Teaching Job 29-31

Notes:

Simply put the chapters are as follows –

29 – Job’s longing for the world as it was and friendship with God

30 – Job’s abandonment and suffering

31 – Job’s innocence

This immediately points us to Jesus, the one who was perfectly innocent, who suffered in our place and brings us friendship with God and the world as it should be.

For us that means that, in Christ, we are counted innocent, we follow in his way of innocent suffering and can long for the world as it will be.

3-5s

Theme: Job had a terrible time even though he had done nothing wrong, just like Jesus!

Aim: That they see how wonderful it was that Jesus was perfect yet suffered for them.

Intro:

·         Large cross craft (as they make it ask what happened to Jesus and how it must have felt)

Teaching:

Recap with Job puppet and friends. Remove friends.

Remember how sad Job was. This week he carries on talking about how sad he is. Listen to how he feels. Read Job 30:16-20. Job feels like God has left him, he’s no longer friends with God. Life is really, really bad and Job is really, really sad. Why has God left him?

Have you ever felt sad like this?

Then Job says, I’ve not been a naughty boy. I’ve not done anything wrong. I’ve not stamped my feet at my Mum and Dad [act out]. I’ve not refused to eat my tea. I’ve not refused to tidy away my toys. I’ve not done anything wrong. Read Job 31:4-6.

So Job is really sad and yet he’s done nothing wrong. Does that make you think of anyone else in the Bible? Yes, Jesus.

Jesus did nothing wrong, the Bible says that He was never a naughty boy, he never stamped his feet or refused to tidy up His toys. Jesus was perfect, he did nothing wrong.

And yet what happened to Jesus [hold up craft from the start]. Jesus died on the cross. It was horrible for him. It felt like God the Father wasn’t His friend anymore. He cried out from the cross, ‘My God, my God, why have you left me alone.’ Just like Job did.

And do you know why Jesus did this? So that we can be God’s friends. Isn’t that wonderful? Jesus loves us so much that even though He did nothing wrong He had a terrible time as He died on the cross.

Pray

Craft:

·         More cross craft with ‘God is my friend’ on. Lollipop crosses.

·         Colouring pictures of Job

Songs:

He died upon the cross; Super Saviour; God never says Oops! (all Colin Buchanan)

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5-11s

Theme: Job’s suffered when he had done nothing wrong, just like Jesus did

Aim: That they suffer with Jesus and long for the day when He makes everything right

Intro:

Three corners or pieces of paper ‘longing’, ‘suffering’ & ‘innocent’. When called they need to get there and make a suitable noise or action.

Teaching:

Recap

[have three large pieces of paper: ‘longing’, ‘suffering’ and ‘innocent’ and lay them out across the hall. Have one child dressed as Job. Start on ‘longing’]

Job begins today by remembering when life was good. Job reads 29:2-6.

Can you see, he’s looking back to how things were when God was his friend? He’s longing for that friendship with God again. In those days Job was important and people listened to him. Read 19:21-26. [get them to write some of these things on the paper]

[move to ‘suffering’]

But then he makes his final complaint of the book. God has abandoned him, left him alone and now he’s suffering terribly. Job reads 30:16-23. He calls out to God and yet God doesn’t answer him. [get them to write some thoughts down on the paper]

[move to ‘innocent’]

Job then repeats that he has done nothing wrong. He challenges God to tell him what he’s done wrong. Job reads 31:35-37. [get them to write thoughts down on paper].

Job’s experience was terrible. Who does all this remind you of? How?

Go back over the pieces of paper individually asking ‘How does this remind you of Jesus? Why is that so wonderful?’

Jesus was perfectly innocent. He did nothing wrong but obeyed God perfectly. And yet he suffered terribly, abandoned by His Father. What did He cry out from the cross? ‘My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?’ We can now have his perfect life before God.

And yet what does his suffering bring us? Friendship with God and a longing for the day when he makes everything right again.

But in the meantime [back to suffering] we will suffer like Jesus, even though we’ve done nothing wrong.

Apply – so let’s give thanks that Jesus was perfect for us. That’s great news.

Next time you’re being laughed at for following Jesus, well that’s what we should expect.

But we now have friendship with God and we can long for the day when Jesus makes everything right in the world.

Table Time:

Knowledge

·         What did Job long for?

·         What did Job say about God?

·         What did Job say about himself?

Understanding

·         How do these things remind us of Jesus?

·         What is Jesus going to bring?

Application

·         What can you give thanks for from today?

·         What will you remember next time someone laughs at you for following Jesus?

·         What do you most long for about the new world Jesus will make?

Funsheet

Pray for persecuted country