of healing change from person to person. Why is it always Jesus touch them or why is it always they touched Jesus or why is it always go wash in the pool of silo.

Why is not always. He just speaks the word he changed his methodology if you will, so people would not focus on that would focus on him and so he spirit of the dirt. Why did interlocutors mud in your eye butting wiped his eyes should say and mesas, go wash in the pool of silo. That's what the guy did for the first time in his life he can see. Imagine that guy's been blowing his whole life never had signs and for the first time he sees the face of our Lord.

He sees the blue sky. He sees flowers he sees beauty.

Wow, what a moment to what was a reaction.

John nine verse 10 reading from the new living translation.

They asked him who healed you. What happened is that while the men they call Jesus made mud and smooth it over my eyes and told me to go wash in the pool of silo and walks up the mud. I want to watch.

Now I can see now where is he now is is I don't know they took demand of the Pharisees, and as it happened, Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath. The Pharisees asked him at all about it. He told them what he smooth them out over my eyes. One is washed away. I could see that some of the Pharisees that this man Jesus is not from God breeze working on the Sabbath. Others said how can an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs, and there was deep division among them. Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who'd been blind and demanded this man will open your eyes. You say he is and said hey you must be a prophet and does so this is really interesting.

He you know he doesn't even know what is fully And he doesn't know if you'll ever see Jesus again.

You can easily semiautomatic in your religious debate guys. I don't know what I think about this guy know he just owns it. Yet I think is appropriate. He was effectively speaking up for the Lord. He knew they were angry.

He knew he could incur the wrath and be banned from worship and effectively ostracize the bank in this day that the whole life of the Jewish person revolve around the synagogue, so he didn't want to get thrown out of the synagogue as I was your life of worship that was your social life. That was her family that was everything and so he knew he could be disfellowshipped are thrown out and he could've been very careful money that way and I can't deny what is actually happening. I love this because he stood up for Jesus. And you know what God will bless you when you stand up for him. You stand up for him in your workplace, you stand up for him in your campus.

You stand up for him and your family among your family.

You stand up for him wherever you are. Wife, because he said if you will acknowledge me before people all acknowledge you before the father and his angels, and I love what happens next. Go back to John nine the diverse 24 so for the second time they call the man would been blinded told him give glory to God by telling the truth because we know Jesus as a sinner. I love this guy pay. I don't know whether he is a sinner or not. All I know is once I was blind but now I see I love numbers you know what you do heal you guys and I already told you didn't you listen you want to hear it again. Listen to this to you want to become his disciples to know instead of evangelizing the cursed and said you are his disciple.

We are the disciples of Moses is such a classic statement on the part of the formerly blind men. Verse 25. One thing I know once I was blind but now I see you know that much and the gluttons were afraid to share our faith because, well, I'm not a theologian, and I don't have the answers to all the hard questions got maybe not, let me ask you this.

Could you say like this guy. He wants I was blind but now I see once I was lost but now I found once I was filled with guilt and emptiness. And now I have purpose and forgiveness. You see, you are the greatest authority on what has happened to you know it's a greater authority.

What took place in your life then you are. You may not have the answers to everyone's question but I would suggest you know more than you think you do a J Packer made the statement. I like it. He says every Christian is a theologian simply by speaking of God, whatever you say you become a theologian I'm a theologian your theologian, what's a theologian technically defined. It's a study of God, did you read your Bible today raise her hand only be read your Bible this week. Raise your hand if you are all theologians, because you're studying God that you may know more than some of those folks and those academic institutions so the point is we aren't the theologian of a sort and I think will work under fire. You might be amazed at how much you have acquired sitting in church all the times you been here and study God's word on your own and this is why evangelism is important for you as much as it is a important for the people your financial licensing see the people that are. Lastly, because the gospel but you need to share the gospel because as you give it's given unto you press down, shaken together and running over, and if you hang on to what God is giving you and never shared that can be hurtful to your own spiritual life. God did not give us the gospel to hoard it.

He gave us the gospel to share it. And as you Sharon, you find that the Lord will bless you and use you and it can be very exciting, but that yourself in the sky shoes. He's completely blind. He's never seen this guy Claudia sunset. As I said, and now his eyes are open and the religious leaders. Just one argue with him but he stands up for his faith and now I love this because he stood up, look at what Jesus does for this guy even better than healing them of his blindness. John nine for the last time verse 35 when Jesus heard what happened so mental Jesus. What happened to Jesus.

Know the guy you blindness you know he's being harassed by the religious leaders can you know what he said to them, no telling.

They told Jesus of the guys said Jesus is that I can see the sky so he tracks the sky down verse 35 when Jesus heard what happened. He found the man and said, dealing in the name of the son of God to man answered.

Who is he, sir, because I'd sure like to.

Jesus said, you've seen them and he's speaking to you paraphrasing buddy you're talking to. Listen to what he says. Yes, Lord, I believe any worship Jesus. Jesus told him, I have come to judge the world, I've come to give sight to the blind and show those who think they see that they are blind to the Pharisees and were standing there heard him and said are you saying we are blind. Jesus replied if you are blind you wouldn't be guilty but because you room you remain guilty because you claim you can see I love how this worked out first 35 Jesus heard he was cast out religion turned him away.

Jesus took command. Please know this is not about religion I'm so not into religion.

Trust me when I tell you that I don't want to be a religious person, I know you may think I'm religious. I'm not that I never implanted becoming a religious person because I think religious people are just weird. But I do want a relationship with God, and I wanted to be real and I want other people to have a relationship with God so someone says that's religious whatever. But to me it's all about a relationship with the Lord knowing conclusion you know some of you join the Syrian. Any sums happened to you lately. That's kind of gotten your attention a wake-up call of some kind of close brush with death may be someone you know died or something is happened you don't know why it's happening. Could it be God is allowed this in your life as a wake-up call to get your attention. I just read today that a Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington just committed suicide to read that he hung himself in his home and Palos Verdes, and in the state's estate home in LA County. He was married with six children from two wives and killed himself. This is tragic on another rockstar another lead singer this is on the heels of Chris Cornell.

The lead singer of Soundgarden and as it turns out Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell were close friends and the lead singer Linkin Park Chester Wood was devastated when Chris took his own life and then he goes and does the same thing we did what we might want. I thought that was like the dream man. The American dream. Your a lead singer in a stinking rock band you're living in a beautiful home you have tons of money and you have all the luxuries of life above them struggled with depression and they use drugs. That's a bad combination. I mean if you're dealing with depression. There can be clinical depression all acknowledge that sometimes people are just depressed because they have no place for God in their life, then you are drugs to that and that's like pouring gasoline on fire. It's another sky takes his own life on the heels of his friend and he did it on the birthdate of his friends and he actually recorded a song and saying it after Chris died in talking about Chester from Linkin Park now and the song was called one more light and I am the love song it asked the question who cares of one more light goes out in a sky of a million stars.

It flickers flickers who cares many things will I do with anyone committed suicide.

I tell you, cares for my goes out Jesus Christ he cares about every person, every man, every woman cares about every unborn baby cares about every person because of the elderly person in the last moments of their life and that newborn and everyone in between he cares for us.

He loves us. He has a purpose and plan for our life, and he can change your life. Think about this. This man was born blind, had his world rocked by Jesus in a moment, everything changed for him and you know I said God still in the healing business limitations that melt God is still in the life changing business. I don't know what your state is here tonight. I don't know if you are struggling with drugs or alcohol, or I don't know some of you are deeply depressed or some of you may be of even contemplated suicide. Some of you have possibly even attempted suicide. I did just want you to know there's hope for you in a relationship with Jesus because it seemed Jesus and changes men can change you.

He can forgive you of all of your sin and what you need to do is come to him. This man believed in Jesus paid you believe in the son of God. Yahoo is a I'm him. I believe Jesus is here.

He's asking you this English and you believe in the son of God, so I don't know much about him but I want to know him.

I want to believe Jesus will accept you and forgive you if you will change your unit to clean your life up and come to him. You just come to him and he'll clean your life sought a 12 step program. It's a one-step program is not 12 steps are 25 steps or four steps one step come to Christ. Repent and believe that's a step you watch what will happen for you. God will do that for something to pray and I want to extend an invitation to any of you that need Jesus here any of you watching right now are listening right now. I know many do they tell me about it and they rightly so I'm I'm thinking of those folks watching right now to all all y'all. Wherever you are. I want you to know that this promise of forgiveness is that every person who will believe in Jesus and the moment we can pray and I'm going to extend an invitation for you to put your faith in Jesus Christ, who died in the cross for you. 2000 years ago took all of your sin upon himself and then he rose again from the dead three days later. If you believe in him to forgive you but you must come to him just like this guy in our story came to Jesus, you must come to Jesus you watch of the Lord will do for you. Let's pray father, thank you for loving us so much that you sent Jesus and Lord Jesus, thank you for coming and I pray now for those that are here those that are watching, listening, wherever they are.

If they don't know you, Lord, help them to come to you and believe, right here, right now. I pray that your Holy Spirit will convict and convince them of their need for you that this will be the moment of transformation. We ask it in Jesus name know I kept about in our eyes are closed.

How many of you would say tonight.

I need Jesus. I want my sins forgiven. I want to know that when I die I'll go to heaven. I want this big hole in my heart filled that I tried to fill with things this world offers and it hasn't worked out, but I'm ready to say yes to Jesus. Pray for me to listen if you want your sin forgiven, if you want to know that when you die you will go to heaven if you want your kilt taken away if you want to ask Jesus into your life raise your hand up wherever you are and I'll pray for you tonight. God bless you you you raise your hand up Iraq and see it you want is forgiveness, bless you, bless you.

God bless you all of her hands are going up. I hope yours is one of anybody else. You want Jesus Christ in your life tonight. Raise your hand when we pray for you, bless you might be a few more of you know this is what you been looking for what's holding you back. You can have your life changed tonight when her to just see what God can do for you to come little step of faith and say yes Jesus come into my life forever. You are raise your hand compass you ever raise your hand yet. Would you lifted Nelson you want Christ to come into your life. God bless you publish in the very back up but she dumped her at the front little boy there anybody else got bless you I went another moment you want his forgiveness. Raise your hand. Compass wellheads are still valid.

Maybe there's some of you that are fallen away from the Lord you walk with Jesus as a young man or a young woman perhaps but other things of crowded them out or you just push them away and you realize tonight. You need to come back to Jesus and get right with him. If you want to return to the Lord to make a recommitment to Christ, would you raise your hand up right now. Let me pray for you want to come back to the Lord. We read, pray for your compliance compass you raise your hand up. I'll pray for you, bless anybody else right now. When asking everyone of you that are raise your hand. I want you to stand your feet, lead you in a prayer of commitment to Christ to stand your feet every want to be there. Raise your hand.

Even if you did not raise your hand but you want Jesus to come in your life you want him to forgive you of your sin, stand up, I'm gonna pray together: stand up, others are standing alone.

By the way, people are standing all over so you will be the only want to stand up your right. Stand your feet, lead you in a prayer right where you are.

God bless all of you standing there might be a few more.

Even if you do not raise your hand you want to make this commitment a recommitment to Christ stand and stay standing if you would place all pray together publish the muddy L stand up will pray away one more moment you want is forgiveness. You want to go to heaven when you die. Stand your feet. Let me lead you in this prayer right anybody else stand them, bless you excellent anybody else compass you write, you that are standing. I mentally join a prayer I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me. This is a prayer we are asking Jesus to come into your life to be your Savior and Lord. Again, as I pray pray this out loud right we are standing okay pray this prayer out loud after me, Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner but I know you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead, Jesus I choose to follow you from this moment forward as Savior and Lord is God and friend. Thank you for loving me and calling me and forgiving in Jesus name I pray. Amen. God bless each one of you that pray that prayer