Kissing Cousins

“ God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth
and subdue it.” Genesis 1:28a  
“As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon
it.” Genesis 9:7
1. Answering true questions remove barriers to faith.
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to
everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with
gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15
2. Analyze the case for Cain.
 Who did Cain marry?
 Is it plausible?
“After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters.” Genesis
5:4
“These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered
over the whole earth.” Genesis 9:19
 Didn’t God just create another race?
 What about birth defects?
3. If we are all not descendants from Adam, then Jesus did not die for everyone.
“Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to
all men” Romans 5:12
“For since by a man came death, by a Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as
in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15:21-22
“And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the
earth.” Acts 17:26

Oh, the Places You’ll Go
Romans 12:1-2
1. Oh, the places you will go because of God’s plan.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I
appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5
“ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God
prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10
2. Oh, the places you’ll go because of your efforts.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies
as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.    Do
not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good,
pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2
a. Do not conform to the pattern of this world.
b. Be renewed.
1. God’s Word.
2. God’s People.
3. God’s Spirit.
4. God’s intrusions.
3. Oh, the places God you’ll go for God’s glory.
“ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new
is here!   All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the
ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-18

“That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins
against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.   We are therefore
Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore
you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.   God made him who had no sin to be sin for
us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:19

Is God Bi-polar
Deuteronomy 20:16-17

“ However, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance,
do not leave alive anything that breathes.   Completely destroy them—the Hittites,
Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has
commanded you.” Deuteronomy 20:16-17
1. God is so far above us, we can’t fully understand.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares
the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9
“All the earth is mine.” Exodus 19:5”
2. God’s wrath is justified.
“The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart;
the devout are taken away, and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter
into peace;  they find rest as they lie in death.” Isaiah 57:1-2
3. God’s desire is that none would perish.
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is
patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2
Peter 3:9

How Secure is Salvation?

1 John 5:13, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so
that you may know that you have eternal life.”
1. Is salvation permanent?
1 John 5:11-12, And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in
his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not
have life.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.   I give them eternal life,
and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has
given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.   I
and the Father are one.” John 10:27-30
Our security is not based finally on our grip on Christ, but his grip on us. ” -John Piper
John 1:12,   Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the
right to become children of God
1 John 2:19 “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had
belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of
them belonged to us.” 1 John 2:19
“ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it
is the gift of God—   not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
2. Am I saved?
 “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith.” 2 Corinthians 13:5
“work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:12b
a. If we confess our sins.
“If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in
God.” 1 John 4:15
“ if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.    If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9
b. If we change.
1 John 2:29: “Everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.”

2

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all
things have become new” 2 Corinthians 5:17
c. If we obey His commands.
1 John 3:9, “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him;
and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.”

d. If you have compassion toward believers.
1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who
loves has been born of God and knows God.
1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other.
Anyone who does not love remains in death.
e. If there is Conflict.
1 John 5:4, “Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that
has overcome the world—our faith.”

This Changes Everything
John 4:1-45
1. Jesus was labeled, because He had to get to her.
“The Jews answered Jesus, ‘Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have
a demon?’” John 8:48
2. “Jesus doesn’t care about your race, nor face, but only about His grace.”
– Pastor Jaime, Partner of Immanuel (Brooklyn, NY)

“If you’re a person who finds Jesus as boring or unsatisfying, you haven’t really
discovered yet who He is.”
3. Jesus brought up her past, not to shame her, but to win her.
4. She left her label and went on mission.
Your next step > Staying where you are
My next step is:

Selfless in Obedience
Acts 9:1-19

“And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church
in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.   Godly men
buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house
to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.” Acts 8:1-3
‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and
beat those who believe in you.  20  And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there
giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ Acts 22:19-21
Paul - Even in our sin and rebellion, God is pursuing us, with plans and purposes.

“ Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a
vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” Acts 9:10 (ESV)  
Ananias – Your next step will require as much faith as your first step.
His Word > Our Experiences
“For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the
obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. The law was brought in so that the trespass
might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in
death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our
Lord.” Romans 5:19-21

Can You Hear Me Now
1 Samuel 3:1-21

“The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.
The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.” 1 Samuel 2:6-7
“ And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with
people.” 1 Samuel 2:26
I. How can I know the voice of God?
1. Study the Bible.
Psalm 119:11, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
2. Develop authentic community.
Authentic Community > Independent Living
“For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.” Proverbs
11:14
“Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”   Come back to your senses as
you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to
your shame.” 1 Corinthians 15:33-34
3. Talk with God.
II. How can I obey the voice of God?
There is a huge difference between victory and retreating.
It is the Spirit that enables us.
“And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful
to obey my rules.” Ezekiel 36:27 (ESV)
“For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death
the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” Romans 8:13
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is
faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are
tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

Selfless in Serving
Exodus 3 & 4

“the greatest among you will be your servant.” Matthew 23:11
spiritual contributor > spiritual consumer
“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was
always doing good and helping the poor.” Acts 9:36
Luke 9:48b, “For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.” Luke 9:48b
Exodus 3:4  “When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from
within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”
Excuse # 1 It is too big for me.

(3:11)
(3:12)
(4:1)
Excuse # 2 What if I don’t do it right?
(4:2)
Excuse # 3 I am not equipped.
(4:10)
(4:12)
“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and
daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream
dreams.” Acts 2:17

“All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.” Proverbs 21:26
1. God will test us to define us.
“When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by
evil, nor does he tempt anyone.” James 1:13
2. To be selfless in sacrificing you have to have great faith, not in yourself, but in God.
“But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I
am,” he replied.” Genesis 22:11
Two points of application:
1. Following Jesus will cost you.
Sacrificial Living > Playing it Safe
2. Selfless sacrificing is giving God our first.
“Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns
will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10