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Who’s in Charge of a World That Suffers? By Billy Graham

The Significance of the Cross

We humans view life from our personal point of time and space, but God views us from His heavenly throne in the light of eternity. We see ourselves as self-sufficient, self-important, and self-sustaining; God sees us as dependent, self-centered, and self-deceived. Our worldly wisdom has made us calloused and hard. Our natural wisdom, as the Scriptures teach, comes not from God, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish (James 3:15). 

There is a difference between wisdom and knowledge. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. All truth is from God, whether it be scientific, psychological, philosophic, or religious. The truth in the Bible points us all to the cross of Jesus Christ. It is there that we find forgiveness of sins and the solution to the dilemmas and problems that face us both nationally and individually. 

The wisdom of this world, encouraged by Satan, is cynical of the cross. The apostle Paul said, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18). It is impossible for the “natural man” (the one who does not know Jesus Christ as his personal Savior) to understand how God, in His grace and mercy, can forgive sinners and transform lives. It is also impossible for the natural man to comprehend how these changed lives can affect society. Those with their worldly wisdom do not understand the workings of God. The Bible teaches that the cross is an “offense” or stumbling block to the unbeliever (1 Cor. 1:23). 

I can preach on almost any subject and most people will accept it. I can speak about social injustice and human suffering and raise money for the poor, refugees or people in distress. But to proclaim Christ crucified is different. Even though the cross of Christ is the power of God unto salvation, it is also an offense to the world—and always will be. There is a tension here. Though the cross repels, it also attracts. It possesses a magnetic quality.

The apostle Paul said, “The foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength” (1 Cor. 1:25).

God says there is no hope for the world aside from the cross. For centuries the world has rejected God’s plan of redemption. Now, because of man’s refusal and rebellion, he stands on the threshold of what former Prime Minister Macmillan called “the extinction of civilization itself” (or Armageddon).

Stumbling and fumbling, man thinks that by his own wisdom he can save himself—that somehow he will be able to pull out of this path leading headlong to destruction. God warns that this perverted wisdom of man will lead to judgment.

Respond

In your own words, what is the difference between wisdom and knowledge? 

What does it mean to possess a “fear of the Lord?” 

Why might the cross be a challenge or stumbling block for someone who doesn’t believe in God or the Bible?

How does the cross provide hope for a suffering world? 

James 3:15 King James Version

15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 King James Version

18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

The Passion Easter Devotional

Day 6 of 7:

“Pontius Pilate” Devotional – The Passion

The story of Pontius Pilate is an interesting one. Jesus is on trial, and the Roman governor could have been His saving grace. In fact, things start to even get a little hopeful when Pilate sides with Jesus at first, as Luke explains in his gospel:

So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

Jesus replied, “You have said it.”

Pilate turned to the leading priests and to the crowd and said, “I find nothing wrong with this man!” (Luke 23:3-4, NLT)

After discovering that Jesus was from Galilee, Pilate sent him to Herod. Maybe he wouldn’t have to actually deliver the verdict after all. But Herod (after mocking him, of course) sent him back.

Once again, Pilate concluded that Jesus was innocent and did not deserve the death penalty, and he told those gathered as much.

However, the crowd just got rowdier and yelled for Barabbas to be released instead. Verse 20 says, “Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus.” But the shouts of the crowd to crucify Him began to slowly outweigh his gut instinct.

Still, a third time, Pilate took up for Jesus, saying, “Why? What crime has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death. So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.” (v. 22)

In that moment, culture prevailed. The opinions of others swayed Pilate, and he honored their demands. He released Barabbas—a man rightly accused of mutiny and murder—and turned Jesus over to be crucified.

Pilate knew Jesus was innocent, yet with one choice, he compromised for the sake of approval ratings. He chose to please his constituents instead of doing the right thing. Notice that he first tried to pawn Jesus off on Herod so he wouldn’t have to make the final decision. Then, once Jesus got thrust back into his court, he took the coward’s way out.

It’s tragic, really. Pilate had the chance to free Jesus, but he chose to release a murderer back into society instead—all for the sake of protecting his political standing.

How many times have we compromised for the sake of climbing the ladder, or for the sake of acceptance or popularity? If there’s anything Pilate’s story teaches us, it’s that as followers of Jesus, we can’t please everyone. After all, following Christ isn’t always popular. Belief always requires bravery. And if we’re going to follow Jesus, we’re going to need to be courageous.

Luke 23:3 King James Version

3 And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.

Luke 23:20 King James Version

20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.

Luke 23:22 King James Version

22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.

Who’s in Charge of a World That Suffers? By Billy Graham

Day 3 of 5:

Why Does a Loving God Allow Suffering?

Many people ask, “Why does God allow fear to continue to grip the hearts of people today?” They ask, “Where is God’s power? Why doesn’t He stop all this misery and cruelty with which our world has been cursed?” Others ask, “How can God be good and merciful, when every day men and women are crushed by agonies almost beyond their endurance?” These questions are asked not only by atheists and enemies of religion, but also by bewildered Christians, who, staggering under the burden of anguish, cry out, “Why must I bear this misery? How can God lay all this suffering on me?”

One of the earliest books in the Bible, the Book of Job, deals with this difficulty. Some today have experienced war, terrorism, broken relationships, financial pressures, and many other hardships. But I doubt they have sustained losses as large as Job’s were when treacherous enemies captured his men and all his herds and flocks. Perhaps there is someone whose son or daughter has been held hostage, or who has received notification that his son or daughter was killed in action. Job lost seven sons and three daughters in a single day. Others, perhaps, are stricken by sickness and groaning in pain. Job suffered from some form of sickness that made his body a mass of boils and sores. 

When Job could find no human explanation for his afflictions, he cried to God, “tell me what charges you have against me” (Job 10:2). 

This age-old question of “Why must the righteous suffer?” is as old as time. There is only one place where we can find an answer and that is in the Bible. Yet in their blindness some men have rejected divine guidance to insist that everything in life comes from chance. Fate, they declare, smiles on some people, and they have an easy, untroubled existence. Fate frowns on others, and they are beset with unnumbered difficulties. They say that it is all a matter of luck. “Since we are only creatures of chance,” they conclude, “why not press every drop of pleasure out of life while we can, and have our full fling before tomorrow comes and death with it?”

Other skeptics have gone to the opposite extreme and declared that people suffer because they are weak. “Learn to be hard and ruthless,” they urge. “Smash all opposition. Away with sympathy, kindness, and mercy. Down with love.” Oh but they haven’t considered the love of God! 

Secularists fail to offer satisfying solutions to man’s dilemma of suffering. Often humanistic philosophies tend to create further confusion and personal discouragement. 

The question of why God allows suffering is one of the most profound mysteries of life. And it is a difficult question to answer. We cannot turn to any one passage in the Scriptures to find a thorough and conclusive treatment of the subject, but the Bible does hint at some answers. I would like to share with you some truth that can be helpful. 

Realize that God has been active in working toward the alleviation of suffering. 

Remember that suffering originated in the Garden of Eden, as we discussed earlier. God gave people the freedom of choice: to choose good or to choose evil. Part of the human makeup that distinguishes the human race from other creatures is the ability to reason and make moral decisions. Man is a free moral agent. 

Adam chose to follow the advice of Satan, and he rebelled (sinned) against God. Adam’s choice (his sin) opened a “Pandora’s box” of suffering for mankind. A careful study of Genesis reveals that Adam’s action produced a wide spectrum of suffering: physical, spiritual, social, psychological, and even ecological. In a very real sense, the suffering of this world was created by man himself. The tendency to sin, the sinful nature, is a human characteristic transferred from Adam and Eve to the second  generation of mankind. And it has been transferred to every generation since. It is part of the human nature we have all inherited.

And yet it is God who took action to solve the problem. In the Garden He gave Adam a ray of hope—the promise that one day He would send His Son (the seed of the woman) to earth to destroy the devil’s work and deal with the problems of man’s sin and suffering. 

We have seen this fulfilled historically in Jesus Christ. By His life, death, and resurrection He triumphed over Satan and sin, and He is the key to the solution of suffering. By His death, He releases us from the penalty of sin. By His resurrection life, He gives us the power over the tendency to sin as we allow Him to control our lives. 

So we see that God has not been passive regarding the plight of the human race. He has taken action. In fact, all of history is moving toward a time when Christ will establish His rule over all the universe. Satan, sin, and suffering will be eliminated entirely. God promises to free us from the penalty and power of sin; and one day He will produce an environment in which we will be free from the presence of sin and the suffering associated with it. Isaiah 9:6, 7: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.” 

It is in God’s own suffering that we see His great love. We must not try to evaluate God’s character and judge whether or not He is a loving God by looking at our own sufferings. It is by looking at the cross that we come to know and experience the depth of God’s love for us. 

Respond

Have you experienced a season of deep suffering in life where you felt like Job? 

How does the knowledge that your suffering is not caused by fate or your own weakness impact your view of God’s character? 

How does reflecting on God’s demonstration of love on the cross encourage you in your walk with Him? 

Job 10:2 King James Version

2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.

Isaiah 9:6-7 King James Version

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Genesis 3:6-7 King James Version

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.