We have been doing a series of messages about Job, the patriarch from the Old Testament. The title of the series is “Job: Patient Endurance and Faithfulness.” Last time, we talked about the fact our days are recorded in God's Day- timer.
This Sunday, I want to explore an important question that Job poses in Job 9:2b “ But how can a man be in the right before God? This question is fundamental to our faith, it goes like this:“ How can we be declared innocent or righteous in the sight of God?”
Now Job was asking this question on a personal level…how can he prove to God that he was righteous? But the question also comes to us as well: How can we as sinful people be declared righteous in the sight of God?.... this is an age-old universal question, isn't it?
We all have sinned; the Bible says; we all have fallen short of the glory of God; Is there a way for us to be declared “not guilty” of all our sin... how does that happen? How can sinful people be declared righteous in the sight of God? Should I take God to court to clear myself? Job’s final assessment is found in verse 32.
Job 9:32 “For He (God) is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, and that we should go to court together. 33 Nor is there any mediator between us.
What Job is saying is that: “I need a Mediator. “I can't state my case before God. I am a sinful man and even if I stated my case adequately, I'd come up short. I need someone, an arbitrator to go before God so that I could make my claim before Him. This is profound.
So, let's go back to what Job said about a Mediator.
Job 9:33 Nor is there any mediator between us, who may lay his hand on us both. 34 Let Him take His rod away from me, and do not let dread of Him terrify me. 35 Then I would speak and not fear Him, but it is not so with me.
So, Job is saying that he needs a Mediator between himself and God because he is sinful and God is pure and holy. Job outlines the work of a Mediator here. The work of a mediator is threefold.
Communion - Job 9:33b Who may lay his hand on us both. (The Mediator who would bring us together into communion - fellowship.)
Cleansed- Job 9:34 Let Him take His rod away from me, and do not let dread of Him terrify me.( I need a Mediator who would reassure that I am cleansed so I can approach God without fear of punishment.)
Confident - Job 9:35 Then I would speak and not fear Him… (I need a Mediator who would state my case before God and then I would feel confident to be in His presence.)
Join us in person on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. or via livestream by going to https://www.firstbaptistsudbury.com and clicking on livestream for “I Need a Mediator.”
Blessings,
Kevin
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