1st February 2016
Esther 9:22 Feast of Purim
Remembered to this day!
Esther sets a gold standard for obedience, courage, sacrifice, trust in God
Romans 4:5
However, to a man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith was credited as righteousness.
Don't hope to work your way to heaven
You are not good enough.
I am not good enough.
But God will credit my faith as righteousness.
Job 1: 20-21
Job mourned and worshiped God.
“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"
In the midst of this Job had an implicit and explicit trust in God
Romans 5:11with
We have now reconciliation.
Concept of reconciliation
Once together then torn asunder by sin, betrayal, anger, warfare.
Reconciliation : brought together again, made whole by Grace.
We now have been reconciled with God.
And we are called into a ministry of reconciliation, to bring others out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Job 2:13 Job's friends came and sat with him for 7 days and night , not saying a word.
This is true friendship
In times of grief when there are no words
that can bring comfort, suffice just to sit silently and share the grief.
Romans 6:23
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
We have been set free, yayyyy!
We are now slaved to God.... oh!
Yet look at the benefits and results
Job 3:20 “Why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul"
Job pours out his heart to God
God wants us to communicate with him, pain and sorrow, joy and laughter.
Romans 7:21 "So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me"
True for Paul
True for you and me.
We are sinners yet saints, work in progress.
The more we trust ourselves the more trouble we run into.
We need to focus on God
Trust God
Depend on God
Job 4: 3-4 Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands. Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees. …
Eliphaz encourages Job by recalling his good deeds, helpfulness, charity.
After waiting silently for 7 days and night, words of assurance start to flow
Romans 8:1 THEREFORE there is no condemnation now for those who are in Christ Jesus.
There are many times (like now) when I feel depressed, downcast, burdened with shame and condemnation from my sinful nature.
What a bright light of hope this verse is.
There is NO condemnation now for those who are in Christ Jesus.
no condemnation
Not even a little bit
All I need to do is remain in Christ
I.e. Confess my sins, receive the forgiveness
Rest in his everlasting arms'
Linoprint, view from 30th floor of Landmark Hotel (Cordis) Hong Kong
Job 5:17
Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
Discipline is not comfortable to receive
But it helps us maintain our boundaries.
Romans 9:17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth .”
Even evil forces are under God's control;
they may be allowed to rise up for a season
But they are only there to display God's power
Job 7:17 “What is mankind that you make so much of them, that you give them so much attention"
Job the created, recognizes the majesty and power and might of the Creator, and stands in awe that God would pay so much attention to him.
We too should!
Romans 11:36
For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen
the present continuous tense reminds us that God is in all things
Job 8:20
“Surely God does not reject one who is blameless or strengthen the hands of evildoers."
When viewed in perspective of Eternity, YES!
Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Normal human tendency is to strike back
But God says to repay evil with good
Revolutionary concept by world standards
Be a revolutionary!
Linoprint of Lion Dance
He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted
How awesome is our God.
Romans 13:8
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
How wonderful this debt of love
Love others, that may continue to love others!
Job 10:10-12
Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese, clothe me with skin and flesh and knit me together with bones and sinews? You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit. …
Job admires how God has knit him together into a being, forming a solid body out of the formative juices. And the wholistic view of body and spirit.
Romans 14:19
Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification
Peace, shalom
Build each other up
(not tear down)
Job 11:7-9
Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens above---what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below---what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea. …
Finite man can not fathom the depths of God's love.
Don't try to put God in a box
He is bigger than that.
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Overflow with hope!
Overflow with hope!
Job 12:10 In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.
God holds all in his hands
And he cares for each and every one of us
Ants, birds, bees, elephants, whales, butterflies
and people, red and yellow, black and white
Romans 16: 25-27 Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith - to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
What a wonderful benediction
God holds all in his hands
And he cares for each and every one of us
Ants, birds, bees, elephants, whales, butterflies
and people, red and yellow, black and white
Romans 16: 25-27 Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith - to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
What a wonderful benediction
If only you would be altogether silent!
For you, that would be wisdom.
Sometimes we need to know when to shut up
Instead of blabbering on trying to bring comfort,
just sit and be together.
1 Cor 1:17
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
So our core purpose is to share the good news
In simple words and deeds
by the power of Holy Spirit
Job 14:15
You will call and I will answer you;
you will long for the creature your hands have made.
Job recognises the relationship between Creator and Created.
Not only did God make us, but he wants to have maintain conversation with us
You (God) will call and I will answer
You (God) will long for me, my presence
That is amazing.
Do I hear God calling me?
Am I ready to answer?
Do I long for God's presence as much as he longs for my presence?
1 Cor 2:16b
But we have the mind of Christ.
awesome to realise
We have the mind of Christ
so why do we so often revert to using our own human mind?
“Would a wise person answer with empty notions
or fill their belly with the hot east wind?
1 Cor 3:9
For we are God's fellow workers: you are God’s field, God’s building.
Amazing that you and I are co-workers with God
Job 16:5 But my mouth would encourage you;
comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
Job know that at the right time, right words can bring comfort
contrariwise, wrong words or wrong time dos not!
He goes on in Job 16:6 to say he speaks his anguish is not relieved for still does not understand what is going on.
Do we have a right to understand what is going on.
Can our human mind understand the infinite mind of God?
Rather we need to learn to trust God despite our non-understanding of what is going on.
1 Cor 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
Its not just human talk talk talk
But the very power of the holy spirit
RE “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.
Job 18:3 Why are we regarded as cattle and considered stupid in your sight?
Bildad takes offence at Job
Anger at bad advice rejected!
1 Cor 5:7b
Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
We are reminded that the sacrifice of Jesus is likened to that of the Passover Lamb
Job 19:25
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
What a statement of faith
1 Cor 6:11
And that is what some of you were. (sinners)
But you were washed,
you were sanctified,
you were justified
in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
and by the Spirit of our God.
Washed, sanctified, justified!
hallelujah
Job 20:12
"Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue,
Description of a sinner
Does evil hide in my mouth?
1 Cor 7:23
You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings.
Jesus died to set me free
why do I want to allow myself to become slaves to man?
The supreme wisdom of God
You can't beat it
1 Cor 8:13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.
So knowing the "rules" or "law" is not good enough
It is how you apply them,
And wisdom when not to exert your "right"
"Is not God in the heights of heaven? And see how lofty are the highest stars!
Again and again Job testifies to the supremacy of God
1 Cor 9:16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
May I feel as compelled as Paul to preach
But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
Such is the relationship between Job and God that Job trusts God will find him pure as God after the crucible and the furnace
1 Cor 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
The single aim, the gold standard is: does this bring God glory?
He may let them rest in a feeling of security, but his eyes are on their ways.
A reminder that God is always watching
There is no corner you can hide in
There is no misery or difficult situation that He does not know about.
1 Cor 11: 11-12 In the Lord, however woman ist not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as a woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.
In this passage I see how man and woman are equal in God's sight
Job 25:2
"Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven.
God is greatest
1 Cor 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
Awesome to be part of Christ.
Great to know that all are included.
Each one with different roles.
