Good morning everyone. It is
good to be here. Let's go ahead and get started
on our lesson this morning. If you would, turn to the book
of Job. The book of Job. And actually
turn to chapter 42. Job chapter 42, but before I read anything there, Let me just say this morning
that the book of Job broaches many complex issues, things that
our natural minds cannot grasp, and things that even our spiritual
minds have trouble placing together on an equal level. Because truly
our God's thoughts are far above our thoughts and His ways above
our ways. For instance, think about Job
chapter 1. Satan in the very presence of
God. I can't answer that. Satan in
the very presence of God. Another thing there. God is the
one who actually brought up the subject of Job. Satan knew he couldn't touch
Job because God had put a hedge about Job. And God is the one
who brought up Job to Satan. That's beyond my comprehension.
Not only that, but we also see that God suffered Satan to bring
about natural disaster, theft, murder, even what we would today
call terrorism, and even the death of all of Job's children. That's some complex issues, isn't
it? That's some facts that if you
were to try to explain that to someone you know that does not
know the Christ of God, you'd be hard pressed to put all of
this on an equal level, would you not? They would look at you
with a jaundiced eye. What kind of God do you have?
Well, our God is the God of heaven and earth. He's the God of Abraham,
Isaac and of Jacob. And then think about this in
our lesson. That's just chapter 1. That's
just chapter 1. And as I think about these things,
I thought, well, certainly if I was just reading that, John,
just reading chapter 1, my mind thinks to myself, well, certainly
now God will reinstate the hedge about Job. Right? Certainly. I mean, think of this. what the
calamities that had happened and all of Job's children dying. But no, now Job is smitten with
bulls from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. And
then on top of that, his wife turns on him. And anyone here
that's married knows what that's like. When spouses are at odds,
there is no peace in the soul apart from Jesus Christ in that
Esther. That's just chapter 2 out of
42 chapters. And then Job has three friends
to come visit him and they are friends. If you look at the end
of the book, you see Job cares about his friends. But at one
point, he's forced to call them miserable comforters. But let me just give you three
insights this morning as a lesson here. Think of this. Here's number
one. Let us all beware of materialistic
religions' reasonings as to the purpose of the book of Job. You're
in chapter 42, I suppose. And if you look at the last several
verses, you will find that Job received twice as much from the
Lord. Materialistic religion zeroes
in on that. They think the whole purpose,
maybe not all, but many probably think the whole purpose of the
book of Job The whole purpose of Job's suffering is so Job
could have more in the latter end than he had in the beginning.
But there's one great fallacy with that. Granted, it's in the
Scripture, but God doesn't promise that to everyone who suffers.
But even more than that, let me just give you one example.
Which one of you here this morning has a child and you would be
willing and lovingly wait for God to kill that child just so
you could have two more. It doesn't work that way, does
it? So remember, let us beware of
materialistic religions' reasonings as to this book's purpose. Here's
the second insight. God, that is the God of heaven
and earth, That is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That
is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is not
subject to man nor Satan's will or even our rebellion. He is in absolute control of
it all. You cannot read the book of Job
and not see that unless you are absolutely blinded to the truth
of God as it is in Christ Jesus. That's the second insight. But here's the third, and this
is what I will speak mainly on or teach mainly on for our Bible
lesson this morning. Number three, there are two things
which every believer is brought to acknowledge by experience."
There are two things as stated by Job in
Job chapter 42, that every believer, let me say it again, that every
believer is brought to acknowledge by experience. These two reasons are the purpose
of the whole book of Job. And this is not my reasoning.
This is not me coming up with this. This is what Job states.
This is the whole reason for the purpose of the book of Job.
It's the whole reason for Job's actual sufferings. Remember,
this man was real. He truly existed. And we're real. We exist. We have pains and troubles
that come upon us from God Almighty that bring us into the dust in
sorrow and heartache and turmoil. But yet, those things are the
very purpose of our God. These two things that I'm going
to give you this morning in our lesson are the purpose of God
for every believer in every circumstance of life. In other words, why
does this happen to me? We generally want particular
details, you know. Why did my car have a flat? Because
you ran over a nail. That's simple enough. But that
nail was in the road by the hand of a sovereign God. Why did I lose a child? Because
God Almighty ordained it so. But let us read what Job said. Job chapter 42. Then Job answered
the Lord and said, remember Job, if you look at the preceding
few chapters, you find out God Almighty speaking. But it said,
then Job answered the Lord and said, I know that thou canst
do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore
have I uttered that I understood not things too wonderful for
me, which I knew not. Here I beseech thee and I will
speak, I will demand." And that could be unfortunate for some
folks because the old English word demand is not what we think
of demand today. No one demands of God anything.
It simply means to inquire or to request. I will demand of
thee and declare thou unto me. Now listen to this, I have heard
of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore, I abhor myself and
repent in dust and ashes." I have just read to us the two
reasons why every circumstance that comes upon you, here's two
reasons why those circumstances come upon us as they do. Number
one, As we can see in verse 1 and 2, it is to cause us to continually
acknowledge that God is absolutely sovereign in all things. Job answered and said, and what
did he say? I know. He didn't say, I can
explain how this is all so. But he says, I know it's so. Just as the Apostle Paul, I'm
sure you're aware of it, in Romans chapter 8 says, and we know that
all things work together for good. We don't understand how
they all work together for good, but we know they do. Job says,
I know that thou canst do everything. And think about it, not just
no deed can be withholden from thee, but he says, and that no
thought can be withholden from thee. Everything that you and
I experience as believers is to constantly affirm to us in
our experience, in our everyday circumstances of life, it is
to confirm to us over and over and over again that our God is
absolutely sovereign in all things. We know He's holy, but we don't
comprehend the depth of that holiness and the height of that
holiness. We know He's sovereign, but we
kick and fight against it. That's what we do. But here is
the second thing, that every believer is brought to acknowledge
by experience, I hate myself and I repent before God. You
see that? Everything we experience in this
life is so that we will grow, but never grow above those two
things. We can never grow beyond those two things. If we ever
think I'm beyond those two things, we've missed it. And God's going
to teach us again so that we'll get it again. Our God is absolutely
sovereign in all things. And I hate myself. Now I realize that is probably
not what you are to teach to people in this day and age. You
understand that. Some of the younger people here,
you probably hear people just bragging how you're supposed
to brag about yourself. They don't get it. They don't
get it. This man Job, whom God said is
an upright man, he eschews evil. And this man says, I hate myself.
He said, I hate myself and I repent in dust and ashes. Job acknowledges
this experience by this statement. Let me read that statement again.
I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now, you see
that? But now mine eye, notice it's
singular, it's not my eyes. Job has not seen some great vision. No, he says, but now mine eye
seeth Who? Thee. So Job acknowledges this
as his experience. This is not something ocular,
that's this, compared to audio or versus audio, that's this. In other words, it's not merely
something physiological that Job experienced, though it does
reach within the physiological parameters of us as human beings. God's made us with five senses.
But it's far more than physiological. It's spiritual. But spiritual doesn't mean not
real. Spiritual is just as real as
the material. The spiritual is just not seen
as the material. We are made up of body, soul,
and spirit. Some argue it maybe should be
just body and soul or whatever, and I'm not here to argue for
or against that so much this morning. But we are made up of
immaterial being and material being. And everything we experience,
we experience through our immaterial being, but we also experience
it in our in our material being rather, but we experience it
also in our immaterial being. We are not whole apart from having
our material part and our immaterial part. Now, I probably convoluted
that sound. But in other words, let me sum
this up in our lesson. Job acknowledges That what we
hear by faith, because that's what he's talking about, I've
heard of thee by the hearing of my ear. He doesn't just mean I've heard
a message. I've heard somebody preach the gospel, he means I
have heard the message. You know what I'm saying? I've
really heard it. Now yes, he probably heard it.
There are those who can't physically hear, but God still has ordained
ways for them to hear it. You understand what I'm saying?
Braille for a blind person. You know, whatever it might be.
But still, I've heard of thee with the hearing of mine ear,
but now mine eye seeth thee. So Job acknowledges that what
we hear by faith in the gospel is confirmed and heightened by
faith as we experience God's sovereignty in our everyday life
circumstances. This thing of God's sovereignty
is not just what we believe. It's one who we believe. We don't just believe in the
sovereignty of God. We do believe in the sovereignty
of God, but we believe God who is sovereign. but we also experience the sovereignty
of God. This is not just some theory
we hold to, but it's something that's real in our everyday life
circumstances. Now, I'll give you three quick
points and then a summary for our lesson this morning. Number
one, believing God as we hear the Gospel preached, is vital? Absolutely vital. And it's the first manifestation
of saving faith. You can go back and read Romans
10, verses 13-17. Whosoever calls upon the name
of the Lord shall be saved. But that doesn't mean that someone
can just verbally say, Jesus, and everything's okay. They cannot
call on Him in whom they've not believed. And they can't believe
in Him unless they first hear of Him. And they can't hear of
Him unless they hear someone preach about Him. And you can't
preach about Him unless God sends someone to preach about Him.
So it's summed up as faith cometh, but in what way? Faith doesn't
come into existence by hearing. Faith is a quality of God alone. It's said to be a fruit of the
Spirit. Faith is as eternal as God is. But for us, it starts
when we hear the Gospel. Do you see what I'm saying? For
us, faith starts when we hear the Gospel. But as I said, believing
as we hear the Gospel preached is vital in the first manifestation
of saving faith. I've heard of Thee by the hearing
of mine ear. This cannot be bypassed. You
don't go straight to experience. You want to hear God's truth
first. He's going to convert you by the preaching of the gospel
first before anything else takes place. Any experience you had
before that is of no value. Don't lay any weight in it. Don't
hope in it. Don't rest in it. It's of no
value. I've heard of thee by the hearing
of my ear first. And remember, that cannot be
bypassed. But saving faith is not in an audiological vacuum. If it was, then all we needed
to do was come here every once in a while, listen to some CDs,
stay at home and everything would be fine, wouldn't it? It doesn't
work that way, does it? Saving faith is not in an audiological
vacuum. That's why I give you number
two. As we experience God's sovereign majesty in the evils that God
brings upon us, and if you look at verse 11, chapter 42, you'll
see it says, God brought this evil. Satan was only a secondary
cause, God is the first cause of everything. So I say as we experience God's
sovereign majesty and the evils that God brings upon us, this
saving faith is confirmed and heightened by the experience
that we go through. And listen to what Paul says,
and let me just read it to you. Turn to Romans 5 if you want
to read along with me. This is not my opinion about
this, this is what the book teaches us. Romans 5 verse 1, Therefore
being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ. And that's where it starts. As
I said, that's where it starts. I'm sorry, verse 2, By whom also
we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and
rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so. Do you see that? It's not just,
well, all I've got to do is this here, here, here. You're going
to experience God's sovereignty in your everyday life. In the
very circumstances that you go through, and not maybe one or
two, but every single one of them. And not just the good ones. but the bad ones as well. But
look, and not only so, but we glory in tribulations also. I don't know that Paul or any
of us would say that right up front. It's only once we get
to one of the end of these experiences where we say, I've heard of you
by the hearing of mine ear, but now mine eye sees thee. Then
we say, now I glory in that. Paul is not talking about some
kind of morbid faith where you enjoy trouble. That's not what
he's talking about. But he does say, and not only so, and here's
why, but we glory in tribulations also. Now here's why. Knowing
that tribulation worketh patience. And remember Job is called one
of the patient ones. James mentioned the patience
of Job. I read Job and I wonder how much
patience he had, but God said he had it. And that's what matters,
not what I can see. Not what I see in me, not what
I see in you. Not what you see in me, not what you see in you,
but what God sees. And any patience you've got is
because God's putting you through this. Not only so, but with glory
and tribulations also, knowing that tribulation works as patience.
And patience, what? Experience. And experience works,
what? Hope. And hope makes not ashamed. I'm not ashamed of anything God
Almighty's ever done to me. I've been ashamed of myself sometimes
and the way I've reacted under the way some things He's done
to me. I've never been ashamed of anything
God Almighty's done to me. And look, why? Because the love
of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which
is given to us. So again, I say that as we experience
God's sovereign majesty and the evils God brings upon us, this
saving faith is confirmed and heightened by the very circumstances
that we go to in life. As Job said, I've heard of you
with the hearing in my ear, but now mine eye sees thee. You put me through this to teach
me this lesson for real. And this is why I give the third
point. This kind of faith is not in a theological vacuum either. It's not just this is the way
we believe. John Davis, this is the way God
forces me to live every day by faith. He forces me to. I wouldn't do it otherwise. I
wouldn't do it otherwise. Saving faith, here's the third
thing. Saving faith is accompanied by self-abhorrence. Always. If you really believe God, you're
going to hate yourself. And when God continually shows you who
He is, you're going to continually hate yourself. Because you, along
with Job, will sometimes find yourself trying to justify yourself.
Now granted, a lot of what Job said was because of his three
miserable comforters, but Job tried to brag about himself.
Now if God wants to brag about me, that's His business, but
I've got no right to brag about me at all. But if anything God
boasts concerning me is because He worked it in me both to will
and to do of His good pleasure, He gets the credit for it. He's
just bragging about me as just a clay pot that He put something
of great worth in. So again, saving faith is accompanied
by self-abhorrence. What did Paul say even as he
was writing the inspired Word of God? It's what we have in
chapter 7 and verse 24 of Romans. He said, O wretched man that
I am. While he was writing inspired
words, That doesn't confuse me. I can
relate to that. Not the inspired words, mind
you, but the old wretched man that I am. What did Paul say
in Philippians 3 verses 1 through 3? For the sake of time, I'll
sum it up this way. We rejoice in Christ Jesus and
we have no confidence in the flesh. But we learn that by experience. Because each and every one of
us knows there's time when we bragged on our flesh, haven't
we? We will. That's why God constantly
keeps teaching us these lessons over and over. So let me sum
this up. Then we can take us a break.
Human religious faith. And there is a difference between
human religious faith and the faith of God's elect. There's
a big difference. Human religious faith bucks and
kicks and mocks and denies what it hears and sees. Doesn't it? It always does. It did in me
before God Almighty laid hold of me by His grace. I was religious
for years. Made my profession of faith.
Walked the aisle. Prayed the prayer. Was baptized. Passed
out Bible tracts trying to win folks' souls. And I'm told I
did that when I was six and seven years old. I don't even remember
that. And I didn't even get a star for it, John. But be that as it may, that faith
I had then bucks and kicks and moffs and denied what I then
later began to hear and see about God. Ah, but when God gave me
saving faith, and when He gave you saving faith, if He's given
it to you, that saving faith bows down to Christ and before
Christ. Period. Period. Father, may this lesson be used
to encourage us, strengthen us, not to love ourselves, Lord.
but to hate ourselves and repent in dust and ashes before you
and your sovereign majesty, your holiness, your righteousness. Bow us, bow your power in Christ's
name. Amen.