Sermon – Wisdom Through Suffering (Job 38-42) – God Knows

Read the text – Job 40:1-14 

It has been a long time in coming, but finally we hear the voice of God. In Job 38, God speaks from the midst of a storm (or whirlwind). It is not surprising that God speaks from a storm, but it is surprising that it isn’t the storm of judgement, but of wisdom. Two chapters of God describing the extent of his sovereignty conclude in 40:1. And Job’s response? Despite all that he had previously thought he would say if he could enter God’s presence, he is speechless. He recognizes his insignificance before God and keeps listening to what God has to say and stays attentive to what God will show him – God is not only sovereign, but just.

God has not given Job the answers he was looking for, but Job has seen him in a way that is clearer than ever, and without asking for any more answers, he trusts in God’s sovereignty, even though his circumstances still have not changed. It isn’t until we get to the New Testament that we can begin to understand what it cost Him to win the battle over evil and death on our behalf.

In this talk Ken Noakes helps us to understand the importance of living under the sovereignty of God – and that wisdom, even blessing can be found in suffering.

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Thumbnail Sketch of the Book of JobDownload

Sermon – Wisdom Through Suffering (Job 32-37) – Listen to MY Words

Read the text – Job 32:1-10 & Job 33:1-33

We meet Job’s younger friend Elihu. He has been patiently listening to all that has so far been said and finally he breaks his silence and implores Job to listen (33:1-2). He wants Job to trust his words for he is – sincere (33:3), compassionate (33:6-7) and he speaks with the spirit of God (33:4-5).

His argument: Job is not suffering because he has sinned, but he cautions Job not to sin in his suffering.

Gary Haddon helps the listener consider how we react when suffering – do we look up and down? The ‘why’ of suffering is not the question, but who we are trusting for salvation.

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Sermon – Wisdom Through Suffering (Job 28) – Where is Wisdom?

Read the text – Job 28:1-28

Job’s ‘comforters’ have become more like his ‘accusers’. Chapter 28 acts as an interlude where all are invited to lift their eyes from Job’s problems and the arguments which have bogged them down. The cost of the search for the most valuable things is worth it. Yet, Wisdom is the most valuable thing and the most difficult to find. God is the only source of true wisdom.

In this Bible Talk, Ken Noakes helps us to unlock the wisdom of the Book of Job. And in doing so helps the listener to lift their gaze from suffering and trying to figure things out for themselves to understanding that answers can only be found in God.

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Sermon – Wisdom through Suffering (Job 3-27) – That’s what friends are for?

Read the text – Job 19:1-29

We have met the upright and blameless Job, and seen the tragedy and suffering which fell upon him. In the chapters that follow (Job 3-27), Job responds to the “comfort” (?) of his friends with words full of agony and pain. Job looks to his only hope: a sovereign and perfect God who cannot allow injustice. In spite of his circumstances and feelings, the small glimmer of hope from 9:33-34 which became a faint trickle of hope in 14:14-15 and 16:19-21, has become much more certain, to the point where declares “I know that my redeemer lives!”(19:25). This yet again reveals that the deepest desire of his heart is to be in the presence of the God he loves (19:27). In spite of what his friends have said, Job doesn’t fear death because he is sure that he will see the Lord face to face, and that there is the hope of a resurrection (19:26).

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Overview of the Structure of JobDownload

Sermon: Wisdom through Suffering (Job 1-2) – An ‘Upright Man’

Read the text – Job 1:1-2:10

With suffering wherever you look around the world, we being to ask many questions… Where is God? Why does he allow this? How can God be good when things are not? In the book of Job, we see these questions. We follow his struggle to understand what was happening to him. And yet we also see the development and growth in his understanding of God, and the kind of Saviour we all need.

In this Bible Talk, Gary Haddon introduces this book of wisdom and we look at the upright man named Job – a man who fears God and shuns evil. This man who experiences some extraordinary trials which shape argument of the Book of Job.

An Overview of the Structure of JobDownload
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Sermon – The Call and the Commission (Matthew 9:35-38 & 28:16-20)

Read the texts – Matthew 9:35-38 & Matthew 28:16-20

‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few’, Jesus observed as he then called his disciples to prayer. In compassion he shows us a great need. ‘Go out and make disciples of all nations’, Jesus directed as he sent his disciples to work. By commission he gave all disciples a job to do.

In this talk Ken Noakes helps to show that it was by compassion for the lost that drives what disciples of Jesus do, and it is by commission of Jesus that we do it.

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Forgiveness (Matthew 18:15-19:2)

Read the text – Matthew 18:15-19:2

Sin and hurt come hand in hand with the human experience – forgiveness not so much. For how hard it is to forgive when you have been hurt by others? Jesus taught his disciples how to deal with sin among believers such that the sin is not swept away or forgotten, but so that believers might know how to truly and genuinely forgive those who trespass against them.

Gary Haddon carefully handles this personal and tricky teaching of Jesus – and in doing so helps us to see the value of forgiveness.

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Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Child-like Humility (Matthew 18:1-14)

Read the text – Matthew 18:1-14

‘Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?’, the disciples famously ask. And the answer given, is to look at the child. For the little child, the little ones as this passage will highlight are the ones who come in humility before God.

In this Bible talk, Dave Swan will help ‘those who believe’ in Jesus to understands what it is to stand before he who is in fact the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven – he who in grace makes it possible for all to come to into the kingdom of heaven confident in their forgiveness.

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Moving Mountains (Matthew 17:14-27)

For the fifth and last time in Matthew’s Gospel Jesus speaks of what ‘little faith’ might look like – and he offers yet another description of what will happen to him as he heads into Jerusalem where he will be delivered into the hands of opposing men, killed, and then on the third day rise.

In these Bible talks both John Lavender and Ken Noakes look at what faith in the life of a believer might look like – it is not about the quantity of faith (as if that could be measured), but about the genuineness of faith in Jesus.

Preacher: John Lavender

Read the text – Matthew 17:14-27

Preacher: Ken D Noakes
Outline for this TalkDownload

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Transfigured (Matthew 17:1-13)

Read the text – Matthew 17:1-13

The disciples Peter, James and John travel up the mountain with Jesus and come face to face with those key Old Testament figures of Moses and Elijah – yet it is Jesus who stands out. A voice from heaven declares: ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’ (Matt 17:5). This is not the first time such a pronouncement has been made.

In this talk, Dave Swan helps to show why it is so important to listen to Jesus – the son of God, and the one who is going to suffer (to the point of death) and then be raised from the dead.