Key Verse for 2025 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely.[1] 1 Timothy 4:16
Opener: We will explore the Book of Job over the next two weeks. Job is the man who does everything right, yet he loses everything: his children, his wealth, and his health, despite being blameless. Job’s story raises theological questions about the nature of suffering. As we read through Job in the coming weeks, we will find no easy explanation for his suffering. However, understand that the Bible provides solid answers to the questions surrounding the existence of suffering and evil in the world.
Terry’s sermon this week explores one of these answers: mystery. We may not understand why we are suffering in this way right now. We won’t know why that child died while that man lived to a ripe old age. We will not know why that evil person prospered while that good person suffered. As you’ll see in Job’s story, he is never told “WHY.” Here’s what you will observe: he is given the choice to trust God despite not understanding why all these things have happened to him, and in the end, Job responds in faith to God.
Discussion: Have your group read Job Chapter One aloud together. As they read, keep the idea of mystery and faith in mind. After reading, respond to the discussion questions below.
Questions From the Reading:
Q1: What do verses 1-5 tell us about Job? How would you describe him?
Q2: What can we learn about Satan’s first test of Job in verses 6-19? What is happening here?
Note: Don’t miss the swiftness and the weight of the calamity that falls on Job in quick succession. You should feel the weight of this tragedy. This isn’t a theoretical event; it happened in real time and space to a man and his family.
Q3: Read verses 9-10. What does Satan assume about why Job fears God? Can we tend to make the same assumptions? Why would God allow this evil in order to make a point?
Q4: Read verses 20-22. In these three verses, what does Job do, and what is his confession in his confidence? How does Job acknowledge God’s ultimate sovereignty? Look at verse 22 again; what does it tell us about his faith? What does it reveal about mystery?
Q5: The point of the Book of Job is keeping faith in the face of mystery. The question we have to answer is: will we trust God when we don’t understand what he is doing?
Q6: 2 Cor. 1:8: “For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.”
What does Paul say were the results of the suffering he endured?
What insights can you draw for your own life?
Main Takeaway: Suffering and evil are part of our lives on this side of heaven. We may never fully understand the mystery of it all. However, we know that God is good and ultimately sovereign over our lives. Like Job, we can trust him fully. Together with Job, we can say, “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Application: After reflecting on this passage and the sermon, is there anything in your life that needs to change? How can we help?
[1] The New International Version (1 Ti 4:16). (2011). Zondervan.