Sunday, February 26, 2017

Be An Advocate

• Be An Advocate
On Job 31
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• There’s two times to praise God:
when you feel like it, and when you don’t.
Current Bible reading plan, Job 31
Why do you serve / obey / worship God? Why would anyone?
Some people see creation and/or relationships and conclude
There is a Maker who is good and is worthy of awe and is not fickle like humankind.
Some people see unexplainable suffering and conclude
There is no God or that God is not good.
The story of Job examines the life of faith
and whether human virtue depends on circumstance.
Kind of an anti-Sermon on the Mount. 
SOM: Jesus says live like this.
Job 31: Job says Look how I’ve lived!
Job’s insistence that he has done no wrong – and indeed, in chapter 1 we’re told that Job is “blameless.” Job’s thorough and searching moral self-inventory may cross the line of annoying though, and his peers consider him self-righteous.
• PK’s loose paraphrase of Job 31:
I know that God sees me and that my life’s reward is from him. I keep myself pure in mind and action. If I have strayed from God’s path, let me bear the consequences. So be it. If I have entertained adultery, may another man be as a husband with my wife. If I treat my slaves badly, do I think I can fool God? No! My slaves and I are equally flesh and blood creations.
If I’ve been stingy, unkind, and uncompassionate – and I’ve always been generous, kind, and considerate – if I’ve been cold-hearted and selfish and rude, may my arms be broken! I can’t stand the thought of being found displeasing to God.
If I’ve been drawn aside by wealth or even by nature’s splendor, count it as an offense to God. I do not even curse my enemies. I have always shown hospitality.
If I have hidden my sins… How I wish Almighty God would acknowledge me! If I have abused my land, may its fruit show it. I’m done.
• Some possible conclusions of Job:
• the workings of God are beyond human comprehension
 • “bad things” happen without “a reason”
 and that is not an indication of any injustice or malevolence or impotence of God.
• it is good and right to aim high and live in righteousness
and it is important to advocate for victims,
to be a voice and a force of good (of God) against wickedness…
to live with kindness and compassion and generosity,
to be considerate of others… 
in short, to live blamelessly.
• Job’s faith is not based on how well God has treated (“blessed”) Job
and his faith is not based on fear of hell.
Job’s faith is an unwavering trust that God is, and that God is good.
• Hymn 512 Stand By Me

Selections from Job 31
5 If I have walked with frauds or my feet have hurried to deceit,
6     let God weigh me on accurate scales; let him know my integrity.
7 If my step has turned from the way,
        if my heart has followed my eyes or a blemish has clung to my hands,
8     then let me sow and another reap; let my offspring be uprooted.
16 If I have denied what the poor wanted, made a widow’s eyes tired,
17     if I have kept my bread all for myself, and not shared any with an orphan
(18     for from my youth I raised the orphan as a father,
        and from my mother’s womb I led the widow);
19     if I ever saw someone dying without clothes, the needy naked;
20     if they haven’t blessed me fervently,
        or if they weren’t warmed by the wool from my sheep;
21     if I have lifted my hand against the orphans,
        when I saw that I had help in the city gate—
22     may my arm fall from my shoulder, my forearm be broken at the elbow—
23     for God’s calamity is terror to me; I couldn’t endure his splendor. 
24 If I’ve made gold my trust, said to fine gold: “My security!”
25     if I’ve rejoiced because my wealth was great, when my hand found plenty;
26     if I’ve looked at the sun when it shone, the moon, splendid as it moved;
27     and my mind has been secretly enticed, and threw a kiss with my hand,
28     that also is a punishable offense, because I would then be disloyal to God above.
33 If I have hidden my transgressions like Adam, concealing my offenses inside me
34     because I feared the large crowd; the clan’s contempt frightened me;
    I was quiet and didn’t venture outside.

35 Oh, that I had someone to hear me!
    mark my words, they are my own;
    let the Almighty respond,
    and let my accuser write an indictment.
36 Surely I would bear it on my shoulder,
    tie it around me like a wreath.
37 I would give him an account of my steps,
    approach him like a prince.
ò

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