LAST SUNDAY'S SERMON NOTES
Read Peter's preaching notes....
“When Lament Is Not Enough”
Job 9:21-35
7/12/26
Whoever coined phrase “patience of Job” obviously never read the book
Job is many things, but patient is not one of them
to remind you: Job was a “blameless & upright” man who put faith in God
but suffered great calamity: children killed, wealth ruined, struck w/ disease
we’re given behind-the-scenes peek into why it happened, but Job never knew
did nothing to deserve be afflicted the way he was, but happened to him anyway
Three friends show up: tell Job to follow faithful, proper way to bring his struggle to God
lament: time-honored & acceptable form of prayer find in Psalms & elsewhere
has three main parts: use Ps 13 as short & simple example
1. Begins w/ complaint: description of problem person is facing
in Ps 13, asks God “how long?” 4X: how long….
will you hide your face from me? must I wrestle w/ my thoughts?
have sorrow in my heart? will my enemies triumph over me?
might wonder: aren’t we supposed to accept what Lord sends our way & not complain?
because God loves us, cares about what burdens us: OK to complain, even be angry
2nd part of prayer of lament is petition: ask God to do something about it
in Ps 13: “Look on me and answer, LORD my God. Give light to my eyes”
seems natural & normal to us: ask God’s help when & in parts of live we need it
Usually 3rd part “vow to praise:” promise that time will come when will praise God again
expr of trust: God will hear & respond, will be able to praise him for what will do
so certain God will help, thank him for it before it even comes
in Ps 13: “I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me”
lament moves from complaint about troubles to hope because recognize God will help
Job already really good at the 1st part: complaining about what happened to him
3 friends wanted him to move to next step: petition, ask God for help
eg Eliphaz: “I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him” (5:8)
even if you are guilty of sin, if you ask God for help he will deliver you
in back of minds, probably expect Job to then move on to 3rd part of lament
will end up praising God, thanking him for deliverance even before receives it
This is the faithful, respectful, “right” way to act when problems come your way
don’t pretend tragedy & heartache don’t exist: doesn’t do anyone any good
tell God about it them: lay them all before him, and trust that he will help you
may not come as quickly as wish, may not be what expect, but will come
Isn’t that what we believe? sing “God Will Take Care of You” & many others
seek God & ask for mercy: is good & will help us
even if sinned, can turn away from & he will forgive you
But Job will have none of it: refuses to accept the pat relig answers
refuses because knew from his own personal exp don’t work
may exp times of your own when message of our faith rings hollow
hear that God loves us, will take care of us, wants what is good for us
but these beliefs seem completely detached from your reality
Job: angry, hurting, impatient: says “No! God won’t help me!”
does everything that lament style of praying says you shouldn’t do
went on for ch after ch w/ his complaining & arguing
for now, just focus on part of what he says in Ch 9: see how refused to conform
Unlike lament, didn’t say suffered even though God was part of life
suffered because God was in his life
said God was the source of his pain: treated him like an enemy
Instead of asking God for help, accuses him of being unjust, as talked about last wk
“He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.” (9:22)
doesn’t help the people who are being treated unfairly: does exact opposite!
“he mocks the despair of the innocent” (9:23)
Job knows he’s innocent, but God treats him like he’s guilty
even if he did everything right, God would still make him suffer (9:29-31)
Refused to ask God for help or mercy
makes sense: why would you turn to your tormentor to save you?
he’s the one you need to be saved from!
not only because God is source of suffering, but would never respond anyway
vv 33-35: If there were some way I could talk to God, I would speak up
but I can’t: he refuses to respond when I demand to speak w/ him
Lament gives voice to suffering & holds out hope, but Job has none
had nothing but despair: death only possibility for relief: “I despise my own life” (9:21)
any hope for Job lies not in God responding, but in God leaving him alone
elsewhere, repeatedly asks God to turn away from him
our hope lies in God responding: but for Job, hope lies in God abandoning him
takes all our concepts of what it means to put faith in God & turns upside down
Might read this & ask: what is this doing in the Bible?
fact that it is in Bible - & that at end of Job’s story God commends him –
helps us understand faith, our relationship w/ God, in new way
God doesn’t always ask us to treat him w/ respect & devotion
only asks for us to be honest in what we feel
sometimes we may be convinced that God isn’t being fair to us: don’t pretend
Job tried it & didn’t work: “If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,’ I still dread all my sufferings” (9:27-28)
Scholar on Job “God approves of venting, even if it is theologically improper”
accepts our disrespectful anger
Job 9:21-35
7/12/26
Whoever coined phrase “patience of Job” obviously never read the book
Job is many things, but patient is not one of them
to remind you: Job was a “blameless & upright” man who put faith in God
but suffered great calamity: children killed, wealth ruined, struck w/ disease
we’re given behind-the-scenes peek into why it happened, but Job never knew
did nothing to deserve be afflicted the way he was, but happened to him anyway
Three friends show up: tell Job to follow faithful, proper way to bring his struggle to God
lament: time-honored & acceptable form of prayer find in Psalms & elsewhere
has three main parts: use Ps 13 as short & simple example
1. Begins w/ complaint: description of problem person is facing
in Ps 13, asks God “how long?” 4X: how long….
will you hide your face from me? must I wrestle w/ my thoughts?
have sorrow in my heart? will my enemies triumph over me?
might wonder: aren’t we supposed to accept what Lord sends our way & not complain?
because God loves us, cares about what burdens us: OK to complain, even be angry
2nd part of prayer of lament is petition: ask God to do something about it
in Ps 13: “Look on me and answer, LORD my God. Give light to my eyes”
seems natural & normal to us: ask God’s help when & in parts of live we need it
Usually 3rd part “vow to praise:” promise that time will come when will praise God again
expr of trust: God will hear & respond, will be able to praise him for what will do
so certain God will help, thank him for it before it even comes
in Ps 13: “I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me”
lament moves from complaint about troubles to hope because recognize God will help
Job already really good at the 1st part: complaining about what happened to him
3 friends wanted him to move to next step: petition, ask God for help
eg Eliphaz: “I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him” (5:8)
even if you are guilty of sin, if you ask God for help he will deliver you
in back of minds, probably expect Job to then move on to 3rd part of lament
will end up praising God, thanking him for deliverance even before receives it
This is the faithful, respectful, “right” way to act when problems come your way
don’t pretend tragedy & heartache don’t exist: doesn’t do anyone any good
tell God about it them: lay them all before him, and trust that he will help you
may not come as quickly as wish, may not be what expect, but will come
Isn’t that what we believe? sing “God Will Take Care of You” & many others
seek God & ask for mercy: is good & will help us
even if sinned, can turn away from & he will forgive you
But Job will have none of it: refuses to accept the pat relig answers
refuses because knew from his own personal exp don’t work
may exp times of your own when message of our faith rings hollow
hear that God loves us, will take care of us, wants what is good for us
but these beliefs seem completely detached from your reality
Job: angry, hurting, impatient: says “No! God won’t help me!”
does everything that lament style of praying says you shouldn’t do
went on for ch after ch w/ his complaining & arguing
for now, just focus on part of what he says in Ch 9: see how refused to conform
Unlike lament, didn’t say suffered even though God was part of life
suffered because God was in his life
said God was the source of his pain: treated him like an enemy
Instead of asking God for help, accuses him of being unjust, as talked about last wk
“He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.” (9:22)
doesn’t help the people who are being treated unfairly: does exact opposite!
“he mocks the despair of the innocent” (9:23)
Job knows he’s innocent, but God treats him like he’s guilty
even if he did everything right, God would still make him suffer (9:29-31)
Refused to ask God for help or mercy
makes sense: why would you turn to your tormentor to save you?
he’s the one you need to be saved from!
not only because God is source of suffering, but would never respond anyway
vv 33-35: If there were some way I could talk to God, I would speak up
but I can’t: he refuses to respond when I demand to speak w/ him
Lament gives voice to suffering & holds out hope, but Job has none
had nothing but despair: death only possibility for relief: “I despise my own life” (9:21)
any hope for Job lies not in God responding, but in God leaving him alone
elsewhere, repeatedly asks God to turn away from him
our hope lies in God responding: but for Job, hope lies in God abandoning him
takes all our concepts of what it means to put faith in God & turns upside down
Might read this & ask: what is this doing in the Bible?
fact that it is in Bible - & that at end of Job’s story God commends him –
helps us understand faith, our relationship w/ God, in new way
God doesn’t always ask us to treat him w/ respect & devotion
only asks for us to be honest in what we feel
sometimes we may be convinced that God isn’t being fair to us: don’t pretend
Job tried it & didn’t work: “If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,’ I still dread all my sufferings” (9:27-28)
Scholar on Job “God approves of venting, even if it is theologically improper”
accepts our disrespectful anger
Old Union Presbyterian Church | 200 Union Church Road, Mars, PA 16046
724-538-8672 | [email protected]
724-538-8672 | [email protected]