Fair Weather Christians Series

Fair Weather Christians

Job 2

(Series: Serving God in Difficult Times)

Has anyone heard the phrase “Fair Weather Friend”? Can you tell me what it means? OK lets apply it to Christians walk with the Lord. What do you think a fair weather Christian would be? Lets examine the second chapter in Job to find out a little more about it.

Synopsis: Fair weather Christians serve God only while it benefits them. They are mercenaries who hire to the highest blesser.

Review: Let’s take a minute to set the stage for this chapter. What happened in Job’s life in chapter 1? We preached on this a month or so ago? So this is a test to see who has the onset on alezstimers. He lost all of his possessions, livestock, and children all died in tornado. Remember the Devil caused it all trying to prove to God that all Christians are fair weather Christians. Serving only for what they can get. At the end of the test he still has his faith, home, and wife, and health. “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.” Then we enter the second chapter.

1 One day the angels came again to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan the Accuser came with them. 2 "Where have you come from?" the LORD asked Satan. And Satan answered the LORD, "I have been going back and forth across the earth, watching everything that’s going on." 3 Then the LORD asked Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth – a man of complete integrity. He fears God and will have nothing to do with evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you persuaded me to harm him without cause." 4 Satan replied to the LORD, "Skin for skin – he blesses you only because you bless him. A man will give up everything he has to save his life. 5 But take away his health, and he will surely curse you to your face!" 6 "All right, do with him as you please," the LORD said to Satan. "But spare his life."

7 So Satan left the LORD’s presence, and he struck Job with a terrible case of boils from head to foot. 8 Then Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes. 9 His wife said to him, "Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die." 10 But Job replied, "You talk like a godless woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?" So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.

11 Three of Job’s friends were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. When they heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. 12 When they saw Job from a distance, they scarcely recognized him. Wailing loudly, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air over their heads to demonstrate their grief. 13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. And no one said a word, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.

I An Encounter in Heaven 1-6

A. God questions Satan about his activity 1-2

B. God reminds Satan of his defeat with Job 3 “Not a fair weather Christian”

C. Satan’s Counter Argument - “He is fair weather Christian” 4-5

-Just haven’t used the right situation yet to show it.

-Everyone will be a fair weather Christian if the situation is right.

-“Everyone has a price” is Satan’s claim

(Man asked girl will you have sex with me for a million dollars, probably . How about for $20.? No! I’m no prostitute. He says, "We’ve already established that, now we are just haggling over the price.")

-Humans Will serve anyone for health in their bodies

Charles Darwin -The Question he couldn’t answer p16,

It was the death of his daughter that Charles Darwin couldn’t make sence of with a loving God. This seemed to put him on his path to finding a way to take God out of the creation story. 32,33 Jan-March Answers

D. God gives Permission with limits v6

-Satan still has to gain permission from God

-God never gives him free reign.

II An Encounter on Earth v7-8

A. Satan struck Job with Boils

B. Job suffered in Silence

III An Encounter in the Family 9-10

A. Job’s Wife speaks

-Whose side is she on ? Satan’s

-She encourages him to do what Satan wanted (Give up on God)

-She proved to be a Fair weather Christian - Serving only while blessing continued