Quality is Job 1

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. 2 And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.

4 And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did regularly.

Ford Motor Company appropriated the slogan, “Quality is Job One,” a few years back, in an attempt to make us think the quality of their cars was the number one goal of the company. Whether this was actually true or just an ad slogan is anyone’s guess, (although we would probably have to admit Ford was not particularly known for producing a high-quality product at the time they adopted the slogan. They have improved lately - as have many American car-makers.)

It is interesting to think you could adopt a slogan in order to improve the quality of the product you are producing - should it be the product is actually of low quality. Can the slogan change the product?

Amazingly, human nature is often changed by focus, which is what slogans are all about. They change the focus.

This is largely what the Bible is about. God’s Word, God’s “slogans” – if you will, designed to change the focus of our lives. In this compilation of 66 books, you are transformed by a never-ending series of slogans designed to move us from self-focus to others- centeredness. Designed to re-orient us to a focus on our eternal condition, and God’s very personal plan of redemption for our lives.

I think about this man Job as an example. An example provided by God. An example of the best mankind has to offer. God says so himself about, “His servant Job.” Have you considered him? Job 1 tells of the innocence, the piety, and the others-centeredness of Job’s life – of which God Himself could and would say, “Take a good look at Job, and all he stands by, and all he stands for.”

For Job, the quality of his life is measured in Job 1, and we have the opportunity to find out how true the quality measured by God’s Words will be. Will Job fail when his world crashes down – or will he stand? I will be watching closely.

- Pastor Bill

The ‘A’ List

Rom 16:1 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, 2 that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also. 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ. 6 Greet Mary, who labored much for us. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you.

When we come to one of these lists of names contained in the Bible, the tendency is to skip over them and move on the ‘the next meaty passage.’ (Especially when the list of names comes at the very end of a book, as this list of names appears here in Romans 16. Why not simply move on to 1^st Corinthians, and not waste the time to read the list of foreign-sounding names? After all, I can’t even pronounce most of them, and I certainly have no clue what this list has to do with me.

But when I remember the inspiration of God in the authorship of scripture, (ALL scripture is God-breathed – see 2 Tim 3:16,) I begin to think, “Hey, maybe there is something for me – even here.”

One of the things I realize is how important these names must be to God, that they would be listed in the first place. Then I realize why…knowing God must have a real fondness for those who are building His church. And then I think, “Wow, I wonder if there are similar lists of names being compiled in Heaven right now – just as back then.”

Could it be God is so fond of those building His church that He tracks not only their names but their needs and their heart desires? Could it be God makes Himself intimate with those who are endeavoring to inspire those around themselves to be part of something great – that being the kingdom of God here on earth?

I believe what I learn from this humble list of names is how much God cares about me, and about you. He knows my name, and my frame, and He is intimately invested in this church – because it is His church, and we are His people.

- Pastor Bill

Lifetime Network

Romans 14:9 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

There is a high probability this Christian deal is a new thing for you. It is a life that is completely foreign to the life you were living – and that is by God’s design.

This entity called ‘The Church’ could just as easily have been called ‘The Family.’

We are all used to sort-of constraining our behavior around our families, (at least I hope we are.) There are some behaviors practiced in nuclear family life that are not seen anywhere else. There is respect for mom and dad, love for brother and sister, and common desires for the welfare of all.

Unfortunately, we know all too well this pattern often breaks down, and that family life too often falls far short of the ideal sense we all have about what it should be if only it could be.

Here, Paul is telling those of us who have together escaped the condemnation of God, (Rom 8:1,) and are now living in God’s plan of being conformed to the image of Christ, (Rom 8:29,) that life as we live it has also changed. We are now to live our lives as though those around us are literally our brothers and our sisters – and that we would place their needs and desires above our own.

One of the greatest ways to practice unselfishness is by being around people. Since placing others above ourselves is the greatest exemplar of unselfishness, it becomes imperative we live out this Christian life assembled together in groups. This is why Hebrews 10:24-25 commands us not to forsake assembling ourselves with others – as much as we may want to – because it is no longer what we want that matters; unselfishness is.

There is one more step, and that is that we would be so considerate as to not do anything that may stumble one of our brothers or sisters in their Christian walk, because their Christian walk is more important than our liberty to do what God may allow us the freedom to do. This is behavior modification in the power of God’s Holy Spirit. It allows us to live and love unselfishly in and among large groups of people without considering our own needs but the needs of others. Imagine a church like that!

- Pastor Bill

Transformers

Roman 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

My son used to - and probably still does - enjoy playing with some toys called ‘transformers.’ They were intricately-designed bits of plastic that started off as one thing in appearance, and became something else entirely once you manipulated the joints of the plastic parts and twisted them and bent them into a new configuration. They might have started out as a man and ended up as a jet fighter or some such thing.

I always enjoyed studying the things to see the imagination of the designer that could create them. How could you visualize what it would take to turn a plastic man into a jet, and then to create it in such a way that even a child could figure out how to do it?

Since I understand something about mechanical design and the process of molding plastic parts, I am somewhat in awe of the process which created the ‘transformers.’

God is more awesome. His promise is that you will be transformed – by His hands. But you have to allow it. You must submit to it – and this is exactly what Paul is describing here in Romans 12:1-2. You must make your body a living sacrifice placed in God’s hands for His reformation. The word employed by the Holy Spirit for ‘transformed’ is the Greek word ‘metamorhoo,’ which is the same Greek word employed when Jesus was transfigured (metamorphoo) before the eyes of Peter and James and John in Matt 17.

The idea being expressed is the same sort of amazing thing that happens when a caterpillar first constructs and then enters a cocoon. We have no idea what goes on inside the cocoon, but we do know that in a month or two something wonderful has happened and a butterfly emerges. The caterpillar has been transformed (metamorphasized,) into a butterfly!

Once the transformation has taken place, do you think the butterfly would desire to go back to being a caterpillar? Now, we have the opportunity not only to enjoy the blessings of the promise of eternal life, but to enjoy the full richness of life on this earth, being transformed by God to the fullness of the purpose He has created us for. And - our ‘transformed’ life is an early indicator of who we will be in heaven.

- Pastor Bill