God Is Good Dr. Joseph Chang BOLGPC

8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. 9 Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. 10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. (Ps 34:8-10)

Dr. Don Sunukjian

好

好 = 良善

好 = 良善 = good

好 = 良善 = good = bAj

Theological Basis 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 10 God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. (Gen 1:4, 10, 12, 18 )

Theological Basis 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning--the sixth day. (Gen 1:21, 25, 31)

好 = 良善 = good = bAj

19 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone. (Luke 18:19) 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. (Rom 7:18)

The Sick Man in Bethesda

14 後來耶穌在殿裡遇見他，對他說：你已經 痊愈了，不要再犯罪，恐怕你遭遇的更加 利害。 15 那人就去告訴猶太人，使他痊愈的 是耶穌。 ( 約 5:14-15) 14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. (John 5:14-15)

I. Jesus wants us to come just as we are.

Remove the “Performance” Doubt 拿掉光宗耀主的心態

I. Jesus wants us to come just as we are. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isa 53:5) Does it depend upon the performance of me? Or of Jesus?

I. Jesus wants us to come just as we are. “Pastor, I have things that are not right in my life.” “That’s OK. He’s still bigger than your problems. It’s His goodness that will bring you to repentance.” He loves us just as we are. (Gore, p. 44).

I. Jesus wants us to come just as we are. “ 牧師, 你不知道我這次犯的錯誤有多大 !? 你 不知道我這次的錯誤連累多大我所親愛的 人 !? 你不知道我裡面的黑暗有多深 !?” “Pastor, you do not know how big my mistake is!? You do not know how dark my heart is?! You do not know how bad my mistake has affected my loved ones!

Let Jesus Shine! If light is brighter than darkness, then darkness is not even the problem. You don’t ask to turn the darkness down. 如果光勝於 黑暗, 那麼黑暗就不是問題. 你不需要把黑 暗調小一點, 你只要讓光照亮出來.

1 "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. (Isa 60:1) 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matt 5:16)

II. We are part of the solution, not part of the problem. There is a difference between Fact and Truth. There is also a difference between Sympathy and Compassion.

II. We are part of the solution, not part of the problem. A. There is a difference between Fact and Truth. Faith is not anchored in the realm of fact, but in the realm of truth. (Gore, p. 51)

II. We are part of the solution, not part of the problem. B. There is also a difference between Sympathy and Compassion. 35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matt 9:35-36)

II. We are part of the solution, not part of the problem. B. There is also a difference between Sympathy and Compassion. Sympathy can lock a person in their problem; compassion will pull them out.

II. We are part of the solution, not part of the problem. Sympathy can lock a person in their problem; compassion will pull them out. Jesus pulled Lazarus out of the tomb. Paul talked about the resurrection of the dead loved ones. 13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. (1Thess 4:13-14)

II. We are part of the solution, not part of the problem. Kingdom culture allows you bring down the heaven on earth. A physician is to heal the sick, not to be brought down by the sickness.

Conclusion God is good. We can come before him just as we are. We are part of the solution, not part of the problems.