The Patience of Job

TEXT:  Job 1:20-22;  James 5:11

INTRODUCTION:

A.    JOB WAS BLESSED (Job 1:1-3).

B.    TROUBLE CAME ALL AT ONCE (Job 1:13-19).

C.    HE SUFFERED, SOMETIMES DOUBTED, AND CURSED THE DAY HE

        WAS BORN, BUT HE WOULD NOT CURSE GOD (Job 3:1, 11-13).

I.     WHY DID JOB SUFFER?

A.    HIS 3 FRIENDS THOUGHT THE ANSWER WAS TO BE FOUND IN JOB’S

        OWN SINFULNESS (Job 15:13-16;  8:6;  11:1-6, 20).

B.    THIS SAME THINKING WAS SEEN IN JESUS’ DISCIPLES (John 9:1), and

        sometimes in us (1 Cor. 13:4-7).

C.    JOB HAD NO ANSWER FOR HE WAS UNAWARE OF SATAN’S

        CHALLENGE BEFORE GOD (Job 1:6-11;  2:3-5).

II.    JOB CORRECTLY SOUGHT THE ANSWER FROM GOD

(Job 22:21-23).

A.    ASAPH HAD LIKEWISE BEEN CLOSE TO FALLING BUT TURNED TO

        GOD    (Psa. 73:2-3, 16-17).

B.    JOB WAS CONFINDENT THAT AN AUDIENCE WITH GOD WOULD

        VINDICATE HIM, BUT NOT FINDING GOD, JOB FALSELY CHARGE

        GOD  (Job 23:3, 6, 10, 8-9;  30:20-21).

III.   GOD PROVIDED JOB WITH AN ANSWER

      (Job 38:1-7;  40:1-2, 8).

A.    JOB REALIZED HIS ERROR AND REPENTED (Job 40:3-4,  42:1-6).

B.    GOD BLESSED JOB EVEN MORE THAN BEFORE (Job 42:12-13, 16-17).

IV.  LESSONS LEARNED FROM JOB.

A.    BE CAUTIOUS AND LOVING IN ASSESSING THE SUFFERING OF

        OTHERS (Matt. 7:12;  1 Cor. 13:4-7)

B.    NEVER ALLOW PHYSICAL BLESSING TO BECOME OUR REASON

        FOR LIVING OR SERVICE (1 Tim. 6:6-8;  2 Cor. 4:16 – 5:1;  Matt. 6:33).

C.    REALIZE SATAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TEMPTATION IN

        SUFFERING (Job 1:7;  James 1:13).

D.    ALWAYS GO TO GOD, NOT FROM HIM WHEN TROUBLED

        (Psa. 73:16-17;  1 Pet. 5:7).

E.    REGARDLESS OF CIRCUMSTANCE, ALWAYS TRUST GOD

        (Hab. 2:4;  Rev. 2:10).

CONCLUSION:  OUR SUFFERING AND TRIALS ARE TESTS

      WHICH PREPARE US FOR GREATER BLESSINGS!

(James 1:3;  1 Pet. 1:6-7;  Job 23:10)

James 1:12