Tragedy

When we're hit with a sudden pain in any realm in life, our world becomes small, doesn't it?

We want to end the hurt as soon as possible.

That's our focus.

Some experience continuous problems.

If they're too personal, with whom can they share to help shoulder the burden?

Maybe we and they can trust others who are spiritual enough to not betray us. Romans 12:15; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 13:3

There is One we can fully trust.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess.

For we do not have a high priest Who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One Who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16

That's part of the good news. Romans 1:16-17; 10:15

How can we get there when there's so much tragedy in life? Ecclesiastes 1:13-18

TRAGEDY OF SIN

It all began many years ago.

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men [people], because all sinned. Romans 5:12

Sin has been transmitted to all. Romans 3:9-20, 23

He [Jesus] continued: "What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him.

For from within the hearts of men [people] come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,

greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery [indecent actions], envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness.

All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man." [person] Mark 7:20-23

Afterward, Jesus found the man at the temple and said to him,

"See, you have been made well. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you. John 5:14

TRAGEDY OF RELIGION

A preacher announced,

"When the devil realized that he was defeated, he invented religion."

Is that true or partially so?

After the fall of humanity into sin, Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-7, 22-24 the Lord God foretold that the head of the serpent, the devil, Revelation 12:9 would be crushed. Genesis 3:14-15

Certainly, after sin entered the world Romans 5:12 religions developed. Exodus 12:12; Deuteronomy 6:14; 7:1-5; 1 Kings 11:1-5; Isaiah 36:19; 37:12; Acts 7:42-43

Today, some don't identify with any particular religion even though many have beliefs about the non-material world.

Others view their organized religious affiliations as holy and precious.

A problem is that religion and its activities are NOT adequate substitutes for a spiritual birth.

To have a spiritual new birth, 1 Peter 1:3

become a new creation, 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15

be born again, 1 Peter 1:23

born of God John 1:12-13; 1 John 5:1

as we become as a little child in our hearts to receive Matthew 18:3; Mark 10:15

this gift of grace [unearned and undeserved favor from the Lord] Ephesians 2:8-9

is how we can escape the tragedy of religion. Acts 15:10; Romans 3:20; Galatians 5:1-4

Jesus said that we MUST be born again. John 3:3, 7

There is NOTHING that can replace Philippians 3:4-8 this spiritual transformation. Titus 3:4-7

It's in the Lord Jesus Christ as part of the love plan from God the Father. John 1:1-2; 14; 3:16-17; Ephesians 1:3-7; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:1-3; 1 Peter 1:18-20

TRAGEDY OF ETERNITY

As the weeds are collected and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the age.

The Son of Man [Jesus] will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness.

And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:40-42

No one wants to be weeping and grinding their teeth.

And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 25:30

No one wants to be in the outer darkness.

So he cried out, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire." Luke 16:24

No one wants to be in agony in fire.

"Then I beg you, father," he said, "send Lazarus to my father’s house, for I have five brothers.

Let him warn them, so that they will not also end up in this place of torment." Luke 16:27-28

No one wants to end up in a place of torment.

It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,

where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. Mark 9:47-48

No one wants to live in hell.

It can be hard to accept that the God Who loved the whole world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, to save it, John 3:16-17 would create this fire.

It can be easy to accept that the devil who tempted the whole world 2 Corinthians 11:3; Revelation 12:9; 20:7-8 should be punished for that.

Jesus said that eternal fire was made for the devil and his angels Revelation 12:7-9 because they SINNED. John 8:44

Then He will say to those on His left, "Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Matthew 25:41

So, some people will also end up in this eternal fire.

John wrote,

And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown.

There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10

And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15

All of humanity are SINNERS, aren't they?

Paul wrote,

What then? Are we any better? Not at all.

For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks [non-Jews] alike are all under sin. Romans 3:9

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

Can we see the tragedy in this?

VICTORY OVER THE TRAGEDIES

We need to be saved from these.

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Romans 7:24

Who is qualified to do it? John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:18-20; Revelation 5:1-14

Only One has never sinned: the Lord Jesus Christ. John 8:46; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! 1 Corinthians 15:56-57

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form. Colossians 2:8-9

Jesus is the Word. John 1:1-2

Jesus the Word became flesh John 1:14 so that He could bear our sins in His own body. 1 Peter 2:24-25

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:

Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross. Philippians 2:5-8

The tragedies of sin, religion, and eternity are put away by His sacrifice. Hebrews 9:26; 10:1-10

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

Your thoughts?

R. Jason