When God doesn’t seem fair there are some things to remember. We talk about them in today’ sermon

Welcome! My name is Chris Fluitt. I am so happy to be here in Plano Tx at Redemption Church. What kind of Church are we? We are the kind of Church that is WILLING. We are willing to go anywhere, help anyone, say anything… whatever God asks… Whatever DFW needs… WE ARE WILLING!

A big Texas God bless Ya’ll to all our friends experiencing the Word of God over the internet. And of course I love all of you great looking people in this room.

We are the final week of our sermon series “I want to believe, but…”

I want to believe, but…

We sometimes have trouble believing in God. But perhaps the reason we have trouble believing is that we have wrong beliefs about the true God. Over the 3 previous weeks we have been rejecting distorted views of the true God.

Week 1 we talked about ON-DEMAND GOD…The idea that if we ask something in prayer God has to do it… We reject that distortion.

Week 2 we talked about KILLJOY GOD… The idea that God only cares about rules and is out to make sure your life is angry & boring. We reject that distortion.

Week 3 we talked about GOOSEBUMP GOD… The idea that if we don’t see, hear, or feel God he must cease to exist. We reject that idea.

We believe that most people want to believe in the true God of love… BUT… there is a misconception.. an incorrect belief, a distortion of truth that is standing in the way.

Today I want you to reject Heartless God.

HEARTLESS GOD

It may be that you are thinking… I want to believe in God… but how can I believe in a God who doesn’t seem to care?

We don’t have to look too far to see hurt, pain, injustice, and suffering in our world. It leads us to ask… “Where is God? In fact I would like to know what you think… Pull out your smart phone and text our anonymous line.

ANONYMOUS TEXT LINE

What recent news headline has caused you to ask… “God where are you?”

Our anonymous text number is 214-856-0550. The texts are anonymous! Feel free to text us anytime you have questions on life, faith, or Redemption Church.

While you are texting in… Let me tell you some that came across my mind.

• Mass murderers like the one that happened last October in Las Vegas. God if you would have stopped one guy, then 58 people would still be alive?


• Racism & hate crimes. Videos & stories of injustice & brutality.


• School shootings & Church shootings.


• Natural disasters like the Fuego Volcano that killed over 100 people in Guatemala. Did God care about these people? Then why didn’t he stop it? People that are dying in a water drought… if it would only rain then lives would be saved. Is God so heartless that He is withholding rain?

These are world news stories… but perhaps your heart is broken over something more personal.

• Someone hurt you. Someone abused you. Someone stole from you. Someone betrayed you and said bad things about you. Why did God allow them to do this?


• You or someone you love is in the fight for their life after a terminal report from the doctor. Why God?


• You have worked very hard to achieve something and you just can’t get a break. If God really cared why am I not doing better at this point in my life?

I want to believe… but how can I believe when God seems to be heartless…?

HEARTLESS GOD

I can’t answer all of this in today’s sermon. I am not even going to try. If you want a more theological response I suggest you check out our sermon called “The Gospel vs a Broken World.”

My goal today is not to cause you to understand why this is happening… My goal today is to get you to reject the heartless God distortion, and get you connected to a God who can be found in the middle of storms.

If you are having trouble believing that God cares… you are not alone.

• King David gave us many psalms where he asked God “are you listening? Do you hear my cry? God do you care and do you see what my enemies are doing to me.”


• Job was a righteous man, yet he loses his house, his business, his wealth, his health… Job even loses his children. The only thing Job is left with is unhelpful friends and a wife that has the helpful suggestion that he should just curse God and die. There are many times in the book of Job where Job cries in agony and distress for God.


• In your new testament, John the Baptist selflessly prepared the way of Jesus. He said the right things. Did the right things… BUT YET he was arrested and thrown in jail. John the Baptist was the cousin of Jesus, and surely he felt like Jesus, who had done many miracles, was going to save him… Yet John waits, and waits, and no Jesus comes. John shows that he begins to lose all hope when he sends a message to Jesus in Matthew 11:3.

Matthew 11:3 (NIV2011) “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

The same John who declared emphatically the arrival of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world… is not asking if it is true in the middle of his pain. …Jesus you can do this. Jesus you can save me, but you are not. Why? John lost his head in that prison.

Let me talk to you about WHEN GOD DOESN’T SEEM FAIR.

When God doesn’t seem fair

We like to think that things even out. If we do good then surely good things will happen. If we do bad things then it makes sense that bad things would happen. This seems fair… but it gets really confusing when you help the homeless man on the side of the road and get a flat tire a few blocks later. It is hard to understand how people who lie and steal never seem to get caught and live wealthier lives than people who devote their