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Call to worship: 1 Corinthians 1:26-2:5

Text: Job 15-17

Sermon Outline:

1. Exploring the main theme of divine comfort for cross-bearers, 15:11, 16:2, 16:5.
2. How to be beneficial comforters for cross-bearers. 5 thoughts:
   • Comfort by serving through silence, 16:3.
   • Comfort by reassuring of the Gospel, contra 15:14-16; 16:18-22, 17:3.
   • Comfort by clarifying the goal of the Gospel, contra 15:17-30.
   • Comfort by framing our suffering as solidarity with Christ, 16:6-17, 17:1-16.
   • Comfort by relying upon the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Prepare

Questions to Consider:

1. From 15:11, 16:2, and 16:5, it seems to me that the major theme of the chapters concerns divine comfort for cross-bearers. In 15:11, Eliphaz counts he and his friends soul care as the comforts of God. Is that how you would characterize it? When someone's brought the comforts of God to us, have we rejected it? How should we respond to God's comforts?
2. Starting in Job 15, it becomes clear that Job's friends are running out of ammo. We see that Job wishes their words would end in 16:3. What benefits might come from silence for the sorrowing soul? Consider what would've been avoided if Job's friends had been content to keep their peace or simply to pray for Job instead of engaging him in this out-of-place debate. How can we communicate God's comforts without using our own words? How can our silence yet speak? Consider your Bibles.
3. In 16:18-22, 17:3, Job's faith rises again with a spectacular portrait of a divine Mediator. Spend time there this week. How does Jesus fulfill it? Job's friends often seek to nullify the grace of the Gospel (15:14-16). They can't fathom redemptive suffering. How might that ill-effect an innocent sufferer? How might the reassurance of Gospel truth comfort an innocent sufferer?
4. In 15:17-30, Eliphaz focuses on the portrait of the wicked. The idea is that if Job would repent, all this would be avoided. His former glory would be regained. How is this well short of the goal of the Gospel? Consider the goal one finds in 1 Peter 3:18. Has Job sought one thing that he's lost? What or Who has Job sought? How might knowing Him and His presence comfort far more than the restoration of passing things?
5. In 16:6-17, 17:1-9, Job depicts his sufferings. It incredibly depicts much of Christ's sufferings. There's solidarity there. He's experiencing fellowship in Christ's sufferings. In the NT, that becomes something even desirable. So Philippians 3:10-11. Is this how we frame our sufferings? Is it how we think of the crosses God gives us to bear? Grace? Honor? The winning side? Something to receive gladly and endure for His glory? Bonus: Who can take our words of comfort and actually comfort the soul by them (John 15:26a)? How does He do this (John 15:26b)? Do we rely upon Him in all our labors?