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Job persevered because he longed to be right with God. His loss of prosperity was not his biggest concern; his sense of losing the Lord was the issue. His friends completely missed this point and therefore their counsel was “empty nothings” (21:34). Though these chapters, and our studies, may seem redundant, they are relevant and important. I trust that we will learn more about a right approach to suffering believers and be equipped for our own perseverance amid sometimes inexplicable troubles.

1. Zophar’s Final Speech (20:1–29)

a. Zophar Agitated (vv. 1–3)

b. Zophar Adamant (vv. 4–29)

2. Job’s Frustrated Speech (21:1–34)

a. Job Annoyed (vv. 1–3)

b. Job Appalled (vv. 4–26)

c. Job Agitated (vv. 27–34)

The gospel has both and audio and video components. As you live your life, may your life movie play in sync with the gospel soundtrack to the glory of God.

As we continue to delve into 1 Peter, we come to the next section in 1 Peter 3:13–17, which deals with Christian identity and how a firm comprehension of who you are in Christ equips believers to live and suffer righteously. We will consider this text under the following headings:

1. Christian Identity Means That God is for Us (vv. 13–14)

2. Our Christian Identity is Public (v. 15)

3. Our Christian Identity Protects us against Slander (v. 16)

4. Our Christian Identity Makes Our Suffering Meaningful (v. 17)

The recent disappointing theft in our building reenforces our need to be diligent in protecting one another amid a sinful world. Though we want to assume the best of those who attend our gathering, at the same time we need to be aware of the presence of evil.

Unity in the church is a major source of strength in suffering. Peter unpacks this truth in 1 Peter 3:8–12. We will consider these verses under three broad headings:

1. The Preparation for Suffering

2. The Power of Suffering

3. The Prize of Suffering

Hope is a strange thing. It often seems to come and go—and then come again. In Bildad’s second speech, he accused Job of secret sin, which, if not confessed, would remove all hope. Job, in response, rose up and declared bold and confident hope amid his terrible ruin. It is a hope we do well to learn from. We will study these two chapters under the following broad outline:

1. Bildad’s Revenge (18:1–21)

A. Bildad’s Rebuke: “Job, you are Arrogant” (vv. 1–4)

B. Bildad’s Rhetoric: “Job, You are Wicked” (vv. 5–21)

2. Job’s Redeemer (19:1–29)

A. Job Assaulted (vv. 1–12)

B. Job Alienated (vv. 13–22)

C. Job Avenged (vv. 23–29)

God wants us to see and acknowledge our sin so that we can take hold of the only remedy: the gospel of his Son. Until we acknowledge our sin, we won’t see a need for the Saviour. Rather than being stubborn and kicking against the goads, let’s embrace this process and repent early and often!

In Amos 3, the Lord addresses Israel’s guilt and warns of judgement to come. The text presents us with a simple but important question: How are you reacting and preparing for the day of judgement?

1. A Call of Accusation

2. A Call of Judgement

When we cave to the passions of our flesh, we are prone to contention. Submission, and/or dying to self, are the last things the old flesh wants to do. Peter therefore exhorts, as we have seen, Christians to respectfully submit to governing authorities, Christian servants to respectfully submit to their masters, and, in the text before us, Christian wives to submit to their husbands. He adds an exhortation to Christian husbands to so live with their wives that they will have little problem with holy submission. We will study this text with a view to wives and husbands being holy spouses, which requires biblically submissive wives and biblically sensitive husbands. We will do so under three broad headings:

1. The Power of Submission (vv. 1–4)

2. The Power for Submission (vv. 5–6)

3. The Partner in Submission (v. 7)

Peter wanted his readers to face injustice with grace. He knew that sometimes those who hold power abuse their authority and therefore abuse those under their authority. But those redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ should respond in a way that glorifies God, as they “abstain from the passions of the flesh” by respectfully subjecting themselves to those in authority over them—even when they manage that authority very poorly. The only way we can respond graciously to injustice is to be consciously committed to pleasing our Lord. We will consider and apply this thesis under three headings:

1. A Gracious Exhortation (vv. 18–20)

2. A Gracious Example (vv. 21–23)

3. A Gracious Expectation (vv. 24–25)