Coronavirus: The Judgement of God? 22 Mar 20

(Message 1) Is the Coronavirus the judgment of God? It might be, it might not be. What if it is? Should we hide in fear? Let’s take a historical look at previous pandemics and view the situation in through a Biblical perspective. #CoronavirusSurvivalGuide

Why might God allow this virus?

Some say God is pruning the weak
Some Say God is judging the world
God uses all tragedy, all sin, all disease to draw us closer to Him

Are you ready?

Click here to print.
Download PDF of Questions

Start reading.

Luke 13:1-5 NLT

About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”

John 1:11-13 NLT

He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

John 14:27 NLT

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

Start talking. Find a conversation starter for your group.

What is something that you miss the most during this time of self-quarantine?
What is one thing for which you are most grateful?

Start thinking. Ask a question to get your group thinking.

Troy mentioned a couple of scenarios in his message when talking about the “why” when it comes to COVID-19. The first was that God is pruning the weak and the second was that God is judging the world. What do you think of these? Do these things make you uncomfortable? If God is sovereign, which He is, should we even be questioning Him?
Read Luke 13:1-5. The truth is that God uses all tragedy, sin, and disease to draw us closer to Him. How is God using this to draw you closer to him? Are you resisting due to fear?
Read John 1:11-13. If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we are His children. In fact, this scripture says “to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become the children of God”. Do you have any question in your heart that if you were to die today that you would go to heaven? Are you ready to meet your Maker?

Start sharing. Choose a question to create openness.

Read John 14:27. This verse specifically tells us not to be troubled or afraid and that Jesus has left us with peace of mind and heart. If we are living in a state of fear due to what is going on in our world, are we in direct disobedience to God? Fear starts in our thought life. How can we control our thoughts?
Scripture is the best thing to combat fear and anxiety. A great scripture that talks about this is Philippians 4:4-7. It states, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” If you practice what is called for in these verses, what will be the promised outcome? How can you harness the joy and peace talked about here and use it to encourage others to live without fear?

Start doing. Commit to a step and live it out this week.

List 5 people you think you could minister to during this time. What are realistic ways you can serve these people and others during this time? Commit to doing these things.

Start praying. Be bold and pray with power.

Father, thank You for never leaving nor forsaking us. Thank You that we can count on You no matter how hard things get or how dark the world seems. Give us the courage we need to act as lights and guide others toward the hope only You can bring. In Jesus’ name, amen

Start digging. For further study.