Expository Insights with Pastor Lyle Wahl

How Not To Comfort

Sermon #3 in a series on the book of Job

Job 2:10-11; chapters 4–37

Theme: A faulty focus leads to faulty counsel

Off to a good start

1. Job’s friends took the initiative to come. (2:11)
2. Job’s friends initially sympathized with him and showed respect and restraint. (2:12-13)

All went downhill from there

1. The flow of chapters 4–37.
2. Some salient samples of the downward flow. (4:3-11; 5:8-27; 8:2-7; 11:2-6, 14-20; 15:1-6; 18:2-4; 20:1-7, 26-29; 22:5-11, 21-27; 32:2-5; 33:3, 33; 34:7-12, 35-37; 35:16)

Why, how did this happen?

1. Job’s friends lost sight of their mission to sympathize and comfort. (for example, 4:5; 8:2-7; 11:2-6, etc.)
2. Job’s friends were prisoners of their own false assumptions, their own erroneous theology. (4:8-9, 12-21; 8:8-10; 15:7-10, 17-18; 32:5)
3. Job’s friends were caught up in self-righteous pride. (for example, 4:8-10; 5:17-27; 8:3-7; 11:4-6, 13-15; 15:17; 20:2-3; 32:11, 17-22, etc.)

Sermon #2 in a series on the book of Job

Hitting Rock Bottom

Theme: Righteous believers can hit rock bottom.

Job hit rock bottom …

1. When he wished he had never been born. (1-10)
2. When he wished he had died at birth. (11-19)
3. When he wished to die. (20-26)

What is going on here?

1. Some observations from Job.

a. God was silent and hedged him in. (23)

b. He screamed in agony with floods of tears. (24)

c. His worst nightmare had come true. (25)

d. He was not at ease, not quiet, nor yet at rest, but filled with turmoil. (26)

2. Some observations about Job.

Truths to cling to when you hit rock bottom.

1. Deep, dark long nights by do not by definition mean you have sinned, are out of God’s will, or that he has abandoned you.
2. Never let the reality of your present pain blot out the reality of your past and promised future joy.
3. You may never know why a tragedy struck, but never let that stop you from talking with God and working it through.

First sermon in a series on the book of Job.

Theme: A righteous person lives by faith in all circumstances.

Meet Job

1. A man from Uz. (1:1)
2. A righteous man. (1:1-5, 8, 22; 2:3, 10)
3. A man God blessed. (1:1-5)

Act 1

1. Scene 1: Satan challenges God. (1:6-12)
2. Scene 2: Satan brings calamity on Job. (1:13-19)
3. Scene 3: Job’s response in faith. (1:20-22)

Act 2

1. Scene 1: Satan challenges God again. (2:1-6)
2. Scene 2: Satan brings calamity on Job again. (2:7)
3. Scene 3: Job continues to respond in faith. (2:8-10)

Truths to note and remember

1. God is sovereign. (1:12; 2:6)
2. Satan is brash, persistent, clever and ruthless in his attacks against God and His people. (1:8-9; 2:3-7)
3. Circumstances that devastate, puzzle and shake God’s righteous people will not deter them from living by faith. (1:20-22; 2:3, 10)

Thanksgiving 2026

A Sacrifice of Thanksgiving

Psalm 116

Setting the scene.

1. The Psalm.
2. Sacrifice.

The reason for the sacrifice to God.

1. God values His people. (13)
2. God hears His people. (1-2)
3. God rescues His people. (5-6, 8-9)
4. God blesses His people. (5-7)

The response of the sacrifice to God.

1. A sacrifice of thanksgiving. (12-13, 17)
2. A sacrifice of faithfulness to God. (14, 18)

The last sermon in the series on Ephesians.

The Indispensable Dynamic for Standing Firm.

Theme: Standing firm in God’s armor requires trusting Him in prayer.

Pray constantly.

1. Be alert. (18)
2. What does it mean to “pray at all times”? How can a person do that? (18)
3. The importance of constant prayer. (18)

Pray intensely.

1. Intense prayer is complete prayer. (18)
2. Intense prayer is praying in the Spirit. (18)

Pray unselfishly.

1. Unselfish prayer is concerned with the needs of others. (18-19)
2. Unselfish prayer is concerned with the witness of the gospel. (19-20)

The Weapons for Standing Firm

Ephesians 6:14-17

Theme: Soldiers of Christ must use God’s weapons for standing firm.

1. The belt: the foundation of truth. (14; see also. Isaiah 11:5)
2. The breastplate: the protection of righteousness. (14; see also Isaiah 59:17; Acts 3:14; Romans 5:17; Ephesians 4:24; 2 Corinthians 5:21, 6:1-10)
3. The shoes: the preparation of the gospel of peace. (15; see also Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15)
4. The shield: the defense of faith. (16; see also Romans 12:3; 1 Peter 5:8-9; 1 John 5:4)
5. The helmet: the security in salvation. (17; see also Romans 8:1; Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 1:13)
6. The sword: the power in God’s Word. (17; see also Isaiah 11:4; Matthew 4:1-11; Hebrews 4:12; James 4:7)

The Call To Battle

Ephesians 6:10-13

Theme: Soldiers of Christ must engage the enemy in battle.

A spiritual battle is raging—you are under attack!

1. The commanding general’s attack against you. (11-13)
2. The commanding general’s forces thrown against you. (12)

A spiritual battle is raging—get into the battle!

1. Recognize God has provided all that you need. (10, 11, 13)
2. Use what God has provided. (10, 11, 13)
3. Wage the battle actively. (10-13)
4. Wage the battle continually. (10-13)

Sermon #18 in a series on the book of Ephesians.

The Relationship Maze

Theme: Only the Holy Spirit’s control makes your relationships godly.

The Holy Spirit’s control in your church relationships.

1. The action: mutual submission. (5:21)
2. The motivation: in the fear of Christ. (5:21)

The Holy Spirit’s control in your family relationships.

1. A wife to her husband: submission and respect. (5:22-24, 33)
2. A husband to his wife: love. (5:25-33)
3. A child to his/her parent: obey and honor. (6:1-3)
4. A father to his child: do not provoke, but nurture. (6:4)

The Holy Spirit’s control in your work relationships.

1. An employee to his/her employer: obey and serve as to Christ. (6:5-8)
2. An employer to his/her employee: do good and do not threaten. (6:9)

Watch Your Step!

Ephesians 5:15-20

The call to be careful of how you live.

1. The imperative of having God’s wisdom. (15; Psalm 111:10; James 1:5-8)
2. The imperative of making the most of your time. (16; 6:13; 2:2-3; James 3:15)

The call to understand God’s will.

1. Understanding God’s will. (17; Psalm 32:8; Isaiah 30:21; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 4:3)
2. The foolishness of not understanding God’s will. (17, 15; Proverbs 1:7; 14:16; 17:12; 28:26; James 4:14-17)

The call to be controlled by the Holy Spirit.

1. The analogy to being drunk with wine. (18; Proverbs 20:1; 23:29-34; Luke 2:40; Colossians 3;16)
2. Some results, evidence of being controlled by the Holy Spirit. (19-20; ; Colossians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Copycats!

Ephesians 5:1-14

Theme: God’s people should be godly.

A life of love.

1. The compelling reason. (1)
2. The living example. (2)

A life of purity.

1. Things to avoid. (3-5, 7, 11)
2. “But why?” (5-11)

A life of light.

1. A present reality. (8)
2. Some practical implications. (8-14)