I know that My Redeemer Lives! (Job 19:23-27)

The Resurrection of our Lord Easter Day 
April 8, 2012

Dear friends in Christ.

As we have gathered in worship on this glorious Easter Sunday, we have gathered to raise our hearts and voice in praise of our Lord Jesus who though he was crucified has now risen from death and now lives and rules eternally.  We have joined our hearts and our voices together as we have sung beautiful hymns reminding us that Jesus has risen from the dead, that because Jesus is alive we know that he has won the victory, that we know that our redeemer lives.  In fact, what better message could there be for us today than the message that Jesus is alive!  For this message that Jesus, our Savior has been raised from the dead and is now alive, is the central message of salvation recorded in the Bible.  In fact, it was this message that inspired Samuel Medley to write his beautiful eight stanza hymn that we sang only a few moments ago.  That beautiful hymn which echoes the words of Job in our lesson for today; the words that Job spoke something like two thousand years before Jesus was born. 

In fact, I would like to invite you, if you haven’t already, to open your Bibles to our lesson in Job 19:23-25.  Now, as you are opening to Job 19:23, let me remind you of some of the things that had happened to Job.  He was the one who lost all his children and all his possessions in a single day.  He is the one who endured painful sores, which covered his body.  He is the one who endured seven days of silence when his friends came to comfort him, because when his friends came they didn’t know what to say to him.  Job was the one who was in such a pitiable condition that they couldn’t even say, “Cheer up, old friend.  At least you still have your health.”  For it was obvious to them that Job didn’t even have that anymore.  Yet even in the midst of his sorrow.  Even in the midst of his suffering, the Lord strengthened Job and he was able to utter the beautiful words of our lesson today:  23 “Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, 24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever! 25 I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!(Job 19:23–27, NIV84)

What an amazing confession of faith from a man who was suffering so terribly!  What an amazing confession of the facts that took place something like two-thousand years later!  What an amazing echo of what the women told the disciples when they returned from the tomb on that Easter morning!  What an amazing thing for the disciples to hear that Jesus, their Savior, the one whom they had seen crucified; the one who they saw give up his life and die; the one whom the saw laid in a tomb that was sealed by the religious leaders and the Romans; He was now alive!  Yet, as you know, the disciples did not believe it right away.  Partly because they had not fully comprehended what Jesus had taught them, and, I’m sure, partly because of the emotional roller coaster that they had ridden for the past week.  It had only been seven days earlier when Jesus had ridden into Jerusalem in triumph to the shouts of “Hosanna!  Hosanna to the Son of David!  Hosanna in the highest!”  But then, a mere five days later, Jesus was on trial for crimes he had never committed.  Though his followers had shouted as loudly as they could, their cries of, “Jesus!” could not compete with the cries of “Barabbas!” when Pilate asked, “Whom shall I release to you?”  Though Jesus’ followers had cried out, “Release him!” they still could not drown out the echoing cries of “Crucify him! Crucify him!” when Pilate asked, “What shall I do with him?” 

Now it was early Sunday morning, just after sunrise, and the women were on their way to the tomb.  They were going to anoint Jesus body with spices and give him the proper burial, which they had not had time to give him because it was so close to the Sabbath.  As they walked along they remembered the stone in front of the tomb and wondered who would roll it away for them.  But when they got to the tomb the stone had already been rolled away.  When they went into the tomb they found that Jesus was no longer there.  There was only the angel who told them that Jesus was not there because he had risen from the dead.  Jesus, their Savior, was alive once again!  Though at first the women were somewhat bewildered by this announcement and didn’t fully comprehend what the angel was telling them, we understand and take comfort in the fact that Christ Jesus, our Savior, has risen from the dead and is alive, just as Job confessed so many years ago, “25 I know that my Redeemer lives,” (Job 19:25a, NIV84)

Could there be any greater comfort for us than the comfort that comes from knowing that Jesus, our Savior, is alive?  For the comfort we receive comes from knowing that when Christ went to the cross he drank all the hellish dregs of the cup of God’s wrath so that there would not be even one drop of suffering left for us to drink.  When Christ went to the cross he went there to give his life in sacrifice so that by his death he would completely pay the price that God demanded for the satisfaction and forgiveness of our sins.  But now, because we know that Jesus has risen from the dead, we know that he has completed our salvation.  Because Jesus is alive, we know that all of our sins have been forgiven.  Because Jesus is alive we know that sin and death have been defeated.  Because Jesus is alive, we know that he is our salvation.  He is in heaven even now interceding before God the Father on our behalf.  He is in heaven even now preparing a place for us, just as he has promised to do.  But the best part about knowing that Jesus is alive, is knowing that he will return for us one day to take us home to be with him forever.

Amazingly, even this is something that Job confessed and prophesied a couple thousand years before Jesus was even born!  For when Job spoke his beautiful confession he didn’t just stop by saying, “I know that my Redeemer lives.”  Rather, he continued on as he said in verse 25: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25–27, NIV84)

Though Job did not know Jesus as we know him, he knew that the Lord would one day send the Redeemer who would not only save him from his sins, but would also return for him one day.  Well, this hope to which Job was clinging is the same hope that the disciples cherished and taught to the people in every city and country where they traveled.  For the disciples knew, as Job did, that this same Jesus who had been taken from them into heaven would come back in the same way they had seen him go.  (Acts 1:11)

My friends, we have that same confidence in Jesus, our Savior, today.  Because we know that Jesus our Savior has risen for the dead and is alive, living and ruling in heaven, we also know that one day he will return for us.  Perhaps that day will be today.  Perhaps it will be tomorrow.  Perhaps it won’t be for many, many years.  But no matter when that day comes we have Job’s prophecy that one day our Redeemer will stand upon the earth, and we have Jesus’ own promise when he tells us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.(John 14:1–3, NIV84) 

What a wondrous day that will be when Jesus returns to take us home to be with him!  For on that day as Job said, “He will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!(Job 19:25–27, NIV84)

Because Jesus came to earth, suffered under the terrible weight of sin, and died on the cross, he has removed our sins forever.  Because Jesus rose again from the dead we have no doubts that Jesus is our Salvation.  We know that through him our God sees us as holy and righteous people.  We know that by his resurrection he has defeated Satan and the power of death forever.  We know that because Jesus has crushed Satan and his power, Satan can no longer harm us. We know that because of Jesus death and resurrection, our death will be nothing more than a nap our bodies will take while we wait for our Savior’s return.  Because of all of this we can sing for joy with Job, with the Apostles, with Samuel Medley, and with all Christians, “I know that my Redeemer lives; What comfort this sweet sentence gives! He lives, he lives, who once was dead; He lives, my ever-living Head!  He lives and grants me daily breath; He lives, and I shall conquer death. He lives my mansion to prepare; He lives to bring my safely there. He lives, all glory to his name! He lives, my Jesus, still the same. Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives: "I know that my Redeemer lives!"

Amen.

Pastor David M. Shilling

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church--Le Sueur, MN

I Know that My Redeemer Lives (Job 19:23-27)

September 18, 2011

Dear friends in Christ.

Samuel Medley was born in England on June 23, 1738.  Though he was apprenticed to an oilman in London, he so thoroughly disliked the oil business that at the age of 17 he entered the service of the King as a sailor in the Royal Navy.  Though he had been brought up in a good home with a good education, it is clear that Samuel was anything but a Christian.  By all reports he led a very over indulgent and excessive life while serving in the Royal Navy.  However his Naval career was cut short, when at the age of 21 he endured a sever leg wound in the Battle of Cape Lagos; a leg wound that necessitated an honorable discharge from service.  Though Samuel had been anything but a Christian, it was during his convalescence that he heard a sermon by Isaac Watts that began the spark of faith in Samuel’s heart.  As his faith grew he felt called to the service of the Lord and became a Baptism minister.  Though history speaks of him as an excellent preacher and teacher of salvation, the thing for which Samuel Medley is best remember are the 230 hymns he wrote during his lifetime.  Though we have only one of his 230 hymns in our hymnal, in my opinion it is by far, the best!  For the hymn that we have is the beautiful hymn that we sang at the beginning of our service today, I Know that My Redeemer Lives!

What better message could there be for us today than the message that Jesus is alive!  For this message that Jesus, our Savior has been raised from the dead and is now alive, is the central message of salvation recorded in the Bible.  In fact, it was this message that inspired Samuel Medley to write his beautiful eight stanza hymn that we began singing at the beginning of our service and which we will conclude shortly after our sermon today.  This is the message that Job confidently proclaimed something like two thousand years before Jesus was born.  So, I invite you now, if you haven’t already, to open your Bibles to our lesson in Job 19:23-25.  Now, as you are opening to Job 19:23, let me remind you of some of the things that had happened to Job.  He was the one who lost all his children and all his possessions in a single day.  He is the one who endured painful sores, which covered his body.  He is the one who endured seven days of silence when his friends came to comfort him, because when his friends came they didn’t know what to say to him.  Job was the one who was in such a pitiable condition that they couldn’t even say, “Cheer up, old friend.  At least you still have your health.”  For it was obvious to them that Job didn’t even have that anymore.  Yet even in the midst of his sorrow.  Even in the midst of his suffering, the Lord strengthened Job and he was able to utter the beautiful words of our lesson today:  23 “Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, 24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever! 25 I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!(Job 19:23–27, NIV84)

What an amazing confession of faith from a man who was suffering so terribly!  What an amazing confession of the facts that took place something like two-thousand years later!  What an amazing echo of what the women told the disciples when they returned from the tomb on that Easter morning!  What an amazing thing for the disciples to hear that Jesus, their Savior, the one whom they had seen crucified; the one who they saw give up his life and die; the one whom the saw laid in a tomb that was sealed by the religious leaders and the Romans; He was now alive!  Yet, as you know, the disciples did not believe it right away.  Partly because they had not fully comprehended what Jesus had taught them, and, I’m sure, partly because of the emotional roller coaster that they had ridden for the past week.  It had only been seven days earlier when Jesus had ridden into Jerusalem in triumph to the shouts of “Hosanna!  Hosanna to the Son of David!  Hosanna in the highest!”  But then, a mere five days later, Jesus was on trial for crimes he had never committed.  Though his followers had shouted as loudly as they could, their cries of, “Jesus!” could not compete with the cries of “Barabbas!” when Pilate asked, “Whom shall I release to you?”  Though Jesus’ followers had cried out, “Release him!” they still could not drown out the echoing cries of “Crucify him! Crucify him!” when Pilate asked, “What shall I do with him?” 

Now it was early Sunday morning, just after sunrise, and the women were on their way to the tomb.  They were going to anoint Jesus body with spices and give him the proper burial, which they had not had time to give him because it was so close to the Sabbath.  As they walked along they remembered the stone in front of the tomb and wondered who would roll it away for them.  But when they got to the tomb the stone had already been rolled away.  When they went into the tomb they found that Jesus was no longer there.  There was only the angel who told them that Jesus was not there because he had risen from the dead.  Jesus, their Savior, was alive once again!  Though at first the women were somewhat bewildered by this announcement and didn’t fully comprehend what the angel was telling them, we understand and take comfort in the fact that Christ Jesus, our Savior, has risen from the dead and is alive, just as Job confessed so many years ago, “25 I know that my Redeemer lives,” (Job 19:25a, NIV84)

Could there be any greater comfort for us than the comfort that comes from knowing that Jesus, our Savior, is alive?  For the comfort we receive comes from knowing that when Christ went to the cross he drank all the hellish dregs of the cup of God’s wrath so that there would not be even one drop of suffering left for us to drink.  When Christ went to the cross he went there to give his life in sacrifice so that by his death he would completely pay the price that God demanded for the satisfaction and forgiveness of our sins.  But now, because we know that Jesus has risen from the dead, we know that he has completed our salvation.  Because Jesus is alive, we know that all of our sins have been forgiven.  Because Jesus is alive we know that sin and death have been defeated.  Because Jesus is alive, we know that he is our salvation.  He is in heaven even now interceding before God the Father on our behalf.  He is in heaven even now preparing a place for us, just as he has promised to do.  But the best part about knowing that Jesus is alive, is knowing that he will return for us one day to take us home to be with him forever.

Amazingly, even this is something that Job confessed and prophesied a couple thousand years before Jesus was even born!  For when Job spoke his beautiful confession he didn’t just stop by saying, “I know that my Redeemer lives.”  Rather, he continued on as he said in verse 25: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25–27, NIV84)

Though Job did not know Jesus as we know him, he knew that the Lord would one day send the Redeemer who would not only save him from his sins, but would also return for him one day.  Well, this hope to which Job was clinging is the same hope that the disciples cherished and taught to the people in every city and country where they traveled.  For the disciples knew, as Job did, that this same Jesus who had been taken from them into heaven would come back in the same way they had seen him go.  (Acts 1:11)

My friends, we have that same confidence in Jesus, our Savior, today.  Because we know that Jesus our Savior has risen for the dead and is alive, living and ruling in heaven, we also know that one day he will return for us.  Perhaps that day will be today.  Perhaps it will be tomorrow.  Perhaps it won’t be for many, many years.  But no matter when that day comes we have Job’s prophecy that one day our Redeemer will stand upon the earth, and we have Jesus’ own promise when he tells us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.(John 14:1–3, NIV84) 

What a wondrous day that will be when Jesus returns to take us home to be with him!  For on that day as Job said, “He will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!(Job 19:25–27, NIV84)

Because Jesus came to earth, suffered under the terrible weight of sin, and died on the cross, he has removed our sins forever.  Because Jesus rose again from the dead we have no doubts that Jesus is our Salvation.  We know that through him our God sees us as holy and righteous people.  We know that by his resurrection he has defeated Satan and the power of death forever.  We know that because Jesus has crushed Satan and his power, Satan can no longer harm us. We know that because of Jesus death and resurrection, our death will be nothing more than a nap our bodies will take while we wait for our Savior’s return.  Because of all of this we can sing for joy with Job, with the Apostles, with Samuel Medley, and with all Christians, “I know that my Redeemer lives; What comfort this sweet sentence gives! He lives, he lives, who once was dead; He lives, my ever-living Head!  He lives and grants me daily breath; He lives, and I shall conquer death. He lives my mansion to prepare; He lives to bring my safely there. He lives, all glory to his name! He lives, my Jesus, still the same. Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives: "I know that my Redeemer lives!"

Amen.

Pastor David M. Shilling

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church--Le Sueur, MN

Why does the Lord allow such suffering to come into the lives of his faithful people? (Job 1-42)

January 23, 2011


Dear friends in Christ.

How many of you have faced suffering, frustration, or hardship in your lives? If you have, you’re not alone, because in this sin-filled world we are constantly facing hardships, frustrations, and even suffering. We are constantly struggling against some form of temptation, some hardship that has come into our life, even some form of suffering that is causing us pain or anguish in some way or another. There are times that we wonder why we have to deal with these things. There are times when we’ve raised our heads to heaven and asked, “What have I done to deserve this?” There are even times, when we see all the pain and sorrow, disasters and destruction around us that we begin to ask the question, “Why does the Lord allow such suffering to come into the lives of his faithful people?”

To answer a question like that we need to take a look at the life of a man named Job. So, I invite you to open your Bibles to the book of Job and we’ll begin our look at his life in chapter 1. Now, if you’ve been following the chronological schedule for our Bible reading challenge, then you have not only already read from Job 1, but you have spent the last couple of weeks reading through the entire book. Now, if you’ve spent the last two weeks reading through the book of Job, you may have been amazed to find that the majority of the book is a conversation between Job, his friends, and finally God. You may have been amazed to see just how greatly the Lord allowed Job to suffer. You may even have been amazed to hear Job cry out, as he did, in his anguish and suffering, essentially asking the question, “Why does the Lord allow suffering to enter the lives of his faithful people?”

Take a look at Job 1:1, “In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East. 4 His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom. 6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.” 8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” 9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” 12 The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. (Job 1:1–12, NIV84)

Why satan was there, presenting himself before the Lord along with the Lord’s angels, we don’t know. We don’t know because this is one of the things the Lord simply doesn’t tell us. However, as we read, it was the Lord who brought Job up as the subject of conversation. Take a look again at verse 8: “The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” When the Lord held up Job as an example of faithfulness and righteousness, satan immediately sought an opportunity to get back at God and he essentially bet God that Job would reject the Lord if the Lord took everything away from Job, which is exactly what the Lord allowed satan to do. Verse 15: the Sabeans attacked carrying off all of Job’s oxen and donkeys and killing his servants. Verse 16: The Fire of God fell and burned up the sheep and the servants. Verse 17: the Chaldeans stole all his camels and killed his servants. Verse 18: Job’s sons and daughters were killed with the house collapsed after being struck by a mighty wind. But what did Job do? Verse 20: “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” 22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. (Job 1:20–22, NIV84)

Again satan appeared before the Lord. (Job 2:1-2) Again the Lord held Job up as a great example of faithfulness and righteousness. (Job 2:3) Again satan bet the Lord that he could make Job lose his faith by striking his health, so the Lord allowed it. (Job 2:4-7) He gave Job over to satan to do to him whatever satan pleased. However, satan was not allowed to take his life. Satan afflicted Job with such painful sores that even his wife urged him to curse God and die. Yet Job remained faithful as he accepted even this suffering that the Lord had bestowed upon him. (Job 2:8-10) Though the Lord had allowed satan to inflict great suffering upon Job, he did not sin in the things that he said or the things that he did.

Yet, out of all the suffering that Job endured, what took place in the next 34 chapters was undoubtedly the most frustrating! Though his friends had come to comfort him, all they had done was sit with Job on the ground for 7 days and 7 nights. They hadn’t spoken a word to Job because they could see that Job was in such agony. Then, when Job finally spoke, he spoke with such anguish and pain in his voice that he cursed the day of his birth and wished he had never been born. In that moment his friends seized upon that anguish and began accusing him of hidden sins. They told Job that he was not nearly as righteous as he thought he was, that he was harboring some hidden sin in his heart, and it was because of that sin that the Lord was punishing him. Job responded that he was not harboring any secret sins, that his life was an open book, and that his righteousness was clear by his faith expressing itself in action in all he did. This was how the conversation went for 34 chapters; Job’s friends accusing him of secret sins while Job maintained his righteousness. They accused him of secret sins so vehemently that Job passionately defended his righteousness. In fact he so passionately defended his righteousness that he essentially began trusting in his own righteousness and began accusing God for acting unjustly in causing Job’s anguish and suffering. Though he may not have uttered the words of our theme today, if you read through what Job says, there are times that you can honestly hear him lifting his voice toward heaven and crying out, “Why, O God, am I being made to suffer?” “Why, O Lord, have you forsaken your servant?” “Why, O Lord, are you allowing such suffering to come into the life of your faithful servant?”

Yet, before we join the ranks of Job’s friends and condemn him in the midst of his anguished suffering, we need to take a step back and ask ourselves, how often haven’t those very words escaped our mouths? How often haven’t we raised our voices to heaven and cried out, “Why, O God, am I being made to suffer?” “What have I done to deserve this?” “Why, O Lord, are you allowing such suffering to come into the life of your faithful servant?” How often haven’t these very thoughts and words escaped our lips as we felt pain coursing through our bodies because of illness, disease, or even because of age? How often haven’t we grown angry with the Lord, because the Lord in his mercy and wisdom took our husband, our wife, even one or more of our children from this life to his heavenly kingdom. How often haven’t we cried out, “What have I done to deserve this?” when we were faced with insurmountable odds, when we or a loved one was diagnosed with a terminal illness, when we were facing financial troubles? How often haven’t we said, with tears flowing freely, “Why, O Lord, are you allowing such suffering to come into the life of your faithful people?”—Especially when we’ve seen the destruction caused by storms and earthquakes. How often haven’t we wondered why the Lord has allowed suffering to come into our lives when we face persecution or mockery for what we believe; when we face rising food prices, rising gas prices, and bills that just don’t stop coming?

For the truth is, we have all been filled with anguish and faced suffering in one way or another in our lives. We have all grown just as angry and impatient with our situation as Job has. And we have all cried out to the Lord in one way or another demanding an answer as to why the Lord has allowed suffering to enter into our lives. Yet, like Job, the answer to our question never comes. In fact, turn with me to Chapter 38 and we’ll take a look at the answer that Job got. Though the Lord answered Job, it was not the answer he expected or hoped for. Take a look at Job 38:1 and following. “Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said: 2 “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? 3 Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. 4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. 5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? 6 On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone— 7 while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? (Job 38:1–7, NIV84) And again in 39: “Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn? 2 Do you count the months till they bear? Do you know the time they give birth? 3 They crouch down and bring forth their young; their labor pains are ended. 4 Their young thrive and grow strong in the wilds; they leave and do not return. 5 “Who let the wild donkey go free? Who untied his ropes? 6 I gave him the wasteland as his home, the salt flats as his habitat. 7 He laughs at the commotion in the town; he does not hear a driver’s shout. 8 He ranges the hills for his pasture and searches for any green thing. (Job 39:1–8, NIV84) and Again in chapter 40: “The LORD said to Job: 2 “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!” 3 Then Job answered the LORD: 4 “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. 5 I spoke once, but I have no answer— twice, but I will say no more.” (Job 40:1–5, NIV84)

When Job received his answer form the Lord, it was not the answer he expected. Rather, Job saw the Lord’s righteousness and recognized his own sins of blaming God and accusing God and demanding answers from God. He recognized his sins, he repented of them, and the Lord forgave him. Though Job was never given an answer as to why the Lord allowed suffering to come into his life, Job saw how the Lord worked even that out for good, because today we have the example of Job and we are strengthened in our faith and better prepared to face suffering in our life because of what Job endured.

The same thing is true today. Though there are times when the Lord may allow or even send hardship and suffering into our lives, we may never receive the answer as to why he does it, because the truth is our God does not need to give us an answer for why he does the things he does. As his children, we do not know or fully understand the plans that he has for us, and just like parents do not always need to explain things to their children so also the Lord does not need to give us a reason for why we face certain situations in our lives. Yet, having said that, we are reminded of what the Lord says in Romans 8: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28, NIV84) We are reminded of what Jesus tells us in John 15, how his father is the one who prunes us to make us more fruitful for him, and we know how the Lord used this suffering brought upon Job to give Job the opportunity to see his faithfulness to the Lord. Though Job did sin against the Lord with some of his words and complaints, he never lost his faith. He never rejected the Lord, and the Lord used this suffering as an opportunity to show Job just how faithful the Lord is, and how faithful Job was to the Lord. For it has been said, we never really know just how faithful we are until we have the opportunity to be unfaithful. Though we many never know why the Lord allows a particular form of suffering to enter our lives, we can take comfort in the fact that he will use it for our good, so that we might grow in our faith in him, that we might remain faithful to our Savior, that we might even be given the honor to lose our lives in this world so that we might gain them forever in heaven.

Amen.

Pastor David M. Shilling
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church --Le Sueur, MN

Praise Your Savior for His Appearing (Job 19:23-27; Isaiah 42:1-7; Matthew 3:13-17)

January 16, 2011

Dear friends in Christ.

So how have you enjoyed this first week of Exploring God’s Islands of Adventure? Have you jumped right in and read or listened to the Word of God as you planned? Did you face any time thieves this week and find that you hadn’t accomplished all the reading you planned on? Or are you still undecided as to which plan you are going to follow? Well, if you are still undecided as to which plan to follow, I hope I’ve made it easier by including in the bulletin the chronological schedule that I’m using for our weekly Bible Study and worship. If you’ve faced time thieves this week, you’re not alone, the same thing happened to me on Tuesday! Suddenly it was Wednesday and I realized I had not read my Bible the day before. If you’ve accomplished your reading exactly as you planed this week, then good for you! In fact, my congratulations to all of you who read or listened to even the slightest little bit this week, and my encouragement to those of you who haven’t yet begun! I say this because the truth is whenever you make a decision to change and grow in any way; you suddenly have a struggle on your hands—especially when you make the decision to read the word and grow in your faith.

Yet, as I said last week, I so badly want each and every one of you to be reading or listening to the Bible this year, because when you do, you will grow in your faith and your knowledge of Jesus Christ as your Savior. As you grow in your faith and your knowledge we will grow together as an even more closely knit family of believers. In fact, just think about how your faith would grow if you were in the word for an entire week. Just think about how your life would change for the better, how your faith would grow, and how you would walk with confidence in your salvation if you were in the word of God for an entire month. Just think about how your live would change for the better, how your faith would grow and be as strong as steel, how you would walk with absolute confidence in the knowledge of your salvation through faith in Jesus, and how you would be constantly, passionately ready to share the comfort of God’s Word with those who were hurting, and share your faith with those who do not yet know the Lord Jesus as their Savior if you just spent the next year reading or listening to God’s Word for yourselves.

This is the growth that I long for, for you. As I said last week, I’ve spent the last six months reading this schedule so that I could stay ahead of you and share with you the beautiful truths I’ve found. Yet, while I keep reading to stay ahead of you, I’m also starting over at the beginning so that I can read with you and share with you the beautiful truths and amazing connections that I’ve discovered, while at the same time learning from you through the insights you will be placing on the navigation board in this next year. In fact, today, I want to share with you an amazing connection that I discovered. It is a connection between some of the words that Job speaks in chapter 19, which is part of the scheduled reading for today, and two of the lessons that I’ve already read as part of our worship today. It is a connection that will lead us to Praise the Lord our Savior as we celebrate his appearing at his baptism today.

I invite you to open your Bibles to Job 19:23-27. As you are turning to Job 19, let me give you a little background. Though we’re not exactly certain when Job lived, our best guess is that he lived around the time of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob). This is why we read only the first 11 chapters of Genesis and then jumped right into Job. Now, the book of Job is an interesting book. In fact, it has been said that without the first two chapters none of the book would make sense, and yet, as we read through it, we see a believer dealing with some of the most horrendous hardships, frustration, sickness, and accusations that friends could bring against him. As we read through the book of Job, we see Job proclaiming the same frustration and anger that we all have directed at God or others when we’ve faced difficulties, hospital stays, life threatening illnesses, financial ruin or any other hardship. Though there are times that Job blames God for all his troubles and God confronts him at the end of the book, Job never lost his faith and the Lord always counted Job as his child. Even in the midst of his pain and anguish the Lord allowed Job to praise the Lord his Savior because Job knew that one day his Savior would appear. Take a look at Job 19:23: “Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, 24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever! 25 I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:23–27, NIV84)

In the midst of struggle and hardship, pain and anguish, Job utters such beautiful words of praise for the Lord his Savior whom he knows will one day appear. He utters words of praise that Christians have sung since they were written in hymn form by Samuel Medley in 1775. He utters words of praise that I have used as the closing of my grave side service since the day I heard the pastor under whom I served as a bishop speak them as the close of his grave side service. Thus, we these words, Job reminds us and assures us that no matter what we face in this life, no matter what struggles or hardships we might have, even if we should lose our health or our ability to work, even if gas should make it to $4.00 a gallon as is being predicted; no matter what might come our way, we can still give praise and thanks to the Lord Jesus, our Savior, as we celebrate his appearing today. We can praise our Lord and Savior because we know that when he appeared here on earth, he came as the Lord’s servant, just as Isaiah told us in our first lesson today.

Turn with me now, if you would, to Isaiah 42 and we’ll see how verses 1-7 connect with what we just heard from Job. Now, as you are turning to Isaiah 42, let me give you the setting. At least 2000 years have passed since the days of Job. Israel has been living in the Promised Land for roughly 700 years and there were roughly 700 years remaining before the Savior would be born. Now, as Isaiah speaks the words in chapter 42, the complete destruction of the Northern Kingdom of Israel is close at hand. Yet, even in the midst of pending destruction on the Northern Kingdom and rampant unbelief that Isaiah faced in the Southern Kingdom, the Lord gave Isaiah a beautiful message for those who still believed. The Lord gave Isaiah a message that would lead believers to praise the Lord their Savior for the promise of his appearing. Take a look at what Isaiah writes in chapter 42 beginning with verse 1: “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. 3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4 he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.” 5 This is what God the LORD says— he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: 6 “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, 7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. (Isaiah 42:1–7, NIV84)

As Isaiah speaks these words, he gives us, and the faithful Israelites of his day every reason to praise the Lord Jesus at his appearing, because from these words we learn exactly what our Savior will do and has done for us. As Isaiah said in verse 3-4: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4 he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.” (Isaiah 42:3-4, NIV84) In other words, when the Savior appears, if someone is dealing with the bruises of doubt in their faith, or if someone is so weak that the flame of their faith is but a smoldering wick, Jesus will build them up and strengthen that faith through his comforting word. As he preaches he will proclaim the truth of salvation to his people and through that message he will establish his justice and his forgiveness. In fact, it will be in that message of salvation that the Islands—the gentiles like you and me—will put our hope.

Well, just as Isaiah prophesied, Jesus appeared and did all these things and even more. Jesus appeared to proclaim the message of salvation to us. Jesus appeared to be our Savior and free us from the curse of our sins. Jesus appeared to give his life in our place so that we might live eternally with him in his heavenly kingdom. Jesus appeared just as was promised throughout the ages and that is why we have gathered to give praise to the Lord our Savior as we celebrate his appearing today. We have gathered to give praise to our Savior because he appeared just as Job hoped and just as Isaiah prophesied. He appeared as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, just as Matthew records for us in our gospel lesson for today.

Turn with me, if you would, to our final lesson for today. Turn to Matthew 3:13-17, and we’ll take a look at how our lesson from Job and Isaiah connect to our Savior’s appearing at his baptism today. Now, as you are turning to Matthew 3 the stage has already been set for Jesus appearing at the beginning of his earthly ministry. In fact, if you take a look at the first three chapters of Matthew you can see just how he set the stage for us. He told us about the genealogy of Christ, showing that he was a descendant of David as the Lord promised. He told us about Jesus birth in Bethlehem and the visit of the Magi. He told us how Jesus escaped to Egypt and then returned to Nazareth in fulfillment of the Lord’s promise that he would call his Son out of Egypt, and now at the beginning of Chapter 3, Matthew tells us about John and how John was preparing the way for the Savior, proclaiming the Word of God and baptizing people in the Jordan River. Now, on one day while John was baptizing, Jesus appeared there at the river, coming to be baptized. Take a look at Matthew 3:13: 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:13–17, NIV84)

As hoped for by Job, as prophesied by Isaiah, Jesus appeared to his people Israel when the time was right. He appeared at the Jordan river and was baptized by John to mark him, anoint him, if you will, as one of us. Thus, his baptism was the beginning of his earthly ministry and the time when Jesus actively began his work of living a perfect life in our place even as he preached God’s Word. It was on that day that the Father gave approval to his Son so that all present would know that this Jesus who had suddenly appeared among them was the Lord and Savior for whom they had waited. He was the one whom John had spoken about, whom Isaiah prophesied, and for whom Job had hoped.

This is our Lord and Savior whom we praise today! We praise him that he appeared for us just as he promised. We praise him because he freed us from our sins by his death and resurrection. We praise him because we know that through faith in him eternal life is ours. We praise him because we know that one day he will return again. Just as Job said, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25–27, NIV84)

What an amazing reason for us to praise the Lord our Savior as we celebrate his appearing today! What an amazing connection between the words of Job, Isaiah, and Matthew! What an amazing thing that we have discovered them simply because we are exploring God’s Islands of Adventure together! May the Lord bless you in the coming week as you continue your reading of his Word for the strengthening of your faith and our growth together as a family of believers.


Amen.

Pastor David M. Shilling
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church --Le Sueur, MN