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Romans 8:1 (ESV)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Let these be the first words we hear as we wrestle with questions.
I imagine we all have questions, and I imagine this week we have more questions than usual or new questions we’ve never asked before.
Whenever a person takes their own life, we're left not only to deal with the normal emotions that come when we lose a loved one, but we're also left with a lot of unanswered questions.
''Why did this happen?'' ''Were there any signals I should have seen?'' ''Did I offer the love and support that was needed?'' Could I have done anything to prevent this?''
Though I am standing on this side of you, I too, have many of the same questions as you. I wish I could answer all of the questions you have in an effort to bring peace, but I imagine that even if I could answer all of your questions, peace would still not come easily.
So, what do you do when faced with hard and seemingly unanswerable questions?
When faced with hard questions:
When faced with hard questions:
1. Remember what you DO know.
1. Remember what you DO know.
"Don’t forget in the darkness what you learned in the light.”
— Joseph Bayly
Truth does not cease to be truth even when things are difficult and painful. But sometimes, the pain we feel has us question if what we believed was true at all.
Let me remind us of a few things we know to be true.
We face the problem of sin.
We face the problem of sin.
Paul says, “the whole creation has been groaning together. . . and not only creation, but we ourselves. . . groan inwardly.” (Rom 8:22-23)
Why? because of the problem of sin. Suffering and death were never meant to be a part of God’s creation and were never meant to be a part of our lives.
But when Adam, through his act of disobedience, attempted to control his own life and sought to take the place of God, sin and death entered the world.
It’s a problem we all face.
First, as a part of creation, everything and everyone will face death.
Second, as beings with eternal souls, our choices to sin and attempting to control our own lives apart from God, reveals our desire to take the place of God and leaves us facing an eternal death and separation from God.
But while we are currently feeling the effects of the problem of sin, let’s not forget:
We have the promise of salvation.
We have the promise of salvation.
Right after Paul points out how all of creation is groaning, he says that we, “wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.” (Rom 8:23b-24a)
And in this hope Dawson was saved.
What is this hope?
The hope is that while we are sinners, and have no way to restore our relationship with God on our own — no amount of church-going or good works can change who we ARE, that God loved us so that he “did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all.” (Rom 8:31)
Jesus lived the perfect life that Adam did not and the perfect life we cannot. And he died willingly to take our consequence of sin and exchange it for the results of his perfect life — a real and right relationship with God and eternal life.
Dawson knew that all needed to do was confess his sin, repent of controlling his own life and receive the hope of salvation through faith. Faith that Jesus proved this was true by rising from the dead and confirming our hope that those, like Dawson, who trust in Christ will rise again to new life.
Because it is the work of God and not the work of any one of us, there is nothing that can separate us from the promise of salvation — difficulty, distress, persecution, even suicide.
THAT is what we know. It is true for Dawson and it can be true for you as well.
Though we may currently be feeling to a greater degree the effects of sin, the promise of salvation is still just as true, and even more precious.
Though we grieve, as Paul says, “We do not grieve as other do, who have no hope.
And so, we remember, in the face of questions that those of us who have trusted in Jesus for this hope WILL SEE DAWSON AGAIN — In cargo shorts.
In addition, we have these promises from Scripture:
Psalm 46:1
Is 41:10
Heb 13:5
Is 26:3
I encourage us also as we face these questions to:
2. Remain honest and humble.
2. Remain honest and humble.
We know there is no human who can answer all these difficult questions so we will likely find ourselves directing some of these questions to God.
“How could you let this happen?” “Why didn’t you stop him?” “Don’t you love Dawson?” “Don’t you love me?”
These are real questions — they’re honest questions. And God doesn’t mind honest questions.
Someone once said, “It is not wrong to question God; it is only wrong to demand from him an answer.”
We see it throughout the Psalms:
“How long , O Lord? Will you forget me forever?”
“How long will you hid your face from me?”
“How can we sing the Lord’s song?”
“Why have you forsaken me?”
We see it when Job lost his son, as well as the rest of his children, wealth, and health.
Job’s questions started out both honest and humble. And even when Job demanded an answer from God, God reminded Job of his sovereign control over all creation, and he did so by pointing out how he knows and cares for every part of his creation.
God wants you to pour your heart out to him in an honest and humble way — casting your hurts into his sovereign care. So take some time to question and tell God how you honestly feel — he already knows. And even if you’re not sure how to express how you are feeling remember what we read earlier:
Romans 8:26–28 (ESV)
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Finally, as we face these difficult questions:
3. Rely on the One who loves you.
3. Rely on the One who loves you.
I’m a fixer. I’m a guy, it’s what we do.
But I’ve learned over the years there are some hurts that can’t be fixed up, they must simply be loved on.
This is why it is so important that we remember that in Romans 8 after Paul quotes Psalm 44 which has questions such as — “Why are you sleeping, O Lord?” “Why do you hid your face?” “Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?” — that he reminds us that
Romans 8:37–39 (ESV)
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God has so much love for me that he gave his Son to die for me so that he could begin the redeeming process of conquering the effects of sin in my life.
God won’t waste that kind of love by allowing pain or hurt to overwhelm you.
If I could have said one thing to Dawson when I saw him on Good Friday it would be this: “There is no pain or hurt in this world that God’s love through Jesus will not make you more than a conqueror!” Rely on the One who loves you.
It’s not Good Friday so I say it to YOU.
He wants to hug you the way Dawson would — with a grip so tight you can barely breathe. Or maybe with a grip so tight you can finally breathe.