Text: Luke 24:1–11
Topic: How to make sense of chaos and suffering

Introduction
• Each of us is trying to make sense out of life.
     - Illustration: A little girl tries to win her abusive mother's love.
     - Illustration: The disciples were sent scrambling to make sense of things when Jesus was
     delivered into the hands of his enemies.
• We can choose to respond to chaos in one of three ways.

We can choose to despair.
• Like Judas, we can choose to believe that God is powerless to change our situation.
• We can join in the destruction and despair.
     - Illustration: Peterson tells of the vandalism he and a friend committed when they heard
     that John F. Kennedy had been assassinated.

We can choose to doubt the Good News.
• Like the women at the tomb and the disciples, we can know the truth but neglect to apply it to our lives.
• It is difficult to believe God's promises and harder still to live by them.
     - Illustration: Peterson cites the story of a missionary who filled her car with gasoline using
     a bedpan.

We can choose to believe God is in control.
• We can choose to believe that God is a God of order, and that he will restore order to our lives.
     - Illustration: A man diagnosed with terminal cancer learned of God's sovereignty when Mt. St. Helen exploded.

Conclusion
• Hold on to your faith despite the obstacles, trusting that where God is in your life, order will come and Good News will prevail.

For the full text of this sermon, go to "Sense Out of Nonsense."