"Job Expresses To Us Easter's Twin Truths"

Sermon based on Job 19: 23-27

Saint Mark's, Watertown

Pastor Karl Walther

April 12, 1998

Jesus promises us: Because I live, you also will live. Thanks be to God! Amen.

Dear fellow Christians-- for whom Jesus lives:

In that last hymn, probably the best known and most beloved of all Easter hymns, you expressed sixteen times that "Jesus lives!" After the sermon, in the last four verses of that same hymn, you will express that "Jesus lives!" another sixteen times.

So, Easter's message is that "Jesus lives!" But what's so significant about that? Well, it's especially in the sorrows of this life, it's especially in the sufferings of this life, it's especially in the sins of this life, that we see the significance that "Jesus lives!"

In the history of this world there was probably one man, apart from our Lord Jesus: the man of sorrows-- there was probably one man who most experienced the sadness, the sorrows, the sufferings of this life. And that man was Job.

Theme: Job Expresses To Us Easter's Twin Truths

In God's Word to us today, it is that same JOB who EXPRESSES TO US EASTER'S TWIN TRUTHS. The first truth is rather obvious; it's Easter that teaches us: "I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES." But Easter's second truth is just as important to us: "I KNOW THAT THROUGH HIM I SHALL LIVE."

Part #1: Job's Suffering

Well, it was (in all likelihood) some nearly two thousand years before the time of Christ. As many years ago as Christ walked the earth, so many years before Christ -- before Jeremiah, before Isaiah, before David, before even Moses -- there lived a man named Job. And he lived beyond the Jordan River, in the vast semi-desert land: called at that time Uz.

Job was a righteous and wealthy man. Here's what the Bible reports about him: (In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job.) This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

But so soon the outward causes of his happiness disappeared! Satan said to God: "Stretch out your hand and strike everything Job has, and he will surely curse you to your face!" So, God said to Satan: "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands."

Boom!-- Satan steals Job's five hundred yoke of oxen and his five hundred donkeys. Boom!-- Satan burns up Job's seven thousand sheep. Boom!-- Satan steals Job's three thousand camels. Boom!-- Satan kills practically all of Job's servants. Boom! -- Satan kills all Job's children: all seven sons, all three daughters.

In reaction, we read: Job fell to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised!"

You can imagine, though, that Satan was not finished: "Skin for skin!" he said to God: "A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face." So, God said to Satan: "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands."

Boom!-- Satan sends him festering sores; Satan sends him scabs. Boom!-- Satan sends him nightmares; Satan sends him fevers. Boom!-- Satan sends him disfigurement; Satan sends him unrelenting pain.

And Job's wife urges him: "Curse God and die!" And Job's friends accuse him: "Your sin prompts your mouth; ...your own mouth condemns you." And although Job never curses God, he does curse the day of his birth-- that's sin.... And although Job never curses God, he does accuse God of injustice-- that's sin....

Application #1: Our Parallel Suffering

And-- and my friend, can you relate to Job? I bet you can.... I know you can....

º Job lost all the possessions he had. Some of you have suffered a loss of wealth, too. Your hours have been cut back, or you're out of a job temporarily, or you're out of a job permanently. You can relate to Job.

º Job suffered the death of all of his children. Some of you have suffered the death of a child. It's so painful that only God knows the magnitude of your suffering. You can relate to Job.

º Job completely lost his health. Some of you are undergoing chronic pain; some of you will never be the same, because of a loss of health; others of you are very much in the process of dying. You can relate to Job.

º Job suffered the discouragement of Mrs. Job, who urged him to curse God and die. Some of you are undergoing marital strife; some of you endure spouses who don't trust Christ; others of you have lost a spouse through divorce or unbelief. You can relate to Job.

º Job suffered the false accusations of so-called "friends". Some of you have had friends turn against you; some of you have lost your good reputation from false accusation; and some of you will never recover your good reputation. You can relate to Job.

º And finally, Job fell into sin: cursing the day of his birth, accusing God of injustice. Haven't we all done that? Haven't we all fallen into sin? Haven't we all failed to thank God for his good blessings? Haven't we all, in fact, cursed some of God's blessings to us? Haven't we all accused God of injustice? Haven't we all said, in effect, God is not fair?

And it's made us wonder, hasn't it? ...Will we get to see God? Will we really get to heaven? Are we righteous in his eyes? Are our sins really forgiven?

Part #2: Job's Relief-- His Redeemer, Jesus Christ

Job has the answer for us. Oh, that my words were recorded! he says. Oh, that they were written on a scroll!-- for future generations to see. Oh, that they were inscribed with an iron tool and lead, engraved in rock forever! Job wanted what he was about to say permanently put up in lights!

And what was it that Job wanted to say? I know that my Redeemer lives! My Redeemer: my blood relative, who steps in to defend me in my weakness-- that's what a Redeemer is. My big brother: to repay my debts, to ensure my future inheritance (that's what a redeemer would do), to buy me back from slavery, to buy me back from death (that's what a redeemer would do)-- that Redeemer of mine lives.

And how was it that Job would recognize him? In the end he will stand upon the earth. More specifically translated: Afterwards upon the dust he will resurrect. In the future, Job could see, and after his own death, we can say-- upon the dust from which humans were taken, and to which humans return: this Redeemer would resurrect. It is to say that: he would conquer death!

And what would that mean to Job himself? After my skin has been destroyed by death, yet in my flesh after death I will see God. And how certainly would Job's body die, and rise to life, and then see God? I myself will see him with my own eyes -- I, and not another. Four times -- emphatically! -- God has Job insisting that he will see God eternally.

To this, Job exclaims: How my heart yearns within me!

Application #2: Our Parallel Relief-- Our Redeemer Jesus Christ

And my friend, you can agree with Job in all of this!

• First of all: Jesus lives! The tomb is eternally empty! Mary saw him! The other women saw him! Peter saw him! The Emmaus disciples saw him! The ten disciples saw him! The eleven disciples (with Thomas) saw him! Five hundred of his followers saw him! James saw him! They saw him at Galilee's lake! They saw him at Galilee's mountain! They saw him at his ascension! Paul saw him afterwards!

And you have seen him! You've seen him on the pages of the Bible! You've seen him in the testimony of his people! You've seen him in the Sacrament! You've seen him work powerfully in your life! That Jesus lives!!!

• Furthermore: that living Jesus is your Redeemer! He is your blood relative: a human being, who shares your very blood-- but also God. He defends you in your weakness. Like a good redeemer, he has repaid your debts-- the debts of your sin. Like a good redeemer, he has ensured your inheritance-- your inheritance of heaven. Like a good redeemer, he has bought you back from slavery-- slavery to Satan. Like a good redeemer, he has bought you back from death-- even death eternally.

• So then, through Jesus, you will live! After this day passes, after this week, this month, this year pass, after this century passes, and you've been laid in death in the dust of the earth -- on the second Easter morning! -- you will live. Like lightning flashes from east to west, Christ will appear. With the huge sound of the heavenly triumphant trumpet, you will get up from your grave. Christ will dispatch his multitudes of angels from one end of the earth to the other to gather you before him. And he will sweep every soul that trusts in him into heavenly glory.

• And then: through Jesus, you will see God! Your eyes will behold his beauty! Your ears listen to the resonance of his voice! Your skin will experience the wonderful warmth of his presence! Your legs will stand before him, and your arms will reach out toward him! Your voice shall voluminously declare his praise! And your hands will handle his work -- worthwhile work, manageable labor, joyous tasks -- absolutely eternally!

...And my friend, nothing else matters! Nothing! Not possessions: gained or lost! Not the life or death of loved ones! No amount of health: gained or lost! No suffering or strife in any relationship!

And no sin! The guilt of your slanders ... is gone! The guilt of your robberies ... is gone! The guilt of your adulteries ... is gone! The guilt of your murders ... is gone! The guilt of your crimes ... is gone! The guilt of your ingratitude is gone! The guilt of your blasphemous attitude is gone! The guilt of your idolatry is gone!

Conclusion: We Proclaim Easter's Twin Truths, As Job Did

Wow! It's no wonder Job wanted his confession of faith put up in lights-- engraved in a rock forever! "I know that my Redeemer lives!" "I know that through him I shall live!" And of course: in God's Word, Job did put his confession of faith up in lights!

My friend, you want to do the same! You want your confession of faith in Christ put up in lights!

You see, you leave here today a changed person. You love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength-- for the sake of your Redeemer, Jesus Christ. And it will show! You love your neighbor as yourself -- for the sake of your Redeemer, Jesus Christ. And that will show! You have as your personal mission sharing the God whom you love with people whom you love. And you have to -- you just have to -- return here every Sunday to celebrate him!

Job knew that his Redeemer lives! I know that my Redeemer lives! You know that your Redeemer lives! So, let's celebrate together! Amen.

Jesus promises us: I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Thanks be to God! Amen.