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Aug 23, 2026 | Tim Moore
Preacher | Rev. Dr. Tim Moore
Sermon | "Everything Happens . . ."
Scripture | Romans 8:26-28
Sermon Series | Paul's Hopeful Struggle | Part 2
Does everything really happen for a reason?
Romans 8:28 is one of the most quoted and often misunderstood passages in Scripture. Too often, it's been used to explain suffering in ways that bring more pain than hope.
This Sunday, Rev. Dr. Tim Moore invites us to hear Paul's words with fresh ears. God is not the cause of every hardship we endure. Rather, in the midst of life's joys and tragedies alike, God is always at work, bringing healing, hope, and the possibility of good.
Preacher's Notes:
This passage is perhaps one of the most misunderstood texts in scripture. Sadly, it has often been used in hurtful ways to people dealing with tragic circumstances in life. The passage has been used to promote the popular notion that “everything happens for a reason,” which if applied to the Holocaust, or African slave trade and the Middle Passage it would immediately be seen as a monstrous idea.
Paul’s Greek words need to be moved around in our English translation in order to read, “We know that in all things God works for good.” Things happen, good and bad, to all people. God did not cause these things to happen for “a reason” or “a purpose;” they just happen. God is not the cause of bad things that happen to you. God is in the cure. In everything that happens God works with us for some good to come out of it.
#MPCC #PaulsHopefulStruggle #Romans8 #FaithAndHope #SundayWorship