Cause for Humility - Job 1 & 2

1. Prayer
Eternal One, whose
thoughts and ways are not ours,
you alone are God, awesome, holy, and most high.
School us in the ways of faith and wisdom,
that we, like Job, may learn
to truly see and hear,
and in humility find blessing.
Amen.

2. The Church Calendar
October 3

3. Job 1 & 2
CAUSE for HUMILITY

4. Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him
while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them
turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon. “For my
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your
ways my ways,”
declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than
the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
ISAIAH 55:6-9 (NIV)

5. Job 1 & 2
CAUSE for HUMILITY

6. Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head,
and fell on the ground and worshiped. He said,
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked shall I return there;
the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
blessed be the name of the Lord.”
In all this Job did not sin or charge
God with wrongdoing.
JOB 1:20-22 (NRSV)

7. Job 1 & 2
CAUSE for HUMILITY

8. Then his wife said to him,
“Do you still persist in your integrity?
Curse God, and die.” But he said to her,
“You speak as any foolish woman would speak.
Shall we receive the good at the hand of God,
and not receive the bad?” In all this Job
did not sin with his lips.
JOB 2:9 (NRSV)

9. Job 1 & 2
CAUSE for HUMILITY

10. 1. Job is not the one on trial, God is
KEEP IN MIND…

11. 1. Job is not the one on trial, God is
2. Satan is not the pitchforked Devil
of our Western imaginations;
the word means “The Accuser/Adversary”
KEEP IN MIND…

12. 1. Job is not the one on trial, God is
2. Satan is not the pitchforked Devil
of our Western imaginations;
the word means “The Accuser/Adversary”
3. Just because Job says or believes something
doesn’t mean he’s right
KEEP IN MIND…

13. 1. Job is not the one on trial, God is
2. Satan is not the pitchforked Devil
of our Western imaginations;
the word means “The Accuser/Adversary”
3. Just because Job says or believes something
doesn’t mean he’s right
4. God is not the author of Job’s suffering
KEEP IN MIND…

14. 1. Job is not the one on trial, God is
2. Satan is not the pitchforked Devil
of our Western imaginations;
the word means “The Accuser/Adversary”
3. Just because Job says or believes something
doesn’t mean he’s right
4. God is not the author of Job’s suffering
5. Not everything in life can be explained,
and not every question has an answer
KEEP IN MIND…

16. 1. NATURAL WORLD
MY
ACTIONS

17. 1. NATURAL WORLD
MY
ACTIONS
YOUR
ACTIONS

18. 1. NATURAL WORLD
MY
ACTIONS
YOUR
ACTIONS
OTHER’S
ACTIONS

19. 1. NATURAL WORLD
Multiplied by billions of
people/choices/factors
over the history of
human existence
MY
ACTIONS
YOUR
ACTIONS
OTHER’S
ACTIONS

20. 1. NATURAL WORLD
Multiplied by billions of
people/choices/factors
over the history of
human existence
2. SUPERNATURAL WORLD
GOD’S
WILL
ENEMY’S
RESISTANCE
MY
ACTIONS
YOUR
ACTIONS
OTHER’S
ACTIONS

21. 1. NATURAL WORLD
Multiplied by billions of
people/choices/factors
over the history of
human existence
2. SUPERNATURAL WORLD
Multiplied by rebellious
angels and their battles with
God’s loyal angels in/over/
among all cultures/peoples
throughout human history
GOD’S
WILL
ENEMY’S
RESISTANCE
MY
ACTIONS
YOUR
ACTIONS
OTHER’S
ACTIONS

22. GOD’S
WILL
N.W.
S.W.
3. GOD’S
SOVEREIGNTY
All of which
happens within the
context of God’s
loving,
wise sovereignty
as King
ENEMY’S
RESISTANCE
MY
ACTIONS
YOUR
ACTIONS
OTHER’S
ACTIONS

23. GOD’S
WILL
N.W.
S.W.
3. GOD’S
SOVEREIGNTY
4. OUR REALITY
All of which is
infinitely complex
and beyond our
ability to fully
grasp; this should
engender humility
re: God/people…
ENEMY’S
RESISTANCE
MY
ACTIONS
YOUR
ACTIONS
OTHER’S
ACTIONS

24. Wednesdays 10.6, 13, 20 & 11.3, 10, 17
7:00 – 8:30pm @ Vintage & on Zoom

25. The hope of the Christian faith is not a God
who micromanages history, or who provides
every answer to the questions that perplex us,
even in the midst of our suffering. Asking “why?”
is an understandable question for us as human
beings, but rarely – if ever – will it be a question
that leads to peaceful satisfaction.
Our hope is in the God who looks like Jesus;
the God who can handle our questions, and
doubts, and accusations, with loving kindness.
ME

26. Benediction
Eternal One, whose
thoughts and ways are not ours,
you alone are God, awesome, holy, and most high.
School us in the ways of faith and wisdom,
that we, like Job, may learn
to truly see and hear,
and in humility find blessing.
Amen.