Job Series Job 1:1-2 09/04/2011

Sermon 9-4-11 Scripture: Job 1:1-12 Job pt 1 sat 530pm

1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
4 His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom. 6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”
8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” 9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
12 The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

You can relate – this is our story
Tell the story of job

There are lots of questions that are not what the book is about
although there was a historical job
this story is the oldest story in the bible.
Job is like a parable that jesus told
It has come down thru the years and represents the jewish people’s best response to the problem of evil

Is there really a “heavenly council”?
Does God have advisors?
Does God wager with our lives?
Does god let Satan mess with us?
Can we blame all of this on the devil?

Got to chase it for a minute-
Ha satan – the concept of an adversary – from the lesson in disciple one
Aside: satan = adversary or accuser (not Satan, the devil…a later development) – one who seeks out and accuses those who were disloyal to God. Not God’s adversary, but the adversary of those dishonor God. A subordinate. A member of the divine council. {cf. New Interpreter’s Commentary}

These issues are not the heart of the matter.
We humans tend to get side tracked.
More on this next week –
We ask the wrong questions and look for easy answers


The issue is suffering- why is it here and what do we do with it

Suffering is common to all
Roses have thorns
we all have trouble. We are not promised a rose garden. Suffering is common to man.

Suffering is real and part of what it is to be human, though some suffer far more than others

Any gospel that tells you otherwise is not the gospel of Christ.

Some have adopted this story as a formula. Job is faithful. Job is blessed with God’s favor. Job has great worldly goods. This is the formula for the “Prosperity gospel”. – Prayer of Jabez stuff.

In Christ, there is a cross to bear.
There is a cheek to turn
Shoot the prosperity gospel.

Ask yourself this -Do we only cling to God when we are “blessed”? Is our relationship with God determined by what we get from him? Or Do we remain faithful in the face of suffering?

Types of suffering

Some is natural to humans
Loneliness
Limits
Temptation
Anxiety

Some suffering is self inflicted

Some is brought to us by others

Some suffering just seems to be unexplained
Job didn’t deserve any of the things that happened to him

Hebrews 11

Conclusion

Humans suffer

What ever you are struggling with, God knows and god cares. You can be in pain and suffer or you can be in pain and not suffer.

God is with us in suffering
When we suffer, God also suffers
Suffering is not the last word about the human condition
God will end suffering. – he makes all things beautiful in his time

Life is still good. Trouble will come, trust in god

Trust in God. Trust demands that we do it in difficult times. If we only trust when everything is perfect, where is the trust?

God is trustworthy.
Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest
Mt 11:28
Cast your cares upon him for he cares for you. 1 peter 5:7