COURAGE TO STAND IN A FALLEN WORLD

“Dark Night of the Soul”

Pastor Duane Cross | 03.17.2013

“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Everyday I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night you hear my voice but I find no relief.”   Psalm 22:1-2(NLT)

“Now Pashhur son of Immer, the priest in charge of the Temple of the Lord, heard what Jeremiah was prophesying. So he arrested Jeremiah the prophet and had him whipped and put in stocks at the Benjamin Gate of the Lord’s Temple.”  Jeremiah 20:1-2 (NLT)

“O Lord, You misled me, and I allowed myself to be misled. You are stronger than I am, and you overpowered me. Now I am mocked everyday; everyone laughs at me. When I speak, the words burst out. ‘Violence and destruction!’ I shout. So these messages from the Lord have made me a household joke. But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord or speak his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!”  Jeremiah 20 7-9 (NLT)

WHY IS THERE PAIN AND SUFFERING IN THE WORLD?

STATEMENT #1: God exists.

STATEMENT #2: God created us with a free will.

3 sources of evil and suffering

1) Because of decisions I make.

2) Because of decisions others make.

3) Because we live in a broken/sinful world.

STATEMENT #3: God is all-knowing.

“You intended to do harm to me, but God intended it for good...” Genesis 50:20 (NIV)

STATEMENT #4: God is with us.

“God is near the broken-hearted.” Psalm 34:18 (NIV)

“The Lord, my God, light up my darkness.” Psalm 18:28 (NLT)

GOING DEEPER QUESTIONS

For the Week of March 17, 2013

Pastor Duane Cross

These questions are designed to help you go deeper with the sermon during your week-to take a closer look at the Scripture and find fresh ways to live out the main points of the sermon. Going Deeper questions also are used for discussion in all of our Grow Groups at Hope.

Scripture Reading

Jeremiah 19-20, Psalm 18, Psalm 30; Genesis 50:20

Getting Started

What insight or principle from this weekend’s message or from Jeremiah 19-20 did you find helpful, interesting or challenging? Explain.

Have you ever experienced a “Dark Night of the Soul”? Share with your group.

How have you been able to help someone who has been hurt or discouraged?

When has God disappointed you? How did you pray in those times?

A Closer Look

Read Jeremiah 20 and discuss the following questions:

•Why was Jeremiah treated so harshly by the Temple priest?

•Outline Jeremiah’s complaint to God (vss. 7-10)

•Does God get angry or short tempered with our complaints?

•Jeremiah complains, “why was I ever born?” How would you answer that?

Digging Deeper

Here’s the big question, “WHY IS THERE PAIN AND SUFFERING IN THE WORLD?”

Discuss this in your group.

Pastor Duane says there are at least 3 sources of evil and suffering in the world.

What are they, and can you think of others? Discuss.

God is all-knowing. How does this inform what you believe about God’s sovereignty?

Read and discuss Genesis 50:20 and Romans 8:28. How have you seen these truths “come to life” in your experience?