Faith of Job

CALL TO WORSHIP

When we don’t have all the answers, When everything is going wrong, When we have no words to express our pain, When others let us down, we can still be faithful, for God remains faithful to us.

HYMN

All people that on earth do dwell (StF 1)

GATHERING PRAYER

Unfathomable God, we feel so small beside your greatness. Help us to trust in you, to hold onto your steadfast love and your faithfulness. Lord, we want to praise you, even when we don’t understand you. We pray in the name of Jesus who brings us to your throne.

Amen.

God of compassion and grace, you have given us your Word of truth. We come to you with praise and thanksgiving, for you are the Lord of all creation. Help us to worship you in spirit and in truth, to listen to your Word with faith and obedience. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

Amen.

Merciful God, we confess that we have questioned your goodness, power, or justice when we face suffering or evil. We have doubted your promises, which are sure and true. We have neglected the praise that is due to your name. We confess that we have not followed the example of Job, who remained faithful to you despite his trials. We have failed to trust in you or seek your will in all circumstances. Forgive us, O God, for our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Restore to us the joy of your salvation, help us to hold fast to our integrity, and to worship you in spirit and truth. Amen.

Loving God, your forgiveness heals hurts and restores relationships. Give us a spirit of compassion and kindness, that we may do likewise. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done.

On earth as it is in heaven,

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those that trespass against us,

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,

Forever and ever Amen.

HYMN (COLLECTION DURING THE HYMN)

Now I have found the ground wherein sure my soul's anchor may remain (StF 561)

READING 1

Psalm 26

Plea for Justice and Declaration of Righteousness

Of David.

Vindicate me, O Lord,

for I have walked in my integrity,

and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.

Prove me, O Lord, and try me

test my heart and mind.

For your steadfast love is before my eyes,

and I walk in faithfulness to you.

I do not sit with the worthless,

nor do I consort with hypocrites

I hate the company of evildoers,

and will not sit with the wicked.

I wash my hands in innocence,

and go around your altar, O Lord,

singing aloud a song of thanksgiving,

and telling all your wondrous deeds.

O Lord, I love the house in which you dwell,

and the place where your glory abides.

Do not sweep me away with sinners,

nor my life with the bloodthirsty,

those in whose hands are evil devices,

and whose right hands are full of bribes.

But as for me, I walk in my integrity

redeem me and be gracious to me.

My foot stands on level ground

in the great congregation I will bless the Lord.

READING 2

Job 1: 1, 2: 1-10

Job and His Family

There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.

Attack on Job’s Health

One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. The Lord said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’Satan answered the Lord, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.’The Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason.’ Then Satan answered the Lord, ‘Skin for skin! All that people have they will give to save their lives. But stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.’ The Lord said to Satan, ‘Very well, he is in your power; only spare his life.’

So, Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. Job took a potsherd with which to scrape himself and sat among the ashes.

Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God and die.’ But he said to her, ‘You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

HYMN

All my hope on God is founded (StF 455)

SERMON

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight O Lord.

Somebody Is Hitting Me!

A boxer was being badly beaten by his far more skilled opponent. Battered and bruised, he leaned over the ropes and said to his trainer, “Throw in the towel! He’s killing me!”

The trainer replied, “Oh, no, he’s not. That guy is not even hitting you. He hasn’t laid a glove on you!”

At that point the boxer spit blood from his bruised mouth and said, “Well, you had better watch the referee. Somebody is definitely hitting me!”

Like the bloodied boxer in this story, all believers are sooner or later struck by the blows of life.

We must understand that behind the knockout punches of life is a formidable foe, a real, personal adversary known as the devil—one who is able to send us reeling. And Yet in spite of what the Bible so clearly teaches, some people live as if there is no devil.

They are happy to believe in God, but shy away from his counterpart.

Both the readings this morning speak of underserved suffering being under attack.

Although this morning’s psalm is not easily connected to any event recorded in the bible.

David seems to be under attack maybe malicious rumours but it’s obvious that David is under pressure, feeling persecuted he calls on God saying,

Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.

Now if someone who knew nothing about the Christian faith heard the passages from Job or the Psalm today, what would they make of it?

Hearing how God agreed that Satan could torture a good man, how many questions would that raise? We can feel under pressure to have all the answers, but it is only by looking more deeply into the whole biblical story that we can even try to understand our awesome God.

This book carries a message in a dramatic form to teach us about God and about ourselves. Its lesson that is timeless: disasters and suffering can and does happen to all of us, even in this age when we might pretend to be in control through technology and the modern world.

But what is the main point of this book of Job, will Job’s experience win over his faith in God, will he crumble under the pressure. Or will his faith overcome his experience.

And that is as relevant today as it was for Job, when we face any experience, be it good, bad or indifferent. will our faith triumph over it, or will the experience win over our faith.

In the only mention of Job in the New Testament. In James 5:11 you read these words. “11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

This verse indicates that Satan's purpose was to try to get Job, to be impatient, and to give up.

Job does indeed become impatient with himself. Later he becomes impatient with his critical friends, but he never lost faith in his God.

Though he didn’t know what God was doing, he did know that he could trust God.

How many of you know that when you're going through tough times, one of the things you really need more anything else is patience.

When you're under pressure and you feel the weighted down, if you're not careful, you're flying off in every direction and you're ended up acting in a way that you don't normally act.

Did you know that the only way you can learn patience?

It is through going through trials.

I didn't make that up, over in the book of James chapter 1 verses 2 and three. It says Listen to this my brethren. Count it all joy when you fall into various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

So, here's some advice for today. Don't pray for patience because if you do. You will no doubt get tribulation.

That's how God gives patience to his people.

Horatio Spafford had a very successful law practise. That was until the great Chicago Fire, which destroyed much of his wealth along with most of the city.

Horatio remained in Chicago after the fire to finish a case that was working on and his family set out for Paris. He was to join them later.

On November the 21st, 1873. The luxury ocean liner taking Anna Spafford and their four daughters to Europe was rammed by another vessel. And in less than 20 minutes, it sank. Anna Spafford was rescued from some floating debris, but all the children perished.

While Horatio was on the way to be with her in Europe, he receiving her note telling him that all the children had been lost at sea.

Horatio asked the captain of the ship he was on. To point out the place where this tragedy had occurred.

As they passed by, he went up on deck. And cried out to the Lord and went back to his cabin.

He then sat and wrote down the words to the song. It is well with my soul.

Anna spoke to a fellow survivor she said God gave me four daughters. Now they have been taken from me.

Someday maybe I will understand why.

The story of Job starts, by saying there was a man who dwelt in the land of Uz, and he was perfect an upright, the scripture goes out of its way to make clear the point about him being perfect and upright. Why?

Because the scripture wanted to bring a certain perspective on the story. Showing Job is a servant of God. That he has an undoubting faith.

By the time we reach chapter 2 job, he had lost his children. Seven sons and three daughters. They were swept away when the house they were having a party in was struck by a tornado and the house collapsed on them, killing them all instantly.

The loss of Jobs 10 children was the final stroke in Satan's first attack against him in round one Job lost all his possessions and all his family except for his wife.

So, we begin the second chapter and in verses 1 through 3 of chapter 2 we find the same words repeated from Chapter 1. There was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord.

And Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said to Satan, From where do you come? So, Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it,

The Lord said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth?

A blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil. And still he holds fast to his integrity, though you incited me against him to destroy him without cause.

God turns to Satan, and he says to him, what do you think of my man Job now?

I let you give him your best shot, but Job hasn't cursed me. He's actually blessed me.

I'm telling you there is nobody like Job on the face of the earth and you will never break him.

But you know Satan doesn't give up easily? If he would not give up on Jesus Christ until after he tempted him three times. He's not going to give up on Job after one, and he's not going to give up on us either.

And so, we learn about Satan's persistence, and then we learn about his persuasion.

In verses four and five we read these words, and Satan answered the Lord and said, skin for skin. Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life but stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse you to your face. Satan says to God.

In other words, God, I went as far as you. Let me go. I took away jobs, possessions and I took away his family, but that's all you allowed me to do.

Job still has his health God. He can get another family, and he could start another business. But I'll tell you what, Lord, if you let me touch his health, he will curse you to your face. He is in sense accusing Job of sacrificing his children, his animals and his servants in order to save himself.

So, he says, God, you let me take away Job's health. That'll do it. He'll curse you, then Job will curse you to your face.

Notice verse 6. And the Lord said to Satan, Behold, he's in your hand, but spare his life. God allows virtually unfettered power to harm his body.

But God restricted Satan and would not let him kill Job. Now, it's important to know before we go any further that God is always in control.

So, Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and he struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot through the crown of his head. Satan afflicted Job with the disease. We don’t know for sure what that disease was. We are told in the text in a very graphic form.

He was covered with sores. The Hebrew word for the word Boyle means a burning sore. The word is used for the boils is the same as the Egyptian had in the Plagues of Exodus Chapter 9,

If you read through the rest of the book of Job, you will run into some of the things Job was feeling in the symptoms of his disease.

I just made a list of a few of them. We begin in the 2nd chapter with boils in

verse 7, severe itching

verse 8, changes in his facial skin.

Verse 12 of chapter 2 and chapter 3 we discover he's lost his appetite and he's full of depression

Versus 24 and 25 in Chapter 9 is difficult breathing foul breath.

These are just a few of the things Job was experiencing.

Apparently, Job found relief from the itching by scraping himself with a piece of broken pottery. Job eventually goes outside of the city sitting on an ash heap.

We will look at the second part of this story.

We read about his wife’s advice in verse 9. Then Jobs wife said to him, Job, do you still hold fast to your integrity? Why don't you just curse God and die?

Now as we read that it seems even his wife has abandoned him. You cannot imagine how painful that must have been to Job, his wife turning against him.

A church leader wrote that the only reason Satan didn't kill Job's wife with the rest of his family was because he knew he was going to use her later to do some more damage to Job.

And the most difficult thing to accept about the seventh verse of this chapter is the fact, if you look at it carefully, Job's wife asked Job to do exactly what Satan wanted him to do. Did you see that? Satan wanted Job to curse God and die.

Job's wife advised him to give up his faith and commit suicide. But I want to tell you something. There's another side to this story that we need to be careful to mention before we throw Job's wife under the bus.

I'd like to try to put this whole scene in perspective. Don Baker has written a book called Pains Hidden Purpose, and in that book, he has written these words.

He says many have speculated as to just what Job's wife may have meant when she looked at that emaciated and blackened body and suggested that Job end his suffering.

Some see Jobs wife, at this point as hardened and bitter, unconcerned for his relationship with God.

I see her, wrote Don Baker as a sensitive, caring, concern woman who loved Job.

She was stretched at this point. Weeks of suffering had passed without relief. Each morning, she woke up to the same pain, only to find it intensified.

Every night she'd pray for her husband's healing, but it never came. And there was no medication.

His suffering was so intense, his looks so hideous, his conditions so infectious, that he was forced to move out of the house. And relocate at the dump. She couldn't stand it any longer. In a moment of deep and frustrated anguish, she suggested Job.

Why don't you curse God and die? Tell God you've had enough. He's not going to heal you.

I'd rather see you dead rather than living like this.

It's hard to blame this woman, isn't it? When you realise what she was experiencing.

We to can feel this frustration and anguish, I spent three days in a hospice waiting for my Mum to pass, and to my shame or maybe not I prayed for her to let go.

But in our reading to his credit. Job didn't listen. He gave a solid answer in verse 10. He said to her, You speak as one of the foolish women. Shall we indeed except good from God?

And shall we not accept adversity in all this?

Job's response here was profoundly simple.

It was filled with deep insight as you read this.

All his strength was taken from him, until we now see this man left alone a soul.

All the props removed.

I would say to the wives here. Don't ever, ever underestimate your importance to your husband.

As you face the trauma and difficulties of life as a team.

I remember reading about a time when Martin Luther was going through a very difficult time in his life. He was being criticised by everybody.

And he was overwhelmed like most of us sometimes feel, he got really depressed. His wife realised how serious things had become for Martin and she decided that she would do something to help him come out of his depression.

So, she put on a black dress. And began to express herself as if she was in mourning. She went the house. With a terrible look of sorrow our face.

And Luther was startled by her appearance, and he said to her. Who died? She said, oh God did.

God died? What in the world? Do you mean woman?

She said, well, the way you been acting, God must be dead. And suddenly, Luther got the point. And he came out of his depression.

Finally, I must say I have trouble with the story of Job to be honest with you.

It would seem like God is being somewhat callous toward Job. It would seem like God doesn't care, and if you or I were in Job's position, we would be asking what He was asking. Lord, I serve you. God. I love you. What are you doing? And I think that sometimes we to ask God questions like that. what are you doing?

Why are you doing this? I have friends who've dealt with severe sicknesses.

I have lost loved ones myself and asked the Lord. Lord why?

I have experienced tragedy and heartache, betrayal. Pain. And in those moments, I said, Lord, where are you on this? What is going on here? Why?

Why did you allow that to happen? Why are you allowing this thing to occur as it's occurring? And if you're being honest, you've come to that place, too.

But the great thing is we can go to our God with all our anger, all our frustration, he is big enough, and he has compassion for us.

I want us to remember what the main point of this book is, will Job’s experience win over his faith in God, will he crumble under the pressure. Or will his faith overcome his experience.

And that the same for us today, when we face any experience, be it good, bad or indifferent. will our faith triumph over it, or will the experience win over our faith.

HYMN

Be Still and know (StF 18)

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

HYMN

And can it be that I should gain (StF 345)

BLESSING

Bear with me, O Lord, as I try to live for you in all I do. Help me to keep you in my heart and mind and to walk in faithfulness to you. As I follow your way, Lord, in your mercy, help me to keep my feet on the ground, so that wherever I find myself I will bless you. Amen.

The Lord, bless us

And keep us

Make His face shine upon us

And be gracious to us

The Lord turn His face toward us

And give us peace