FBCWest 691 | When Why Is Not Sufficient
Recorded On: 12/21/2025
Bulletin
Hymn # 81 “Silent Night”
SCRIPTURE READING – Luke 2:1 - 7
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
OFFERTORY MUSIC – Pru Hungate & Donna Bennett
Praise and Worship
“Angels We Have Head on High”
“What a Glorious Night”
“He Shall Reign Forevermore”
Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“When Why Is Not Sufficient”
PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“O Come O Come Emmanuel”
Sermon Notes
Matthew 2:13 – 15 An angel warns Joseph about Herod and tells him to take Jesus to Egypt
Matthew 2:16 Herod having been tricked by the Magi had all the male children 2 and under killed
Matthew 2:17 & 18 Jeremiah’s prophesy was fulfilled, but there was no comfort
Job 38:1 – 4 Where were you when God created
Job 40:1 – 9 Are you going to annul God’s judgments
Romans 8:28 God causes all things to become good for those who love Him and are called by Him
Revelation 7:9 – 17 Great Tribulation martyers
Revelation 22:20 Even so, Come Jesus
Scritpures
Transcript of Service
When evil happens, one of the first and most pressing questions seems to be why. The answer often times is way way too unsatisfactory. When God sent His Son as Savior of the world, there is an evil response. The scriptures tell us why. The scriptures even tell us that it was foretold. And yet the answer doesn't seem to be satisfactory. However, the scriptures also tell us this is not the only time evil will happen. It also tells us that God is in control.
I was reminded this week that God is going to be praised no matter where you are. I walked into my elevator at my office this week, and in the elevator there was plain he shall reign forevermore. Many decades ago I was in Beijing, China. In a Buddhist temple and on the grounds, they thought they were playing green sleeves, but they were playing what child is this.
It doesn't matter where you are, and what people try to do to control the situation, God will be praised. Today we are at that time when we celebrate the Advent. And today's message is going to be very different from your typical Advent circumstance. Towards the end of it I am going to ask a question, but I am going to deal with life today in that story that happened almost 2,000 years ago.
And so the context is, as we had read previously, the angel had come to marry, to make the announcement that God was going to use her to bring forth his Messiah. And she consented, and Joseph was a little concerned because he thought maybe she was unfaithful, and an angel came to him and said, it was okay that she was still a virgin. And then we read this morning again that because what Caesar Augustus did was they moved from Nazareth to Bethlehem to be born, the Messiah where he was predicted to be born.
So God is in control of all of these things. And then we saw how the chepherds were invited to take place in the excitement of the birth of the Messiah and how they had found everything just as the angels had told them. And usually that's where the story ends when it comes to the advent, how the Emmanuel God with us came to be born. But there's another part of the story which kind of reflects our lives as we now live them. And so if you have your Bibles and you should, turn the gospel of Matthew chapter 2 and start with verse 13, a very unusual place to start in an advent type of message. And it says, now when they had gone, the day where the Magi, the wise men, the kings that we celebrate and we talk about, I got to get through this because it's amazing how we always allow tradition to overshadow the facts. So everybody assumes that there are three Magi kings, wise men. No where does the scripture say that there were three?
It does say they or it uses a plural of the Magi or kings or whatever. So we know that there were at least two. We are told that there were three gifts, at least three kinds of gifts. There was a gift of gold, gifts of incense and gift of murder.
Now there could have been six gifts of gold and three of murder and one of instant. So there could have been a whole company of Magi kings, wise men who came, but we just assume it was three because of three gifts. We're also told as an opposite of the nativity scene because in all the nativity sets, you have three Magi kings, wise men, there at the stables. They weren't there, the scriptures were forced as they entered the house. So it was a period of time after the stable birth when these men came. Which didn't count us, everybody talked about Jesus being homeless. They entered a house which means he wasn't homeless.
And when he was doing his ministry, he was an itinerant preacher. His ministry was to go out to the people. It wasn't his ministry like mine.
Your clothes come to see me. He went out to them. So when you're traveling, you're moving around. So he wasn't homeless.
And so we have these men come and they come into the house and they present their court, their gifts and their worship. Now they had gone assuming that because the Messiah, the king had been born of the Jews, that he would be in a palace. So when they went to see Herod, they were disappointed because he wasn't there. And it's interesting because you would think people who were waiting for the Messiah to come would know where the Messiah would be born. But when the wise guy showed up, they had to research it.
You go, oh, it's in Bethlehem. Herod tells them, well you go search for the kid and when you find him, come and tell me. You see Herod didn't even have the humility to pretend to worship the king. He stayed so that he might do his plans. And now this is the context of this story.
So now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt and remain there until I tell you, this is an exigent circumstance. This is an emergency. Notice you can say, well, take your time, get up, make sure you get all the things from him and then take the first Uber to Egypt. He goes, no, no, you need to flee because Herod is coming because this war, Herod is going to search for this child to destroy him. You see, Herod told the wise men, tell me where the child is so that I might worship him. So he lied. The whole point was that he might know where the child was to kill him because he didn't want any kind of competition. He was king and he was going to rule this king and he didn't want the Messiah to take his power.
So he wanted to destroy him. So Joseph got up and took the child and his mother while it was still night and left for Egypt. You see, Joseph took the warning seriously. He didn't wait. The angel said flee, which means get out of Bethlehem, ASAP and he didn't wait until sunrise. Traveling at night is dangerous, but staying in Bethlehem was more dangerous. So he did what the angel said and he took off when it was still night and they left for Egypt. And he remained there until the death of Herod.
This was what fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet out of Egypt I will call my son. And so this whole thing is all part of God's plan and it was all part of God's plan well in advance. God told the prophets to tell us so that when you see these things, you know and can verify that he is the Messiah. And when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the Magi, he became very enraged and sin and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all of the vicinity from two years old and under according to the time which he had determined from the Magi. So we are told specifically that he is going to kill all these children two years and under, not only just in Bethlehem but in the entire vicinity so that he can make sure that he got rid of this supposed king.
So we are told in advance why this evil is going to take place. We are going to number one assume that Herod didn't want competition so he is going to kill the king. He was also enraged, angry because he had been tricked so he is going to make sure that he gets rid of the competition and that he is going to do in his evil. It is evil.
And what had been spoken through Jeremiah the Prophet was fulfilled. A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping in great mourning, racial weeping for her children and she refused to be comforted because they were no more. You see Herod came and killed all the male children two years and under because he was angry and because he wanted to rule and reign and he didn't care what God was going to do and he killed them. And this was so well known that Jeremiah the Prophet prophesied of it. Now this prophecy seems as it goes, Rachel was mourning and weeping for her children. In case you don't recall, Rachel had two children. Joseph and Benjamin. Jesus came from the tribe of Judah.
So why was it not the weeping and mourning of Leia? I will tell you why in my humble not the humble opinion because we are told in the book of Genesis that Jacob loved Rachel and while they were traveling, Rachel died and they buried Rachel in Bethlehem. So Rachel's children are those who die in Bethlehem and are buried there.
So there's this weeping for her children because they're the ones who have died in Bethlehem. Now I want you to imagine that you're a parent of a child in Bethlehem, a male child, two years and under and Herod just killed your baby. I've told you why Herod did it. Does that comfort you? Does it all? Well now I know why because Herod didn't want competition and Herod was angry at their badger. So therefore now that I know why he killed my baby, it's good.
No, but we do the very same thing today. Listen to any news program where somebody will do evil. I don't care whether it's in Australia and you pick the place. Everybody says, well why did it happen? That's a wonderful question, but it doesn't matter because there's no comfort in finding out why. The parents knew why their baby was born and died.
It just doesn't matter. So why do we take such efforts to say why? Because we will never, well if you're normal, you will never understand evil. If you understand evil, you ain't normal. So there is no comfort in asking the question why.
Some bad things happen to Job. He ain't like it. He asked some questions why. Notice what the Lord says. So when Job chapter 39 verse 1 is says this, then the Lord answered Job out of the world when it said, Who is this that darkens counsel by the words without knowledge? Now, good up your lines like a man and I will ask you and you instruct me, I would have been shaken like crazy if I'd have been Job.
God says, I want you to stand like a man. I'm going to ask you some questions. Okay. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you have understanding.
Basically God's saying, were you there to give me an advice when I decided to set up this place? I don't think so. So you're going to give me counsel. You're going to give me understanding. But the Lord isn't done with asking Job questions in chapter 40.
He says this, then the Lord said to Job, will the Fowl Finder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproose God answer it. Then Job answered the Lord and said, Behold, I am insignificant. What can I reply to you? I lay my hand on my mouth and ask him, go and I'm going to shut up.
Once I have spoken and I will not answer, even twice and I will add nothing more. Then the Lord answered Job out of this storm and said, Now, good up your lowlands like a man and I will ask you and you instruct me. So God is asking him the very same question again. And I would have the very same result. Maybe now he's going to strike me down. Will you really unknow my judgment? Will you condemn me that you may be justified? Or do you have an arm like God and can you thunder with a voice like his?
He's basically saying, You're going to tell me what I've done is wrong. Do you have the same power that I do? And so it is easy for us when we see that these babies have been killed, destroyed. And God had knowledge of it so much so that He told the prophet to tell us that it would happen. Now I don't know why God did what God did. And I don't know why God allowed what God allowed to happen. And any justification I might come up with is like giving counsel to God.
Who are you and where are you? We love to talk about that we all have free will. Did God want us to love Him on our own and we love to talk about free will? Well then if there's free will then why couldn't Herod do what Herod did? Free will. Well that's evil. I grant you. Well guess what?
Sin is evil. So you're saying that God should have stopped Herod but not you? Well no no I'm not that evil compared to what?
Maybe you're not as evil as Herod but you're certainly almost said the bad word. A lot worse evil than God for no one is righteous. So we love to say well I'm okay but you're not.
But there's comfort in the scriptures and what God says. As in Romans it says this and we know we don't suspect we're not hoping we're not thinking we know that God causes all things that work together for good to those who love God and to those who are called according to his purpose. What happened to those children and to those parents was evil but I do know God could cause all things to work together for his glory and for their good because without that happening perhaps speculation maybe there would be questions as to who the Messiah should be because there was a bunch of babies born in Bethlehem about the same time. Now there's no doubt who the Messiah is because there's only one survivor. Now I don't know if that's the reason not not for me to say not for me to speculate because I'm not going to give God any advice because he doesn't need it, doesn't want it and I'm not in this place but we can be comforted when things happen when evil happens. Evil does not win. God will make it not just right but good.
Not for everyone but for those who love him and are called according to his purpose. Now I'm going to come to a question that we find in revelation that I'm going to ask. So if you have your Bible turned to Revelation chapter 7 and it says this, and they cry out with a loud voice saying salvation to our God who sits on the throne into the lamb.
So they are praising and worshiping God and the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God. It's a magnificent scene in heaven that all these angels and all these elders and all of these living creatures are worshipping God saying amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thank him in an honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever amen. Then one of the elders answered saying to me, these who are clothed in the white robes, who are they and they have and where they come from. So there's myriads upon myriads of people dressed in white, white robes standing before the throne, participating in this worship. And I said to him, my Lord, you know which means I don't you're asking me a question you know but I don't know. And he said to me, these are the ones who come out of the great tribulation and they have washed the robes and have made them white in the blood of the lamb. And for this reason they are before the throne of God and they serve him day and night in his temple and he who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them.
They will no longer hunger nor thirst anymore nor will the sun be down on them nor any heat. For the lamb and the center of the throne will be their shepherd and he will guide them to the springs of the water of life and God will wipe every tear from their eyes. Basically these people dressed in white robes were martyrs. Many of them probably lost their heads and murdered them because they stood for their faith in God. Now I don't care whether you think Jesus comes, pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib, this says there's a whole lot of people who are going to be murdered.
And he's coming back. My question to you, are you willing for that evil to happen to you that God might be glorified and his promise is kept? You see most of us want it easy. Most of us want all the blessings of God for none of the bad stuff that might happen by the evil one. Sometimes, not sometimes, almost all the time. When God is at work, evil tries to mess it up. He will thought that if it crucified Jesus, this story would end. He did it.
He will thought that if it could corrupt all mankind, it would end God's ability to save us. Except he did method with Noah. You see God protects this people to accomplish his purposes. But people of God suffer. The people of God have suffered all the way back.
Even by sometimes their own people. Joseph got stolen to slavery by his own brothers. But Joseph said, God meant it for good. I don't blame you.
I don't judge you. Sometimes, in order for God to accomplish what God is going to accomplish, he allows us to suffer for his namesake. Are you willing to suffer for his namesake? And to me, that's one of the questions that we should ask ourselves when we took a look and say, Jesus came and there was peace on earth. And good will towards men as far as God was concerned, not so much with each of us.
And he will see all the team to rule and reign. But it will not. God will cause all things to be under his authority. That every knee shall bow. And every tongue shall confess, Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Are we willing to suffer that that might happen? Now, as I said, if I get a choice, I'd rather to witness his great power in great luxury. But that's usually not my choice. But if I don't, I don't. Minister and great luxury. Am I still willing to minister in great suffering, in great opposition, in great hatred to the point of my death and the death of every one I love? Evil during this period of time thinks it won because it took out myriads upon myriads of people. Who myriads of myriads of people became blessed because God dwelt with them.
God took the sun off of them. God fed them, wiped their tears from their eyes, gave them water to drink. God blessed them not just for a day, but for eternity. So our suffering may happen for a moment, but God reward is eternity.
So I hope my answer would be I'm willing. And God, I'm so willing to come to death, come to tomorrow. Like Joseph, may I flee to your presence.
One of the last, the wrong verse is this. One of the last two verses in Revelation says this in the King James. Having read and every scene, all the things that happen and all the suffering and all the evil that Satan does and all that happens, the next the last verse says, even so Lord come quickly. May that be our prayer. May our prayer like the parents in Bethlehem, maybe not understanding why their children died and why evil happened, trusting God that because of what happened, his Redeemer was on the way and that the name Emmanuel is not just a name, but it is God with us. And there will be a day. We celebrate his first coming. Let us look forward to his second and permanent coming.
That it is not just God with us for 33 and a half years, but we with God forever and ever and ever and ever and he shall reign forever more. O come, O come, Emmanuel.
And all God's people say.
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