Pastor Sam Chess

Trouble in the land of Oz…..make that Uz

Introduction: So many of you in this body are going through so much! Let me offer again a statement I made last Sunday:

If I’ve learned one thing in 48 years it’s that God tends to think on a much higher plane than I do . What I think God should do, in a given situation, is often not what God does….

Tuesday morning, in my Bible reading I came across this passage:

Isaiah 55:6-9 (NIV) 6 Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Let me finish the quote from last week

If I’ve learned one thing in 48 years it’s that God tends to think on a much higher plane than I do . What I think God should do, in a given situation, is often not what God does….but later I discover that the way God acted was right and the way I wanted things done was not. In fact, there’s quite a pattern there….. I have yet to see God’s way of doing things fail to ultimately achieve eternal results and my plans have fallen flat over and over and over.

I came across another example, this week, that will help us understand God’s mind. This one is even more familiar than last weeks example of Naaman. This Biblical character’s life fell apart over night. I imagine his story has directly affected may of you at some time in your life because…..many of us, in the winter of our lives have strangely found ourselves drawn to the book that bears his name…….. How many of you, at some dark, cold juncture of your life, have found yourself reading through the example of Job in the Bible?

I. Trouble in the land of Oz…..make that Uz

A) A Snapshot of Tranquility.

Job 1:1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East. 4 His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's regular custom.

B) Why bad things happen to good people

Picture Job’s life as two stages, one above the other. The life of Job is unfolding on the lower stage. All the pieces of his life have come together to produce a satisfying time. But above him on another stage is another part of his life playing out as well. He is very familiar with what is happening on the lower stage. He is unfamiliar with what is happening on the upper stage. But the story unfolding on the upper stage seems to totally control what Job is calling reality.

Lillian Carmine spend months preparing to be part of a dance production last weekend. The evening before the production started, while practicing for the next nights opening, she feel and shattered her wrist and broke out her teeth. Her response was: I guess this is what was supposed to be… I wasn’t supposed to be in the production. An unbeliever might say, she had experienced “bad luck”, karma didn’t smile on her, her planets didn’t quite line up.

Lillian saw her life experience as the product of two stages. One that was happening here on this earth and one that was happening somewhere in the heavens. The stage in the heavenlies actually determined the outcome here on earth.

Let’s look in on Job’s upper stage:

6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." 8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."

9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."

There is some seriously deep theology that unfolds here and the answers may not be as simple as they seem. Job is blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.

Satan’s questions are actually extremely good one’s and the answers are not a given.

Satan says; I understand Job is blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil….

But the reason he is, is because he is wallowing in your blessings.

He loves you alright, like a kid loves the ice cream man…… When I was a little boy, there was a man in our church who always brought pieces of candy in his pocket. I would go running up to this man every church service…. I loved that man… or did I. (The same man put on a rubber mask one day and scared me so bad I couldn’t sleep alone in my room for weeks.) I didn’t love the man as much as I loved what he could give me.

Last week I spent time around other ministers and several times I heard the theme repeated that God didn’t want any Christian to be poor. If you are in relationship with God, his great plan for your life is to pour riches and wealth into your life. Some of the people are people a like a great deal... One of the guys said, If you are honoring God with your wealth, He doesn’t care what color your Bentley is!

I couldn’t help but think of the people we are trying to help in Africa and Jamaica. I get stuck on how much of eternal value could happen with the price of one Bentley. In fact, I can’t imagine stuffing myself into the little church we just built in Fumbisi, Ghana where the people have one set of clothes and struggle everyday to get food to eat and tell them that the sign of God’s blessing in their lives will be the outpouring of material wealth. Some of those people are far more committed to Christ than some Christians here in the states and they may never own a bicycle, let alone a Bentley. Oh well…….

Satan’s question is very valid. Isn’t Job serving you for what you can give him. When Job thinks of you, God, he is hearing the jingle of the ice cream truck. If you shut off the tap to Job he would drop you like a hot rock. We know, from reading the Bible that Job was deeper than that but satan has a fair assessment of the human condition.

Do you realize how narrow the line is between being thankful for the good things God allows in our lives and being devoted to him because of those good things. Do we all understand how easy it is to slip over the line where

We value God more for what he can give us, than for who he is…

I have had people over the years tell me that they enjoy coming to church because they always feel better when they leave. I’m glad that’s true but let me caution you.. The kid leaving the ice cream truck, licking his orange rocket, also feels good. Many Christians in this world, I’m afraid, are caught in the trap of going to church to receive an emotional high from God that has very little to do with giving worship to God with their whole lives throughout the rest of the week.

The decision to serve God has more to do with what we are prepared to give Him of ourselves than with what we expect Him to give us in return.

Satan speculated that Job’s priorities were out of wack:

9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."

II. Answering the Big Question:

A) Can/will a human hold on to God in the face of suffering?

B) Suffering exposes the depth of one’s commitment!

12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Notice:

1) satan could not touch Job without God’s permission

2) satan was limited to only what God allowed him to do

3) When the trouble finally came, it was at satan’s hand, not God’s

4) Job wasn’t headed for an “ice cream truck’ experiance

Here’s how satan’s attack unfolded:

13 One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" 16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" 20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head.

Remember, you know what was happening on the heavenly stage of Job’s life. You know his experience was just a test. He did not! All he knew was that in the space of a few hours he lost his livestock, his wealth, his servants, and finally his children. He is overwhelmed with grief… that’s what the tearing robe and the shaved head are all about. ( I’m sure there was a lot of emotional response that’s not recorded.

Application:

I’ve read this many times…and this is where Job starts to outstrip me…. His first response to God during his life traumas was to______________________?

20b Then he fell to the ground in worship!

21 and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."

Watch this…. This is really amazing

22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

I’ll be honest with you. If my life struggles were put up on this screen and my reactions to them were listed I don’t know if you would see:

1) Sam fell to the ground…. Sam fell to the ground in worship

2) Sam declared that he came with only his skin and if he left with considerably more skin… that would be ample reason to praise the Lord’s name.

3) In all Sam’s troubles, he didn’t ever accuse God of mistreating him… of giving preference to other’s who, quite honestly, weren’t nearly as committed as he was?

C) Job’s Multiplying Troubles

When I think of Job I often think that after the death of his kids his troubles, were reversed a he and Mrs. Job lived happily ever after. Not so! We don’t know how long…how many years he lived with his life in tatters. We are only allowed another view when the players return to the upper heavenly stage:

Job 2 1 On another day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."

3 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason."

This is probably one of the highest compliments God could ever pay a human being.

1) Fears God____________________________________________________

2) Shuns evil____________________________________________________

3) Blameless____________________________________________________

4) Upright______________________________________________________

5) Maintains integrity even with satan throwing all his darts one after another!

4 "Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. 5 But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face." 6 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life." 7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.

Mrs. Job weighed in:

9 His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

With all due respect, Mrs. Job had also lost everything. She had just suffered the loss of all her children, as well. All she has to look forward to is a lonely life of poverty taking care of a horribly diseased husband. Still, the curse God and die thing really wasn’t in the “blameless and upright” class.

It will probably encourage you to know that Job was not superhuman….he is starting to struggle here….

10 He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"

Then comes the wonderful phrase: In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

Notice: No falling to the ground in worship…Maybe his shriveled up body was already there… No bold statement about leaving life with just his skin…

Maybe more importantly…where before we are told that Job did not sin… now we read:

Job did not sin in what he said.

He quickly gets by that… His three friend show up and sit with him for seven days in silence. Then Job starts to spew….twenty eight chapters of bitterness, anger, confusion, and grief directed at God.

His friend get in the act with a warped theology of retribution (the same one that still fills our churches today. “Goodness results in prosperity and blessing, and wickedness results in suffering. When you are at the top of your game you are enjoying the presence of God and when you are suffering God has left you…. Absolute nonsense.

There are a whole lot of people, in this world, for whom everything seems to be going right and it’s not because of their deep commitment to God…and there are a lot of people suffering horribly who are completely sold out to God.

God finally begins to speak back to Job… and his answer is not a sweet, and gooey, and compassionate. He talks of pouring out rain on wastelands where no one lives, and creating wild oxen and donkey that will never be hooked to a plow and making the hippopotamus which really serves no purpose at all…. He’s trying to get Job to see that he pours out himself in the universe in uncontrollable generosity.

The pain, Job…is not going to last forever!!! I’m the kind of God that is worth staying close to….don’t doubt my love for you, my care for you.. Just because things have not gone the way you thought they would.

Notice: God never tells Job about the upper stage in the heavenlies. Job died never fully understanding what he had gone through.

Didn’t God owe Job and explanation? Doesn’t God owe it to you to detail to you why you had to go through the things you have experienced? No!!! Eventually Job didn’t think so either….

Job 42 1 Then Job replied to the LORD : 2 "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. 3bSurely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. 5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.!