Rainbow Promises - Genesis 9

Sermon Nuggets Mon April 30 

Verses- Gen 9

Rainbow Promises

Robert Ballard is an explorer who was looking for ancient shipwrecks off the north coast of Turkey. He decided to check out the flood theory mentioned here in Genesis. Columbia University researchers Wm Ryan and Walter Pittman have speculated that when the European glacier melted, the Mediterranean Sea overflowed into what was then a smaller fresh water lake to create the current Black Sea. Ballard used a side scan sonar and found an ancient coastline and change from freshwater to saltwater mollusks dating from about 7,000 years ago. He scooped up shells from the bottom included both freshwater mollusks from before the flood and saltwater mollusks from after the flood. They were dated at the Oceanography Institution in Massachusetts and freshwater shells were about 7,400 years old. The saltwater ones dated to 6,800 years ago. This exciting discovery encourages them to seek for evidences of stone walls, pottery, and  hearths.

I remember various documentaries done on previous sightings of Noah’s ark on one of the mountains of Turkey during a time when there was some melting of layers of ice and snow.  Notes and journals were made of people of the last century. Some expeditions were made in recent decades and some photos were found to be a large rock, and others believed to be authentic. The late astronaut James Irwin had done extensive research on those findings and has written a book.

The fact that God’s Word says it, doesn’t convince the world that it is true. I suspect even if the ark was uncovered there would be debates as to why it was really a hoax. Some always choose not to believe the Bible. But more secular archeologists are turning to the Bible to look for finds consistent with the recorded history.

But more important than the evidences of the flood are some of the promises of God. It used to be among men that his word was binding. Especially among Christians it was considered that a man was as good as his word. Strangely, many Christians have been ripped off by other Christians. Many have learned the ethics of the world instead of the Bible. Many find they do not have to pay their bills and obligations legally and that seems more attractive that honesty and integrity. Many are making vows and going back on what was intended by some loophole or law that would keep them from paying, or cheating. I am surprised how many churches are filling court appointments for disputes because agreements are just no longer kept.

It is interesting to observe that the infinite, all-powerful, changeless God of the universe has chosen to deal with men in the form of covenants. The Noahic Covenant of Genesis chapter 9 is the first biblical covenant of the Bible.

Did you know the Noahic Covenant, is still in force today? It also provides us with a pattern for all of the other biblical covenants. As we come to understand this covenant, we will more fully appreciate the significance of all of the covenants, and especially the New Covenant instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ.

 That is the topic of study this week

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Tues May 1 

Verses Gen 8:  21 The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. 22 “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

       Gen 9:15 - 16I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

  

God’s Promise to Himself

            Have you ever made promises to yourself? Usually the best promises are the ones we make to ourselves. It depends on a person’s self will, of course. When you make a promise to yourself it doesn’t really matter what others think or say. You are committed to carrying out something you want to carry out for personal reasons.

This is how we read this paragraph before Chapter 9. God is making a promise to Himself that he will never again curse the ground because of the actions of man, and it doesn’t make any difference to God how evil mankind is He will not destroy him in this way again by a flood.You can be assured we will have the seasons just like he planned and ordained in the earth until the end of the earth when he has made another plan clear in the Bible and heavens and earth will not be like this any longer, but destroyed.

The reason this commitment is binding it that it has nothing to do with man. It has everything to do with God. He said “I am going to treat mankind in a certain way even though they fall back into the same sins as before.” This is a promise I make to myself.

Now the character of God is far more trustworthy than the character of mankind. We can make promises to ourselves and mean them completed but continue to break them. I am told the problem many alcoholic have is that they make promises never to drink again, but until they can come to the place in their life it is for them to make to themselves they will not often success in stopping to drink.

But then we are also told that most people need to make contracts or covenants with other people to stop drinking. They need other people to hold them accountable and to encourage one another and support one another to keep their promises. Because thousands of promises are broken by an alcoholic who promises his spouse, or family member, or courts that they will not drink. We hear that the person will never stop drinking until they are convinced they need to stop for themselves.

God had made a promise not to destroy mankind, but to save him. God had determined before the world was created to make a promise to himself. II Thes 2:13;  “But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.”

It would be to bring those who by faith believe in God and put their trust in him to bring them eternally into glory, a place prepared for him. Although most will not respond to God’s offer of salvation and will be destroyed by hell, still He will keep his word and not destroy the earth until Jesus Comes again. So we can count on it because it is based on his promise to himself and his character is not week. God does not need a support group. He does what he says. If there is one promise you know will be kept it is a self promise.

            When it comes to making promises there are some things to be considered. Who made it? Some people can always be counted on because they keep their word. Secondly, do they have the resources to carry out their promise? Some might have good intentions, but promises might be nothing more than hopeful dreams. Does the person have the resources as well as the abilities to carry out the promises?

            When it comes to fulfilling promises there are also unforeseen circumstances. That changes the situations drastically. I have said to my kids I won’t make promises, but this is what I intend to do. I had to say that after learning the hard way, that sometimes promises cannot be kept because of unforeseen circumstances.

            That is why I like the promises of God. First it doesn’t depend on mankind. It is by someone who always keeps his word, he has the ability, he has the desire, there are no unforeseen circumstances that he doesn’t know about. You can’t goof him up. That’s worth following.

            What promises have you made to yourself? What do you do when you do not live up to that promise? What would encourage you to keep your promises? Is it in keeping with honoring God?

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Weds May 2- 

Gen 9: Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

4 “But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. 5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.

6 “Whoever sheds human blood,by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.

7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”

God’s Promise to Mankind.

Ray Stedman titles these verses “Rules of the Game,” and I think he has truly caught the significance of this section. A new beginning, with a new set of rules, is evident by the similarity of these verses to Genesis chapter one.

If you compare the agreement with Adam and the agreement with Noah representing mankind you will notice some similarities and differences. Here and there Genesis 1:28 God blessed His creatures and told them to be fruitful and multiply. Here and there God prescribed the food man could eat. There are differences, however, which indicate that the new beginning is to be different from the old. God pronounced the original creation ‘good’. The world of Noah’s day received no such commendation, for the men who possessed it were sinful.

Adam was charged to subdue the earth and to rule over the animal kingdom. Noah was given no such command. Instead, God placed in the animals a fear of man by which man could achieve a measure of control over them.

 When we went to the Shedd’s aquarium in Chicago we watched from the underside a show of dolphins doing their various tricks. They jumped on cue, and swam and did a variety of crowd pleasing stunts. Man has a certain control over animals, even wild animals because God made mankind as ruler over the earth and sometimes those animals fear man who provides discipline. And other times they are trained by positive reinforcement, food, or attentions, which some animals respond to better.

There are other comparisons and contrasts with Adam and Noah. Gen 2:5,6 tells us that no rain was on the ground before . The mist apparently allowed for the environment to let bodies live long and warm and not the extremes we experience since that canopy was turned unto a deluge. That hothouse was gone. Now the semitropical climate of the whole earth has changed. There are Arctic Zone, Temperate Zone and Tropic Zone. There is rain to water the earth.

            Apparently, Noah and his descendants could eat flesh and apparently for the first time animals were now used as food. When we read about the millennial kingdom it assumes there will not be this same fear or attack of animals for food by both human and wild. The lion will lay down with the lamb and a young child will play with poisonous snakes and not be hurt.

There was, however, one stipulation. They could not eat the blood of the animal, for the life of the animal was in its blood. This was to teach man not only that God values life, but that He owns it. God allows man to take the life of animals in order to survive, but they must not eat the blood. One may puzzle that flesh could be eaten after the flood, but not maybe protein was now necessary for life. But more likely, however, man must be brought to the realization that, because of his sin, he could only live by the death of another. Man lives by the death of animals.

Most important of all, man is taught to reverence life. Men before the fall were obviously men of violence who, like Cain  and Lamech in Gen 4 had no regard for human life. This is more emphatically stated in vs 5 &6,: “And surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will require it.   And from every man, from every man’s brother I will require the life of man.   Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man.”

The life of man was precious and belonged to God. It was God’s to give and His alone to take. Animals which shed man’s blood must be put to death. Men who willfully take the life of another must be put to death ‘by man’. In addition to murder, suicide is prohibited by God’s command in these verses. This passage relates to the subject of abortion also. Man is not to shed the blood of man.  Shouldn’t we consider at the time a fetus has blood, it has life? That should stop the partical birth abortions right there, not to mention life begins at conception.

Since Man is created in the image of God, murder is much more than an act of hostility against man—it is an affront to God. Now God provided something else in his promise to mankind.  Society is developed under God’s laws take the life of the murderer. In this act of capital punishment, man would act on behalf of God—he would reflect the moral image of God, namely, His indignation and sentence upon the murderer. Government acts in God’s behalf in punishing the evildoer and rewarding those who do good : here is another new law. He has the authority over mankind to preserve and protect and punish even put to death those whose actions are violent against others. God has established civil government which can do things that an individual cannot and should not do. “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”

 Just like the animal kingdom is to be controlled, to a great extent, by means of their fear of man. Man’s most violent sinful tendencies, also, are kept in check by his fear of the consequences. Any society which loses its reverence for life cannot endure long.

Because of this, mankind can live in relative peace and security until God’s Messiah has dealt the death blow to sin. And so a new age has dawned.Because of God’s promise to man we still are under this covenant and agreement with God and how we are to preserve and protect mankind until Christ comes again.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs- May 3 

Gen 9: 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”

God’s Promise to the World- Rainbow

            Kennth Trent tells of his airplane trip with his family when they encountered a severe thunderstorm. The pilot announced that he was going to take the plane to a higher altitude in order that the plane might fly above the storm. As they flew above the clouds the sun was shining in all its glory which was hidden from the people below. Those on the plane also beheld a wondrous sight; a glorious rainbow stretching from horizon to horizon in the shape of a perfect circle. The rainbow, as a multi-colored halo, was a spectacle to behold!

His young daughter was the most thrilled with what she saw. She cried: "Daddy, daddy, look, it’s a rainbow and we’re seeing it from the same side that God sees it from!"

To the people below all they could vision was storm clouds but we were flying above the clouds, in the glory of the sunshine and in perfect position to see the rainbow that God had put in the clouds.

At the conclusion of a shower of rain, God said that he would put a bow in the sky that would be an everlasting sign of a promise between God and all living creatures on the earth. This promise was that God would no longer destroy the whole earth with a flood.

Every time you and I see a rainbow fill the sky after the rain, we can be reminded of one of God’s awesome promises that have remained true throughout the ages of time. The Bible associates the rainbow with a manifestation of divine glory. The rainbow has always been a source relating to the divine promises of God’s glory and power. The spiritual significance of Noah’s rainbow was a sign of God’s love and pledge of His sparing mercy

Every covenant has its accompanying sign. The sign of the Abrahamic Covenant is circumcision (Genesis 17:15-27); that of the Mosaic Covenant is the observance of the Sabbath day (Exodus 20:8-11;). The “sign” of the rainbow is appropriate. It consists of the reflection of the rays of the sun in the particles of moisture in the clouds. The water which destroyed the earth causes the rainbow. Also, the rainbow appears at the end of a storm. So this sign assures man that the storm of God’s wrath (in a flood) is over. What a comfort to know that God’s faithfulness is our guarantee.

At one time, a group of theologians from different faiths and religions gathered in London, England, to discuss religion. On one particular day they were considering the question: “What separates Christianity from all other religions?” That is a great question. Is there anything about Christianity that is different or distinguishes it from every other faith? Quite frankly, the theologians were stumped until C. S. Lewis walked into the room. C. S. Lewis had a simple answer when he heard the question: “What separates Christianity from all other religions?” C.S. Lewis said, “That’s easy. It’s grace.”

After the flood, after the waters had receded, and after only eight people walked out on dry land, God came to Noah in Genesis chapter 9 to make a contract of grace. God said, “I will never, ever do that again. I will never again destroy the earth with a flood.”

 And then do you know what God did? God signed His contract of grace. Have you ever seen God’s signature? Sure you have. God signed the sky. The rainbow is God’s signature of grace.

Now science would have a real convenient explanation for the rainbow. Science would say something like this: “Well, as the waves of light pass through the prism created by the drops of water in the rain clouds, the light ray is separated into different bands of color creating the display we see in the sky.” That is what science would say about a rainbow. But that explanation is so shallow that science might as well be blind.

God takes this occasion to make a covenant with mankind. It is a visible repeated reminder of that pledge. Never again will there come a flood to destroy the whole world. And it is a reminder even in the midst of our storms he will save. Throughout the scriptures, the rainbow is the emblem of God’s loving faithfulness to His covenant with His people, and the pledge of sure hope to them.

But it is God’s signature to us as well. In this world we will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, Jesus said, “I have overcome the world.”  From destruction comes His glory and new world awaits.

Pastor Dale

           

Sermon Nuggets Fri May 4- 

Verses- Gen 9: 18 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the whole earth.

20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked.

24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,

“Cursed be Canaan!     The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers. ”

26 He also said, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.

27 May God extend Japheth’s territory; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.”

28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 29 Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died.

God’s Promises to Noah 

            Two of the three promises have already been completed for Noah. First was the destruction of earth’s creatures. Secondly, God would save Noah and his family and the animals. Thirdly, God would make Noah the father of the new people.

Noah would be the seed from the rest of the world that exists. Yes, we are all sons and daughters of Adam, but it is equally true we are all sons and daughters of Noah.

 His covenant to not destroy the earth would be lasting until Jesus comes again. It has so far and no reason to doubt it will be until Christ’s coming.

            Notice before the flood men lived to enormous ages, Animals who fossils are being found under the layers of deposits by the flood were much larger than similar animals today. Some scientists suppose that a canopy of vapor of water which was above the firmament may have shut out some of the infrared rays of the sun and diminished the aging effect.The long life was also allowed to Noah and his immediate family. Then it was cut off dramatically. Many of the children of Noah and Shem and Ham and Jepeth died long before their parents died. But the world quickly populated from the Fertile Crescent area.

Just like the environment and God’s command limited human life, so it seems that spoilage of food came quicker also. Before bacteria was restrained, food did not spoil as soon and fruit juice did not ferment as readily. Perhaps in the new earth Noah planted a vineyard and drank wine and was drunk. Or perhaps it shows sin soon after the ark landed. Either way Noah was drunk and lay naked in the tent.

Drunkenness many times is condemned in the Bible. The abuse of alcohol has been a problem with many cultures and societies. But the events that happened after are not really as clear to us as it might be to the culture which first read it. His son, Ham saw the nakedness of Noah in the tents and told his brothers. I assume it was not an accidental opening the tent door and whoops lets leave him be in privacy, or cover him up. But rather there must have been something not spelled out here. It is likely according to some commentaries that he mocked or made fun of the situation, or told his brother to come and watch their father which was disrespect. Either way, his brothers took a garment and hid their faces and covered up their father.

            Later there would be very strict commands among the Jews not to observe the nakedness of father or mother or others of close kin. Nudity leads to lust and adultery. a lack of respect, a lack of godly fear. So when Noah awoke and became aware what happened he pronounced a curse on Hams son because of Hams disrespect.

            The curse also is not given in great detail. Canaan should be servant to his brethren. Children are often punished for the sins of their fathers and Canaan was no exception.

            Let me make clear a misinterpretation that some people promote to this day. Last century slave owner would use this verse to say that black race were descendants of Ham and were meant to be slaves and cursed. Canaan was clearly the father of the Canaanites who were definitely Caucasian. Historically, the Canaanites were conquered and subdued by various people, including the Israelites under Joshua.

Noah lived to a very advanced age. Other prophets point to Noah and the covenant to illustrate Gods’ patience, God’s assurance of keeping his promises. Jeremiah speaks of God’s future blessing by reminding men of God’s faithfulness in keeping the Noahic Covenant.

That covenant in many ways foreshadowed the new covenant. The new covenant found in Jesus Christ with the sign being the cup and the broken bread point us to the new kingdom of which our Lord is King.

One pastor wanted to pull a surprise on his children and told them We’re going to Junction City Kansas. “We will have lots of fun there.”

 Secretly he was going to spend one afternoon there and take the kids to Disney World. The Dad kept up the morale by describing the wonders of Junction City- playgrounds, swimming pool, ice cream stand, maybe a bowling alley.

When they arrived Dad gave them the surprise “You know it’s kind of boring here, Why don’t we just drive to Disney World”

 He expected the kids to jump up and down in delight. Instead they complained wanting to go swimming, bowling and have ice cream and stay in Kansas.

God’s promises things on this earth, This is part of the Noahic Covenant. But his big surprise for his kids is Heaven.

CS Lewis wrote to a friend :”The hills and valleys of Heaven will be to those you now experience not as a copy is to an original, nor as a substitute to the genuine article, but as a the flower to the root, or a diamond to the coal” Our desires are too small. We stamp our feet and insist on merry-go round in Junction City when Disney World’s space Mountain lies just down the road.

These promises to Noah and mankind were shadows the greatest of promises ahead.

Pastor Dale

A New Beginning - Genesis 8

Sermon Nuggets Mon April 23  

Verses Gen 8

A New Beginning

            Since Sermon Nuggets are recycled old sermons I preached from Chapter 8 of Genesis as a communion service and tied in a brief way thanksgiving of Noah and the sacrifice of thanksgiving with sharing our thanks to God for our new beginning due to the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

            As we look at chapter 8 Noah and his family emerge from the ark and are standing on solid ground. There is a a new world and a new beginning. We have already seen in this series from Genesis these stories in the Old Testament are actual history – that is, they are not myth but actual historic occurrences. From these stories in our lives we can relate to the spiritual principles. We learn about God about faith, about the way the men and women of old practiced their life lived in the grace and glory of God. We learn about obedience and blessing.

            If you add it all up all the days Noah was on the ark we conclude he and his family spent one year and 17 days in the ark. That’s a long time in a cramped space with lots and lots of animals. This was no luxury cruise in the Caribbean. The Bible does not tell us anything about Noah’s thoughts or challenges while on the ark. We can only imagine his personal emotions during the long time they spent in the ark. We know that he was a man of faith who took God at his Word.

            But he was human, too. The sea is a lonely place. It could not have been easy to be shut up inside the ark with his family and all those animals. Did he wonder if God had forgotten him? I could not blame him if he had his doubts. How long must he be in this situation.

            The thought that comes to me is that we have a promise from God that He would overcome this world. We know the Jesus will return and there will be a new world. But for now we wait and work. Our world today is far different from Noah’s ark and life confined in the ship, but the wait sometimes feels long for us to see Gods promises come about. We would do well to remind ourselves of Noah who was saved from distruction.

He had done what God had said. He had preached to the unbelieving world. He cannot see the sun because of the cloud cover. There is no course to follow, just drifting on the surface of the endless, endless ocean.

            The message of Genesis 8 is in the first verse, “But God remembered Noah…”

Maybe you feel like you are in a waiting period in your life. You are waiting for the next step or promise of God. It seems long. It is easy to doubt. But don’t’ forgot. God knows. He has not forgotten.

Pastor Dale 

Sermon Nuggets Tues April 24-

Verses- Gen 8:1-5  ¹ But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. ² Now the springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavens had been closed, and the rain had stopped falling from the sky. ³ The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the water had gone down, ⁴ and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. ⁵ The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible.

God Remembers

            We begin with passage with the words, “And God remembered Noah.” Now we realize that God does not forget. He didn’t look down upon the earth with the horrible flood and all of the sudden say, “Oh, where is everyone? Oh I remember now, Noah is down there in the ark. I better do something about it.?

            The emphasis on God remembrance is simply that God keeps his promises. He is doing what He said He would do. He said he would do three things. First He would destroy the world. Secondly, He would save Noah and his family and a couple of each animal and seven pairs of other animals. And thirdly, He would start over with Noah’s clan.

            The Bible also speaks of God remembering in other places. God remembered Abraham, God remembered Rachel, God remembered Hannah. There was a personal relationship with people. But based on promises God is holding true to his word. God is saying that he will honor his word. When it says Noah found favor with God, He gave Noah instructions to build an ark, and Noah obeyed and did everything the Lord told him to do. God gave him a promise that from him would come the new people. He saved Noah from the flood and is now going to start over again in the world.

            As chaplain in the hospital in Cambridge I volunteer a week just like some other pastor’s do. I’ve been involved with some serious car accidents and talking with folks in the emergency room.  Although some folks were quite seriously injured others escaped with minor injuries. Repeatedly, there was great thankfulness by those who were spared serious injury or death. When you face the fact that you could have died or been permanently disabled the response is almost always a deep sense of gratitude. One is thankful for life and for faculties of the body happens. They were not thankful for what happened, but grateful for what didn’t happen.

Notice the comments made by those who have gone through hurricanes, tornados, and other tragic storms. People who have been spared realize what could have happened and are filled with thanksgiving. Sometimes those who have experience no hardships, difficulties and trails are thankful, but not to the same degree or depth of those for whom those situations have been real and close.

            When God remembered Noah, the ordeal for the family was coming to an end. They lost everything but God was starting over through them.  Noah was more aware of the grace of God and he was spared punishment.

            There has been a play produced, Hell’s gates and Heaven’s portals. Many have seen the video of it. This play portrays people dying and being at the gates of Hell or the portals of Heaven depending on whether they repented of sin and turned by faith to Jesus Christ. It was a dramatic and sobering portrayal of eternity without Christ or with Christ. The sense of thankfulness was enhanced when one realizes what we have been spared Hell by the grace of God.

            God remembered you and me. God knows us by name. As God’s children there are so many problems that we will not have to face. There but for the grace of God go I.

            He remembers you!

Pastor Dale

 

Weds April 25

Verses Gen 8:6-17 ⁶ After forty days Noah opened a window he had made in the ark ⁷ and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. ⁸ Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. ⁹ But the dove could find nowhere to perch because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark. ¹⁰ He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. ¹¹ When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. ¹² He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him.

 ¹³ By the first day of the first month of Noah’s six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. ¹⁴ By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry.

 ¹⁵ Then God said to Noah, ¹⁶ “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. ¹⁷ Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it.”

Signs of Hope

            Noah was looking for signs that the flood was coming to an end. I’m sure he was tired of being around those animals day and night. In the play, Noah the Musical, they depict how difficult it was to stay in the ark with the animals. We see patience is needed to be cramped up with the hard work of taking care of the animals plus their own needs. They couldn’t exactly dump the fertilizer in the fields. I can’t imagine living conditions for a year without “getting out of the house”.

            So he sent out a raven. Since ravens feast on rotting flesh, it no doubt found plenty to eat  on the surface of the ocean. It flew back and forth but did not return to the ark. The first time Noah sent out a dove, it came back because the water wasn’t low enough. The second time the dove returned with an olive leaf, indicating that plants were beginning to grow. The third time he sent out a dove, it didn’t come back at all. Noah  knew then that the end of the flood must be very near.

            But why did he send the birds in the first place? God had told him when the flood would start but not when it would end. He needed to know the approximate date it would begin so he could build the ark in time. But God never told him how long the flood would last because he didn’t need to know. One of the first questions people ask often even before they have surgery is “How long will it take?” or “How long do I have to be in the hospital?” We want to know when it is going to end or we can get back to normal. It is a good thing to have hope when our troubles will end.

            Often, it is the not knowing that wears us down. “When will this end?” And the answer is always: “In God’s time, not one day sooner, not one day later.” God can make the dry ground appear anytime he chooses. We may feel forgotten and abandoned in the flood, but the dry land will appear in due time.

            Notice also that Noah didn’t get out of the ark for a long time even after the first land appeared. I think after a year on the ark, I would have jumped over the side and started swimming for shore as soon as the first peak poked through the surface of the water. But Noah still had lots of waiting to do.

            In our impatience or in our frustration or desperation we may try to hurry up God. We might try to leave the ark too soon. But we miss out on faith, hope and trust that are part of our listening lessons that comes with patience. That is much easier for me to say than to practice. I am not a good patient. I am not a good waiter.

             And just as God gave Noah a sign, he still gives signs and tokens of his grace today. Often it is a Scripture or a song repeated at just the right moment. Or a phone call or a letter that came when we felt like giving up. God does not always spare us the pain of life, but he gives us tokens, roses that bloom in the snow, to remind us that even in our sadness and even in our despair, we are never alone, never forgotten.

            But there are signs that give us hope that God is at work. Little things that are notes from God He has not forgotten us. Thy raven could eat on dead fish and dead things all around, but the dove needed vegetation. There were signs things were ready when Noah saw the fig leaf. Then when the dove did not return it was a sign of hope.

            In verses 16-17 the Lord instructed Noah to leave the ark with his family and the animals. As far as we can tell, this is the first time God had spoken to Noah since he told him to enter the ark. As Noah watched and waited, he went about his duties, wondering when the Lord would speak to him again. His family stayed faithful to what they knew to be true. It did not matter if he “felt” like it or not. He knew that God had led him this far, and he believed that God had his best interests at heart.

            It is hard to wait. But the best thing is to remain faithful for what you know God wants from you. It is a obedience and trust.  Someone put the truth this way:” Do not doubt in the darkness what God has shown you in the light.” When the time comes, God will speak to you again. He has given us His promise to never leave us and never forsake us. He will speak to you again even after a quiet time. He always does but not always on our timetable.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs April 26 – 

Gen 8:18-22 18 So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. 19 All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds—everything that moves on land—came out of the ark, one kind after another.

  20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. 21 The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

 22 “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest,  cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

Noah Remembered

           Now they were leaving the known for the unknown. The world they had known was gone forever. Cities gone, roads gone, homes gone, people gone. Geography changed, landmarks all different. Nothing looked the same. Everything was new.

           The thought occurred to me that it must have been hard to leave the boat even though they looked forward to the day they could get out. This was their life and security for over a year and now that step into the unknown is a step of faith. I think this might be light our knowledge of the new world we experience after death. But this life on earth is what we know. It is hope of heaven that gives us security, but who wants to “leave this boat”? We love this life we know and can be anxious when we have to go through the shadow of death.

           The first thing mentioned after Noah and his family left the ark was to build an altar unto God to offer thanksgiving. Noah was filled with thanksgiving. God did not only remember Noah, Noah remembered God. 

             Noah recognized that he owed everything to the Lord. It was God who warned him, God who told him to build the ark, God who designed the ark, God who called the animals to the ark two by two, God who shut the door, God who preserved the ark through the flood, God who brought the ark to a safe place, and it was God who told Noah when it was safe to leave the ark. God did it all! Noah was just along for the ride!

             The word tells us that the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done." As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."

              When we offer up "the sacrifice of praise...God is well pleased" Heb. 13:15-16 "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-- the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

               Noah sacrificed to God. It was an expression from his heart and his actions. That pleases God. Actions without attitude don’t mean anything. Attitude without actions don’t mean much. It is the combination of thanksgiving from attitude that motivates action. Thanksgiving is shown in our actions for what God provides.    If we are thankful in our hearts, we will be thankful in our daily living. "Thanksgiving is thanks-living!" That is, a thankful spirit is translated into our actions. Every good gift and every perfect gifts is from above and comes down from the Father of lights with whom is not changing, neither shadow of turning. Jms 1:17

             Each generation would repeat the problems of the previous generation. In the context of the sacrifice, the Lord made a promise: "I won't destroy them again." But he didn't say how he would answer the problem. What could God do for a race like this?

              This counsel of God with himself is instructive. The problem of a righteous God and a sinful population and his refusal to destroy them completely leaves him ultimately with only one choice. It's not outlined here, but it's the greatest story of all, the story of how God would take their punishment on himself. God’s promise was to himself. It did not rest on man’s actions, but God’s actions. That is where the cross comes in. Man is worth saving, but I will do so for those who demonstrate faith in me.

             Bible instructs us to come before God, not only with "prayer and supplication," but also "with thanksgiving" (Phil. 4:6). Prayer and thanksgiving are seldom seen one without the other in the Scriptures.

          "Enter into his gates with Thanksgiving and into his courts with praise: Be Thankful unto him and bless his name. (Psalm 100:4)

             John Piper said, “Suppose you give someone a gift at a party and he opens it and loves it. He fondles it and shows it off and speaks of it the whole evening. But never once does he even look at you or speak to you the giver. He is totally enthralled with the gift. What do we say of such a person? We say he is an ingrate. Why? Because his emotion of joy over the gift has no reference to the goodwill of the giver.”

Pastor Dale

           

Sermon Nuggets Fri April 27 

Verses- Gen 8:  20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.

How We Remember

             The altar was a way provided by God for mankind to give to the Lord from his flocks or heard a sacrifice for sin, for worship, for thanksgiving. This story is repeated as a means of how God saved the world from destruction. The ark becomes a picture of the door of salvation. It is available by the grace of  God to come through the door who is Jesus Christ. John 10:9  “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

             We have another sacrifice who is Jesus Christ our access to the Father. The communion observance is a means also of remembrance. It is a time to think of  the destruction to come and know by the promise of God we have the promise of eternal life and not eternal damnation. The communion meal pictures for us a thanksgiving meal. The provider is God. It is remembering God because he first remembered us. 

            At the time of communion we are also celebrating our new beginning with a new life in Jesus. We are a new creation. Old things are passed away and all things become new.

When Jesus died he said “remember me.”. Because we have sinned there is consequence for our sin, but Jesus took our place. His suffering saved us. To all who accept Jesus as their savior they are freely forgiven of all the past, all the present, all the future. We are made new in God’s eyes.  We have lots to be thankful for.

We have been purchased with the blood of Jesus to begin again. We are starting over. Jesus died that we can have a new start. We have the same animals. We go to school and the kids are the same. The family is the same, our job or work is the same, but we are different in Jesus. We have a new kingdom.

           Today is a new day. It is a gift from God. We not only have been spared from destruction, we embrace newness in Jesus and this is a reminder that we have been bought with a price. We belong to God.

Pastor Dale

           

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Destruction by Flood- Genesis 7

Sermon Nuggets, Mon April 16 Gen 7  Destruction by Flood

Verses Genesis 7

When God Asks the Impossible                                  

Some of you may have heard the following story of Noah:

“The Lord spoke to Noah and said: "In six months I'm going to make it rain until the whole earth is covered with water and all the evil people are destroyed. But I want to save a people, and two of every kind of living thing on the planet. I am ordering you to build Me an Ark." And in a flash of lightning he delivered the specifications for an Ark..

"OK," said Noah, trembling in fear and fumbling with the blueprints."Six months, and it starts to rain," thundered the Lord. "You'd better have my Ark completed, or learn how to swim for a very long time."

Six months passed. The skies began to cloud up and rain began to fall. The Lord saw that Noah was sitting in his front yard, weeping.. And there was no Ark..

"Noah," shouted the Lord, "where is my Ark?  “Lord, please forgive me!" begged Noah. "I did my best. But there were big problems. First I had to get a building permit for the Ark construction project, and your plans didn't meet code. So I had to hire an engineer to redraw the plans. Then I got into a big fight over whether or not the Ark needed a fire sprinkler system.

Then, my neighbors objected, claiming I was violating zoning by building the Ark in my front yard, so I had to get a variance from the city planning commission. Then I had a big problem getting enough wood for the Ark because there was a ban on cutting trees in order to save the Spotted Owl. I had to convince Fish and Wildlife people that I needed the wood to save the owls. But they wouldn't let me catch any owls. So no owls.

   Then the carpenters formed a union and went out on strike. I had to negotiate a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board before anyone would pick up a saw or a hammer. Then when I started gathering up animals, I got sued by an animal rights group. Just when I got the suit dismissed, the EPA notified me that I couldn't complete the Ark without filing an environmental impact statement on your proposed flood. Let me tell you, they didn't take kindly to the idea that they had no jurisdiction over the conduct of a Supreme Being. Then the Army Corps of Engineers wanted a map of the proposed new flood plain. So, I sent them a globe. They weren't amused.

Now I'm trying to resolve a complaint from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over how many minorities I'm supposed to hire. And on top of all that the IRS seized all my assets claiming I'm trying to avoid paying taxes by leaving the country. I really don't think I can finish for at least another five years," Noah wailed.

The sky began to clear. The sun began to shine. A rainbow arched across the sky. Noah looked up and smiled. "You mean you're not going to destroy the earth?" Noah asked, hopefully.. "No," said the Lord sadly, "The Government already has."

           

Many people refuse to take the biblical account of the flood as literal history, preferring to regard it as some kind of mythology which conveys to us certain important truths about ourselves and about the world. They point to the survival of various flood stories in different traditions in the East, and tell us that the account in Genesis 7 is one of these mythologies. However, the New Testament is under no illusion about the truthfulness and the trustworthiness of the Genesis account. Jesus tells us that no word of the scripture can be broken, and Peter, in 2 Peter 3, takes the account of the flood as the foundation for his emphasis upon the doctrine of the second coming, and the need for us to be prepared for final judgement, which, he argues, will come as surely and as certainly as this particular judgment came at this particular time.

Taking on the momentous task of saving the world, Noah is asked to do the impossible. The story of the flood is not so much a record of Noah’s job as it is God’s work in saving the world.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Tues April 17 

Verses- Genesis 7:1-10  “The LORD then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. ² Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, ³ and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. ⁴ Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.”

 ⁵ And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him.

          ⁶ Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth. ⁷ And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood. ⁸ Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground, ⁹ male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah.¹⁰ And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth

We Recognize God Gives Provision

            Noah is called righteous again in contrast to nearly everyone else in the world. His righteousness led him to obey God so also God would single him and his family out for salvation because the Lord had found him righteous.

            Ki Gulbranson has been teaching our SS class on Mathew 6:33 :Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”  The prime job description for mankind is seeking God’s kingdom. We saw that means submit yourself to the King of King and Lord of Lords, and seek to do what is right. That is not possible without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is to live like Jesus and reflect the character of God in our world.

            So God provides for Noah his grace and Noah responds in faith and in righteousness, doing the right things. Noah did exactly as God had commanded him to do because  Noah had faith in what God was going to do, even though he didn’t have the slightest clue how God was going to pull this off. Someone said, “Faith is responding to God’s word without regard to outside circumstances or feelings.”  So God was going to give to Noah exactly what he needed. God gives his provisions.

            It made no difference that Noah was 600 years old. He built the ark and got the food. He gathered his family. Notice v. 8 “Pairs of clean and unclean animals of birds and all of creatures that move along the ground, male and female came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah.”

            There were some things Noah could do and some things Noah could not do. God saw to it there was wood, but Noah had to cut it down gather it and follow God’s blueprints. Noah knew what he was to get with the animals, but unlike popular stories he didn’t spend his time roaming about the land looking for these beasts and furry things, God brought them to him. It says, “They came to Noah and entered the ark.” There is no stubborn donkey, or uncooperative hog refusing to go where Noah wanted him to go, God saw they were cooperative and provided the animals for Noah to carry out his own job.

Some have suggested this may have involved the origin of animal migratory instincts or, at least, an intensification of it. We also know that most animals possess the ability to sense danger and to move to a place of safety. Perhaps this instinct started with a couple of animals of each kind here. And seven pairs of other kind of animals.

            This raises another popular question, How many animals needed to be on the ark and isn’t it really a myth to think they all could be accommodated with only 8 people taking care of them for such a long time?

John Woodmorappe in his well documented book, Noah's Ark: A Feasibility Study”, demonstrates that as few as 2,000 animals may have been required on the ark. He continues his study by showing that the ark could easily accommodate 16,000 animals.

But, let's also be realistic. It is very doubtful that if you are going to have animals on for year that you will pick full grown giraffes and elephants, and hippos. But these were probably newborns, small babies to begin with, needing less food and water.

Woodmorappe noted that assuming the average animal to be about the size of a sheep and using a railroad car for comparison, we note that the average double-deck stock car can accommodate 240 sheep. Thus, three trains hauling 69 cars each would have ample space to carry the 50,000 animals, filling only 37% of the ark. This would leave an additional 361 cars or enough to make 5 trains of 72 cars each to carry all of the food and baggage plus Noah's family of eight people. The Ark had plenty of space.

           

God does not put us into situations and ask us to do something without giving us the resources needed to do his will. That is a given. Now those resources are not always put into our laps, but sometimes they are. We are to be faithful by doing the right thing and God will take care of the rest. We need patience, and that is hard especially in our society, but God will provide.      

           

He provided for Noah the plans, the workers, the time he needed, the animals and provided for him salvation from the storm that was brewing.

           

What is God calling you to do? Can you believe he will provide the resources, the time, the strength, the wisdom, the lessons, you need to carry out his plan? Obedience is our part, God’s provision for carrying out his will is His part.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Weds April 18 

Verses Gen 7: ¹¹ In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month—on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. ¹² And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.

           ¹³ On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark. ¹⁴ They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings. ¹⁵Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark. ¹⁶ The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD shut him in.

            ¹⁷ For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. ¹⁸The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. 

We Recognize God Gives Protection

God’s word is pretty specific here also giving us a date and time of the rain. Time is kept often by generations of people, just like it is today. The generations after Jesus is how we calculate our years. In the days of the Kings they used to keep time by the calendars based on the years of the reign of so and so. Hence, months, dates and years are mans’ calendar in relationship to peoples lives.

On this day recorded in history the rains fell 40 days and 40 nights. And all his sons, three of them were saved with their wives, and all the animals wild and tame, of the ground and of the air. Every kind that needed breath had either seven pairs if they were clean animals and two if they were unclean animals.

We always hear the story that they went in two by two. I like the artist portrayal of the ark downstairs donated by the Frietags it gives a marvelous thought of reality, not marching like a band, but throughout some scattered. It is fun to look for the mate in each of these pictures. Verse 2 tells us there were seven pairs of clean animals and one pair of the rest. Perhaps these clean animals were needed for sacrifice and that is also a provision of God.

But this is a story of judgment tempered with grace, for Noah and his family were preserved alive by God. In the midst of darkness there is light, and in the midst of hopelessness, despair and threatening, there is the power of God displayed in the rescuing of Noah.

Alan Cambell a Presbyterian minister reminds us of three things that God did for Noah: God took him in. The time came when the ark was ready; Noah had built it according to God's design and provision. It was Noah's ark, but ultimately it was God's ark, and God's provision alone was what gave salvation to Noah, his wife, his sons and his daughters-in-law. God said to him "Come into the ark" (7:1). This was a word of grace indeed. When the flood of judgement was to fall, a place of safety was provided. God protected his creation. Rather than starting over in creation he sought to redeem mankind and animals by special protection in the midst of the flood.

And the Gospel today is the same. In a world ripe for God's judgement and under God's threatening; in a world of sin, hopelessness and despair, God says - "Come into the ark". He tells us that there is a place of safety for us all. The predominant Gospel word is "Come" - it is on the lips of the Saviour again and again. There is no salvation without it. The Gospel invitation reverses sin's curse and sin's despair. When Adam and Eve sinned, God sent them out. Now he takes Noah in. Sin drives us away from God; the Gospel calls us to God. The message of grace is the message of a free, unfettered offer of pardon to lost sinners. God says to us "Come into the ark".

           

            Cambell also noted, God not only called Noah in; we read in verse 16 - "God shut him in". God closed the door, and made the ship finally watertight. For Noah, there was no condemnation any more. So it is with the rescue ship of the Gospel. There is finality about God's salvation in Christ that gives to sinners a complete and ultimate guarantee of salvation and of hope. There is no more condemnation for those who are shut in and closed in with Jesus Christ. To be sure, there may be difficulties in the way, trials to meet with, problems to overcome. But God has shut the door behind his people, "and no man opens it" (Revelation 3:7). With the key of David - with all the promises of God's eternal covenant of grace - God opens a door of hope for his people, and closes them in with Christ, where they are safe for all time.

The third thing is God kept him in. As the world drowned into a lost eternity, "Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive" (7:23). Outside there was chaos, judgment and death. Inside there was the presence of the living God, preserving life and keeping them through divine power. The Gospel not only promises us salvation; it promises that we will be kept by the power of God. It promises that the God who took us in, and who shut us in, will keep us in the hollow of his hand, where none can perish. To be in Christ is to be safe forever.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs April 19 

Verses- Gen 7:  ¹⁷ For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. ¹⁸The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. ¹⁹ They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. ²⁰ The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than fifteen cubits. ²¹ Every living thing that moved on land perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. ²² Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died.²³ Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.

 ²⁴ The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.

We Recognize God Gives Punishment.

God’s plan was to wipe out all living beings on the face of the earth. He was so fed up with sin and evil all the time in the hearts and lives of people.

            Some people wonder if the flood was global or only covered the area where Noah lived. The Bible says it covered mountains to the depth of more than 20 feet. Would not a flood covering the highest mountains of the Middle East not affect the rest of the world?

The Bible confirms that man had multiplied upon the face of the earth. Violence and corruption filled the earth  Man could not have existed only in the Mesopotamian region - a region too small to support such a large population, especially considering the natural dispersion affect of a violent society.

            Likewise if only those animals in a specific geographic location died, it would seem unnecessary for God to protect pairs in the ark for the express purpose of preventing their extinction. Surely there would be representatives of their kinds in other areas. If, on the other hand, there were some unique kinds of animals in the local flood's path, then it would seem more logical for God to send representative pairs out of the area, rather than to the ark, as He did. The Bible is clear that all the air-breathing, land animals perished during the flood, except those preserved with Noah - from which all modern animals are descended.

Peter delivered a clear global warning, confirming that God created the earth, devastated it by the flood, and will one day destroy it again by fire (2 Peter 3:5-7). Peter certainly did not mean that just a local area on earth would be burned. Just as the flood was global, so will be the final judgment.

There are also many evidences of fossils and geological discoveries showing this world wide catastrophe. Even the glacier ages made be some explanations of large bodies of water that after the atmospheric changes froze and we still have the effects of what is called the ice ages. The differing theories of the time can be accounted for the adjustments of temperatures and the location of oceans where only 1/7 of the earth now is not water.

            Although we rejoice in the provisions of God and the protection of God I can’t get away from the awfulness of the punishment of God. We see the horrible consequences of sin. When God offers freely salvation and people are so caught up in sin that they turn against God and do not respond to his grace the effects of sin are devastating. So many people say “How could I have been so blind?” I never realized that sin hurt so much.  People can be warned continually of the dangers of illicit sex but when AIDS or STD hits kids think only of the pleasure of the moment not the option that sex can kill. God’s plan is still best. When violence takes our land and children are being tried as adults popping off someone you don’t like is as easy a video game annihilation, no problems, no guilt. 

            How many people can be warned of drunk driving, yet 1000s are killed every year do to the influence of the damage of alcohol. Only now are some listening the dangers of gambling after notable affluent people have lost family house, jobs and even their freedoms when borrowing a little money for little time to pay off debts soon enslaves people to addictive habits. The lists go on, but dear people there comes a time when we have lived our lives for ourselves and rejected God’s offer of grace when there is punishment and many are hurt by it.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Fri April 20 –

Verses- Gen 7

We Recognize God’s Patience.

           

Last week we talked about grace. You cannot do what is right without accepting the gift of God first. That gift was offered to Noah and it is offered to you. Noah preached God’s coming judgment and importance of responding to God’s gift for 120 years. No one responded. I admit when no one responds to God’s salvation after I preach for a few months I get awfully discouraged. If I don’t see some people come to Christ I want to quit the pastorate and get someone else in here that can do the job. But I realize that salvation by my efforts is not salvation. Only if God’s spirit chooses to use words or lives do people get converted. And he uses many (including you) to plant, water, weed and harvest.

       So I look at Noah and think here is a guy who was in God’s will and had God’s Spirit and still everyone hardened their hearts to God’s message. He never led anyone to the Lord unless it was his own family.

God says it is going to rain. It really doesn’t make any difference that the people have never experienced rain before; it is enough for God to provide the rain. They may have scoffed at the idea of a flood. They could give great scientific arguments that say, “It has never happened before so we can logically conclude it will not happen.” That is a sound scientific theory. “All our observation has shown rain does not happen, so Noah you are wrong in living your life putting a boat together.”

I wonder what it was like for Noah and his family aboard the ship after God shut them in. He had no way to open the door when neighbors were crying to be saved, but it was too late. Can you see them calling from outside the Ark, "Let us in!"? As the waters rose the number of people outside the Ark rose as well. I wonder if Noah and his family could hear the whimpers slowly dying out as one by one the last people died.

Imagine how eerie it would have been to know that you were the only ones left on the earth. Everyone neighbors, enemies, friends, co-workers, all destroyed. The world as you knew it was gone. What would the future be like?

This is no movie. This was real life. These were the horrible consequences of sin. This is one of the things we must learn from this record. We need to see and feel the horrible consequences of sin in the record of Noah. Why? Because day after day you and I trifle with sin. We rationalize it, we excuse it, we seek to make it seem noble. And as we do, we lose sight of the horrible nature of rebellion against God and the subsequent judgment.

Matt 24:  ³⁷ As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸ For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; ³⁹ and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

How long has it been since the witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ? In America people scorn the gospel. Throughout the world believers in the Word of God are marginalized and persecuted. Look at the patience of God!

If you are have not accepted Jesus as you savior and don’t know for sure you are saved I have good news for you. This door is open right now. Rev.3:20. There are two ways this door can be closed by God- by death or by the rapture at the second coming of Jesus Christ. Are you prepared?

Don’t miss the way in which God chose to save the world. By making a provision, by giving protection, but God also gives punishment and the warning of the flood is a prophecy of something worse. For when the door of the ark was closed it was not opened again. Now is the day of salvation. Now is your day of witness and prayer for your friends and neighbors. God always warns of judgment and gives time for people to repent. Judgment is always against sin and he always follows through on his judgments and punishments for those who do not turn to God.

Only because of God’s patience that He hasn’t sent more floods. He promised the next destruction will be by fire.

“… him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37b

Pastor Dale