Ready to be Surprised?

Welcome and Intros

Shout-outs from different groups

First CRC of Hamilton

First CRC of Owen Sound

First CRC of Sioux Falls

Sorry, not the first … Faith Burlington

Intro to who I am

Intro to the theme for this week

Ready to be Surprised?

Um … no

“Living on the edge”

Who’s ever really “ready to be surprised”???

Some people, even if they know it’s coming, they still jump

Like the “puff of air” at the eye doctors (I hate that)

Or Buddy the Elf testing the ‘Jack-in-the-Box’

Fact: We have no idea what God will do this week

Let alone in our lives / families / schools / countries, etc.

Fact: Not all of God’s surprises are “good” from our point of view

It really depends on our perspective

Like Brad Pitt getting hit by a car in Meet Joe Black

Fact: God’s plans are bigger than ours

Something we will hopefully get to see and experience this week

A great way to introduce this idea, and our theme verse for the week is the story of Job

Our theme verse is Job 5:9

Job 5:9 NIV

He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.

Or as Eugene Peterson’s The Message translation puts it:

Job 5:9 MSG

After all, he’s famous for great and unexpected acts; there’s no end to his surprises.

A Little Bit About Job

He received some devastating and unwelcome surprises from God (ch. 1)

He loses his fortune

He loses all his children

He even loses his health and is “hanging on by a thread” (ch. 2)

His friends come to comfort him (2:11–13)

Job complains: “what have I done to deserve this?!” (2:9, 3:1–26)

Silence from God

Friends step into “explain”, including Eliphaz (Job ch. 4–5)

Eliphaz’ Unhelpful Advice

Insensitive might even be a better word

“Everything happens for a reason” (I knew this story about another guy … v. 3–7)

“God rewards good behaviour” (God is like a “Genie”)

“Take it like a man” (because, clearly, it’s all your fault) (v. 7, 17)

Eliphaz’ Helpful Advice

“There’s no sense in being bitter and angry” (v. 2)

“We can’t do it on our own” (v. 7)

“God is in control” (v. 8–10)

“God’s ways are beyond our comprehension” (v. 18–26)

Getting the Bigger Picture

Job’s cry for a “mediator” (cf. Job 5:1)

Job never gets the answer to his question “tell me what I did wrong”

We know it from the beginning of the book

God’s ultimate answer: Jesus

Jesus was God’s biggest surprise to the world

And still is to this day

Jesus helps us to see:

We can’t do it on our own

God is in control

God’s ways are beyond our comprehension

Expect to be Surprised by God

Ephesians 3:14–19 NIV

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:20–21 NIV

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.