Crazy

Crazy Hebrews 1:1

Emmanuel Christian Church

1.5.25

INTRODUCTION: Welcome to 2025! In the very first hours of the New Year, “crazy” reared its ugly head! In New Orleans, the early morning revelers of Bourbon Street found themselves the target of “lone-wolf”, “radicalized” adherent to Islam who had pledged himself to the ISIS terrorist group; hellbent on a mission to bring attention to the war between believer and unbelievers by raining down murder and mayhem to the greatest extent of his ability. After only a few short minutes 15 lay dead, 35 seriously wounded. Hours later, Louisiana Senator John Kennedy said: “If I get to Heaven, I want to ask- ‘Why do bad things happen?’”. That’s a great question for which the Scripture has a solid and profound answer. PROPOSITION: This morning, you’ll hear that answer in a way that I hope you’ll NEVER forget. You WANT that answer. You NEED that answer- because life is terrifyingly unpredictable without it. Without the solid answer to that question, you find will find yourself in a defenseless position- potentially vulnerable when the next outbreak of insanity isn’t so far from home. The answer to Senator Kennedy’s excellent question its found in the REJECTION of two fundamental truths upon which the universe is founded. These two truths are NOT COMPLICATED, but they are PROFOUND. When you hear them, you may even be tempted to tune me out- I passionately hope and pray that you do not! The danger is NOT that you will disagree with me when you hear them- because I already know that you DO KNOW them and YOU DO AGREE with them. So, what IS the DANGER we face? Simply this, we’ve failed to CAREFULLY CONSIDER their PROFOUND IMPLICATIONS. These two profound truths, are found in the opening five words to the New Testament Book of Hebrews: “In the past God spoke…” Hebrews 1:1 To state the two truths clearly: “God IS” “God has SPOKEN” The reason behind EVERY bit of human suffering and evil- is the REJECTION of these two truths. Let’s break it down to the first four words: “In the past God”

  • Do you find anything peculiar about this statement?
  • It is VERY presumptive! It makes NO argument for the existence of God whatsoever! It simply and powerfully assumes this foundational truth of all reality!
  • Can you think of anywhere else that you hear that same presumption? (Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God…”)
  • Is this a reasonable statement? Is there any evidence to give us confidence in this presumption? ABSOLUTELY!
  • LOGIC argues for it! Observation teaches us that NOTHING is without a cause. EVERYTHING we can see in the universe points back to a point of origin. From seeds to plants, parents to children, modern DNA research clearly points back to first cause of God’s Creation as recorded in the opening chapters of Genesis.
  • SCIENCE itself cannot exist as a valid strategy of inquiry apart from acknowledging the existence of God:
  • The existence of physical matter requires a Cause greater than itself.
  • The composition of matter through the complex balance and ordering of the four elemental forces of the physical universe points to a Power and Intelligence that is itself- self existent!
  • HUMANITY cannot be explained without the acknowledging of the existence of God:
  • Why is it that EVERY culture (no matter how primitive or advanced) has a similar moral code? (Murder is wrong, theft is wrong, lying is wrong)
  • Why is it that that every culture values justice, and mercy?
  • Why are there such things as love and self-sacrifice? APPLICATION: Don’t miss the point- I’m NOT trying to prove the existence of God. I’m simply saying that to assume God’s existence is absolutely reasonable and backed up by everything that can be considered as reelable evidence. BUT, what happens when an individual, or even an entire society rejects this fundamental truth upon which the universe depends? BAD things happen. EVIL things happen. DESTRUCTION, DISRUPTION and DISASTER HAPPEN. Hear the WORD of the LORD: Psalms 14:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. Psalms 53:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good.
  • Foolish men do foolish things.
  • What makes a man foolish? His denial of the existence of God.
  • One might argue that it’s no crime to be a fool, but I suppose that depends on who’s the Judge?
  • If God has a purpose for every life, then the failure to understand that purpose and pursue it out of a rejection of the ONE who gives it IS A CRIME!
  • At the very least, the man who denies the existence of God and His call upon his life, is the man have no regard for any other relationship, or responsibility to be productive in the interest of others. Such a foolish man will be driven by his best for power, pleasure or material gain.
  • At the worst, such a man will be a force for destruction and evil as he has no refining, restraining force in his life. As the Scripture says, “They are corrupt, the ways and deeds are disgusting.” Line all such characters up in row and NOT one of them will be guilty of doing anything good. APPLICATION: Acknowledging the existence of God is the first step in stepping back from evil and destruction. It is a simple act that is the very first element of faith: Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he EXISTS… Someone might counter by saying, “Doesn’t God have some responsibility to make Himself known? How can anyone be responsible for a God he does not know?” Hear the WORD of the LORD: Romans 1:20“…since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” This brings me to the second fundamental truth upon which the universe revolves. Not only has God revealed Himself in the Creation… “God has spoken” Hebrews 1:1&2
  • Again, the importance of this truth cannot be overstated!
  • Without the spoken Word of God, NOTHING would exist according to the opening chapters of Genesis.
  • Without the spoken Word of God, we would have some limited understanding of His nature and existence- but we would be left guessing as to His will and purpose for our lives.
  • The fact that God HAS spoken is why we are able (even obligated) to WORSHIP Him.
  • If God could speak, but refused to speak, He would be less than good and just- undeserving of our worship.
  • If God would speak, but was unable to do so, He would be less than all powerful- again, undeserving or our worship.
  • BUT, God HAS spoken and so He IS absolutely worthy of our attention, obedience and complete devotion! APPLICATION: Why do crazy, “bad things” happen? It is not because there is no God- evidence abounds to the contrary! It is NOT because He is unknowable and aloof- because HE HAS SPOKEN. It IS because men have turned a deaf ear to Him. It is because we don’t like what God has to say! Sad!
  • So why don’t we like what God has to say?
  • We’ve been fooled! Just like our ancient parents Adam and Eve- we listen to the enemy and buy into the lies he’s selling:
  • “If you listen to God, you’re going to lose out!” John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.
  • “If you listen to God, you won’t get to do what will make you truly happy.”Psalms 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
  • “If you listen to God, your life is going to be hard.” Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
  • “If you listen to God, you’re going to sound foolish!” Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, 8 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. CONCLUSION: Bad things, crazy things happen when we deny the existence of God and turn a deaf ear to what He has says. I wish that I could tell you that our natural tendency is to seek God and listen to what He says- but that would not be telling the truth. The truth is, since the Fall, we’ve all been born broken into a broken world. Listen to the LORD’S own word on our condition: Genesis 8:20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. 21 The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood.” Wow! What an indictment of the human condition! Hearing that makes us VERY uncomfortable! But we NEED to hear what God has to say- so that we can take steps to recover from our condition! To parents, I say- as much was you love your children, do not make the mistake in thinking that they are innocent in their inclination toward God- they are not! They are like all the rest of us members of the human race- in need of repentance and redemption through the blood of Christ. If we fail inn recognizing their condition, we will neglect it and set them up for evil deception and their eventual destruction. Hard to hear- but oh so true! Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. As the people of God were preparing to enter into the Promised Land after 40 years of wilderness wandering, God instructed Moses to instruct the people: Deuteronomy 5:32 So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. 33 Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess. Deuteronomy 6:1 These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you. Deuteronomy 6:4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. If everyone did this, bad things would NEVER happen!