Today we come to our sixth sermon from the book of Job. It's entitled, The Test of Friends, Round Two, or When Men Talk and God is Silent. Job, who is one of our earliest forefathers of the faith, has undergone a most severe test. He has been the subject of a dispute between God the father and Satan the accuser. God's principal adversary is Satan. The title Satan, as we've discussed, means accuser. He's the accuser. As Revelation chapter 12, verse 10 says, Satan is the accuser of the brethren. He works to defame God by discrediting and destroying God's people. Thus, Satan worked to disprove Job's trust in God, and he did this by stealing Job's vast fortune, killing his beloved children, and destroying his health. Concerning Job's responses to these terrible tests, scripture says that through all this, Job did not sin, nor did he blame God. And in all this, Job did not sin with his lips. Thanks be to God. And the church said, amen. From that point on, we hear no more of Satan coming before God, making accusations against Job. But the test is not over. For immediately following there was his wife who's suffering the same losses of vast fortune and her beloved children along with her husband's health, losing them both, she told or really more literally commanded Job to curse God and die. As I understand the scripture and brought it to you in the second sermon in this series, Job faithfully ministered the truth of God to his beloved wife. And during all this, then came along his three well-intentioned friends. They came to sympathize with him, to comfort him. Apparently his friends had the same question that many who read this book have and has been asked throughout the generations. Why do the righteous suffer? For what cause did Job suffer? And as the people are, we want to justify what we would otherwise consider unfair. Seeing the effect, we want to find a reasonable cause. It appears this is what Job's friends did, and not thinking the righteous should suffer or would suffer, they concluded that Job was unrighteous, therefore he suffered justly. After sitting with him for seven days and nights, well, not so much as uttering a word, Job then broke the silence as is recorded in the third chapter. With that, his three friends seized the opportunity and opened their mouths to speak their mind. Confidently, and by the way, quite arrogantly, They voiced their greed upon judgment as to why this had come upon Job. Thinking they knew why he suffered, they also assumed they knew what Job needed to do to rectify the situation. Presumptuously, they preached to Job that he had obviously sinned some kind of heinous sin deserving such devastation. And they maintained that if he would just humbly repent before God, that he would be rescued and restored. Well, much of what they say is true in principle, they misapplied it to Job. He had not sinned some terrible sin for which God was pouring retribution upon him. Job's suffering was not a matter of God's wrath, but a test of Job's faith. As we will discover, as Job disagrees with his friends, they will become all the more indignant and actually nauseating. Instead of sympathetic friends who offer comfort, they will act as tormentors, making his trial all the more difficult. In that sense, Joe will have to endure this long-lasting trial as one alone, surrounded by friends and yet alone, but worse, his friends will be fiercely persistent antagonists. Have your friends ever become antagonists? They will be as a barbed, three-pronged thorn in his flesh. Well, as we discussed, the three friends held to what we defined as retribution or vengeance theology. That is that when people suffer, they suffer only because God is getting them for their sin. Since Job suffered so much by the hand of God, they rationalized and Eliphaz flat out accused Job of being in sin. Job responded to him saying, and I paraphrase, you're wrong, Eliphaz. I am not in some deep, hidden, habitual, unrepentant of sin for which God would pour out such vengeance upon me. While I know of no reason for which God would do this to me, I do know that I'm not in sin. And by the way, I wish I was dead. That's his stance. Job was right, his friends were wrong. And as we read, God spoke of Job to Satan saying, he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to ruin him without cause. Job was not being punished or disciplined for some sin, but tested because he was blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil. And indeed, we know that all who want to live godly in righteousness will be persecuted. You're going to be tested. There's going to be issues and problems because you love the Lord. Well, Job's trial is not near over. He is going to have to endure his great suffering while also enduring the additional test of time and friends. So today we pick up with Bildad, building upon what Eliphaz said. Bildad, rather than offering sympathy and comfort, makes matters worse by intensifying their false accusations against Job, as said last Lord's Day, as a continued part of Job's testing his friends, his friends pour salt in the wounds. So for the reading of the word, I ask that you would please now stand. Though we will consider three chapters this morning, chapters eight through 10, I am here only going to read a few selected verses from chapter eight and nine. Hear now the word of the Lord as read from chapter eight, verses one through three, and then chapter nine, verses one through three. Job chapter eight, verse one, this is the word of the Lord. Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, how long will you say these things? and the words of your mouth be a mighty wind. Does God pervert justice or does the Almighty pervert what is right? Chapter nine, verse one. Then Job answered, in truth, I know that this is so, but how can a man be in the right before God? If one wished to dispute with him, pardon me, he could not answer him once in a thousand times. That ends the reading of word, let's bow our heads in prayer. Our Heavenly Father, as we have come before you today in this wonderful setting which you have provided for us, we realize that what is important is that we know you and we bow before you and worship you. Our surroundings aren't important. You are important. And I would pray, Lord, that we would set our minds on you, that we might consider the revelation of yourself through this book of Job, through his account. And Lord, that we would leave this place glorifying you, exalting you, thanking you that you are the God you are. And though, Lord, we're in the early stages of this book, nearing the center of it, Lord, and there is so much dialogue and so much conflict, May we, Lord, as I believe you have designed through your word, feel and sense the desperation Job senses. And feeling the weight of that conflict, of that trial, and the problems that we might have with others, that Lord, we would look forward to your redemption, knowing that you will redeem us, you will bring us out because you have provided your son for this. So Lord, may we feel the great weight of this story, anticipating the day that you redeem Job and the day that you redeem us unto yourself. Thank you, Lord, for your word. May we hear clearly from you. In the name of Christ Jesus, our Lord, I pray. Amen. God bless you. You may be seated. Thank you, dear. Well, I've outlined chapters eight, nine, and 10 as follows. If you got the handout, part one, Bildad preaches, and he really comes on Job like a preacher. Chapter eight, A, Job, God is just. B, Job, learn from tradition and nature. And then C, Job, repent. And then part two, Job responds, chapters nine and 10. A, Job would take God to court. B, Job knows God would win. see Job despairs. Job expresses complete desperation as his severe trial continues and is exacerbated by his friends. In his despair, he voices the most urgent question universally facing mankind. How can a man be in the right before God? Bildad preaches Job, God is just. The second friend to speak is Bildad. We recall that he and the others had counseled together and determined the reason for Job's sin, for Job's problem was to be Job's sin. Eliphaz told Job, behold this we have investigated, our friends, your three friends have investigated, thus it is, we come to the right conclusion, hear us and know for yourself. But Job refuted Eliphaz saying in chapter six verses 10, 14 and 15, I have not denied the words of the Holy one. For the despairing man, there should be kindness from his friend. My brothers have acted deceitfully. Well, as the saying goes, Job's response to Eliphaz went over like a lead balloon. Bildad quickly responded to Job's rebuke by reproving him, verses one and two. Then Bildad the Shuite answered, how long will you say these things and the words of your mouth be a mighty wind? So Bildad rebukes Job asking how long he's going to keep on saying these same things. things in a way they're kind of tired of hearing and listening to Job. How long, Job, are you going to claim your innocence and say, we're wrong? Obviously, Job, you're the one who's in a bad spot and not us. So he tells Job that his words are a mighty wind. That is, Job, you are full of hot air. Your words are blustery but hollow, nothing but an irritating, meaningless blast. Then Bildad asked the question, verse three, does God pervert justice or does the Almighty pervert what is right? Further asserting his brand of vengeance theology and in that making a most cutting and offensive accusation, he states that Job's children died on account that God delivered them over to the wrath due them for their sin. That's verse four, if your sons sinned against God, then he delivered them into the power of their transgression. Wow. And then. Without the slightest shadow of sympathy or the least word of comfort, Bildad immediately tells Job how to save his own skin, verses five through seven. If you would seek God and implore the compassion of the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, surely now he would rouse himself for you and restore your righteous estate. Though your beginning was insignificant, your end will increase greatly. As Eliphaz, Bildad is sure that all Job's trials have come upon him as punishment for his sin. Therefore, if Job will but humble himself by seeking God, pleading the compassion of the Almighty, then God will come to his aid and restore him. What Bildad says would be true if Job were being punished for his sin. But Bildad is offensive as he speaks on the erroneous presumption that that's what's happening. Job is suffering God's vengeance. Instead of offering comfort then, his words are full of slap, and they're very hurtful. To say God is just is true, and it is a righteous statement. God does not pervert justice nor does he twist what is right, amen. But Bildad is in error as he concludes that Job suffers because God's justice and righteousness is pouring vengeance upon him. That erroneous presupposition is itself unjust and a perversion of what is right. To assume that one knows why God deals with another as he does is to presume upon God Church, it is to play God, and it is to fashion God after ourselves and say, oh, well, I would think this, so that must be what God is thinking. I'll speak for God. God is not like us, and we must not impose our fallen thoughts upon him. He is holy. Bildad is wrong to assume that because God is just and right that Job suffers because of a sin. Bildad simply needed to admit that he didn't have the mind of God in the matter. It's a good thing when people ask us our opinion or ask us what we think God is doing that we would say, let me think on that and pray on it and come back to you in the morning. Slow to speak, quick to pray. Bildad simply didn't have the mind of God in the matter. When we suppose something but don't really know all the facts, it is quite arrogant then to represent God in the matter. It is much better to remain quiet by accusing Job of sin and by asserting that God was punishing him, Bildad was speaking wrongly of God. He's saying God's doing this thing that God was not doing. He's indicting God. He's speaking wrongly of God. Come on, they, his friends knew Job to be a righteous man. They knew it, his fame was known abroad. Seeing him in such pain and suffering under such grave trial, they think it is theirs to figure out and announce the cause. Knowing this has come upon Job by the will of God, they feel that they must vindicate God. I must explain God in this situation. That's a problem. when we think it's up to us to explain God and to justify and vindicate God. That's a problem. In that ill effort, the three friends, rather than vindicating God, actually speak wrongly of him. They are an error, not Job. They act like the accuser, making accusation against God, speaking wrongly of why God has done what he has done. Church, let me say to you, We've been talking, went through the book of John and talked about love, how we are to love one another even as Christ has loved us. Church, listen, it is one thing to come beside a hurting soul and ask them, have you examined your heart? Fair enough, have you examined your heart? Or if we actually know they are in sin, it's one thing to practice Matthew 18 so as to restore them. but it's entirely a different matter to come to others in their suffering and say, I know why this is. God is getting you because you are in sin. Now we may not put it into those words, but that's what Christians often do. Oh, God's getting you. And if they don't tell it to that person, they gossip it to others. Beloved, such a false indictment against the hurting soul is bad, it's sinful, but worse, it is to speak of error in error of God. God is just, amen, but that doesn't mean that every difficult thing that happens to someone is a matter of God exacting retribution justice. We must not assume we know what all is in the mind of God. As the Lord says, Isaiah 55, nine, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. We ought to consult with God, amen. B, Job learned from tradition and nature. Last Lord's day, we learned that Eliphaz came to his judgment by way of a dream or a vision of a spirit, remember that? He errantly applied his personal vision to Job's situation. Here, Bildad comes to his conclusion by way of tradition and the observation of nature. Verses eight and nine. Please inquire of past generations and consider the things searched out by their fathers. For we are only of yesterday and know nothing because our days on earth are as a shadow. So Bildad is sure of his stance concerning Job because of what he learned from past generations. Tradition. It is to say all who've gone before us have come to this one conclusion concerning God, sin, and man's suffering. Job, as it has been taught and handed down by the forefathers to us young ones, people only suffer as a result of God visiting their sin upon them. Verse 10, will they, that is the past generations, not teach you and tell you and bring forth words from their minds? Well, and that's the problem, isn't it? That so many bring forth words from their minds. Actually, in what today is often identified as the church, many bring words from their minds, pronouncing words from their minds as if it was the word of God. They are quick to tell you, the Lord told me. The Lord told me to tell you. Well, wait a minute, I have a relationship with God. He can speak to me. People want to spout their mind as the will of God. Build that, instead of searching out God for his word concerning Job, depends on the words of past generations. Now, much can be learned, true, and gleaned from past generations who have followed after God. Much can be learned. and we don't want to throw away everything that might be told us. But what past generations say, if we are to take it as from God, must be from and in agreement with God's word. We have no need to suppose, we have God's written word. So when someone advises us, we can say, is that an agreement with God's word? And they might say, for generations past. Well, okay, maybe generations past have been wrong about some things. Does it line up with God's word? This was a problem of Israel of old and for many in the church today. They're really more interested in tradition and ceremony than the living word of God. I know a group of men who are fairly close to me and they say, we're going to have a Bible study. And when they get together, rarely do they open their Bible, but they talk about all the things that they feel like God told them and all the insight God gave them and they're all amazed at each other. Beloved, we have the written word of God. So this is a problem. People are more interested in tradition and ceremony and what they think God is saying to them personally, rather than what is written for the entirety of the church. Tradition and ceremony is fine and can be good in the proper degree and in the proper context, but never is tradition or ceremony, nor anything else for that matter, to substitute for the word of God. Saving faith, enduring faith, comes exclusively by the hearing of the word of Christ. I remember years ago, someone came to our pastor, and it was popular in the church for everybody to say, I have a word from the Lord for you. And somebody came up to our pastor, I remember this distinctly, I was a teenager, And he said, pastor, I need a word from the Lord. Do you have a word from the Lord for me? And the pastor said, well, yes, I do. I have a lot of words from the Lord for you. And he said, you do? Give it to me. He said, well, here's the Bible. Go home and read that. And the sad thing was that fellow was terribly disappointed. He wants this esoteric human conjured word from the Lord when the Lord has given us his word. We must be careful, church. Saving faith, enduring faith comes exclusively by the hearing of the word and that word, the word of Christ. Well, Bildad continued to reason, imploring Job that not only should he go to the past generations and learn from tradition and ceremony, but to also learn from nature. Nature itself will teach you all kinds of things about God. Well, that's very true. We can learn a lot about God from nature. The heavens are telling of the glories of God, amen? But we have to be careful how we apply those things. Verses 11 through 15. Can a papyrus grow up without marsh? Now we have to keep in mind that as Bildad is saying these things, he's poking at Job. He's slapping him around. So we have to keep that in mind. Can the papyrus grow up without marsh? Can the rushes grow without water? While it is still green and not cut down, yet it withers before any other plant. So are the paths of all who forget God and the hope of the godless will perish, whose confidence is fragile and whose trust is a spider's web. He trusts in his house, but it does not stand. He holds fast to it, but it does not endure. Applying this to Job, here's what Bildad is saying. Job, learn your lesson from the papyrus. Just as the papyrus cannot flourish with water, neither can the one who forgets God flourish. Job, you're not going to flourish if you don't have God. Just as a flourishing papyrus, when it lacks water, withers more quickly than the other plant, so has it happened to you, Job. You must be godless, Job, because we see you perishing, and it is the godless who perish. The godless are flimsy and no more. They're no more sure than the one who trusts in a spider's web. Bildad insinuates that Job trusted in his house, his family and possessions, and held them as his hope and strength, but his house did not stand, nor did it endure. All you trusted in Job is gone, like the papyrus without water, so are you without God. Oh, you were green and strong, but now you're withering quicker than the rest of us. Bildad's not done accusing and threatening, verses 16 through 19. This man that he is talking about, talking about Job, he thrives before the sun, he says, and his shoots spread out over his garden, his roots wrap around a rock pile, he grasps a house of stones. If he is removed from his place, then it will deny him, saying, I never saw you. Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the dust others will spring. Bildad is telling Job that though he did so well, though he prospered so greatly, having forgotten God, he will be taken up like a plant that was once flourished, but is plucked up by the gardener. That plant is thrown aside and forgotten only for the other plants to take root where it was. The gardener no longer attends to the old plant, but only to the others that spring up after it. Job, Though God prospered you, yet because of your sin, because you have become godless, he is about to pluck you up and give his attention to others. Others will be raised up in your spot, Joe, you'll be forgotten. Yet with those words, Bill Dad wants Joe to know that there's still hope. Bill Dad wants Joe to turn back to God, let her see Joe repent. Verse 20, Lo, God will not reject a man of integrity, nor will he support the evildoers. So Bildad contends if Job will just turn back to God, if Job will just repent and be a man of integrity, then God will receive him. Bildad wants Job to know there's still time, verse 21. He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouting. Those who hate you will be clothed with shame and the tent of the wicked will be no more. Job, just turn back to God, forsake your sin, repent, be a man of integrity and God will restore you to laughter and joy. He will vindicate you, just turn back to God. Now, much of this, would be good and acceptable counsel except for one thing here. Job doesn't need to turn back to God for he hasn't turned away from God. It is true, God will not reject a man of integrity. Job is a man of integrity, therefore God has not rejected him. They're assuming God's rejected you. God's punishing you. So well, perhaps if Bildad said some of these things to one who was in sin, he would be correct. But as it is, he is incorrect in saying these things and applying it to Job. Job is not in sin, he's not out of favor with God. So again, Bildad is making a false accusation against Job, and by doing so, he's speaking wrongly of the way God works. Part two, Job responds. You ready? Job would take God to court. Chapter nine, verse one. Then Job answered, in truth, I know that this is so, but how can a man be in the right before God? If one wished to dispute with him, he could not answer him once in a thousand times. Now, the language of this ninth chapter, as Job speaks of being right before God, of being in a dispute with him, and of answering him and so forth, as the chapter goes on, you'll see it there, that this chapter really pictures a scene in a court of law. Job ponders coming before God in a judicial sentence. God, I have a dispute with you, let's handle it in the courts. At the very first Job agrees with Bildad, God will not respect a man of integrity, nor will he support evildoers, but that's completely true, but that's why Job's situation is so perplexing. Job is, the Scripture says, is not an evildoer. He's not one who lives in habitual, unrepentant of sin. We're not saying he was sinless, but he's not in some deep, ongoing sin. He goes to the Lord, he makes sacrifice, he repents. So it's true. God will not reject a man of integrity, nor will he support evildoers, so that's what's so perplexing. Why is Job in this situation? He is a man of integrity, as God himself said to the devil in chapter two. Have you considered Job? He still holds onto his integrity. David Allen writes, Job cannot fathom why he is being punished, because he has not rejected God. If God causes Job to suffer when he has not committed any sin to bring it on, then how can any person ever hope to stand before God? It is impossible to fight with God and win. It was the Old Testament saint who wrestled with God, an angel with the Lord. Jacob came out with a bad hip the rest of his life. You can't fight with God and win. And it is with this in mind that Job speaks of the wonders and the might of God, verses four through 12. Wise in heart and mighty in strength, who has defied him without harm. It is God who removes the mountains, they do not know how, when he overturns them in his anger, who shakes the earth out of its place to shine, and sets a seal upon the stars, who alone stretches out the heavens, and tramples down the waves of the sea, who makes the bare Orient and Pleiades, and the chambers of the South, who does great things, unfathomable, and wondrous works without number, Were he to pass by me, I would not see him. Were he to move past by me, I would not perceive him. Were he to snatch me away, who could restrain him? Who could say to him, what art thou doing? Amen. God is his own God. He is the almighty sovereign who does as it pleases him. He answers to no one. God who created the heavens and the earth and all they contain, who hung the earth on nothing and set it on its axis, who made the heavens and placed every heavenly object in its orbit, who measures the heavens by the span of his hand, who made each star, calling each one by name, that God, who is God alone, is supremely unquestionable. Who, Joe Breesons, can drag God into a courtroom to interrogate him, asking, what are you doing? If that be, Job knows God would win. Verse 13, God will not turn back his anger beneath him, crouched the helpers of Rahab. In this context, Rahab is a mythological supernatural sea monster who is believed to be the mightiest creature on earth. If the helpers of the mightiest creature on earth cower under God rather than that creature, then Job reasons, verse 14, how can I answer him? and choose my words before him. For though I were right, I could not answer, I would have to implore the mercy of my judge. In the reality that God is almighty, Job knows that if he came before God to answer him, that he would not be able to respond. Job could only trust God for his mercy and grace. Otherwise, Job knows he's done for, he's destroyed. O'Donnell writes, Job again speaks of an ill-advised idea of a court date with the divine. Here the illustration starts with Job taking the stand and playing the role of the defendant. God playing the role of the judge asks Job question after question to which Job gives no reply. He honestly does not know the answers. Who can answer God? Church, don't forget this little portion here. because this is the very thing that will happen and we will read about when we get to chapter 38. God will begin to question Job and Job will not have an answer. Job comes to despair for he knows he cannot subpoena God to force him to court. And if Job could, if Job were to defy God in such a manner, Job knows God would indeed harm him, verse four, overturn him, verse five, it would not turn back from his anger, verse 13. Job rightly fears God, and that's because if God came to court, he would come not as defendant, but judge. So Job despairs. This is chapter nine, verse 16, all the way through the end of chapter 10. And here I'm only going to comment on a few verses. Job feels completely helpless. That whatever he might try would be futile. He feels really rather fatalistic about it all. Job says that if he called on the Lord and was answered that he, Job, would not even believe it. Job states that God bruises him, multiplies his wounds, won't allow him to even get his breath, and saturates him with bitterness. Job brightly declares that God is the strong one, and if Job then tried to defend his innocence before this holy God, that he, Job, would actually trip himself up in his own words. He'd be found guilty. Job can't redeem himself. Job can't save himself. Job can't even defend himself. Job can't even enter into the courtroom with God. Daniel J. Estes writes, Job turns over in his mind whether he should enter a legal complaint as a plaintiff against God, because God appears to be almost arbitrary in his treatment of humans. As he thinks it through, Job finds himself left with three unsatisfying alternatives. Job could drop his complaint against God, chapter nine, verses 27 and 28, but then he would not have the opportunity to be declared innocent by God. Secondly, Job could try to purify himself, chapter nine, verses 29 through 31, but he senses that this still would not satisfy God's requirements. Or thirdly, Job could find an impartial arbitrator to mediate the case, chapter 9, verses 32 through 35, but then where would he find a suitable person to fulfill this role? End quote. Job in despair feels utterly helpless. He's at the end of his rope. In the 10th chapter, in increasing desperation, he complains about his bitter life. He could take the God to court. If he could take God to court, he would ask him to explain why God contends with him. Addressing God, Job protests, verse seven, according to thy knowledge, I am indeed not guilty. God, you know I'm not guilty, yet there is no deliverance from your hand. I don't understand this, Job says. He continues to complain in verses eight through 17, wondering if God only gave him life and prospered him so he could destroy him. God, did you just raise me up so you could destroy me? So you can make a spectacle out of me? Is that what you're doing, God? In verses 18 and 19, Job continues to question God, wondering why God gave him life. Job wishes he was dead. He wishes he had died at birth so that, as he put it, he would have been carried from the womb to the tomb. From verse 20 to the close of the chapter, Job asked that God would just leave him alone. He sadly reasons that if God would just leave him alone, then he could have a little cheer before he died. Lord, your hand is very heavy upon me. Would you just lift it off so I can have a little relief before I die? And so then, church, the 10th chapter comes to a sad close. Yet thanks to God, in all this, Job did not curse God. As serious students of God and his word, it is important that we feel the weight of Job's suffering and despondency While I hope to hurry along as we go along, we should sense the depth of Job's despair. That will help us to appreciate when God breaks the silence and speaks for himself and redeems Job. How sweet is the victory that breaks upon the bitter soul. We should feel the weight of this story and we should not seek to avoid it. Where is God in these chapters? He's sitting on his throne in heaven. The earth is his footstool. God in all of this is ruling and reigning over everything, over the angels, over the devil, over Job, over Mrs. Job, and over Job's friends. When men talk and God is silent, we can be sure that God is still accomplishing His purposes. He's revealing hearts. He's accomplishing His purposes. At the proper time, God will break upon the scene and His glory will be revealed. Though silent now, church, He is ever active and He is ever just. He's at work. He's just being quiet to work His purposes. Where is Jesus in these chapters? First, as Job is an early foreshadow of Jesus Christ, our Lord, we recall as his friends mantor him and accuse him and condemn him that our Lord Jesus' own Jewish brethren questioned him and his integrity and his innocence. And of Jesus, his own countrymen finally condemned him knelling him to the cross by the hands of godless men. In Job, we see a foreshadow of Jesus. Jesus is the suffering servant. He suffered for us. Job is the shadow. Jesus is the reality. Finally then, as Job imagined entering into a courtroom to stand before the omniscient almighty God, he found himself in a state of desperation. He feels helpless. He is defenseless. What can he do? If I do this, I'll lose. If I do that, I lose. If I do this, God destroys me. What can I do? Well, verbalizing his immense quandary, he said, how can a man be in the right before God? And Job rightly concludes that he would have to implore the mercy of God, his judge. How can a man be in the right before God? He can't. I have to plead mercy, the mercy of God. Recognizing then the supremacy of God, that God is otherly, he is holy, otherly, Job stated in chapter nine, verses 32 and 33, for he is not a man as I am, that I may answer him, that we may go to court together. There is no umpire between us who may lay his hand upon us both. Well, Job faced this distress concerning his physical condition. What he says is universally true of mankind's spiritual condition. As the scripture says, that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, there are none righteous, no, not one. How then can any one of us be in the right before God? How? The answer is we ourselves cannot be in the right before God. We cannot. That leaves us in the same position as Job in so much that we would have to implore the mercy of God as our judge. We can only plead mercy. We can't justify ourselves. But our imploring The mercy of God only reveals another of our dilemmas, and that is that we in our fallen state have no way to come before God. Like Job said, for God is not a man as we are, that we may answer him, that we may go to court together. How does a sinful man of flesh approach this unapproachable holy God who is spirit? How can I bust through the doors of heaven and enter into the courtroom of God? Or how can I grab God and pull him down into my courtroom? Can't be done. And if I could get that far, how would I do so without being immediately destroyed? Further, if God questioned me, how would I answer him? Could I declare my innocence? If I tried to, I would give myself away with my words. I'd open my mouth and give it away. Oh, I'm not innocent. I can't stand before the Holy God. Before him who is the judge of the living and the dead, I confess to all, I am guilty of sin. I, as all mankind, was born in sin, for all have sinned. Job then laments that there's no umpire between God and himself. There was no one who could lay his hand upon both, God as, both of them as mediator to bring them together. And that situation with Job represents the spiritual picture of all mankind. Job in his plight says, there's no mediator, there's no umpire, nobody can lay their hands on both of us. And that again is foreshadowing the spiritual condition of all mankind. But church, I want to tell you, and someday soon we'll get to it, God will not leave Job in that physical condition. He won't. And neither would God leave mankind in that spiritual condition. It was God himself who made a way for us to come before him, who gave his only begotten son to be the savior of the world. Have we heard this so much that we're dull to it? God forgive us. God renew the truth of Christ in our hearts and minds. God sent his son Jesus to be born of flesh, so that being the unique, one-of-a-kind God-man, Jesus could mediate between us and God. Jesus is the only one who can lay his hand upon both God and us, bringing us together with God in peace. There is no other way. There is only one name under it by which we must be saved. Jesus is that name. How can a man be in the right before God? Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin. By faith believing in this Jesus who bore our sin, his righteousness is then credited to us. We were talking about that in our men's study yesterday, the great exchange. Who could dream up anything like this? It truly is from the mind of God, amen. that Jesus bears our sin, we come to Him in faith, believing in His righteousness is credited to us. Wow. Through faith in Jesus Christ, who is the blameless one, God counts us whose trust in Him as holy and blameless in His sight. As we come to believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord, God declares us right, justified, and right standing with Him, saved from sin to life everlasting. As we studied yesterday in the men's group, 2 Corinthians 5, 21 declares that He, that is God, made Him, Christ Jesus, who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him, in Christ. How can a man of sin be in the right before God? He must have a Savior who is both God and man who can lay his hand on both God and man to mediate. How do we come to Jesus for mediation? There is no way except that we cast ourselves upon the mercy of the God who is our judge, who in his great mercy gave his son Jesus to redeem us from our sin to himself. 1 Timothy 2, five and six. For there is one God and one mediator, also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all. Jesus mediates our case as we come to him in faith, actively trusting him as Savior and Lord. So church, from the illustrative desperation of Job's physical condition, as he has no one to plead his case, we come to comprehend the true desperation of our spiritual condition without Christ. But Christ has come, church, I announce, Christ has come, God sent His Son, in Jesus we have the Savior, and through faith in Him we have forgiveness of sin and are at peace with God. Will you, through faith in Jesus, plead God's mercy? If you will, you will be saved. from sin and hell to God and life. Would you please bow your heads with me in prayer? Our Lord, having heard your word, we pray, Heavenly Father, that we will take it to heart, that your word will land deep in our hearts like good seeds and good soil, and that it will take root and bear much fruit to you. We admit Lord that as we consider this life and consider you that a lot of times we just don't understand. But because we don't understand the things of this world and we don't always understand why things are happening as they do, let us at the same time have full confidence in you as you have revealed yourself to be. that you are above it all, that you are in control of it all, and that you will have your way. I would ask Heavenly Father that as a church of loving people who love one another as Christ has loved us, that we would not be quick to condemn and judge, and not be quick to speak, but to listen, to consider, to pray, to take your word, and apply your truth to the matter. Let us be a true church, your true people who truly know of your love and truly love one another. I pray heavenly father that we will be a people of grace. And now Lord, we want to thank you for Jesus whom you sent to be the Christ Thank you, Jesus, that you came, that you lived the perfect life, becoming the unique, one-of-a-kind God, man, there's not another like you, and that you did this so as to bear the cross, to become sin for us, that is, to bear the burden of our sin, and to bear the wrath of God in our stead as a man of suffering, and then, Lord, that you rose again You are vindicated, and you sit at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us. So we thank you, our Lord Jesus, that you have done this. It is my sincere prayer, Lord, that you would cause this truth to take root in all of us, in our families, in our friends, in this city, in this nation, Lord, and around the world, so that you would be most glorified. Help us to live for you and to rejoice and live for you by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And it's in his name that we pray, amen. Beloved, let us now prepare our hearts to partake of communion where we remember our Lord Jesus Christ. Brother Joe, would you please come and lead us?