Jesus in Our Suffering
Victory Life Church, Sherman — Sunday, May 21, 2023
Scripture Reading
Luke 24:36-48 (ESV)
Introduction
Luke 24:44-47 (ESV) 44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem…”
Jesus’s Summary of the Hebrew Bible (Luke 24:46-47):
The Messiah (God’s chosen, anointed representative)
—— Suffering & Death ——
Resurrection, forgiveness, Good News for the Nations
Job
The Story of Job:
Job: God’s righteous, blessed, favored one
—— unjust suffering near-death (outcry & lament) ——
Restoration, blessing, favor, forgiveness for the nations
Job 1:1 (ESV) There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
Job: God’s righteous, blessed, and favored one: Job 1:1, 1:8 — “my righteous servant” — this is not a story about “good people,” but someone very specific.
Unjust suffering, near-death, outcry & lament — “The accuser, hostile one” — Job 1:9-12
Job 1:8-12 (ESV) And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
Job 2:3 (ESV) And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.”
The Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible: Adam to Noah: Genesis 1-9
Creation, image of God, blessing, life
—— Folly, violence, unjust suffering (outcry & de-creation )——
Re-creation, righteous intercessor, new blessing, life
The Hebrew Bible: Noah to Abraham: Genesis 9-12
Re-creation, Noah intercedes, new blessing, life
—— Drunkenness, rape, violence, Babylon built, scattered ——
Re-creation, blessing, Abraham intercedes, new blessing for nations
The Hebrew Bible: on repeat…
Creation, image of God, blessing, life
—— Folly, violence, unjust suffering outcry & de-creation ——
Re-creation, righteous intercessor, new blessing, life
The Story of Job:
“Righteous and blameless”
Noah (Genesis 6:9), Abraham (Genesis 15:6 & 17:1), Job (Job 1:8-9)
God’s looking for His righteous servant who will go into the suffering and maintain their integrity.
Job’s final monologue — Job 29-31 — he just wants to see the Lord
Job 38:1-4 (ESV) Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.”
Job 40:1-5 (ESV) And the Lord said to Job: “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.” Then Job answered the Lord and said: “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.”
Job 42:1-6 (ESV) Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
Job 42:7-10 (ESV) After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer. And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.
The book of Job is not designed to answer our questions about the problem of evil, the book of Job is designed like the whole Hebrew Bible, it’s not designed to give us a trite, intellectual answer we can tuck in our pocket to feel better.
We shouldn’t be feeling good about the world. We are outside of Eden, and it’s not ok what happens out here. The book of Job should shake us awake, that the world is not ok. But what if there was someone who could stare down the worst of evil and maintain their integrity and surrender their lives before God.
In the end, Job dies. But Jesus says this whole thing is about Him.
The Story of Jesus:
God’s righteous & Beloved Son, Blessing, healing, life
—— unjust suffering, death, outcry & lament——
Restoration, blessing, forgiveness for the nations, new creation
Baptism, wilderness, healing — Jesus got mad, but he was mad at the snake
Conclusion
James 5:7-11 (ESV) Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.