Fractured: Genesis, Part 2
Building off the beginning of the previous series, we will continue to journey through the book of Genesis by exploring chapters 4-11 during Lent. Each of these messages will explore the reality of a humanity ‘s fracturing from God and how we see that in each descent of the Fall through these stories. Each of these early stories speak of our need for God and leads us through a season of lament and repentance consonant with the season of Lent.
Confusion Among the Nations: The Tower of Babel
This message will focus primarily on the story of the Tower of Babel and how it sets the stage for the confusion of the nations and separation of peoples based in the vain pride of humanity. The message will point toward God’s intervention in Abraham and through that toward the need for Christ. (Genesis 11:1-32) Sermon Outline “Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” (Genesis 11:7) The God-displacing Efforts of Disordered…
Faltering at the Finish Line: After the Flood
This message explores Noah’s inglorious end and the expanding table of nations in Genesis 10. What does this tell us about who we are? (Genesis 9:18-10:32) Sermon Outline “Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard.” (Genesis 9:20) A New Beginning and the Table of Nations (9:18-19; 10:1-32) A new beginning in light of God’s covenant blessing (9:18-19) God works with the generations and all peoples Noah’s Vineyard (9:20-21) Noah is the new man of the soil,…
Healing for the Earth: The Flood, Part 2
This message will pick up with the second half of the flood story all the way through God’s covenant with Noah marked by the rainbow. Some attention here to the Noahic Covenant and Christological connections with it. (Genesis 8:1-9:17; 1 Peter 3:19-22) Sermon Outline “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.” (Genesis 8:1) “He remembers His…
The Need for Cleansing: The Flood, Part 1
This message will explore God’s need to cleanse the earth and the importance of Noah and his family for this work. The story of the building of the ark, the gathering of the animals, and the downpour upon the earth will receive focus here. How do we still need cleansing? (Genesis 6:9-8:1) Sermon Outline “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on…
The Expansion of Evil: Before the Flood
This passage is one we might be apt to skip over because we’re not sure what to say about these stories of people. But there’s a reminder here that over time humanity expands, grows, and spreads to different places. This message will bring focus to the curious text about the Nephilim and the continual expansion of evil over this time which troubles God’s heart (6:6). (Genesis 4:17-6:8) Sermon Outline “The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race…
The Power of Anger: Cain & Abel
This message will explore the human tendency toward jealousy and anger. Working in Jesus’ teaching on the Sermon on the Mount about anger and murder will help us from seeing Cain and Abel as an episode of terror removed from us. (Genesis 4:1-17; Matthew 5:21-26) Sermon Outline “Now Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let’s go out to the field.’ While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.” (Genesis 4:8) The Turn Toward the…