Preached at the Abernethy Trust
Barcaple on
Wednesday 10th May 2009-06-10
Turn to John 15:15
John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
• A relationship change is about to take place for some of you tonight
• You are going to move from slavery to friendship
• In that new friendship Jesus is going to reveal to you
• All the things which he has heard from His Father.
I would like three people to stand up where they are and pray for us.
Stand up, look around, and pray for us.
Who’s first?
You see we are servants in action and friends in relationship.
We serve one another as servants.
But in relationship we are friends.
Let’s read at 1 Kings 17
1Ki 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the sojourners of Gilead, said to Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except according to my word.
2 And the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
3 Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, before Jordan.
4 And it shall be, you shall drink of the brook. And I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.
5 So he went and did according to the word of the LORD. For he went and lived by the torrent Cherith, before Jordan.
6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the torrent.
7 And it happened after a while, the torrent dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
8 And the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
9 Arise, go to Zarephath which belongs to Sidon, and live there. Behold, I have commanded a widow to keep you there.
10 And he arose and went to Zarephath, and came in to the entrance of the city, and, behold, the widow was gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, Please, bring me a little water in a vessel so that I may drink.
11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, Please, bring me a piece of bread in your hand.
12 And she said, As the LORD your God lives, I do not have a cake, but only a handful of meal in a pitcher and a little oil in a jar. And behold, I am gathering two sticks, so that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, so that we may eat it and die.
13 And Elijah said to her, Do not fear, go. Do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it, and bring it to me. And then make for you and for your son.
14 For so says the LORD God of Israel, The pitcher of meal shall not be emptied, nor shall the jar of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sends rain on the earth.
15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah. And she and he and her house ate many days;
16 the pitcher of meal was not consumed, and the jar of oil did not fail, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah.
17 And it happened after these things the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick. And his sickness was so severe that there was no breath left in him.
18 And she said to Elijah, What do I have to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to call my sin to remembrance and to kill my son?
19 And he said to her, Give me your son. And he took him out of her bosom and carried him up into a loft, where he stayed, and laid him on his own bed.
20 And he cried to the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, have You also brought evil on the widow with whom I am staying, by slaying her son?
21 And he stretched himself on the child three times, and cried to the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, please let this child's soul come to him again.
22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came into him again, and he lived.
23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down out of the room into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, See! Your son lives!
24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now I know this, that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.
Look at verse 1
1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the sojourners of Gilead, said to Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except according to my word.
• As The LORD God of Israel lives
• Before whom I stand
• There shall not be dew nor rain these years
• Except according to my word
What a great place to be standing before the LORD God of Israel, the one who is the living God.
There shall not be dew nor rain according to the word of Elijah.
Here is a marvellous thing!
When Elijah the Tishbite stands before the living God he proclaims that there will be neither dew nor rain according to Elijah!
He does not say that it is according to God’s word! But according to the word of Elijah!
Let’s look at James 5:
Jas 5:1 Come now, rich ones, weep and howl for your hardships coming on.
2 Your riches have rotted, and your clothes have become moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their poison will be a witness against you, and will eat your flesh as fire. You heaped treasure in the last days.
4 Behold, the hire of the laborers reaping your fields cry out, being kept back by you. And the cries of those who have reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts.
5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth, and lived wantonly. You have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6 You have condemned and murdered the just; he does not resist you.
7 Therefore be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and the latter rain.
8 You also be patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of your Lord draws near.
9 Do not grudge against one another, brothers, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge stands before the door.
10 My brothers, take the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering ill, and of patience.
11 Behold, we count blessed those who endure. You have heard of the patience of Job, and you have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is full of pity and of tender mercy.
12 But before all things, my brothers, do not swear; neither by the heaven nor by the earth, nor any other oath. But let your yes be yes, and your no, no, lest you fall into condemnation.
13 Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing psalms.
14 Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
15 And the prayer of faith will cure the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. And if he has committed sins, it will be forgiven him.
16 Confess faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous one avails much.
17 Elijah was a man of like passion as we are. And he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for the time of three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth caused its fruit to sprout.
19 Brothers, if anyone among you err from the truth, and if anyone turns him back,
20 know that he who turns back the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Look at verse 16
16 Confess faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous one avails much.
17 Elijah was a man of like passion as we are. And he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for the time of three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth caused its fruit to sprout.
• The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous one avails much.
• Elijah was a man of like passion as we are.
• He prayed earnestly
• That it might not rain
• It did not rain on the earth for the time of three years and six months
• And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain.
• And the earth caused its fruit to sprout
Praying effectually, fervently, and earnestly!
Elijah was a man of like passion!
What does it mean to be effective, fervent, and earnest in your prayers?
Let’s read from Luke 11:1-13
Lu 11:1 And it happened as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught His disciples.
2 And He said to them, When you pray, say: Our Father, who is in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, as in Heaven, so also on the earth.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread,
4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
5 And He said to them, which of you shall have a friend and shall go to him at midnight and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves,
6 for a friend of mine has come from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him?
7 And he answering from inside may say, Do not trouble me. The door is now shut and my children are in bed with me. I cannot rise and give to you.
8 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will arise and give him as many as he needs.
9 And I say to you, Ask and it shall be given you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened to you.
10 For everyone who asks receives. And he who seeks finds. And to him who knocks it shall be opened.
11 For what father of you, if the son asks for bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake for a fish?
12 Or if he shall ask for an egg, will he give him a scorpion?
13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?
Look at verse 1
Lu 11:1 And it happened as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught His disciples.
• Jesus is praying in a certain place
• When he ceased praying
• One of his disciples said unto Him
• Lord, teach us to pray.
• As John also taught His disciples
An unknown disciple observes Jesus praying and asks to be taught to pray.
The meaning of the words ‘teach us to pray’, come across like this, ‘lord teach us to pray more earnestly’.
This disciple lived in a land where they learned to pray from birth, it was part of the culture of Israel.
But this unknown disciple sees in Jesus prayers intensity which he desires, and asks Jesus to teach him how to ‘pray more earnestly’.
Let’s read Luke 3:21
Luke is telling accurately, the events surrounding John the Baptist’s, baptising of the people in the Jordan River.
21 And it happened in the baptizing of all the people, Jesus also being baptized, and praying, and the heaven was opened.
22 And the Holy Spirit came down in a bodily shape, like a dove on Him. And a voice came from Heaven, which said, You are My Son, the Beloved; I am delighted in You
• Jesus is standing in the water being baptized
• Jesus is praying,
• The heavens open!
• The Holy Spirit comes down in a bodily shape
• Like a Dove upon Him
• A voice comes from Heaven
• You are My son
• You are my Beloved
• I am delighted in You
Here again the understanding of the phrase ‘Jesus is praying’, suggests ‘Jesus is praying earnestly’.
Look at the results of earnest prayer! Wow
Let’s go back to Luke 11
Look at verse five through eight.
5 And He said to them, which of you shall have a friend and shall go to him at midnight and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves,
6 for a friend of mine has come from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him?
7 And he answering from inside may say, Do not trouble me. The door is now shut and my children are in bed with me. I cannot rise and give to you.
8 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will arise and give him as many as he needs.
Look at verse eight
• I say unto you
• Though he will not rise and give to him
• Because he is his friend
• Yet because of his importunity
• He will arise and give him as many as he needs
The word importunity has to do with impudence!
You are so impudent!
You are so cheeky!
You are impertinent boy!
You are too mouthy, you!
In the context of the passage the friend is going against the position that his friend has taken up!
Look at verse nine
9 And I say to you, Ask and it shall be given you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened to you.
10 For everyone who asks receives. And he who seeks finds. And to him who knocks it shall be opened.
11 For what father of you, if the son asks for bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake for a fish?
12 Or if he shall ask for an egg, will he give him a scorpion?
13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?
• Jesus, one who prays with importunity, himself
• Says, Ask and it shall be given
• Seek and you shall find
• Knock and it shall be opened to you.
• Those who ask
• Receive
• Those who seek
• Find
• Those who knock
• Find it open
Look at verse 13
13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?
• Look at the willingness of your own father to give to you good gifts
• How much more willing is your Heavenly Father, to give his greatest gift, the gift of the Holy Spirit?
Let’s turn to Luke 18;1-8
Lu 18:1 And He also spoke a parable to them to teach it is always right to pray, and not to faint,
2 saying, A certain judge was in a certain city, not fearing God, nor respecting man.
3 And a widow was in that city. And she came to Him, saying, Avenge me of my adversary.
4 And he would not do so for a time. But afterward he said within himself, Though I do not fear God nor regard man,
5 yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, that she not wear me down in the end.
6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge says.
7 And shall not God avenge His own elect who cry day and night to Him, though He has been long-suffering over them?
8 I say to you that He will avenge them speedily. Yet when the Son of man comes, shall He find faith on the earth?
Look at verse six
6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge says.
• Though I do not fear God
• Though I do not regard man
• Yet because this widow troubles me,
• I will avenge her, that she not wear me down in the end
This is a great illustration of importunity, of what it means to be effective, fervent, and earnest in your prayers.
The woman with the issue of blood would be another example.
Mt 9:20 And behold, a woman, who had a flow of blood for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the hem of His garment.
21 For she said within herself, If only I shall touch His robe, I will be whole.
22 But turning and seeing her, Jesus said, Daughter, be comforted; your faith has saved you. And the woman was saved from that hour.
• Jesus said to her power has gone out from me
• Many others in the crowd were touching Jesus
• Only this woman touched the hem of his garment.
• The meaning of her touching is ‘she earnestly desired to touch the hem of his garment.
She is another example of what it means to be effective, fervent and earnest in your prayers.
When Jesus said Power has gone out of him.
You could put it this way
Dynamic power has gone out of me towards you
Dynamite has gone off in me towards you
A dynamo has started up and its power is working on your need right now.
Elijah is an example of all these things and worthy of reading, and more so, of practicing them!
1 John 5:13-16
1Jo 5:13 I have written these things to you who believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have everlasting life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.
14 And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.
16 If anyone sees his brother sin a sin not to death, he shall ask, and He shall give him life for those that do not sin to death. There is a sin to death, I do not say that he shall pray for it.
Look at verse 14
14 And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.
If people are set free to pray is there not a danger that they will pray for all sorts of things?
Don’t we give people a licence to pray anything?
If God’s people are encouraged and released to pray with effective, fervent and earnest prayer, they might pray for the wrong thing!
Well, religious leaders will say that!
They said it in Jesus’ day.
Paul taught that where sin abounds grace does much more abound. The Pharisees and scribes said you can’t preach that Paul; that gives a licence to sin. Paul’s reply was will you stop the preaching of the fullness of God’s grace because, some hypothetically, will sin more in order that grace may abound? Of course not, God’s wisdom is to preach the fullness of Grace in order that the fullness of What Jesus can do may be manifest among us.
Here is a marvellous thing that when you pray effectively, fervently, and earnestly in your prayers you, like Elijah, standing before God, in the righteousness of Jesus, touch Him in such a way that the dynamic, dynamite of his power is released through you.
Released to pray you become a servant in the hands of a creative God, friends who love one another and effectively, fervently and earnestly desire the best for your community here at Barcaple. Your leaders become Godly, wise and faithful servants among you because you pray for them. Your families are transformed because Jesus has taught you to pray more earnestly, to knock, to ask, to seek, more effectively.
Right!
Now that you know how it’s done, I would like three of you to stand, with open eyes, look around and pray for us.
Jesus gave you the gift of the Holy Spirit the day you were saved, but you may need hands laid on you to release the power of the spirit You may need a friend to lay hands on you for that release.
There is a release of the Holy Spirit, which some of you may not have experienced, and if you need that release. There are those here who will lay hands on you and see you released, a friend, a brother, a sister, whatever.
God bless you
Monday, June 15, 2009
Oh that I were in....
Preached at Glen Aros Christian Fellowship on
Sunday 14th June 2009
Let’s go to the book of Job and look at a man who lived in the land of Uz on the borders of Idumaea.
Let’s look at chapter 29:1-25
1 And Job continued the lifting up of his speech, and said,
2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God watched over me;
3 when His lamp shone on my head; I walked through darkness by His light;
4 as I was in the days of my harvest, when the secret of God was on my tent;
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me;
6 when I washed my steps with curds, and the rock poured out rivers of oil for me;
7 when I went out to the gate by the city; when I prepared my seat in the street!
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves; and the aged arose and stood up.
9 The rulers held back from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 The noble's voice was subdued, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouth.
11 For the ear heard and blessed me. And the eye saw me and witnessed to me.
12 For I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him.
13 The blessing of the perishing came on me; and I caused the widow's heart to sing.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my judgment was like a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor; and the cause which I did not know, I searched out.
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days like the sand.
19 My root was open to the waters, and the dew lay all night on my branch.
20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
21 They listened to me, and waited, and kept silent at my counsel.
22 After my words they did not go on; and my speech dropped on them.
23 And they waited for me like the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24 I smiled kindly on them when they did not believe; and they did not make the light of my face fall.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief; and I lived like a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
Job is enlarging upon what He has lost.
By doing this it aggravates his present calamities!
Like Naomi, who said, ‘I went out full’, and ‘I am come home again empty’.
Most people who lose something will speak more of the comforts that they have lost, than what is still theirs. Their past prosperity often becomes one of the most pleasing subjects of their thoughts and talk.
Job is looking back to a time when God watched over him, or when God preserved his going in and his going out.
Why is The LORD not watching over him now?
Why was The LORD not preserving him now?
Look at verse 2
Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God watched over me;
• Oh that I were as in the months past!
• Oh that I were in the days when God watched over me!
Hang on Job; has The LORD suddenly stopped watching over you? Just because some of the things of the past have been stripped away, does that now change the character of The LORD?
Oh that I were as in the months past!
Oh that I were in the days when God watched over me! When The LORD preserved me!
Things have changed Job, that’s for sure?
But the question is; does that change the nature of God, and his plans for his life?
Look at verse 3
3 when His lamp shone on my head; I walked through darkness by His light;
• Oh for the days when the lamp shone on my head
• Oh for the days when by His light I walked through darkness.
There was a day when the lamp of God was upon Job’s head, like the light upon Moses’ face, after being up the mountain. Through this light Job was able to walk straight through darkness.
Psalm 23:4
Ps 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Let’s read the whole psalm
Ps 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Let’s go back to John 29
Look at verse 4
4 as I was in the days of my harvest, when the secret of God was on my tent;
• In the days of Job’s harvest!
• Is this the days of Job, youth when he had discovered the joys of children.
• The secret of God was on his tent.
• His family tent, his dwelling place?
• The tent of his body?
• In any case the secret of God is upon it.
•
Look at verse 5
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me;
• When the Almighty was yet with me
• Look at this Job currently has no inward or outward evidence that would lead him to think that the Almighty was with him.
Look at the second part of verse 5
• Oh for the time when my children were around me
• Oh when my family were around me.
Job lost all his children in one day!
How difficult it is to suffer loss and still believe that the Almighty is yet with you!
Look at verse 6
6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
• When I washed my steps with butter
• To be able to was his steps in butter he would have been very prosperous.
Look at the second part of verse 6
Oh for the days when the rock poured me out rivers of oil
• The rock poured out rivers of oil for Job
Look at verse 12
12 For I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him.
• Job delivered the poor who cried for help
• Job delivered the fatherless who had not to help him
He did well to those around him
Look at verse 8
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves; and the aged arose and stood up.
• When young men saw Job, they hid themselves
• When the aged men saw Job they arose and stood up
He was respected and honoured by all around him.
Look at verse 25
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief; and I lived like a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
• Job was one who sat as a chief, as a commander
• Job was one who lived like a king in the army
• Job was one who comforts the mourners
Job was a man who ruled not only in the city, but also in the nation.
This reminds me of the man in Matthew 8:9
9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, Go! And he goes; and to another, Come! And he comes; and to my servant, Do this! And he does it.
10 When Jesus heard, He marvelled and said to those who followed, Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel.
• I am a man under authority
• I am a man having soldiers under me
• I say to this one go and he goes
• I way to another come and he comes
• I say to my servant do this and he does it
When Jesus heard this
• He marvelled
• Saying to those who were following him
• Truly I say to you
• I have not found such a great faith
• No, not in Israel!
This is marvellous!
Here is Job, displaying all the characteristics which Jesus commands and more!
Let’s look at Job chapter one
Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. And that man was perfect and upright, and one who feared God and turned aside from evil.
2 And there were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
3 And his possessions were seven thousand sheep and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household, so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
4 And his sons went and feasted in the house of each one on his day. And they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
5 And when they had gone around the day of feasting, Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. So Job did always.
6 And a day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD. And Satan also came among them.
7 And the LORD said to Satan, From where do you come? Then Satan answered the LORD and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
8 And the LORD said to Satan, Have you set your heart against My servant Job, because there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil?
9 And Satan answered the LORD and said, Does Job fear God for nothing?
10 Have You not made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock have increased in the land.
11 But put forth Your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse You to Your face.
12 And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only do not lay your hand upon him. And Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
13 And a day came when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house.
14 And there came a messenger to Job and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them.
15 And the Sabeans fell on and took them away. Yea, they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword. And I only have escaped alone to tell you.
16 While he was still speaking, there also came another and said, The fire of God has fallen from the heavens and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and destroyed them. And I only have escaped alone to tell you.
17 While he was still speaking, there also came another and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands and swooped down upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and have killed the servants with the edge of the sword. And I only have escaped alone to tell you.
18 While he was still speaking, there also came another and said, Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house.
19 And, behold, a great wind came from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead. And I only have escaped alone to tell you.
20 And Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshiped.
21 And he said, I came naked out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.
22 In all this Job did not sin, nor charge God foolishly.
Look at verse one
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. And that man was perfect and upright, and one who feared God and turned aside from evil.
• Job was perfect
• Job was upright
• Job feared God
• Job turned aside from evil
What a marvellous man!
Look what happened to Job
12-19
Read it out.
How is Job going to respond to all this loss?
Look at verse 20-22
Job 1:20 And Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshiped.
21 And he said, I came naked out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.
22 In all this Job did not sin, nor charge God foolishly.
• Job tore his robe, his outward garment!
• Job shaved his head,
• Job fell down upon the ground and worshiped
• Job said Naked I came out of my mothers womb
• Job said Naked shall I return there
• The LORD gave
• The LORD has taken away
• Blessed be the name of the LORD
• Job in all this did not sin!
• Job in all this did not charge God foolishly
What a Marvellous man!
Let’s look at James 5:7
Jas 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
Look at verse 11
Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
• You have heard of the patience of Job
• You have seen the end of the LORD
• You have seen that the LORD is very pitiful
• You have seen that the LORD is of tender mercy
James has just condemned the rich lords in the first few verses and now exhorts the brethren.
Look at Verse 7
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waited for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
• Be patient Brethren until the coming of the LORD
Verse 8
8 Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh
• Be you also patient
• Take time to establish your hearts
• Why?
• The coming of the LORD draws near
•
Verse 9
9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
• Grudge not one against another
• Least you end up being condemned
• The judge stands ready before the door.
Verse 10
Jas 5:10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
• Take as your example brethren
• The prophets who have spoken in the name of the LORD
• Take them as examples of
• Suffering affliction
• Take them as examples of Patience
Verse 11
Jas 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
• Behold
• We count them happy who endure
• Those who by the lamp of God upon their head walk on through the darkness
• You have head of the patience of Job
• You have seen the end of the LORD with regard Job
• How the LORD was very pitiful
• How the LORD was of tender mercy
What a marvellous man.
Like Naomi, who said, ‘I went out full’, and ‘I am come home again empty’.
She like Job encountered many changes in her life, with great loss, and yet through it all Naomi came to fear God in a deeper way.
It is through loss, sometimes great loss that we learn deeply
It is through change and great change in our lives that we learn deeply
Ahead of us all is great change, and it may involve loss.
A sheep needing sheared of its winter wool and goes through much change in the process of sheering, but after the experience the sheep is grateful for the shepherd’s tender care. When the summer heat arrives how freely it can move and skip and enjoy what the shepherd has expertly prepared for.
Let me finish with this passage from Mark 8
Jesus is opening up his message to his disciples and introducing them to things they have never even thought of up to this point in their relationship with him.
Mr 8:31 And He began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32 And He spoke that saying openly. And Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him.
33 But when He had turned around and looked on His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Go behind Me, Satan! For you do not mind the things of God, but of the things of men.
34 And calling near the crowd with His disciples, He said to them, Whoever will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
35 For whoever will save his life shall lose it; but whoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel's, he shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 Therefore whoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man shall also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.
Look at verse 35
35 For whoever will save his life shall lose it; but whoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel's, he shall save it.
• If you try and save your life
• You will lose it
• But if you are willing to lose your life for Jesus sake
• And for the Gospel’s you will save it.
Be willing to suffer lose and you will get it back
Look at verse 34
34 And calling near the crowd with His disciples, He said to them, whoever will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
• If you want to come after Jesus
• You will have to deny yourself
• You will have to take up your cross
• And follow Him.
Look at verse 33
33 But when He had turned around and looked on His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Go behind Me, Satan! For you do not mind the things of God, but of the things of men.
• Jesus says to Peter
• Go behind Me, Satan!
• What was Peter doing
• Something very simple you would think
• He did not mind the things of God
• Instead you mind the things of Man
Peter was simply finding more tasty, the things of Men!
Let the things of God become tastier to you.
Sunday 14th June 2009
Let’s go to the book of Job and look at a man who lived in the land of Uz on the borders of Idumaea.
Let’s look at chapter 29:1-25
1 And Job continued the lifting up of his speech, and said,
2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God watched over me;
3 when His lamp shone on my head; I walked through darkness by His light;
4 as I was in the days of my harvest, when the secret of God was on my tent;
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me;
6 when I washed my steps with curds, and the rock poured out rivers of oil for me;
7 when I went out to the gate by the city; when I prepared my seat in the street!
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves; and the aged arose and stood up.
9 The rulers held back from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
10 The noble's voice was subdued, and their tongue clung to the roof of their mouth.
11 For the ear heard and blessed me. And the eye saw me and witnessed to me.
12 For I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him.
13 The blessing of the perishing came on me; and I caused the widow's heart to sing.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my judgment was like a robe and a diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor; and the cause which I did not know, I searched out.
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days like the sand.
19 My root was open to the waters, and the dew lay all night on my branch.
20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
21 They listened to me, and waited, and kept silent at my counsel.
22 After my words they did not go on; and my speech dropped on them.
23 And they waited for me like the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
24 I smiled kindly on them when they did not believe; and they did not make the light of my face fall.
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief; and I lived like a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
Job is enlarging upon what He has lost.
By doing this it aggravates his present calamities!
Like Naomi, who said, ‘I went out full’, and ‘I am come home again empty’.
Most people who lose something will speak more of the comforts that they have lost, than what is still theirs. Their past prosperity often becomes one of the most pleasing subjects of their thoughts and talk.
Job is looking back to a time when God watched over him, or when God preserved his going in and his going out.
Why is The LORD not watching over him now?
Why was The LORD not preserving him now?
Look at verse 2
Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God watched over me;
• Oh that I were as in the months past!
• Oh that I were in the days when God watched over me!
Hang on Job; has The LORD suddenly stopped watching over you? Just because some of the things of the past have been stripped away, does that now change the character of The LORD?
Oh that I were as in the months past!
Oh that I were in the days when God watched over me! When The LORD preserved me!
Things have changed Job, that’s for sure?
But the question is; does that change the nature of God, and his plans for his life?
Look at verse 3
3 when His lamp shone on my head; I walked through darkness by His light;
• Oh for the days when the lamp shone on my head
• Oh for the days when by His light I walked through darkness.
There was a day when the lamp of God was upon Job’s head, like the light upon Moses’ face, after being up the mountain. Through this light Job was able to walk straight through darkness.
Psalm 23:4
Ps 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Let’s read the whole psalm
Ps 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Let’s go back to John 29
Look at verse 4
4 as I was in the days of my harvest, when the secret of God was on my tent;
• In the days of Job’s harvest!
• Is this the days of Job, youth when he had discovered the joys of children.
• The secret of God was on his tent.
• His family tent, his dwelling place?
• The tent of his body?
• In any case the secret of God is upon it.
•
Look at verse 5
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me;
• When the Almighty was yet with me
• Look at this Job currently has no inward or outward evidence that would lead him to think that the Almighty was with him.
Look at the second part of verse 5
• Oh for the time when my children were around me
• Oh when my family were around me.
Job lost all his children in one day!
How difficult it is to suffer loss and still believe that the Almighty is yet with you!
Look at verse 6
6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;
• When I washed my steps with butter
• To be able to was his steps in butter he would have been very prosperous.
Look at the second part of verse 6
Oh for the days when the rock poured me out rivers of oil
• The rock poured out rivers of oil for Job
Look at verse 12
12 For I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him.
• Job delivered the poor who cried for help
• Job delivered the fatherless who had not to help him
He did well to those around him
Look at verse 8
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves; and the aged arose and stood up.
• When young men saw Job, they hid themselves
• When the aged men saw Job they arose and stood up
He was respected and honoured by all around him.
Look at verse 25
25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief; and I lived like a king in the army, as one who comforts the mourners.
• Job was one who sat as a chief, as a commander
• Job was one who lived like a king in the army
• Job was one who comforts the mourners
Job was a man who ruled not only in the city, but also in the nation.
This reminds me of the man in Matthew 8:9
9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, Go! And he goes; and to another, Come! And he comes; and to my servant, Do this! And he does it.
10 When Jesus heard, He marvelled and said to those who followed, Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel.
• I am a man under authority
• I am a man having soldiers under me
• I say to this one go and he goes
• I way to another come and he comes
• I say to my servant do this and he does it
When Jesus heard this
• He marvelled
• Saying to those who were following him
• Truly I say to you
• I have not found such a great faith
• No, not in Israel!
This is marvellous!
Here is Job, displaying all the characteristics which Jesus commands and more!
Let’s look at Job chapter one
Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. And that man was perfect and upright, and one who feared God and turned aside from evil.
2 And there were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
3 And his possessions were seven thousand sheep and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household, so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
4 And his sons went and feasted in the house of each one on his day. And they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
5 And when they had gone around the day of feasting, Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. So Job did always.
6 And a day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD. And Satan also came among them.
7 And the LORD said to Satan, From where do you come? Then Satan answered the LORD and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
8 And the LORD said to Satan, Have you set your heart against My servant Job, because there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil?
9 And Satan answered the LORD and said, Does Job fear God for nothing?
10 Have You not made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock have increased in the land.
11 But put forth Your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse You to Your face.
12 And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only do not lay your hand upon him. And Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
13 And a day came when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house.
14 And there came a messenger to Job and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them.
15 And the Sabeans fell on and took them away. Yea, they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword. And I only have escaped alone to tell you.
16 While he was still speaking, there also came another and said, The fire of God has fallen from the heavens and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and destroyed them. And I only have escaped alone to tell you.
17 While he was still speaking, there also came another and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands and swooped down upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and have killed the servants with the edge of the sword. And I only have escaped alone to tell you.
18 While he was still speaking, there also came another and said, Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house.
19 And, behold, a great wind came from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead. And I only have escaped alone to tell you.
20 And Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshiped.
21 And he said, I came naked out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.
22 In all this Job did not sin, nor charge God foolishly.
Look at verse one
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. And that man was perfect and upright, and one who feared God and turned aside from evil.
• Job was perfect
• Job was upright
• Job feared God
• Job turned aside from evil
What a marvellous man!
Look what happened to Job
12-19
Read it out.
How is Job going to respond to all this loss?
Look at verse 20-22
Job 1:20 And Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshiped.
21 And he said, I came naked out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.
22 In all this Job did not sin, nor charge God foolishly.
• Job tore his robe, his outward garment!
• Job shaved his head,
• Job fell down upon the ground and worshiped
• Job said Naked I came out of my mothers womb
• Job said Naked shall I return there
• The LORD gave
• The LORD has taken away
• Blessed be the name of the LORD
• Job in all this did not sin!
• Job in all this did not charge God foolishly
What a Marvellous man!
Let’s look at James 5:7
Jas 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
Look at verse 11
Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
• You have heard of the patience of Job
• You have seen the end of the LORD
• You have seen that the LORD is very pitiful
• You have seen that the LORD is of tender mercy
James has just condemned the rich lords in the first few verses and now exhorts the brethren.
Look at Verse 7
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waited for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
• Be patient Brethren until the coming of the LORD
Verse 8
8 Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh
• Be you also patient
• Take time to establish your hearts
• Why?
• The coming of the LORD draws near
•
Verse 9
9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
• Grudge not one against another
• Least you end up being condemned
• The judge stands ready before the door.
Verse 10
Jas 5:10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
• Take as your example brethren
• The prophets who have spoken in the name of the LORD
• Take them as examples of
• Suffering affliction
• Take them as examples of Patience
Verse 11
Jas 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
• Behold
• We count them happy who endure
• Those who by the lamp of God upon their head walk on through the darkness
• You have head of the patience of Job
• You have seen the end of the LORD with regard Job
• How the LORD was very pitiful
• How the LORD was of tender mercy
What a marvellous man.
Like Naomi, who said, ‘I went out full’, and ‘I am come home again empty’.
She like Job encountered many changes in her life, with great loss, and yet through it all Naomi came to fear God in a deeper way.
It is through loss, sometimes great loss that we learn deeply
It is through change and great change in our lives that we learn deeply
Ahead of us all is great change, and it may involve loss.
A sheep needing sheared of its winter wool and goes through much change in the process of sheering, but after the experience the sheep is grateful for the shepherd’s tender care. When the summer heat arrives how freely it can move and skip and enjoy what the shepherd has expertly prepared for.
Let me finish with this passage from Mark 8
Jesus is opening up his message to his disciples and introducing them to things they have never even thought of up to this point in their relationship with him.
Mr 8:31 And He began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32 And He spoke that saying openly. And Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him.
33 But when He had turned around and looked on His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Go behind Me, Satan! For you do not mind the things of God, but of the things of men.
34 And calling near the crowd with His disciples, He said to them, Whoever will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
35 For whoever will save his life shall lose it; but whoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel's, he shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 Therefore whoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man shall also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.
Look at verse 35
35 For whoever will save his life shall lose it; but whoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel's, he shall save it.
• If you try and save your life
• You will lose it
• But if you are willing to lose your life for Jesus sake
• And for the Gospel’s you will save it.
Be willing to suffer lose and you will get it back
Look at verse 34
34 And calling near the crowd with His disciples, He said to them, whoever will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
• If you want to come after Jesus
• You will have to deny yourself
• You will have to take up your cross
• And follow Him.
Look at verse 33
33 But when He had turned around and looked on His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Go behind Me, Satan! For you do not mind the things of God, but of the things of men.
• Jesus says to Peter
• Go behind Me, Satan!
• What was Peter doing
• Something very simple you would think
• He did not mind the things of God
• Instead you mind the things of Man
Peter was simply finding more tasty, the things of Men!
Let the things of God become tastier to you.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
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