Starting Fresh
Notes
Transcript
Handout
This Week’s Theme: A Spiritual Contract
Word for the Week is Covenant: It is God’s commitment to, and requirement of, his people expressed in promise, law, judgment, faithfulness and mercy. Also used of commitment within human relationships based upon agreements.
Memory verse: Psalm 62:11 God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God.
Essence of the Text: After the worldwide flood, God gave instructions to humanity and pledged to every living creature His commitment to never destroy the earth in that manner and He put a sign in the raincloud.
Proposition: At the start of a new year, it is important to adhere to God’s instructions and remember His commitment to you.
Objective: I want those in attendance to give an honest appraisal of their obedience to God’s commands and their appreciation of God’s faithfulness.
Sermon Passage: Genesis 9:8-17
8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying:
9 “And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you,
10 and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth.
11 Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
12 And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.
14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;
15 and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16 The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
INTRODUCTION: Has your crooked and perverse ways, your missing the mark set by God, and your breaking of trust with others and the WRATH from God that those actions and attitudes have brought caused you to say, “I need a fresh start!”
At the start of a new year, it is important to adhere to God’s instructions and remember His commitment to you.
THERE ARE SOME LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM THE STORY OF NOAH BECAUSE IN HIS DAY MEN WERE WICKED LOOK AT GENESIS 6.
5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
7 So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”
Wrath of God
17 And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die.
HE DESTROYED THE EARTH
23 So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive.
I. Resolve to Comply to His Commands
I. Resolve to Comply to His Commands
1 So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.
2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand.
3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.
4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.
5 Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man.
6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man.
7 And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; Bring forth abundantly in the earth And multiply in it.”
NOAH HAD ALREADY BEEN PRACTICING OBEDIENCE
Genesis 6:22 “22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.”
HE JUST NEEDED TO BUILD ON THAT OBEDIENCE
WISE INDIVIDUAL
24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
FAMILY STATUS
50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
ABIDING FOREVER
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Apply: Comply
II. Resolve to Comprehend His Covenant
II. Resolve to Comprehend His Covenant
8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying:
9 “And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you,
10 and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth.
11 Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
12 And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.
14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;
15 and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16 The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
Apply: Comprehend His Contract
III. Resolve to Celebrate His Character
III. Resolve to Celebrate His Character
A. CELEBRATE HIS MERCIFULNESS
A. CELEBRATE HIS MERCIFULNESS
1 Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided.
2 O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.
IF YOU ARE HERE TODAY YOU HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE TO GET IT RIGHT
HE IS INDEED A GOD OF A SECOND, THIRD, MANY CHANCES
B. CELEBRATE HIS FAITHFULNESS
B. CELEBRATE HIS FAITHFULNESS
13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.
14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;
15 and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
8 He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,
22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
C. CELEBRATE HIS POWER AND AUTHORITY
C. CELEBRATE HIS POWER AND AUTHORITY
THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY SENT THE FLOOD WATERS
NO ONE STOPPED HIM OR TOOK HIM TO COURT
HE ALSO DRIED THE FLOOD WATERS
NO ONE STOPPED HIM OR EVEN HELPED HIM
HE PROMISED NEVER TO DESTROY THE ENTIRE EARTH AGAIN WITH FLOOD WATERS
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE
OMNISCIENCE OF GOD
I CAN’T OUT THINK HIM
I CAN’T OUT SMART HIM
OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD
I CAN’T OUT RUN HIM
I CAN’T HID FROM HIM
OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD
I CAN’T OVERPOWER HIM
I CAN’T DEFEAT HIM
HE HAS POWER AND AUTHORITY
He can make nothing into something
YOUR …problems MAY BE paralyzing YOU…
YOUR …situations MAY BE shaking YOU..,
YOUR …obstacles MAY BE overcoming YOU…
YOUR …trials MAY BE ABOUT TO destroy YOU…
BUT TODAY IS A NEW DAY, BUT THIS YEAR IS A NEW YEAR
THIS TIME YOU ARE GOING
STOP TRYING TO FIX YOUR LIFE
TURN IT OVER TO TO THE LORD
STOP TRYING TO SOLVE IT
TURN IT OVER TO JESUS
STOP TRYING TO HANDLE IT
TURN IT OVER TO CHRIST
AND WHEN YOU TURN IT OVER
YOUR PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED
YOUR QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED
YOUR TROUBLES CAN BE TRANSFORMED
ASK ABRAM
HE CAN TURN YOU INTO AN ABRAHAM
ASK SARAI
HE CAN TURN YOU INTO A SARAH
ASK JACOB
HE CAN TURN YOU INTO AN ISRAEL
ASK SAUL
HE CAN TURN YOU INTO A PAUL
GIDEON’S LIFE SHOWED THAT
Cowards ARE TURNED into Conquerors
RUTH’S LIFE PROVES THAT
Victims ARE TURNED into the victorious
KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S LIFE PROVES THAT THE
Proud ARE TURNED into the humble
YOUR LIFE IN THE HANDS OF OUR LORD
YOUR RESENTFUL HEART CAN BE TURNED into A forgiving HEART
IN CHRIST’S HANDS
Liars ARE TURNED into the truthful
Foolish ARE TURNED into the wise
Losers ARE TURNED into Winners
CAN I GET A WITNESS!
IN CHRIST’S HANDS
The weak ARE MADE strong
The Least ARE MADE Leaders
SOMEBODY OUGHT TO TESTIFY TODAY!
BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE CHRIST IS
THE ANCHOR THAT SECURES YOU
THE REFUGE THAT CONSOLES YOU
SOMEBODY OUGHT TO CELEBRATE HIM TODAY
BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE CHRIST IS
THE CONFIDENCE THAT ASSURES YOU
THE ABUNDANCE THAT SUPPLIES YOU
SOMEBODY OUGHT TO PRAISE HIM TODAY
BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE CHRIST IS
THE WEALTH THAT ENRICHES YOU
THE PROVISION THAT SATISFIES YOU
SOMEBODY OUGHT TO TESTIFY
BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE CHRIST IS
THE ATONEMENT THAT JUSTIFIES YOU
THE DEFENSE THAT KEEPS YOU
THE EXAMPLE THAT INSPIRES YOU
AND
THE PROVIDER THAT SUSTAINS YOU
IT’S TIME FOR A FRESH START
START FRESH!
START FRESH!
STOP TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT
NO MORE LIVING LIFE WITH WITH CORRUPT COMMUNICATION
CLEAN YOUR WORDS AND MAKE YOUR COMMUNICATION
FRESH TO THE MAX!
NO MORE LIVING LIFE WITH DEFEATED DECLARATION
WASH YOUR MOUTH OUT DAILY AND MAKE YOU DECLARATION
FRESH
So when YOU don’t know which way to go
sing
Precious Lord, take my hand led me on and let me stand.
When YOU ARE overwhelmed by the pressures of life
sing.
I need thee, Lord. I need thee, every hour, I need thee.
When YOU ARE scared and feeling all alone
sing
Walk with me Lord, walk with me, Lord
While I’m on this
WHEN YOU FEEL ALONE
SING
I’M NEVER ALONE. I DON’T HAVE TO WORRY BECAUSE I’M NEVER ALONE.
When YOU need reminding about YOU salvation
sing.
At the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light
PRAISE HIM
Celebrate HIM
ELEVATE HIM
What a Mighty God we serve!