The Story Begins: The Joy and Cost of Radical Obedience

The Story Begins: The Joy and Cost of Radical Obedience

Genesis 6 

1-26-20

Genesis 4:6-7 - “The Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.’”

Genesis 4:25-26 - “And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, ‘God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.’…At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.”     

Genesis 5:3 - “When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.”  

Genesis 5:32 - “After Noah was 500 years old, Noah fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.”        

Genesis 6:1-8

I. Favor with God - Privileged, Blessed, Graced, Given Kindness Beyond what is Deserved or Conceivable. (6:1-8)

Genesis 19:19 - “Lot said, ‘Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life.’” 

Genesis 30:29-30 - “Jacob said to Laban… ‘you had little before I came, and it has increased abundantly, and the Lord has blessed (favored) you wherever I turned.’”

Deuteronomy 7:7 - “It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you (delighted in you, favored you), for you were the fewest of all peoples.”

Esther 2:17 - “The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won (wore, carried, was granted) grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head…”

Luke 1:28 - “The Angel came to (Mary) and said, ‘Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you!’”

Ephesians 1:6, 12 - “To the praise of his glorious grace…which He has blessed (favored) us in the Beloved…so that we…would be to the praise of his glory.”

II. Righteous - Walking Pleasing to God, Right with God.

 “…Noah was a righteous man...” - Genesis 6:9

III. Blameless - Complete, Fullness of Integrity, Faithful in Relationships.

“… Noah was… blameless in his generation…” Genesis 6:9

Genesis 6:22 - “Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.”

Genesis 7:5 - “And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.”

Genesis 7:9 - “Two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah.” 

Genesis 7:16 -  “And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in.”    

Proverbs 11:3 - “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.”

2 Corinthians 8:21 - “For we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man.”

IV. Walking with God – Be close, continue in a steadfast relationship. (6:9-10)

^“... Noah walked with God. And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.”

Genesis 6:9-10

Amos 3:3 - “Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?”

Galatians 5:16 - “… walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the  desires of the flesh.”

Acts 4:13 - “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John…they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”

V. Working and Witnessing. (6:11-22)

2 Peter 2:5 - “…GOD did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly.”

Hebrews 11:7 - “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”     

Luke 17:26-27, 30 – “Jesus said, ‘Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man.  They were eating and drinking and marrying…until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all... so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.’” 

 Questions for Growth This Week

1. Read Genesis 6 and have someone summarize.

2. What Gospel conversations have you had lately that you can celebrate with the group? Share something God spoke to you from the scripture or Sunday’s message.

3. Why is it important that we recognize that God’s goodness and grace must precede our faith and obedience? (Eph. 1:7-12, 2:8-10)

4. "I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God offerings that cost me nothing" (2 Samuel 24:24). Does your faith cost you anything? How has your faith been radical lately?

5. Read Hebrews 11:7 and 2 Peter 2:5. What was it about Noah’s life that demonstrated his radical faith and obedience in God?

6. What can you learn from Noah’s example of radical faithfulness and obedience in where He has placed you?

7. Noah worked and witnessed. How is it going for you to be a witness of Christ at work/school/retirement? What makes your witness about Christ difficult where you are? Pray for one another.