Parents

Messiah Mess, 19 February 2017

Messiah Mess
Series: Ideal Family
Luke 2:41-46

Series Big Idea:
All families are messed up, including biblical families.

Big Idea: The Messiah lived in a messed-up family, too, and was even “left behind.”

Whether you like it or not, you’re part of a family; at least one. Ever since God said it was not good for man to be alone, humans have lived with others…for better or worse. I have yet to meet someone who didn’t have a biological father and a biological mother. Most people have siblings. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are a vital part of life for many of us. Family is God’s design. It was His idea.

There are two unfortunate things I’ve discovered about families. First, they are all messed up! That’s ultimately the result of sin, our disobedience toward God. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have struggled to get along. Pride divides. Greed corrupts. Selfishness hoards. Anger disturbs. Hatred destroys. Misunderstanding confuses. The drama pretty much summed it up, didn’t it?!

The second unfortunate thing about families is the mistaken belief everyone else’s family is okay. Listen to me carefully…all families are messed up! This includes biblical families. This even includes Jesus’ family as we’ll see today!

I love to travel. I was blessed to travel to dozens of states during childhood vacations (perhaps my favorite being the celebration of my February birthday at Sea World in San Diego, California…while it was snowing at home in Michigan!). In my undergraduate years, I studied international business and spent a summer in Bolivia. It has been a thrill for me to experience many different countries and cultures, filling my passport with stamps from around the world.

One thing I don’t particularly enjoy about travel is flying. I absolutely love flying itself. I would love to get my pilot’s license if it ever made sense to do so. I love soaring above the clouds, moving quickly through the skies, and thrill of landing. But like many of you, I could do without the meat-market experience of being herded onto a small plane, cramming into a tiny seat, only to have the person in front of me recline his seat into my lap!

When I fly alone, it’s not uncommon for me to be among the last to board the plane. My philosophy is I’m going to be packed into that seat long enough, so I savor every moment of space, whether it’s standing, walking, or even stretching out in a seat near the gate. I typically have a backpack I place under the seat in front of me so I have no need to rush for overhead compartment space. I leisurely walk to my seat, the cabin door is shut, and we prepare for takeoff. Simple and sweet!

There was, however, one time when my lingering in the terminal nearly became a serious mistake. I was in the airport talking to my wife on the telephone when I heard my name called on the PA system. They were preparing to close the door and noticed my name on the “not-yet-boarded” list. As you can imagine, I quickly said goodbye to my bride and raced to enter the plane before I was left behind.

Have you ever been left behind?

I’ve heard stories of people missing flights, trains, and buses but perhaps my favorite “left behind’ story involves Jesus. It is told in six, simple verses:

Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. (Luke 2:41-46) 

There are so many things I find troubling about this text! How about you? I know, it was a different time, a different culture…but seriously!

Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. (Luke 2:41)

This is an annual event. We know they did it at least a dozen times because…

When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. (Luke 2:42)

Some of you have annual trips. You go to the cottage up north. The family makes a pilgrimage to the same campground each year. You celebrate the 4th of July in a particular town. There’s a bike trip you do every summer. In the case of Mary and Joseph, it was their faith tradition which prompted them to travel to Jerusalem for Passover.

After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. (Luke 2:43)

This was not thirty year-old Jesus. He was twelve. I love the phrase “the boy Jesus.” Did he know his parents were leaving? How many children did they have to wrangle as they headed back to Nazareth? It’s about 90 miles from Jerusalem. These journeys were done in a group to guard against robbers, though we don’t know how many were in their caravan.

Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. (Luke 2:44)

“Thinking” he was in their company. That’s what we call an assumption, friends! Can you imagine the conversation? “Where’s Jesus?” “Is he with you?” “No!” “I thought he was with you!”
 
When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. (Luke 2:45)

This has to be one of the most obvious verses in the Bible! I would hope they would go back and look for their lost boy…the boy they left behind! Can you imagine what Child Protective Services would say to Mary and Joseph?!?!?

After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. (Luke 2:46)

I can’t imagine looking for a lost child for three days! I can remember times when I’d lose one of my kids for a few seconds in a story and be on the verge of panic. Obviously, Jesus wasn’t worried. It never says he even knew he was lost! We’ve often spiritualized this entire story by pointing out how devoted Jesus was to studying the scriptures, which is true.

But what happened? How did he miss the flight—err, the journey—back to Nazareth? What kind of communication breakdown caused his absence to be unnoticed for an entire day? Why did it take them three days to look for Jesus in the temple courts when they were in Jerusalem for a religious festival?

Jesus’ Not-So-Perfect Family

Perhaps no other story shows us how Jesus did not come from an Ideal Family. He was sinless, but his parents were not perfect. His siblings weren’t perfect. In fact, it wasn’t until years later that his half-brother, James, acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah…and they lived together! How did James miss the clues:

  • - The family dog died…until Jesus brought it back to life!
  • - Mary ran out of bread…until Jesus multiplied the loaves until there were leftovers
  • - Wine was served at every meal…even when they only had water to drink!
  • - Jesus won the Fantasy Football league every year!
  • - His brother seemed to have a Messiah complex and thought he was perfect!

I’m being facetious, just playing a bit, but seriously, Jesus’ family wasn’t perfect. Like ours, they surely had struggles, conflicts, and parental mistakes.

Perfect Parents

I used to think perfect kids came from perfect parents.
I used to think “bad” kids came from “bad” parents.
I used to think some crazy thoughts!

The truth is parenting matters, but there are no guarantees. Some of the most godly people I know came from seriously broken homes…and some of the most godly homes have produced some seriously wayward children. Despite the flaws of Mary and Joseph, I’d say Jesus turned out pretty good!

So What?

As we close out this series, there are a few things I want you to remember…

  1. 1. You and your family are messed up.
  2. 2. You are not alone. We’re all messed up.
  3. 3. We need God’s amazing grace, love, mercy, and forgiveness.
  4. 4. God loves to extend that grace to us. We don’t deserve it.
  5. 5. We need to encourage one another to follow Jesus, every day. As Thomas George said a few weeks ago, we need to be sanctified…daily filled with the Holy Spirit to become more like Jesus. The true test of our growth is not biblical knowledge or church attendance but how well we love…God and others.
  6. 6. Loving others begins with our family. It’s often easier to love strangers than those gathered around the dinner table.
  7. 7. Finally, we are all family. We are members of both a biological family and a spiritual family. Look around. If you are a follower of Jesus, you have spiritual siblings. If God is your Father, He has given you brothers and sisters…for better or for worse!

Jesus said the world will know we are His disciples by the love we have for one another.

As members of God’s family, we fail and sin, but our Dad is perfect. He perfectly calibrates discipline, work, and play. He provides us with tough and tender love. Daddy knows best.

Throughout this series, I hope you’ve been encouraged regarding your own family. I hope you’ve been challenged regarding your own family. How can we avoid the tragic mistakes of others? How can we bask in the forgiveness and grace—unmerited favor—when we mess up? How can we fully embrace our roles as moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins?

Families can be messy…but they also provide us with the greatest opportunities to learn, grow, serve, and experience joy.

As your brother in Christ, I’m grateful for you. I love your encouragement, appreciate your constructive criticism, and need your prayers. Together we are seeking to know and love God and His children…and welcome new spiritual siblings into the family.

  • You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
  • King's Chaos, 12 February 2017

    King’s Chaos
    Series: Ideal Family
    Psalm 3

    Series Big Idea:
    All families are messed up, including biblical families.

    Big Idea: The “man after God’s own heart” was punished for his great sins yet experienced amazing grace.

    Good morning! My name is Kirk and today we’re continuing our series entitled, “Ideal Family.” Whether you like it or not, you’re part of a family; at least one. Ever since God said it was not good for man to be alone, humans have lived with others…for better or worse. I have yet to meet someone who didn’t have a biological father and a biological mother. Most people have siblings. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are a vital part of life for many of us. Family is God’s design. It was His idea.

    There are two unfortunate things I’ve discovered about families. First, they are all messed up! That’s ultimately the result of sin, our disobedience toward God. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have struggled to get along. Pride divides. Greed corrupts. Selfishness hoards. Anger disturbs. Hatred destroys. Misunderstanding confuses.

    The second unfortunate thing about families is the mistaken belief everyone else’s family is okay. Listen to me carefully…all families are messed up! This includes biblical families. We all need help…so let’s pray!

    PRAY

    Ever since I was a young boy, I’ve been a collector of baseball cards. I never cared much for the gum that Topps used to include with their cards, but it continues to be a thrill for me to open a pack and see which players are inside. I’m much too young to see Babe Ruth’s face or Mickey Mantle’s eyes looking back at me, but I love to get players from the Philadelphia Phillies or Detroit Tigers—my two favorite teams—or rookie cards or superstars. My favorite cards in my collection include Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, and even a Michael Jordan from the year he tried to play baseball.

    I sometimes wonder what it would be like to have Bible character cards. “Hey, I’ll trade you a Noah for a John the Baptist!” “What’s more valuable, the card of Abram or Abraham?” “I’ve got a rookie card of Jesus…in the manger!”

    Obviously Jesus is the most important figure in the Bible—in human history—but if I were to collect cards of other biblical characters, I’d probably be most excited about David. First and foremost for me, he was a musician and songwriter. The psalms are my favorite book of the Bible, and he wrote most of them. As a boy, he killed a lion and a bear…and then Goliath the giant (1 Samuel 17). His music was so powerful, it would bring relief to the tormented king, even causing an evil spirit to flee (1 Samuel 16:23). David became so popular, the crowds would celebrate him over and above King Saul, the man whose thrown he would later possess (1 Samuel 18:7; 21:11; 29:5). David was a mighty warrior, a powerful king, and best of all a man after God’s own heart.

    Now there was that whole Bathsheba incident that led to David committing adultery, murder, and likely rape. Oh, if only that never happened! Then again, as we’ve noted in this series, all of our biblical heroes besides Jesus are flawed. They sinned against God—and others. Like us, they needed the amazing grace offered by Jesus who died to provide forgiveness, salvation, and reconciliation.

    But let’s not get bogged down with David’s dark chapter. He had a son named Solomon who built the Temple and was blessed with wisdom, wealth, and women.

    Royal transition is always exciting. Queen Elizabeth just celebrated a record 65 years on the throne in England. Someday soon her heir, Prince Charles, will most likely reign as king.

    Near the end of his life, King David assembled all the officials of Israel and said,

    Of all my sons—and the LORD has given me many—he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. (1 Chronicles 28:5)

    So David blesses Solomon, he becomes king, and everyone lives happily ever after. Right? Hardly.

    David said he many sons. Remember Cain and Abel, sibling rivalry? Imagine many sons with different mothers!

    These were the sons of David born to him in Hebron:
    The firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel;
    the second, Daniel the son of Abigail of Carmel; 
    the third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
    the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; 
    the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
    and the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah. 
    These six were born to David in Hebron, where he reigned seven years and six months. 

    David reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years, and these were the children born to him there:
    Shammua, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon. These four were by Bathsheba  daughter of Ammiel. There were also Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet, 
    Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet—nine in all. 
    All these were the sons of David, besides his sons by his concubines. And
    Tamar was their sister. (1 Chronicles 3:1-9)

    That’s quite a clan!

    Now here’s how David’s story ends:

    David son of Jesse was king over all Israel. He ruled over Israel forty years—seven in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him as king. (1 Chronicles 29:26-28)

    But let’s back up. Last week we noted how sins can be passed from one generation to the next. Blessings work that way. Curses work that way. We often become like our parents, and our children follow our example. Jacob was deceitful like his father Isaac who was deceitful like his father Abram.

    David’s sexual sin with Bathsheba may have some connection to a horrific event that would occur among his children. David’s firstborn son, Amnon, fell in love with his half sister, Tamar (2 Samuel 13:4) and raped her (2 Samuel 13:14) causing chaos in David’s family.

    When King David heard all this, he was furious. And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar. (2 Samuel 13:21-22)

    Understandable, right?

    Absalom ordered his men, “Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I given you this order? Be strong and brave.” So Absalom’s men did to Amnon what Absalom had ordered. Then all the king’s sons got up, mounted their mules and fled. (2 Samuel 13:28-29)

    Do you see why I entitled this message, “King’s Chaos?”

    We simply don’t have time to cover all of the stories of David and his family, but if you turn to 2 Samuel chapter 15, we see Absalom wreaking more havoc on his family. He decides he wants to customer service for the king’s subjects!

    Reading from the
    New Living Translation

    After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him. He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe. Then Absalom would say, “You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it. I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!”

    When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn’t let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them. Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel. (2 Samuel 15:1-6, NLT)

    You see where this is going, right? David’s son, Absalom, tries to seize control

    A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!” (2 Samuel 15:13, NLT)

    “Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.” (2 Samuel 15:14, NLT)

    “We are with you,” his advisers replied. “Do what you think is best.” (2 Samuel 15:15, NLT)

    So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace. (2 Samuel 15:16, NLT)

    It is in this context that we read Psalm 3

    A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.
      
    LORD, how many are my foes!
    How many rise up against me! 
    Many are saying of me,
    “God will not deliver him.”
    But you, LORD, are a shield around me,
    my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
    I call out to the LORD,
    and he answers me from his holy mountain.

    I lie down and sleep;
    I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. 
    I will not fear though tens of thousands 
    assail me on every side.
    Arise, LORD!
    Deliver me, my God!
    Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
    break the teeth of the wicked. 
    From the LORD comes deliverance.
    May your blessing be on your people. (Psalm 3)

    David flees his son and in 2 Samuel chapter 18, we read

    During the battle, Absalom happened to come upon some of David’s men. He tried to escape on his mule, but as he rode beneath the thick branches of a great tree, his hair got caught in the tree. His mule kept going and left him dangling in the air. One of David’s men saw what had happened and told Joab, “I saw Absalom dangling from a great tree.” (2 Samuel 18:9-10, NLT)

    “What?” Joab demanded. “You saw him there and didn’t kill him? I would have rewarded you with ten pieces of silver and a hero’s belt!” (2 Samuel 18:11, NLT)

    “I would not kill the king’s son for even a thousand pieces of silver,” the man replied to Joab. “We all heard the king say to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake, please spare young Absalom.’ And if I had betrayed the king by killing his son—and the king would certainly find out who did it—you yourself would be the first to abandon me.” (2 Samuel 18:12-13, NLT)

    “Enough of this nonsense,” Joab said. Then he took three daggers and plunged them into Absalom’s heart as he dangled, still alive, in the great tree. Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him. (2 Samuel 18:14-15, NLT)

    This is great news, right? Not to David.

    Then the man from Ethiopia arrived and said, “I have good news for my lord the king. Today the LORD has rescued you from all those who rebelled against you.” (2 Samuel 18:31, NLT)

    “What about young Absalom?” the king demanded. “Is he all right?” 

    And the Ethiopian replied, “May all of your enemies, my lord the king, both now and in the future, share the fate of that young man!” (2 Samuel 18:32, NLT)

    The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room over the gateway and burst into tears. And as he went, he cried, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.” (2 Samuel 18:33, NLT)

    So What?

    I’ve heard stories of some dysfunctional families, but David’s is one of the most bizarre. Incest, rape, murder, adultery…yet the patriarch, David, is called a man after God’s own heart.

    After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ (Acts 13:22)

    But what does this have to do with us thousands of years later?

    1. David’s passion is endless. Sure, it is misdirected when seeing Bathsheba bathe, but he has a deep love for God. Read the Psalms. He loves his family, even when they go off the deep end. When his son Absalom—who is trying to destroy David and his men—is killed, rather than rejoicing at the death of his enemy, he weeps at the loss of his son.

    The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room over the gateway and burst into tears. And as he went, he cried, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.” (2 Samuel 18:33, NLT)

    Parents love their kids, through thick and thin (even teenagers!!!). It’s a special bond. They say love is blind, and while that usually refers to romance, it can sometimes apply to parenting. David loved his kids. Our heavenly Father loves HIs kids, too. Always.

    2. One spouse is enough! I don’t want to make light of this, but so much of David’s chaos came from multiple wives bearing multiple children and a family tree that looked more like spaghetti than an oak. One man marrying one woman and creating children mirrors the Trinity of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all One, doing life together, each serving a unique, complementary function.

    3. Sin always has consequences, whether immediate or over time. We can only imagine David’s legacy had he (and Solomon) avoided sexual sins (there’s so much we don’t have time to cover here).

    4. God’s grace (unmerited favor) is sufficient. Despite his flaws, God used David…and his family, both then and thousands of years later.

    Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach. (2 Timothy 2:8)

    His amazing grace is available to you and me today.

  • You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
  • Nake Noah, 15 January 2017

    Naked Noah
    Series: Ideal Family
    Genesis 9:20-25

    Series Big Idea:
    All families are messed up, including biblical families.

    Big Idea: Even the best parents are human and make mistakes.

    Today we’re continuing our new series entitled, “Ideal Family.” Whether you like it or not, you’re part of a family; at least one. Ever since God said it was not good for man to be alone, humans have lived with others…for better or worse. I have yet to meet someone who didn’t have a biological father and a biological mother. Most people have siblings. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are a vital part of life for many of us. Family is God’s design. It was His idea.

    There are two unfortunate things I’ve discovered about families. First, they are all messed up! That’s ultimately the result of sin, our disobedience toward God. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have struggled to get along. Pride divides. Greed corrupts. Selfishness hoards. Anger disturbs. Hatred destroys. Misunderstanding confuses.

    The second unfortunate thing about families is the mistaken belief everyone else’s family is okay. Listen to me carefully…all families are messed up! This includes biblical families. This even includes Jesus’ family! We all need help…so let’s pray!

    Last week we began our series with a look at the First Family, Adam and Eve and their sons Cain and Abel. Today we’re looking at one of the greatest heroes of the Bible, Noah. You know Noah, the guy with the ark and the animals. Many people think his wife’s name was Joan (of Ark)! Let’s take a look at Noah’s highlight reel. If you turn to Genesis 5, he is mentioned for the first time in verse 29.

    When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. He named him Noah  and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed.” After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Lamech lived a total of 777 years, and then he died. (Genesis 5:28-31)

    Noah’s dad was 182 years old when he was born! Wow! You thought Abraham was old at 100. But Lamech was just a kid compared to Noah the dad!

    After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Genesis 5:32)

    Let’s take a moment for reflection. Imagine Noah coming to First Alliance Church to dedicate his newborn son and happens to mention he was born in 1517! Sure, people lived longer back then, but 500 years? And that’s when he became a dad!

    When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” (Genesis 6:1-3)

    That settles the old-man issue!

    A few verses later it says

    The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:6-7)

    Let that sink in for a minute. God regretted making humans. No wonder He sent a flood.

    But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:8)

    The sentiment is repeated in the next verse…

    Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. (Genesis 6:9b)

    So God tells Noah to build an ark (6:14) because, as He said

    I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. (Genesis 6:17)

    Of course God had Noah and his family enter the ark along with pairs of animals, and…

    Noah did everything just as God commanded him. (Genesis 6:22)

    God gave Noah further instructions…

    And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. (Genesis 7:5)

    And if you’re keeping score…

    Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth. (Genesis 7:6)

    There are so many details to these Bible stories we simply miss in Sunday School flannel board presentations!

    So we have the flood.

    The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days. (Genesis 7:24)

    But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. (Genesis 8:1)

    Later it says,

    By the first day of the first month of Noah’s six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry.

    Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. (Genesis 8:13-16)

    God loved Noah and his family. He was a righteous man. He obeyed God. His obedience essentially saved living creatures from extinction.

    And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” (Genesis 9:12-16)

    So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.” (Genesis 9:17)

    The writer of Genesis mentions again Noah’s three sons and then tell us

    Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. (Genesis 9:20)

    Great. Who doesn’t love grapes? Grape juice. Raisins! Noah’s dad was a farmer so planting made complete sense. But…

    When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. (Genesis 9:21)

    Wait a minute! What is happening? Noah is drunk and naked?! The two often go together, by the way! The Japanese have a proverb which says: “First the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, and then the drink takes the man.” Fortunately, he’s inside his tent where nobody can see him. But this is Noah! Righteous Noah!

    God created a garden, Adam and Eve at forbidden fruit, and found themselves naked.

    Noah planted a garden, ate—or drank—too much fruit, and ended up naked.

    In both cases their sin was shown in their nakedness. They disobeyed God. Sins are felt by the following generations.

    Did we need to include this in the Bible? Can’t we just call Noah a superhero and stop after the rainbow? Actually, no! First, we are all descendants of Noah and his sons. Second, we get to see how even the most righteous people in the Bible were not perfect. We all sin and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). We’ll see this throughout this series.

    We also see how sin affects others…families.

    Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. (Genesis 9:22)

    Was that necessary? Why did Ham enter the tent in the first place? Seeing your dad naked is…well, it’s never good! He could’ve covered his dad and left quietly, but he tells his brothers. He disrespected his father, leaving Shem and Japheth to intervene.

    But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. (Genesis 9:23)

    Love is looking out for the best interest of another person. It doesn’t condone sin. It doesn’t cleanse sin (only Jesus’ blood can do that). But love does cover sin (1 Peter 4:8). Did you see what I did there?!

    The relationship between a father and son is special. The video earlier showed an “ideal” relationship and then a real one. That’s not to say we should be flippant about things such as borrowing/loaning money from relatives, but sometimes relationships can be complicated. Nevertheless, we are to honor our parents. This is one of God’s Top Ten (Exodus 20:12). Honor your father and your mother. Shem and Japheth honored their dad. Ham did not.

    So Noah gets drunk and naked, his youngest son, Ham, saw him naked, his brothers to cover him, and…

    When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said, 

    “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” (
    Genesis 9:24-25)

    This passage has been wrongfully used to support racial prejudice and even slavery. Ham saw his dad and his son Canaan gets the curse? Actually, this is best understood as a prophecy describing what will happen to Ham’s descendants, not necessarily a curse from Noah to his grandson. Later in Jewish law children could not be punished for the sins of their fathers (Deut. 24:16; Jer. 31:29-30; Ezek. 18:1-4). What we do know is the Canaanites were conquered by the Israelites (Genesis 14:8-12; Exodus 3:8; Numbers 13:29; Joshua 3:10).

    He also said, 
    “Praise be to the LORD, the God of Shem!
    May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
    May God extend Japheth’s territory;
    may Japheth live in the tents of Shem,
    and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.” (Genesis 9:26-27)

    The chapter ends by telling us

    After the flood Noah lived 350 years. Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died. (Genesis 9:28-29)

    What a life! What an ending!

    So What?

    I realize this is an odd passage. The point is…don’t plant a vineyard! Actually, that’s not the point, though alcohol can lead to a host of problems.

    Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, (Ephesians 5:18)

    Genesis 19 tells an even more bizarre story where two girls got their dad drunk and slept with him in hopes of getting pregnant! Ewww!

    I think one takeaway from today’s text is even the best parents are human and make mistakes. Noah made the faith hall of fame.

    By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. (Hebrews 11:7)

    Noah was a righteous man, but his story didn’t exactly end on a high note.

    How will your story end? Your past righteousness is valuable, but today is the first day of the rest of your life. How will you live it? Every day we hear stories of people behaving badly. But by the grace of God so go I. We’re all susceptible to sin, as we saw last week, especially when we are
    HALT: hungry, angry, lonely, tired. I pray you will honor your parents and/or be honored by your children. If you drink, I hope you are of age and do so responsibly. Consuming alcohol is not forbidden in the Bible, but drunkenness is clearly a sin…and can lead to other sins. I hope and your pray your most righteous days are ahead.

    Credits

    Some ideas from Be Basic by Warren Wiersbe.

  • You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
  • Honor, Mother's Day 2014

    May 11, 2014

    Big Idea: Parents are special, worthy of respect, love, obedience…and honor

    Introduction

    Happy Mother’s Day! This is a day of great celebration for some and sorry for others. Because it is a family day, it is a day of reflection upon those mothers who have passed away and buying or making gifts for those with us. It can be an emotional day. It can be a complicated day. One thing is for sure: each one of us has had a mother who labored in giving birth to us and, in most instances, raising us.

    I want to talk about the Ten Commandments.
    When you think of God’s Top Ten List, what is the first command that comes to mind?

    I want us to spend a few moments reflecting upon Command 5. It’s not a “thou shalt not” command, but rather a positive, affirming command with a promise.

    “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12)

    We rarely use the word honor in our culture. It almost seem old-fashioned, unless it refers to someone in the military. The original Hebrew word, kabed, means “to be heavy, to be wealthy, honored, glorified, renowned, substantial.”

    The Ten Commandments appear in Exodus 20 and again in Deuteronomy 5 where it says

    “Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you. (Deuteronomy 5:16)

    Don’t miss the promise: “that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is given you.” What land? This is God’s promise to the people of Israel as they prepare to enter the Promised Land after a forty year journey through the wilderness. This idea of honoring dad and mom is a really big deal!

    Sometimes people mistakenly dismiss the Old Testament as somehow unimportant. They call themselves “New Testament Christians” and rarely turn to the front of their Bible. You cannot understand the New Testament without knowing the Old. It’s like walking into the second act of a play, having no clue about act one. Today, by the way, we are living in act three of God’s story…HiStory.

    On several occasions Jesus referred to the Ten Commandments. Matthew and Mark both recorded His words:

    For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ (Matthew 15:4)

    For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ (Mark 7:10)

    Did you catch the penalty for cursing or dishonoring dad or mom? Death!

    Have you ever thought of that?!

    The question of the day is
    how do we honor mothers? This is not always simple.

    How do you honor an abusive mother?
    How do you honor a deceased mother?
    How do you honor an estranged mother?
    How do you honor a mother you never knew?

    Perhaps you may think your mother is not worthy of honor or glory.

    We recently studied Paul’s instructions to the church in the city of Ephesus and beyond. He wrote

    Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” — which is the first commandment with a promise —“that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1-3)

    Here we see honor connected to obedience and a reminder of the promise. This gives us a hint at what is meant by the word
    honor.

    Perhaps you may think your mother is not worthy of obedience. You may disagree with her instructions.

    As we noted last week, God created man and woman and commanded them to be fruitful and multiply. Marriage and the family was God’s idea. When His commands are followed, we are able to flourish and thrive, experiencing joy, peace, and satisfaction. Tragically, sin affects all families and relationships, fighting against God’s design and seeking to steal, kill and destroy the abundant life God intends for each of us to encounter.

    I’m reminded of another of Paul’s writings, one of my favorite verses:

    Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17-21)

    Notice it says, “as far as it depends on you” live at peace with everyone. We have an obligation to do our part, but can never control another.

    As much as it depends on you, obey God’s commands.
    As much as it depends on you, show honor and respect to your parents.
    As much as it depends on you, seek reconciliation in broken relationships.
    As much as it depends on you, live a life worth following, bringing honor to your family, your family’s name, and God.

    For those of you with great, living moms, express your love and appreciation for them. Give them a hug, kiss them, tell them how much they mean to you, make a gift for them, or the greatest thing of all…
    buy them chocolate!!!

    If mom is distant, call her or video chat with her. Visit her. Write a letter.

    If your mom is no longer living, you can still write a letter, say a prayer, tell others about her, or reflect upon her life, thank God for the life she gave you, and live a life that would honor her.

    Moms, how have you been honored by your children?

    Children, how have you honored your mom?

    Legacy

    I often think about generations of families passing a baton from one generation to the next. If your baton was broken, ask God to bring healing and holy duct tape to it in order to provide a solid baton to the next generation. It’s never too late to begin a legacy of faith, hope and love even if it was never a part of your heritage.

    As you may know, yesterday I had the privilege of honoring
    my dad by doing his funeral. It was one of the most important moments of my life as I desperately wanted to celebrate and pay tribute to the most influential man in my life, a great godly man that influenced so many lives, even during his many years of failing mental and physical health. While I worked hard to say the right words to pay homage to his life, the greater work begins today by my actions. I want not only my words but my life to bring honor to my dad…my mom…and my heavenly Father. What about you?

    You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
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