Why Does God Allow Evil? | How to Deal with Sin

We are glad you're joining us for a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast supported by harvest partners get more encouraging audio content. When you subscribe to pastor Greg Staley Devos learn more and sign up@harvest.org to particular followers run each nuclear will eventually against the Lord your great glory, one strain Jesus 19 Jesus would here is whether the difference one was sentences and was restored the other Judas Iscariot was so filled and followed short, God is something we all have in common critical factors. What comes next. Today on a new beginning. Greg Laurie shows John how to of the Lord's own significance.

Following the one shows the pathway of repentance and restoration. The other chose to tell you it's a lesson today on how we should respond. John 13. The Lord is our house, the hour of his arrest, his suffering, his crucifixion and his resurrection from the dead.

Go to verse 21 of John 13. Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me disciples looked at one another wondering whom he could mean them. The disciple Jesus loved, was sitting next to Jesus at the table.

By the way, that's John. John describes himself in his gospel as a disciple that Jesus loved, and Simon Peter mentioned to him what's he talking about.

I love that what's he talking about what is this even mean so that disciple leaned over to Jesus and said, Lord, who is Jesus responded. It's the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl when he addicted he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot, Judas had eaten the bread Satan and assured him. Jesus told him, hurry up and do what you're going to do. None of the others at the table knew what Jesus met. Since Judas was our treasurer.

Some thought Jesus was telling them to go and people of the Buddha give money away to the poor so Judas left at once. Going out into the night. It's worth noting that Judas was so effective in this lien so cunning and so skillful and actor no one even suspected him until Jesus made it clear he was the one know this, you can full all of the people some of the time. You can full some of the people all of the time, but you can full God.

Any of the time. So Jesus had Judas's number, he knew what was going on, but it's really incomprehensible that a man with such opportunity could so squander it.

I mean think about you this for a moment.

Judas Iscariot heard with his own errors. The sermon on the Mount. Judas Iscariot saw Lazarus resurrected from the dead, Judas Iscariot saw Jesus walking on the water. Judas Iscariot saw the feeding of the 5000 with the loaves and the fishes, Judas Iscariot also heard the teaching of the Lord when he talked about the wheat and the tares together and all the tears look like the way but they're not the wheat may uproot the wheat there imitations of the wheat and that would certainly apply to him. But instead of turning to God.

He became filled with anger and jealousy, and bitterness knows an interesting parallel character in the Old Testament, the Judas King Saul the first, King of Israel, and Saul was a man who was initially blessed and called by God to be the king.

He began well but there were some small compromises that led the larger ones and ultimately he was rejected by God, the Bible tells us an evil spirit began to torment him but there was a young shepherd boy named David that would come in and walked out on electric guitar know he would play our boat is a heart it's like a guitar right he play the stringed instrument, so he would come into play a song for King Saul in the demon would not torment the king for that short period of time as they would would sing worship songs did the Lord that when David left the demon would come back in torment Saul against a golfer able to come in and the one time he got angry David through a javelin. Adam almost killed him. So David was a little apprehensive of performing for Saul. Now you can understand what I've been that interesting. You would think will what, what, when, solid, believe in the God that David worship I and then he would be tormented by these demons and you know sometimes I think nonbelievers feel all you know. Maybe I need a little religion not gone to this, I've gone through this crisis. So I'll go to church every now and then get a little religion we little bit of the Bible sing a little bit of some worship song that makes me feel a little bit better about spine were glad the worship helps you in the message helps you. But ultimately the answer is you don't need a little religion. You need a lot of Jesus in your life. That's the answer, but things Alden want that nor did Judas you know you might think like to go through a little religious ritual like get baptized or how you would all receive communion that will be good. I have communion with the Christians little ritual to me some good.

I actually won't do you any good at all, and in fact to receive the elements of communion without believing in the one they represent can actually be detrimental to you spiritually because the apostle says that as we receive these elements if we don't know the one they represent her. As he put it, receive them in an unworthy manner.

We even drink judgment to our selves. So here's Judas exposed to all the miracles all the teachings a perfect example of Christ, while the others regarding their lives changed. His heart was getting darker and harder, reminding us of the truth of this statement, the same son that softens the wax hardens the clay. This same son that makes a living tree grow dries up the dead tree in the same gospel message and transforms one drives another Indocin I can explain it. One can hear it it changes their life. Another here's the hidden and they get harder and their sin is kind of an amazing thing. Actually, truthfully, that's all on you is not on the gospel.

The gospel is true, it's not in the Bible.

The Bible is alive and powerful.

It's not on God. It's on you because you choose how you will react. You choose what kind of soil your heart is you choose it to be receptive soil to the seed of God's word or you choose. They have soil like concrete to God's word. It's all up to you so that was Judas exposed the truth lesson ever person can habitually commit sin without any sense of conviction or remorse that would be a clear indicator. They don't know God which is David Greg. They went forward at a harvest Crusade are one of the services and Greg the start Bible. They have a SoCal Harbor sticker on their car.

Surely there Christian, will I hope they are, but it doesn't mean they are because if you can continue in sin without any remorse that would say to me you don't know God at all, you don't judge me.

Men don't judge my journey. I will judge you because I'm told the judge you by God himself will know judgment was should be judged.

That's like the nonbelievers favorite verse by the way they always defaulted that judgment was should be judged, which means go away.

I want to keep doing what I'm doing and I don't listen you Christian people misunderstand the birth what it means is when it says judge not lest you be judged. Means condemned not let you be condemn. I would never condemn anybody I when failure I condemn you.

You don't know God you're going to hell. I don't know that about you. Only God knows that's with Deborah Smith Bajaj means to evaluate and the Bible says judgment begins at the house of God and the Bible even says we should judge one another. Right. That doesn't mean condemn one another means make evaluations okay so if I see you're doing something that contradicts what the word says and I bring it to your attention. It's a you know you're Christian but you're out getting drunk. That contradicts Scripture you're Christian but you know you're having sex with your boyfriend or girlfriend that contradicts Scripture.

She is a you're a Christian, but you're looking at porn that contradicts Scripture to judge me not sorry I will judge you, and I'll tell you. While judge you because I love you and I don't want you to go that way because that would indicate to me you don't know God no look.

If you struggle with something anyone repent of it. That's one thing but if you continuing that sin without any desire to change, and not even feeling that strong despite what the Bible clearly says that would say to me you don't know God because the Bible says by their fruit you will know them, and that fruit is not good. So think of me as a fruit inspector not to hurt you but to help you I would never confront someone about something like that to drive them away.

The Bible says if you see someone is overtaken in a sin you who are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness so the ideas I come humbly to pay. I'm capable of doing the same thing but I want to help you because I don't want to see your like it wracked by sin. So if you don't have that concern in your life.

It makes you wonder you know the Bible says if you're a believer, the Lord will discipline you. And if he doesn't discipline you.

What I would indicate you're not a believer master Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message just a moment we send these daily studies via radio, satellite enter podcasts we don't always know how these messages are touching lives when we hear the stories of our listeners, heartaches and regrets were encouraged to know the impact on people's lives and why I write Lori I think a lot on that and and and and a long journey yelling and when I I only marred the great love that my banking bank or that Mary and will be not only my 80 be united with him powerful story's forgiveness story to tell of how Pastor Greg studies. If so, why not call the Sheriff's just call 1-866-871-1144 again, 866-871-1144.

Today we are considering the sin of Judas Iscariot betraying the Lord himself. Pastor Greg studies based in John chapter 13 so Judas he missed all the cues he turned his back on all the opportunities he went through it and he betrayed Jesus and walked out.

The Bible says that the end of that story into the night.

It's even so telling that phrase he walked into the direct you know Judas's life could be summed up in that phrase.

Proverbs 1412 there is a way that seems right to amend at the end thereof are the ways of death. Now there's one other little vignette this chapter, we won't really get into it because our time is up but let me just paraphrase it to something else happened. Judas betrays Jesus walked up so Simon Peter Goodall Simon Peter thought this to be a great time to both of his love for the Lord and he said you know what, even if all to know you. I will never deny you I gadget is he's a loser.

I was newly was a loser, but you can count on me, Simon Peter, who by the way you nickname the rock and I am the rock Lord Jesus said will rock. Let me tell you something before the roosters crow twice, you will deny three times that you knew me. No way though all deny you. I will never deny you know your good Peter affected 121212 applies to do it three times.

Well, what happened you know the rest of the story will get to later in John but it's exactly what Peter did. So they both walked into the knife one betrayed Jesus. One. Deny Jesus, but here's where there's a difference one came to his senses. Simon Peter and what and was restored by Jesus. The other never repented and he was separated from Jesus. Where will your guilt drive you.

I would suggest you run into the open arms of the Lord who will forgive you, no matter what you've got. Just since two what came as a result of this is the worst act of sinfulness may be in human history that torture in the murder of Jesus yet from it came the greatest good, because Jesus died for this sin of the world. More specifically, he died for your sin, and he died for mine because he didn't stay on the cross he rose again from the dead. Death died when Christ rose so that's a good view for all of why was I could control this world and can stop any harm that would come to any child of God or or any person for that matter, but we can. We live in a fallen world with evil people, we live in bodies that break down the don't work the way they use the worker you know in our health fails in and we have all the things happen to us in happened when one is. But here's the good news, if you put your faith in Christ. You do not have to be afraid because you will go straight into the presence of God in heaven. That's the hope of the believer, you have that hope and pray in the moment and I want to extend an invitation to you because this could be her last night to come to Christ. We don't know what the future holds.

We know who holds the future though. Don't wait.

But Jesus who died on the cross and rose again from the dead, now stands at the door of each of our lives any nonsense as if you hear my voice, and open the door, all coming you can have Christ come in forgive you of all of your sent. I don't care what you've done, God will forgive you listen. Jesus would've forgiven Judas Iscariot you don't think he would forgive you. Well you hundred and some really radical things that you don't think God doesn't know about it already.

God knows everything you've done, but he'll forgive you because Christ died on the cross for that sin and took God's judgment upon himself incentive you having the faith that he died in your place and if you turn from that sin. I believe in him, you can be forgiven. So were going to pray and I'm in no extend this invitation for any of you are not sure of Jesus is living inside of you and some of you may be. Who knew the Lord at one time but you fallen away here a little bit like a Simon Peter know Peter love the Lord, but he messed up.

He needed a second chance and Jesus gave it to give you a second chance of you come back to him if you need to say Lord I denied you work Lord I'd committed this center I fall short over here. Forgive me. I need to return to you and the Lord will forgive you and give you that second chance.

You need so if you need Jesus to come in your life or you need that second chance respond to this opportunity.

Now, as we pray together. Let's all bow our heads. Father, thank you for your word to us and thank you for loving us so much that you send Jesus to die on the cross in our place, and now we pray Lord that you will speak to any person here that does not know you yet.

Let this be a moments of transformation in Jesus name I pray.

Name your great glory with an important word or prayer. And if you like to make a change in your relationship with the Lord. Pastor Greg will help you with that before today's addition of a new beginning. Concludes that, let me take just a moment and read something a listener recently wrote us and said hello Pastor Greg, I'm 16 years old from the United Kingdom. I've been enjoying listening to a new beginning for the past seven years I'm so thankful that all your messages revolve around salvation, which I love Christianity is all about the cross you been a blessing to my friends and family.

Well, you know, as your joining us each day there are thousands and thousands listening right along with you.

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That's 1-800-821-3300 pressure to get somebody listening right now knows that they need to make a change in their relationship with God.

They can do that right now and they really cannot. I think some people might say what what, pray what the why listening to the radio, absolutely because guess what Jesus Christ is with you right where you are right now if you want Jesus Christ to come in your life and forgive you of your sin if you want to invite them in your life, why don't you pray this prayer after me right now.

In fact, I would even encourage you to pray it out loud. Let's pray Lord Jesus, I want you to come into my life and forgive me of my sin. I think you for dying for me on the cross and then rising again from the dead. I choose to follow you from this moment forward be my Savior be my Lord be my God, and be my friend. Thank you for loving me and calling me and forgiving me in Jesus name I pray, amen. The listen is you just pray that prayer maybe you felt something emotional.

I've had people write me and tell me of how they prayed with me at the end of our radio broadcasting. Tears came down their cheeks or they felt a great joy to be one of those things happen you are and then again maybe you felt nothing.

Listen irregardless of how you feel right now I want you to know a fact if you prayed that prayer and minute Jesus Christ has come into your life. Why no I say that because the Bible says these things we write to you that believe on the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, that verse doesn't say so you can think you have eternal life or hope of God's in a really good mood. You may have eternal life notes as you can know it. And if you just pray that prayer and minute prices, the our life. So let me see the you welcome to God's family and would like to help you get started in living your new life with the Lord would like to send you some free follow-up materials called our new believers growth packet just get in touch and will send that packet right out to you as I said, it's free of charge and our special thanks tour harvest partners and others who support this ministry for helping us make them available you can call us anytime at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or write a new beginning.

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