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The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to
observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to
the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19,20).
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February 28, 2010
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Contents:
1) Why Do You Serve God? (David West)
2) News & Notes
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-1-
Why Do You Serve God?
by David West
Do you desire the GIFTS or the GIVER? What circumstances in life could
destroy your faith? Loss of wealth? Death of loved ones? Poor health?
In His wise providence, Jehovah has preserved the account of a man who
wrestled successfully with these issues. His name is Job. His story is
in the book that bears his name.
What do you know about Job? Most people know he had boils and was
patient. But, there is far more to his story. Many believe that Job was
written to explain why we suffer. But, Job will disappoint those who
study him with this objective. Yes, suffering is a prominent theme in
the book. But, it is not the central issue.
Job is about faith. It is the story of a man chosen to experience a
devastating trial of his faith. Briefly, in chapters 1-2, heaven's
curtain is raised to give us a glimpse behind the scenes. We, as
readers, are entrusted with information hidden from the actors. They
must play their roles in this drama without insight that could
radically affect the nature of their responses. Yet, it is important
that they be deprived of it.
Job is the greatest man of his time. Wealthy and influential, he is
also godly and righteous. Jehovah is proud of his servant and brags on
him to Satan. "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one
like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and
turning away from evil" (Job 1:8).
Satan's slanderous response contends that the only reason Job (or
anyone else for that matter) serves Jehovah is because they are bribed
to do so by gifts (1:9-10). Take away the gifts and he will curse the
Giver (1:11). God's reputation hangs in the balance. Is He worthy
simply because of who He is? Or must He pay us to serve Him?
God accepts this blasphemous challenge. He honors Job by selecting him
as His personal representative in this test case. Job's response will
either vindicate God or add credence to Satan's insult. For the test to
be valid, Job cannot be told of the contest or his role in it.
Satan is given permission to strip Job of his possessions, but not to
touch him. One day, servant after servant comes into the presence of
Job delivering, with lightning speed and sledgehammer blows, the tragic
news of the loss of all his possessions and, worst of all, his ten
children. Bankrupt and childless all in the same day, Job falls on his
face in grief, not to curse, but to worship. "Naked I came from my
mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the
Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord" (1:20-21). Job
didn't curse or charge God with wrongdoing. Jehovah's reputation
remained intact.
As we are allowed another peek behind heaven's curtain, we find Jehovah
again bragging on Job to Satan. "Have you considered My servant
Job? For there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright
man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his
integrity, although you incited Me against him, to ruin him without
cause" (2:3).
Satan is still unconvinced. The first test wasn't tough enough. If only
he could attack Job's body, he could prove his charge. That would make
Job quit. The enemy is granted permission to take Job's health, but not
his life.
Job quickly finds his body racked with excruciating pain. Boils cover
him from head to foot. He rejects his wife's urgings to give up on God
and be through with Him. He tells her that such talk is foolish. "Shall
we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity" (2:10). Rather
than pushing God away, Job clings tighter.
When news of Job's tragic circumstances reaches his friends (Eliphaz,
Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu), they come to comfort him. Their comfort
soon degenerates into bitter debate and insult. They contend that God
follows strict rules in governing this world. They say that God rewards
good behavior and punishes wicked. They are convinced (as are so many
of us today) that a man's standing with God can be discerned by
observing his physical circumstances. Judging from Job's current
plight, it was obvious to them that he was a vile sinner. If he
would only confess his sin, God could again bless him.
The central part of the book (chapters 4-34) contains three rounds of
debate between Job and three of his friends. It ends in an exasperating
stalemate (32:1). Each, in turn, accuses him of terrible sins. Job
steadfastly maintains his innocence. He knows he has done nothing to
deserve what he is experiencing.
The fourth friend, Elihu, finally breaks his silence (chapters 32-37)
leveling angry accusations at everyone (32:2-3). He accuses the friends
of continuing to condemn Job when they cannot answer his
objections. Later, God will say that these men have not spoken
the truth about Him as Job has (42:7-8). (Yet, men today continue to
use their arguments in discussions about suffering, as though this is
what the Bible teaches about why men suffer!)
Elihu says that Job is so determined to exonerate himself that he is
willing to accuse God of wrongdoing (34:5,6; 35:1-3). He contends that
there are other purposes for suffering besides punishment of the
wicked. Though he comes closer to telling the truth than the others, I
do not believe that even he discovered the real lesson God wants us to
learn.
The stumbling block impending the arguments of each of these men was
their lack of ALL the facts. They are unaware of the contest. Here is a
drama within a drama. Job thinks God is on trial. (Can He justify
Himself in the eyes of Job? Can He give good and sufficient reasons for
how He is dealing with Job? Can Job continue to believe in God's
goodness?)
But, we know there is something bigger going on. When Job shouts,
"Why me? What have I done?", we want to shout back, "Nothing! This
isn't punishment."
We know that it is really Job who is on trial. The issue is not "why
does God allow me to suffer?", but, "what will Job do when he loses
every reason to believe in God's goodness?"
Job desperately wants answers to his questions (as do we when faced
with suffering). Oh, for his day in court. He would ask hard questions
and demand that God answer and explain. We often believe that if God
would just appear and tell us "why" we are suffering, we could endure
it.
Eventually Jehovah does appear, but not to answer Job's questions.
Instead, by means of a science quiz (chapters 38-39), Job becomes
convinced that his knowledge of the physical universe is so inadequate
that he is certainly in no position to sit in judgment on God or to
fairly evaluate how well He is running the moral universe. (If God were
to appear to us in the midst of our sufferings, might He not do the
same with us?)
The lesson Job needed to learn (as do we) was that man just doesn't
have ALL the facts. We are in no position to put God on trial. Job
agrees to shut up. "Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to
Thee? I lay my hand on my mouth. Once I have spoken, and I will not
answer; even twice, and I will add no more" (40:3-5).
However, God isn't interested in Job's SILENCE. He wants his TRUST. In
chapters 40-41, He tells Job of Behemoth (hippopotamus?) and Leviathan
(crocodile?). If Job would not dare challenge these (who are mere
creatures), why will he challenge their Maker? God controls the
universe and is doing a good job of running it despite what we may
sometimes think.
Job is never given an explanation for his suffering. He is never
told why these things happened. Yet, he goes away satisfied. He decides
that he will continue to serve God despite his circumstances. He will
continue to trust Him even when there seems to be no reason to (and
perhaps even good reasons not to).
He thus, disproves Satan's slanderous charge, and brings well-deserved
glory to the name of the Lord. "I know that Thou canst do all things,
and that no purpose of Thine can be thwarted. Who is this that hides
counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have declared that which I did
not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
'Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask you, and you instruct Me. ' I
heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees Thee;
Therefore, I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes" (42:2-6).
God is more concerned with Job's trust than his pleasure. We are not
here on earth to have fun. We are here to learn to trust God and desire
Him above all else (Ps. 73:25-28). Whenever tragedy comes into our
lives, our reaction reveals our motive in serving God. It either shows
that our real interest is in Him or that our real interest is in what
He gives us.
Is He worthy of our praise and worship even without His gifts? The
issue here is bigger than the nature of "suffering." It is the issue of
"faith." Your reaction to adversity reveals whether you agree with Job
or with Satan. "I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised ... "
(Ps. 18:3). Why do you serve God?
-- Via Searching the Scriptures, April 1992, Volume 33, Number 4
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-2-
News & Notes
I have a few of my sermons in MP3 format at my website. If you
would like to hear any of them, here is their link:
http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/audioser.html
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel,
for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the
deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins
(Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ
(Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water
for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4;
Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith;
for,
if
not,
salvation
can
be
lost
(Heb.
10:36-39;
Rev.
2:10;
2
Pet.
2:20-22).
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CHURCH OF CHRIST
201 Rushing Road (at the Hampton Inn), Denham Springs, Louisiana
70726
Sunday services: 9:15 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 4 PM (worship)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520
tedwards1109@gmail.com
http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go
Directions:
Take the Denham Springs exit (exit 10) off of I-12. At the end of
the exit ramp, turn north. Go about a stone's throw to Rushing
Road. (You'll see a Starbucks, Circle K, and two other gas
stations; with each on each corner.) Turn left on Rushing Road,
and go less then 0.3 of a mile. Hampton Inn will be on the
right. We assemble in its meeting room, which is very close to
the reception counter.
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