Albion Church of Christ

09/11/2026

09/07/2026

I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD!"
Psalm 122:1
It matters to God what kind of attitude we come with to worship him. Imagine if there was a special party given in your honor. You arrive at the party and instantly feel good about all the ones who have come, but you quickly figure out that not everyone wants to be there. You overhear complaints about the party. You see people constantly checking their watches. You even see some try to slip out early. Unfortunately, many come to a worship service intending to honor God without wanting to be there. They have not fully engaged their heart into the worship of God. Don't let that be you. Realize what a privilege it is to come before the great God we serve and let us worship him and offer him the respect which is his due. Sovereign Lord, who are we that we should be allowed into your Presence this morning! We pray that all we do this day of worship will glorify your mighty name!

09/01/2026

"Oh, that I knew where I might find him,
that I might come even to his seat!"
Job 23:3
One reason why people are drawn to the book of Job is because we see a righteous man who is openly struggling with his faith.
When tragedy strikes and you start to question God or you feel your faith in God become a little weak, it's discouraging. You naturally think there's something wrong with you. You think that a strong Christian wouldn't have those kinds of doubts. You feel a strong Christian would just trust in God and gracefully endure the pain. Job demonstrates that it is possible for a strong believer in God to have serious doubts and questions about God. He never forsook God. He maintained his integrity. But he struggled. There's no question that Job's faith was shaken by his trials.

08/25/2026

Then Job answered and said:
"I have heard many such things;
miserable comforters are you all."
Job 16:1-2
What do you say to comfort someone when they are suffering? Obviously, Job's friends show us what NOT to do. But what should we say?
1. Speak words of comfort from scripture. After Paul writes about the second coming in 1 Thessalonians 4, he says, "Therefore encourage one another with these words." Words from scripture that remind us of our hope in Christ bringing comfort.
2. Use your own experience with God's grace in times of suffering. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 2 Cor 1:3-4 If God has brought you through a similar time of suffering, it can be comforting to share that experience.
3. Just be there. "But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus..." 2 Cor 7:6 You don't necessarily have to SAY anything to bring comfort to someone. Job's friends sat down with him for seven days before they even spoke a word (Job 2:13). Sometimes our presence is the best comfort we can offer.

08/18/2026

"For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
yet in my flesh I shall see God,
whom I shall see for myself,
and my eyes shall behold, and not another."
Job 19:25-27
Job tells us in this chapter all those who had forsaken him:
His brothers (13)
His relatives (14)
His guests and maidservants (15)
His servant (16)
His wife (17)
The children of his own mother (17)
Young children (18)
All his intimate friends (19)
What made the suffering of Job even worse is that he had to do it alone. Usually, when someone experiences great loss like Job did (perhaps losing a child) is they are flooded with support and encouragement from family and friends.
Job didn't have that.
What he did have was his Redeemer! It's hard to say exactly what Job meant by this, but whatever it was, he believed that in the end (and perhaps because of his Redeemer?) he would see God. That's the consolation Job had before the cross. How much more do you and I have?

08/10/2026

"Oh, that I knew where I might find him,
that I might come even to his seat!"
Job 23:3
One reason why people are drawn to the book of Job is because we see a righteous man who is openly struggling with his faith. When tragedy strikes and you start to question God or you feel your faith in God become a little weak, it's discouraging. You naturally think there's something wrong with you. You think that a strong Christian wouldn't have those kinds of doubts. You feel a strong Christian would just trust in God and gracefully endure the pain. Job demonstrates that it is possible for a strong believer in God to have serious doubts and questions about God. He never forsook God. He maintained his integrity. But he struggled. There's no question that Job's faith was shaken by his trials.