God Makes Promises
Notes
Transcript
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GOD MAKES PROMISES
• FOR THOSE WHO GREW UP
WITH THE BIBLE
• SUCH A STATEMENT DOES NOT
SEEM STRANGE
• BUT THINK ABOUT IT FOR A
MOMENT
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• GOD, THE SUPREME BEING IN THE
UNIVERSE,
• THE CREATOR, SUSTAINER OF THE
UNIVERSE
• STEPPING INTO HUMAN HISTORY AND
MAKES AGREEMENTS WITH PEOPLE
• IF YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT THAT
IS A SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL CONCEPT
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• JUST IMAGINE IF THE UNITED
STATES GOVERNMENT
• SENT A TRADE DELEGATION
• TO A CHILD RUNNING A
LEMONADE STAND IN MULLIN
• THEY MAKE A TRADE AGREEMENT,
A COVENANT WITH THIS CHILD
• THE UNITED STATES COULD NOT
POSSIBLY BENEFIT FROM THIS
AGREEMENT
• IT IS ABSURD TO THINK THEY NEED
ANYTHING
• FROM THE CHILD AND HIS LEMONADE
STAND (PAUSE)
• WHEN GOD MAKES A COVENANT WITH
US
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• HE CAN GAIN NOTHING BY MAKING
IT.
• WHEN GOD MAKES A COVENANT
WITH US
• HE ACCEPTS RESTRICTIONS ON HIS
FUTURE ACTIONS
• HE DOES THIS BECAUSE OF HIS VAST
LOVE FOR US.
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• TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT GOD
MAKING A COVENANT WITH NOAH
• NOAH HAS NOTHING TO OFFER GOD
• GOD GAINS NOTHING BY THIS
COVENANT
• BUT NOAH, HIS SONS AND ALL LIFE ON
EARTH ARE BLESSED BY THIS COVENANT
• TURN TO GENESIS 9:8
• GOD HAD JUST BLESSED NOAH
AND HIS SONS
• AND INSTRUCTED THEM TO BE
MULTIPLY AND FILL THE EARTH
• HE HAD GIVEN THEM THE
ANIMALS AS FOOD
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• AND HAD TOLD THEM THAT HE
WOULD REQUIRE A LIFE
• WHEN THE LIFE OF A HUMAN
WAS TAKEN
• HE WILL NOW MAKE A
PROMISE AND ESTABLISH A
COVENANT WITH MANKIND
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GENESIS 9:8–10
THEN GOD SPOKE TO NOAH AND
TO HIS SONS WITH HIM, SAYING,
“NOW BEHOLD, I MYSELF DO
ESTABLISH MY COVENANT WITH
YOU, AND WITH YOUR
DESCENDANTS AFTER YOU;
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AND WITH EVERY LIVING
CREATURE THAT IS WITH YOU,
THE BIRDS, THE CATTLE, AND
EVERY BEAST OF THE EARTH
WITH YOU; OF ALL THAT
COMES OUT OF THE ARK, EVEN
EVERY BEAST OF THE EARTH.
GOD SPEAKS TO US
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• NOTICE HOW GOD MAKES THIS
COVENANT WITH NOAH AND HIS SON
• “THEN GOD SPOKE TO NOAH AND TO
HIS SONS WITH HIM, SAYING,”
• IF YOU GREW UP WITH THE BIBLE
THIS SEEMS NORMAL TO YOU
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• GOD SPOKE WITH ABRAHAM WHEN
HE MADE A COVENANT WITH HIM
• GOD SPOKE WITH MOSES, GOD
SPOKE WITH DAVID.
• WE SHOULD BE SO THANKFUL WE
HAVE A GOD THAT COMMUNICATES
WITH US
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• WHEN HE DOES COMMUNICATE WITH
US WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION
• GOD COMMUNICATED HIS COVENANT
WITH THESE PEOPLE VERBALLY
• GOD CHOOSES OTHER METHODS TO
COMMUNICATE
• THE NEW COVENANT WITH US
HEBREWS 1:1–2
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GOD, AFTER HE SPOKE LONG AGO TO
THE FATHERS IN THE PROPHETS IN
MANY PORTIONS AND IN MANY WAYS,
IN THESE LAST DAYS HAS SPOKEN TO
US IN HIS SON, WHOM HE APPOINTED
HEIR OF ALL THINGS, THROUGH
WHOM ALSO HE MADE THE WORLD.
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• GOD STILL SPEAKS TO US, HE DOES
SO NOW
• THROUGH HIS WORD, THE BIBLE
• IF YOU GREW UP AROUND THE
BIBLE THIS MAY SEEMS OBVIOUS TO
YOU
• BUT FOR THOSE OF US WHO WERE
NOT RAISED AROUND THE BIBLE
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• THE CONCEPT THAT GOD TALKS TO
US THROUGH SCRIPTURE
• IS JUST AS AMAZING AS THE IDEA OF
HIM TALKING TO US VERBALLY
• “YOU MEAN WE HAVE A BOOK THAT
HAS THE WORDS
• OF THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE
IN IT
• AND HE TELLS US HOW HE WANTS
US TO LIVE?”
• I WANT YOU TO TRY TO THINK
ABOUT THAT A FRESH MIND
• IF YOU DID NOT KNOW THERE WAS
A BIBLE JUST HOW
• AMAZING IT WOULD BE TO FIND
OUT THAT THERE IS A
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• BOOK IN WHICH THE ONE WHO
CREATED UNIVERSE
• MAKES PROMISES, INSTRUCTS US ON
HOW TO LIVE
• AND MAKES AN OFFER TO PAY FOR
OUR SINS BY HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS
• I REALLY THINK IF WE UNDERSTOOD
WHAT THE BIBLE IS
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• WE WOULD BE SO MUCH
MORE EXCITED ABOUT IT
• ABOUT STUDYING IT, ABOUT
READING IT, ABOUT LIVING IT
• ABOUT THE PROMISES, THE
COVENANTS GOD MAKES IN IT.
GOD MAKES COVENANTS
• DID YOU NOTICE WHO MAKES
THIS COVENANT
• “NOW BEHOLD, I MYSELF DO
ESTABLISH MY COVENANT”
• GOD DID NOT SAY “WE
ESTABLISH OUR COVENANT”
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• HE SAID I, MYSELF… AND CALLED IT
“MY COVENANT”
• THERE ARE TWO BASIC KINDS OF
COVENANTS
• IN AN CONDITIONAL COVENANT
BOTH PARTIES AGREE TO DO THINGS
• BOTH HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES, BOTH
HAVE REQUIREMENTS
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• IN AN UNCONDITIONAL
COVENANT ONLY ONE PARTY HAS
• RESPONSIBILITIES, ONLY ONE
HAS REQUIREMENTS TO FULFILL
• I AM NOT SURE YOU COULD BE
MORE CLEAR ABOUT
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• THIS BEING AN
UNCONDITIONAL COVENANT
• DEFINES IT AS “MY COVENANT”
HE SAYS “I MYSELF ESTABLISH”
• THERE IS NO LIST OF
CONDITIONS THAT MUST BE
FOLLOWED BY MAN
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• SOME FOLKS WANT TO SAY
THINGS BEFORE THIS ARE
COVENANT REQUIREMENTS
• THE INSTRUCTIONS TO
MULTIPLY AND FILL THE EARTH
• THE NOT EATING MEAT WITH
THE BLOOD STILL IN IT
• AND THE REQUIREMENT OF A LIFE
FOR A LIFE
• ARE THE CONDITIONS FOR THE
COVENANT
• BUT THAT CAN’T BE CAUSE SEE WE
BROKE
• ALL THOSE AND GOD HAS KEPT HIS
PART
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• THEY DID NOT FILL THE EARTH
THEY BUILT THE TOWER OF BABEL
• PEOPLE DID AND STILL DO EAT
MEAT WITH THE BLOOD IN IT
• AND PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN AWAY
WITH MURDER FOR 1000S OF
YEARS
• SO THOSE CAN’T BE THE
CONDITIONS FOR THIS
COVENANT
• THIS COVENANT IS
UNCONDITIONAL
• GOD MAKES THIS PROMISE
NOT BASED
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• ON ANYTHING ANYONE IN THE
WORLD DOES (PAUSE)
• NOT ONLY IS THIS COVENANT
UNCONDITIONAL IT IS
UNIVERSAL
GOD CHOOSES WHO
• GOD DETERMINES WHO IS
INCLUDED IN HIS COVENANTS
• GOD MAKES THIS COVENANT;
• “WITH YOU, AND WITH YOUR
DESCENDANTS AFTER YOU;”
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• IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THIS MEANS
EVERYONE
• BECAUSE THERE IS NO ONE ALIVE
ON EARTH
• WHO IS NOT A DESCENDANT OF
NOAH
• THAT MEANS THIS COVENANT
APPLIES TO EVERYONE ON EARTH
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• THIS IS NOT THE CASE IN OTHER
COVENANTS GOD HAS MADE
• THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT ONLY
APPLIES TO THE DESCENDANTS OF
ABRAHAM
• BOTH HIS PHYSICAL DESCENDANTS
AND HIS DESCENDANTS IN THE
FAITH
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• THE MOSAIC COVENANT ONLY
APPLIED TO THE PEOPLE OF
ISRAEL
• AND THE NEW COVENANT ONLY
APPLIES TO THOSE WHO TRUST
• IN JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR
SAVOIR (PAUSE)
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• SINCE GOD IS THE ONE INITIATING THESE
COVENANTS
• HE IS THE ONE WHO DECIDES WHO THEY
APPLY TO
• WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHEN WE
START APPLYING THE PROMISES
• IN THESE COVENANTS TO PEOPLE WHO
GOD DID NOT INCLUDE IN THAT SPECIFIC
COVENANT
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• WE CAN END UP WITH SOME VERY BAD
THEOLOGY
• THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL APPLIES
STATEMENTS IN THE MOSAIC COVENANT
• TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT IN THAT
COVENANT
• THE UNIVERSALIST THEOLOGY APPLIES
THE NEW COVENANT
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• TO PEOPLE ARE NOT IN THE NEW
COVENANT (PAUSE)
• GOD IS THE ONE MAKING THE
PROMISES IN THESE COVENANTS
• HE IS UTTERLY IN CHARGE OF WHAT
IS IN THEM AND WHO THEY APPLY TO
• IT DOES NOT GO WELL WHEN WE
IGNORE
• GOD WISHES AND PILE WHATEVER
WE WANT ON THE COVENANTS
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A WOMAN LIKED HER
HAMBURGERS WITH JUST THE
BUN & THE MEAT.
• NOTHING ELSE. BUN, MEAT, BUN. NO
KETCHUP, NO MUSTARD,
• NO RELISH, NO PICKLES, NO
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• ONIONS, NO NOTHING!! JUST BUN,
MEAT, BUN.
• ONE EVENING SHE SENT HER HUSBAND
OUT TO A LOCAL RESTAURANT TO GET
• HER A BURGER. NOT MUCH LATER, HE
RETURNED WITH A BURGER. SHE
• OPENED IT UP, FINDING WHAT MOST
WOULD LABEL THE PERFECT
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• HAMBURGER. LETTUCE, TOMATO,
PICKLES, MUSTARD, KETCHUP, ONION,
• RELISH, BACON, ETC, ETC, ETC. IT WAS
A MASTERPIECE! IT SMELLED
• GOOD, IT LOOKED GOOD, IT WOULD
LIKELY TASTE GOOD.
• SHE PUT THE BURGER BACK IN THE
PACKAGING, GAVE IT BACK TO HER
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• HUSBAND, AND SENT HIM BACK TO
THE RESTAURANT. HE WAS NOT TO
• RETURN UNTIL HE BROUGHT HER A
HAMBURGER CONSISTING OF:
BUN, MEAT, BUN.
• AND ONLY, BUN, MEAT, BUN.
• THAT'S ALL SHE ASKED FOR.
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• SHE WANTED NOTHING MORE,
SHE WANTED NOTHING LESS.
• JUST AS A HUSBAND SHOULD
NOT TRY TO TELL HIS WIFE
• WHAT SHE SHOULD HAVE ON
HER HAMBURGER
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• WE NEED TO NOT TRY TO TELL GOD
WHO SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN HIS
COVENANTS
• WHEN GOD MAKES A COVENANT
WE MAY THINK EVERYONE SHOULD
BE INCLUDED
• LIKE GOD DID WITH THE COVENANT
WITH NOAH
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• BUT GOD MAY WANT TO
INCLUDE ONLY SOME FOLKS
• WHEN GOD MAKES A COVENANT
WITH MAN HE DECIDES WHO
WILL BE INCLUDED (PAUSE)
• IN THE COVENANT WITH NOAH
HE INCLUDED ALL LIVING THINGS
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• IN THE COVENANT WITH
MOSES HE INCLUDED ONLY
THE NATION OF ISRAEL
• IN THE NEW COVENANT HE
INCLUDED ONLY THOSE WHO
• PLACE THEIR FAITH AND TRUST
IN JESUS AS SAVOIR
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• WE DON’T GET TO TELL GOD WHO
TO INCLUDE IN A COVENANT
• WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HE WAS
UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO
INCLUDE ANYONE
• WE NEED TO BE GRATEFUL AND
THANKFUL THAT HE MAKES
COVENANT PROMISES
GENESIS 9:11
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“I ESTABLISH MY COVENANT WITH
YOU; AND ALL FLESH SHALL
NEVER AGAIN BE CUT OFF BY THE
WATER OF THE FLOOD, NEITHER
SHALL THERE AGAIN BE A FLOOD
TO DESTROY THE EARTH.”
TRUST GOD’S PROMISES
• WE CAN TRUST GOD’S
COVENANT PROMISES
• BECAUSE GOD MADE THE
COVENANT
• IF JUST ANYONE MAKES YOU A
COVENANT
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• YOU REALLY NEED TO BE CAREFUL
ABOUT TRUSTING
• THAT THEY WILL DO WHAT THEY SAY
THEY WILL DO
• BUT IN THIS CASE GOD IS THE ONE
MAKING THE COVENANT
• “I ESTABLISH MY COVENANT WITH
YOU;”
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• SINCE GOD IS THE ONE MAKING THE
COVENANT
• WE CAN BE CERTAIN THAT HE WILL
FULFILL
• WHAT HE PROMISES IN THE
COVENANT
• SEE A COVENANT IS REALLY A SET OF
PROMISES
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• IT IS SOMEWHAT LIKE A LEGAL
CONTRACT
• WHERE PEOPLE PROMISE TO
DO WHAT THE CONTRACT SAYS
THEY WILL DO
• THERE IS ONE IMPORTANT
DIFFERENCE
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• BETWEEN A CONTRACT AND A
COVENANT
• IN A LEGAL CONTRACT IF BOTH
PARTIES AGREE
• THEY CAN END THE CONTRACT
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• BUT A COVENANT IS
PERMANENT
• WHEN A COVENANT IS MADE,
BOTH PARTIES ARE AGREEING
• THAT THEY WILL ABIDE BY THE
COVENANT FOREVER
TRUST THE RESULTS
• BECAUSE GOD MADE THE
COVENANT
• WE CAN TRUST THAT THE
RESULT OF THE COVENANT
• WILL BE THE RESULT GOD
CLAIMS IT WILL BE
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• IN THIS CASE THE RESULT GOD IS
CLAIMING IS
• ALL FLESH SHALL NEVER AGAIN BE CUT
OFF BY THE WATER OF THE FLOOD,
• I THINK IF WE HAD JUST BEEN
THROUGH THE FLOOD
• THIS PROMISE WOULD MEAN MORE TO
US
• IF EVERYONE WE EVER KNEW HAD
BEEN CUT OFF BY THE WATER
• WE MIGHT UNDERSTAND THE KIND
OF COMFORT NOAH AND HIS SONS
• FELT WHEN THEY HEARD THIS
PROMISE
• JUST IMAGINE HOW THEY WOULD
FEEL EVERY TIME
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• IT STARTED TO RAIN IF GOD
HAD NOT MADE THIS
COVENANT (PAUSE)
• WE CAN TRUST THIS PROMISE
BECAUSE IT IS FROM GOD
• WE CAN TRUST THE RESULT HE
PROMISES
REJOICE IN THE PROMISES
• IF YOU ARE EVER LOOKING FOR
A REASON TO REJOICE
• THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD ONE
• “NEITHER SHALL THERE AGAIN
BE A FLOOD TO DESTROY THE
EARTH.”
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• I DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME
YOU HAVE SPENT AROUND FLOODS
• BUT GROWING UP IN HOUSTON I
HAVE SEEN MY SHARE OF FLOODS
• EVEN ON A SMALL SCALE THEY ARE
DEVASTATING
• I AM SURE THIS WAS A RELIEF FOR
NOAH AND HIS SONS TO HEAR
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• WE SHOULD REJOICE THAT GOD IS
NOT GOING
• TO DESTROY THE EARTH IN A FLOOD
• WE SHOULD ALSO REJOICE AS
CHRISTIANS
• BECAUSE GOD HAS MADE A PROMISE
TO US IN THE NEW COVENANT
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• THAT IF WE HAVE TRUSTED IN
CHRIST’S WORK ON THE CROSS
• WE WILL NOT FACE ETERNAL
CONDEMNATION FOR OUR
SINS
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ROMANS 8:1
THEREFORE THERE IS NOW
NO CONDEMNATION FOR
THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST
JESUS.
• AND THE REASON WE CAN
REJOICE IN GOD’S PROMISES
• IS BECAUSE THE ALL
POWERFUL CREATOR OF THE
UNIVERSE
• IS THE IN ONE MAKING THE
PROMISE
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• WE CAN TRUST GOD’S COVENANTAL
PROMISES
• BECAUSE HE IS THE ONE THAT MADE
THEM (PAUSE)
• OUR TRUST IS BASED ON WHO HE IS
• TRUSTING A PROMISE SHOULD
ALWAYS BE BASED ON KNOWING
• WHO IT IS WE ARE TRUSTING
A PHOTOGRAPHER FOR A
NATIONAL MAGAZINE
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• WAS ASSIGNED TO "SHOOT" ONE
OF THOSE BIG FOREST FIRES
• HE WAS TOLD THAT A SMALL PLANE
• WOULD BE WAITING TO FLY HIM
OVER THE FIRE
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• WHEN HE GOT TO THE AIRPORT,
• SURE ENOUGH, HE FOUND A LITTLE
CESSNA WAITING
• HE JUMPED IN WITH HIS EQUIPMENT
AND YELLED, "LET'S GO!"
• THE PILOT, THE PLANE, AND THE
PHOTOGRAPHER WERE SOON IN THE
AIR.
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• "FLY OVER THE NORTH SIDE OF THE
FIRE AND MAKE SEVERAL LOW
PASSES,"
• THE PHOTOGRAPHER SHOUTED.
• "WHY?" THE NERVOUS PILOT
ASKED.
• "BECAUSE I'M GOING TO TAKE
PICTURES!
• I'M A PHOTOGRAPHER, AND
PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKE
PICTURES," WAS THE REPLY.
• AFTER A LONG PAUSE, THE
PILOT TENSELY ASKED,
• "YOU MEAN, YOU'RE NOT THE
INSTRUCTOR?"
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• THE STUDENT PILOT AND THE
PHOTOGRAPHER BOTH TRUSTED
SOMEONE
• THEY TRUSTED THEM TO DO
SOMETHING THEY COULD NOT DO
• THE PHOTOGRAPHER TRUSTED
THE STUDENT TO FLY THE PLANE
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• THE STUDENT TRUSTED THE
PHOTOGRAPHER TO TEACH HIM TO
FLY A PLANE (PAUSE)
• IN LIFE, TRUST IS OFTEN PUT IN
PLACES, PEOPLE,
• AND THINGS THAT ARE NOT
WORTHY OF SUCH TRUST.
• PEOPLE HAVE ENTRUSTED FRIENDS,
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• ADVISE COLUMNISTS, TALK SHOWS,
SPOUSES, ORGANIZATIONS,
• AND A HOST OF OTHER PEOPLE AND
THINGS –
• EVEN THEIR OWN FEELINGS –TO
DIRECT THEM
• UNFORTUNATELY, MANY PEOPLE DO
NOT LEARN UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE
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• THAT THEIR TRUST HAS BEEN
MISGUIDED AND MISPLACED
• MANY DECISIONS LEAD NOT TO
SAFETY BUT TO DESTRUCTION!
• OUR TRUST SHOULD BE IN
GOD AND HIS WORD
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• AND NOT IN PREACHERS, FRIENDS,
RELATIVES OR OUR FEELINGS.
• PEOPLE CAN KNOWINGLY OR
UNKNOWINGLY
• YOUR FEELINGS CAN DECEIVE YOU
• GOD'S WORD IS THE ONLY SAFE
GUIDE.
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GENESIS 9:12–17
GOD SAID, “THIS IS THE SIGN OF
THE COVENANT WHICH I AM
MAKING BETWEEN ME AND YOU
AND EVERY LIVING CREATURE
THAT IS WITH YOU, FOR ALL
SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS; I SET
MY BOW IN THE CLOUD,
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AND IT SHALL BE FOR A SIGN OF A
COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND
THE EARTH. “IT SHALL COME
ABOUT, WHEN I BRING A CLOUD
OVER THE EARTH, THAT THE BOW
WILL BE SEEN IN THE CLOUD, AND
I WILL REMEMBER MY
COVENANT,
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WHICH IS BETWEEN ME AND YOU
AND EVERY LIVING CREATURE OF
ALL FLESH; AND NEVER AGAIN
SHALL THE WATER BECOME A
FLOOD TO DESTROY ALL FLESH.
“WHEN THE BOW IS IN THE
CLOUD, THEN I WILL LOOK UPON
IT,
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TO REMEMBER THE EVERLASTING
COVENANT BETWEEN GOD AND
EVERY LIVING CREATURE OF ALL FLESH
THAT IS ON THE EARTH.” 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.”
GOD WANTS US TO REMEMBER
• GOD WANTS US TO REMEMBER HIS
PROMISES, HIS COVENANTS
• NOTICE WHO THE COVENANT IS
WITH
• ME AND YOU AND EVERY LIVING
CREATURE THAT IS WITH YOU, FOR
ALL SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS;
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• SEE THAT PART ABOUT “ALL
SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS”
• THIS IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT
THAT GOD PROVIDES A SIGN
• THIS IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT
THAT WE REMEMBER GOD’S
PROMISES
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• BECAUSE THIS COVENANT IS
WITH ALL SUCCESSIVE
GENERATIONS (PAUSE)
• IF WE FAIL TO REMEMBER.. IF WE
FORGET ABOUT THE COVENANT
• HOW WILL “ALL SUCCESSIVE
GENERATIONS” KNOW ABOUT IT
1 CHRONICLES 16:15
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REMEMBER HIS COVENANT
FOREVER, THE WORD WHICH
HE COMMANDED TO A
THOUSAND GENERATIONS,
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• WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
HAPPENS IF ONE GENERATION
FAILS TO REMEMBER
• IT IS NOT JUST THAT GENERATION
THAT LOSES THE INFORMATION
• IF ONE GENERATION FAILS TO
REMEMBER WHAT GOD HAS DONE
• WHAT HE HAS PROMISED
• THEN EVERY GENERATION
AFTER IT WILL NEVER KNOW
• GOD’S PROMISES, GOD’S
COVENANTS
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• WE ARE ALWAYS ONE GENERATION
AWAY
• FROM THE WORLD NOT KNOWING
GOD (PAUSE)
• THIS IS WHY GOD WANTS TO MAKE
SURE
• WE REMEMBER HIS COVENANTS,
HIS PROMISES
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GOD HELPS US REMEMBER
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• GOD PROVIDES THINGS TO REMIND US OF
HIS COVENANTS.
• AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE WE
FIND THINGS
• THAT GOD PROVIDES TO HELP US
REMEMBER
• CIRCUMCISION WAS A SIGN OF HIS
COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM
• BAPTISM IS AN OUTWARD SIGN OF THE
INWARD CHANGE IN CHRIST
• IT HELPS US REMEMBER WHAT CHRIST
DID FOR US
• HERE GOD IS VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT
THE SIGN IS
• “I SET MY BOW IN THE CLOUD, AND IT
SHALL BE FOR A SIGN OF A COVENANT
BETWEEN ME AND THE EARTH.”
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• WHAT AN AMAZING SIGN THIS IS
• I AM SURE NOAH AND HIS
FAMILY WOULD HAVE BEEN
PRETTY NERVOUS
• EVERY TIME IT STARTED RAINING
• BUT WITH THE RAINBOW AS A
SIGN THEY WOULD
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• KNOW THE WORLD WAS NOT GOING
TO FLOOD AGAIN
• NOW THERE IS SOME DEBATE ABOUT
WHETHER
• GOD CREATED THE RAINBOW AS A
SIGN
• OR THE RAINBOW ALREADY EXISTED
AND GOD DESIGNATED IT AS A SIGN
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• SOME FOLKS BELIEVE THAT IT HAD
NEVER RAINED BEFORE THE FLOOD
• OTHERS ARGUE THAT IT DID RAIN
BEFORE THE FLOOD
• BOTH UNDERSTANDINGS ARE
POSSIBLE FROM THE TEXT OF THE
BIBLE
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• NEITHER REALLY MAKES ANY
DIFFERENCE
• MAYBE IT RAINED BEFORE
MAYBE IT DID NOT
• MAYBE THERE WERE RAINBOWS
BEFORE THE FLOOD
• MAYBE THERE WERE NOT
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• IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE
CONCERNED ABOUT
• THE POINT IS GOD SETS THE RAINBOW IN
THE SKY
• TO REMIND US OF HIS COVENANT TO
NEVER AGAIN
• DESTROY ALL LIFE ON EARTH WITH A
FLOOD
• THIS SIGN HELPS US REMEMBER
GOD ALWAYS REMEMBERS
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• AS WE GET OLDER WE SOMETIMES
HAVE TROUBLE REMEMBERING THINGS
• THAT IS NOT THE CASE WITH GOD
• I KNOW OUR TEXT SAYS
• THE BOW WILL BE SEEN IN THE CLOUD,
AND I WILL REMEMBER MY COVENANT,
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• THIS IS NOT ABOUT GOD RECALLING
TO HIS MEMORY
• THE FACT THAT HE MADE A
COVENANT
• IN HEBREW THIS WORD REMEMBER
HAS AN IMPLICATION
• OF ACTING ON WHAT IS
REMEMBERED
• IT IS NOT JUST TO MENTALLY
RECALL
• IT MEANS TO TAKE ACTIONS
BASED ON WHAT YOU RECALL
• GOD IS NOT SAYING HE WILL
MENTALLY RECALL THAT
• HE HAS MADE A COVENANT
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• HE IS SAYING HE WILL ACT BY
KEEPING THE COVENANT
• WHEN HE SEES THE SIGN HE WILL
REFRAIN
• FROM DESTROYING ALL THE EARTH
IN A FLOOD OF WATERS
• DID YOU NOTICE HOW MANY TIMES
GOD SAID
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• EVERY LIVING CREATURE OF ALL
FLESH
• 4 TIMES IN 5 VERSES HE MENTIONS
THIS CONCEPT
• EVERY LIVING CREATURE, ALL FLESH
• I HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOW
IMPORTANT
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• REPETITION IS IN UNDERSTANDING
THE BIBLE
• GOD SAYING SOMETHING THIS
MANY TIMES IN THIS FEW VERSES
• IS UNUSUAL WE NEED TO NOTICE IT
• I THINK GOD IS STRESSING THIS SO
STRONGLY
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• BECAUSE OF THE TRAUMA NOAH AND
HIS FAMILY HAD JUST BEEN THROUGH
• HE WANTS TO ASSURE THEM IT WILL
NOT HAPPEN AGAIN
• HE WANTS ALL SUCCESSIVE
GENERATION
• TO BE ASSURED IT WILL NOT HAPPEN
AGAIN
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• HE WANTS US TO REMEMBER HE
HAS PROMISED IT WILL NOT
HAPPEN AGAIN
MAN WITH NOTORIOUSLY POOR
MEMORY LEFT FOR WORK ONE DAY.
• WIFE: "DON'T FORGET TODAY IS
THE DAY WE MOVE.
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• DON'T COME HERE TONIGHT,
GO TO THE NEW HOUSE."
• THE MAN FORGOT.
• WANDERED THROUGH VACANT
HOUSE FOR A FEW MINUTES
• IT FINALLY DAWNS ON HIM
THEY'VE MOVED—
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• BUT HE CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE.
• RUNS OUTSIDE, STOPS LITTLE BOY
ON BICYCLE:
• "LITTLE BOY, CAN YOU TELL ME
WHERE THIS FAMILY MOVED?"
• BOY: "AW DAD, MOM SAID YOU'D
FORGET!"
• NO MATTER WHO WE ARE
THERE ARE GOING TO BE
THINGS WE FORGET
• GOD HELPS US REMEMBER
WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US
• WHAT HE HAS PROMISED TO
US WITH SIGNS
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• LIKE THE RAINBOW.. LIKE
BAPTISM.. LIKE THE LORD’S
SUPPER
• WE CAN TRUST HE WILL NOT
ONLY REMEMBER WHAT HE
HAS PROMISED
• HE WILL ACT ON HIS PROMISES
IT REALLY IS AMAZING THAT GOD
MAKES PROMISES
• IF YOU GREW UP IN CHURCH THIS
MAY SEEM NORMAL TO YOU
• BUT FOR THOSE OF US THAT DID
NOT GROW UP IN CHURCH
• IT IS UTTERLY AMAZING THAT THE
CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE
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4
• CAME DOWN IN THE FORM OF A
MAN
• LIVED A SINLESS LIFE AND DIED ON
THE CROSS
• HE MADE A PROMISES TO ALL THE
WORLD
• THAT ANYONE WHO PLACED THEIR
FAITH IN HIM
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• WOULD BE CERTAIN TO
RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE
• IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE
TODAY WHO HAS NOT
• TRUSTED IN CHRIST…
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6
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