We are going through the Genealogy
of Jesus. We have gone through Abraham and Isaac. But today we are going to look at Job. The foundations of our
faith are learned through these patriarchs. On Tuesday, we will be celebrating
the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. We need to let the Word of
God reign in our lives. All scripture is God breathed and useful. So we are
going to go through these books of the scripture that we might not to as
familiar with it.
John Rogers- was born in England in 1500 and he was educated in
Cambridge and entered the priesthood. He started to come to know that some of
the positions of the church, like indulgences was not in keeping with the
scripture. So he quit the priesthood and went to Holland where he was studying
and learning more. There he came to know William Tindale. Tindale translated
Old and New Testaments to modern day English. People didn’t understand latin and
the truth was not accessible to them. But he gets arrested. He gives the books
from Joshua to Chronicles to John rogers and he gets them published. He sneaks
it into England and asked Henry VIII if he would authorise this English bible. So
people could know God truly.
Catholics believed that Jesus 99%
of the work, and we do 1% in our salvation. But the reformers said that this
would take away from the work of Jesus on the cross. They treasured the word of God and gave their lives for the truths
that we now enjoy. When John Rogers studied the word, He came to know the
truth and that’s how the change took place.
This morning we are going to go
through the story of Job having seen how significant the word of God is for us.
But we will do it in story form to help those who are not literate.
After Adam and Eve were banished from
the garden, they had children. They were all living under the curse. Many generations
down the line, there was Job. Job was
wealthy, godly, and blessed. Because Job always tried to do the right thing, he
offered sacrifices in the place of his children.
One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and
Satan[b] also came with them. The Lord
said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From
roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.” 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. The Lord
said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the
man himself do not lay a finger.”
While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire
of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am
the only one who has escaped to tell you!” While he was still speaking, another
messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept
down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword,
and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” While he was still
speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were
feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a
mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house.
It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped
to tell you!” At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then
he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the
name of the Lord be praised.” In all this, Job did not sin by charging God
with wrongdoing.
Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A
man will give all he has for his own life. But now stretch out your hand and strike his
flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.” The Lord said to
Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.” So
Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful
sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Then Job took a
piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.
His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and
die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish[b] woman. Shall we accept
good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar
the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set
out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with
him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly
recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled
dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and
seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his
suffering was. Then they started to have a conversation. One of the friends
said, you must have done something wrong.
They insisted that he needs to
turn away from whatever sin he was in. But Job kept saying that he was
innocent. He asked God to answer him and say why he was suffering. Finally God
answered. He said, “Where were you when I created the earth? Tell me, since you
know so much! Who decided on its size? Certainly you’ll know that! Who came up
with the blueprints and measurements? How was its foundation poured, and who
set the cornerstone, While the morning stars sang in chorus and all the angels
shouted praise? And who took charge of the ocean when it gushed forth like a
baby from the womb?” Then Job replied, “I’m convinced: You can do anything and
everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans. You asked, ‘Who is this
muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my
purposes?’ I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made
small talk about wonders way over my head. You told me, ‘Listen, and let me do
the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.’ I admit I once
lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears!
I’m sorry—forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise! I’ll never again
live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor.”
He was finally comforted. In the second half of Job’s life, God gave
him twice as much as he had lost.
So, look in your groups and
discuss these three questions:
1. What did you like about this
story?
God was confident in Job.
Everything was restored to Job. Job was honest. Job was willing to take both
good and bad things from God. Have faith in times of trouble.
2. Why do you think Job was punished? What was God’s response?
Job was suffering to be a
testimony to others. God is sovereign even in our suffering. God brought up Job
in the first place. God had some divine purpose in this. God’s response was to ask who Job was to question him. He contrasted
himself with Job.
3. From where did Job find
comfort?
Job found comfort from meeting with God. God does not even explain
why all this is happening. In distress
it is far more comforting to know God than to know why. In Philippians Paul
talks about this contentment that comes from knowing the Lord. Faith comes from
hearing the word of Christ.
This reminds me of the song
written by Martin Luther during the reformation- the mighty fortress is my
Lord. In German it literally meant this-
that they can take away my body, my goods, my wife and my children, let them go
away, they will have no profit, the kingdom must remain for us. The comfort
and hope of the gospel is that we still have an everlasting Father. Even when we
have nothing, we have everything. So lets pray and thank God for this blessing.
Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again), Spirit filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that have people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service. To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.
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