Element Christian Church of Santa Maria

The writers of the Old Testament were undone by the notion that God, who is free to do whatever He wanted, would bind Himself, restrict Himself, to the covenant.

Just as a mother’s love can be a reflection of God’s love, so can a mother’s anger and wrath be a reflection of God’s anger and wrath. The scriptures are constantly showing that God is not some far off being; He is closer than we could ever imagine.

In God’s closeness we better understand His wrath, His love, and ultimately His grace. This too is reflected in our relationship with our mothers. Though God is called “Father” throughout the scriptures, a motherly love many times is the best representation of His grace.

The first priority in all things is the worship of God. Noah has great gratitude for his safe deliverance. God doesn’t command a sacrifice; Noah does this on his own initiative.

Jonathan Edwards “God has respect to Himself, as his last and highest end, in this work; because he is worthy in himself to be so, being infinitely the greatest and best of beings...All that is ever spoken of in the scripture as an ultimate end of God’s works is included in that one phrase, the Glory of God.”

Last week we learned the pattern of human history after the fall was: be born, sin, and die. It is only through Jesus that we can be born, sin, be born again, and live forever.

In today’s text, God decides to judge the earth with water; by sending a flood. Sin has destroyed humanity and mankind is unwilling to change; so God righteously judges the earth. The consequence of sin is death (as clearly seen in Genesis 6 and 7). Even in judgment, God provides a way to safety, to life, and a way to live in community with God. Noah is the only one who listens to and walks with God, everyone else perishes in the flood. Instead of completely starting over, God in his goodness gives grace to Noah and saves him and his family.

This same grace offered to Noah is offered to us today. People haven’t changed: we are born (we live), sin, and die. Yet God in his love sends his son to die for us, take our judgement, and offers us relationship with Him. Just like in the days of Noah, God provides a way to life.

This is the pattern for God: He picks Abraham while he is in Babylon. He picks the Apostle Paul (a murderer). He picks pathetic servants and offers grace. Real Christians should never think they are better than anyone. We understand we simply have received GRACE!

Religious and spiritual arrogance, intolerance, and contempt has been a problem throughout the ages; it is also an enormous problem in our world. Arrogance is something Jesus consistently spoke against, yet it was Jesus who said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Those words don’t sound like humble words to us.

Contentment is an acquired skill. When we understanding that all of our longing has always been for Him, God will be the one to say “more.” More of who He is, and for all eternity will never plumb the depths of who He is. We are not God; we should stop trying to be…because only then will we find true contentment for our souls.

“Cain, what have you done?”

…”My sin is more than I can bear”

That is why Jesus came, died, and rose from the dead, because Cain spoke the truth…it IS more than we can ever bear.

Jesus is the son of God. We hope in the son of God, not the son of Eve. Jesus’ love is a cry of hope.