Sermon for February 25th, 2024 - Revision history

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 Clearly, we have a lot more ground to cover in our pursuit of wisdom and our study of the Book of Job, and we’ll finish this chapter next week.  But for now, as a humble beginning to your wisdom journeys,  remember these two things:
-#Start simple.  Whatever problem or decision you’re facing, whatever situation you’re going through that calls for true wisdom, take some time to immerse yourself in the wonder and beauty of God’s creation.  Take a walk. Grab a cup of coffee and sit outside on your porch.  Plant something and watch it grow.  Let God speak to you through the things he made for you.
+First:  Start simple.  Whatever problem or decision you’re facing, whatever situation you’re going through that calls for true wisdom, take some time to immerse yourself in the wonder and beauty of God’s creation.  Take a walk. Grab a cup of coffee and sit outside on your porch.  Plant something and watch it grow.  Let God speak to you through the things he made for you.
-#Put your trust and your hope in a God who loves you, a God who holds the life of every living thing in his capable hands.  We spend a lot of time trying to figure out exactly how that works, and sometimes our questions can be useful, but sometimes they just leave us spinning our wheels and getting nowhere.  True wisdom begins with recognizing when to let go and simply trust in God.  Your life may be long, short, terrible or terrific, but in the end, your life belongs to God, who gave you your first breath, your last breath, and every breath in between…as a gift.
 [[File:Epilogue.jpeg|300px|thumb|left]]
 Now, take a deep breath.  Let it out.  Thank you, God.  May your divine wisdom fill our lives just as the air that fills our lungs.

@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 Job concludes in verse 10:  In his hand (and this is key!  In God’s hand, not yours, not mine, not the government’s, not the culture’s or society’s but in God’s hand) is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being.
 Clearly, we have a lot more ground to cover in our pursuit of wisdom and our study of the Book of Job, and we’ll finish this chapter next week.  But for now, as a humble beginning to your wisdom journeys,  remember these two things:
 #Start simple.  Whatever problem or decision you’re facing, whatever situation you’re going through that calls for true wisdom, take some time to immerse yourself in the wonder and beauty of God’s creation.  Take a walk. Grab a cup of coffee and sit outside on your porch.  Plant something and watch it grow.  Let God speak to you through the things he made for you.
 #Put your trust and your hope in a God who loves you, a God who holds the life of every living thing in his capable hands.  We spend a lot of time trying to figure out exactly how that works, and sometimes our questions can be useful, but sometimes they just leave us spinning our wheels and getting nowhere.  True wisdom begins with recognizing when to let go and simply trust in God.  Your life may be long, short, terrible or terrific, but in the end, your life belongs to God, who gave you your first breath, your last breath, and every breath in between…as a gift.

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 So let’s dive right in…
-[[File:Job12.jpeg|300px|thumb|left]]
+[[File:Jobrebuked.jpeg|300px|thumb|left]]
 Today’s scripture reading picks up in chapter 12, after Job’s three friends have arrived to comfort him in the wake of his loss, with all the popular psychology, platitudes, and philosophies of their time.  But Job isn’t buying it…after they’ve each weighed in, and Job has listened patiently to all they have to say, he tears into them with this great, sarcastic, and not-so patient opening line in verse 2:  No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. (I love this book!).
@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 Ah…but now we’ve gone down the same rabbit hole as Job’s three friends.  The Book of Job is not about philosophy, religious belief, or acceptable answers to difficult questions.  It’s about wisdom, how we approach life, and how we respond to the things that happen to us…good, bad, or anything in between.
 So how do we do that?  Where do we start?  I love Job’s answer.  I love it so much I have it framed and hanging on the wall in my office.  He says, beginning in verse 7: “Ask the animals, and they will teach you, the birds of the air, and they will tell you; ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you, and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
@@ Line 43: / Line 45: @@
 #Start simple.  Whatever problem or decision you’re facing, whatever situation you’re going through that calls for true wisdom, take some time to immerse yourself in the wonder and beauty of God’s creation.  Take a walk. Grab a cup of coffee and sit outside on your porch.  Plant something and watch it grow.  Let God speak to you through the things he made for you.
 #Put your trust and your hope in a God who loves you, a God who holds the life of every living thing in his capable hands.  We spend a lot of time trying to figure out exactly how that works, and sometimes our questions can be useful, but sometimes they just leave us spinning our wheels and getting nowhere.  True wisdom begins with recognizing when to let go and simply trust in God.  Your life may be long, short, terrible or terrific, but in the end, your life belongs to God, who gave you your first breath, your last breath, and every breath in between…as a gift.
 Now, take a deep breath.  Let it out.  Thank you, God.  May your divine wisdom fill our lives just as the air that fills our lungs.

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?
 In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being.
 ==In Pursuit of Wisdom (Part I)==
@@ Line 26: / Line 24: @@
 Today’s scripture reading picks up in chapter 12, after Job’s three friends have arrived to comfort him in the wake of his loss, with all the popular psychology, platitudes, and philosophies of their time.  But Job isn’t buying it…after they’ve each weighed in, and Job has listened patiently to all they have to say, he tears into them with this great, sarcastic, and not-so patient opening line in verse 2:  No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. (I love this book!).
-Then Job quickly pivots, appealing to their shared humanity: “I have understanding as well as you;  I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?”   Job’s three friends are a little bit like the monks in the monastery—they seem to believe that wisdom is locked behind a special door, that only certain people with certain credentials can have access to it.  But as we’ll see in a little while, Job takes a more egalitarian approach:  You don’t need a PhD or a license or specialized knowledge to be wise—in fact, these things can often be a distraction.  We’re sometimes guilty of this, too:  If a doctor says it, or if “science” says it (whatever that means), or if a pastor says it… it must be right.  It must be good for me.  Doctors, Scientists and Pastors (among others) may have specialized knowledge, but their credentials don’t guarantee wise application of that knowledge.  That part is up to you.
+Then Job quickly pivots, appealing to their shared humanity: “I have understanding as well as you;  I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?”   Job’s three friends are a little bit like the monks in the monastery—they seem to believe that wisdom is locked behind a special door, that only certain people with certain credentials can have access to it.  But as we’ll see in a little while, Job takes a more egalitarian approach:  You don’t need a PhD or a license or specialized knowledge to be wise—in fact, these things can often be a distraction.  We’re sometimes guilty of this, too:  If a doctor says it, or if “science” says it (whatever that means), or if a pastor says it… it must be right.  It must be good for us.  Doctors, Scientists and Pastors (among others) may have specialized knowledge, but their credentials don’t guarantee wise application of that knowledge.  That part is up to you.
 Next, Job points out some pretty big contradictions in the philosophies of his friends:  I’ve been a just and blameless man, and yet here I am now, a laughingstock to you.  Robbers are at peace in their homes, and those who provoke God (presumably with ungodly lifestyles) are doing just fine.  How do you square those things in your philosophy, in your religion?
-And the hard truth is, you can’t.  No religion, no philosophy, and certainly no science has ever been able to give a good answer to the question of why bad things happen to good people.  Many have tried, but all fall short.  You either wind up with a weak and ineffective God, who could help us in our misfortunes, but doesn’t out of some kind of restrained respect for our “free will” (and even that explanation doesn’t account for accidents and natural disasters that afflict us).  Or you can take God out of the equation and believe that bad things happen randomly and inexplicably to good people and good things happen just as randomly and inexplicably to bad people, and there is no justice in the universe.  For what it’s worth, “science” has affirmed in many studies that this kind of belief system (or lack thereof) tends to produce anxiety, despair, and unhappy lives.  Who would want to live in a world with no hope?
+And the hard truth is, you can’t.  No religion, no philosophy, and certainly no science has ever been able to give a good answer to the question of why bad things happen to good people.  Many have tried, but all fall short.  You either wind up with a weak and ineffective God, who could help us in our misfortunes, but doesn’t out of some kind of restrained respect for our “free will” (and even that explanation doesn’t account for accidents and natural disasters that afflict us).  Or you can take God out of the equation entirely, and believe that bad things happen randomly and inexplicably to good people and good things happen just as randomly and inexplicably to bad people, and there is no justice in the universe.  For what it’s worth, “science” has affirmed in many studies that this kind of belief system (or lack thereof) tends to produce anxiety, despair, and unhappy lives.  Who would want to live in a world with no hope?
 Ah…but now we’ve gone down the same rabbit hole as Job’s three friends.  The Book of Job is not about philosophy, religious belief, or acceptable answers to difficult questions.  It’s about wisdom, how we approach life, and how we respond to the things that happen to us…good, bad, or anything in between.
-So how do we do that?  Where do we start?  I love Job’s answer.  I love it so much I have it framed and hanging on the wall in my office.  He says, beginning in verse 7: “Ask the animals, and they will teach you, the birds of the air, and they will tell you; ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you, and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?”
+So how do we do that?  Where do we start?  I love Job’s answer.  I love it so much I have it framed and hanging on the wall in my office.  He says, beginning in verse 7: “Ask the animals, and they will teach you, the birds of the air, and they will tell you; ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you, and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
-In other words, start simple.  Be still for a minute, and observe the world around you.  Make it a habit to spend time in God’s creation—the plants and the animals and the birds and the fish all have something valuable to teach us.
+In other words, start simple.  Be still for a minute, and observe the world around you.  Make it a habit to spend time in God’s creation—the plants and the animals and the birds and the fish all have something valuable to teach us.   Have you ever heard of a fish on anti-depressants because it’s concerned about the state of world affairs?  Me neither.
-In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being.
+#Put your trust and your hope in a God who loves you, a God who holds the life of every living thing in his capable hands.  We spend a lot of time trying to figure out exactly how that works, and sometimes our questions can be useful, but sometimes they just leave us spinning our wheels and getting nowhere.  True wisdom begins with recognizing when to let go and simply trust in God.  Your life may be long, short, terrible or terrific, but in the end, your life belongs to God, who gave you your first breath, your last breath, and every breath in between…as a gift.
-Does not the ear test words as the palate tastes food?
-Is wisdom with the aged and understanding in length of days?
+Now, take a deep breath.  Let it out.  Thank you, God.  May your divine wisdom fill our lives just as the air that fills our lungs.

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:59, 25 February 2024
Line 26:		Line 26:
	Today’s scripture reading picks up in chapter 12, after Job’s three friends have arrived to comfort him in the wake of his loss, with all the popular psychology, platitudes, and philosophies of their time. But Job isn’t buying it…after they’ve each weighed in, and Job has listened patiently to all they have to say, he tears into them with this great, sarcastic, and not-so patient opening line in verse 2: No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. (I love this book!).		Today’s scripture reading picks up in chapter 12, after Job’s three friends have arrived to comfort him in the wake of his loss, with all the popular psychology, platitudes, and philosophies of their time. But Job isn’t buying it…after they’ve each weighed in, and Job has listened patiently to all they have to say, he tears into them with this great, sarcastic, and not-so patient opening line in verse 2: No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. (I love this book!).

−	Then Job quickly pivots, appealing to their shared humanity: “I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?” Job’s three friends are a little bit like the monks in the monastery—they seem to believe that wisdom is locked behind a special door, that only certain people with certain credentials can have access to it. But as we’ll see in a little while, Job takes a more egalitarian approach: You don’t need a PhD or a license or specialized knowledge to be wise—in fact, these things can often be a distraction. We’re sometimes guilty of this, too: If a doctor says it, or if “science” says it (whatever that means), or if a pastor says it… it must be right. It must be good for me. Doctors, Scientists and Pastors (among others) may have specialized knowledge, but their credentials ~~doen’t always~~ guarantee wise application of that knowledge.	+	Then Job quickly pivots, appealing to their shared humanity: “I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?” Job’s three friends are a little bit like the monks in the monastery—they seem to believe that wisdom is locked behind a special door, that only certain people with certain credentials can have access to it. But as we’ll see in a little while, Job takes a more egalitarian approach: You don’t need a PhD or a license or specialized knowledge to be wise—in fact, these things can often be a distraction. We’re sometimes guilty of this, too: If a doctor says it, or if “science” says it (whatever that means), or if a pastor says it… it must be right. It must be good for me. Doctors, Scientists and Pastors (among others) may have specialized knowledge, but their credentials don’t guarantee wise application of that knowledge. That part is up to you.
		+
		+	Next, Job points out some pretty big contradictions in the philosophies of his friends: I’ve been a just and blameless man, and yet here I am now, a laughingstock to you. Robbers are at peace in their homes, and those who provoke God (presumably with ungodly lifestyles) are doing just fine. How do you square those things in your philosophy, in your religion?
		+
		+	And the hard truth is, you can’t. No religion, no philosophy, and certainly no science has ever been able to give a good answer to the question of why bad things happen to good people. Many have tried, but all fall short. You either wind up with a weak and ineffective God, who could help us in our misfortunes, but doesn’t out of some kind of restrained respect for our “free will” (and even that explanation doesn’t account for accidents and natural disasters that afflict us). Or you can take God out of the equation and believe that bad things happen randomly and inexplicably to good people and good things happen just as randomly and inexplicably to bad people, and there is no justice in the universe. For what it’s worth, “science” has affirmed in many studies that this kind of belief system (or lack thereof) tends to produce anxiety, despair, and unhappy lives. Who would want to live in a world with no hope?
		+
		+	Ah…but now we’ve gone down the same rabbit hole as Job’s three friends. The Book of Job is not about philosophy, religious belief, or acceptable answers to difficult questions. It’s about wisdom, how we approach life, and how we respond to the things that happen to us…good, bad, or anything in between.
		+
		+	So how do we do that? Where do we start? I love Job’s answer. I love it so much I have it framed and hanging on the wall in my office. He says, beginning in verse 7: “Ask the animals, and they will teach you, the birds of the air, and they will tell you; ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you, and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?”
		+
		+	In other words, start simple. Be still for a minute, and observe the world around you. Make it a habit to spend time in God’s creation—the plants and the animals and the birds and the fish all have something valuable to teach us.
		+
		+
		+
		+
		+
		+	10 In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being.
		+	11 Does not the ear test words as the palate tastes food?
		+	12 Is wisdom with the aged and understanding in length of days?

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 ==In Pursuit of Wisdom (Part I)==
 [[File:Job12.jpeg|300px|thumb|left]]
-A man was driving in the countryside one day when his car broke down near a monastery. He went to the monastery, and the monks graciously offered to help him. They invited him to stay the night while they repaired his car. The man gratefully accepted their offer. That night, wandering the halls of the monastery, he observed a large wooden door with a golden plaque on it which read: Behind this door lies the secret of all true wisdom. The next morning, he asked the monks about the door, and they all grew quiet.  But the man was persistent, and asked them what was behind the door.  Finally one monk responded, "We can't tell you. You're not a monk." The man's curiosity was piqued, but he went on his way. Years later, he returned to the monastery and asked again about the door, and the secret of all true wisdom. The monks still refused to tell him unless he became a monk. He was so curious that he decided to join the monastery. After many years of hard work and meditation, he finally became a monk. They led him to the door, and with great anticipation he opened it.  And know what he saw? I can't tell you… because you're not a monk.
+Today’s scripture reading picks up in chapter 12, after Job’s three friends have arrived to comfort him in the wake of his loss, with all the popular psychology, platitudes, and philosophies of their time.  But Job isn’t buying it…after they’ve each weighed in, and Job has listened patiently to all they have to say, he tears into them with this great, sarcastic, and not-so patient opening line in verse 2:  No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. (I love this book!).
-For those of you who are not familiar with the Book of Job, it’s about a man named Job who loses almost everything—his house, his income, his children, and his health. Job cries out to God in his suffering, and he argues with his three friends, who seem to think that God is punishing him for something he’s done.  In the end God appears to Job and restores to him everything he has lost and more.
+Then Job quickly pivots, appealing to their shared humanity: “I have understanding as well as you;  I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?”   Job’s three friends are a little bit like the monks in the monastery—they seem to believe that wisdom is locked behind a special door, that only certain people with certain credentials can have access to it.  But as we’ll see in a little while, Job takes a more egalitarian approach:  You don’t need a PhD or a license or specialized knowledge to be wise—in fact, these things can often be a distraction.  We’re sometimes guilty of this, too:  If a doctor says it, or if “science” says it (whatever that means), or if a pastor says it… it must be right.  It must be good for me.  Doctors, Scientists and Pastors (among others) may have specialized knowledge, but their credentials doen’t always guarantee wise application of that knowledge.

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:38, 25 February 2024
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	==In Pursuit of Wisdom (Part I)==		==In Pursuit of Wisdom (Part I)==
	[[File:Job12.jpeg\|300px\|thumb\|left]]		[[File:Job12.jpeg\|300px\|thumb\|left]]
		+
		+	A man was driving in the countryside one day when his car broke down near a monastery. He went to the monastery, and the monks graciously offered to help him. They invited him to stay the night while they repaired his car. The man gratefully accepted their offer. That night, wandering the halls of the monastery, he observed a large wooden door with a golden plaque on it which read: Behind this door lies the secret of all true wisdom. The next morning, he asked the monks about the door, and they all grew quiet. But the man was persistent, and asked them what was behind the door. Finally one monk responded, "We can't tell you. You're not a monk." The man's curiosity was piqued, but he went on his way. Years later, he returned to the monastery and asked again about the door, and the secret of all true wisdom. The monks still refused to tell him unless he became a monk. He was so curious that he decided to join the monastery. After many years of hard work and meditation, he finally became a monk. They led him to the door, and with great anticipation he opened it. And know what he saw? I can't tell you… because you're not a monk.
		+
		+	For those of you who are not familiar with the Book of Job, it’s about a man named Job who loses almost everything—his house, his income, his children, and his health. Job cries out to God in his suffering, and he argues with his three friends, who seem to think that God is punishing him for something he’s done. In the end God appears to Job and restores to him everything he has lost and more.

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:02, 25 February 2024
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	==In Pursuit of Wisdom (Part I)==		==In Pursuit of Wisdom (Part I)==
−	[[File:Job12.jpeg\|~~200px~~\|thumb]]	+	[[File:Job12.jpeg\|300px\|thumb\|left]]

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 Those at ease have contempt for misfortune, but it is ready for those whose feet are unstable.
 The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who provoke God are secure, who bring their god in their hands.
 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
 ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you, and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
@@ Line 13: / Line 14: @@
 ==In Pursuit of Wisdom (Part I)==