How should we respond?

1
How should we respond?

• A consideration of our response to the recent
  Tsunami and its affects
• on the people of SE Asia

2
Sermon theme

• Worldwide people are in shock at the events of
  the last week in the Indian Ocean as a result of
  the very large earthquake off Sumatra.
• The magnitude of the devastation is horrific with
  over 150,000 killed and more left homeless and
  without means of support.

3
Possible Responses

• There is a broad spectrum of possible response
  - fear, anger, unbelief, anxiety, a sense of
  hopelessness, despair, concern.
• This sermon seeks to address these various
  responses and to examine based on scripture how
  God expects us to respond as Christians

4
Suffering in the Bible

• Agony, affliction, or distress intense pain or
  sorrow. Suffering has been part of the human
  experience since man's fall into sin.
• The theme of the Book of Job is the problem of
  suffering and why God permits the righteous and
  innocent to suffer.

5
The causes of suffering

• The Bible makes it clear that some suffering is
  the result of evil action or sin in the world.
  This type of suffering came upon man after the
  FALL in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3).

6
The story of Job

• 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. He had seven sons
  and three daughters, 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. Job 11-3

7
God removes his protection

• "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied.
  "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. But
  stretch out your hand and strike everything he
  has, and he will surely curse you to your face."
  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 19-12

8
Jobs first test (Job 113-22)

• Cattle stolen. (v.14)
• Servants killed (v.15, 16,17 18)
• Sheep burnt (v.16)
• Sons and daughters killed (v.18-19)
• In all this, Job did not sin by charging God
  with wrongdoing. Job 122

9
Jobs second test Job 21-10

• Painful sores from head to toe (v.7-8) and his
  wife criticises him for still refusing to curse
  God (v.9)
• He replied, "You are talking like a foolish
  woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not
  trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he
  said. Job 210

10
Jobs responses

• After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the
  day of his birth. Job 31
• Self pity is not an acceptable response.

11
Jobs responses

• What I feared has come upon me what I dreaded
  has happened to me. I have no peace, no
  quietness I have no rest, but only turmoil.
  Job 325-26
• Fear is not an acceptable response!

12
Jobs responses

• "What strength do I have, that I should still
  hope? What prospects, that I should be patient?
  Job 611
• A sense of no hope is not acceptable.

13
Jobs responses

• I despise my life I would not live for ever.
  Let me alone my days have no meaning. Job 716
• Despair is not an acceptable response.

14
Jobs responses

• Why has your heart carried you away, and why do
  your eyes flash, so that you vent your rage
  against God and pour out such words from your
  mouth? Job 1512-13
• Anger against God is not acceptable.

15
Gods response to Job

• Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He
  said "Who is this that darkens my counsel with
  words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a
  man I will question you, and you shall answer
  me. Job 381-3

16
Do not condemn God!

• Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm
  "Brace yourself like a man I will question you,
  and you shall answer me. "Would you discredit my
  justice? Would you condemn me to justify
  yourself? Job 406-8
• Accusing God is the same as blasphemy.

17
Job before God!

• Then Job replied to the LORD "I know that you
  can do all things no plan of yours can be
  thwarted. You asked, 'Who is this that obscures
  my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of
  things I did not understand, things too wonderful
  for me to know. ("You said, 'Listen now, and I
  will speak I will question you, and you shall
  answer me.' My ears had heard of you but now my
  eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself
  and repent in dust and ashes." Job 421-6

18
God restores

• The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life
  more than the first. He had fourteen thousand
  sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of
  oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had
  seven sons and three daughters. Job 4212-13

19
Lessons from Job

• Job learns from his suffering about the
  sovereignty of God over all creation.
• The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in
  power in his justice and great righteousness, he
  does not oppress. Therefore, men revere him, for
  does he not have regard for all the wise in
  heart? Job 3723-24

20
Lessons from Job

• Once Job recognises the total majesty and
  sovereignty of God he no longer asks why of his
  suffering.
• More important is our response and how we work
  this out in both practical and spiritual ways.

21
Lessons from Job

• God is mankinds sustainer and support in times
  of trial.
• God is able to restore after loss due to trial.
• God is able to multiply blessings beyond trial.

22
Some thoughts.

• We need to accept that trouble, trials and
  upheavals are all part of life and none of us
  escape.
• It is our response which is a matter of choice
  and our will that God is looking at.

23
More thoughts

• Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord
  Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the
  God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our
  troubles, so that we can comfort those in any
  trouble with the comfort we ourselves have
  received from God. 2 Corinthians 13-4
• We are called to minister the comfort of Jesus
  that we have experienced to others.

24
Relief funds and practical help

• Specialist volunteers are needed to go to the
  nations affected by the Tsunami.
• Funds are needed both in short and long term.
• Many requests for funds. Oasis will look to
  identify one or two specific projects and will
  look to see how we can support.