Power
A Powerful Answer – Job 38:1-42:17
Preparation for the Preacher
1. Aim: To lead the people to understand that God has the right to do whatever He wants with His creation as His sovereign justice is always perfect.
2. Explanation of the Aim: The Lord now declares to Job that his complaining is unjustified. God not only knows the past, but He also knows everything about the future. His ways are beyond the grasp of finite human thinking. We should not become fatalistic, but believe that God knows what is best encouraging us to trust and obey Him in all circumstances. A Christian has all confidence that God is able to utilize everything for His greater purposes in and through our lives.
3. The Bible Story: It is noteworthy that the Lord does not say anything about Job’s suffering nor does he speak to Job’s problem about divine justice. We do not have the right to expect God to give us an explanation for everything that He does.
The Lord does not declare Job guilty or innocent in His address. Instead, the Lord presents Job with a series of rhetorical questions designed to persuade and impress him with the reality of the greatness of His Sovereign power.
God does not humiliate Job because he wants him to learn from every experience. Only when we begin to appreciate God’s sovereign control over all things are we able to completely praise, trust and obey Him. At the end of the book Job is vindicated and made much better man as a result of his suffering and new understanding.
Application: Let us trust the Lord to use our Job like trials to bring us to a higher level of Christian maturity in all dimensions of life.
4. Prepare to Teach: The INTRODUCTION is designed to help the people explain what they understand about God’s sovereign power.
Ask the people to give a definition of sovereign (Supreme power and rule). See if any of the people can explain what is the definition of power (ability to accomplish an act, authority, control, mastery). God’s sovereign power is not to be questioned even when we are going through difficult hardships – why is this true?
The BIBLE STORY is filled with God’s rhetorical questions to Job as a way of educating, impressing and persuading him that no one has the right to question why God allows adversity to come into our lives. The
MEANING FOR OUR LIVES gives the people an opportunity to make applications in their lives. Ask the people if they can describe what are some of the reasons why God has all sovereign power over every aspect of heaven and earth and every person and spirit there in? Why is it important that we take the same attitude that Job acquired in Job 42:1-3? Why is it important that we understand and teach others that God and His purposes are supreme above everything?
Introduction
Ask the people to explain what they understand about God’s sovereign power.
Give an example of how God’s sovereign power is often misunderstood by many non-christians who do not have an intimate knowledge of God’s attributes. Why do non-christians fail to grasp the truth about God’s sovereign power? (I Cor. 2:14-16)
Ask the people to give a definition of sovereign (Supreme power and rule). See if any of the people can explain what is the definition of power (ability to accomplish an act, authority, control, mastery). God’s sovereign power is not to be questioned even when we are going through difficult hardships – why is this true?
The Bible Story
After God thoroughly educates Job on the virtues of His sovereign power, Job repents for his sins of presumptuous words and attitudes. Many are guilty of sins of presumption when they think they have the right to question God’s motives and methods.
God’s sovereign power gives Him the right to do whatever He wants with whomever He wants at anytime. After Job has learned his lessons about his mistaken beliefs and assumptions, the Lord blessed the latter part of his life more than the first. It is at this point that Job prays for those who have abused him and misunderstood the reasons for his trials. At this point God restores Job to great prosperity.
Let us bless those who persecute us then the Lord will honor our Christian virtue. Only when we have gone through the dark valley experiences of life and have learned God’s lessons He will surely bless us in ever increasing measures.
Job now got to a point where he would no longer speak in his own excuse. He felt grievously sorry for complaining against God and took full responsibility for his sin. It is essential that we confess and take responsibility for our sins before the Lord can fully use us.
When we pass through trials with a believing attitude we are given spiritual enlightenment that exceeds all human understanding. Do not hesitate to do what God asks you to do if others have not risen to the higher levels of spiritual maturity to appreciate what you are doing.
Job learned how to humble himself before God without denigrating the temple that the Lord created. True humility before God does not disrespect what the Lord has given us, but helps them confess sins without any feelings of self-justification.
Satan had tried to prove that Job was a hypocrite and his three best friends condemned him, but God commended him in the end. Do not mind the criticisms or commendations of people since the Lord’s final evaluation is all that matters. Learn how to politely agree to disagree with others who do not appreciate what the Lord is teaching you during your time of trials.
Application: Ask the Lord to give you the serenity to accept the peoples’ opinions for what they are worth, the courage to change the people you can and the wisdom to know how to make discerning decisions in all situations. As far as it is possible be at peace and reconciled with all people.
Application: Whenever you are feeling uneasy in your relationship with God realize that it is your fault. Our misunderstanding about God always begins in our own sinful nature. Allow His love, truth and sovereign power to comfort you in any affliction so you will be able to comfort others who are hurting.
Job’s troubles began when the Lord initiated a discussion with Satan about Job. The heavenly Father always initiates change for our good. Job’s restoration came as a result of God’s mercy that no one can hinder.
Remember that as soon as Job prayed for the welfare of his abusing friends that is when God was pleased and began to restore great blessings to him. The Lord loves when we dwell together in love and unity as a display of the power of His overcoming love working through us.
Remember that you may lose money, friends and even health, but the Lord knows how to supply everything that we need according to the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Pet. 1:3,4)
It really does not matter if we have wealth, possessions or great health as long as we patiently endure our suffering, the Lord will give us happiness in the end. You may not have riches and many houses, but you will be enriched in more important ways through your soul’s delight.
The end of a good person is always the best. Godly people have a way of seeing God make each day better through His blessings. People who believe in God’s sovereign power can look forward to their last work being their best.
Memory Verse: Job replied, “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:1,2)
The Meaning For Our Lives
Give the people an opportunity to make applications in their lives. Ask the people if they can describe what are some of the reasons why God has all sovereign power over every aspect of heaven and earth and every person and spirit there in? Why is it important that we take the same attitude that Job acquired in Job 42:1-3? Why is it important that we understand and teach others that God and His purposes are supreme above everything? What happens when we fail to reconcile with our critics who have misunderstood the reasons for our suffering?
Response:
Song: I’ll go with Him through the garden. (3x) I’ll go with Him all the way.
Prayer: Ask the Lord to help you learn the many valuable lessons through each of your Job like experience with a confidence in God’s sovereign power.
At Home: Ask your family and friends how they view their trials? Share with them how Job became better rather than bitter through his suffering.
