Job: The Big Picture
Job 1-2
Intro:
Kurt Cobain ended his life about 10 years ago (4/1994). filled with bitterness and anger. He was the founder and lead singer of the group "Nirvana." His violent suicide prompted a lot of questions. "Why? He had it all…a great career, dedicated fans, plenty of money, a beautiful wife and a 19 month old daughter…So why did he kill himself?"
To many it made no sense. But Kurt Cobain simply lived out his beliefs to their logical conclusion. He was a professed humanist and nihilist. He believed that there was no God and there was no meaning or purpose to life. He was the center of his own universe, and he was bitter so why stick around. His poetry (music) clearly showed what he believed. Kurt Cobain pioneered grunge rock, which has given us the alternative rock of today. This music is opposed to anything mainstream.
Cobain was very vocal about his bitterness from being a child of divorce and moved from house to house and eventually without a home. He felt that life was rotten and meaningless and his music often spoke of his anger and disillusionment. One of his songs was called "Nevermind." Its recurring line was "Oh well, whatever, nevermind." Another song that he wrote was never released because it was too objectionable. It was called, "I Hate Myself, And I Want To Die." That’s bitterness.
Friends of Cobain say he often acted without reason. He was constantly on an emotional roller coaster. But his dips into despair got deeper and deeper. Once, a member of his road crew asked him why he was moping around so much.
Cobain replied, "I’m awake, aren’t I?"
Cobain had no idea he was in the midst of a spiritual battle. He believed the lies of Satan: nihilism. He had passion, but for nothing. He had a void in his heart that nothing he pursued could fill, and he believed that nothing could or ever would.
He had no purpose, no meaning, so he played it out to its logical conclusion, death (Edited from Scott Weber, Sermon Central).
Transition:
Over the next few months, we are going to take a look at a man who went from riches to rags to riches again in a very short period of time. We are going to look at a man who had it all… a man who had tremendous faith… a man who’s faith was tested… a man who’s faith was placed on trial before God and man. The man’s name is Job.
A few weeks ago, tragedy struck in Asia when the killer Tsunami claimed over 155,000 lives. As I watched CNN and Fox News, I noticed that many trees were twisted, gnarled and wrenched from the earth. Telephone poles had snapped like toothpicks… walls had collapsed and water engulfed the land. Only solid foundations can survive the fury and onslaught of a hurricane or in this case… a Tsunami.
Several things came to mind as I watched the News reports of the utter destruction and devastation:
1. One moment, you can be enjoying life. Things seem to be calm and under control. Your worries may be minimal and your relationships are satisfying. Your spiritual walk seems so deep and intimate with God.
2. The next minute, the life that seemed so good, so right, so blessed by God, is now leaving you dazed and confused.
3. There comes a time in every life that all hell breaks loose.
4. Tragedy usually comes suddenly… unexpectedly… cataclysmically.
5. Suffering wears many masks.
a. Lost job
b. Business adventure goes sour.
c. A marriage dissolves.
d. A child rebels.
e. A loved one is diagnosed with cancer.
f. Your daughter miscarries her baby.
6. Suffering usually doesn’t make sense.
7. Everything you thought and knew about life, faith and God seem irrelevant when you are in pain.
8. After the dust settles, questions surface and doubts start flooding in:
a. Why God.
b. Why is this happening to me?
c. What did I do to deserve this?
d. What’s wrong with me?
e. Why are You doing this to me?
Transition:
Can we expect any comfort at all when our questions go unanswered? Can we expect any comfort and relief when all hell breaks loose? This morning I want to tell you, YES, we can! We can find true comfort, not in knowing WHY we suffer, but in knowing the One who truly understands our pain, when all hell breaks loose.
Background:
1. Job is a prosperous farmer who lived in the land of Uz
2. He as thousands of sheep, camels, and other livestock.
3. He is blessed with a large family and servants.
4. Suddenly, Satan, the Accuser, comes before God claiming that the only reason why Job is faithful and who trusts God is because of his wealth and that everything is going well with Job.
5. God allows Satan to destroy Jobs Children, servants, livestock, herdsmen and home.
6. Job continues to trust God.
7. Next, Satan attacks Job’s body covering him with boils.
8. Job’s wife tells him to curse God and die (2:9).
9. Job suffers in silence.
10. Three of Job’s friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar come to visit him.
11. At first they grieved silently, but then they started telling Job that his sin has brought this suffering and loss. They encourage him to confess and repent while turning back to God.
12. Job maintains his innocence.
13. Finally God speaks out.
14. Job falls down in humility and reverence for God.
15. God rebukes Job’s friends.
16. In the end, Job is restored to happiness and wealth.
Transition:
It’s easy to think that we have all the answers. In reality, only God knows exactly why things happen as they do, and we must submit to Him as our Sovereign.
There are 5 major themes that are threaded through the Book of Job:
1. Suffering: Through no fault of his own, Job lost his wealth, children, and even his own health. His friends were convinced that Job had brought this suffering upon himself. For Job, the greatest trial was not the pain or the loss; it was not being able to understand why God allowed him to suffer.
a. It is important to understand that suffering can be, but not always a penalty for sin.
b. Prosperity is not always a reward for being good.
c. Those who love God are not exempt from trouble.
d. We may not fully understand the pain we experience, it can lead us to rediscover God.
2. Satan’s Attacks: Satan attempted to drive a wedge between Job and God. Satan has to get permission from God to take Job’s wealth, children, and health. Satan was limited to what God allowed.
a. Because Satan cannot exceed the limits that God sets, we have no reason to fear Satan’s attacks.
b. We must be careful, not to allow any experience drive a wedge between us and God.
c. We cannot control how Satan attacks, we can choose how we will respond when it happens.
3. God’s Goodness: God is all-wise and all-powerful. His will is perfect, yet God doesn’t always act in ways that we understand. Job’s suffering didn’t seem to make any sense because everyone believed good people were supposed to prosper. When Job was at the point of despair, God spoke to him.
a. Although God is present everywhere, it may seem that he is far away.
b. This may cause us to feel alone and to doubt his care and love for us.
c. We serve God for who He is, Not what we feel.
d. He is never insensitive to our suffering
e. Because God is sufficient, we must hold on to Him
4. Pride: Job’s friends were certain that they were correct in their judgment of him. But in the end, God rebuked them for their pride and arrogance.
a. We must be careful not to judge others who are suffering.
b. We must not give in to pride.
5. Trust: God alone knew the purpose behind Job’s suffering. God never really explained it to Job. In spite of all the pain, loss and suffering, Job never once gave up on God. He never placed his hope in his experience, wisdom, friends or health. Job focused on God.
a. Job showed the kind of trust we are to have.
b. When all is stripped away, we need to recognize that God is all we ever really had.
c. We should never demand that God explain everything to us.
d. Remember that this life, with all it’s pain is not our final destiny.
