I'm going to ask you to take
your Bibles and turn with me to the book of John chapter 16. John chapter 16. I'd like to look at one verse
of scripture. It's verse 33. John 16 verse
33. The Lord Jesus Christ said these
things, have I spoken unto you that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation,
but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. I could have named this message today, Tribulation in
the World. I could have named it Trials
and Troubles. But I have, and I mean this prayerfully,
I have entitled this message, The Corona Virus. And the reason that I felt, to
name it that, is because that's what everybody's thinking about
right now. If you haven't at that moment, you will. The scripture declares, according
to the word of the Lord, ye shall have tribulation. You will have distress You will
have straits, afflictions, and oppressions. The Lord has promised
that. And we know, according to His
Word, that these things are so. Now you know it's always easier,
according to our flesh, while we're walking through this world,
Whenever we hear or read of the promises of God concerning tribulation,
you're going to have trials and trouble. But you know if you're
not going through something right now, you just hear it and you
agree with it. But whenever things are not going
always okay, whenever Our health doesn't seem to be as good as
it once was. Whenever the sun is really not
shining, the birds are not singing, there's no light at the end of
the tunnel, whenever something comes up, we start taking these
things more seriously. Now in these times of trial,
I mean this corona thing. And I'm going to
tell you right now, let me assure you that I'm not going to be
preaching on the coronavirus. I entitled it that. And I'll
tell you, when you hear my points, you'll know why. But I'm not
sitting here going to talk about statistics and this, that, and
the other. But what we're doing right now,
we're in times of adversity. the winds of adversity. And there's trials and tribulations
all around and we are starting to find ourselves, all of us,
we're starting to find ourselves considering these things with
an urgency. Things are happening that we
normally don't see. The last few weeks the world
has been catapulted into a frenzy of fear, unknown, doubt. And that's what it is. We just
don't know. And it's all over something called
this virus. Now, major industries, I mean
airlines, schools, financial systems of this whole world are
in a panic. The word pandemic, I kind of
knew what it meant before, but you know, widespread epidemic. That's all you hear on the news
and that's all you hear about people talking about. Everybody's
being warned, everybody's being advised, sanitized diligently,
which is not a bad idea. That's not bad. But with all
this hype, Let me tell you what we start doing. We start looking
around at those that we truly love, and we're cautious about
them. Almost like they're our enemy,
and everybody's in a survival mode. But in this time of adversity,
which the Lord promised was going to come. He said, in this world,
you will have tribulation. You will have it. But right now, God's people need
some comfort. We need to hear from the Lord,
from His Word, concerning this situation that we're in. I mean,
it is just absolutely Kind of got everything just turned upside
down. We're just trying to find out where the lines are. I got
three questions for this message. Here's my first question. Where
did this virus come from? But don't say China, because
that's not where it came from. Here's the short but absolute
answer. The Lord sent it. The Lord sent
it. Whenever the Lord sent Moses
into Egypt to tell Pharaoh to let his people go, turn with
me to Exodus 7 while I'm telling you this. When the Lord sent
Moses into Egypt, he assured Moses, he said, this is what
I want you to say, this is what I'm going to do,
And this is what's going to happen. Now you go tell him what I said. And the scripture says, Exodus
chapter 7 verses 1 to 6, And the Lord said unto Moses, See,
I have made thee a god to Pharaoh. I've made you to be one commissioned
by me, one clothed with authority. From the Lord, I made thee a
God to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
Thou shalt speak all that I command thee. Aaron thy brother shall
speak unto Pharaoh that he send the children of Israel out of
his land. I will harden Pharaoh's heart, multiply my signs and
my wonders in the land of Egypt." That's what he's saying. Now
you go tell him what I said. I'm gonna harden his heart. And I'm
going to send these signs and wonders. I'm going to multiply
them. But Pharaoh shall not hearken
unto you that I may lay my hand upon Egypt and bring forth my
armies and my people, the children of Israel, out of the land of
Egypt by great judgment. And the Egyptians shall know
that I am the Lord. when I stretch forth mine hand
upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among
them. And Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them, so
did they." So God was going to deliver His people out of the
land of bondage. And He called a man named Moses
and his brother Aaron. And the Lord told him, He said,
Now I want you to go and you tell Pharaoh, what I said. I'm going to harden his heart. And he's not going to let the
people go at first. And I'm going to multiply the
signs. And he said, in time, after I've
sent plague after plague against Egypt, pouring out my wrath upon
them, and all the while sparing Israel from the very judgment
that was devastating the Egyptians, He'll let them go. But you go
do what I told you to do. You go tell Pharaoh what I said,
and this is what's going to happen. Now the carnal mind believes
that God only sends what men consider good things. These are
always good things. Peace, harmony, you know. And the devil, they say, is the
author of all that's contrary to man's peace and man's comfort,
but that's not what the scripture says. Now listen to this scripture,
Amos 3, 6. Shall a trumpet be blown in the
city, that is the sound of alarm or warning, shall a trumpet be
blown in the city and the people not be afraid, that is, shall
they not hear the alarm and provide for their safety? Shall there
be evil in a city? Not the evil of sin, God's not
the author of sin, but the evil of judgment is what that means,
that word evil right there. Because of sin, shall a trumpet
be blown? God said, shall I do something
and send a warning of judgment, impending judgment because of
sin? And have not I done that? Shall there be a trumpet blown,
and the people afraid? And shall there be evil, and
the Lord hath not done it? Now listen, God sends warnings. War, catastrophic devastation,
famine, fire, storms, even this virus. They all seem to have their source
in themselves or somehow, I don't know how it happened, but according
to the word of the Lord, all these events are nothing but
the means according to the hand of God that are sent as instruments
to warn men. So where did the virus come from?
God sent it. He said in Matthew 28, 18, all
power is given unto me in heaven and earth. Do you think something
slipped in and God wasn't aware? Do you think this thing kind
of got out of hand and now the Lord's going to scramble and
maybe try to save? You know better than that. Who
sent this? Almighty God sent it. Here's
my second point. is being taught according to
the scriptures about this virus. What's being taught? Well, two
groups are being taught something. Two different groups. There's
only two groups. There's sheep and goats, wheat
and tares. For the unbeliever, for those
who have never bowed to Christ as He set forth in the gospel.
The Lord is speaking, and men would do well to remember that
God is speaking in providence, in nature. This, again, turn
to Romans 1. Again, this disease, this virus,
it didn't just pop up. God sent it. Now according to
the scriptures, why does God send tribulation? For different reasons. I'm just
talking about for right now. Now listen to what I'm saying.
He's talking to everyone that knows not the Lord. Who will
not have this man to rule over them. Romans chapter 1 verse 18. For
the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness
and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness."
Resist it, oppress it, fight against it. Because that which
may be known of God is manifest in them for God has showed it
unto them for the invisible things of him from the creation of the
world are clearly seen being understood by the things that
are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are
without excuse. Now, you think about, what, about
a month ago? A month and a half ago? I don't know, I can't remember
now. I'm going to tell you something, buddy. The stock market was on
top of the world. The economy is fantastic. We're
on a roll here. I mean, we're going for it now.
And God can send a microscopic virus and bring the whole thing
down with a virus. Now just as Scott would say,
now who's running this show anyway? Almighty God is speaking. The revelation of nature according
to the scriptures. Nature, God speaks. And it's
the revelation of God from heaven. And man beholds the things that
are around him going on. These are just natural phenomenon,
he says. We've got tornadoes. I mean,
buddy, they had some tornadoes go through Nashville here a week
or so ago. And I mean, just wrecked it. Middle Tennessee is a bad place
for tornadoes, but I mean it just devastated. Do you think
that that just happened, Papa? Tornadoes, hurricanes, famines,
all these things. God is speaking. He's speaking
and telling men, I'm a just God. And what's happening today? is
a clear revelation of God's power, majesty, and Godhead, leaving
men without excuse. Now listen, men have no excuse
for their rebellion. God sends the message. So being
without excuse, apart from the grace of God, men will not take
the warning. They just contribute it to nothing
more than just nature. But there's coming a day, according
to the Scriptures, turn to Isaiah 28. Isaiah 28. There's coming
a day when Almighty God, He's warning men. He's warning men.
Men that will not hear the Gospel. Isaiah 28, 16 to 18. The scripture says, therefore,
thus saith the Lord God, behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation,
a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. He that believeth shall not make
haste. That means he won't be ashamed
and he won't hasten away. He that believeth won't. God
has laid the foundation. But what's going to happen when
a man or woman leaves this world refusing to hear the word of
God, refusing God's voice in nature. That's what he said. God speaks in nature. Man, the scripture says in verse 17,
judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the
plummet, and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and
the water shall overflow the hiding place, and your covenant
with death shall be dust and old. And your agreement with
hell shall not stand when the overflowing scourge shall pass
through. Then you shall be trodden down by it. I'm telling you,
men right now are in a temporary, temporary panic. It's just, you
know, they say, well, you know what, we've got past these before.
This is not that big a deal. They're going to come up with
an antidote. We're going to have people be
able to get shots. We've got these mobile places
where they can test them and check their temperature real
fast. It's not going to be that big of a deal. Just give it a
little bit more time, but I'm telling you, God is saying there's
coming a time when the overflowing scourge of God's judgment is
going to come through and everything that does not line with Christ
He said, I'm going to lay the line, I'm going to judge every
man's profession, all of his hope, all of his everything against
my Son, the sure foundation. And everything that doesn't line
up with Him is going to be washed away, destroyed. The day when
men will cry unto the mountains and rocks and they'll say, fall
on us! hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne
and from the wrath of the Lamb. This world is being told that
men are born in nature. God is telling men in this virus
and all of these things that come our way that we just kind
of Don't look at, don't listen to. God has said, I'm speaking. I'm speaking. So what's being
said? Well, to an unbeliever, God is
saying, judgment's coming. Judgment's coming. That virus is as much a sign
from heaven, exposing men's depravity and God's judgment as the flood
was. God warned. He told people, Moses, Noah,
He preached 120 years. He said, God's going to send
a flood. He built an ark. They laughed at him. They laughed
at him. Almighty God sent that flood. God went in to Sodom and
Gomorrah. Abraham talked to him. If you
find 50, 45, 40, 35, would you spare it? Yeah, spare it. How
many did they find? Lot brought him out. What did God do? He sent fire
from heaven. Almighty God is speaking these
plagues we were talking about in Egypt. Pharaoh didn't believe
that those were from God. My sorcerers can do that. The wrath of God The scripture says, it's revealed
from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who
hold the truth in unrighteousness, who in some measure, they might
have a head knowledge of it. I understand five points of Calvinism,
but I'll not bow to the Lord Jesus Christ. But with that same
warning, let me tell you what a believer, a believer knows. He knows where that virus comes
from. He knows that God has sent it. He knows what God is saying
to an unbeliever. But with that same warning that's
sent to impending judgment, to those who will not hear, there's
another voice that's being heard in the same virus. We all know
what we deserve. We deserve judgment. And we agree
with it. Paul said, O wretched man that
I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death. I see
in me, that is in my flesh, there dwells no good thing. Any believer
is going to say in myself, I deserve judgment. That's what I deserve.
I deserve just exactly what God's talking about from heaven. But
the believers reminded that the judgment that was deserving of
Him was spewed out upon the Lord Jesus Christ. And that the Lord
Jesus Himself bore the guilt, the sin of His people in His
own body. Made sin. That's what Scripture. He hath made Him sin. Who knew no sin. He bore the
disease of our sin. that we might be made the righteousness
of God in Him. We behold God speaking in judgment,
and we say, Lord, You're a just God. You're a just God, but Lord,
You said You're a Savior. You're a Savior. Lord, remember
me. Lord, that thief. You know, when
You enter into Your kingdom, remember me. That's what that
thief told the other thief. He said, don't you fear God?
He said, we're getting our just due. We're getting just exactly
what is deserving of us. This man's done nothing. What
is God saying? He's speaking to those without
Christ. Judgment's coming. And in that same word of judgment,
the believer looks and he says, Lord, you who are just, You spewed
out that justice and that judgment on my substitute. And you put
away my guilt. And Lord, for that, I'm thankful.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
That believer is reminded of the promise of God. There is
therefore now no condemnation to them that be in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. And the
believer, he's not surprised. He's not surprised that these
calamities and tribulations, what the Lord promised again,
that they would come. You know, in this world you shall
have tribulation. But He said, but you be of good
cheer. Be of good cheer. I've overcome. I've overcome
the world. Almighty God, He's paid our debt
before the law. You be of good cheer. Be of good
cheer. That overflowing scourge, You that believe on My Son. You
that by the grace of God are founded and settled on the sure
foundation of Isaiah 28. You know this. God has put away
my sin. He has robed me in the righteousness
of His Son and therefore we have peace with God. In all these
things we are more than conquerors. through him that loved us. And
then the Apostle Paul was moved by the Spirit of God to say in
Romans 8.35, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation? Who's gonna
separate us? A virus? Or distress? Or persecution? Or famine? Or nakedness? Or peril? Or sword? Who's gonna separate us from
him? Nobody. Always remind it, I will never leave you. I will never leave you. I'm not
going to forsake you. Last point right here. Very short. What shall we then do? In the
midst of this? Who sent this plague? God sent it. What are we taught? We're taught that God's just.
He's a just God. He's a Savior. We thank Him. Bless Him. And what do we do?
Well, first of all, we trust Him. That's what we're going
to do. We're going to trust Him. Trust in the Lord with all thine
heart and lean not unto thine own understanding in all thy
ways. Acknowledge Him. What does that
mean? acknowledge you sent this Lord. You sent this for your glory
and my good to teach me afresh of your mercy. You acknowledge
Him and He shall direct thy paths. So we trust Him. And also I tell
you what else we do. We tell Him of our concern. I
understand. I know. I know. We're all in
situations, and this thing has completely, humanly speaking,
kind of got us all in a, you know, we don't know. We don't
know what's going on. He said, casting all your care
upon Him, He careth for you. Tell Him, Lord. Like Martha,
Mary and Martha did. What did they tell the Lord concerning
Lazarus, their brother? He whom thou lovest is sick. He's sick. Lord, we don't know
what to do. Tell Him. And then thirdly, wait. Just wait. Wait. Wait on the
Lord. Be of good courage and He shall
strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. And then lastly, And this is
going to fly in the face of our flesh, all of us. Thank you. Thank you. In everything, everything, in everything, give
thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning
you. You mean to thank him for this
virus that's going around? Well, as I've said about so many
others, well, if this falls under everything, yeah. Lord, thank
you. Your ways are not my ways. My
way's not your way. But, Lord, you're God. And, Lord,
you do that which is right. What you do is right. And, Lord,
I'm earthy. I'm your servant. Lord, keep
me for Christ's sake, and I pray the Lord settle our hearts for
the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and for our good. Amen. All right, let's take a break.