Third Sunday in Lent

PRE-SERVICE Welcome and Announcements Prelude Entrance SERVICE *Opening Prayer *Call to Worship L: Weary and overwhelmed, we gather.

P: God’s holy word revives us.

L: Simple and confused, we yield.

P: God’s word gives us wisdom.

L: Blind and uncomprehending, we await.

P: God’s word enlightens our eyes.

L: More precious than gold is God’s word.

P: Sweeter than honey are God’s commands. Standing On The Promises

#271

Scripture Reading 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 -- Sue W. Children's Message Lydia

Scripture Reading Job 4:1-9, 8:1-7 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

2 “If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?

But who can keep from speaking?

3 Think how you have instructed many,

how you have strengthened feeble hands.

4 Your words have supported those who stumbled;

you have strengthened faltering knees.

5 But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged;

it strikes you, and you are dismayed.

6 Should not your piety be your confidence

and your blameless ways your hope?

7 “Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?

Where were the upright ever destroyed?

8 As I have observed, those who plow evil

and those who sow trouble reap it.

9 At the breath of God they perish;

at the blast of his anger they are no more.

Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

“How long will you say such things?

Your words are a blustering wind.

Does God pervert justice?

Does the Almighty pervert what is right?

When your children sinned against him,

he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.

But if you will seek God earnestly

and plead with the Almighty,

if you are pure and upright,

even now he will rouse himself on your behalf

and restore you to your prosperous state.

Your beginnings will seem humble,

so prosperous will your future be.

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Job 4:1–9. Sermon: "What Do You Mean Why?"

1. For seven days, Job’s friends sat beside him, quietly, mourning his circumstances, not daring to break the silence. And, it’s Job who finally speaks. But his response is not at all what his friends are expecting. Job cries out, “why me”. Job says, “If God was going to treat me like this, I’d rather not have been born at all.” Job argues, “God’s not fair.”

2. And in situations like that, where you and I are suffering, we totally get how Job feels. When we see widespread destruction in a community, when we hear the news and the things one person can do to another, we wonder why? When bad things happen to us, we ask, “God, where are you?” We say, “Don’t you care about what’s happening to me?” We think to ourselves, “God’s not fair.”

3. But Job’s friends think God is totally fair. As a matter of fact, they have it all worked out and they thought Job did too until he went on his tirade. Until he showed his complete lack of faith by what he said. “Why me?” And they think to themselves, “what do you mean why? We know why.”

4. And while we only look at two speakers, listening first to a message from Eliphaz the Temanite and then one from Bildad the Shuhite, the argument they make remains the same with very little change. And here is their answer. Job, you are a man of faith. And you know how God is. God is indeed fair. He promises to bless those who walk according to His will and to punish those who do evil. Job, your situation looks like God has indeed brought his judgment to bear upon you. Your wealth is gone, your family is gone, even your health is gone. You are reduced to sitting here on a giant pile of ashes. It’s time to confess Job. You have done something to make God angry. You have behaved in a way that God is right to bring His punishment to bear upon you. Do not sit there and ask “why me”. You know why. God is punishing you for something. You have done something wrong. Search your memory. Reflect upon your actions and the attitude of your heart, and you will figure out what it is. Don’t sit here and act innocent. That will certainly not please God. Don’t pretend as though you have no sin in your life that has brought this upon you. Confess your sin, Job. Let it out. Perhaps if you confess your sin, God will be gracious to you and will bring healing to you. But if you hold on to your innocence and accuse God of punishing you unfairly, you will most certainly die. God is fair. You are reaping the results of your sinful actions. You need to confess.

5. Great friends, right? Here job has experienced all this tragedy and his friends essentially say to him, “it’s all your fault.” Not really the support he was looking for and certainly not the support we would want. It’s like the things that sometimes people say, especially at a funeral. I’ve never asked my parents but I can imagine there were some really dumb things said to my parents at my sister’s funeral. “It’s okay. God just needed another flower in His garden.” “Well, at least you still have Troy.” “You know, you could probably have another to take her place.” Sometimes people say some really dumb things when they are trying to be helpful to those who are hurting. If we weren’t hurting, we might even laugh at them and their pathetic attempts to help. We often want to say, “are you listening to yourself right now? Do you really think your words are helping?”

6. Sometimes we don’t need or want words. We want someone who will just show up and be with us. And if we stop to think about it, isn’t that exactly what Christ did for each and every one of us? He didn’t speak words that made us cringe or that were unhelpful. He spoke words of love and compassion. He gave us Himself. Communion Sharing of Joys and Concerns Sweet Hour Of Prayer #433 Silent Prayer Pastoral Prayer Lord's Prayer Giving of Tithes and Offering Doxology Prayer of Dedication Leaning On The Everlasting Arms #354 *Benediction Blest Be The Tie That Binds #286