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In the movie Fiddler On The Roof, Reb Tevye was heard to say, “Dear God, you made many, many poor people. I realize, of course, that it’s no great shame to be poor… but it’s no great honor either. So what would have been the difference if I had a small fortune?” If I were a rich man all day long if I were wealthy I wouldn’t have to work hard. If I were a rich man I’d build a big tall house with rooms by the dozen right in the middle of town. A fine tin roof with real wooden floors below. There would be one long staircase just going up and one even longer coming down. And one more leading nowhere, just for show. I’d fill my yard with chicks and turkeys and geese and ducks for the town to see and hear squawking just as noisily as can be. And each loud squawk would land like a trumpet on the ear as if to say, “Here lives a wealthy man.” If I were a rich man I wouldn’t have to work hard and I’d see my wife Golde, looking like a rich man’s wife with a proper double chin, supervising meals to her heart’s delight. I’d see her putting on airs and strutting like a peacock, OH what a happy mood she be in screaming at the servants day and night. And if I were a rich man the most important men in town will come to fawn on me. They will ask me to advise them, like a Solomon the Wise, “If you please, Reb Tevye?” If I were a rich man I’d have the time that I lack to sit in the synagogue and pray, and maybe have a seat by the Eastern wall and I’d discuss the learned books with the holy men seven hours a day, that would be the sweetest thing of all. If I were a rich man all day long I’d sing for if I were a wealthy man I wouldn’t have to work hard. Lord who made the lion and the lamb; you decreed I should be what I am. Would it spoil some vast, eternal plan, if I were a wealthy man? Job 1:1-5: There was a man in the land of Uz, named Job; and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God, and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. Job had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred she-asses, and very many servants; so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. His sons use to go and hold a feast of each on his day; and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and sanctify them, and Job would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings to the number of them all; for Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. Job was not only a wealthy man but Job was also tested and through no fault of his own, Job lost his wealth, his wife, his children and his health. From being the riches man around to being dirt poor with no one you love in your life anymore. Then to make it worse Job’s three good friends, Eliphaz the Temanite who was an older wiser man, Bildad the Shuhite (Shuhite is a descendant of an Arab tribe), and Zophar the Naamathite (Naamathite is one from the city of Naamar) sat with Job for seven days and nights sharing in his anguish. And the three of them saw that Job’s suffering was too great for words. Several weeks ago we learned Elijah lodged in his cave in fear and depression and I shared with you that “Attitude is your paintbrush, it colors every situation, to choose one’s own way.” In this mornings sermon text Eliphaz asked Job a question, Job 6:1-7: Then Job answered, “O that my vexation (my sadness) were weighed, and all my calamities laid in the balances! For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore my words have been rash. For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me. Does the wild ass bray (cry out loudly and harshly) when he has grass, or the ox low (moo) over his fodder? Can that which is tasteless be eaten without salt, or is there any taste in the slime of the purslane? (Purslane: a weed having small flowers, reddish stems and fleshy leaves that are used in salads) My appetite refuses to touch them; they are as food that is loathsome (disgusting) to me. Then Job cried out, Job 6:8-10 “O that I might have my request, and that God would grant my desire; that it would please God to crush me, that he would let loose his hand and cut me off! This would be my consolation; I would even exult in pain unsparing; for I have not denied the words of the Holy one. And Job asked and concluded, Job 6:11-13 What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is my end, that I should be patient? Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh bronze? In truth I have no help in me, and my resource is driven from me. Have you ever been there? You’ve done all the right things, surrounded yourself with the right people, lived your life in a Godly manner so as to be an example to those around you? Then all hell breaks loose and you lose everything and in desperation you cry out, GOD WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I DON’T KNOW HOW I KEEP ON GOING, WHAT MAKES ME TICK BUT I HAVE NOTHING LEFT IN ME TO GIVE. I AM MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY, SPIRITUALLY, PHYSICALLY WASTED!! WHERE ARE YOU GOD? Job’s friends believed Job was suffering and their reasoning was because, a.)Job had sinned, and he needed to go to God and present what he had done to God, b.) Job won’t admit he sinned, so he still suffers, and how long are you going to continue like this? c.) Job’s sin deserves even more suffering than what he is enduring and he needs to get rid of his sin. d.) Job needs to be content in his suffering even though he doesn’t know why he was suffering and could not explain the pain thus Job needs to quit arguing with God. If you are where Job has been in his life know that it is easy for a friend to be an armchair quarterback and to second guess the calls. It is another thing to live on the frontlines first hand. It is easy to trust in God when life is going well. It is when life is difficult, a living hell, that trusting in God can be difficult. For in his grief Job wanted to give up, in his grief did you notice a common theme? in Job 6: 1-10, Job was mad at God, asking God why did this have to happen to me, blaming God for poisoning him and causing him pain? In his grief Job wanted to give in, to be freed from his discomfort, and to die. And Job’s friends in trying to be loyal gave him useless advice. …Sound familiar? What do you do when you are like Job? Where and who do you turn to in your life? What do you do with your bitterness and anger? For even Job needed to make some changes in his attitude toward God. For the first six books of Job are Job being tested, questioned by his friends and replying to their questioning. Sometimes we have to go through a storm and in traveling through the fury of the storm we see what we are made of, what we need to work on. And when we look back on our life, how far we’ve come. For to trust God during the good times is a piece of cake, but to trust God during the tough times in our lives quite often tests us to the limit and exercises our faith. Exercises our faith to come to realize the truth of what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, Romans 8:28, We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. God who in His wisdom came to earth in the form of a baby boy named Jesus who grew into a man and on the night of His betrayal Jesus sat in the Upper Room with His disciples and…. Jesus took the bread, blessed it, and broke it saying to His disciples, “This is my body broken for you; eat this often in remembrance of me.” And after supper Jesus took the cup, blessed it and said, “This is my blood of the New Covenant shed for the forgiveness of the sins of many. Drink this often in remembrance of me. The Table of the Lord has been set and all are welcome to come, receive, the body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You know what really bothers me? Some Christians are more devoted to Dear Abby, their horoscope and sports, than their loyalty to being a follower of Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. We may not be millionaires in this world and our bodies may not be made of bronze but we are not helpless with no chance of success. There’s no doubt about it, Job made it, and we can make it when we go through turmoil and hardships in our lives. We can become stronger and an instrument of faith and hope for one who is going through where we have been. In the words of the Psalmist David, Psalm 30, which consists of four parts that go from looking death in the face to having life and praising God. LISTEN TO THE PRAISE AND THANKS: Psalm 30:1-5, I will extol thee, O LORD, for thou hast drawn me up, and hast not let my foes rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried to thee for help, and thou hast healed me. O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from hell, resorted me to life from among those gone down to the Pit. Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, and his favor, is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF STRENGTH: Psalm 30: 6-7, As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.” By thy favor, O LORD, thou hadst established me as a strong mountain; thou didst hide thy face, I was dismayed. LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF A CRY FOR HELP: Psalm 30:8-10, To thee, O LORD, I cried; and to the Lord I made supplication: “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise thee? Will it tell of thy faithfulness? Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me! O LORD, and be gracious to me! O LORD, be thou my helper!” LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF REJOICING FOR WHAT GOD HAS DONE: Psalm 30: 11-13, Thou hast turned for me my mourning to dancing; thou hast loosened my sackcloth and girded me with thy gladness, that my soul may praise thee and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to thee forever. Let us pray, Through it all, through it all, I’ve come to trust in Jesus, I’ve come to trust in God. Thank you God for always being there. Amen |
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