23-0910a Transcript

Preacher: Tom Freed

(1:35) Good morning. Good to see everybody here. Good to see our visitors. (1:40) I don’t know where everybody else is, but yeah, glad everybody made it. I know we have (1:45) some people on the phone.

My sermon today is like the song Mike sang, (1:53) God is so good. If you’re a Christian, I’m sure you’ve heard this saying, (2:00) God is good many times in your life. You hear it in sermons, songs, and from people every day.

(2:10) So no matter what the circumstances or what happens in your life, (2:14) someone might comment to you, wow, isn’t God so good? It’s very easy to see God’s goodness (2:21) when life tastes like a cold glass of lemonade. When everything is going well, (2:29) when our hearts are happy and our eyes are open, it’s to see his glorious presence. (2:36) So when life is going well, it’s easy to see God’s goodness.

(2:41) You know, it’s easy to see the things he’s doing for you in life. And when everything (2:46) goes according to plan, you can take the time to relax and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation (2:54) all around us and see his goodness. You know, it’s easy to see that.

(3:00) But life is not always a walk in the park. Life can be extremely difficult at times. (3:08) No matter how good you are or how righteously you live your life, (3:15) you’re still going to have a lot of problems.

When you fall on hard times, can you still (3:21) find the good of God in your life? So what if you have just been diagnosed with cancer, (3:29) lost a loved one, or went through a nasty divorce? What if you can’t pay your rent (3:36) or have a debilitating injury? We have a lot of people here that have cancer. (3:41) Vicki has had cancer numerous times. Kevin was in the hospital non-stop with all kinds of issues.

(3:50) You know, this congregation, our prayer list is huge. So what do you do when (3:57) something tragic happens in your life? You’re diagnosed with a disease. (4:03) When we struggle in life and things seem hopeless, we can either shake our fist at (4:09) God and blame it for all our problems, or we can look to God for help and hold fast to the simple (4:16) truth, God is good all the time.

So some of you may ask, how is he good when a plane crashes in (4:25) the Alps and 150 die? If the national soccer team that was supposed to be on the plane (4:34) missed their flight, Christians might say, wow, isn’t God good? (4:41) But what if you have cancer, a tumor, or heart problems? (4:45) The hospital can become a revolving door. You might question how God good is in the midst of (4:51) all your suffering. But on the other hand, others might point out, thank God they found your cancer (4:59) in time.

Isn’t God good? Or thank God the medical team was able to give you a defibrillator. (5:08) God is so good. You might ask yourself, why did he allow me to get sick in the first place? (5:16) Or why couldn’t I have been healed of a heart problem or cancer before it got to this? (5:24) We can look at the negative or positive in every situation.

(5:28) Perhaps the hardest circumstance is the death of a loved one. (5:33) All of us here, I’m sure at one time or another, have experienced the death of someone close (5:39) to them in life. You could have lost a parent or grandparent, or even a son or daughter to some (5:48) kind of tragedy or illness.

We can look at the example of Austin, who was a young child who we (5:55) prayed for, you know, many years here, who ended up dying of cancer. Something like this might eat (6:03) us up or erode our faith. We might even turn our back to God from such a devastating loss.

(6:12) Many people do question God or even turn their back from him when they lose somebody. (6:18) Yeah, others might point out, well, wasn’t God good that you got to see your loved one before (6:26) they passed? Or that you had five amazing years with your child before he died? So I’ve had the (6:35) same situation with my mom, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor over 15 years ago, and then (6:43) I believe was seriously injured by the vaccine. He’s permanently disabled, and he can’t even (6:49) really have a conversation with her.

I could look to God and say, how could you do this? Why does this (6:55) happen to my mom? Or I could thank God and say, I’m grateful I had an extra 15 years with her and (7:06) continue with more years. So like I said, it’s your choice if you want to look for the negative (7:13) or positive in every circumstance. But why is God so good? Because he held our hands in the midst (7:22) of our suffering? I say yes.

He revealed the good of his hand, of goodness in all situations, even (7:31) in our grief. So he picks us up while we’re down and comforts us through the hardest times in our (7:37) lives. Through life we will encounter trials of various kinds, some minor, some heartbreaking.

(7:47) We find ourselves wading hip-deep through the rivers of sorrow. It’s not always easy to hold (7:53) fast to God’s goodness. That’s why we need to be regularly reminded of God’s goodness, (8:02) that he is always faithful, that he is on our side, and that he’s 100% for us.

(8:09) Thankfully, scripture has given abundant proof of God’s glorious, overwhelming goodness. (8:16) We need to remind ourselves of these things on a constant basis. (8:20) So it’s our choice what we focus on when we experience hardships in life.

(8:26) If we look close enough, we can find God’s goodness and mercy in any situation, (8:30) no matter how hopeless it seems. So let’s take a good look at five unshakable proofs (8:37) why our God is so good. The first reason God is good is because he created us.

(8:45) So contrary to popular opinion today, we did not get here from nothing exploding billions of years (8:52) ago. I’m sorry, but that is not science. Once you say a billion years ago, you love science.

(9:00) The world acts like evolution and all their ideas are science, but it’s anything but science. (9:09) Like I said, we did not crawl out of a rock. We did not, you know, we did not come from evolution.

(9:17) We came from creation. So we were created by a loving and caring, all-powerful God who made us (9:23) in his own image. Genesis 127.

So God created man in his own image. In the image of God, (9:33) he created them, male and female, he created them. He gave us this whole wonderful earth (9:39) and everything in it.

We need to survive and live an abundant life. God saw all that he made, (9:46) and it was very good. Genesis 131.

All his creation is not just good, but very good, including us. (9:57) You can look around with your own eyes and see everything that God created, how awesome it is. (10:03) The earth was created and even fine-tuned so we can live (10:07) and breathe and enjoy all the amazing things he has prepared for us in life.

(10:13) Every single person on earth is fearfully and wonderfully made. (10:17) I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (10:22) Your works are wonderful.

I know that full well. Psalm 139.14. He knows us and he has (10:32) plans for us before we were even born. Jeremiah 1.5. Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.

(10:41) Before you were born, I set you apart. I appointed you a prophet as a prophet to the nations. (10:50) So this is one great reason against abortion.

God even knew us before we were formed in the womb. (10:57) He had plans for us to do great things even before we were in the womb and started developing. (11:06) God is so powerful.

He can form us in the womb to be a servant and do wonderful things for him. (11:11) Isaiah 40.95. And now the Lord says, He who formed me in the womb to be a servant, (11:19) to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself. For I am honored in the eyes of the Lord (11:25) and my God has been my strength.

You can see in Jeremiah and Isaiah, (11:34) they were formed in the womb and before even that, to do great things for the Lord, (11:39) to be called on as prophets. We did the same thing with Paul, who was set apart from birth (11:46) so that he could reveal his son to him. Galatians 1.15-16. But when God, who set me apart from birth (11:56) and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his son in me, (12:01) that I might preach him among the Gentiles.

He has done the same with us so we could proclaim (12:08) his goodness and excellence to the world. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, (12:16) a holy nation of people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who has called (12:23) you from his darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2.9. Christians are the workmanship of God.

(12:34) Begotten by him, perfected by his direction and guidance, and created in order to perform the (12:40) good works in which God has ordained us to walk. Ephesians 2.10. For we are his workmanship, (12:49) created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (12:57) So just like Jeremiah and Isaiah and Paul, we’ve been created to do great things for God.

(13:04) God had a plan for us before we were even born, and we need to glorify him. We’re created for his (13:12) glory. Isaiah 43.7. Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed (13:23) and made.

So we can see that it’s part of the reason why we’re created, to give God glory, (13:30) to do good works. We can see from all of God’s creation and what he has done for us that he is (13:38) very good. The second reason God is good is because he takes care of us.

God just didn’t (13:47) create us and forget about us. He doesn’t just sit up there in the clouds (13:52) and let everything happen the way the world wants it to. He takes care of us and provides (14:00) for us every day.

He provides for the evil along with the good. Matthew 5.45. He causes (14:08) the sun to rise on the evil and good. He sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

(14:15) How many of us would take care of evil people? How many of us would take care of murderers and (14:21) rapists or any other kind of person, you know, criminal? Even though they’ve done wrong, (14:28) God still feeds them. He still takes care of them every day. They’ll have to answer to him one day, (14:34) but he makes it rain on the good and evil.

Even in old age, God will take care of us and deliver us. (14:43) Isaiah 46.4. Even to your old age, I am he. And even to your gray hairs, I will carry you.

(14:51) I have made, and I will bear, even I will carry, and I will deliver you. So all through your life, (15:00) even no matter how old you get, God’s there. He’s going to carry you and deliver you.

(15:05) God tells us, if you put his kingdom first, he’ll do the rest. Therefore, do not worry, (15:12) saying, what shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we wear? For all these things that (15:17) Gentiles seek, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first (15:24) the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

(15:28) Matthew 66.31-33. If you’re a Christian, you can give all your worries and cares to (15:35) him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5.7. God says, do not be anxious for anything, (15:44) but make your requests known to him. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, (15:49) by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

(15:57) And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and (16:02) minds through Christ Jesus. So we could give all our worries and cares to him, and he’ll take care (16:08) of it. He’ll provide.

God lets his people know that surely he is with us always, to the very (16:16) end of the age. Matthew 28.20. No one can snatch us out of his hand. I give them eternal life, (16:26) and they shall never perish.

No one can snatch them out of my hand. John 10.28. (16:34) You know, if God protects us, nobody can hurt us. Jesus provides us with an abundant life.

(16:43) John 10.10. The thief comes to steal and to destroy. I came that they may have life (16:51) and have it abundantly. So he not only provides for us, he gives us an abundance.

We live in an (16:58) abundant world. We have an abundance of things. That’s all from Jesus.

The third reason why God (17:10) is good is because he sent his only son to die for our sins. Even while we are sinners, Christ (17:18) died for us. Romans 5a.

But God demonstrates his own love for us. While we are sinners, (17:27) Christ died for us. He suffered for our sins and transgressions.

Isaiah 53.5. But he was pierced (17:38) for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us peace (17:45) was upon him, and by his wounds we were healed.

So if it wasn’t Jesus coming to earth and dying (17:53) for our sins, we would have no hope. God didn’t have to send Jesus to die for us, but he did it (18:01) because he loves us. John 3.16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, (18:09) that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

(18:15) God didn’t have to send Jesus. Jesus didn’t have to die for us. He even asked (18:22) God to pass a cup for him three times, because nobody would want to die the way he died.

(18:28) But he went through with it. He stood up for us, and he went to the cross. (18:34) So by his wounds we are healed.

1 Peter 2.24. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, (18:44) so we might die to sins and live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. (18:52) So this is how God showed his love among us.

He sent his one and only son into the world (18:58) that we might live through him. 1 John 4.9. God had the plan, but Jesus still had to do his part (19:06) and sacrifice himself. And he sacrificed himself because he loved us.

Greater love has no one (19:16) than this. That someone laid down his life for his friends. John 15.13. So God loved us so much (19:26) that he laid his life down for us.

You know, would you do that for somebody? Would you do that for (19:33) a sinful world? God did everything in his power so we might have salvation. That is why he is good. (19:42) He didn’t even withhold his son from us.

So the fourth reason God is good is because he adopted (19:48) us into his family. If God had simply sent his son to die for us, we might have forgiveness of sins. (19:59) If God had simply sent his son to die for us, we might have forgiveness of sins.

(20:09) That would be more than enough to prove that he is good. (20:14) But he has gone staggeringly beyond that. (20:19) Not only has he forgiven us, but he adopted us into his family.

(20:25) We literally are his sons and daughters with all the rights and privileges that entail. (20:32) John 1.12.13. Yet to all who receive him, to those who believe in his name, (20:40) he gave the right to become children of God. Children born not of natural descent, (20:46) nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

We can call the omnipotent, (20:56) omniscient, everlasting God Father. Therefore come out of them and be separate, says the Lord. (21:06) Touch no unclean thing and I will receive you.

I will be a father to you and you will (21:11) be my sons and daughters, says the Lord God Almighty. If you are Christians, you are part (21:18) of God’s family. He replied to them, who is my mother and who are my brothers? (21:24) Pointing to his disciples, he said, here are my brothers and my mother.

For whoever does the (21:31) will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. Matthew 12.48-50. (21:39) So even though we have a family we’re born into, an earthly family, (21:44) God says that his Christian family comes first. Those are his real brothers and sisters and mother.

(21:52) We are adopted into his family. Romans 8.14-15. For as many as are led by the spirit, these are (22:02) the sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you receive (22:10) the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba Father.

We’re not adopted in physically, we’re (22:19) adopted in spiritually by the Holy Spirit, the spirit of adoption. If we are his children, (22:28) then we are his heirs. The spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of (22:35) God.

And as children and heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ, if we indeed suffer with (22:43) him that we might also be glorified together. Romans 8.16-17. So we’re heirs to everything. (22:53) Everything just like Jesus is.

We’re heirs to eternal life. Titus 3.7. (23:03) That having been justified by his grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (23:10) So we’re going to inherit the kingdom.

We’re going to inherit all the great things that God has (23:16) promised. The last reason we’ll be looking at today, there could be an unlimited amount of (23:25) reasons. I know you don’t want to be here all day, so we’re stopping at five.

The last reason (23:33) God is good is because it’s in his character. God can never be not good, not even for a split (23:40) second. He is so good, honorable, and trustworthy that he cannot even tell a single lie.

(23:49) Hebrews 6.18. That by two immutable things, and which is impossible for God to lie, (23:58) we have a strong encouragement who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope (24:03) that is set before us. So God can’t even tell a lie. It’s impossible for him.

(24:11) So we could take the heart that every single thing he said in his word is going to come true, (24:16) and has come true so far. All the prophecies, the thousands of prophecies, the hundreds about Jesus (24:25) have all come true. And everything else that has yet to happen is going to come true.

(24:31) John 17.17. Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. The only sure truth we know in (24:40) the world is God’s word.

God is good to everybody. Psalm 145.9. The Lord is good to all, (24:52) and his tender mercies are over all his works. No one is good but God alone.

Mark 10.18. (25:02) Why do you call me good? Jesus answered. No one is good except God alone. I talk to people all (25:11) the time and say, I’m a good person.

You know, I follow the Ten Commandments, or I don’t kick my (25:18) dog, I haven’t, you know, beat my kids, killed anybody. So I’ll be fine. You know, me and God (25:26) have an understanding.

But nobody has an understanding with God apart from the Bible. (25:32) Nobody’s going to be special. And nobody is good except for God alone.

(25:37) Every single person who’s ever lived has sinned except Jesus. Romans 3.23. (25:45) For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (25:49) That’s why we needed Jesus to come and save us.

If somebody could have lived this (25:55) through life without sinning, we wouldn’t need Jesus. He has an abundance of goodness for those (26:02) who fear him. Psalm 31.19. Oh, how great is your goodness which you have laid up for those who fear (26:10) you, which you have prepared for those who trust in you in the presence of the sons of men.

Oh, (26:18) taste and see the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who trusts in him. Psalm 34.8. God is good (26:29) and he knows how to give good gifts.

Matthew 7.11. If you then, being evil, know how to give good (26:38) gifts to your children, how much more will your father who is in heaven give good gifts to those (26:44) who ask him? So our Lord knows. He knows how to give good gifts. Every good gift we receive is (26:53) from him.

James 1.17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. It comes down from the (27:04) father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Every good gift we receive (27:11) is from God.

The devil hasn’t given us these good gifts. He even gives us the gift of eternal life. (27:19) Matt 6.23. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus (27:30) our Lord.

The good news is all the best gifts in this world that God has to offer are free. (27:41) Everything, being part of his family, forgiveness of sins, the Holy Spirit, (27:46) being able to worship him, his love, being able to pray to him. (27:53) Eternal life are all free.

They’re free gifts from God. All we have to do is obey what he says. (28:01) Why would you not want to serve an all loving, all powerful, merciful, (28:06) holy, and good God? There’s no reason you wouldn’t want to.

(28:13) So even though God is love and he is merciful, there will still come a time when he must punish (28:20) sinners. God is good and just. Psalm 25.8. Good and upright is the Lord, therefore he keeps his (28:31) sinners away.

In order to uphold his attributes of holiness and justice, he must judge and punish sin. (28:41) Nahum 1.3. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and he will not at all acquit the wicked. (28:49) The Lord has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

(28:58) So he’s going to punish sinners because he is holy and just. He cannot (29:04) even look at sin. He cannot be in the presence of sin.

(29:09) So he will punish those who have sinned and who have not obeyed his word. (29:15) The good thing is he provided atonement for our sins. My dear children, I write this to you so (29:22) that you will not sin.

But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense, (29:29) Jesus Christ, the righteous one. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. (29:36) And not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 2.1-2. He gave an atonement (29:45) for the whole world. It’s up to you to choose it or not. He is patient with us and does not want (29:51) anyone to perish.

2 Peter 3.9. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand (29:59) slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (30:08) God loves you and wants you to be saved, but he will not force you to be with him for eternity (30:14) if that is not what you want.

It’s not loving for somebody. If you didn’t like somebody (30:22) and they kept knocking on your door and wanting you to spend time with you and you didn’t want to, (30:31) it wouldn’t be loving for you to kidnap them and take them with you. That’s why God will not force (30:36) anybody to be with him in heaven if they don’t want to be with him, if they don’t like him.

(30:42) So the choice is ultimately yours alone. You can experience God’s goodness, (30:47) mercy, and grace or suffer his wrath. Romans 2.5. But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant (30:56) heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself in the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous (31:02) judgment will be revealed.

So if you believe in Jesus and keep his commandments, you will have (31:09) eternal life. Whoever believes in his son will have eternal life. Whoever does not obey the son (31:17) shall not see life.

But the wrath of God remains on him. John 3.36. So God has made it easy for us (31:27) and has done everything in his power so we might be saved. He didn’t even withhold his own son.

(31:34) Romans 8.32. He who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also (31:44) with him graciously give us all things? So God made it easy for us. Jesus did all the hard work. (31:54) You know, it’s not hard to obey God’s word.

It’s hard to live a Christian life at times, but (31:59) you know, God couldn’t have made it any easier for us. If you’re sitting here today and not (32:06) become a Christian, or if you have unrepentant sin, you will have no excuse on the day of judgment. (32:16) God has given you every opportunity to be saved.

So we’re not promised tomorrow. (32:22) So let’s make sure we’re right with God when we still have a chance. (32:26) Now is the time of God’s favor.

Today is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6.2. (32:35) So if you’re not a Christian and want to be saved, which I think everybody here is a Christian, (32:41) or if you want to come forward and have any needs, or even want to say (32:47) something good that God has blessed you with, now’s the time to come forward.