Sermon Notes
THE BOOK OF JOB WEEK 1: WHERE WERE YOU, GOD?
Text: Job 1–3; John 9:1–3
Have you ever had a moment where you knew God could show up and He didn’t?
And you didn’t just ask why, you asked where.
Where were You, God?
• The diagnosis that didn’t make sense
• The loss you didn’t see coming
• The prayer you thought God would answer
• The life you thought you would be living by now
We don’t just question circumstances; we question God’s presence in them.
THE STORY OF JOB (Chapters 1 and 2)
Job was blameless, upright, faithful
Then suddenly: Wealth gone, children gone, health gone
Job didn’t suffer because he was wicked. He suffered while he was faithful.
THROUGH THE TEXT
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Faith That Worships in the Dark
(Job 1:20–22) “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Truth: You can be righteous and still suffer. Worship is based on who God is, not your circumstances.
2. Pain That Has No Easy Answer (Job 2:7–13)
Job is broken. His wife loses hope. His friends sit in silence.
Truth: Silence does not mean absence.
God is still working even when you cannot see it.
Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is sit in the silence and trust that God is still present.
3. Honesty That Sounds Like Doubt (Job 3:1–11)
Job pours out his pain.
Truth: God can handle your honesty.
You do not have to clean yourself up to come to Him.
4. The Real Question
At some point the question shifts.
“Why is this happening?” turns to “Where were You, God?”
5. When Answers Don’t Come Quickly (Job 4–37 Overview)
For over 30 chapters, Job is asking. God is silent. Others try to explain.
They assume, “You must have done something wrong.” They’re trying to answer the question “Where was God?” And they get it wrong.
Be careful who you listen to when you are hurting.
JESUS STEPS INTO THE SAME QUESTION (John 9:1–3)
The disciples ask, “Who sinned?”
Jesus answers, “Neither.”
BIG TRUTH
Not all suffering is punishment. Some suffering is a platform.
A platform for God’s power, God’s glory, God’s work
WHAT THIS MEANS
Job's suffering was not random. His suffering was not punishment. His suffering was part of something bigger.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Stop asking, “Who is to blame?”
Start asking, “God, what do You want to do in me or through this?”
HOPE TO HOLD ON TO
Romans 8:28
God is working even when you don’t see it
Jesus doesn’t just explain suffering, He enters it
He went to the cross and cried, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
So that you’re never alone in your, “Where were You, God?” moments
If you have ever asked, “Where were You, God?”
You're closer to Him than you think.