4. Things God Wants Us to Know

Introduction

1. Sorrow and grief are never easy.

2. We discover in the gospel of John that even our Lord wept at times.

3. But though sorrow and grief are real to us we dare not miss the lessons God is trying to teach us through sorrow.

• Through the loss of a loved one and friend God is able to teach us things that He could not teach us at other times, in other circumstances.
• We need to be sensitive to Him in this time.
• What then would God teach us through this experience? What can we learn? What are the lessons He wants to teach us?

God wants us to
know that He still loves us

• It sometimes is easy to feel that God loves us when things are going well and He doesn't love us when things aren't going well.
• We sometimes wonder how can God love us and allow the things to come into our lives that he does?
• How can God love us and allow death and sorrow to come?

1. The Bible responds by telling us that it is God's very nature to be loving

• God is love. (I John 4:8)
• His love for us doesn't change though the circumstances may.

2. The problem isn't that God doesn't love us but that our perspective is limited

• God is infinite, we are finite.
• God sees the whole, we see only the part.
• God's ways aren't our ways. Is. 55:8-9 "for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
• God in His wisdom allows sorrow to come into our lives and we must remember that His plan is best.

3. It is to this loving God that we can turn and know that He judges rightly and correctly.

• Gen. 18 asks the question, "shall not the judge of all the earth do right?"
• We can turn to God at this time and know he is fair, just, impartial and loving. (Ps. 98:9)

4. Yes, in this time of sorrow it may seem as if God's love is not to be found.

• But His word reminds us that He does love us.
• But more than this He sympathizes with us. Heb. 2:17 tells us "Wherefore it behooved him (Christ) in all things to be made like unto His brethren, that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest . . .
• The Lord Jesus came to earth from heaven to become a man.
• He knows what it means to sorrow, to grieve.
• He sympathizes with you in your grief.

5. In sorrow, God wants us to know He still loves us.

• He is loving.
• He is just, and fair in judgment.
• He is sympathetic in our sorrow.

(But God not only wants us to learn something of His love while we sorrow, but)

God Wants Us to
Learn Something About Life

1. God would remind us at a time like this that life is a gift.

• None of us are promised another year, another month, another day. Each day is a gift from God.
• The Bible reminds us of the shortness of life by the comparisons it makes to life.
• The Bible says that a man's days are:
  a .Swifter than a runner. (Job 9:25)
  b. Like a swift ship.(Job 9:26)
  c. Swifter than a weaver's shuttle.
• We are further reminded of the shortness of life by comparisons which describe life:
  a. As a vapor. (James 4:14)
  b. As grass. (I Peter 1:24)
  c. As a flower that withereth. (Job 14:2)

Yes, a time like this reminds us of the shortness of life; a life that is a gift, a life that is only one heart beat from eternity.

2. But God would also teach us something else about life.

• Not only is it short and a gift, but life is a time of preparation.
• For though life at times seems absurd, unreasonable, tragic, difficult and hard to understand; the Bible makes it perfectly clear that life is a time of preparation.
• For all that we know of life is not encompassed from the crib to the grave.
• The Bible reveals that there is life beyond the grave.
• The purpose of this life is to prepare for the life after the grave.

(But God also would teach us another lesson through sorrow and that is . . .)

God Wants Us to
Learn Something About His Provision

1. It is at a time sickness and sorrow in death such as we've experienced with out friend (Name) that we realize our utter helplessness and dependence on God.

2. God doesn't always choose to heal the sick but He does promise life eternal to those who accept the gift of His son.

3. If one thing is perfectly clear in the Bible it is that the love of God (which we talked about earlier) prompted Him to send His son Jesus to earth. - To die on the cross in your place and in my place.

4. The Bible reveals, and our experience confirms that we are sinners.

• And sin's penalty is death (separation).
• Christ came to pay that penalty for us.
• He died in my place and in your place.
  

5. He asks that we accept that gift by faith.

a. To believe that He died for you, in your place.
b. To trust Him as your Savior and in return He promises life eternal.

6. John 3:16 summarizes God's provision "for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth on Him, should not perish, but have eternal life." (You can do this right now.)

7. This is God's provision.

• A provision that can be very precious at a time like this.
• A provision that God would remind us of at a time of sorrow and grief.

Conclusion

1. Through the sorrow and grief, God is teaching us lessons:

• We need to be sensitive.
• Lessons of His love.
• He still loves us in spite of circumstances.
• He is fair and just.
• He sympathizes with us.
• Lessons about life.
• That is a gift.
• That it is short.
• That it is to be used in preparation.
• Lessons about God's provision.
• God provides eternal life to those who by faith accept Christ's work for them on the cross.

2. These lessons if heeded can provide:

• Comfort to the grieving.
• Peace in sorrow.
• And life everlasting.