Date:   03/23/08

Text:   Job 19:23-27

Title:   The First Easter Message

Theme: Because the Redeemer lives, the believers can look at life with an eternal perspective.

Introduction:

  Several weeks ago, after driving less than a mile on 90, the entire freeway was closed because of a fatal accident. It took me two hours to get to church. During that time I found myself unusually patient, following the various traffic detour. Do you know why? I was thinking of the victim of that accident. 10 or 20 minutes ago, maybe he/she was like me, saying goodbye to the family, telling them ‘see you later', but never made it home that evening. T hat family's world was changed in a split second. Compare that to what could have happened to me, what is 2 hours? When one looks at the present from a future angle, it will give us a different perspective, right?

  I can also think of moments when individuals go to the doctor's office for a routine check up, or go out for some exercise, but by the time we get home, our entire world has turned upside down. A phone call, or a letter, can do the same to us.

  We know how miserable and painful such experiences can be. We feel so helpless and angry at our world and God, asking why do such things happen to us? We have done no wrong, but how can God or the world be so unfair to us? Where is justice?

  This morning, I want to have you meet a person that lived several thousand years ago. He went through most, if not all, of the hardships we experienced, and even more. His name is Job. I know this is a rather an unusual character for us to look at on this Easter morning. However, when we look at him up close, it appears that his experience and words really formed the first Easter message in the bible.

  We know Job was a God-fearing man, righteous among his peers. He had 7 adult sons and 3 daughters. His property included 7K sheep, 3K camels, 500 oxen and 500 donkeys, plus many servants. By all standards, a very wealthy man. Then one day, something happened.

  Servants, one after another, came and reported to him. One group of bandits had taken all his oxen and donkeys. Another group came and took the camels. A fire had broke out killing all the sheep. Along with the animals, most of his servants were killed. He lost all his property in one day. Remember in 2001 when Enron collapsed? Or the burst of the Dot Com bubble? Many lost their entire retirement fund over night. Or one person at the end of the year set goals for the New Year. She had goals for her weight and to organize her life, plus there was a long overdue vacation. But nine days into the New Year, she lost her job. Along with this, her goals also went out the window. We definitely understand how Job must have felt.

  There is more to this. Just as the reports came about the loss of his wealth, another servant came and reported that a violent storm had killed all of his 10 children while they were gathering at one brother's tent. Can anything top this? The worst thing that can happen to parents is to see their child die before them. The Chinese have a saying. “ ? ? ??? ? ? ”. It is out of order, it is abnormal. Therefore , parents refuse to attend the funeral service of their child. In a split second, Job lost all of his children. We can almost feel Job's pain and grief.

  Murphy's Law states that ‘If anything can go wrong, it will.” Having lost his wealth and children, now he found himself covered with sores. It was so itchy that he had to use broken pottery to scratch himself. I remember soon after we moved to Houston , I was doing some yard work. I was wearing shorts and knelt on the grass trying to pull out the weeds. Then I noticed my knee area was covered with black ants and I quickly dusted them off. About 30 minutes later, little blisters started to appear; it was itchy and painful. This lasted almost 2 weeks. Later I found out that I had an encounter with the infamous southern fire ants. Now imagine, Job's entire body was covered with severely itchy sores. Just the thought of this could cause us to shiver.

  Now, in the midst of this suffering, his wife came and suggested that he should just give up his faith in God. Yes, Job was God fearing, but in return, what had this God done to him? Can you imagine the pain that Job must have experienced? In such moments, the greatest support should have come from his wife, his closest confidant; yet she was ridiculing him. She could not bear such afflictions in life. Throughout this ordeal, Job was convinced of his innocence before God. He had not sinned.

  When Job's friends heard of his predicaments, three of them came to comfort him. Seeing the extent of the pain and suffering, they were speechless for 7 days and 7 nights. They cried with him and for him. Then they started to open their mouths to offer words of comfort. They insisted that Job had sinned and deserved such punishment from God. Instead of comfort, they were accusing and condemning him.

  Have you gone through such moments in life? You were suffering from a loss, it could be physical property or a relationship, but your well intentioned friends told you that what happened to you were God's punishment for your sins. One can think of the anger and humiliation Job must have experienced. He lost his property, his health, his children, support from his wife and rejection from his well intentioned friends. Can anything be worse than this?

One can almost hear Job screaming: where is God? How can God be so silent while I am suffering? Job knew that he could not defend himself before this righteous God. Is there someone who would speak up for me? Is there someone who can prove my innocence? Is there someone who can be my mediator, my vindicator before God? In the midst of such pain and relentless accusations from friends, he said in vs.23-24, “ 23 “Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! 24 Oh, that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!” Job is saying that I have something important to say. It is so important that I want to carve it in stone and then fill it with lead. He wanted these words to last forever so that people after him could also hear and read what he had to say.

Bible scholars have warned us not to read too much into this text. Yet it is important that we do not miss the prophetic words in these few words. What did Job want to say?

  Vs.25, “ 25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.” The word Redeemer means a close kinsman, a blood relative who pays a price to buy one back. This is the word used to describe Boaz in the story of Ruth. Boaz was that redeemer for Ruth. He paid a price to bring Ruth to him. The word ‘redeemer' is also translated as the Mediator. Do you see what Job is saying here? He knew that he cannot prove himself innocent before God. Who can argue with God? He needed another person to do this on his behalf. He needed someone to stand before him and God. He knew for certain that he had a redeemer, a mediator who was on his side. But will Job live long enough to see his own vindication? He had no certainty that he will live long enough to see the result of the redeemer's work on his behalf. And then these words, “….and at the last he will stand upon the earth.” Or in some translations, ‘he will rise from the dust'. This suggests that even if Job dies, this redeemer will not die. He would rise from his dust; he would resurrect and live forever. This redeemer WILL declare his innocence before God.

  We may see more than Job did. In the NT, we learn that Jesus Christ is our redeemer, our mediator. Job by faith believed that he redeemer will rise from the dust. But we believed that this redeemer has already resurrected some two thousand years ago. This is why we are here today, and every Sunday. Moreover, Hebrews 7:25, “ 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” He lives to intercede for us. Hebrews 4:15, “ 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” He sympathizes with us. This is Job's confidence. This is also our confidence. Before God, we do have a mediator, a redeemer that lives on forever. Moreover, this redeemer has placed his righteousness upon us, so, like Job, we, too, can stand before God.

And then Job made this announcement: vs.26-27, “ 26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, 27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.” Job is talking about his own resurrection. In the midst of despair, Job uttered these words of hope. His redeemer lives forever, and he too will rise from the dead. And he shall see God face to face. He will be totally cleared.

  Job, in the midst of his suffering, preached the first Easter message. He knew that his redeemer will rise from the dead. And because of this, he, too, will rise from the dead. In the midst of such suffering and pain, there is hope.

  How can Job say such words after gloom and despair? Derek Thomas wrote that only those who have never been where Job has been will ask this question. Those who have travelled this path will know how our moods can swing, how despair can be answered by sudden moments of light and hope, only to sink back again to darkness and gloom. This is how humans are made.

  Job's relief came as he considered the total picture. This transcends the boundaries of our physical world. When we focus on life's misfortune, injustice and lack of fairness, it will only bring us down the spiral of despair. However, when we turn our sight on the resurrected Christ, and our own resurrection in the future, we'll begin to look at present life in a different perspective.

  Yes, present reality is important to us. This is the reason that suffering, sickness, loss of job, loss of health, and death are so painful to us. We want an instant solution, a quick fix. We don't have the patience to wait it out. But the truth is: we have the assurance that there is total victory in the future. Listen to these words:

  Here, there may be a death; there, in the world to come, there will be life. Here, there may be a cross to carry; there, in the world to come, there will be victory.

  Like Job, we are to look at present life with an eternal perspective. Do you know how the Apostle James described Job? James 5:11, “ 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” Job was called a steadfast person in the midst of suffering. Another translation, “…the patience of Job…” Job was patient in the midst of such extreme pain and suffering. How can Job be patient in these situations? Didn't he want instant answers to his problems, like his friends? Job was patient because he knew, even in the midst of such pain and suffering, that his God was compassionate and merciful. Job was patient because he was able to look at life from an eternal perspective. This eternal God was compassionate and merciful.

  I think of parents with a sick child. They expressed that child is a gift from God. God has given us this child for us to take care of. Therefore, while this child is with us, we'll do our best to care and love him. When God wants to take this child home, we'll do our best to be obedient to Him. This God is compassionate and merciful.

  I heard from a cancer patient we have come into contact with. During her treatment in Houston , she came to know the Lord. She shared this with some of us at the completion of her treatment, saying, “I am so thankful for your care during my time in Houston. I am thankful that you have helped me come to know Christ. Now having known Christ, I have learned to see life differently.” When we see life and death issue from the perspective of eternity, it is different, right?

  Many of us are aware of a fire that occurred in a Sharpstown Senior apartment last November. The fire and smoke damaged about 60 some units. Those residents affected by this fire have been living with friends and children for almost 5 months. During this period they were allowed to return to their apartment for a very brief time. Now words came from the Housing Authority that due to asbestos contamination, they may not be able to retrieve their belongings and the government does not have the money to clean those items. One individual was very much concerned about her belongings in that apartment. We all treasure our possessions. Many of the items and pictures are an integral part of our lives. We cannot let them go just like that. Three weeks ago, she attended a funeral service of a friend. The focus of the service was on the security of eternal hope. When she came back, she felt all her burdens were lifted, feeling very light. When we look at life from the eternal perspective, present possessions become minuscule. When we know that our God is compassionate and merciful, what happens to my possessions will not seem such a big deal. Not only this, there will come a day when we, too, will rise from the dead and see our redeemer face to face.

  There was a time I deeply cared whether or not I am understood by those important persons in life. When I perceived I have been misunderstood, or wronged, I would do my best to clear myself. But as I mature, as I learned more and more about viewing life from an eternal perspective, and that my God is compassionate and merciful, these personal gains and loss don't matter that much anymore. When we look at life with an eternal perspective, we will be more patient with what we see now.

  We have a redeemer, a mediator who is alive and will speak out for me. Even though we don't see this while alive, we know he will not let us down. Is there anything greater and more important than the assurance that one day we will see our redeemer, our God face to face? Everything else will fade when compared to this insurmountable truth.

  This is the Easter message. Our redeemer, our mediator, our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead. He is alive today. Because he has resurrected from the dead, we, too, have the confidence that when we put our faith in him, one day we, too, will rise from the dead. For this, we can proclaim as Job did: 25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, 27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another….”