1 00:00:02,580 --> 00:00:07,840 - God is so good. 2 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:11,760 I just wanted to take a couple of minutes really quickly. 3 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:15,640 Pastor Kevin is ministering at another church this morning 4 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:19,180 and so that is why he's not occupying this space over here. 5 00:00:19,180 --> 00:00:21,140 And that's why we're kind of running amuck. 6 00:00:21,140 --> 00:00:25,440 But anyway, I know God is using him this morning. 7 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,860 I've had a couple of messages back and forth from him 8 00:00:28,860 --> 00:00:31,940 and I know God is moving and we're so grateful for that. 9 00:00:31,940 --> 00:00:34,120 I wanna let you know about a couple of things. 10 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:38,080 This week we do begin our midweek gatherings again. 11 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:41,820 So I wanna invite you to come and have, 12 00:00:41,820 --> 00:00:44,760 we have dinner in the cafe at five o'clock. 13 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:47,280 Then your children can go to children's ministries. 14 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:49,720 We have a wonderful program going for them. 15 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:54,720 Youth and I think Doug and Jody got about 25 new kids 16 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:58,660 this week, so keep them in your prayers. 17 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:01,400 It's gonna be wonderful. 18 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:04,920 We have open tables next Sunday. 19 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:06,520 If you have never been a part of that, 20 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:07,360 we hope that you will. 21 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:08,460 There are signups on the app. 22 00:01:08,460 --> 00:01:09,960 You just pick a restaurant, 23 00:01:09,960 --> 00:01:12,940 go join with some brothers and sisters and enjoy lunch. 24 00:01:12,940 --> 00:01:13,940 And I'm gonna ask you guys, 25 00:01:13,940 --> 00:01:16,060 when you're sitting at those tables next week, 26 00:01:16,060 --> 00:01:19,680 snap a picture, upload it that just says we are Springhouse 27 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:21,600 because I love the fellowship and community 28 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:22,680 that we see in that. 29 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:26,280 And Monday evening, next Monday, we have a blue meeting. 30 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:28,700 If you are new to the church and you are like, 31 00:01:28,700 --> 00:01:30,200 I would really love to get plugged in 32 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:32,900 with some of the women, this announcement is for women. 33 00:01:32,900 --> 00:01:35,300 Just, I'm just putting that out there. 34 00:01:35,300 --> 00:01:36,420 If you're new to the church, you're like, 35 00:01:36,420 --> 00:01:37,720 yeah, I'd like to meet a few people. 36 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:42,720 Anyway, Bloom Monday night and our own Pastor Sherry O'Dea 37 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:45,780 will be bringing the Word and sharing with us Monday night. 38 00:01:45,780 --> 00:01:47,380 So come and support that. 39 00:01:47,380 --> 00:01:49,980 Now we have this morning, 40 00:01:49,980 --> 00:01:53,240 with this person being one of the younger people 41 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:56,040 on our teaching team or the newer additions, 42 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:59,200 we like to give him simple subjects like Lamentations 43 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:04,000 and Revelations or this morning, the Book of Job. 44 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,540 Would you welcome Pastor Justin? 45 00:02:06,540 --> 00:02:10,040 (congregation applauding) 46 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:14,280 - Good morning, good people. 47 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:16,720 I hope you brought your Bibles and your brains 48 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,600 and your hearts today and your seatbelt. 49 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:21,960 You better buckle up Mary Sue, 50 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:23,860 it's fixing to get real wild up here. 51 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,720 It's good to be back and on the platform in the pulpit. 52 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:30,720 This is an honor to be here and share 53 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:32,220 as a part of the teaching team 54 00:02:32,220 --> 00:02:33,880 and the teaching dynamic here. 55 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:38,880 Didn't Hadassah O'Dea do a fantastic job last week? 56 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:39,920 (congregation applauding) 57 00:02:39,920 --> 00:02:41,320 With the reading of Esther. 58 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:45,600 I went to her as her service after the service, 59 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,440 I said, hey, just a thought, 60 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:52,060 would you consider doing all 42 chapters of Job next week? 61 00:02:52,060 --> 00:02:54,860 And she looked at me like I was speaking 62 00:02:54,860 --> 00:02:57,480 a different language and I said, that's fine, I got it. 63 00:02:57,480 --> 00:02:59,020 I've been prepared. 64 00:02:59,020 --> 00:03:03,660 Also found this guy sitting right here 65 00:03:03,660 --> 00:03:05,540 on the table this morning. 66 00:03:05,540 --> 00:03:08,320 I was about 13 seconds away last week from being, 67 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:11,180 all right listen up, we're not doing nothing else 68 00:03:11,180 --> 00:03:15,280 until somebody get Pastor Kevin, his dad gone click her back. 69 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:17,000 But somebody must have got the memo, 70 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:18,880 knew I'd do it a little bit more pushups 71 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,480 and I got a little bit more bass, okay? 72 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:22,720 Nick Click was right here. 73 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:24,760 So don't ever do that Pastor Kevin again 74 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:27,060 'cause I got his back, all right? 75 00:03:27,060 --> 00:03:29,380 If it's a kid, a dog, whoever it is, 76 00:03:29,380 --> 00:03:30,580 hey, it's a package deal. 77 00:03:30,580 --> 00:03:32,380 Listen, they went for Jesus 78 00:03:32,380 --> 00:03:33,860 and they had to contend with Peter. 79 00:03:33,860 --> 00:03:36,860 I'm just saying, Peter tried to cut the guy's head off 80 00:03:36,860 --> 00:03:38,820 and Jesus like, chill, right? 81 00:03:38,820 --> 00:03:41,000 You're lucky I didn't whoop somebody 82 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:42,780 for the clicker last week. 83 00:03:42,780 --> 00:03:44,040 He's like, Peter, chill. 84 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:45,280 And I was like, you're right, you're right, 85 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:46,860 you're right, you're right. 86 00:03:46,860 --> 00:03:49,060 So it's here though, I'll tell you that. 87 00:03:49,060 --> 00:03:54,260 Golly man, what a subject. 88 00:03:54,260 --> 00:03:58,120 I feel like this is either an amazing test 89 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:00,440 of study and faithfulness 90 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:04,060 or completely oblivious to the subject matter at hand. 91 00:04:04,060 --> 00:04:10,440 This is one of the oldest stories ever recorded 92 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:14,960 and possibly the oldest book in scripture. 93 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:17,320 It very well could be the oldest book. 94 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:19,500 This is an ancient book. 95 00:04:19,500 --> 00:04:21,220 This is a story of a real man 96 00:04:21,220 --> 00:04:24,060 who lived in a real place in a real time. 97 00:04:24,060 --> 00:04:26,580 It's dated around the time of the patriarchs 98 00:04:26,580 --> 00:04:29,620 based on the context and the subject matter. 99 00:04:29,620 --> 00:04:31,740 This is a very famous book. 100 00:04:31,740 --> 00:04:36,060 And today we're gonna do a study, an overview, a synopsis, 101 00:04:36,060 --> 00:04:38,520 not a deep dive 'cause we don't have that much time, 102 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:43,060 but we're going to study the book in the life of Job. 103 00:04:43,060 --> 00:04:44,540 If you would stand with me, 104 00:04:44,540 --> 00:04:46,860 we're gonna read six verses 105 00:04:46,860 --> 00:04:49,260 towards the back end of the chapter 106 00:04:49,260 --> 00:04:51,280 and then we'll go back to chapter one 107 00:04:51,280 --> 00:04:53,720 and we'll figure out how we got to this point. 108 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:55,780 Here we go. 109 00:04:55,780 --> 00:04:58,320 Then Job answered the Lord and said, 110 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,380 "I know that you can do all things 111 00:05:01,380 --> 00:05:04,860 "and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 112 00:05:04,860 --> 00:05:09,080 "Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? 113 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:13,220 "Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, 114 00:05:13,220 --> 00:05:17,340 "things too wonderful for me which I did not know. 115 00:05:17,340 --> 00:05:19,520 "Here and I will speak. 116 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:23,660 "I will question you and you make it known to me. 117 00:05:23,660 --> 00:05:27,120 "I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, 118 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:29,820 "but now my eye sees you. 119 00:05:29,820 --> 00:05:34,820 "Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." 120 00:05:34,820 --> 00:05:36,120 Father, I thank you for your word. 121 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:38,360 I thank you for the power and the life that it brings. 122 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:40,480 I pray that you would open the hearts of your people 123 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:41,880 to hear clearly from you. 124 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:43,600 And I pray for an encounter with you 125 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:46,520 that everything Justin B has to say today, 126 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,040 that's not what your Holy Spirit wants to imprint 127 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:51,500 on their hearts will be quickly forgotten, 128 00:05:51,500 --> 00:05:54,200 but that you would remain and comfort your people 129 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:55,800 who are in a time of need. 130 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:56,800 God, we love you and thank you. 131 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:58,840 It's in Christ's name, amen. 132 00:05:58,840 --> 00:06:01,000 And amen, you can be nice and be seated. 133 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:05,060 Job is a very famous figure in history, very famous. 134 00:06:05,060 --> 00:06:07,160 And he's not just in the church. 135 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:10,840 Many cultures have written about Job. 136 00:06:10,840 --> 00:06:16,240 We use phrases like the patience of Job 137 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:21,460 or my personal favorite in the evangelical church is, 138 00:06:21,460 --> 00:06:26,020 I'm in a Job season, a Job season of testing. 139 00:06:26,020 --> 00:06:27,980 I've even said that before. 140 00:06:27,980 --> 00:06:30,060 And those I've said it around, 141 00:06:30,060 --> 00:06:34,740 like my mom have quickly reminded me, no, Stupo, 142 00:06:34,740 --> 00:06:37,980 this is a result of your own decisions. 143 00:06:37,980 --> 00:06:41,320 These are, she didn't call me a Stupo, 144 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:43,340 but I was being a Stupo. 145 00:06:43,340 --> 00:06:47,020 These are the natural consequences of your actions. 146 00:06:47,020 --> 00:06:49,660 You are not in a Job season, okay? 147 00:06:49,660 --> 00:06:52,460 There are positive and negative consequences 148 00:06:52,460 --> 00:06:55,240 that come with your actions, okay? 149 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:57,700 Here's an example of a positive consequence. 150 00:06:57,700 --> 00:07:01,120 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. 151 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:03,400 Here's an example of a negative consequence. 152 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:07,340 Talk back to your mom and you might be missing teeth. 153 00:07:07,340 --> 00:07:09,440 Natural consequence, 154 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:11,380 depends how many rows you sit behind her. 155 00:07:11,380 --> 00:07:14,560 We said pews and I knew that she could only reach 156 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:15,960 the pew right behind her. 157 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:17,720 (congregation laughing) 158 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:20,760 So I sat two rows back to the side. 159 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:25,220 But that era, you also had everybody's a mama. 160 00:07:25,220 --> 00:07:28,560 So if she couldn't get to me, somebody else could. 161 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:31,080 Listen to your mama. 162 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:33,120 Y'all know exactly what I'm talking about. 163 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:39,200 The prophet Ezekiel links Job with Noah and Daniel 164 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:42,660 as the three most righteous men to ever live. 165 00:07:42,660 --> 00:07:45,440 That's Ezekiel 14, 14. 166 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,520 For those of you that are familiar with the book, 167 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:52,680 you know that suffering is at the forefront of the pages. 168 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,460 However, the book of Job is not primarily 169 00:07:55,460 --> 00:07:58,960 about one man's suffering and pain. 170 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:03,960 Job's problem is not so much financial or social or medical. 171 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:08,660 His central problem is theological. 172 00:08:08,660 --> 00:08:12,440 Job must deal with the fact that in this life, 173 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:17,360 God does not act the way he thought he would or should. 174 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:22,140 In this drama, the book of Job is not so much a record 175 00:08:22,140 --> 00:08:25,300 of solutions and explanations to this problem. 176 00:08:25,300 --> 00:08:28,560 It's more of a revelation of Job's experience 177 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:33,100 and the answers carried within his experience. 178 00:08:33,100 --> 00:08:35,520 Something that I want you guys to note 179 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:39,180 and file away in your mental file cabinet. 180 00:08:39,180 --> 00:08:43,880 Every statement in the Bible is in context of a book 181 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:45,720 and the meaning of that book 182 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:48,500 determines the meaning of the verse. 183 00:08:48,500 --> 00:08:53,500 You cannot simply pick passages that fit or frame your POV 184 00:08:53,500 --> 00:08:57,680 or your theology to prove your point 185 00:08:57,680 --> 00:09:00,840 if it is intended to be taken out of context. 186 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:03,960 Here's an example. 187 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:07,240 Quoting Job's friends is dangerous. 188 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:11,300 And if you've read the book, you know why. 189 00:09:11,300 --> 00:09:12,680 Because when you get to the end, 190 00:09:12,680 --> 00:09:15,880 God was like, these guys are out of control. 191 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:18,460 He rebukes Job's friends. 192 00:09:18,460 --> 00:09:21,360 So you be careful quoting Job's friends. 193 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:24,740 David Paulson says, "The Bible is all of God's word, 194 00:09:24,740 --> 00:09:27,220 but not all of God's truth." 195 00:09:27,220 --> 00:09:28,800 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 196 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:32,380 The Bible is all of God's word, but not all of God's truth. 197 00:09:32,380 --> 00:09:33,540 Give you a real life example. 198 00:09:33,540 --> 00:09:37,080 I'm over at a friend's house and I'm in the bathroom 199 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:38,080 and I'm washing my hands 200 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:41,200 and they got this little paper calendar, right? 201 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:44,340 And I'm gonna give you a, it's got like a date on it. 202 00:09:44,340 --> 00:09:46,180 Like, what is this? 203 00:09:46,180 --> 00:09:49,600 August 3rd and then it's got a little Bible verse. 204 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:50,760 Are you with me? 205 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:52,680 Right, they make them for far side too, 206 00:09:52,680 --> 00:09:54,440 but this one's got the Bible verse. 207 00:09:54,440 --> 00:10:00,440 And I'm washing my hands and I look down and it's, 208 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:02,640 I'm gonna paraphrase, it's Matthew 4, 9. 209 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:05,080 And it says, "If you bow down and worship me, 210 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:07,020 all that you see will be yours." 211 00:10:07,020 --> 00:10:09,360 And I said, "That Satan said that." 212 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:11,760 (congregation laughing) 213 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:12,960 Look it up. 214 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:17,460 It was when the devil was tempting Jesus in the desert. 215 00:10:17,460 --> 00:10:19,820 And I was like, "They have no idea. 216 00:10:19,820 --> 00:10:22,440 They did not look it up, it just sounded good. 217 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:24,640 If you bow down and worship me, 218 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:26,640 all that you see will be yours." 219 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:28,460 I wadded that thing up, threw it in the trash. 220 00:10:28,460 --> 00:10:30,320 That was a day off, rest of the year. 221 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:33,560 Dead serious, Fred, my bad. 222 00:10:33,560 --> 00:10:36,300 Dead serious. 223 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:38,040 Why? 224 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:40,520 Because it was taken out of context. 225 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:45,160 And what sounded good was not good. 226 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:48,040 Because the one who said it was the devil. 227 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:51,600 So be careful quoting Job's friends. 228 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:55,520 The Bible is all of God's word, 229 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:57,120 but it's not all of God's truth. 230 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:00,440 This book presents an answer 231 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:02,780 to some of life's biggest questions. 232 00:11:03,680 --> 00:11:06,400 Why is there pain and suffering? 233 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:10,620 Why do good people endure suffering 234 00:11:10,620 --> 00:11:13,000 and why do bad people escape it? 235 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:17,660 And the even bigger question, does God even care about it? 236 00:11:17,660 --> 00:11:21,660 I was talking with a brother in between services 237 00:11:21,660 --> 00:11:23,660 and the problem that we have 238 00:11:23,660 --> 00:11:26,500 when we think of good people suffering 239 00:11:26,500 --> 00:11:29,060 is because we only know good 240 00:11:29,060 --> 00:11:32,420 in the context of human understanding. 241 00:11:32,420 --> 00:11:34,620 Jesus even had an interaction with somebody. 242 00:11:34,620 --> 00:11:36,300 He said, "Good teacher." 243 00:11:36,300 --> 00:11:38,260 And he said, "Why do you call me good? 244 00:11:38,260 --> 00:11:40,420 "There's only one that's good and that's God." 245 00:11:40,420 --> 00:11:43,680 How do you know what is good? 246 00:11:43,680 --> 00:11:45,520 What you think is good 247 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:49,300 is not necessarily what God thinks is good. 248 00:11:49,300 --> 00:11:54,220 Romans 8, 28 says, "For we know that all things 249 00:11:54,220 --> 00:11:58,580 "work together for the good of those who love Him 250 00:11:58,580 --> 00:12:01,020 "and are called according to His purpose." 251 00:12:01,020 --> 00:12:04,420 All things means all things. 252 00:12:04,420 --> 00:12:06,820 But verse 29 gives us the reason 253 00:12:06,820 --> 00:12:08,580 why those things work together 254 00:12:08,580 --> 00:12:13,440 because it's making us more into the image of His son, Jesus. 255 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:17,000 You mean to tell me suffering can be good for me? 256 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,580 I don't want that. 257 00:12:19,580 --> 00:12:23,740 Give me the pleasant circumstances. 258 00:12:23,740 --> 00:12:25,900 Let me, listen. 259 00:12:25,900 --> 00:12:29,660 Solomon tried to say riches and all that and it ain't worth it. 260 00:12:29,660 --> 00:12:32,420 I'm like, I wonder if God can test me in that. 261 00:12:32,420 --> 00:12:36,340 Like, can that be a test I can try to overcome? 262 00:12:36,340 --> 00:12:38,460 Just tons of wealth. 263 00:12:38,460 --> 00:12:41,000 Let me see if this is really true for everybody. 264 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:43,540 I don't want his women problems. 265 00:12:43,540 --> 00:12:46,540 I just, let me try that money out, God. 266 00:12:46,540 --> 00:12:50,460 See if it's as corruptible as you say it is. 267 00:12:50,460 --> 00:12:55,200 You only believe suffering is wrong 268 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:57,300 if you already have a belief that God is good 269 00:12:57,300 --> 00:12:58,520 and suffering is bad. 270 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:01,520 You only think that suffering is wrong 271 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:03,600 if you already have a belief God is good 272 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:07,040 and anything that's not good cannot be God. 273 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:08,400 But what do we know of good? 274 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:11,240 Problem is that we also believe 275 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:13,580 suffering negates God's goodness. 276 00:13:13,580 --> 00:13:17,380 Let me be clear when I say this, everything is not a test. 277 00:13:17,380 --> 00:13:22,100 Everything you encounter is not a test. 278 00:13:22,100 --> 00:13:25,780 And all suffering is not the result of a heavenly wager 279 00:13:25,780 --> 00:13:27,860 to test your faithfulness. 280 00:13:27,860 --> 00:13:30,260 Sometimes it's of your own making. 281 00:13:30,260 --> 00:13:33,600 Case in point. 282 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,680 Sometimes it's from the enemy. 283 00:13:36,680 --> 00:13:40,200 Sometimes it's from the Lord. 284 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:42,860 This is the story of Job, 285 00:13:42,860 --> 00:13:45,660 but it is not an allegory for all of life. 286 00:13:45,660 --> 00:13:47,440 It's this Job story. 287 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:51,300 It's a story of Job's life, not human existence. 288 00:13:51,300 --> 00:13:53,380 So now let's look into the wager 289 00:13:53,380 --> 00:13:55,080 because the book starts off, 290 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:56,720 have you ever been to like a theme park? 291 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:59,560 I went to Universal Studios recently 292 00:13:59,560 --> 00:14:04,120 and this is my kid's first time being on a roller coaster. 293 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:06,560 It's like five out of the six, okay? 294 00:14:06,560 --> 00:14:08,000 And I put them on a roller coaster, 295 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:11,660 didn't do any of the background checks, 64 miles an hour. 296 00:14:11,660 --> 00:14:18,260 That's different in a car than just strapped to a chair. 297 00:14:18,260 --> 00:14:20,840 Open air, swear. 298 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:24,340 They may get us go through a metal detector 299 00:14:24,340 --> 00:14:25,840 after you go through the lockers 300 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:27,900 to make sure you don't have quarters or iPhones 301 00:14:27,900 --> 00:14:29,300 or anything in your pocket. 302 00:14:29,300 --> 00:14:31,060 'Cause can you imagine one of those coming out 303 00:14:31,060 --> 00:14:33,260 at 65 miles an hour? 304 00:14:33,260 --> 00:14:36,220 And I'm in the front, which is probably best 305 00:14:36,220 --> 00:14:38,320 'cause I couldn't see their faces behind me. 306 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:42,220 And this thing shoots out like a rocket 307 00:14:42,220 --> 00:14:45,100 and it's zoom zoom and you're 65 miles an hour. 308 00:14:45,100 --> 00:14:46,800 And it's a full on adrenaline rush. 309 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:50,560 The book of Job starts off at 65 miles an hour. 310 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,980 And most Christians or readers of the book 311 00:14:53,980 --> 00:14:57,260 get through about a third of the way through chapter one, 312 00:14:57,260 --> 00:14:59,460 but I have no idea what's happening right now. 313 00:14:59,460 --> 00:15:01,740 I'm just gonna skip it, right? 314 00:15:01,740 --> 00:15:03,980 You just say, I shouldn't even be on this ride. 315 00:15:03,980 --> 00:15:06,680 But it's important to understand what's happening 316 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:09,860 at the beginning so that we can wrestle 317 00:15:09,860 --> 00:15:11,340 with the middle and the end. 318 00:15:11,340 --> 00:15:16,020 This book reveals what's happening in the heavenly realms 319 00:15:16,020 --> 00:15:18,080 so we make sense of what happens here on earth. 320 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:20,020 We can learn some valuable lessons. 321 00:15:20,020 --> 00:15:21,520 The writer of the book of Job 322 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:25,280 either had incredible revelation and insight, 323 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:28,240 or he was completely blasphemous 324 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:29,780 because he sets up a scene 325 00:15:29,780 --> 00:15:31,880 and he attributes things to Yahweh 326 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:33,400 that if it's not true, 327 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:36,180 then our understanding of God is way off. 328 00:15:36,180 --> 00:15:42,100 Let's just read chapter one, verses six through 12. 329 00:15:42,100 --> 00:15:43,380 And just leave you set up. 330 00:15:43,380 --> 00:15:45,480 The Bible opens up says there was a man named Job 331 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:47,240 and he lived in the land of Uz 332 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:49,640 and Job had how many fat? 333 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:54,640 7,000 sheep and 3,000 camels and 500 oxen, 500 donkeys, 334 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:57,060 tons of servant, lots of lands, 335 00:15:57,060 --> 00:15:59,980 his kids would have parties on the weekend 336 00:15:59,980 --> 00:16:02,460 and they would all get together and bring their friends. 337 00:16:02,460 --> 00:16:04,640 And then Job on Monday morning 338 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:06,600 or whenever after their partying was over, 339 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:08,700 he'd go and offer prayers to Yahweh 340 00:16:08,700 --> 00:16:11,760 and make sacrifices by if they sin, please forgive them. 341 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:13,420 Like Job was a righteous man. 342 00:16:13,420 --> 00:16:16,040 So the book opens up and then you get to verse six 343 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:17,340 and here we are. 344 00:16:17,340 --> 00:16:19,680 There was a day when the sons of God came 345 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:21,440 to present themselves before the Lord 346 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:24,120 and Satan also came with them, full stop. 347 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:31,620 There was a day when the sons of God, 348 00:16:31,620 --> 00:16:35,540 Ben-elohim came to present themselves before Yahweh 349 00:16:35,540 --> 00:16:37,420 and Satan came with them. 350 00:16:37,420 --> 00:16:39,880 And you've got a few ways you can go with this. 351 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:42,500 You can go, I don't know what that's about. 352 00:16:42,500 --> 00:16:43,420 Let's keep reading. 353 00:16:43,420 --> 00:16:46,540 Or you can say, I don't know what that's about. 354 00:16:46,540 --> 00:16:48,300 Let's find out. 355 00:16:48,300 --> 00:16:50,220 Quick word study or reveal to you 356 00:16:50,220 --> 00:16:53,980 that this proper name Satan may or may not be 357 00:16:53,980 --> 00:16:56,260 the character we refer to as the devil. 358 00:16:56,260 --> 00:16:58,900 A better translation of this from the Septuagint 359 00:16:58,900 --> 00:17:03,900 is Hasatan which means the Satan, the accuser. 360 00:17:03,900 --> 00:17:07,760 It's less proper name and more of a job title 361 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:09,020 or description. 362 00:17:09,020 --> 00:17:12,260 And if not, you have to contend with the fact 363 00:17:12,260 --> 00:17:15,900 that well, we know that the proper name Satan 364 00:17:15,900 --> 00:17:17,420 has fallen from heaven. 365 00:17:17,420 --> 00:17:20,780 So now I read this, does he have VIP access 366 00:17:20,780 --> 00:17:24,400 and he can just come back and forth whenever he wants to? 367 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:25,940 What's happening here? 368 00:17:25,940 --> 00:17:29,060 Or is there something deeper going on? 369 00:17:29,060 --> 00:17:31,900 There's a possibility that this is not even a bad guy. 370 00:17:31,900 --> 00:17:36,900 That his role or responsibility is one of prosecutor, 371 00:17:36,900 --> 00:17:40,660 one of accuser and thus Satan is different 372 00:17:40,660 --> 00:17:42,180 than proper name Satan. 373 00:17:42,180 --> 00:17:45,020 And he derives his name from this verse here 374 00:17:45,020 --> 00:17:48,140 which says he is the ultimate accuser of the brethren. 375 00:17:48,140 --> 00:17:52,520 The ultimate accuser that accuses us day and night 376 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:56,460 before God and he gets it from this scene here 377 00:17:56,460 --> 00:17:59,180 which is an extension of Deuteronomy 32 378 00:17:59,180 --> 00:18:01,880 and now they're coming and giving progress reports. 379 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:02,720 Why? 380 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:05,740 Because God has entrusted them to watch over mankind 381 00:18:05,740 --> 00:18:09,500 and we have a sneak peek into what's happening in heaven 382 00:18:09,500 --> 00:18:12,420 before we see it happening here on earth. 383 00:18:12,420 --> 00:18:15,320 This is transcending information guys. 384 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:17,260 And look at this. 385 00:18:17,260 --> 00:18:19,940 There was a day when the sons of God 386 00:18:19,940 --> 00:18:21,580 came to present themselves before the Lord 387 00:18:21,580 --> 00:18:23,600 and Satan also came among them. 388 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:27,140 The Lord said to the Satan, from where have you come? 389 00:18:27,140 --> 00:18:32,140 And the Satan answered, well, going to and fro on the earth 390 00:18:32,140 --> 00:18:34,160 and walking up and down on it. 391 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:38,120 And the Lord said to Satan, have you considered 392 00:18:38,120 --> 00:18:40,720 my servant Job that there's none like him on the earth, 393 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:42,940 a blameless and upright man who fears God 394 00:18:42,940 --> 00:18:45,040 and turns away from evil? 395 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:46,580 The Satan answered the Lord and said, 396 00:18:46,580 --> 00:18:48,340 does Job fear God for no reason 397 00:18:48,340 --> 00:18:50,400 if you not put a hedge around him in his house 398 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:51,920 and all that he has on every side? 399 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:53,500 You bless the work of his hands, 400 00:18:53,500 --> 00:18:55,440 his possessions have increased in the land. 401 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:57,420 Stretch out your hand and touch all he has 402 00:18:57,420 --> 00:19:00,200 and he will curse you to your face. 403 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:01,640 And the Lord said to Satan, behold, 404 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:03,040 all he has is in your hand, 405 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:05,180 only it gets him to not stretch out your hand. 406 00:19:05,180 --> 00:19:08,340 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. 407 00:19:08,340 --> 00:19:09,500 You know something that messed me up 408 00:19:09,500 --> 00:19:11,380 the first time I read that? 409 00:19:11,380 --> 00:19:13,000 Whose idea was it? 410 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:19,020 Whose? 411 00:19:19,020 --> 00:19:21,280 You said it, I didn't say it. 412 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:23,100 That's an observation. 413 00:19:23,100 --> 00:19:24,440 Hang on, man. 414 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:26,200 Have you considered my servant Job? 415 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:27,900 He's like, yeah, I thought about him. 416 00:19:27,900 --> 00:19:30,000 But did you notice he said, yeah, I thought about him, 417 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:31,520 but I can't do nothing to him 418 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:34,020 'cause you've got a hedge of protection around him. 419 00:19:36,980 --> 00:19:39,760 What if you were to know all the things and the ways 420 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:42,620 that the enemy was trying to come against you, 421 00:19:42,620 --> 00:19:45,200 you had no idea about 'cause they couldn't get to you 422 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:47,120 'cause you had a hedge of protection around you 423 00:19:47,120 --> 00:19:48,440 that you knew nothing about 424 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:51,320 'cause you didn't have insight to a heavenly scene. 425 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:54,060 And God been protecting you and carrying you 426 00:19:54,060 --> 00:19:57,420 and covering you unbeknownst to your mind 427 00:19:57,420 --> 00:19:59,260 and your knowledge. 428 00:19:59,260 --> 00:20:01,640 Running around complaining about this and that 429 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:02,880 and this and that, you ain't got a clue 430 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:04,980 how much I've been keeping off your back. 431 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:08,580 Whining about a stoplight 432 00:20:08,580 --> 00:20:13,320 and missing a bus or something dumb. 433 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:15,200 They trying to kill you, man. 434 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:18,720 And then what happens next? 435 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:21,880 What happens next is brutal. 436 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:23,840 It's brutal. 437 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:30,460 So we have the divine council scene here. 438 00:20:30,460 --> 00:20:31,760 We have the Satan. 439 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:35,760 We have two plots that are woven together. 440 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:39,200 We have a heavenly plot and the earthly plot. 441 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:42,960 And what causes the tension is we know 442 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:47,780 that there's a wager for Job, but Job doesn't know it. 443 00:20:47,780 --> 00:20:54,040 Job has no idea what is transpiring in the heavenlies, 444 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:55,800 but we know it. 445 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:59,440 And this is what creates the tension. 446 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:05,720 None of us really know all of the reasons for suffering. 447 00:21:06,540 --> 00:21:09,520 None of us really know all of the reasons 448 00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:11,160 why there is suffering. 449 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:16,380 So after permission is granted to the Satan 450 00:21:16,380 --> 00:21:19,980 and the divine council leaves, 451 00:21:19,980 --> 00:21:23,880 we see Job's property destroyed. 452 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:26,320 His income is wiped out. 453 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:31,320 His children are killed and his health is decimated. 454 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:35,200 His health is decimated. 455 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:39,120 His wife tells him, "Curse God and die." 456 00:21:39,120 --> 00:21:42,880 What a friend. 457 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,900 Thanks, babe. 458 00:21:45,900 --> 00:21:48,480 You can't pray for me. 459 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:50,300 You can't pat me on my back. 460 00:21:50,300 --> 00:21:52,080 Me and my mom were discussing this the other day. 461 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:53,440 She said, "You know what? 462 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:56,260 I feel like Job's wife gets a bad rap." 463 00:21:56,260 --> 00:21:57,980 (congregation laughing) 464 00:21:57,980 --> 00:21:59,640 No, think about this. 465 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:01,260 Those were her kids too. 466 00:22:04,100 --> 00:22:05,860 Those were her kids too. 467 00:22:05,860 --> 00:22:09,300 They were, you assume they were. 468 00:22:09,300 --> 00:22:10,700 We don't know for sure. 469 00:22:10,700 --> 00:22:15,240 Either way, at least they're stepkids, adopted kids. 470 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:16,200 Here's her family. 471 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:19,860 That was her property as well. 472 00:22:19,860 --> 00:22:21,180 Their income. 473 00:22:21,180 --> 00:22:22,840 Now her husband's covered in, 474 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:24,760 she's like, "Curse God and die already." 475 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:26,760 My mom said, "I feel like she got a bad rap. 476 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:28,720 She had probably one of the worst days 477 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:30,200 and weeks of her life." 478 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:34,780 And all we know her for is being like, "Just forget it. 479 00:22:34,780 --> 00:22:36,940 You should commit suicide, Job." 480 00:22:36,940 --> 00:22:39,220 It's what she told him. 481 00:22:39,220 --> 00:22:44,240 Maybe we should try giving a little bit of grace 482 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:45,200 every now and then. 483 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:49,340 So his wife tells him, "Curse God and die." 484 00:22:49,340 --> 00:22:54,020 Then three of his friends show up and he's unrecognizable. 485 00:22:54,020 --> 00:22:56,000 And what I mean by unrecognizable, 486 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:59,260 Job's health is afflicted because the Satan comes back 487 00:22:59,260 --> 00:23:01,420 and he was like, "Hey, what about Job?" 488 00:23:01,420 --> 00:23:02,980 He's like, "Yeah, I beat him down, 489 00:23:02,980 --> 00:23:04,320 but I can't touch his health." 490 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:05,860 And he was like, "I'd like you to touch his health 491 00:23:05,860 --> 00:23:06,960 this time." 492 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:11,020 And all these, Job had these boils all over his skin 493 00:23:11,020 --> 00:23:15,180 and they hurt so bad and they probably were so itchy 494 00:23:15,180 --> 00:23:18,180 because he took pottery and broke it 495 00:23:18,180 --> 00:23:22,620 and took broken pieces of pottery and scraped his skin. 496 00:23:22,620 --> 00:23:25,460 You ever had a mosquito bite? 497 00:23:27,500 --> 00:23:30,140 How bad it hitches, you know what I mean? 498 00:23:30,140 --> 00:23:31,540 And you're just like, "Stop scratching, 499 00:23:31,540 --> 00:23:33,180 this'll make it worse." 500 00:23:33,180 --> 00:23:36,440 Imagine something being so bad that the only relief 501 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:41,440 is to take broken pieces of pottery and scrape your skin. 502 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:46,780 And it's the result of a heavenly wager. 503 00:23:46,780 --> 00:23:51,540 And he shows up and he's pitiful. 504 00:23:51,540 --> 00:23:54,980 His whole life is destroyed and he's sitting on the ground 505 00:23:54,980 --> 00:23:59,420 with ashes on him and his boys show up 506 00:23:59,420 --> 00:24:01,540 and they are heartbroken. 507 00:24:01,540 --> 00:24:04,180 They are heartbroken. 508 00:24:04,180 --> 00:24:08,940 And the scripture says they don't even recognize him. 509 00:24:08,940 --> 00:24:12,580 They get a lot wrong throughout the book. 510 00:24:12,580 --> 00:24:14,280 I'm not just here to defend Job's friends 511 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:15,920 'cause they're out of control, 512 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:19,360 but they do get one thing right and it's this. 513 00:24:19,360 --> 00:24:22,120 They sat with him on the ground for seven days 514 00:24:22,120 --> 00:24:24,580 and seven nights and no one spoke a word to him 515 00:24:24,580 --> 00:24:26,780 for they saw his suffering was very great. 516 00:24:26,780 --> 00:24:30,020 Church, I wanna say this for a long time. 517 00:24:30,020 --> 00:24:34,600 When somebody is grieving, shut up. 518 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:38,420 I don't mean to be mean about it, 519 00:24:38,420 --> 00:24:41,420 but a multitude of words is not what somebody needs 520 00:24:41,420 --> 00:24:42,900 in a moment of grief. 521 00:24:42,900 --> 00:24:44,780 They need your presence there. 522 00:24:44,780 --> 00:24:46,220 They don't need, "I'm so sorry." 523 00:24:46,220 --> 00:24:48,340 And I get it from a good place. 524 00:24:48,340 --> 00:24:49,760 I get it from a good heart. 525 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:52,780 You wanna say something that brings them comfort. 526 00:24:52,780 --> 00:24:55,580 But what brought Job comfort was that they was there 527 00:24:55,580 --> 00:24:58,380 and they cried with him and they put dust on their head 528 00:24:58,380 --> 00:25:00,060 and they sat with him. 529 00:25:00,060 --> 00:25:02,940 They knew he cared because they, 530 00:25:02,940 --> 00:25:05,460 he knew they cared because they were there. 531 00:25:05,460 --> 00:25:09,560 They were trying to fix it with a bunch of extra stuff 532 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:10,940 he didn't need. 533 00:25:10,940 --> 00:25:15,240 Next time you encounter a friend grieving, just be with them. 534 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:20,300 I feel like that we wouldn't even had this rest 535 00:25:20,300 --> 00:25:22,980 of this discourse if Job didn't open his mouth. 536 00:25:22,980 --> 00:25:26,420 Because Job breaks the silence. 537 00:25:26,420 --> 00:25:30,180 And then after this, we have 30 chapters of back and forth 538 00:25:30,180 --> 00:25:31,480 between Job and his friends. 539 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:33,860 They were just waiting on him to say something. 540 00:25:33,860 --> 00:25:36,980 And Job opens his mouth and he starts complaining. 541 00:25:36,980 --> 00:25:40,940 He's like, "Oh God, the day that I was born, 542 00:25:40,940 --> 00:25:42,100 curse the day that I was born, 543 00:25:42,100 --> 00:25:44,140 I probably wish I was better off being stillborn 544 00:25:44,140 --> 00:25:46,540 or if they didn't nurse me." 545 00:25:46,540 --> 00:25:49,660 And then he has this David-like wrestling match 546 00:25:49,660 --> 00:25:52,140 where he's like, "Break all my enemy's teeth, 547 00:25:52,140 --> 00:25:54,540 blessed be the name of the Lord." 548 00:25:54,540 --> 00:25:56,500 He's like, "I curse the day I was born, 549 00:25:56,500 --> 00:25:59,600 but naked I came into this world and naked I'll return, 550 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:01,260 blessed be the name of the Lord." 551 00:26:01,260 --> 00:26:05,540 And it's this interesting wrestling match 552 00:26:05,540 --> 00:26:08,840 that Job encounters throughout the entire book. 553 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:13,460 And the discourse among his friends is that Job has sinned 554 00:26:13,460 --> 00:26:18,300 and this suffering is a result of the curse. 555 00:26:18,300 --> 00:26:21,660 And Job is confident in his own righteousness. 556 00:26:21,660 --> 00:26:22,500 You hear me? 557 00:26:22,500 --> 00:26:25,140 His own righteousness. 558 00:26:25,140 --> 00:26:28,500 And it culminates in a confrontation with Yahweh 559 00:26:28,500 --> 00:26:29,600 at the end of the book. 560 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:35,700 Job's friends, he would say something 561 00:26:35,700 --> 00:26:37,220 and one of his friends would respond 562 00:26:37,220 --> 00:26:39,560 and he'd say something else and another one would respond. 563 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:43,260 And they go in a wise order because the eldest speaks first 564 00:26:43,260 --> 00:26:46,580 and then the oldest speaks first 'cause he's the wisest 565 00:26:46,580 --> 00:26:48,220 and that's usually how it goes. 566 00:26:48,220 --> 00:26:50,500 And then the guy that's a little bit younger 567 00:26:50,500 --> 00:26:53,980 than the oldest ever last guy in the room speaks, right? 568 00:26:53,980 --> 00:26:57,100 Then you got the pursuit guy down here and he speaks last. 569 00:26:57,100 --> 00:26:58,900 And then you got the kid in the youth group 570 00:26:58,900 --> 00:27:00,260 that thinks he knows everything, 571 00:27:00,260 --> 00:27:01,620 that waits till everybody's done. 572 00:27:01,620 --> 00:27:04,020 And he says, "Oh, I actually got it figured out." 573 00:27:04,020 --> 00:27:05,340 That's literally what happens. 574 00:27:05,340 --> 00:27:10,340 It goes like, it goes Fred, Kevin, Justin, which one? 575 00:27:10,340 --> 00:27:13,300 Eli Minchi right there on the bottom. 576 00:27:13,300 --> 00:27:16,100 That was the order. 577 00:27:16,100 --> 00:27:17,980 Here's what you should do. 578 00:27:17,980 --> 00:27:19,820 Next time you guys have a group Bible study, 579 00:27:19,820 --> 00:27:21,540 you should do this like we do at the theater 580 00:27:21,540 --> 00:27:24,700 and they do these readings and just pick out parts 581 00:27:24,700 --> 00:27:27,620 and be like, you'll be Bildad and you'll be Eliphaz 582 00:27:27,620 --> 00:27:31,220 and you'll be Zophaz and you'll be Elihu and I'll be Job 583 00:27:31,220 --> 00:27:33,640 and we'll read it back and forth. 584 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:36,700 And I bet it adds a little context to this discourse 585 00:27:36,700 --> 00:27:38,880 that Job has among his friends. 586 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:44,080 So Job's friends start running their mouth to him 587 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:46,380 and Eliphaz, which was the elder, 588 00:27:46,380 --> 00:27:50,460 he basically talks about God's transcendence. 589 00:27:50,460 --> 00:27:53,260 God knows everything. 590 00:27:53,260 --> 00:27:58,260 And Job, you are actually conscious of your sin 591 00:27:58,260 --> 00:28:01,240 but you're not telling us about your sin. 592 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:05,060 But you know you've sinned and God knows you've sinned. 593 00:28:05,060 --> 00:28:08,180 So therefore repent and the suffering will stop. 594 00:28:08,180 --> 00:28:11,580 And Job's like, "No, that's not really what's going on." 595 00:28:11,580 --> 00:28:13,680 He's like, "No, that's really what's going on." 596 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:14,660 You've sinned. 597 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:16,480 Repent. 598 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:21,020 Then the Justin of the group, the Bildad, 599 00:28:21,020 --> 00:28:25,460 talks about God's omnipotence. 600 00:28:25,460 --> 00:28:30,460 He says, "God is all powerful and might is right. 601 00:28:30,460 --> 00:28:32,280 So who are you to question God? 602 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:35,300 Because he's stronger than you and he's bigger than you 603 00:28:35,300 --> 00:28:36,720 and so if you're suffering, 604 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:38,720 then you're just gonna have to deal with it 605 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:41,260 because you're not bigger than God." 606 00:28:41,260 --> 00:28:44,520 And Job's like, "Well, I don't really know 607 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:46,600 if that makes much sense right now. 608 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:49,000 That's not really what's happening." 609 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:54,760 And then Zophaz talks about God's omniscience. 610 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:59,240 He says, "Job, you're probably, what's really going on is 611 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:03,640 you've sinned but you're just unaware that you have sinned. 612 00:29:03,640 --> 00:29:07,960 And if you will just confess your unknown sin to God, 613 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:10,520 then maybe he'll stop your suffering 614 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:14,740 because you must have sinned." 615 00:29:14,740 --> 00:29:16,680 One said, "You know you've sinned." 616 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:18,840 The other one said, "It doesn't matter if you sin or not, 617 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:21,040 God's bigger than you and so he's just gonna bully you." 618 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:22,840 And his third friend says, "You don't really know 619 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:24,320 about what sin you've committed. 620 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:27,800 Either way, you're in the wrong and God is in the right." 621 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:33,600 All three of Job's friends took refuge 622 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:38,600 in a specific aspect about God and made it into doctrine 623 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:42,640 and forcing the facts to fit their faith 624 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:45,440 instead of allowing their faith to fit the facts. 625 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:50,100 The same way it starts in chapter one where you're like, 626 00:29:50,100 --> 00:29:53,640 "I don't understand this, so I'm gonna dismiss it 627 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:56,680 or I'm gonna reason or logic it away." 628 00:29:56,680 --> 00:29:59,880 The late Dr. Michael Heiser said of this, he said, 629 00:29:59,880 --> 00:30:04,160 "My conscience would not simply let me dismiss 630 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:08,400 the facts of the scripture in order to fit the theology 631 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:09,880 which I was comfortable with. 632 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:15,280 Is my loyalty to the text or Christian doctrine? 633 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:20,020 Is my loyalty to the word or Christian doctrine? 634 00:30:20,020 --> 00:30:23,200 And we have taken Proverbs in the scripture 635 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:25,480 and turn them into promises." 636 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:31,120 This is a major fallacy when it comes to doctrine 637 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:33,180 and theology and I wanna caution us 638 00:30:33,180 --> 00:30:38,040 about turning general truths into absolute truths. 639 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:41,160 General truths against absolute truths. 640 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:43,400 Here was the general truth. 641 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:46,600 Suffering is caused by sin. 642 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:50,820 Therefore, if you are suffering, it's because of your sin. 643 00:30:50,820 --> 00:30:55,400 They made sowing and reaping an arbitrary law. 644 00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:59,200 And this was absolutely cruel because it caused Job 645 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:02,580 to crawl around inside of his own conscience. 646 00:31:02,580 --> 00:31:05,000 They said, "You had to have done something wrong 647 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:06,760 because God's not gonna punish somebody. 648 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:08,760 He's not gonna allow suffering for somebody 649 00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:10,060 that hasn't done something wrong." 650 00:31:10,060 --> 00:31:12,440 And Job was racking his life. 651 00:31:12,440 --> 00:31:14,240 And I've done that in my own life. 652 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:16,960 I remember my mom saying, "I hope you have five boys 653 00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:17,920 and act just like you." 654 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:20,140 And I'm like, "Please God, no. 655 00:31:20,140 --> 00:31:24,140 No, not that. 656 00:31:24,140 --> 00:31:26,820 Send me to the stocks, whatever. 657 00:31:26,820 --> 00:31:28,060 Don't do that." 658 00:31:28,060 --> 00:31:31,200 What a blessing that would be to have five of me 659 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:33,440 running around, wouldn't it mom? 660 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:37,900 Y'all like, "Whoa, whoa, calm down." 661 00:31:37,900 --> 00:31:41,800 And I do got five just like me. 662 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:44,400 I do got five just like me. 663 00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:47,300 Noah, Kat, DJ, Allie and Jessalyn, I'll tell you that. 664 00:31:47,300 --> 00:31:52,300 But I've looked back on my life at times and been like, 665 00:31:52,300 --> 00:31:56,600 "Man, is this the result of something I did way back here? 666 00:31:56,600 --> 00:32:00,160 Am I reaping something now I have sown back in my childhood? 667 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:05,160 Maybe, or maybe not, but we can't be arbitrary about it. 668 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:07,600 It was cruel. 669 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:09,840 And we do this in the church when we say, 670 00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:13,720 "You didn't get healed 'cause you didn't have enough faith. 671 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:16,480 How dare we? 672 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:19,040 Now you've added somebody that's unhealed, 673 00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:21,280 then now they're saying it's my fault. 674 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:23,920 What about Lazarus? 675 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:27,160 Lazarus have enough faith? 676 00:32:27,160 --> 00:32:28,680 Lazarus was dead. 677 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:31,680 (audience laughing) 678 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:35,280 Think about it. 679 00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:36,120 Think about it. 680 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:37,480 When we tell somebody you didn't have enough faith 681 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:39,600 to get healed, that's why you didn't get healed. 682 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:41,940 Lazarus, how much faith did that man got? 683 00:32:41,940 --> 00:32:44,680 Think about it. 684 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:48,920 He was dead and got raised from the dead. 685 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:52,680 I had a discipler, long time mentor, if you will, 686 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:56,040 of mine named Derek Faulkner. 687 00:32:56,040 --> 00:32:59,740 And he got diagnosed with stomach cancer in November, 688 00:32:59,740 --> 00:33:02,320 several years ago. 689 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:05,160 And he had faith God would heal him with cancer. 690 00:33:05,160 --> 00:33:07,100 He died in February, four months later. 691 00:33:07,100 --> 00:33:09,320 You mean to tell me he didn't have faith? 692 00:33:09,320 --> 00:33:12,280 The scripture God gave him was a verse out of Job 693 00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:17,280 that says, "Though he slay me, yet I will trust in him. 694 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:20,000 Though he slay me." 695 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:25,840 You mean to tell me he associated his human suffering 696 00:33:25,840 --> 00:33:27,260 with God's goodness? 697 00:33:27,260 --> 00:33:32,320 That's real faith, guys. 698 00:33:32,320 --> 00:33:38,440 So what is sometimes true, it's not always true. 699 00:33:38,440 --> 00:33:41,160 And we must be careful how we handle the scriptures 700 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:45,280 when it comes to people, because God cares about people. 701 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:46,840 And you don't want to hurt somebody. 702 00:33:46,840 --> 00:33:50,120 And that insult to injury by taking a general truth 703 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:52,520 and turning it into an absolute truth. 704 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:59,160 Job's responses to his friends become bolder and bolder. 705 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:01,360 And the more he thinks about it, 706 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:03,360 the more justified he feels. 707 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:07,720 You ever had somebody tell you about your life? 708 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:13,040 Feel like the Lord, and I'm like, "Nope, he didn't." 709 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:14,920 You ever feel justified about something? 710 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:16,160 Has anybody ever shared something with you 711 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:18,480 and you're like, "That ain't happening." 712 00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:20,880 Has anybody shared a word with you that's wrong? 713 00:34:22,040 --> 00:34:24,120 It ain't gotta be like a thus saith the Lord, 714 00:34:24,120 --> 00:34:25,680 but I've had people tell me something, 715 00:34:25,680 --> 00:34:26,520 I'm like, "That's not what's happening, 716 00:34:26,520 --> 00:34:28,120 that's not what's going on." 717 00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:30,220 And then the older I got, the more I started saying, 718 00:34:30,220 --> 00:34:32,560 instead of immediately dismissing, I started going, 719 00:34:32,560 --> 00:34:35,240 "Okay, God, is there any truth to this? 720 00:34:35,240 --> 00:34:37,640 If not, let me not walk in that identity." 721 00:34:37,640 --> 00:34:38,840 Are you hearing me? 722 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:41,200 Let me not be identified that, but if there is truth, 723 00:34:41,200 --> 00:34:43,220 let me make the changes. 724 00:34:43,220 --> 00:34:47,520 Job felt justified in his case. 725 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:50,960 And he lays a case for righteousness in chapter 31. 726 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:54,880 He lays out a case for righteousness in chapter 31. 727 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:58,280 And you would think about, if you read it, 728 00:34:58,280 --> 00:35:00,880 he was listening to Jesus's teachings 729 00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:02,560 at the Sermon on the Mount. 730 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:05,240 You would think this guy had actually sat 731 00:35:05,240 --> 00:35:07,980 at the foot of Jesus, the way he responds. 732 00:35:07,980 --> 00:35:11,120 And he lays out a case for innocence. 733 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:15,160 He starts off chapter 31 with this verse, he says, 734 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:17,840 "I have made a covenant with my eyes. 735 00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:20,080 How then could I gaze at a virgin?" 736 00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:22,040 Some translations say a young maiden. 737 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:25,380 Didn't know what a young maiden was till I got an ESV. 738 00:35:25,380 --> 00:35:27,440 Now I know that's a young lady. 739 00:35:27,440 --> 00:35:29,800 And Job said, "I made a covenant with my eyes. 740 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:32,940 I'm not gonna look lustfully on a young woman." 741 00:35:32,940 --> 00:35:36,120 In verses five through eight, 742 00:35:36,120 --> 00:35:37,720 he talks about his integrity. 743 00:35:37,720 --> 00:35:40,720 In nine through 12, he claims his purity. 744 00:35:40,720 --> 00:35:42,900 And then justice and generosity. 745 00:35:42,900 --> 00:35:46,640 In verses 24 through 28, he talks about his faithfulness, 746 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:50,920 his right worship, blessing others, hospitality, 747 00:35:50,920 --> 00:35:52,680 his genuineness. 748 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:55,880 He was prayerful and he was a good steward. 749 00:35:55,880 --> 00:35:59,440 Job said, "I'm a good person. 750 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:01,600 Why is this happening to me? 751 00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:06,920 I'm a good person. 752 00:36:06,920 --> 00:36:08,400 Why is this happening to me? 753 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:09,620 I love God. 754 00:36:09,620 --> 00:36:12,000 Why is this going on in my life? 755 00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:13,000 I did all the things. 756 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:14,520 I confessed all known sin. 757 00:36:14,520 --> 00:36:15,440 I did my prayers. 758 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:17,780 I've been following along in the Bible plan. 759 00:36:17,780 --> 00:36:19,560 Like I did the things you told me to do. 760 00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:21,780 Why is this happening to me?" 761 00:36:21,780 --> 00:36:27,200 And all of it's really directed towards God. 762 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:28,320 He's talking to his friends, 763 00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:31,240 but he's really saying, "God, this isn't fair. 764 00:36:31,240 --> 00:36:32,980 You're not being fair to me." 765 00:36:32,980 --> 00:36:37,560 And he explains to his friends in one final appeal. 766 00:36:37,560 --> 00:36:41,400 And then we see Elihu, the teenager, comes up and he says, 767 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:42,320 "Hey guys, you can go. 768 00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:43,220 I got it from here. 769 00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:45,720 Read the book. 770 00:36:45,720 --> 00:36:46,540 Read it with your friends. 771 00:36:46,540 --> 00:36:47,380 I promise." 772 00:36:47,380 --> 00:36:48,200 He goes, "Thanks. 773 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:50,320 You guys are all wrong, by the way. 774 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:52,920 Just like a regular teenager, normal teenagers do. 775 00:36:52,920 --> 00:36:55,560 I heard what you said. 776 00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:56,400 I've been listening." 777 00:36:56,400 --> 00:36:58,320 He was like, "I actually have been timid to speak 778 00:36:58,320 --> 00:36:59,360 'cause I'm so young. 779 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:01,680 However, I'm gonna take three chapters 780 00:37:01,680 --> 00:37:03,200 to say what I have to say." 781 00:37:03,200 --> 00:37:05,280 (congregation laughing) 782 00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:06,320 He does. 783 00:37:06,320 --> 00:37:07,160 He does. 784 00:37:07,160 --> 00:37:09,440 And Job done, he mansions him. 785 00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:11,840 I can just picture Job like he's rubbing his eyes. 786 00:37:13,240 --> 00:37:16,280 'Cause he says the exact same thing the other guys say. 787 00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:17,240 "It's your fault, Job. 788 00:37:17,240 --> 00:37:18,320 You've sinned. 789 00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:19,160 You've sinned." 790 00:37:19,160 --> 00:37:21,320 And at this point, Job's over. 791 00:37:21,320 --> 00:37:23,060 He's like, "I just laid out my case. 792 00:37:23,060 --> 00:37:25,520 I'm telling you guys, I did nothing wrong. 793 00:37:25,520 --> 00:37:29,240 And yet my life is still in suffering." 794 00:37:29,240 --> 00:37:33,320 All of his friends applied sowing and reaping 795 00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:35,440 as a law to Job. 796 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:37,200 And Job's crying out to God. 797 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:38,800 And he's like, "Why is this happening? 798 00:37:38,800 --> 00:37:40,120 Why are you doing this to me?" 799 00:37:40,120 --> 00:37:42,000 And then finally God responds 800 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:44,080 and it's absolutely terrifying. 801 00:37:44,080 --> 00:37:48,080 God finally says, "Okay, big boy, stand up." 802 00:37:48,080 --> 00:37:52,840 Like, remember the first time one of your sons 803 00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:56,280 kind of got a little bit puffed up, James, right? 804 00:37:56,280 --> 00:37:59,980 And he was like, "I'm gonna tell you right now, 805 00:37:59,980 --> 00:38:03,240 you're not as big as you think you are." 806 00:38:03,240 --> 00:38:09,720 I remember the first time I got actually bigger than my dad, 807 00:38:09,720 --> 00:38:12,400 physically bigger than my dad. 808 00:38:12,400 --> 00:38:14,920 And then I realized my dad's a stone cold killer. 809 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:15,920 I should probably... 810 00:38:15,920 --> 00:38:19,240 (congregation laughing) 811 00:38:19,240 --> 00:38:22,280 Multiple black belts, probably strapped. 812 00:38:22,280 --> 00:38:23,960 I was like, "It's a bad idea." 813 00:38:23,960 --> 00:38:27,860 Thought my height. 814 00:38:27,860 --> 00:38:34,520 Can you imagine the creator of the universe responds to you 815 00:38:34,520 --> 00:38:36,500 and he opens up like this? 816 00:38:36,500 --> 00:38:37,920 This is how God opens up. 817 00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:40,080 I think it'd be dumb. 818 00:38:40,080 --> 00:38:43,960 He says in chapter 38, 819 00:38:43,960 --> 00:38:48,360 "Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, 820 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:51,980 'Who is this that darkens counsel 821 00:38:51,980 --> 00:38:54,140 by words without knowledge? 822 00:38:54,140 --> 00:38:58,460 Dressed for action like a man, 823 00:38:58,460 --> 00:39:02,120 I will question you and you make it known to me.'" 824 00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:04,660 You've been asking me all these questions. 825 00:39:04,660 --> 00:39:06,000 Why is this happening? 826 00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:08,120 Let me ask you some questions, Job. 827 00:39:08,120 --> 00:39:09,680 And then I want you to answer. 828 00:39:09,680 --> 00:39:12,720 And this is what he says to Job. 829 00:39:12,720 --> 00:39:14,480 He goes on for two chapters. 830 00:39:14,480 --> 00:39:16,680 And first his response is as the creator 831 00:39:16,680 --> 00:39:18,600 and then he responds as the creation. 832 00:39:18,600 --> 00:39:21,420 As I've been studying Job for the last two and a half, 833 00:39:21,420 --> 00:39:23,800 three years, literally in my own time, 834 00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:26,460 long before I knew this was a thing, 835 00:39:26,460 --> 00:39:28,880 I probably listened to this song I'm gonna share with you 836 00:39:28,880 --> 00:39:30,700 probably no less than 200 times. 837 00:39:30,700 --> 00:39:33,240 And every time I feel like the size of an ant, 838 00:39:33,240 --> 00:39:34,800 but just not thinking about all the times 839 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:38,480 I have arbitrarily gone against the creator of the universe 840 00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:40,720 and I want him to answer my questions. 841 00:39:40,720 --> 00:39:42,120 Why did this happen? 842 00:39:42,120 --> 00:39:44,060 Why did that person walk through this? 843 00:39:44,060 --> 00:39:45,920 Why does that person go through that? 844 00:39:45,920 --> 00:39:47,640 Why did you take that from them? 845 00:39:47,640 --> 00:39:49,660 Why did you give that to them? 846 00:39:49,660 --> 00:39:53,720 And this is God's response to Job. 847 00:39:53,720 --> 00:39:56,100 Where were you, Job? 848 00:39:56,100 --> 00:40:03,040 Where were you when I created all of this? 849 00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:05,620 (gentle music) 850 00:40:05,620 --> 00:40:12,880 And Job was undone and he repents. 851 00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:18,040 Shall a fault finder contend with the Almighty? 852 00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:20,280 He who argues with God, let him answer it. 853 00:40:20,280 --> 00:40:23,400 Then Job answered and said, behold, I am of small account. 854 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:24,760 What shall I answer you? 855 00:40:24,760 --> 00:40:26,560 I lay my hand on my mouth. 856 00:40:26,560 --> 00:40:29,640 I have spoken once and I will not answer twice, 857 00:40:29,640 --> 00:40:30,680 but I will proceed no further. 858 00:40:30,680 --> 00:40:32,120 He said, God, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, 859 00:40:32,120 --> 00:40:33,880 I'm sorry, I'm sorry, look, Dad. 860 00:40:33,880 --> 00:40:35,360 When I get the belt out, the kid's like, 861 00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:37,240 look, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. 862 00:40:37,240 --> 00:40:41,160 And God said, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. 863 00:40:41,160 --> 00:40:43,880 Stand back up, I got more to say to you. 864 00:40:43,880 --> 00:40:45,960 And then he says, stand up like a man. 865 00:40:45,960 --> 00:40:48,480 Tighten your boots this time. 866 00:40:48,480 --> 00:40:51,400 And then he goes to proceed and tell him about his creation. 867 00:40:51,400 --> 00:40:55,240 He says, do you even know why I made a hippopotamus 868 00:40:55,240 --> 00:40:56,460 and a crocodile? 869 00:40:56,460 --> 00:40:59,800 Calls him a behemoth and a Leviathan. 870 00:40:59,800 --> 00:41:02,480 He says, you don't even know why I made a hippo 871 00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:07,080 and a crocodile and you're gonna answer me about ethics? 872 00:41:07,080 --> 00:41:08,380 You're gonna question me? 873 00:41:08,380 --> 00:41:10,560 You have no idea, Job. 874 00:41:10,560 --> 00:41:12,820 It's so much bigger than you. 875 00:41:12,820 --> 00:41:16,420 And he's not beating him down for questioning God. 876 00:41:16,420 --> 00:41:20,400 It's that Job lost touch with God through the suffering 877 00:41:20,400 --> 00:41:22,240 and that was his real problem. 878 00:41:22,240 --> 00:41:25,200 That was his real problem. 879 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:31,000 Job repents. 880 00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:33,140 We read the beginning. 881 00:41:33,140 --> 00:41:38,140 Job says, my ears had heard of you 882 00:41:38,140 --> 00:41:43,980 but now my eyes have seen you. 883 00:41:43,980 --> 00:41:51,000 For us to get to a place where it's that I've heard 884 00:41:51,000 --> 00:41:55,320 about this God but now I've seen this God. 885 00:41:57,560 --> 00:42:01,720 He's back connected to the Creator. 886 00:42:01,720 --> 00:42:05,680 Then he gets a happy ending, I guess, of sorts. 887 00:42:05,680 --> 00:42:08,240 Scripture says, Job prays for his friends 888 00:42:08,240 --> 00:42:10,320 and after he prayed for his friends, 889 00:42:10,320 --> 00:42:13,360 then God restored everything back to him. 890 00:42:13,360 --> 00:42:17,760 The same guys that gave him hard counsel that was untrue, 891 00:42:17,760 --> 00:42:19,120 Job prayed for them. 892 00:42:19,120 --> 00:42:22,420 So what was his real pain? 893 00:42:22,420 --> 00:42:25,360 Was it physical? 894 00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:26,520 Was it relational? 895 00:42:26,520 --> 00:42:29,840 Was it social isolation or mental anguish? 896 00:42:29,840 --> 00:42:32,480 No, Job's real pain was spiritual. 897 00:42:32,480 --> 00:42:35,020 Job had lost touch with God. 898 00:42:35,020 --> 00:42:40,720 Through the suffering and that's the biggest obstacle 899 00:42:40,720 --> 00:42:44,480 that we must overcome when it's dealing with suffering. 900 00:42:44,480 --> 00:42:46,520 And you know what? 901 00:42:46,520 --> 00:42:51,520 Job didn't have that you have the hope of Jesus Christ. 902 00:42:51,520 --> 00:42:55,960 Job didn't have a hope that all is gonna be made right. 903 00:42:55,960 --> 00:42:58,800 They didn't know, they had an idea. 904 00:42:58,800 --> 00:43:01,240 But he didn't know that like Paul said, 905 00:43:01,240 --> 00:43:05,480 our light and momentary affliction is preparing for us 906 00:43:05,480 --> 00:43:09,320 an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. 907 00:43:09,320 --> 00:43:13,860 You have the hope of Christ and that allows us 908 00:43:13,860 --> 00:43:16,740 to have peace in the midst of suffering. 909 00:43:16,740 --> 00:43:20,520 You wanna know what never happens? 910 00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:22,880 Job never gets an answer to his questions. 911 00:43:23,880 --> 00:43:24,720 Huh. 912 00:43:24,720 --> 00:43:29,720 You mean I read 42 chapters to find out 913 00:43:29,720 --> 00:43:31,080 he still doesn't know? 914 00:43:31,080 --> 00:43:34,520 He never knew about the heavenly wager. 915 00:43:34,520 --> 00:43:37,720 He never knew and he worked through his suffering. 916 00:43:37,720 --> 00:43:39,760 He worked through his pain. 917 00:43:39,760 --> 00:43:42,000 He crawled around in his conscience. 918 00:43:42,000 --> 00:43:46,180 He felt God leave and he felt God close. 919 00:43:46,180 --> 00:43:50,320 God never clued him in on him. 920 00:43:50,320 --> 00:43:53,280 (gentle music) 921 00:43:53,280 --> 00:43:56,040 David Paulson says that it's not about finding 922 00:43:56,040 --> 00:43:57,800 the answers to your questions. 923 00:43:57,800 --> 00:44:00,440 It's getting to the point in your relationship with God 924 00:44:00,440 --> 00:44:02,120 where you do not need them. 925 00:44:02,120 --> 00:44:05,400 It's not about finding the answers. 926 00:44:05,400 --> 00:44:07,960 It's getting to the place where you don't need 'em. 927 00:44:07,960 --> 00:44:11,280 I don't know why suffering exists. 928 00:44:11,280 --> 00:44:13,880 I don't know why babies die. 929 00:44:13,880 --> 00:44:16,360 I don't know why people die of cancer. 930 00:44:16,360 --> 00:44:18,040 I don't know why there's pain. 931 00:44:18,040 --> 00:44:19,640 I don't know why there's wrong. 932 00:44:20,640 --> 00:44:22,960 What I do know is that God is good 933 00:44:22,960 --> 00:44:25,560 and whenever we cross over and I find out 934 00:44:25,560 --> 00:44:28,000 that what he did with all that, 935 00:44:28,000 --> 00:44:31,680 it's gonna be good because he is good 936 00:44:31,680 --> 00:44:38,000 and that's enough for me and that is enough for you. 937 00:44:38,000 --> 00:44:41,500 So would you stand with me, Spring Houses? 938 00:44:41,500 --> 00:44:44,160 We worship and close out this service. 939 00:44:44,160 --> 00:44:46,740 (gentle music) 940 00:44:46,740 --> 00:44:55,120 God don't want us to stop asking questions. 941 00:44:55,120 --> 00:44:56,120 This is not a dad saying, 942 00:44:56,120 --> 00:44:59,000 "I know better than you, don't ask me why." 943 00:44:59,000 --> 00:45:02,920 It's not the question, it's the heart behind it. 944 00:45:02,920 --> 00:45:06,600 The heart that says, "God, I don't get it. 945 00:45:06,600 --> 00:45:09,660 "I don't know why this is happening in life. 946 00:45:09,660 --> 00:45:11,580 "I don't know why this is happening to me. 947 00:45:11,580 --> 00:45:13,740 "I don't know why this is happening to them, 948 00:45:13,740 --> 00:45:15,040 "but I trust you." 949 00:45:15,040 --> 00:45:17,280 And some of you need to get to a place where you say, 950 00:45:17,280 --> 00:45:21,760 "I trust you despite what my circumstances look like, 951 00:45:21,760 --> 00:45:24,940 "despite the pain that I'm walking through right now, 952 00:45:24,940 --> 00:45:29,140 "I trust you and I know that you're gonna work it out 953 00:45:29,140 --> 00:45:31,520 "for my good and your glory 954 00:45:31,520 --> 00:45:34,820 "because whatever you do is gonna be good." 955 00:45:34,820 --> 00:45:38,840 And so if you need to pray with somebody and confess that 956 00:45:38,840 --> 00:45:39,960 or if you need to come out here 957 00:45:39,960 --> 00:45:41,400 and do business with the Lord, 958 00:45:42,320 --> 00:45:44,020 whatever you walk through, 959 00:45:44,020 --> 00:45:45,540 whatever you're about to walk through, 960 00:45:45,540 --> 00:45:47,380 whatever you've been walking through, 961 00:45:47,380 --> 00:45:50,120 God is with you. 962 00:45:50,120 --> 00:45:54,320 We must never lose touch with God through our suffering. 963 00:45:54,320 --> 00:45:57,900 My prayer people, come down here 964 00:45:57,900 --> 00:45:59,260 and let's worship and pray.