Sermon for April 2nd, 2017

Job 42:7-17

7 After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has done.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

10 And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends; and the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11 Then there came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they ate bread with him in his house; they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him; and each of them gave him a piece of money and a gold ring. 12 The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand donkeys. 13 He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 He named the first Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. 15 In all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job’s daughters; and their father gave them an inheritance along with their brothers. 16 After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children, and his children’s children, four generations. 17 And Job died, old and full of days.

Job's Final Prayer

When Ellen Nelson made this stole for me a few years ago, she said that every letter of every word of every sermon I would ever write is right here on the stole. All I have to do is put them in the right order. And with God's help, that's what I hope I've been doing. I'm wearing this stole today because today's sermon--our final sermon in this year's series on Prayer in the Book of Job--is the 200th sermon I've had the honor of preaching for you, and I want to express my gratitude to you all for listening so attentively, for laughing at some pretty lame jokes, for your encouragement, your constructive criticism, and most of all for your faithfulness as together we have explored what it means to be intelligent students of the Bible, and compassionate members of this faith community.

When does God restore Job's good fortune? -Right after he works/prays for the good fortune of others. -With the breaking of bread and renewal of community -Through the compassion and generosity of the community

Cyrus Brown's Prayer - Sam Walter Foss “The proper way for man to pray,” Said Deacon Lemuel Keyes, “And the only proper attitude, Is down upon his knees.”

“No, I should say the way to pray,” Said Reverend Dr. Wise, “Is standing straight with outstretched arms, And rapt and upturned eyes.”

“Oh, no, no, no!” said Elder Slow, “Such posture is too proud; A man should pray with eyes fast closed, And head contritely bowed.”

“It seems to me his hands should be Austerely clasped in front. With both thumbs pointing toward the ground,” Said Reverend Dr. Blunt.

“Las’ year I fell in Hodgkin’s well Head first,” said Cyrus Brown. “With both my heels a-stickin’ up, My head a-pointin’ down;

“An’ I made a prayer right then and there; best prayer I ever said. The prayin’est prayer I ever prayed, a standin’ on my head.”