A Godly Counselor
Notes
Transcript
Handout
11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him.
SHOW UP
SHOW UP
Often when a person is hurting their family, friends, and love ones respond in inappropriate ways. They stay away or try to avoid the issue. In verse 11, Job’s three friends met together to go where their brother resided. They understood according to God’s Word In Ecclesiastes 4:9 that
9 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.
These men went to their brother in order to sympathize with him and comfort him.
As Christian, we are commanded to show up
36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
1 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
You cannot listen if you are not present! You cannot help if you are not present! You cannot be of service to the one in pain, if you are not present!
SHOW CARE AND EXPRESS SORROW
SHOW CARE AND EXPRESS SORROW
Job’s friends not only show up but they showed care and expressed sorrow about his pain.
When they saw his condition, they wept aloud, and each man tore his robe [KW] and threw dust into the air and on his head
12 And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven.
13 So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.
Not only should saints celebrate with those who are rejoicing but we must also cry with those who are weeping (Rom. 12:15
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
We must show sympathy.
In John 11:33-35
33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.
34 And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”
35 Jesus wept.
after Jesus saw Mary weeping and the people with her were weeping, He groaned in His spirit. He was troubled. Jesus asked them where did they lay him then He wept. Just like Job’s friends and Jesus we must weep, mourn, and be sadden with those who are hurting.
Identify ways other ways to sympathize with people who are hurting.
We must do more than come close and offer condolences.
Christians must follow the lead of Job’s friends and offer godly counsel.
Jay Adams says that godly support means “struggling over the problem itself and helping the counselee (the person in the problem) to come to grips with it in biblical terms and helping him to solve it God’s way is what is needed rather than support.
Jay Adams says that godly support means “struggling over the problem itself and helping the counselee (the person in the problem) to come to grips with it in biblical terms and helping him to solve it God’s way is what is needed rather than support.
Paul encouraged the church of Thessalonica to comfort one another with the Word (1 Thess. 4:18
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
How do you view suffering in others and in your life?
In John 9:1-3
1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.
2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.
the disciples operated using the same logic as Job and his friends. They wanted to know who was to blame for this man being born blind. They asked, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answer “so that God’s works might be displayed” was new and different. So suffering can be so that God can be glorified.
GOD MAY BE GLORIFIED
GOD MAY BE GLORIFIED
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”
7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?
8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.
11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
FOR SINFUL WORDS, WORKS, AND WAYS
FOR SINFUL WORDS, WORKS, AND WAYS
29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
FOR TESTING
FOR TESTING
Peter also tells us in 1 Peter 5:10
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
that we can suffer in order to “restore, establish, strengthen, and support you.” Everyone is not suffering for the same reason.The mind of a disappointed person begins to view everything from a depressed stance.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
What Scriptures would you use to comfort someone in Job’s situation?