GateWay Bible Church
John 11
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Reasons to Believe
How Could a Loving God Allow so Much Suffering?
(John 11)
Why didn’t God create a world where SUFFERING didn’t exist?
If God is loving, then suffering must have some redeeming VALUE.
John 11:1 NIV
John 11:3 NIV
John 11:5-6 NIV
Sometimes, we CALL for Jesus through our tears, and he does not come.
John 11:17 NIV
John 11:20 NIV
John 11:21-26 NIV
John 11:32-37 NIV
Jesus is not a REMOTE deity; He is the God who inhabits our suffering.
Isaiah 53:3-5 NIV
If there is no God, we still suffer, but there is no universe to CARE. There is no design, no purpose, no evil, no good – nothing but blind, pitiless INDIFFERENCE.
John 11:38-39 NIV
John 11:43-44 NIV
Jesus’s power over death is absolute. It is the only HOPE we have in the face of our inevitable end.
The space between Lazarus’s death and Jesus’s calling of him out of the tomb is the space in which Martha sees Jesus for who he really is HER VERY LIFE.
What possible good could come from your suffering?
How could a loving God allow so much suffering?
1. Suffering increases awareness of the SUSTAINING power of God. (Ps 68:19)
Psalms 68:19 NIV
1. Suffering teaches us that God is more concerned about character than COMFORT. (Romans 5:3-4)
Romans 5:3-4 NIV
1. Suffering teaches us that the greatest good of the Christian life is not the absence of pain, but rather CHRISTLIKENESS. (2 Corinthians 4:8-10)
2 Corinthians 4:8-10 NIV
Life Group Ice Breaker
1. Have you ever lived in an area that snowed in the winter? If so, what did you like about it?
Discussion Questions
2. Regarding this sermon, is there any truth that stands out as being particularly helpful, insightful or difficult to grasp?
3. Did you ever have a sports coach who yelled out, “No Pain, No Gain?” What did the coach mean, and does this catch phrase apply to suffering in other parts of life as well? Explain.
4. Read Isaiah 53:3-5 and then create a list showing the various ways that Jesus suffered while here on earth. How does His suffering relate to your suffering?
5. Have each member of the Life Group identify a biblical character who suffered. What good did God allow to come from that person’s suffering?
Application Questions & Prayer
6. Share an experience of yours that involved suffering. What good came from that experience and would you go through it again?
7. How do you use your suffering to draw closer to God?
8. Pray for one another so that you may be strong in your faith, yet compassionate in your approach as you defend and share your faith.