SIMPLE TRUTHS from GENESIS
Gen. 1-22
Last week, Joy and I had the privilege of hearing Marquis Laughlin quote the first 22 chapters of Genesis. These were all familiar stories about Creation, Adam & Eve, Cain & Abel, Noah, Abraham & Sarah, etc. But as I listened to God’s Word being quoted, many insights filled my mind, and I have been meditating on those concepts all week long. This morning, I’d simply like to share with you what God has been saying to me through the book of beginnings- the book of Genesis. A.W. Pink called his observations: "Gleanings in Genesis." I just call this message, "SIMPLE TRUTHS about the nature of God, man, sin and salvation."
GENESIS 1 & 2
1.) "THE GREATNESS OF GOD’S POWER"
1st Day
God said: "Let there be light."
2nd Day
God said: "Let there be a firmament."
3rd Day
God said: "Let there be water and dry land."
4th Day
God said: "Let there be lights in the heavens." (Sun, moon and stars)
5th Day
God said: "Let the water and sky be filled with animals."
6th Day
God said, "Let the earth bring forth every living creature."
"Let us make man in our image"
God speaks and it is done. If God created everything that exists in the universe in six days, NOTHING is too difficult for Him.
2.) THE GOODNESS OF GOD’S CREATION"
After each day’s creation, God proclaimed: "It is good!" With one exception - when He created man, He said, "It is NOT good that man should be alone. I will make him a helper fit for him."
And again, God’s creation was good - for He established the first family. I am so thankful for the goodness of God’s creation and the blessing of marriage and family. The beautiful, glorious creation has two purposes: 1)To glorify God the Creator, 2)To be a blessing to man and creature.
GENESIS 3 & 4
1.) "THE SELF-CENTEREDNESS OF MAN"
3:6 "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and to be desired to make one wise, she took the fruit thereof."
God: "Have you eaten of the tree?"
3:12 "The man said, ’The woman you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree and I did eat."
God: "What have you done?"
3:13 "The woman said, ’The serpent tricked me, and I did eat."
God: "Where is Able your brother?"
4:9 "I know not, am I my brother’s keeper?"
From the very beginning, man has been self-centered, wanting to do it OUR WAY rather than God’s way. And even when we are caught, we have an excuse for our disobedience and are unwilling to accept the consequences.
2.) "THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN"
3:14 Serpent - crawling on his belly and eating dirt.
3:15 Satan- Crushed head
3:16 Woman - pain in child-bearing;
being "ruled over" by her husband.
3:17-19 Man- Cursed earth: thorns, thistles, sweat, death, exclusion from the Garden and the Tree of Life.
When we disobey God, there are both natural and spiritual consequences. As believers, we are immune from the eternal consequences of sin, but the natural and spiritual consequences are still in effect.
GENESIS 5-21
1.) "THE INEVITABILITY OF DEATH"
6:5 Adam lived 930 yrs. and he died.
7-8 Seth lived 912 yrs. and he died.
10-11 Enos lived 815 yrs. and he died.
13-14 Cainan lived 840 yrs. and he died.
16-17 Mahalaleel lived 895 yrs. and he died.
My Aunt Alice died this past week, and at her funeral I spoke on this poem:
Life is Short
Death is Sure
Sin the Reason
Christ the Cure
But you know there was one exception to the rule - 5:24 "Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him." One little girl put it this way when she came home from Sunday School: Her mother asked her what she learned in class that day. She said, "Don’t you know, Mother - one day they went for an extra long walk, and they walked on and on, until God said to Enoch, ’You are such a long way from home, you had better just come in and stay!’" (Illus. #7141 in Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations by Paul Lee Tan)
And you know, if we walk with God, some of us, may not have to die either. Very soon, Jesus is coming to rapture His Church right out of here!
2.) "TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF THE HEART"
6:5 "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."
9:21 "And Noah drank of the wine and was drunk -and he was uncovered in his tent."
11:4 "And the people of Shinar said, ’Let us build a city and a tower, whose top may reach heaven - and let us make us a name."
10:2 "Sarai said to Abraham, ’The Lord has restrained me from bearing, I pray thee, go into my maid - it may be that I may obtain children by her.’"
19:5 "The men of Sodom said to Lot, ’Where are the men that came to you this night? Bring them out to us that we might know them.’"
19:26 "But Lot’s wife looked back - and she became a pillar of salt."
It didn’t take long for the world to become totally corrupted - wicked thoughts and imaginations, drunkenness, pride, immorality, homosexuality. My friend, we have the same depraved tendencies, but we have turned to Christ for salvation - let’s never look back!
GENESIS 22
1.) "THE WONDERFUL WAY OF SALVATION"
No matter how depraved we are, God in His mercy always offers a way out - a way of salvation.
3:15 "I will put enmity between you (the serpent) and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall crush your head, and you shall bruise His heel."
3:21 "For Adam and his wife Eve did the Lord make coats of skins and clothed them."
4:4 "Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock as an offering. And the Lord had respect to Abel and his offering."
7:16 "And Noah and his family went into the ark, as God had commanded him, and the Lord shut him in."
12:2+3 "I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make your name great and you shall be a blessing. By your seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed."
(back to GENESIS 18:22-23)
"If there be 50 righteous in the city, will You spare it? Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 45? 40? 30? 20? 10?" Unfortunately, there were not even ten, but God, in His mercy did spare Abram, Sarai and Lot.
21:1&2 "And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said and the LORD did to Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him."
22:8 "And Abraham said, ’My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering."
2.) "THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY OF FAITH"
God’s grace is always received by faith.
-Adam and Eve believed God and put on the sacrificial coats He made them.
-Able believed God and offered Him a perfect lamb as a sacrifice.
-Noah believed God and got into the ark.
-Abraham believed God, and God gave him a son through whom Messiah would come.
-Abraham believed God enough to offer his precious son as a sacrifice to God.
"Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness." (Gen. 15:6)
When we believe - God provides!
Gen. 2:13, 14 "Abraham lifted up h is eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place, "Jehovah-Jireh" ("The Lord Provides"). I want that kind of faith that not only trusts God for Salvation, but also believes God for the provision of all things - even the strength to sacrifice the dearest thing I own for the privilege of walking with God!
These are eight truths I learned this week:
1. The greatness of God’s power
2. The goodness of God’s creation
3. The self-centeredness of man
4. The consequences of sin
5. The inevitability of death
6. The total depravity of the heart.
7. The wonderful way of salvation.
8. The absolute necessity of faith.
What are some of the things you’ve learned?
~Pastor Jim Westervelt
gracefellowship3@earthlink.net
~CHURCH WEBSITE (new and still in progress):
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/g/graceworship/
