Few people do anything unless they get something in return “What’s in it for me?” “Nothing is worth doing unless the pay is good”

Is this true of our religion? Do you serve God to be profited? What motivates you to worship? If everything good about your life was taken away, would you still worship God?

Job 1:8-10 For our study we will examine Satan’s estimation of Job’s faith with God’s evaluation of His servant

Did Job Fear God For Nothing? Job: “blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil” Satan didn’t believe this of Job He accused Job before God: “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Suggesting that God is not worthy of service on the basis of His nature alone

Satan’s Problem Satan couldn’t see Job’s heart Job’s heart was good and he worshiped God because He was worthy Is this the reason we worship? Or is there a selfish motive prompting us?

Satan Given Permission God permits Satan to test Job and by such shows that man can and does worship Him for nothing Is God so good that He can be loved for Himself and not for His gifts? Can man hold on to God when there are no benefits attached? Satan said NO!

Job’s Heart God knew Job’s heart to be good and pure Satan assumed it to be like his (selfish, evil) After being stripped of wealth and family – Job still serves God Instead of tearing away from God, Job tore his robe Instead of cutting off God, he cut off his hair Instead of cursing God, he fell to the ground and worshiped

What Are We To Learn? God’s sovereignty is to be seen in all things He has given and He has the right to take away Does this trouble us? Job does not complain nor blame anyone Rather he finds reason to bless and praise God in this dire calamity Job could praise God for all circumstances

Do We Serve God For Nothing? Would our worship continue if we knew there were no rewards? God’s servants do serve Him for nothing It is not true that everyone has their price We must serve God because he is God: Good—Righteous—Just—Caring—Great Eternal One

Do We Serve God For Nothing? God’s servants do not go unrewarded: Honored w/ Divine attention (Psa. 33:18) Divine favor (Psa. 147:11) Divine provision (Psa. 34:9; 111:5) Divine protection (Psa. 85:9) Paul was longing for the Reward (2Tim. 4:8) Our living Hope (1Pet. 1:3-5)

Do We Serve God For Nothing? We should be faithful, servants of God, worshipers because: He is simply GOD – good, righteous, just, creator, cause of all effects, lawgiver, possessor of all authority God is worthy of our affections and confidence We are the creatures and He is the Creator Job was a good & righteous man because it was right to be so!

Conclusion Job is easily everyman In him we see ourselves Hopefully our faith will stand as his It is important to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5) Maybe some adjustments are in order Job’s example serves us well to know that men can and do serve God for nothing