(If you feel this sermon is helpful, you are welcome to visit https://danachau.thinkific.com/ for a free online course.)
How Is God Involved in our Suffering?
Job 22-23
The last two months U.S. has seen natural disasters as well as man-made tragedies. Hurricanes devastated cities. Fires left neighborhoods in ruins. Terrorist attack killed many at a concert and another ran down bikers and pedestrians on a city street. And as recent as last Sunday, shooting at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas.
Christianity Today had an article that reads, "During its 11 a.m. worship service, a Southern Baptist church in rural Texas suffered not only America's latest mass shooting but the deadliest church shooting in US history. At least 26 worshipers, ranging in ages from 5 to 72, have died from First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, according to Texas authorities. Another 20 worshipers were injured."
No one is exempt from suffering, tragedy or disappointment. We all suffer pain and loss at varying levels. On a global level, there is war, famine and natural disasters. On a personal level, we experience death of loved ones, loss of health and bullying by others.
Pastor Steve taught a message in October on Why is there suffering? And he used the examples of Job, Joseph, Jesus and Jerusalem. Job's suffering was caused by Satan. Joseph's suffering was caused by stupidity or his immaturity. Jesus' suffering was caused by God’s plan of salvation. And Jerusalem’s suffering was caused by God's punishment for their sins.
Someone has said, “There are three rings in life - engagement ring, wedding ring, and suffering - but only the last is guaranteed.” Some suffer once in awhile. Some suffer continuously. Some suffer briefly at the end of life. But all will suffer in this life. Guaranteed.
Some resign in the face of suffering. They become disillusioned, depressed or hopeless. Some mature through suffering. They accept incompleteness, unfulfillment and pain in this life.
What is the difference between those who are resigned to hopelessness and those who mature amid suffering? I would suggest that how one answers the question. “Where is God in our suffering?” influences the response of the sufferer.
Our text comes from the book of Job. This book records one of the wealthiest and wisest men of the East. He lost his wealth, all his children and his health, but hung on. Even despite baseless condemnation by his friends.
Job’s wife encouraged Job to curse God, so God would strike him dead. This was an act of compassion. And there were moments when Job welcomed death. He wanted the pain to stop. But what kept him going?
Our text is Job 22-23, a dialogue between Eliphaz and Job. We read of their beliefs about God’s involvement in human suffering. There are three beliefs expressed. There is truth mixed with falsehood. Let’s look together.
First, amid suffering, some believe God is punishing. Job 22:1-11.
Eliphaz begins with sarcasm. He says to Job, “Of course, God is not punishing you for wickedness. God in fact is indebted to your goodness.” Then Eliphaz expounds on the possible nature of Job’s wrongdoings, assuming that the sin of the rich is oppressing the poor. And he concludes that Job’s suffering is God’s punishment for Job’s evil deeds.
Many believe what goes around comes around, including suffering. The atheist believes fate or chance is at work. The theist believes God is at work.
The Bible clearly reveals that God punishes wrongdoers. But if we all got what we deserved from God, we wouldn’t be here. The really good people would be in the hospital. The rest of us would be six feet under pushing up daisies.
The truth is, God’s judgment is tempered by His mercy and grace. Peter reminds us, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise [about judgment), as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).”
God longs to forgive us, not to punish us. That’s why He sent Jesus to die on the cross on our behalf. If you are asking whether your suffering is God’s punishment for your sins, it's probably a natural consequence for your sin. But it is an opportunity to turn to God.
Second, amid suffering, some believe God is waiting. Job 22:12-30.
Eliphaz warns Job to make peace with God, while there is time. Eliphaz basically says, “Even though you are wicked, you still have hope, Job. God is waiting for you to repent and to restore you.”
Sometimes God uses suffering to bring evildoers to repentance. Other times God uses patience to bring evildoers to repentance. But while God is patient with evildoers, the innocent suffers at the hand of evildoers.
I’ve done some terrible things. When I was in middle school, and not yet a Christian, my friends and I regularly harassed a handicapped boy. A few years ago I was able to reconnect with him to apologize and ask for his forgiveness.
God could have spared that boy much suffering by wiping out my friends and me. God was patient. As a result, a few of us repented and received Christ.
Sometimes God steps in. Other times, God waits. Just don’t keep God waiting.
Third, amid suffering, some believe God is ignoring. Job 23:1-17.
Job, in his defensiveness, answers Eliphaz with an indictment against God. Job argues that God is all-knowing and all-powerful, but He is not all-loving. In fact, amid suffering, God is ignoring the pains of those who are suffering unjustly.
This is the old argument of theodicy. Theodicy is the attempt to give a reasonable explanation of why God allows evil in the world. If God is all-knowing, all-powerful and all-loving, then evil and suffering should not exist.
But we see sin, suffering, injustice, tragedy and natural disaster everyday. Either God doesn’t exist, or He doesn’t possess one of the following: Total knowledge, total power or total love.
Job was a wise man. He knew God existed. Job could see from creation that God was all-knowing and all-powerful. But Job also could see that evil and suffering abound. So Job concluded that God exists but God ignores the pain and suffering of the world.
But God’s Word and actions refute such a conclusion. 1 John 4:16 tells us, “God is love.” And John 3:16 reminds, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” And Romans 5:8 reads, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Someone has said, "There are the facts of life and there are the acts of God." The facts of life are that we are broken people living in a broken world. The acts of God are that He paid for our sins on the cross, and gave us peace with Himself.
He would not make us pay again for our sins, nor would He walk away from us when we suffer. In our suffering, God doesn't want us to give up but to grow up. God is there to help us persevere, grow in faith, hope and love.
While we cannot be certain of how God is involved in our suffering, God's word is clear on how we can respond to suffering. In Philippians 1:27- 2:4, Paul, inspired by God, instructs Christians how to respond in the face of suffering and persecution. This can be suffering caused by Satan, stupidity, sin and even persecution.
First, Live as loved by God, Php 1:27a. (READ)
No matter what happens, Paul says, Live as worthy of the good news of Jesus Christ. The good news Jesus Christ is that God loves us no matter our sin or suffering when we trust in Jesus Christ. Romans 8:38-39 tells us: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Someone has said, sometimes you’re the windshield and sometimes you’re the bug. Or sometimes you’re the pigeon and other times you're the statue. But no matter what the source, no suffering can separate you from God's love that is in Christ Jesus.
Second, Call on Christian community, Php 1:27b, 30; 2:1-2. (READ)
If you're suffering loss, loneliness or illness, don’t go through your suffering alone. Call on your Christian brothers and sister. Whether you have a biological family or not, when you belong to Christ's church, you belong to God's family.
Third, Redeem suffering as Christ did, Php 1:28-29. (READ)
We are not to be passive about suffering. We are to stand firm against those who cause suffering. We are to find cures for diseases. We are to rebuild houses and lives struck down by broken creation and broken people.
Jesus fed the hungry. He healed the sick. He taught the oppressed. Paul called the Christians to persevere in the good news and good work of Jesus Christ. Not in the absence of suffering, but in its presence.
Fourth, Consider others' interest also, Php 2:3-4. (READ)
One of the causes of suffering is self-centeredness. Self-centeredness of individuals, of corporations, of people groups and of governments. For instance, self-centeredness of people group is one cause of racial tension.
One of my daughters pointed out that self-centeredness of people group is one cause of cancer in poverty-stricken countries. When we ship electronic wastes overseas for recycling and the process pollutes their water and land. Family members suffer when husbands and wives, parents and children don’t look only to your own interest, but also to the interest of others. As Christians, we are not to add to the suffering caused by self-centeredness.
Some describe Christians "as so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good.” Paul would correct that. He would say, “True followers of Christ are heavenly minded: We want as many people to be free from eternal suffering as possible. But we are also of earthly good: While we are here on earth, we will respond as the Body of Christ to suffering.”
(If you feel this sermon is helpful, you are welcome to visit https://danachau.thinkific.com/ for a free online course.)
