Two Truths from the Cross

This morning at church I heard the most convincing argument God exists and is a good and powerful God ever. I've been a Christian my whole life. I was raised in a Christian home, my father a Baptist preacher, my mother a devoted pastor's wife. It was my mother who showed me the path of salvation at our dinner table when I was four years old. My father baptized me when I was seven at the church where he was the pastor in southeastern Michigan.

The past 10 years of my life I've been part of the Willow Creek, non-denominational, "seeker-friendly" church. I would venture that in those 10 years, I've heard the "Why Do Bad Things Happen?" and "How Can God Call Himself Good?" type messages at least once a year. So walking into church this morning, seeing the new sermon series was "If God is Good...," I truly had no expectation to be surprised.

However, as with many things in my life these days, I was blown away. The message started the same, someone who had experienced all the hurts life had to offer (losing a brother to childhood leukemia, a mother who became an alcoholic and then later committed suicide, a father who sexually abused her as a teen) sat with her own daughter after her college sweetheart had walked out on them and asked hard questions of God.

I expected the answers to be the same, but this time, rather than being told that God created a perfect world but in order for man to have free will, He also had to allow for it to be corrupted; we were taken to the cross.

Do you question if God is in control? Do you question if God is a good and just God? Then all you have to do is look to the cross. This morning I was shown the answer to every question about the goodness of God can be handled at the cross. From this day on, each time I am asked by someone about God's goodness, I will have an answer. My hope is that after reading this, you will as well.

Please understand, this is not an answer I found. The work was done by someone else. I am simply forwarding this truth in the hopes that it may touch your life in the remarkable manner in which it touched me this morning as I listened to Mike Breaux at Southland. The thoughts were his, but the truth resonated in me like never before.

Mike took us to the cross and showed us two truths from the cross that answer the "If God is Good..." question:

1. We live in a toxic, unfair world and noone is exempt, not even God.
2. We have a sacrificial God.

The first truth blew me away. Like many of you, I have heard the message of the cross, heard of the sacrifice Jesus paid so we may have forgiveness of sin. It wasn't until this morning, however, I actually saw the connection between the fallen world and the price God allowed His son to pay in order to restore the world.

If anyone had an argument they deserved nothing but good, it was Jesus. His entire public ministry was devoted to sacrificially giving to those who had nothing. He fed people, he healed people, he changed people's lives for the better. In his entire ministry, the only people who were ever hurt were those in power, those who had corrupted the religious system. If anyone had an argument they were unjustly punished, it was Jesus.

Yet scripture tells us in Isaiah 53:7 that he did not open his mouth in defense. Jesus willingly (see John 10:17-18) offered himself as our sacrifice.

Yes bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to really bad people; but even God himself was not exempt from the laws of this world, proving to me He is good. Rather than remove himself (see Matthew 26:47-55), Jesus willingly offered his life for mine. That is the most compelling argument for a good God I can offer. Fortunately, we also serve a powerful God and Jesus is not dead; he was raised three days later.

I hope this brief post has offered you something to consider. If you want to hear Mike's words, follow this link (http://www.southlandchristian.org/teaching/series/if-god-is-good/). The messages will be posted as they are completed.

Next time you wonder, or someone asks "Is God Good?" all you have to do is look to the cross.