6/8/2025
[설교노트 / Sermon notes]
제목: “잘못된 질문들”
본문: 욥기 Job 21:14-15Preacher: Jeongsub Choi
1.성경본문 읽기 / Read the Bible
- 더 이해가 잘 되는 언어로 읽어주세요
- Read it in a language that makes more sense to you
14. 그러할지라도 그들은 하나님께 말하기를 우리를 떠나소서 우리가 주의 도리 알기를 바라지 아니하나이다
15 전능자가 누구이기에 우리가 섬기며 우리가 그에게 기도한들 무슨 소용이 있으랴 하는구나
14 Yet they say to God, 'Leave us alone! We have no desire to know your ways.
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain by praying to him?'
Job 21:14-15
10. 감사 / gratitude
11. [지난 주일 말씀 / Last Sunday's Sermon]
“잘못된 질문들 “
(본문: 욥기 21:14–15)
✦ 서론
사람들은 종종 “하나님을 믿는 게 무슨 유익이 있는가?”라는 질문을 던진다.
욥기 21장에서 불신앙의 오래된 질문이 오늘날에도 동일하게 반복된다.
그러나 그 질문 자체에 이미 하나님을 부정하고자 하는 의도가 담겨 있다.
✦ 1. 불신앙의 질문 – “무슨 소용이 있으랴?” (욥 21:14–15)
▶ 오래된 불신앙의 역사
욥 당시부터 지금까지 불신앙은 새로운 게 아니다.
“전능자가 누구이기에?”, “그에게 기도한들 무슨 유익이 있으랴?”
▶ 오늘날의 표현
“하나님은 왜 선한 사람을 고통받게 하시는가?”
“하나님은 정말 공정하신가?”
“신앙은 나를 억압하지 않는가?”
▶ 질문에 담긴 전제
하나님은 내가 이해할 수 있어야 하고, 내가 기대한 방식으로 행동해야만 한다는 생각
하나님이 내 기대와 맞지 않으면 "없거나 무능하다"고 결론지음
✦ 2. 불신앙의 기준 – 유익 = 물질적 번영
▶ 이들이 말하는 '유익'은 무엇인가?
재산, 건강, 가족, 성공 등 물질적 조건
하나님이 그런 것들을 주지 않으면, 믿을 이유가 없다고 여김
▶ 잘못된 해방의 개념
"신앙을 포기하는 것이 진정한 해방이다"라고 여김
쾌락, 오락, 자기 만족이 자유라고 착각함
그러나 그 자유에는 영혼이 없다
✦ 3. 신앙의 대답 – “그럼에도 불구하고 나는 믿습니다”
▶ 욥의 고백
“비록 그가 나를 죽이실지라도 나는 그를 신뢰하리라” (욥 13:15)
욥은 하나님의 방식은 이해하지 못했지만, 하나님이 하나님이시기에 신뢰함
▶ 예수님의 기도
“내 원대로 마시옵고 아버지의 원대로 하옵소서” (눅 22:42)
기도의 유익은 하나님과 대화하며 그분 앞에 나아가는 것
기도응답과 손종하는 실력
▶ 참된 유익은 무엇인가?
죄 사함
하나님과의 화평
하나님과의 교제
영혼의 안식과 내면의 평강
✦ 4. 시련 속에서 드러나는 신앙의 진짜 유익
▶ 평탄할 때는 경건하지 않은 자들이 모든 유익을 가진 것처럼 보임
그러나 병들고, 고통 중에 있고, 죽음이 가까울 때는 무엇이 진짜 유익인지 드러남
▶ 예수님의 질문
“사람이 온 천하를 얻고도 자기 목숨을 잃으면 무엇이 유익하겠느냐?” (막 8:36)
✦ 5. 복음의 제안 – 가장 위대한 유익
하나님은 우리 죄인들을 포기하지 않으셨다
예수 그리스도를 통해 구원의 길을 여셨다
이 복음은 우리에게:
죄 사함
죽음의 두려움 제거
하나님의 자녀됨
영원한 생명과 유업을 제안한다
"이처럼 큰 유익이 있는데, 당신은 아직도 망설이십니까?"
✦ 결론과 적용
“무슨 소용이 있으랴?”라는 질문은 신앙의 문을 닫는 말이다
참된 질문:
“내가 어찌하면 하나님을 발견하고 그의 처소에 나아가랴?” (욥 23:3)
▶ 자기 자신에게 던지는 질문
당신은 하나님을 알고 계십니까?
하나님께 나아갈 준비가 되어 있습니까?
지금까지 하나님을 무시하고 살아오진 않았습니까?
하나님을 만날 날이 다가오고 있음을 기억하십니까?
👉 오늘, 그분의 초청에 응답하십시오.
믿음 안에서 하나님을 다시 신뢰하며, 참된 유익을 선택하십시오.
📖 Sermon Title
“What Use Is It?” – The Question of Unbelief, the Answer of Faith
Job 21:14–15
🛑 Introduction
Friends, have you ever heard someone say, “What good is it to believe in God?” Maybe you've even asked it yourself.
In Job 21, we hear one of the oldest versions of this question. People in Job’s day said the same thing we hear now:
“Leave us alone! We have no desire to know your ways. Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain by praying to him?” (Job 21:14–15)
This is more than just a question. It’s a heart posture—a deep-seated resistance to God’s authority. It is not curiosity; it is rebellion disguised as logic.
Let’s explore three movements in this text: the challenge of unbelief, the false measurement of gain, and the real benefit of faith.
✦ 1. The Question of Unbelief: “What Profit Is There?”
Unbelief is nothing new. Since Job’s time, people have questioned the value of faith.
“Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?”
“What gain is there in praying to Him?”
This old question still shows up in modern form:
“Why does God allow good people to suffer?”
“Is God even fair?”
“Isn’t religion just a burden on my freedom?”
But behind all these questions is a subtle assumption:
God must work the way I expect, or He must not be real.
People assume that God must make sense to their reason. And when He doesn’t, they conclude that He is either powerless or irrelevant. But is that really honest inquiry—or just self-centered reasoning?
✦ 2. The Standard of Unbelief: Gain = Material Prosperity
What do people usually mean when they say “What good is it to serve God?”
They’re talking about wealth, comfort, health, family, and success.
And if they don’t get those things, they say, “Then God must not be worth believing in.”
Worse still, they call walking away from faith ‘freedom.’
They think real freedom means pursuing pleasure, entertainment, or self-centered comfort. But that “freedom” has no room for the soul, for holiness, or for God.
It is a false freedom—freedom from God, but slavery to sin.
✦ 3. The Answer of Faith: “Even if He slays me, I will hope in Him”
When the world says, “What good is prayer?”
Faith replies: “Even if I lose everything, God is still worthy.”
Job says in Job 13:15:
“Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”
Job didn’t understand God’s ways, but he trusted God's character.
Jesus, too, prayed in Gethsemane:
“Not my will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)
Even in agony, He trusted the Father.
So what is the true benefit of faith?
Not just material blessings, but far deeper riches:
Forgiveness of sin
Peace with God
Fellowship with the Father
Rest for your soul
The presence of God Himself
That’s the real profit of faith.
✦ 4. The Real Test: In Trials, the Truth Emerges
When life is easy, it can look like unbelievers have all the benefits. But when sickness comes, when death draws near, when hardship hits—then we discover what really matters.
Jesus asked, in Mark 8:36:
“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”
At that moment, the question changes. We stop asking,
“What use is it to serve God?”
and instead ask,
“What use is anything else—without Him?”
✦ 5. The Gospel’s Invitation: The Greatest Gain
Here is the good news:
God didn’t give up on humanity.
He didn’t abandon sinners who doubted Him.
He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to open the way of salvation.
Through Christ, we are offered:
Forgiveness
Freedom from fear of death
Adoption as God’s children
Eternal life and everlasting joy
What greater profit could there be?
So I ask you—if this gift is available, why hesitate?
✨ Conclusion: Change the Question
The real tragedy is not when someone asks, “What use is faith?”
It’s when they stop asking altogether.
The better question is found in Job 23:3:
“Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come even to His seat!”
That’s the question of a seeking heart. That’s the beginning of real faith.
🙋 To the Unbeliever and the Seeker
Do you know God?
Have you ignored Him until now?
Have you judged Him by your limited perspective?
Friend, you don’t need to understand everything to trust Him.
He’s not asking for your performance. He’s inviting you to come and know Him.
Say today:
“Lord, I cannot stand by my strength. But I believe Jesus died and rose for me. I trust You.”
🙌 To the Believers and Leaders
Let us examine our hearts.
Are we seeking gain—or God?
Are we trusting God only when He gives us what we want?
Or will we trust Him even when we don't understand?
Like Job, may we say:
“Even if He slays me—yet I will trust Him.”
🙏 Closing Prayer
Father, forgive us for asking the wrong questions.
Forgive us for looking at You through the lens of our desires.
We confess that You alone are worthy—whether we gain or lose.
Jesus, we receive Your grace.
Holy Spirit, help us walk in faith, trusting that in You, we already have the greatest treasure.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.