Zephaniah 1-3

This message combines two themes of Advent (Joy & Peace) since winter weather prohibited us from meeting on the third Sunday of Advent.  An informative & delightful overview of Biblical prophecy in general and of Zephaniah in particular.

Micah 7  This week's Advent theme is "Love" and to explore that we turn (again) to the minor prophet of Micah.  Micah concludes his prophetic letter by celebrating God's merciful character in "pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of His inheritance."

We began our observation of Advent with the theme of hope. Micah 5:1-5 offers a word of encouragement to Israel in a time of sin and injustice. The titular prophet speaks of the coming Son of God who will bring hope to a broken and weary world. This passage allows us to see Christ as the perfect servant of God who restores sinners back to the Father and calls us to live under his reign as our prince of peace. 

God brought about a second creation event through the flood. Since God favors Noah, he enters into a covenant with him once his family leaves the ark. In this sermon, we explore how the covenant with Noah demonstrates that God loves to bless his people. 

Genesis 8

The chapter opens with such a wonderful declaration: "But God remembered Noah..."  

Genesis 7  Was Noah's Flood global or regional (as some scholars have advocated recently)?  Spoiler alert (and I won't leave you guessing as to my own persuasion): I don't think the details in chapter seven are at all ambiguous about the extent of the flood.

Genesis 6-9

Today we briefly "step back" from the slower verse-by-verse format in order to make observations pertaining to the "big picture" of this very important narrative, along with it's relationship to Christian baptism and the Lord's Supper.

We have now reached the flood narrative in Genesis. In this sermon, we look at God's instructions to Noah about building the ark. This passage is more than just a set of technical instructions. It shows us amazing and encouraging truths about God establishing his covenant, keeping his promises, preserving life, and providing us with a refuge in Christ.  

Genesis 6:3-9  The LORD "saw" that the wickedness of man was great and the LORD "regretted [repented]" that He had made man, so He determines to "blot out" what He has created -- but Noah found favor (grace)!

Genesis 6:1-4  The consensus among Bible commentators is that this passage is the most difficult to interpret (with certainty) in all of Genesis.  There are three main viewpoints (with some variations within each viewpoint).  We begin by looking at the advancing context in Genesis, we briefly identify the three views, and I advance the particular understanding that the "sons of God" are (types of?) fallen angels.