"Is Life Unfair?"(Job 38:1-11)

Job 38:1-11

Life does not seem fair. We can always find some situation when life is not fair for us or for someone else. Innocent people die horribly all the time. People that we look up to and view as righteous still go through hard times. Those hard times look to be unfair.

Job is one of these people who was the most just person and yet suffered greatly. Job asks God about his unfair situation and God responds with reminding Job that he is not equal to God.

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.

Job 38:1‭-‬3 ESV

These days science is growing rapidly, but the more we learn, the more we realize that we know so little. We have learned so much, but the conclusion is that we cannot know everything about God. The gap between God's greatness and man's smallness is vast and this vastness grows as we learn more.

when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Job 38:7 ESV

Everything God made was good and although it may not seem best for you, it is best for all of God's creation.  There is a vast world with many other people. All of God's creation have their place and time, and you and I are just a small part of His wonderful creation. 

“Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?

Job 38:8‭-‬11 ESV

God loves us more than all of his other creations. We are made in His image on the sixth day.  He cares for us more than  His other creations.

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Matthew 6:26‭-‬27 ESV

We understand from this passage that there is a gap between us and God, God made things perfectly, and God takes care of us. However, we are too limited to understand to God's plans. The remedy for when we life is unfair is to admit that we are small and trust that God loves us and takes cares of us even when things seem dark.

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"Christ's Followers"(John 1:9-14)

 John 1:9-14

Through the passage, we understand that Jesus loved us. He loved all of us, but who were those who received Him and his love?

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 1:12-13 ESV

There was no reason for Jesus to loved us. Jesus also loved His enemies. He loves even the ones who rejected Him.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

John 1:9-11 ESV

It was humankind who betrayed God, but Christ still loved us. Despite this betrayal, God never gave up on us. God kept loving us despite the pain our betrayal has inflicted on God.

We should think of those who have harmed us or betrayed us and talk tp them and pray for them. This would be our homework to fulfil Christ's good works he has left for us, but also to understand Christ's love. To truly understand Christ's love for us, we need to love those who have hurt us. This is what God has done for us. This is what Jesus did when he came to Earth.

Because Jesus did not give up on us, we experience His blessings. Others can experience these same blessings because Jesus has not given up on them; however, we, too, can others experience peace, acceptance, forgiveness and love by our persistence to love others.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 ESV

The word became human and we sometimes find it hard to forget that Jesus was fully human. Jesus was God, but he was just like us in that He was physical just like us. Jesus left Heaven to come to Earth to help us. Jesus put Himself in danger and suffered like us to save us.

Much like looking a bright light and then looking elsewhere and seeing the image of light, we should do the same and see the image of Christ wherever we look. This Christmas, let us look for Christ and love those whom we find hardest to love.

Sermon

Worship Songs;

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Joy to the world

What Child Is This

O Holy Night

"One Body"(2 Timothy 1:1-7)

 II Timothy 1:1-7

God tells us to work together and does not call us to be standalone heroes.

In Second Timothy, Paul is giving Timothy some of his last words. Paul knows he does not have much time left, so he wants to let Timothy know what Paul's will is for him.

To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.

2 Timothy 1:2‭-‬3 ESV

As a church, we are supposed to pray and love one another. It is not enough to attend church and do service. We are expected to know each other, care for each other and love each other.

To work as the body of Christ we need to work to together as well as communicate with each other. However, if we do not truly care and love one another, it will be of little use towards the Kingdom of God and the body of Christ.

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,

2 Timothy 1:6 ESV

We all have special abilities and excel at different aspects of our jobs than others may do. It is not enough to do these things to each other in church but also outside of church.

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV

Paul wrote this letter when Christians were being persecuted by the Romans and Jews. It was a difficult time and many Christians were fearful and suffered during these times. As Christians, we are not exempt from hardships. We need help and God will help us. We also need to remember that we have to help one another. In the Bible, we read about how the heroes of the Bible received help from and from other fellow followers of God. 

Let us also keep up the tradition of helping our brothers and sister in Christ when they are in need. And let us do this with genuine love.