Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
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Conscientiousness
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Extraversion
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“Pressed to Bless”
Job 1: 6-12
“The good Lord giveth, and the good Lord taketh away.”
Oh, how I wish I had a dollar for every time I
heard my father say that while growing up.
It seemed when troubles hit, this was his response every time.
It’s
funny, really.
How most people, well versed in the Bible or none at all, are quite familiar with the story of Job.
Now, they may not know the details but they know it exists.
When asked, many reply with, “Oh, yeah!
The
guy that had a lot, then lost it.
Then gained twice as much!”
So, just who was Job?
The Bible tells us Job was an upright, God-fearing, blameless man that shunned evil; and everyone knew
it — his family, friends, community, and his God.
Scripture tells us Job so feared God that each day (each
day!) he brought a sacrifice to the Lord in case (in case!) any of his children sinned.
Wow!
Was Job really that blessed?
He sure was!
Seven sons and three daughters, 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels,
500 yoke of oxen, 500 donkeys, and many servants.
He was known as one of the greatest men in the entire
East.
Today’s reading portrays a scene similar to a courtroom setting taking place in Heaven.
God’s angels
come one day to present themselves before the throne.
Satan strolls in with them.
One asks why?
Why is
Satan permitted to be in company with the angels before God?
Because God permits it ... that’s why.
God
comments on how upright and blameless Job is.
Satan blurts out that the only reason Job is blameless is
because God has blessed him so well.
He goes on to say that if God will allow his possessions to be taken that
surely Job will curse God (to His face).
God permits this to happen, telling Satan he is not permitted to lay a
finger on Job.
Satan wastes no time.
So, the breaking of Job begins.
Satan destroys Job’s grazing oxen and donkeys.
Servants are slain.
A messenger brings the news to
Job.
Before Job even has time to react, Satan sends a second messenger stating that fire fell from the sky and
burned the sheep and more servants.
Still reeling, Job gets more bad news.
His camels have been carried off
and more servants slain.
Job, at this point, had no idea the worse news was yet to come.
Another messenger
comes bearing the news that Job’s children have all died.
Satan strikes fast and hard.
Blow by blow, with no
time to grasp what is happening.
At this, Job goes into mourning, shaving his head, tearing at his robes, and
falls to the ground.
And worships.
He declares … here it comes…”The Lord gave and the Lord has taken
away; may the name of the Lord be PRAISED.”
What?
Could we do this?
Job did.
Chapter one concludes
with Job not sinning by charging God with wrongdoing (NIV).
Satan must have been seething at this.
The Bible states that, once again, the angels go to present themselves before God.
Satan falls into line
again with them.
He isn’t finished (is he ever?).
God comments to Satan on how upright Job is; and that
despite all done to him, Job never cursed God.
Satan responds with “skin for skin!” telling God that man will
give all to keep his life; but strike his flesh and bones and surely Job will curse God.
Face to face even.
Once
again, God agrees but tells Satan he must spare Job’s life.
Satan leaves God and afflicts Job with painful sores
from his head to toes.
Further along in the reading the Bible states that as Job’s physical body deteriorated, his skin became
black and peeling and his breath was offensive.
Job was decaying.
Job scraped at his body with pieces of
broken pottery.
His wife starts to nag at him to curse God and die.
Just get it all over with (Job has enough on
his plate and now the nagging, unsupportive wife).
He tells his wife she is foolish and asks her if they really
should only accept the good from God and not the bad.
Again, the Bible states, in all of this Job did not sin.
Good friends.
Who wouldn’t need support during all of this?
Job’s three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and
Zophar, journey to see Job and to offer support and comfort.
Imagine their surprise when Job was
unrecognizable to them at a distance.
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