Tuesday 12 March 2013

Genesis 6-8 by Dr.Thomas Chung dated 10.3.13

Depravity of Fallen Man & Inevitable Judgment of God by Dr. Thomas Chung dated 10.3.13 
This sermon is based on Genesis Chapter 6, 7 & 8. The Bible says there is nothing good in man, but psychologists say man is basically good, however, they have done many things wrong. In Genesis 7 & 8, the Bible talked about the inevitable judgment of God. His judgment led the Israelites to be led into captivity in Egypt. God did not like it, but He has no other ways. We can see what God is doing in the Middle East, Africa, and other parts of the world.
 The Facts
 In Genesis 6:3 God limited the life of man to 120 years old. He has to do that, can you imagine Hitler and Idi Amin living 800 years? In Psalm 90:10 God limited life to 70 years. Genesis 6:4, the Nephilim was taught to be angelic being who consummated with human to produce giants. Gen 6:5 men were wicked, just like nowadays people are wicked. The passage said God regretted creating man. Does God really regretted, changed His mind and repented? It seem these were mentioned in the Bible. Can we bargain with God? Abraham bargained with God about the destruction of Gomorrah and Sodom. God did not want to send the great floods, but He had no choice. The God of love also must combine His love with judgment. Resurrection can happen only when there is death. Usually Judgment preceded blessings. This seems to be the pattern God followed. Gen 6:11-13 the earth was filled with the spirit of violence. The earth was corrupted. God was determined to destroy all flesh. Everything on earth will die. In remnant theology like in Book of Jeremiah only the remnants returned to build the Temple, also in Nehemiah. Today the Christian churches are also remnants who are faithful to the teachings of the Bible awaiting the coming of Jesus Christ. Gen 6:8 & 9 Noah found favors in God because a) he was righteous b) He walked with God. These are the two things God wanted man to follow. 
Four Spiritual virtues 
1. He found favor with God – he lived under the grace of God and it is wonderful to live under God’s grace. This is also the message in the New Testament.
 2. He was righteous – He lived in the character of God. God is righteous. No man is good only God is good. 
3. He was blameless – God never made a mistake. We should not complain. The Bible said count it all joy when you are faced with temptations.
 4. He walked with God – he had relationship with God. Amos 3:3 two walk together only when they are agreeable. He submitted to God thereby experiencing peace. Genesis 7: 2 God commanded the preservation of the species. Time in the Ark was only 40 days. The Ark rested on mount Ararat.
 Noah’s Act of Worship 
Noah built an altar to God after the floods. 
A) to worship God. Today the church is like an altar to God where Christians worship God 
B) Thanks giving. Noah was thankful to God. Like Noah we should be thankful. Noah was thankful that God spared his family. God looks at our hearts Gen 8:21 He smelled the pleasing aroma. God will not curse the ground any more. 
After the judgment things went back to normal again. After 70 years in exile in Babylon the Israelites went back to Israel again. Judgment preceded blessings. Every rain followed by sunshine, every darkness followed with light, every winter comes spring. 
God made a covenant with Noah Gen 8:9. Covenant was made with:
 a) Noah and his descendants.
 b) Animals he created 
c) Never to curse the earth
 Applications 
The stories in Genesis taught us the ways of God. Jesus and the theology of man – Jesus and Paul. Jesus understood man’s heart. John 2:22-23. Paul said he did what he did not want to do. Such is the nature of man. Paul also said he was the chief sinner.
 The power of Christ to renew and transform us – we need to be renewed and transform to do what He wanted us to do. 
We must be born again. We cannot better ourselves, only God can do that. John 3:3. Only those born- again can see the kingdom of God. Any one in Christ is a new creation.

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