On last Lord’s day, Pastor Fisher opened a topic dealing further with understanding the link between love, indifference, and hate and we took a look at the people who surrounded Messiah at a crucial time approaching the last Passover. This week our teacher will deal with an age old question concerning the role that evil plays in life, and expose for us a few comforting thoughts about how God sees things and how we, therefore should as well.
So, let us find out from the Scriptures what thoughts the Spirit of God has for us on this topic as we open our bibles and take a few notes and listen today as we return to our ongoing study through the gospel of Mark as our teacher Pastor Fisher shares in a teaching which he calls “The Role of Evil in the Course of Truth”.
Old Testament Scripture Reading: Psalms 41:1 – 11 (KJV)
Psa 41:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. Psa 41:2 The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. Psa 41:3 The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. Psa 41:4 I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee. Psa 41:5 Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish? Psa 41:6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it. Psa 41:7 All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt. Psa 41:8 An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more. Psa 41:9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. Psa 41:10 But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them. Psa 41:11 By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.
New Testament Scripture Reading: Mark 14:10 – 21 (KJV)
Mark 14:10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. Mark 14:11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him. Mark 14:12 And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? Mark 14:13 And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. Mark 14:14 And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? Mark 14:15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. Mark 14:16 And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. Mark 14:17 And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. Mark 14:18 And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. Mark 14:19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? Mark 14:20 And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish. Mark 14:21 The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.
Transforming Power Statements: #1) Since evil has been present in the world from the fall of the devil and the intentional sin of Adam, God has elected to allow it to run it’s course rather than to immediately eliminate evil all together, while at the same time continuing to execute his plan for the righteous Kingdom of God headed by His Only Begotten Son.
#2) Judas had the same opportunity to choose the course of the truth as he had been taught by Messiah Himself for over three years, but he chose rather to make himself available to the devil, the adversary of God and man for the purpose of temporary personal gain.
#3) We must always pray that since we realize that there is a higher plan that God is working out and that He is allowing evil to run it’s course, that we shall always be willing to yield to His will even when it includes enduring injustice, suffering, and even satanic assault because we know God is still in control and is working all things together for our good and His glory.
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