FBC Marshallville
September 6, 2026 Clay Burdette
  • This Is The Day
  • What A Friend We Have In Jesus (Converse)

      • Job 2:11–13NASB95PARA

  • We'll Work Till Jesus Comes

  • The Ministry of Presence: Comforting a Sick Friend

    What do I do, or what do I say when a friend is sick or is suffering emotional or physical pain?
    For most of us, it is just easier to not do anything other than pray.
    Prayer is essential and must be done but sometimes we are the answer to that prayer.
    What if someone has to endure this struggle and there is no simple fix?
    How should the Christian respond?
    Often we do not know what to do.
    This morning we are going to look at Job’s 3 friends and the things they did right.
    Job 2:11–13 NASB 95
    11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him. 12 When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky. 13 Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.
    Pray
    Job’s 3 friends made a decision to step into suffering

    1. Stepping Into Suffering

    Job 2:11 NASB 95
    11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him.
    News had traveled so that Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar all heard of Job’s terrible suffering.
    Remember Job was suffering emotional turmoil because he had lost all 10 of his children and all his wealth.
    Everything had been taken except his wife.
    I could not imagine the horrible situation had she been taken along with the children.
    Not being able to discuss this awful situation with the one you love is huge.
    Now even his health has been taken
    He is in excruciating pain.
    The worst hurt we can imagine and he is enduring it while grieving over all that has happened.
    Job’s 3 friends made arrangements to meet together at Job’s place to comfort him and to sympathize with him.
    That is what God has told us to do.
    We are to help the hurting.
    We are to sympathize with the miserable.
    Not because this is the way to salvation
    But because we have been saved from much worse.
    Jesus explained how we live when saved.
    Matthew 25:31–46 NASB 95
    31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ 41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
    One of the ways we know we have been saved is by our actions toward those who are hurting.
    Jesus makes it clear that our actions toward our neighbors is real important.
    Apparently our actions indicate what is truly in our hearts.
    If we are unwilling to help the needy it is because we have not surrendered to the Lord.
    If we visit the sick and imprisoned, clothe the naked and feed the hungry it is because we have surrendered to the Lord.
    Stepping into suffering indicates where your heart is.
    When we step into suffering we become willing to...

    2. Share in Genuine Grief

    Job 2:12 NASB 95
    12 When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky.
    Often when we reach those in trouble we have no idea how much trouble they are in.
    These 3 friends could not even recognize their friend.
    You and I have to overcome that fear.
    We like they must begin to share the grief of our friends.
    They raised their voices, wept, tearing their robes, throwing dust over their heads.
    These guys were truly heart broken at the condition they found their friend in.
    You and I need to realize the struggle that happens when bad things come unexpectedly.
    When I first became a Pastor, I thought I knew how to help people in grief.
    I honestly had no idea the pain they were feeling.
    But I was there, I comforted as the Lord led and sympathized as much as possible.
    So should we.
    It was not until I had that kind of grief that I learned how important the ministry of presence really is.
    Job was truly blessed to have someone who was enduring almost as much as he.
    When I came to this church and realized so many were in a similar situation as I, God used that for my healing.
    Never underestimate what your grief can do for another.
    You don’t have to speak a word, just knowing is enough.
    So I guess you do have to tell your story.
    Not only do we step into suffering, we share in grief and now we learn...

    3. Silence Speaks Volumes

    Job 2:13 NASB 95
    13 Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.
    This is the most difficult part of the ministry of presence; Silence
    Yet our 3 friends illustrate the significance of silence while being present physically.
    Someone’s presence means we are not alone.
    But pain can cause those in grief to not hear what needs to be said.
    Silence is OK.
    In fact silence is far better than speaking something and running away.
    The ministry of presence makes the one hurting know that he/she is not alone in this.
    I believe the physical presence of a friend causes us to remember God is always present.
    He forever loves us.
    Do we forever love Him?

    Conclusion

    Your task and mine is to remind our friends and neighbors of the truth of God.
    We might be in trouble because of our stupidity.
    We might be in trouble because God is growing us.
    But trouble needs people who are willing
    To step into suffering
    To share in genuine grief.
    And to understand silence speaks volumes.
    Have you decided to follow Jesus?
    On your tear off you will find a place to check if you are seeking to surrender your life to the Lord.
    Perhaps you realize that you have chosen to disobey what you know to be true and have forsaken the hungry, the naked, the sick and imprisoned but now want to repent. Check the 2 line.
    Sing with me if you have decided to Follow Jesus.

    305 I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

    1.    I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; No turning back, no turning back.
    2.    Tho' none go with me, I still will follow; Tho' none go with me, I still will follow; Tho' none go with me, I still will follow; No turning back, no turning back.
    3.    My cross I'll carry, till I see Jesus; My cross I'll carry, till I see Jesus; My cross I'll carry, till I see Jesus; No turning back, no turning back.
    4.    The world behind me, the cross before me; The world behind me, the cross before me; The world behind me, the cross before me; No turning back, no turning back.

      • Job 2:11–13NASB95PARA

      • Job 2:11NASB95PARA

      • Matthew 25:31–46NASB95PARA

      • Job 2:12NASB95PARA

      • Job 2:13NASB95PARA

  • I Have Decided
  • Praise God From Whom All Blessing Flow
FBC Marshallville
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http://www.fbcmarshallvillega.org
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