Rev. David Holwick Book of Job series
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
August 2, 1998
Job 28:1-13
|
I. Searching with all your worth.
A. Exploring gold mines of Cripple Creek, Colorado.
1) Collapsing sand into shaft, throw rocks down bottomless pit.
2) Exploring tunnel till we hear caving-in noises.
3) Almost falling down a shaft while Dad watched.
B. Why do people dig these holes?
In his great book about the American West, "Men To Match My
Mountains," Irving Stone writes about a mine in Leadville, CO.
In 1877 a successful prospector bought the Robert E. Lee mine
for $16,000.
He then hired a crew and sank a shaft more than a hundred feet
deep without finding any ore.
When another group of prospectors offered him $30,000 for his
mine he sent word down the shaft for his crew to pick up its
tools and quit.
The men down below were in the process of drilling a hole and
putting the dynamite in.
They asked the boss if they couldn't shoot just this once more.
"No, come up!" replied Dexter. "I won't put another darn cent
into this hole."
The new owners "shot" Dexter's last hole.
When the smoke cleared they found they had exposed a vein of
silver so pure that in 24 hours they had mined ninety-five
tons of ore worth $118,500.
The cost of bringing this fortune to the surface was exactly $60.
#1594
C. Digging deeper.
1) Job 28 gives fascinating insight about ancient mining.
a) Put an end to darkness - lamps are carried in. 28:3
b) Dangles and sways - sit in rope slings. 28:4
c) Falcons can't see - only human technology bares it. 28:7
2) Passage is not about mining, but wisdom. 28:12
a) Chapter acts as an interlude between sections.
b) Wisdom can't be found. 28:14
c) Wisdom can't be bought. 28:15
II. Where people look for wisdom.
A. Personal experience.
1) Eliphaz, the Behaviorist: wisdom from personal observation.
B. Human history, anthropology.
1) Bildad, the Traditionalist: it's from past generations.
C. Science.
1) Many accomplishments, which we often take for granted.
2) Yet is powerless to answer questions of ultimate meaning.
D. Religion.
1) Zophar, the Religionist: it's straight from God.
a) Confident he had found it. ["I Found It" bumper stickers?]
2) Job - not so much religion as revelation.
a) Wisdom must be revealed by God.
III. The nature of God's revelation.
A. How God reveals truth.
1) Through wonders of nature. Rom 1:20
2) Through inspired prophets, apostles, teachers.
3) Through written Word of God.
B. Can we trust the Bible?
1) God's book or man's?
a) Human writers, guided by God.
b) Variety of religious experiences exhibited.
c) Consistent claim for God's inspiration and truthfulness.
2) Modern doubts about divine revelation.
a) Lots of other religions and cults.
b) How can I know it is true?
1> Research prophecy.
2> Study with questioning mind.
3> Role of faith.
C. Current movement of scientists to faith in God. (Newsweek cover)
IV. Seeking God with all your heart?
A. When we value something, we put effort into finding it.
1) Atocha treasure galleon.
a) Wrecked in hurricane in 1622.
b) Mel Fisher lost millions of dollars, life of son.
But found 47 tons of treasure, worth $400 million.
2) What have you invested the most resources toward, in life?
a) Winning your spouse.
b) Building your business.
c) Managing your retirement fund.
3) What is God worth to you?
B. Typical cycle for Godly wisdom.
1) Learn about God, Bible, as a kid.
2) Crisis experience, dig deeper.
3) Coast until next crisis, or drift away.
V. A lifestyle of discovery.
A. Growth of "full time" students.
1) Celeste may have to take correspondence course for nursing.
B. Seek God daily.
1) Prayer.
a) With a friend - Celeste & Karen.
2) Bible reading.
3) Daily Bread.
C. Explore deeper issues with friends.
1) Mentoring.
D. Challenge self with quality books, magazines.
1) Discipleship Journal.
2) Christianity Today.
3) (Christian romance novels where she is swooning on
his breast not adequate.)
E. Reveal commitment.
1) Involvement/attendance.
2) Tithing.
3) Personal ethics.
F. Remain humble.
1) Remember we don't see whole picture.
VI. Are you prepared to receive God's wisdom today?
A. The most intimate revelation is God's Son, Jesus.
1) He is wisdom of God in human form.
2) Instead of us seeking him, he finds us. Romans 10:6-9
3) Ask him for wisdom on how to live.
B. Receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior.
1) God can reveal things to our hearts.
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
Created with the Freeware Edition of HelpNDoc: Easily create Help documents