This is the audio (48:21, 44.2 MB) of a sermon preached at our Lithuania home church, Klaipėda Free Christian Church, on February 28, Second Sunday in Lent. The sermon is titled, “Receiving Double from YHWH’s Hand.” The main text is … Continue reading →

This is the audio (48:21, 44.2 MB) of a sermon preached at our Lithuania home church, Klaipėda Free Christian Church, on February 28, Second Sunday in Lent. The sermon is titled, “Receiving Double from YHWH’s Hand.” The main text is Job 42:10-17; I also make reference to Isaiah 49:14-23.

Enjoy hearing the sermon in both English and Lithuanian (back-and-forth)! You can also watch the service on Facebook, including the sermon starting at about 29:30.

Here is an excerpt:

The reason why Job doesn’t have twenty additional children after the end of his exile is that children aren’t replaceable. Sheep and goats can be replaced. (In the story, even servants can be replaced—but we don’t have to unpack that too much!) Job is the father of twenty children, ten dead, ten living, and he lives the remainder of his life before God, with both blessing and loss.
This is a really subtle point, perhaps. But I think it’s very deep. When God brings us through suffering, and out the other side to blessing and joy, we always carry with us the memories and scars of that suffering. In fact, the joy would not be as joyful if it did not come as healing and restoration after suffering. And for the rest of our days, as we tell of the joy and blessings that God has given us, the suffering is always going to be part of that story.

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Audio and text: ©2021 by Benjamin D. Giffone. Reproduction and distribution are permitted, providing that the author is properly credited and that no fee is charged.