September 2025 - Maximum Difficulty
Job can be a tricky book to understand. In the first two chapters, God seems to initiate events that lead to Job’s suffering, while removing His hand of protection.
In the next thirty-six chapters, Job and his friends say lots of things about what God is like.
In chapter thirty-eight, God tells them that they are all wrong. Therefore, we learn that the bulk of Job’s book (chapters 3-37) is made up of mistaken ideas about God.
In the end, God reprimands Job and his friends for speaking foolishly. But confusingly, God also commends Job for speaking the truth, even though Job said many wrongful things about Him.
Finally, God restores Job and blesses him with greater wealth than what he had lost.
We will explore the book of Job, focusing on four themes.
- Faithfulness in the midst of difficulties.
- How God comforts us through hardships, and how we can comfort others.
- What God is really like, as revealed in Jesus.
- How Jesus restores us by allowing us to know Him, not just know about Him.
ELEMENTARY LESSONS:
MEMORY VERSE:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33
Lesson 1: We can be faithful, even when things are difficult.
Synopsis: Job was faithful to God, even when things got difficult. God calls us to be faithful in all circumstances, and even joyful, because difficulties can lead to growth. We can have this kind of faithfulness when we understand that our ultimate fate and future lie with Jesus; the One who has overcome the world. He is our ultimate example of what it means to be faithful in any situation.
Scripture: Job 1, 2:1-10, James 1:2-3
Lesson 2: God comforts us during difficult times & we can do the same for others.
Synopsis: Three of Job’s friends arranged to visit him during his difficult time. Their plan was to bring Job sympathy and comfort. And they did this as they wept, mourned, and sat with him for seven days, without saying a word. They helped Job through this difficult time with two things; empathy and presence. Sometimes we don’t know what to do when someone is sad. We may want to avoid the awkwardness of not knowing what to say. The Bible tells us about how God’s Spirit is present for us when we suffer. And we can also be present for others too.
Scripture: Job 2:11-13, 3, 4:1, Romans 8:26-27
Lesson 3: Jesus shows us what God is really like.
Synopsis: Job’s friends believed that God was all about retribution; rewarding righteousness and punishing sin. They told Job that God was punishing him for his wrongdoings. But Job argued that God was just being cruel to him for no good reason. We know from the first two chapters, however, that they were all wrong. Job did nothing to deserve what happened, and it wasn’t a punishment from God. When God showed up to set things straight, His bottom line was basically “When it comes to Me, none of you have any clue what you are talking about.” For Job, God remained shrouded in mystery. But on our side of the cross, Job’s questions are answered in Jesus Christ; the Full Revelation of God.
Scripture: Job 1, 2, 38, 39, 42:7, Hebrews 1:1-3, John 14:6-9
Lesson 4: Knowing God is not the same thing as knowing about God.
Synopsis: God affirmed Job for speaking the truth about Him, but Job said things about God that are not true. Among many other things, he accused God of being his enemy, of targeting him, of being unjust, of not being able to control His own anger. What could God have meant by saying that Job spoke the truth? The main difference is that while his friends spoke about God, Job cried out to Him. Job’s words about God are heartfelt, honest, and vulnerable, while his friends’ words were academic. And when Job was wrong, he confessed his own mistakes. God seemed to be more concerned about the openness and honesty of Job’s heart than the correctness of his words, and so Job was restored. Today we are restored by Jesus. But we can know things about Jesus and the Bible without really knowing Jesus. And knowing Jesus is about being with Him.
Scripture: Job 42:1-7, John 15:1-8
PRESCHOOL LESSONS:
Memory Verse:
Bible Story:
Included Each Week: A craft, wiggle-tamer, table time activity, discussion questions, take-home page, and more.