Job 8-10
In our exploration of Job chapters 8 to 10, we delve into the profound conversation between Job and his friend Bildad. We see Job grappling with immense suffering and questioning the justice of his circumstances. Bildad attempts to provide comfort by suggesting that Job's misfortunes are a result of his children’s sins and encourages him to seek God earnestly. However, this perspective raises deeper questions about the nature of suffering and the assumptions we make about good and bad people. Through Bildad's words, we are reminded that our understanding of justice may not align with God's greater plan, and that our identity is not defined by our circumstances but by our integrity and relationship with God.
As we navigate through Job's responses, we discover his struggle to reconcile his knowledge of God with his painful reality. Job acknowledges the distance between knowing about God and truly knowing Him, highlighting the importance of trusting in God even when we cannot see the reasons behind our suffering. Ultimately, we are encouraged to focus on our relationship with God, trusting Him in the midst of uncertainty and pain. This message resonates deeply as we reflect on our own lives and the challenges we face, reminding us that even in darkness, there is hope and a call to trust in God’s sovereignty.
Key Takeaways
- Suffering does not always correlate with personal sin; sometimes bad things happen to good people, challenging our understanding of justice.
- Our identity should be rooted in our integrity and relationship with God, rather than our circumstances or societal perceptions.
- Trusting God is essential, especially when we cannot see the reasons behind our suffering; we must focus on the 'who' rather than the 'what'.
Scripture References
Discussion Questions
- What are some ways we can support friends who are going through difficult times, similar to how Job's friends tried to help him?
- How do we reconcile the idea of a just God with the suffering we see in the world?
- In what ways can we remind ourselves of our identity in Christ during challenging seasons?
- How can we practice trusting God when we don't understand our circumstances?
Transcript
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· Welcome to Cross Church. My name is Tyler and I service campus pastor right here at Cross Church El Mirage
· and I want to welcome you to service today. Before we get started, I want to make you aware of a couple of ways that you can connect with us today. The first, if you have a phone with you, you can send a text message with the word Cross Church, no space, to the number 940-00. Or if you'd like to use the cards that are in the seat back in front of you, we've got three cards that will direct you on ways that you can get connected this week. The first is the new card. If you're new to Cross Church over the last few weeks, we would love to connect with you. Take some time to fill out that card during our service.
· If you're interested in taking some next steps in your faith journey, things like baptism, joining a group, or even serving. And then lastly, and I believe most importantly, is the prayer card. And I want to guarantee you that if you take time today to fill out that prayer card, all of those come to me and I get to pray for each of them individually. So if you've got things big or small going on in your life, please feel free to share those with me. And I'll see you in the next one.
· We'd be happy to pray over them. As we get prepared for some God-honoring worship, I want to encourage you to go into service today with an expectant spirit. We know that God will do big things in our midst, and so I want to encourage you to enter this time with an expectant spirit. Now let's get prepared for some God-honoring worship.
· Let's get ready for the worship.
· Let's get ready for the worship.
· Let's get ready for the worship.
· Let's get ready for the worship.
· Hallelujah.
· Let's get ready.
· Let's get ready.
· I've been washed in the water, washed in the blood.
· I've been washed in the water, washed in the blood.
· I've been washed in the water, washed in the blood, all because of you.
· Oh, hallelujah.
· Let's give them some praise.
· We were washed clean because of them, and we have freedom now.
· And last week we introduced this song, it's called Sovereign Over Us.
· And it's just so great that we get to trust in our God who is compassionate and kind.
· Sing this out.
· There is strength within the sorrow.
· There is beauty in our tears.
· And you meet us in our mourning.
· With the love that cast our fear.
· You are working in our waiting.
· You're sanctifying us.
· When beyond our understanding.
· You're teaching us to trust.
· Your plans are still to prosper.
· You have not forgotten us.
· You're with us in the fire and the flood.
· You're faithful forever.
· Perfect in love.
· You are sovereign over us.
· You are with someone imagined.
· Who could understand your ways.
· Reigning high above the heavens.
· Reaching down in endless grace.
· You're the lifter of the lonely.
· Compassionate and kind.
· You're surrounding you of hope.
· And your promises are my delight.
· Your plans are still to prosper.
· You have not forgotten us.
· You're with us in the fire and the flood.
· You're faithful forever.
· Perfect in love.
· You are sovereign over us.
· You are sovereign over us.
· You are with us in the fire and the flood.
· You are with us in the fire and the flood.
· Your plans are still to prosper.
· Even what the enemy means for evil.
· You turn it for our good.
· You turn it for our good, for Your glory.
· Even in the valley, You are faithful.
· You're working for our good.
· You're working for our good, for Your glory.
· Even what the enemy means for evil,
· You turn it for our good.
· You turn it for our good, for Your glory.
· Even in the valley, You are faithful.
· You're working for our good.
· You're working for our good, for Your glory.
· Your plans are still to prosper.
· You have not forgotten us.
· You're with us in the fight.
· The fight.
· You're faithful forever.
· You're working for our good.
· You are serving us.
· Your plans are still to prosper.
· You have not forgotten us.
· You're with us in the fight.
· In the fight.
· You're faithful forever.
· Perfect in love.
· You are serving us.
· You're faithful forever.
· Perfect in love.
· You are serving over us.
· This is great stuff for us as all the Psalms do.
· But this one in particular connects with where we'll find ourselves today in Job chapter 8.
· So I just want to read a few verses for you.
· We'll spend some time praying and we'll step into communion.
· Psalm 139, beginning of verse 1 says this,
· Lord, You have searched me and known me.
· You know when I sit down and when I stand up.
· You understand my thoughts from far away.
· You observe my travels and my rest.
· You are aware of all my ways.
· Before a word is on my tongue, you know all about it, Lord.
· You have encircled me and you have placed your hand on me.
· This wondrous knowledge is beyond me.
· It is lofty.
· I am unable to reach it.
· Before we step into communion,
· I just want to ask you to take a moment individually here to pray
· and simply to individually thank God for who He is.
· In this Psalm we're reminded that God knows us.
· Individually, personally, deeply, intimately.
· God knows us and the kicker is that He still loves us.
· So let's take a moment personally, individually,
· to thank God through prayer for that fact today.
· The last two verses of Psalm 139 offer a second element to this.
· It says this beginning of verse 23,
· Search me, God, and know my heart.
· Test me and know my concerns.
· See if there is any offensive way in me
· and lead me in the everlasting way.
· Now when we read this,
· we know that what happened in verse 1 is still true.
· That God has already, as the psalmist writes,
· searched us and knows us,
· yet still, in verses 23 and 24,
· He says, God, search me.
· And the goal here is what's found in verse 24,
· that He would be led in the everlasting way.
· What we're going to do here as we prepare to observe communion
· is just begin the process of preparing our hearts.
· And so here's what I want to ask you to do
· wherever you are sitting today.
· The phone calls can wait.
· The work that needs to be done this afternoon can wait.
· Even the sports scores can wait.
· We have this moment here
· where we get to step before the God of the heavens.
· And so let's ask God to search our hearts
· and to prepare our hearts for communion here in a moment.
· Let's do that individually now.
· Amen.
· As we step into this moment where we observe communion,
· I'll read the words of 1 Corinthians 11.
· It's in these words where Jesus is gathered with the disciples
· in the first observance of the Lord's Supper.
· And I'm always reminded from time to time
· about the way in which Jesus speaks in this moment.
· You see, Jesus speaks with His disciples,
· knowing all the while there's one in that group
· that will betray Him.
· Yet still, they go through the process
· of observing the Lord's Supper.
· It's a great reminder to us that God's plans
· may not make sense to us,
· that His ways are higher than ours.
· And we'll find that today in Job 8 as well.
· And so it's Jesus with all the disciples
· that we find in 1 Corinthians 11 today,
· beginning of verse 23, He says this,
· on the night when He was betrayed,
· Jesus took the bread.
· And when He had given thanks, He broke it
· and said, this is my body, which is for you.
· Do this in remembrance of Me.
· He continues in verse 25, says this,
· in the same way He also took the cup
· after Supper and said,
· this cup is the new covenant in my blood.
· Do this as often as you drink it
· in remembrance of Me.
· He finishes that section by saying,
· as often as you eat the bread
· and drink this cup,
· you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.
· And it's in this moment that we're reminded
· that even this is an act of worship.
· So let's stand as we continue
· in worship this morning.
· Oh, everything changed
· It's getting harder to recognize
· The person I was
· Before I encountered Christ
· I don't walk like I used to
· I don't talk like I used to
· I've been washed from the inside
· I've been washed from the inside
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Hallelujah
· I cannot explain
· When nothing's more real than this
· In the presence of God
· Oh, when my heart is serious
· And when my shame at the wayside
· And my sin at the most high
· I've been washed from the inside
· I've been washed from the inside
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Oh
· Thank you, thank you, oh
· Thank you, thank you, oh
· It's never been about the boys
· Perfection or striving for acceptance
· Let me tell you
· It's only by the blood
· It's never been about deserving
· Or earning and to give is freely given
· Let me tell you
· It's only by the blood
· Does anybody want to be holy and righteous?
· Purify and spoil it
· Let me tell you
· It's only by the blood
· Does anybody want to be worthy and forgiven?
· Justify and remove it
· Let me tell you
· It's only by the blood
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Amen, amen.
· Go ahead and grab a seat.
· Welcome to Cross Church.
· My name is Michael.
· So glad you are here.
· Are there any Cardinals fans out there?
· One?
· All right.
· Okay, there's a couple.
· All right, cool.
· They're playing the Giants right now.
· I am a Giants fan.
· Yes, this is a Giants jersey.
· Yes, the Giants are going to win.
· And no, you can't boo me off the stage
· because that's not allowed in church.
· So, yeah, too bad.
· But we're so glad you are here.
· I just want to go through a few things.
· Number one, cards in the seat back in front of you.
· We have our new next and prayer cards.
· If you're new to Cross Church and come in a couple of times,
· we'd love to get to know you a little more.
· We won't spam you.
· Just please fill that out and drop that in the black box
· on your way out.
· And then the next card is for those that have been here
· a little while.
· You just feel God is stirring your heart
· to whatever's next for you.
· Could be baptism, serving, giving,
· whatever that is we want to connect with you in that.
· And then last but not least is our prayer card.
· Please fill that out.
· We want to know how we can be praying for you
· throughout the week.
· And we do take that seriously.
· So please make sure you fill one of those three cards out.
· We would love that.
· First announcement, Pizza with a Pastor
· is happening October 18th.
· If you haven't been to one of those before,
· we would love to see you there.
· It's a time that you get to just spend and learn more
· about the mission and vision of Cross Church.
· You get to ask questions for Pastor Tyler,
· get to know more about what makes Cross Church tick.
· We would love to see you there.
· Please make sure you register for that
· because we need to make sure we have enough pizza for you.
· So if you go to crosschurchcares.com slash events,
· that will be what we need from you.
· Next one is our We Care Weekend.
· So it's happening the 23rd and the 24th.
· A couple things happening on that weekend.
· First, we are getting together at Bill Gentry Park.
· It's a community event that we get to just to share Jesus
· with our community, invite people to church.
· It's going to be a great time.
· We'd love to have as many people there
· representing Cross Church as possible.
· And then the next day, the 24th,
· we are blessing the Dysart School District.
· So we get to have an opportunity to go into Dysart High School
· and just revamp their teachers' lounge.
· As you know, teachers deal with kids,
· and sometimes kids are fun and sometimes not fun.
· But we want to have an opportunity for them to just relax,
· have a place away so they can recharge
· and give the best for our kids as they learn and grow as well.
· And then next up, we have our SPs happening November 1st.
· If you don't know what that is, that is our annual,
· just what am I trying to say,
· annual time that we get to honor our volunteers.
· So if you serve at all in Cross Church in any capacity,
· we want you there.
· We want to recognize you and honor you in that.
· Even if you're just starting to volunteer,
· we would love to have you there.
· So that's happening at 5 p.m.
· It's going to be at the VISTA Center for the Arts in Surprise.
· There is child care, there is food for kids as well,
· and there is food for you as well.
· So please make sure you register for that.
· And then our story for this week,
· Cross Church Mayor officially, officially launched.
· They had 136 adults and kids there,
· along with five baptisms on that last Sunday.
· And so just praise God for the work that he's doing there.
· Yeah, all right. Perfect.
· And what he's going to continue to do through Mayor
· and in that town and community.
· So please make sure you're praying for Pastor Lyle
· and Heather as well.
· And then we can't do any of that work without your generosity,
· what God has given to you.
· We want to give you an opportunity to give back to the Lord.
· If you already get them online,
· you can just pray over these last 30 seconds
· that God will multiply that money out
· and bless churches and church plants.
· Otherwise, we do have some prompts behind us.
· We'll give you 30 seconds to do that.
· Thank you.
· Thank you.
· Well, hey, good morning and welcome to Cross Church.
· I'm so glad that you joined us today for worship,
· whether you're here in the room or if you're online.
· Thanks so much for joining us today.
· If you got a Bible, we are going to use that today.
· So go ahead and open it up.
· We'll start in Job, Chapter 8.
· As you make your way there,
· if you're maybe new to Cross Church,
· maybe it's your second, third, fourth time
· looking to get connected,
· I'll be outside underneath the Oni After Service.
· I would love to meet you there,
· talk through some ways you might be able to get connected
· here at our church.
· Well, Job, Chapter 8 is where we find ourselves today,
· but I'll catch you up to speed in case you're joining us
· for the first time or the first time in a while.
· This has been an incredibly helpful series,
· even in just the first few weeks,
· as Job addresses real-life issues,
· and I think for us it's been so powerful
· because there is no fluff in the book of Job.
· It is just real life, real situations,
· and a real God who intervenes
· in the middle of that situation as well.
· So in the book of Job,
· here's how we find ourselves in Chapter 8,
· beginning of Chapter 1.
· God Himself lifts up Job as one who can be tempted
· and will be able to withstand temptation.
· So God gives to Satan permission
· to tempt Job.
· Now, the only parameters or rules for this
· are that Job's life can't be taken from him.
· However, everything else is what we would call
· fair game and on the table.
· And so in the first chapter of Job,
· basically, death and destruction is what happens.
· There's no simple way to put it.
· That's what happens.
· It is doom and gloom in Chapter 1.
· In Chapter 2, Job's three best friends
· hear of what's happening.
· They don't wait for Job to reach out.
· They make a plan and go to him.
· For seven days and nights,
· they sit with Job without saying a word.
· And then they begin to speak.
· The first friend speaks with Job
· in this incredibly helpful interaction
· we studied last week.
· And now we find ourselves today in Job, Chapter 8,
· with a guy named Bildad.
· Not a common name,
· but we find ourselves with Bildad.
· Bildad begins to speak in Job, Chapter 8.
· And what we're going to find ourselves doing today
· is asking big questions in life.
· I found myself asking a big question in life recently.
· On a Friday, about two or three weeks ago,
· I had a long work day outside.
· So I had a bunch of projects to do outside.
· And if you know anything about working outside in Arizona,
· when it's 100 degrees, it feels like 120.
· And if it's 120, it feels like 150.
· It's just magical how that works.
· Now, here's what happened.
· I was working outside all day.
· And I had something on my mind
· that was carrying me throughout the entire day
· of working outside.
· I knew it was going to be worth it,
· because I had something special waiting on me
· at the end of the day.
· And so I'd been working hard.
· I had this special thing on my mind.
· Like, you know what?
· This is going to be fantastic.
· It's going to be worth it.
· All right?
· So I kept working.
· I got through all of the work.
· We're in my last errand.
· And I went to pull in for what it was
· that I'd been waiting for all day.
· You see, I pulled into QT, of all places.
· I stepped inside the gift that is QuickTrip.
· And I make my way back to the important section,
· the rollers.
· And I stepped up to get
· a cheesy pepper jack taquito,
· which is the one thing that I wanted all day.
· I stepped up to the roller
· that had the cheesy pepper jack taquito,
· which is fantastic.
· And the worst part is there were 10 of them,
· all of them behind the still cooking sign.
· And I had an out loud reaction.
· And I said,
· why do bad things happen to good people?
· And I'm going to be honest with you.
· You may disagree on what's bad.
· And I'm certainly not a good person
· per what we'll look at today.
· But here's what we find ourselves asking in life.
· I would say most, if not all of us,
· have asked this question
· and may still today in this room
· be wrestling with this question.
· Why do bad things happen to good people?
· Some of us ask this question
· as we walk through seasons
· where the medical diagnosis is just terrible.
· Some of us walk through this season
· when all of the plans
· that we have orchestrated so perfectly
· go to the wayside and God says,
· no, it ain't happening.
· Some of us are asking this question
· when the thing that we've been seeking after
· for years and years never comes.
· And what I want to invite you into today
· is a conversation between Bill Dad and Job.
· Job who's walking through a dark tunnel
· and it seems as if there will never be a light at the end
· and has this honest interaction with Bill Dad.
· So if you'll read with me,
· we're going to start in Job chapter 8.
· We'll read a few verses
· and then walk through this text.
· Job chapter 8 beginning in verse 1 says this.
· Then Bill Dad replied,
· How long will you go on saying these things?
· Your words are a blast of wind
· in only a fashion a true friend could use.
· He begins in verse 3 saying this.
· Does God pervert justice?
· Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
· Since your children sinned against him,
· he gave them over to their rebellion.
· But if you earnestly seek God
· and ask the Almighty for mercy,
· if you are pure and upright,
· then he will move even now on your behalf
· and restore the home where your righteousness dwells.
· Then, even if your beginnings were modest,
· your final days will be full of prosperity.
· Let's pray as we jump in today.
· God, we come before you.
· God, today we simply ask that you would give us the wisdom
· to understand what this story has to teach for us today.
· That as each of us come with our own backgrounds
· and situations and worries and fears and anxieties,
· that God, we would understand at the end of the day
· all of that comes secondary to what it is
· that you have to say to us today.
· And secondly, God, we ask that you would give us
· the courage and conviction to take what we learn today
· and allow it to shape what we do this week.
· Pray all of this in your name. Amen.
· Well, in this, we are going to find a conversation
· between Job and Bildad.
· And what we're going to look at for our context today
· is what Bildad offers.
· Bildad offers in this chapter 8 of Job,
· after Job has said life is terrible
· and he begins this conversation with his friends.
· One of his friends named Bildad steps in
· to offer a few things to him.
· The first thing he does is he offers him a word of context.
· A word of context.
· Now, you might be saying, what is the context
· that Bildad could give Job that would help him?
· Well, here's what we find in this text.
· In verse 4, Bildad offers him something that seems heavy.
· Since your children sinned against him, that is God,
· he gave them over to their rebellion.
· Now, I don't know about you, but if I were Job
· and my friend said this to me in my moment of darkness,
· I'd be saying, thanks, jerk.
· That's the best you got?
· Well, sucks, your kids must have been terrible people,
· to which I would have been wondering,
· am I a terrible parent?
· What did I do wrong? What did they do wrong?
· And it begins to be this question,
· a version of why are bad things happening
· to perceived good people?
· Well, it's in this word of context
· that Bildad offers to Job
· what culturally was being taught at the moment.
· And that is this, that God punishes bad people.
· That when bad people do bad things,
· there are bad results.
· And so, simply, they see bad results
· and everyone assumes, well, clearly they have done something.
· The second lens to this is the conversation
· where a generational sin comes into play
· and people may have been wondering,
· Job, what had you done to offend God
· that he punished your children?
· You see, it's in this that we find this deep question.
· Why is this happening?
· As a matter of fact,
· this theological concept is very important.
· And I need to offer some information in this way.
· The reality of the situation is this.
· Bad things that we assume to be bad,
· and oftentimes are bad,
· may have multiple different layers
· where God is doing things
· that we don't always fully understand.
· The thing that is the worst or the bad thing today
· may simply be the thing God is using
· to prepare you and I
· for what he's doing in the next season.
· We don't always have what Bildad offers,
· which is a word of context.
· We don't always understand what God is doing.
· Now, if I'm just being honest with you,
· that isn't the thing in a session
· where you and I sit down
· and you share difficult news with me
· that comforts you.
· To say, well, maybe God is using this
· in the future in a good way.
· That doesn't ease the pain of today.
· When I sit with families,
· just like I did this past week
· after a cancer diagnosis,
· and the family's world is rocked.
· Saying, well, maybe God's got some good plan for this.
· That isn't the thing that always helps.
· But what we find is this.
· The bad things oftentimes are what God is using
· to prepare us for the next season.
· And the second thing that I want to offer to you
· to ease the expectations today
· is to remind you that none of us are good people.
· Some of you are nudging your partner beside you
· like, yeah, that's you.
· You're not a good person, right?
· Here's the good news today.
· No expectations, no attempts at perfection
· or attempts to hide any of our iniquities or flaws.
· The good news is that none of us
· are actually by biblical standards good people.
· Therefore, what we must understand
· in this word of context that Bill Natt offers
· is that it's not just that bad things happen to people.
· It's that things happen to people.
· And it's not that bad things
· or things happen to good people.
· It's just that things happen to people.
· And we must understand the bigger context
· which we'll find at the end of this message.
· So we find first that you and I are not good people.
· But we also find that in this culturally
· there was the understanding
· that either the children had been bad people
· or Job himself had been a bad person.
· And what we find is that a word of context matters.
· You see, there's certain times
· when it's appropriate to say things
· and there's certain times where it's not appropriate.
· You know this to be true, right?
· There's certain times where you can do things
· and then sometimes where you have to hold in that word
· or you have to wait until the right moment.
· One of the ways that I've learned
· that context matters is in the grocery store.
· My wife is a saint, okay?
· You know this to be true
· and you've heard the saying that opposites attract, okay?
· Now, here's how my wife and I are opposites.
· She is an orderly person, okay?
· When we go to shop at the grocery store
· she knows exactly what she needs
· to make the exact meals that are on the list
· that she has prepared.
· When I walk into a grocery store
· I'm wanting to see what speaks to me in that moment.
· Anybody else that's you?
· You're just like, you know what?
· Shelves speak to me.
· What is it that I need this week?
· And here's what happens.
· My wife, when she walks into the store,
· Sam's Club is my favorite.
· She knows exactly where to go
· to get what she needs to get out of there.
· And she has scan and go and she's in and out.
· Me on the other hand, when I walk in with my feelings
· I'm just seeing like what speaks to me.
· And sometimes I'll make a second
· or a third trip around the store
· just to see in case the Cinnamon Toast Crunch
· was just waiting to speak to me, right?
· If it needed a third pass.
· Here's what happens.
· I realize that context matters.
· She is getting an expected outcome
· based on the preparation and the context
· that she has put in.
· She knows what will happen
· because of what she has done in preparation.
· Me on the other hand, it's a mystery.
· And so is the expense at the end of the trip, right?
· It is a mystery.
· But let me remind you today.
· There's a word of context in this passage.
· That while we walk through moments of life
· and understand that there are certain times
· where things work and are appropriate
· and certain times where things are not.
· Bill Dad is speaking honestly
· what he believes needs to be said
· to his friend Job in this moment.
· He addresses the cultural issue
· and he reminds Job of what's happening in his life.
· You see Bill Dad speaks honestly
· this word of context.
· But the second thing he does
· that is extremely important
· is he offers a word of caution.
· Bill Dad almost gives Job this slow down sign.
· Like when you pass through a construction zone
· and you're reminded to drop your speed.
· Bill Dad is saying to Job here,
· drop your speed.
· Hold on to your words for just a moment.
· Here's what he says in verse 8.
· For ask the previous generation
· and pay attention to what their fathers discovered.
· Since we were born only yesterday
· and know nothing. Amen?
· The parents in the room are saying a second amen.
· It's a reminder for us.
· Here's what Bill Dad is saying.
· He's saying look back at the previous generations.
· He goes on to tell him about the context
· for why this word of caution matters.
· He begins to say this.
· Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh?
· Do reeds flourish without water?
· While still uncut shoots,
· they would dry up quicker than any other plant.
· Such is the destiny of all who forget God.
· Full stop, highlight, circle, underline.
· Bill Dad in this moment of darkness
· where Job doesn't see the light at the end of the tunnel.
· Bill Dad says, hey buddy, just remember.
· Those who forget God, their destiny isn't good.
· The end result isn't good.
· And he is speaking so honestly to Job
· because all of us,
· if we were just going to be truthful
· with ourselves and others today,
· would say if we were put in Job's situation
· with this level of temptation and difficulty,
· we'd be wondering if it's worth it.
· Or if it would be easier to throw in the towel
· and go to something else.
· Try a new plan.
· Put in a new offense or quarterback.
· If your sports team struggles,
· you try something different.
· Or at least you'd hope.
· But we find ourselves here in Job chapter eight.
· And Job is wondering what to do.
· His friend says, don't forget God.
· He calls upon him to remember the previous generation.
· To understand that this situation isn't unique to him.
· I'm reminded throughout the years
· of the ways in which we think things are new.
· And in some ways they are.
· But the root issues and struggles of life
· are the same as they've always been.
· You see, lust is an issue in 2026.
· I could read stat after stat to you.
· It's a problem.
· But if you go back and look in scripture,
· this guy David,
· he's struggling with the same heart issue then
· that we as a culture struggle with today.
· These issues are still here.
· And so what Bildad offers
· is this word of caution to say look back.
· See how it fared for others
· when they gave up following God.
· He reminds Job that it's worth it.
· He tells him to slow down.
· Third thing that we see that Bildad offers here,
· it's a word of context, sure,
· and a word of caution.
· But I love that he offers a third thing,
· which is a word of contingency.
· Contingency here.
· That the outcome is dependent upon Job's choices.
· One of the phrases that I've heard
· that sticks with me constantly
· begins with a common phrase
· that the grass is always greener.
· You've heard it too.
· But I heard someone add to that
· that the grass may be greener on the other side,
· but the grass is always greener where you water it.
· You see here,
· Bildad is going to remind Job,
· caution him to say time out buddy, slow down.
· But then he offers this contingency
· saying your choices will determine your future.
· What grass you water
· will determine the outcome of your lawn.
· And here's what happens.
· We see that without God,
· those who forget God,
· they will perish.
· It is not good for them.
· But in verse 20,
· Bildad says look,
· God does not reject a person of integrity.
· And he will not support evildoers.
· He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
· and your lips with a shout of joy.
· Your enemies will be clothed with shame.
· The tint of the wicked will no longer exist.
· Now, if you remember what's happening
· in the bigger picture here,
· Job is sitting in grief,
· in darkness.
· And his friend says,
· hey if you trust God,
· he's going to give you laughter
· and he's going to put a shout of joy on your lips.
· And I almost laugh out loud as I read that saying,
· that doesn't feel appropriate for the moment.
· Like, Bildad, wait,
· Job doesn't want to hear that right now.
· But he is offering him this contingency saying,
· if you trust in God's plans,
· it'll be worth it in the end.
· I could tell you time after time again
· in his scripture,
· where the odds seem stacked against God's people.
· However, God had a plan.
· As a matter of fact,
· God has good plans for his people.
· And those plans always, always come to fruition.
· Now, do they come according to our timeline?
· Rarely, if ever,
· however they come to fruition.
· It is a reminder here that this is a word of contingency.
· And what Bildad does is he calls upon Job's integrity
· in this little section.
· What does he say?
· He says here in verse 20,
· God doesn't reject a person of integrity.
· If you'll remember in Job chapter 1 and 2,
· one of the things mentioned over and over and over again
· about Job himself
· is that he was a man of integrity.
· As a matter of fact, what I love about that
· is that Job's purpose in life,
· his identity,
· is not tied in the job that he has,
· in the home that he finds himself in,
· in the vehicle he finds himself driving.
· His identity is tied to his character.
· I think that's a great reminder for you and I
· as we just look at maybe a secondary takeaway
· from today's message,
· is a reminder of what is our identity.
· Job's friends,
· those who know him best,
· and know all his flaws,
· but all of his positives as well,
· call multiple times on his integrity.
· Look, God doesn't reject a person of integrity.
· Job is reminded here by his friend Bildad
· that there may yet still be a future for him,
· that there may still be laughter and joy
· and victory on the backside of the darkness.
· He is saying there should and could still be
· hope at the end of the darkness.
· And so Bildad offers these words,
· and then Job responds in Job 9 and 10.
· I'll just read for you quickly out of Job 9 and 1.
· Then Job answered,
· Yes, I know what you've said is true,
· but how can a person be justified before God?
· This teaches us a deep principle
· that we cannot miss in reading the entirety of this passage.
· That one of the biggest distances in our personal lives
· is the distance from our head where in which we know about God
· and our heart where in which we know God.
· There are plenty of people that know about God,
· but it has not infiltrated their hearts and lives.
· He says, I know that what you've said is true,
· but how can a person be justified before God?
· You see, Job knew the theology of this conversation,
· but he says here in this moment of honesty,
· I don't feel like trusting this.
· I know it's true, but I don't want to do it.
· And it doesn't feel right.
· And he's asking, why is this bad thing happening to me?
· As a matter of fact, Job would go on in chapter 10
· to say, why was I taken out of my mother's womb?
· Job in this interaction offers a word,
· but which reminds us of that distance.
· It is more than just knowing about God.
· We must know that what God says is true
· and allow it to change our hearts.
· And then he continues in chapter 9, verse 3 on through chapter 10
· in this really helpful and important conversation.
· And what Job goes to describe is how big God is.
· As a matter of fact, you'll see in your notes
· at the top of your notes, in chapter 9, verse 22,
· Job himself says, man, I know you say this whole thing
· about bad things happening to bad people,
· but it says, Job says, it seems like bad and evil
· comes for the wicked and the righteous.
· And I don't get it.
· And he's having this conversation with Bildad,
· but he's saying, God is big and I cannot physically
· reach out and touch him.
· It feels like God is distant
· and God isn't doing what I want him to do.
· He's saying, I wish I could bring him in the room
· and show him my problems
· and have God physically in the flesh fix my problems.
· What Job is asking for in this situation is a mediator,
· someone to fight on his behalf.
· Now, the theological principle we understand to be true
· about this happens in the New Testament.
· You see, in the New Testament, when this guy Jesus
· arrives on the scene, which we talk about a little bit,
· Jesus arrives on the scene to do what we couldn't do.
· That is to actually be a good person,
· to live a perfect life without flaw
· and to take the punishment that you and I couldn't pay
· as a result of our actions.
· And when Jesus himself pays that punishment
· with a death on the cross, what happens instantly,
· scripture teaches us in the New Testament,
· is that the veil that separated you and I
· from this regular fault from the Holy of Holies
· is we gained instant access to the God of the heavens.
· What changed in that moment is a vital principle
· that Job is asking for here saying,
· I want access to God.
· I want to be able to go to God himself.
· And when that veil tears between us and the Holy of Holies
· and we get access to God,
· what we find is that we then do have the mediator.
· We have then the gift of the Holy Spirit.
· And Jesus would put it into these words,
· and he would say it this way,
· that it is better that he leaves
· so that the Holy Spirit comes.
· Now I don't know about you, but my instant reaction is,
· I wish Jesus were physically in the flesh with me
· to help me figure out life, amen?
· But he says, no, no.
· It's better that the Holy Spirit comes.
· The Holy Spirit will be with you always
· and will guide you.
· As a matter of fact, we find out in scripture
· that the Holy Spirit will intercede on our behalf
· in prayer, even when we don't have the words.
· You see, when Job finds himself in the midst of darkness,
· his focus is on the who.
· What I find to be so difficult in conversations
· on a regular basis with people in our church
· that walk through difficult seasons
· and with friends and neighbors
· is when we walk through difficult seasons,
· most often times our focus is less on who's involved
· in the situation and more involved
· in what the circumstances are.
· What is the diagnosis?
· And what is the doctor going to say about this?
· And why does this happen?
· And all of these different questions.
· And what we ultimately end up doing
· is we miss the focus on who is behind all of it.
· What I want to encourage you to focus in on today
· as a key practice is this.
· I want you to trust the who
· when there's no why to the what.
· Trust the who when there's no why to the what.
· Plenty of us in the room today have a what.
· We have a situation, a circumstance,
· a thing that's happening and there is no why.
· There's no good reason it's happening.
· And that is the exact moment in which
· we must call on the who, not the what.
· If you'll remember as you look at this passage,
· Bill Datt offers Job the great reminder
· to focus on the God who is behind all of it.
· The God of the heavens who is in control and on his throne.
· And he offers Job the word of caution
· to say slow down and trust in God.
· He offers them this reminder in Job 8 and 9.
· Our days on earth are but a shadow.
· Life is short.
· And if I could offer you one piece of hope
· and encouragement from this conversation
· between Job and Bill Datt, it would be this.
· Even when the odds are stacked against us,
· even when there seems to be no light
· at the end of the tunnel, trust in God.
· Do not forget God in the midst of your circumstances.
· Let me pray for you today.
· God, as we spend time here with heads bowed and eyes closed,
· God, my prayer today is for myself
· and everyone in this room today
· that as we navigate life,
· where there's plenty of what
· and oftentimes not enough if any why,
· God, that you would help us to be a people
· that trust in the who.
· That we would be people that trust in you
· and allow that to be the guiding factor of our lives.
· God, I pray that we would be a people
· here on the corner of Peoria and Omaraj
· that are different than those that
· look at only what they can see,
· but that we trust your hands
· even when we can't see you.
· God, my prayer is that
· as a people trusting in you,
· we wouldn't allow the circumstances
· or the situations to sway us,
· but that we would be committed,
· that we would be reminded of what James 1.19 teaches us,
· that there is no shadow or variation
· due to change in your nature.
· God, you are the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow,
· and we trust you in that.
· God, we pray that that would help guide us
· as we walk through this season.
· God, we pray all of this in your name.
· Amen.
· Piano plays softly
· You give life
· You are love
· You bring light
· To the darkness
· As you give hope
· You restore
· Every heart
· That is broken
· Greater you are
· It's your breath
· In our lungs
· So we pour out our prayers
· We pour out our prayers
· It's your breath
· In our lungs
· So we pour out our prayers
· To you only
· Greater you are
· You give life
· You are love
· You bring light
· To the darkness
· You restore
· Every heart
· That is broken
· Greater you are
· It's your breath
· In our lungs
· So we pour out our prayers
· We pour out our prayers
· It's your breath
· In our lungs
· So we pour out our prayers
· It's your breath
· In our lungs
· So we pour out our prayers
· We pour out our prayers
· It's your breath
· In our lungs
· So remember that once you hold me
· All the earth will sing
· All the earth will shout your praise
· Our hearts will cry
· These mourns will sing
· Where are you Lord?
· All the earth will shout your praise
· Our hearts will cry
· These mourns will sing
· Where are you Lord?
· All the earth will shout your praise
· Our hearts will cry
· These mourns will sing
· Where are you Lord?
· All the earth will shout your praise
· Our hearts will sing
· Where are you Lord?
· All the earth will shout your praise
· Our hearts will sing
· Where are you Lord?
· All the earth will shout your praise
· Our hearts will sing
· Where are you Lord?
· Thank you guys so much for joining us today, hope you guys have a great week and we'll see you guys next week.
· Thank you guys so much for joining us today, hope you guys have a great week.
Part of Series
Transcript
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· Welcome to Cross Church. My name is Tyler and I service campus pastor right here at Cross Church El Mirage
· and I want to welcome you to service today. Before we get started, I want to make you aware of a couple of ways that you can connect with us today. The first, if you have a phone with you, you can send a text message with the word Cross Church, no space, to the number 940-00. Or if you'd like to use the cards that are in the seat back in front of you, we've got three cards that will direct you on ways that you can get connected this week. The first is the new card. If you're new to Cross Church over the last few weeks, we would love to connect with you. Take some time to fill out that card during our service.
· If you're interested in taking some next steps in your faith journey, things like baptism, joining a group, or even serving. And then lastly, and I believe most importantly, is the prayer card. And I want to guarantee you that if you take time today to fill out that prayer card, all of those come to me and I get to pray for each of them individually. So if you've got things big or small going on in your life, please feel free to share those with me. And I'll see you in the next one.
· We'd be happy to pray over them. As we get prepared for some God-honoring worship, I want to encourage you to go into service today with an expectant spirit. We know that God will do big things in our midst, and so I want to encourage you to enter this time with an expectant spirit. Now let's get prepared for some God-honoring worship.
· Let's get ready for the worship.
· Let's get ready for the worship.
· Let's get ready for the worship.
· Let's get ready for the worship.
· Hallelujah.
· Let's get ready.
· Let's get ready.
· I've been washed in the water, washed in the blood.
· I've been washed in the water, washed in the blood.
· I've been washed in the water, washed in the blood, all because of you.
· Oh, hallelujah.
· Let's give them some praise.
· We were washed clean because of them, and we have freedom now.
· And last week we introduced this song, it's called Sovereign Over Us.
· And it's just so great that we get to trust in our God who is compassionate and kind.
· Sing this out.
· There is strength within the sorrow.
· There is beauty in our tears.
· And you meet us in our mourning.
· With the love that cast our fear.
· You are working in our waiting.
· You're sanctifying us.
· When beyond our understanding.
· You're teaching us to trust.
· Your plans are still to prosper.
· You have not forgotten us.
· You're with us in the fire and the flood.
· You're faithful forever.
· Perfect in love.
· You are sovereign over us.
· You are with someone imagined.
· Who could understand your ways.
· Reigning high above the heavens.
· Reaching down in endless grace.
· You're the lifter of the lonely.
· Compassionate and kind.
· You're surrounding you of hope.
· And your promises are my delight.
· Your plans are still to prosper.
· You have not forgotten us.
· You're with us in the fire and the flood.
· You're faithful forever.
· Perfect in love.
· You are sovereign over us.
· You are sovereign over us.
· You are with us in the fire and the flood.
· You are with us in the fire and the flood.
· Your plans are still to prosper.
· Even what the enemy means for evil.
· You turn it for our good.
· You turn it for our good, for Your glory.
· Even in the valley, You are faithful.
· You're working for our good.
· You're working for our good, for Your glory.
· Even what the enemy means for evil,
· You turn it for our good.
· You turn it for our good, for Your glory.
· Even in the valley, You are faithful.
· You're working for our good.
· You're working for our good, for Your glory.
· Your plans are still to prosper.
· You have not forgotten us.
· You're with us in the fight.
· The fight.
· You're faithful forever.
· You're working for our good.
· You are serving us.
· Your plans are still to prosper.
· You have not forgotten us.
· You're with us in the fight.
· In the fight.
· You're faithful forever.
· Perfect in love.
· You are serving us.
· You're faithful forever.
· Perfect in love.
· You are serving over us.
· This is great stuff for us as all the Psalms do.
· But this one in particular connects with where we'll find ourselves today in Job chapter 8.
· So I just want to read a few verses for you.
· We'll spend some time praying and we'll step into communion.
· Psalm 139, beginning of verse 1 says this,
· Lord, You have searched me and known me.
· You know when I sit down and when I stand up.
· You understand my thoughts from far away.
· You observe my travels and my rest.
· You are aware of all my ways.
· Before a word is on my tongue, you know all about it, Lord.
· You have encircled me and you have placed your hand on me.
· This wondrous knowledge is beyond me.
· It is lofty.
· I am unable to reach it.
· Before we step into communion,
· I just want to ask you to take a moment individually here to pray
· and simply to individually thank God for who He is.
· In this Psalm we're reminded that God knows us.
· Individually, personally, deeply, intimately.
· God knows us and the kicker is that He still loves us.
· So let's take a moment personally, individually,
· to thank God through prayer for that fact today.
· The last two verses of Psalm 139 offer a second element to this.
· It says this beginning of verse 23,
· Search me, God, and know my heart.
· Test me and know my concerns.
· See if there is any offensive way in me
· and lead me in the everlasting way.
· Now when we read this,
· we know that what happened in verse 1 is still true.
· That God has already, as the psalmist writes,
· searched us and knows us,
· yet still, in verses 23 and 24,
· He says, God, search me.
· And the goal here is what's found in verse 24,
· that He would be led in the everlasting way.
· What we're going to do here as we prepare to observe communion
· is just begin the process of preparing our hearts.
· And so here's what I want to ask you to do
· wherever you are sitting today.
· The phone calls can wait.
· The work that needs to be done this afternoon can wait.
· Even the sports scores can wait.
· We have this moment here
· where we get to step before the God of the heavens.
· And so let's ask God to search our hearts
· and to prepare our hearts for communion here in a moment.
· Let's do that individually now.
· Amen.
· As we step into this moment where we observe communion,
· I'll read the words of 1 Corinthians 11.
· It's in these words where Jesus is gathered with the disciples
· in the first observance of the Lord's Supper.
· And I'm always reminded from time to time
· about the way in which Jesus speaks in this moment.
· You see, Jesus speaks with His disciples,
· knowing all the while there's one in that group
· that will betray Him.
· Yet still, they go through the process
· of observing the Lord's Supper.
· It's a great reminder to us that God's plans
· may not make sense to us,
· that His ways are higher than ours.
· And we'll find that today in Job 8 as well.
· And so it's Jesus with all the disciples
· that we find in 1 Corinthians 11 today,
· beginning of verse 23, He says this,
· on the night when He was betrayed,
· Jesus took the bread.
· And when He had given thanks, He broke it
· and said, this is my body, which is for you.
· Do this in remembrance of Me.
· He continues in verse 25, says this,
· in the same way He also took the cup
· after Supper and said,
· this cup is the new covenant in my blood.
· Do this as often as you drink it
· in remembrance of Me.
· He finishes that section by saying,
· as often as you eat the bread
· and drink this cup,
· you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.
· And it's in this moment that we're reminded
· that even this is an act of worship.
· So let's stand as we continue
· in worship this morning.
· Oh, everything changed
· It's getting harder to recognize
· The person I was
· Before I encountered Christ
· I don't walk like I used to
· I don't talk like I used to
· I've been washed from the inside
· I've been washed from the inside
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Hallelujah
· I cannot explain
· When nothing's more real than this
· In the presence of God
· Oh, when my heart is serious
· And when my shame at the wayside
· And my sin at the most high
· I've been washed from the inside
· I've been washed from the inside
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Oh
· Thank you, thank you, oh
· Thank you, thank you, oh
· It's never been about the boys
· Perfection or striving for acceptance
· Let me tell you
· It's only by the blood
· It's never been about deserving
· Or earning and to give is freely given
· Let me tell you
· It's only by the blood
· Does anybody want to be holy and righteous?
· Purify and spoil it
· Let me tell you
· It's only by the blood
· Does anybody want to be worthy and forgiven?
· Justify and remove it
· Let me tell you
· It's only by the blood
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Hallelujah
· Hallelujah
· And all there was of life
· Could have only been the blood
· Amen, amen.
· Go ahead and grab a seat.
· Welcome to Cross Church.
· My name is Michael.
· So glad you are here.
· Are there any Cardinals fans out there?
· One?
· All right.
· Okay, there's a couple.
· All right, cool.
· They're playing the Giants right now.
· I am a Giants fan.
· Yes, this is a Giants jersey.
· Yes, the Giants are going to win.
· And no, you can't boo me off the stage
· because that's not allowed in church.
· So, yeah, too bad.
· But we're so glad you are here.
· I just want to go through a few things.
· Number one, cards in the seat back in front of you.
· We have our new next and prayer cards.
· If you're new to Cross Church and come in a couple of times,
· we'd love to get to know you a little more.
· We won't spam you.
· Just please fill that out and drop that in the black box
· on your way out.
· And then the next card is for those that have been here
· a little while.
· You just feel God is stirring your heart
· to whatever's next for you.
· Could be baptism, serving, giving,
· whatever that is we want to connect with you in that.
· And then last but not least is our prayer card.
· Please fill that out.
· We want to know how we can be praying for you
· throughout the week.
· And we do take that seriously.
· So please make sure you fill one of those three cards out.
· We would love that.
· First announcement, Pizza with a Pastor
· is happening October 18th.
· If you haven't been to one of those before,
· we would love to see you there.
· It's a time that you get to just spend and learn more
· about the mission and vision of Cross Church.
· You get to ask questions for Pastor Tyler,
· get to know more about what makes Cross Church tick.
· We would love to see you there.
· Please make sure you register for that
· because we need to make sure we have enough pizza for you.
· So if you go to crosschurchcares.com slash events,
· that will be what we need from you.
· Next one is our We Care Weekend.
· So it's happening the 23rd and the 24th.
· A couple things happening on that weekend.
· First, we are getting together at Bill Gentry Park.
· It's a community event that we get to just to share Jesus
· with our community, invite people to church.
· It's going to be a great time.
· We'd love to have as many people there
· representing Cross Church as possible.
· And then the next day, the 24th,
· we are blessing the Dysart School District.
· So we get to have an opportunity to go into Dysart High School
· and just revamp their teachers' lounge.
· As you know, teachers deal with kids,
· and sometimes kids are fun and sometimes not fun.
· But we want to have an opportunity for them to just relax,
· have a place away so they can recharge
· and give the best for our kids as they learn and grow as well.
· And then next up, we have our SPs happening November 1st.
· If you don't know what that is, that is our annual,
· just what am I trying to say,
· annual time that we get to honor our volunteers.
· So if you serve at all in Cross Church in any capacity,
· we want you there.
· We want to recognize you and honor you in that.
· Even if you're just starting to volunteer,
· we would love to have you there.
· So that's happening at 5 p.m.
· It's going to be at the VISTA Center for the Arts in Surprise.
· There is child care, there is food for kids as well,
· and there is food for you as well.
· So please make sure you register for that.
· And then our story for this week,
· Cross Church Mayor officially, officially launched.
· They had 136 adults and kids there,
· along with five baptisms on that last Sunday.
· And so just praise God for the work that he's doing there.
· Yeah, all right. Perfect.
· And what he's going to continue to do through Mayor
· and in that town and community.
· So please make sure you're praying for Pastor Lyle
· and Heather as well.
· And then we can't do any of that work without your generosity,
· what God has given to you.
· We want to give you an opportunity to give back to the Lord.
· If you already get them online,
· you can just pray over these last 30 seconds
· that God will multiply that money out
· and bless churches and church plants.
· Otherwise, we do have some prompts behind us.
· We'll give you 30 seconds to do that.
· Thank you.
· Thank you.
· Well, hey, good morning and welcome to Cross Church.
· I'm so glad that you joined us today for worship,
· whether you're here in the room or if you're online.
· Thanks so much for joining us today.
· If you got a Bible, we are going to use that today.
· So go ahead and open it up.
· We'll start in Job, Chapter 8.
· As you make your way there,
· if you're maybe new to Cross Church,
· maybe it's your second, third, fourth time
· looking to get connected,
· I'll be outside underneath the Oni After Service.
· I would love to meet you there,
· talk through some ways you might be able to get connected
· here at our church.
· Well, Job, Chapter 8 is where we find ourselves today,
· but I'll catch you up to speed in case you're joining us
· for the first time or the first time in a while.
· This has been an incredibly helpful series,
· even in just the first few weeks,
· as Job addresses real-life issues,
· and I think for us it's been so powerful
· because there is no fluff in the book of Job.
· It is just real life, real situations,
· and a real God who intervenes
· in the middle of that situation as well.
· So in the book of Job,
· here's how we find ourselves in Chapter 8,
· beginning of Chapter 1.
· God Himself lifts up Job as one who can be tempted
· and will be able to withstand temptation.
· So God gives to Satan permission
· to tempt Job.
· Now, the only parameters or rules for this
· are that Job's life can't be taken from him.
· However, everything else is what we would call
· fair game and on the table.
· And so in the first chapter of Job,
· basically, death and destruction is what happens.
· There's no simple way to put it.
· That's what happens.
· It is doom and gloom in Chapter 1.
· In Chapter 2, Job's three best friends
· hear of what's happening.
· They don't wait for Job to reach out.
· They make a plan and go to him.
· For seven days and nights,
· they sit with Job without saying a word.
· And then they begin to speak.
· The first friend speaks with Job
· in this incredibly helpful interaction
· we studied last week.
· And now we find ourselves today in Job, Chapter 8,
· with a guy named Bildad.
· Not a common name,
· but we find ourselves with Bildad.
· Bildad begins to speak in Job, Chapter 8.
· And what we're going to find ourselves doing today
· is asking big questions in life.
· I found myself asking a big question in life recently.
· On a Friday, about two or three weeks ago,
· I had a long work day outside.
· So I had a bunch of projects to do outside.
· And if you know anything about working outside in Arizona,
· when it's 100 degrees, it feels like 120.
· And if it's 120, it feels like 150.
· It's just magical how that works.
· Now, here's what happened.
· I was working outside all day.
· And I had something on my mind
· that was carrying me throughout the entire day
· of working outside.
· I knew it was going to be worth it,
· because I had something special waiting on me
· at the end of the day.
· And so I'd been working hard.
· I had this special thing on my mind.
· Like, you know what?
· This is going to be fantastic.
· It's going to be worth it.
· All right?
· So I kept working.
· I got through all of the work.
· We're in my last errand.
· And I went to pull in for what it was
· that I'd been waiting for all day.
· You see, I pulled into QT, of all places.
· I stepped inside the gift that is QuickTrip.
· And I make my way back to the important section,
· the rollers.
· And I stepped up to get
· a cheesy pepper jack taquito,
· which is the one thing that I wanted all day.
· I stepped up to the roller
· that had the cheesy pepper jack taquito,
· which is fantastic.
· And the worst part is there were 10 of them,
· all of them behind the still cooking sign.
· And I had an out loud reaction.
· And I said,
· why do bad things happen to good people?
· And I'm going to be honest with you.
· You may disagree on what's bad.
· And I'm certainly not a good person
· per what we'll look at today.
· But here's what we find ourselves asking in life.
· I would say most, if not all of us,
· have asked this question
· and may still today in this room
· be wrestling with this question.
· Why do bad things happen to good people?
· Some of us ask this question
· as we walk through seasons
· where the medical diagnosis is just terrible.
· Some of us walk through this season
· when all of the plans
· that we have orchestrated so perfectly
· go to the wayside and God says,
· no, it ain't happening.
· Some of us are asking this question
· when the thing that we've been seeking after
· for years and years never comes.
· And what I want to invite you into today
· is a conversation between Bill Dad and Job.
· Job who's walking through a dark tunnel
· and it seems as if there will never be a light at the end
· and has this honest interaction with Bill Dad.
· So if you'll read with me,
· we're going to start in Job chapter 8.
· We'll read a few verses
· and then walk through this text.
· Job chapter 8 beginning in verse 1 says this.
· Then Bill Dad replied,
· How long will you go on saying these things?
· Your words are a blast of wind
· in only a fashion a true friend could use.
· He begins in verse 3 saying this.
· Does God pervert justice?
· Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
· Since your children sinned against him,
· he gave them over to their rebellion.
· But if you earnestly seek God
· and ask the Almighty for mercy,
· if you are pure and upright,
· then he will move even now on your behalf
· and restore the home where your righteousness dwells.
· Then, even if your beginnings were modest,
· your final days will be full of prosperity.
· Let's pray as we jump in today.
· God, we come before you.
· God, today we simply ask that you would give us the wisdom
· to understand what this story has to teach for us today.
· That as each of us come with our own backgrounds
· and situations and worries and fears and anxieties,
· that God, we would understand at the end of the day
· all of that comes secondary to what it is
· that you have to say to us today.
· And secondly, God, we ask that you would give us
· the courage and conviction to take what we learn today
· and allow it to shape what we do this week.
· Pray all of this in your name. Amen.
· Well, in this, we are going to find a conversation
· between Job and Bildad.
· And what we're going to look at for our context today
· is what Bildad offers.
· Bildad offers in this chapter 8 of Job,
· after Job has said life is terrible
· and he begins this conversation with his friends.
· One of his friends named Bildad steps in
· to offer a few things to him.
· The first thing he does is he offers him a word of context.
· A word of context.
· Now, you might be saying, what is the context
· that Bildad could give Job that would help him?
· Well, here's what we find in this text.
· In verse 4, Bildad offers him something that seems heavy.
· Since your children sinned against him, that is God,
· he gave them over to their rebellion.
· Now, I don't know about you, but if I were Job
· and my friend said this to me in my moment of darkness,
· I'd be saying, thanks, jerk.
· That's the best you got?
· Well, sucks, your kids must have been terrible people,
· to which I would have been wondering,
· am I a terrible parent?
· What did I do wrong? What did they do wrong?
· And it begins to be this question,
· a version of why are bad things happening
· to perceived good people?
· Well, it's in this word of context
· that Bildad offers to Job
· what culturally was being taught at the moment.
· And that is this, that God punishes bad people.
· That when bad people do bad things,
· there are bad results.
· And so, simply, they see bad results
· and everyone assumes, well, clearly they have done something.
· The second lens to this is the conversation
· where a generational sin comes into play
· and people may have been wondering,
· Job, what had you done to offend God
· that he punished your children?
· You see, it's in this that we find this deep question.
· Why is this happening?
· As a matter of fact,
· this theological concept is very important.
· And I need to offer some information in this way.
· The reality of the situation is this.
· Bad things that we assume to be bad,
· and oftentimes are bad,
· may have multiple different layers
· where God is doing things
· that we don't always fully understand.
· The thing that is the worst or the bad thing today
· may simply be the thing God is using
· to prepare you and I
· for what he's doing in the next season.
· We don't always have what Bildad offers,
· which is a word of context.
· We don't always understand what God is doing.
· Now, if I'm just being honest with you,
· that isn't the thing in a session
· where you and I sit down
· and you share difficult news with me
· that comforts you.
· To say, well, maybe God is using this
· in the future in a good way.
· That doesn't ease the pain of today.
· When I sit with families,
· just like I did this past week
· after a cancer diagnosis,
· and the family's world is rocked.
· Saying, well, maybe God's got some good plan for this.
· That isn't the thing that always helps.
· But what we find is this.
· The bad things oftentimes are what God is using
· to prepare us for the next season.
· And the second thing that I want to offer to you
· to ease the expectations today
· is to remind you that none of us are good people.
· Some of you are nudging your partner beside you
· like, yeah, that's you.
· You're not a good person, right?
· Here's the good news today.
· No expectations, no attempts at perfection
· or attempts to hide any of our iniquities or flaws.
· The good news is that none of us
· are actually by biblical standards good people.
· Therefore, what we must understand
· in this word of context that Bill Natt offers
· is that it's not just that bad things happen to people.
· It's that things happen to people.
· And it's not that bad things
· or things happen to good people.
· It's just that things happen to people.
· And we must understand the bigger context
· which we'll find at the end of this message.
· So we find first that you and I are not good people.
· But we also find that in this culturally
· there was the understanding
· that either the children had been bad people
· or Job himself had been a bad person.
· And what we find is that a word of context matters.
· You see, there's certain times
· when it's appropriate to say things
· and there's certain times where it's not appropriate.
· You know this to be true, right?
· There's certain times where you can do things
· and then sometimes where you have to hold in that word
· or you have to wait until the right moment.
· One of the ways that I've learned
· that context matters is in the grocery store.
· My wife is a saint, okay?
· You know this to be true
· and you've heard the saying that opposites attract, okay?
· Now, here's how my wife and I are opposites.
· She is an orderly person, okay?
· When we go to shop at the grocery store
· she knows exactly what she needs
· to make the exact meals that are on the list
· that she has prepared.
· When I walk into a grocery store
· I'm wanting to see what speaks to me in that moment.
· Anybody else that's you?
· You're just like, you know what?
· Shelves speak to me.
· What is it that I need this week?
· And here's what happens.
· My wife, when she walks into the store,
· Sam's Club is my favorite.
· She knows exactly where to go
· to get what she needs to get out of there.
· And she has scan and go and she's in and out.
· Me on the other hand, when I walk in with my feelings
· I'm just seeing like what speaks to me.
· And sometimes I'll make a second
· or a third trip around the store
· just to see in case the Cinnamon Toast Crunch
· was just waiting to speak to me, right?
· If it needed a third pass.
· Here's what happens.
· I realize that context matters.
· She is getting an expected outcome
· based on the preparation and the context
· that she has put in.
· She knows what will happen
· because of what she has done in preparation.
· Me on the other hand, it's a mystery.
· And so is the expense at the end of the trip, right?
· It is a mystery.
· But let me remind you today.
· There's a word of context in this passage.
· That while we walk through moments of life
· and understand that there are certain times
· where things work and are appropriate
· and certain times where things are not.
· Bill Dad is speaking honestly
· what he believes needs to be said
· to his friend Job in this moment.
· He addresses the cultural issue
· and he reminds Job of what's happening in his life.
· You see Bill Dad speaks honestly
· this word of context.
· But the second thing he does
· that is extremely important
· is he offers a word of caution.
· Bill Dad almost gives Job this slow down sign.
· Like when you pass through a construction zone
· and you're reminded to drop your speed.
· Bill Dad is saying to Job here,
· drop your speed.
· Hold on to your words for just a moment.
· Here's what he says in verse 8.
· For ask the previous generation
· and pay attention to what their fathers discovered.
· Since we were born only yesterday
· and know nothing. Amen?
· The parents in the room are saying a second amen.
· It's a reminder for us.
· Here's what Bill Dad is saying.
· He's saying look back at the previous generations.
· He goes on to tell him about the context
· for why this word of caution matters.
· He begins to say this.
· Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh?
· Do reeds flourish without water?
· While still uncut shoots,
· they would dry up quicker than any other plant.
· Such is the destiny of all who forget God.
· Full stop, highlight, circle, underline.
· Bill Dad in this moment of darkness
· where Job doesn't see the light at the end of the tunnel.
· Bill Dad says, hey buddy, just remember.
· Those who forget God, their destiny isn't good.
· The end result isn't good.
· And he is speaking so honestly to Job
· because all of us,
· if we were just going to be truthful
· with ourselves and others today,
· would say if we were put in Job's situation
· with this level of temptation and difficulty,
· we'd be wondering if it's worth it.
· Or if it would be easier to throw in the towel
· and go to something else.
· Try a new plan.
· Put in a new offense or quarterback.
· If your sports team struggles,
· you try something different.
· Or at least you'd hope.
· But we find ourselves here in Job chapter eight.
· And Job is wondering what to do.
· His friend says, don't forget God.
· He calls upon him to remember the previous generation.
· To understand that this situation isn't unique to him.
· I'm reminded throughout the years
· of the ways in which we think things are new.
· And in some ways they are.
· But the root issues and struggles of life
· are the same as they've always been.
· You see, lust is an issue in 2026.
· I could read stat after stat to you.
· It's a problem.
· But if you go back and look in scripture,
· this guy David,
· he's struggling with the same heart issue then
· that we as a culture struggle with today.
· These issues are still here.
· And so what Bildad offers
· is this word of caution to say look back.
· See how it fared for others
· when they gave up following God.
· He reminds Job that it's worth it.
· He tells him to slow down.
· Third thing that we see that Bildad offers here,
· it's a word of context, sure,
· and a word of caution.
· But I love that he offers a third thing,
· which is a word of contingency.
· Contingency here.
· That the outcome is dependent upon Job's choices.
· One of the phrases that I've heard
· that sticks with me constantly
· begins with a common phrase
· that the grass is always greener.
· You've heard it too.
· But I heard someone add to that
· that the grass may be greener on the other side,
· but the grass is always greener where you water it.
· You see here,
· Bildad is going to remind Job,
· caution him to say time out buddy, slow down.
· But then he offers this contingency
· saying your choices will determine your future.
· What grass you water
· will determine the outcome of your lawn.
· And here's what happens.
· We see that without God,
· those who forget God,
· they will perish.
· It is not good for them.
· But in verse 20,
· Bildad says look,
· God does not reject a person of integrity.
· And he will not support evildoers.
· He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
· and your lips with a shout of joy.
· Your enemies will be clothed with shame.
· The tint of the wicked will no longer exist.
· Now, if you remember what's happening
· in the bigger picture here,
· Job is sitting in grief,
· in darkness.
· And his friend says,
· hey if you trust God,
· he's going to give you laughter
· and he's going to put a shout of joy on your lips.
· And I almost laugh out loud as I read that saying,
· that doesn't feel appropriate for the moment.
· Like, Bildad, wait,
· Job doesn't want to hear that right now.
· But he is offering him this contingency saying,
· if you trust in God's plans,
· it'll be worth it in the end.
· I could tell you time after time again
· in his scripture,
· where the odds seem stacked against God's people.
· However, God had a plan.
· As a matter of fact,
· God has good plans for his people.
· And those plans always, always come to fruition.
· Now, do they come according to our timeline?
· Rarely, if ever,
· however they come to fruition.
· It is a reminder here that this is a word of contingency.
· And what Bildad does is he calls upon Job's integrity
· in this little section.
· What does he say?
· He says here in verse 20,
· God doesn't reject a person of integrity.
· If you'll remember in Job chapter 1 and 2,
· one of the things mentioned over and over and over again
· about Job himself
· is that he was a man of integrity.
· As a matter of fact, what I love about that
· is that Job's purpose in life,
· his identity,
· is not tied in the job that he has,
· in the home that he finds himself in,
· in the vehicle he finds himself driving.
· His identity is tied to his character.
· I think that's a great reminder for you and I
· as we just look at maybe a secondary takeaway
· from today's message,
· is a reminder of what is our identity.
· Job's friends,
· those who know him best,
· and know all his flaws,
· but all of his positives as well,
· call multiple times on his integrity.
· Look, God doesn't reject a person of integrity.
· Job is reminded here by his friend Bildad
· that there may yet still be a future for him,
· that there may still be laughter and joy
· and victory on the backside of the darkness.
· He is saying there should and could still be
· hope at the end of the darkness.
· And so Bildad offers these words,
· and then Job responds in Job 9 and 10.
· I'll just read for you quickly out of Job 9 and 1.
· Then Job answered,
· Yes, I know what you've said is true,
· but how can a person be justified before God?
· This teaches us a deep principle
· that we cannot miss in reading the entirety of this passage.
· That one of the biggest distances in our personal lives
· is the distance from our head where in which we know about God
· and our heart where in which we know God.
· There are plenty of people that know about God,
· but it has not infiltrated their hearts and lives.
· He says, I know that what you've said is true,
· but how can a person be justified before God?
· You see, Job knew the theology of this conversation,
· but he says here in this moment of honesty,
· I don't feel like trusting this.
· I know it's true, but I don't want to do it.
· And it doesn't feel right.
· And he's asking, why is this bad thing happening to me?
· As a matter of fact, Job would go on in chapter 10
· to say, why was I taken out of my mother's womb?
· Job in this interaction offers a word,
· but which reminds us of that distance.
· It is more than just knowing about God.
· We must know that what God says is true
· and allow it to change our hearts.
· And then he continues in chapter 9, verse 3 on through chapter 10
· in this really helpful and important conversation.
· And what Job goes to describe is how big God is.
· As a matter of fact, you'll see in your notes
· at the top of your notes, in chapter 9, verse 22,
· Job himself says, man, I know you say this whole thing
· about bad things happening to bad people,
· but it says, Job says, it seems like bad and evil
· comes for the wicked and the righteous.
· And I don't get it.
· And he's having this conversation with Bildad,
· but he's saying, God is big and I cannot physically
· reach out and touch him.
· It feels like God is distant
· and God isn't doing what I want him to do.
· He's saying, I wish I could bring him in the room
· and show him my problems
· and have God physically in the flesh fix my problems.
· What Job is asking for in this situation is a mediator,
· someone to fight on his behalf.
· Now, the theological principle we understand to be true
· about this happens in the New Testament.
· You see, in the New Testament, when this guy Jesus
· arrives on the scene, which we talk about a little bit,
· Jesus arrives on the scene to do what we couldn't do.
· That is to actually be a good person,
· to live a perfect life without flaw
· and to take the punishment that you and I couldn't pay
· as a result of our actions.
· And when Jesus himself pays that punishment
· with a death on the cross, what happens instantly,
· scripture teaches us in the New Testament,
· is that the veil that separated you and I
· from this regular fault from the Holy of Holies
· is we gained instant access to the God of the heavens.
· What changed in that moment is a vital principle
· that Job is asking for here saying,
· I want access to God.
· I want to be able to go to God himself.
· And when that veil tears between us and the Holy of Holies
· and we get access to God,
· what we find is that we then do have the mediator.
· We have then the gift of the Holy Spirit.
· And Jesus would put it into these words,
· and he would say it this way,
· that it is better that he leaves
· so that the Holy Spirit comes.
· Now I don't know about you, but my instant reaction is,
· I wish Jesus were physically in the flesh with me
· to help me figure out life, amen?
· But he says, no, no.
· It's better that the Holy Spirit comes.
· The Holy Spirit will be with you always
· and will guide you.
· As a matter of fact, we find out in scripture
· that the Holy Spirit will intercede on our behalf
· in prayer, even when we don't have the words.
· You see, when Job finds himself in the midst of darkness,
· his focus is on the who.
· What I find to be so difficult in conversations
· on a regular basis with people in our church
· that walk through difficult seasons
· and with friends and neighbors
· is when we walk through difficult seasons,
· most often times our focus is less on who's involved
· in the situation and more involved
· in what the circumstances are.
· What is the diagnosis?
· And what is the doctor going to say about this?
· And why does this happen?
· And all of these different questions.
· And what we ultimately end up doing
· is we miss the focus on who is behind all of it.
· What I want to encourage you to focus in on today
· as a key practice is this.
· I want you to trust the who
· when there's no why to the what.
· Trust the who when there's no why to the what.
· Plenty of us in the room today have a what.
· We have a situation, a circumstance,
· a thing that's happening and there is no why.
· There's no good reason it's happening.
· And that is the exact moment in which
· we must call on the who, not the what.
· If you'll remember as you look at this passage,
· Bill Datt offers Job the great reminder
· to focus on the God who is behind all of it.
· The God of the heavens who is in control and on his throne.
· And he offers Job the word of caution
· to say slow down and trust in God.
· He offers them this reminder in Job 8 and 9.
· Our days on earth are but a shadow.
· Life is short.
· And if I could offer you one piece of hope
· and encouragement from this conversation
· between Job and Bill Datt, it would be this.
· Even when the odds are stacked against us,
· even when there seems to be no light
· at the end of the tunnel, trust in God.
· Do not forget God in the midst of your circumstances.
· Let me pray for you today.
· God, as we spend time here with heads bowed and eyes closed,
· God, my prayer today is for myself
· and everyone in this room today
· that as we navigate life,
· where there's plenty of what
· and oftentimes not enough if any why,
· God, that you would help us to be a people
· that trust in the who.
· That we would be people that trust in you
· and allow that to be the guiding factor of our lives.
· God, I pray that we would be a people
· here on the corner of Peoria and Omaraj
· that are different than those that
· look at only what they can see,
· but that we trust your hands
· even when we can't see you.
· God, my prayer is that
· as a people trusting in you,
· we wouldn't allow the circumstances
· or the situations to sway us,
· but that we would be committed,
· that we would be reminded of what James 1.19 teaches us,
· that there is no shadow or variation
· due to change in your nature.
· God, you are the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow,
· and we trust you in that.
· God, we pray that that would help guide us
· as we walk through this season.
· God, we pray all of this in your name.
· Amen.
· Piano plays softly
· You give life
· You are love
· You bring light
· To the darkness
· As you give hope
· You restore
· Every heart
· That is broken
· Greater you are
· It's your breath
· In our lungs
· So we pour out our prayers
· We pour out our prayers
· It's your breath
· In our lungs
· So we pour out our prayers
· To you only
· Greater you are
· You give life
· You are love
· You bring light
· To the darkness
· You restore
· Every heart
· That is broken
· Greater you are
· It's your breath
· In our lungs
· So we pour out our prayers
· We pour out our prayers
· It's your breath
· In our lungs
· So we pour out our prayers
· It's your breath
· In our lungs
· So we pour out our prayers
· We pour out our prayers
· It's your breath
· In our lungs
· So remember that once you hold me
· All the earth will sing
· All the earth will shout your praise
· Our hearts will cry
· These mourns will sing
· Where are you Lord?
· All the earth will shout your praise
· Our hearts will cry
· These mourns will sing
· Where are you Lord?
· All the earth will shout your praise
· Our hearts will cry
· These mourns will sing
· Where are you Lord?
· All the earth will shout your praise
· Our hearts will sing
· Where are you Lord?
· All the earth will shout your praise
· Our hearts will sing
· Where are you Lord?
· All the earth will shout your praise
· Our hearts will sing
· Where are you Lord?
· Thank you guys so much for joining us today, hope you guys have a great week and we'll see you guys next week.
· Thank you guys so much for joining us today, hope you guys have a great week.
More from this series
Job