WEBVTT
STYLE
::cue {
color: #ffffff;
}
00:00:01.210 --> 00:00:01.514
Grace,
00:00:01.562 --> 00:00:02.974
mercy and peace be unto you
00:00:03.012 --> 00:00:04.378
from our Lord and Savior,
00:00:04.474 --> 00:00:06.830
Jesus Christ. Amen.
00:00:07.330 --> 00:00:09.760
The commemoration of Job.
00:00:10.850 --> 00:00:12.080
Remember Job?
00:00:13.890 --> 00:00:17.120
When you say the word Job,
00:00:18.530 --> 00:00:20.462
many people associate his
00:00:20.516 --> 00:00:22.270
name with patience.
00:00:23.970 --> 00:00:26.134
Recalling the word words of Job.
00:00:26.332 --> 00:00:27.640
The Lord gives
00:00:28.730 --> 00:00:31.080
and the Lord has taken away.
00:00:31.450 --> 00:00:34.550
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
00:00:36.250 --> 00:00:37.682
But if someone says,
00:00:37.756 --> 00:00:40.330
My life is like Job's,
00:00:41.870 --> 00:00:43.418
they're not talking
00:00:43.504 --> 00:00:44.890
about patience.
00:00:46.350 --> 00:00:48.780
They're claiming Job's name
00:00:49.310 --> 00:00:51.498
because there's multiple
00:00:51.594 --> 00:00:54.160
troubles in their life.
00:00:55.490 --> 00:00:58.350
Multiple occurrences of tragedy,
00:00:59.410 --> 00:01:02.510
sickness and death.
00:01:04.550 --> 00:01:07.570
My life is like job's.
00:01:08.630 --> 00:01:10.370
How do you respond?
00:01:12.230 --> 00:01:13.810
I've heard people say,
00:01:13.960 --> 00:01:15.640
I'll pray for you.
00:01:16.890 --> 00:01:18.600
I've heard people say,
00:01:20.250 --> 00:01:22.150
It can't get any worse,
00:01:22.570 --> 00:01:24.120
Just hang in there.
00:01:24.890 --> 00:01:28.154
Or God will not give you any
00:01:28.192 --> 00:01:30.730
more than you can handle.
00:01:32.830 --> 00:01:35.690
My life is like Job's.
00:01:36.670 --> 00:01:38.522
We should not be surprised when
00:01:38.576 --> 00:01:40.640
trouble comes into our lives.
00:01:41.170 --> 00:01:44.080
In fact, in Job five, it says,
00:01:44.530 --> 00:01:46.906
just as sparks fly
00:01:46.938 --> 00:01:48.000
up from the fire,
00:01:49.090 --> 00:01:51.646
so does trouble come into the
00:01:51.668 --> 00:01:53.570
lives of all humanity.
00:01:54.070 --> 00:01:55.940
From the moment of life,
00:01:56.710 --> 00:01:58.050
there is trouble.
00:01:59.910 --> 00:02:02.500
Jesus said, in this world,
00:02:03.190 --> 00:02:04.770
you will have trouble.
00:02:06.410 --> 00:02:07.862
One commentator said,
00:02:07.916 --> 00:02:09.506
this is the grinding
00:02:09.538 --> 00:02:11.000
away of life.
00:02:12.330 --> 00:02:14.278
In my agricultural mind,
00:02:14.364 --> 00:02:15.782
I picture this,
00:02:15.916 --> 00:02:17.394
that our lives are thrown
00:02:17.442 --> 00:02:18.780
into a hammer mill
00:02:19.950 --> 00:02:22.090
and the hammers keep beating
00:02:22.430 --> 00:02:25.130
and beating and beating.
00:02:26.350 --> 00:02:28.570
There's always the threat
00:02:28.910 --> 00:02:30.330
of tragedy,
00:02:31.650 --> 00:02:34.670
sickness and death.
00:02:36.850 --> 00:02:38.826
When I would do prison ministry,
00:02:38.938 --> 00:02:39.886
people would ask,
00:02:39.988 --> 00:02:41.054
what's it like going
00:02:41.092 --> 00:02:42.270
into a prison?
00:02:43.170 --> 00:02:44.542
And I would say it's pretty
00:02:44.596 --> 00:02:45.630
intimidating.
00:02:45.970 --> 00:02:47.806
When they slam the doors and
00:02:47.828 --> 00:02:49.086
you're locked in there with the
00:02:49.108 --> 00:02:51.200
prisoners, there's no way out.
00:02:52.210 --> 00:02:54.870
You are locked in until someone
00:02:54.980 --> 00:02:57.750
comes and locks the door.
00:02:58.570 --> 00:02:59.780
When I shared this with
00:03:00.250 --> 00:03:03.006
someone one time they said,
00:03:03.188 --> 00:03:04.910
I'm not in prison,
00:03:05.810 --> 00:03:08.160
but I feel locked in.
00:03:09.010 --> 00:03:10.670
I feel trapped.
00:03:11.090 --> 00:03:12.986
I feel trapped in the troubles
00:03:13.018 --> 00:03:16.000
of life. And there's no way out.
00:03:18.370 --> 00:03:20.720
There's nowhere for me to turn.
00:03:21.890 --> 00:03:23.840
What am I supposed to do?
00:03:25.050 --> 00:03:28.470
My life is like Job's.
00:03:31.050 --> 00:03:33.222
Certainly Job experienced this
00:03:33.276 --> 00:03:35.079
trapness, you might say.
00:03:35.610 --> 00:03:37.826
How is he to explain his life?
00:03:37.948 --> 00:03:39.500
A righteous man,
00:03:41.310 --> 00:03:43.260
but trouble in his life.
00:03:44.190 --> 00:03:48.329
Multiple occurrences of tragedy,
00:03:49.150 --> 00:03:51.630
sickness and death.
00:03:53.490 --> 00:03:56.110
By an act of God's grace,
00:03:56.930 --> 00:04:01.022
Job comes to understand that
00:04:01.076 --> 00:04:03.874
there's a tomorrow to
00:04:03.912 --> 00:04:05.140
his life today.
00:04:05.510 --> 00:04:07.490
His life full of troubles.
00:04:08.070 --> 00:04:10.642
I know that my Redeemer lives.
00:04:10.776 --> 00:04:12.100
And at the last,
00:04:12.630 --> 00:04:15.329
he will stand upon this earth.
00:04:17.690 --> 00:04:20.322
The words of Job hopefully
00:04:20.385 --> 00:04:22.322
engraved into our hearts,
00:04:22.466 --> 00:04:24.098
into our minds,
00:04:24.274 --> 00:04:25.974
into the opportunities we have
00:04:26.012 --> 00:04:27.330
to share with others.
00:04:27.500 --> 00:04:28.954
But to focus on that
00:04:28.992 --> 00:04:30.409
word redeemer,
00:04:31.230 --> 00:04:33.638
the one who releases
00:04:33.813 --> 00:04:34.970
the prisoner.
00:04:35.550 --> 00:04:37.146
The one who lifts up,
00:04:37.168 --> 00:04:39.050
the one who is trapped,
00:04:39.390 --> 00:04:41.680
trapped in the troubles of life.
00:04:42.770 --> 00:04:43.950
Redeemer.
00:04:44.690 --> 00:04:47.262
The one who brings hope and
00:04:47.316 --> 00:04:49.440
certainty to today.
00:04:49.970 --> 00:04:52.190
Because there is a tomorrow.
00:04:52.630 --> 00:04:54.370
There's a tomorrow in the lives
00:04:54.440 --> 00:04:56.180
of those who believe.
00:04:56.710 --> 00:04:58.020
And for Job,
00:04:58.870 --> 00:05:00.180
as for us,
00:05:00.870 --> 00:05:03.650
Jesus Christ, our Redeemer,
00:05:04.070 --> 00:05:06.566
the one who paid the full price
00:05:06.748 --> 00:05:09.526
to release us so that we
00:05:09.548 --> 00:05:11.254
are free in this life,
00:05:11.452 --> 00:05:12.950
free from sin,
00:05:13.770 --> 00:05:16.102
free from death and free
00:05:16.156 --> 00:05:16.914
from the evil
00:05:16.962 --> 00:05:19.654
one. To know that there still
00:05:19.692 --> 00:05:21.370
is going to be trouble,
00:05:21.789 --> 00:05:23.594
but to know the certainty that
00:05:23.632 --> 00:05:25.642
God brings to us in Christ,
00:05:25.776 --> 00:05:27.706
that our life is in Christ,
00:05:27.888 --> 00:05:29.193
that we die with him,
00:05:29.232 --> 00:05:30.720
we rise to him,
00:05:31.330 --> 00:05:33.102
and we celebrate this
00:05:33.156 --> 00:05:34.430
each and every day.
00:05:34.580 --> 00:05:36.190
We have been baptized into
00:05:36.260 --> 00:05:38.400
Christ. We are His.
00:05:39.010 --> 00:05:40.474
We have the promise.
00:05:40.602 --> 00:05:44.014
We have the certainty that we
00:05:44.052 --> 00:05:46.640
know that our Redeemer lives.
00:05:48.770 --> 00:05:51.645
Many times I have stood by a
00:05:51.668 --> 00:05:54.854
casket singing the words, I
00:05:55.012 --> 00:05:57.000
know that my Redeemer lives.
00:05:58.169 --> 00:05:59.810
And no matter what troubles
00:06:00.410 --> 00:06:02.640
had come into this person's life
00:06:03.570 --> 00:06:04.654
no matter what their
00:06:04.692 --> 00:06:05.934
life was about.
00:06:06.132 --> 00:06:08.814
What was most important was for
00:06:08.852 --> 00:06:11.614
them to know the certainty and
00:06:11.652 --> 00:06:14.090
to be able to know the certainty
00:06:14.170 --> 00:06:17.006
that Jesus lives. Because
00:06:17.108 --> 00:06:18.078
He lives
00:06:18.244 --> 00:06:19.998
we have life not only today,
00:06:20.084 --> 00:06:22.110
but we have life for eternity.
00:06:22.450 --> 00:06:24.430
To be able to speak those words
00:06:24.500 --> 00:06:25.394
with the faithful
00:06:25.442 --> 00:06:26.870
around a casket.
00:06:27.210 --> 00:06:30.646
I know that my redeemer lives. To
00:06:30.668 --> 00:06:32.070
be able to speak with Job.
00:06:32.140 --> 00:06:33.974
I know even when my
00:06:34.012 --> 00:06:35.590
skin is destroyed,
00:06:37.470 --> 00:06:40.540
I will in my flesh see God.
00:06:40.990 --> 00:06:43.340
I myself and not another.
00:06:44.590 --> 00:06:46.746
God has given us faith to be
00:06:46.768 --> 00:06:49.370
able to say the words of Job.
00:06:49.520 --> 00:06:52.038
I know that my redeemer lives. To
00:06:52.064 --> 00:06:53.726
know that we will see God on
00:06:53.748 --> 00:06:55.882
that last day and that Jesus
00:06:55.946 --> 00:06:57.760
will have the last word.
00:06:59.250 --> 00:07:01.134
Jesus makes it very clear to his
00:07:01.172 --> 00:07:02.846
disciples and to us do not let
00:07:02.868 --> 00:07:04.430
your hearts be troubled.
00:07:04.850 --> 00:07:07.586
Trust in God, trust also in me.
00:07:07.768 --> 00:07:08.962
In my Father's house
00:07:09.016 --> 00:07:10.370
are many rooms.
00:07:10.950 --> 00:07:12.130
If it were not so,
00:07:12.200 --> 00:07:13.730
would I tell you that I go and
00:07:13.800 --> 00:07:15.438
prepare a place for you?
00:07:15.624 --> 00:07:17.106
And if I go and prepare
00:07:17.138 --> 00:07:18.358
a place for you,
00:07:18.524 --> 00:07:21.446
I will come back and take you to
00:07:21.468 --> 00:07:23.960
be with me where I am also.
00:07:25.770 --> 00:07:27.414
Jesus speaks to us each
00:07:27.452 --> 00:07:28.440
and every day,
00:07:29.210 --> 00:07:30.406
but he also calls
00:07:30.438 --> 00:07:31.510
us to minister.
00:07:31.670 --> 00:07:33.754
And even if someone does not say
00:07:33.792 --> 00:07:36.486
to us, my life is like Job's,
00:07:36.678 --> 00:07:38.134
we know that there's trouble
00:07:38.182 --> 00:07:39.718
in this world that we live.
00:07:39.904 --> 00:07:41.210
There's tragedy.
00:07:41.370 --> 00:07:43.326
Think about interstate in
00:07:43.348 --> 00:07:45.854
Illinois. I-55 this past week,
00:07:45.892 --> 00:07:47.070
the dust storm.
00:07:48.530 --> 00:07:50.282
Or this spring,
00:07:50.346 --> 00:07:53.650
the outbreak of RSV in schools.
00:07:54.310 --> 00:07:55.394
Or not long ago,
00:07:55.432 --> 00:07:57.086
we heard about a young pastor
00:07:57.118 --> 00:07:58.610
in Iowa who died,
00:07:58.950 --> 00:08:01.070
left behind his wife
00:08:01.150 --> 00:08:02.370
and congregation.
00:08:03.510 --> 00:08:05.202
It's always before us.
00:08:05.336 --> 00:08:07.074
So we need in our toolbox,
00:08:07.122 --> 00:08:08.674
our ministry toolbox,
00:08:08.802 --> 00:08:10.440
these words of Job.
00:08:11.530 --> 00:08:12.866
We need scripture,
00:08:12.978 --> 00:08:14.162
we need prayers,
00:08:14.306 --> 00:08:16.022
we need the Holy Spirit to work
00:08:16.076 --> 00:08:17.494
through us so that we can
00:08:17.611 --> 00:08:19.000
minister to others.
00:08:20.810 --> 00:08:22.878
There's one stanza,
00:08:22.914 --> 00:08:24.217
the hymn that we just sang in
00:08:24.224 --> 00:08:25.626
my toolbox and I'd like you,
00:08:25.648 --> 00:08:26.885
if you don't have your hymnal,
00:08:26.998 --> 00:08:29.970
open your hymnal 461 and we're
00:08:29.990 --> 00:08:30.954
going to sing that verse
00:08:31.002 --> 00:08:32.080
five together.
00:08:33.409 --> 00:08:34.813
And I would encourage you to
00:08:34.852 --> 00:08:36.074
have this in your ministry
00:08:36.122 --> 00:08:39.482
toolbox as you encounter
00:08:39.546 --> 00:08:41.630
people with troubles.
00:08:43.890 --> 00:08:50.350
He lives to silence all my fears
00:08:51.650 --> 00:08:55.960
he lives too wipe away
00:08:57.050 --> 00:08:59.170
my tears.
00:09:00.570 --> 00:09:04.446
He lives to calm my
00:09:04.628 --> 00:09:07.440
troubled heart.
00:09:08.930 --> 00:09:16.270
He lives all blessings to impart.
00:09:17.970 --> 00:09:19.742
The blessings of Almighty God
00:09:19.796 --> 00:09:21.230
for us to know God's will,
00:09:21.300 --> 00:09:22.590
that he wants everyone
00:09:22.740 --> 00:09:23.786
to be saved.
00:09:23.898 --> 00:09:25.702
He wants everyone one to know
00:09:25.756 --> 00:09:29.814
Jesus as their redeemer and to
00:09:29.852 --> 00:09:31.942
use us to be able to share
00:09:31.996 --> 00:09:33.000
that good news.
00:09:33.450 --> 00:09:34.834
So I have an assignment
00:09:34.882 --> 00:09:36.360
for you today.
00:09:36.890 --> 00:09:38.530
I want you to imagine
00:09:38.610 --> 00:09:39.586
when you get home,
00:09:39.628 --> 00:09:41.100
there's a letter from a friend.
00:09:42.110 --> 00:09:43.494
And in this letter,
00:09:43.622 --> 00:09:45.466
the friend shares with you all
00:09:45.488 --> 00:09:46.474
that's been going on
00:09:46.512 --> 00:09:47.370
in their lives.
00:09:47.520 --> 00:09:48.346
I'll give you just
00:09:48.368 --> 00:09:49.530
a few bullets.
00:09:50.850 --> 00:09:52.046
Their wife or their
00:09:52.068 --> 00:09:53.630
spouse has cancer.
00:09:54.530 --> 00:09:56.382
There's a divorce going
00:09:56.436 --> 00:09:57.600
on in their family.
00:09:58.050 --> 00:10:00.446
There's a coworker with
00:10:00.468 --> 00:10:01.470
an addiction.
00:10:02.790 --> 00:10:04.446
They've done a house inspection,
00:10:04.478 --> 00:10:05.406
and there's a crack
00:10:05.438 --> 00:10:06.610
in the foundation.
00:10:08.710 --> 00:10:09.566
In their church
00:10:09.598 --> 00:10:10.974
the pastor has decided
00:10:11.022 --> 00:10:12.050
to resign.
00:10:12.550 --> 00:10:14.114
And there's conflict within
00:10:14.152 --> 00:10:15.330
the congregation.
00:10:16.250 --> 00:10:17.880
There's health issues,
00:10:18.330 --> 00:10:19.800
there's wealth issues.
00:10:20.250 --> 00:10:22.280
We could go on and on and on.
00:10:22.890 --> 00:10:25.442
So how are you going to respond
00:10:25.506 --> 00:10:26.520
to your friend?
00:10:33.100 --> 00:10:35.210
Remember Job.
00:10:36.540 --> 00:10:37.640
We pray.
00:10:38.460 --> 00:10:40.584
We adore you O Christ our
00:10:40.622 --> 00:10:42.624
redeemer and we bless you,
00:10:42.662 --> 00:10:44.556
because by your Holy Cross,
00:10:44.748 --> 00:10:46.288
you have redeemed me
00:10:46.374 --> 00:10:47.490
and the world.
00:10:48.020 --> 00:10:50.432
Amen. The peace of God,
00:10:50.486 --> 00:10:52.092
which passes all understanding,
00:10:52.156 --> 00:10:53.664
keep your hearts and minds in
00:10:53.702 --> 00:10:56.172
Christ Jesus, our redeemer,
00:10:56.236 --> 00:10:59.036
to life everlasting. Amen.