Jesus refers to Himself in the New Testament as “The Good Shepherd.” And just as a shepherd would protect his sheep from predators, Pastor Mike explains how Jesus is the door for His sheep. This all relates to the story of Noah’s ark, in which God Himself closes the door to protect the ark’s inhabitants from the flood. Today, Pastor Mike shows how the ark ultimately points towards Jesus in this sense. We are all given the opportunity to enter into Jesus’ salvation, but eventually, the door will be shut.

Today, Pastor Mike points out the symbolic relationship between Noah’s ark and Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus taught that He is the only way we can be saved from our sins, the ark of Noah’s day was the only way to be saved from the flood. And just like in the days of Noah, we all have a choice: will we choose to surrender to Christ and be saved from the consequences of our sin, or will we go on in our own way and perish like the people killed by the flood? God has made known the options before us, but the choice is ours.

So many people in the world feel that they need to prove to God how good they are – that as long as their good deeds outweigh the bad, they will find favor in God’s eyes. But today, Pastor Mike reminds us that what God wants is the opposite: He wants us to humbly come to Him in our brokenness, readily acknowledging that we need His grace. Jesus said that it’s the sick who are in need of a doctor, not the healthy. If we won’t admit that we’re sick, we will never be open to Jesus’ healing work in our lives.

In the days of Noah, God looked at the earth and saw that the hearts of all men and women were constantly evil. Today, Pastor Mike reminds us that thousands of years later, our hearts are still wicked. But God, in His rich grace, made a way for us to be redeemed through Jesus Christ. Pastor Mike emphasizes that it’s not about how good we are, or how far we’ve come. What matters is that God chose to forgive us despite the wickedness in our hearts, and it’s important for us to keep our faith in Him.

Today, Pastor Mike teaches about the story of Enoch, who the Bible says walked with God and did not die because he was taken up by God. Enoch lived in wicked times, and yet he pleased God. Likewise, we live in dark times; but the life of Enoch shows us that we don’t have to succumb to the darkness around us. On the contrary, we can live a life that is pleasing to God. Pastor Mike encourages us to learn from Enoch’s example by walking with God, and as a result abhorring sin.

As Pastor Mike teaches about Enoch today, he points out that the New Testament interestingly clarifies which Enoch is being spoken about. Pastor Mike explains that the beginning chapters of Genesis actually speak about two Enochs. One Enoch was the son of Cain, but the Bible tells us that the other Enoch walked with God. Pastor Mike insists that – just like there were two Enochs – there are two kinds of teachers today: there are teachers who serve the Devil, and there are teachers who walk with God.

Today, Pastor Mike teaches through the tragic story of Cain and Abel. And yet, there is so much we can learn from this ancient text. Pastor Mike shows that Cain had a choice. God in His grace conversed with Cain and explained that sin crouched in wait, seeking to subdue him. Cain could choose to defeat the sin or let the sin defeat him. Likewise, we all face the same choice. In Cain’s case, he disregarded God’s guidance and murdered his brother in anger. But we don’t have to make the same mistake he did.

The story of Cain and Abel can be somewhat confusing – why was God pleased with Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s? Today, Pastor Mike breaks down some suggestions for why this was the case. He reminds us that sin can only be covered through blood sacrifice; when Adam and Eve first sinned, their punishment was death. But in His mercy, God killed an animal in their place. So, Pastor Mike insists that when Abel sacrificed an animal, he was following God’s prescribed model. But Cain attempted to make his own way.

The relationship is part of God’s design. As Pastor Mike will point out in today’s message, when God created the universe and everything in it, He called it all good… except for one thing: Adam’s aloneness. He saw that Adam needed a relationship. While that gift brought pleasure to God’s heart, it also led to the fall. Instead of obeying God together and bringing Him glory, Adam and Eve sinned together, compromising their relationship with Him and setting mankind on a course towards destruction.

Sin is not worth it. You may be convinced that the momentary pleasure it brings is going to bring you happiness and pleasure – and for a moment it may – but then comes the guilt and consequences. God’s grace is enough. If you’ve been saved, Jesus’ work on the cross covers you. But, as Pastor Mike will remind us in today’s message, there are still consequences for sin. It always brings destruction to your life and keeps you from living in the fullness God desires for you.