We used to say that “first impression lasts.” But how do you impress someone like your supervisor, spouse, and parents? This morning I would like you to meet someone who was able to impress not just the people around him but God Himself. That someone is none other than Job. THE MAN WHO IMPRESSED GOD
In Job 1:1 – 2:13, God described Job as blameless and upright; a man who fears God and shuns evil. (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3)
Being blameless and upright do not mean sinless and perfect. No one is sinless but Christ alone. Rather it means that he was exemplary and honest as a person. These qualities are the result of fearing God and shunning evil. Actually, he shunned evil because he feared God. To fear God means to give reverence and submission to God.
To fear the Lord means to respect who He is, what He says, and what He does. It is not the cringing fear of a slave before a master but the loving reverence of a child before a father, a respect that leads to obedience. That was the kind of person Job is. No one wonder his life story was included in the Old Testament. We should be that kind of man too.
But what did Job do to impress God that much? How did Job impress God? I want us to examine Job’s life and encourage all the men to learn how he was able to impress our God. Job impressed God because…
EXPOSITION
A. Job assumed responsibility of his family’s conduct in life. (Read Job 1:2-5)
CONTEXT He had 7 sons and 3 daughters. He owned 11,000 of animals and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
What impresses me more was his being proactive in terms of his son’s behavior. His children were close with each other and often had a party when it was someone’s birthday.When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified.
The fact that their father offered special sacrifices after each birthday feast does not prove their celebration was wicked.
It only shows that Job was a pious man and wanted to be sure his family was right with God. Thus he always takes the initiative to sacrifice a burnt offering for the possible sins they committed.
TRANSITION The man who impresses God is the one who is ready to assume accountability for his family’s behavior. Job did what he did because he is the head of the family or the leader of his household.
Read Ephesians 5:23; 6:1-4.
In the same way, impress God by assuming the responsibility for the behavior of your loved ones. Recognize your accountability. Use all the opportunity and resources you have to influence our family. Make sure that they live in accordance to the will of God.
Make sure that your family would demonstrate an appropriate standard of living. Be together in honoring and obeying God. Men when we teach our loved ones their duties and commitment to God, God is please. And we honor your today.
Read Psalm 128:1-4.
B. Job understood that life is not defined by what you have. (Job 1:6-22)
CONTEXT One day Satan presents himself before the Lord. The Lord mentioned again Job’s devotion to Him. (See v. 8) But Satan argued that Job does not fear God for nothing. Let me pause for a minute on Satan’s argument. I believe that what he said is true for most people.
There are people who fear God because God put a hedge around them and their household and everything they have. A hedge is a protective fence that secures man. The moment God stretch our His hand and strike everything they have and they will surely curse God.
Read Luke 18:18-25.
CONTEXT Finally, God gave Satan permission to take everything Job has except his life. Thus in one day, he lost all his animals and all of his children. You can imagine the pain and sorrow that Job experienced. However Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head – it is a symbol of remorse, humility and repentance.
Then he said “Naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked I will depart. He did not charge God with wrong doing.
TRANSITION For Job life is not defined what one has. It is so easy for most of us to let our possessions define who we are. Thus once they are gone, we have a nervous breakdown and depression.
God was impressed on Job because He did not let the gifts to replace the giver. He did not allow his possessions to define who he was. His security, importance, and happiness in life were not defined by what he possessed.
The challenge today for most men is not to let their possessions to define who they are. We are not important simply because we have lots of possessions.
We are not powerful simply because we have money. We are not great simply because we have large family.
Read Luke 12:15.
Job defined his existence based on how God brought him into this world. He recognized that he came naked and naked he will depart. The Lord gave and has the right to take away. This is an important principle that should remind us that our relationship and faith in God define who we are. What makes us significant is who we are in the eyes of God and not just what we can do.
C. Job trusted the sovereignty of God. (Job 2:1-10)
When Job passed the first test, Satan asked the Lord another opportunity to test Job. This time Satan said “Skin for skin!” Satan argued that the moment Job got a disease he will surely curse God. Therefore Satan afflicted Job with painful sores from the sole of his feet to the crown of his head. When it was itchy, he took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he has sat among the ashes.
This time it is not Satan who is testing Job but Job’s wife suddenly gave advices that Job rejected. Job said “shall we accept good from God and not trouble?” Job said this despite of his great suffering. Job’s faith in God led him to believe that God is sovereign and his sovereignty can be trusted. He believed that God allow us to experience something for a reason.
Read Daniel 3:16-18.
In the same way, God is impressed on men who are able to trust His sovereign will. We may not understand why we are in this difficult situation but we trust God anyway that He will deliver us from this.
PLAN OF ACTION
1. Give time to your family and be an example to follow. Influencing our family to right behavior requires time. Modeling right behavior requires presence. Give them both. Pray for your family. Part of the reasons we have fellowship is to give our families time together. It is so nice to see parents and children or husband and wife spending time together at the beach.
2. Set your priorities right – relationship should be number one. Relationship with God and your family. Never sacrifice your relationship for the pursuits of material things. Things when are gone can still be recover or acquire. Relationships that are damaged and lost would be gone forever and difficult to restore. Don’t take the risk.
3. Stop believing the lies that your possessions define who you are. You are always important to our God even before you acquire those garnishing of life. You don’t need those things when you meet God someday. Therefore don’t be insecure if you don’t have them now. Trust God for what you need.
4. Honor the man in your home. They have a very challenging task and role set by God. Encourage them. Trust them. Believe in them. Forgive them for their failures. Give them the opportunity to prove that they can.
