Christian Life Church
October 15, 2023 at 8:30am & 10:00am
THIS PRESENT TIME #30 WHAT CAUSES A BELIEVER TO BEGIN WALKING WITH GOD
Locations & Times
Christian Life Church Columbia
2700 Bush River Rd, Columbia, SC 29210, USA
Sunday 8:00 AM
THIS PRESENT TIME #30
What Causes a Believer to Begin Walking With God 10.15.23
Genesis 5:21-27 NIV When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. 24Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. 25When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. 26After he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died.
Genesis 5:21-27 NASB Now Enoch lived sixty-five years, and fathered Methuselah. 22Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he fathered Methuselah, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 23So all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. 25Now Methuselah lived 187 years, and fathered Lamech. 26Then Methuselah lived 782 years after he fathered Lamech, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 27So all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.
Observing the Landscape
1. Enoch lived in a particularly significant and challenging time. He may be the best pattern we have for a true “End Time Believer.”
2. His era was known for its rapid move toward Judgment, but also toward Redemption during and after the Judgment process.
3. In the shadow of the approaching Flood, a time marked by wickedness, arrogance, ignorance and indifference, Enoch still walked with God. He did so faithfully and successfully - for a very long time!
A. What started him on the journey?
B. What did his walk with God look like?
C. What were the challenges he faced?
D. How did his walk with God end?
4. When does the journey begin?
A. The “community view”
B. The “crisis view”
C. Both are true.
1) We are hopefully raised in a culture: “As for me and my house, we will serve The Lord.”
2) We may come to Christ through Crisis.
a. “Repent and be baptized, and you shall be saved, and your house.”
b. “…and such were some of you.”
c. Everyone must make an individual choice.
(1) Acts ─ Some believed, while others did not.
(2) I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
d. And it needs to be said that there are differing levels of commitment to The Lord.
5. Jude 14, 15 NASB It was also about these people that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord has come with many thousands of His holy ones, 15to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
I. What were some factors that got the journey started?
A. His awareness of family (v.22)
1. His walk with God was first associated with the arrival of children.
2. His walk continued as he raised his children.
3. Family is designed to bring out the best in us!
B. His awareness of God’s judgment (vv.21, 22)
1. Methuselah ─ “When he is dead (or completed/fulfilled), it shall be done.”
2. He was pointing to The Flood (1 Peter 3:20).
3. Divine Mathematics:
a) At the age of 187, Methuselah fathers Lamech (Genesis 5:25).
b) At the age of 182, Lamech fathers Noah (Genesis 5:28).
c) At the age of 600, Noah experiences The Flood.
d) This is a total of 969 years ─ Methuselah’s age when he died.
4. Therefore, in the year that Methuselah died, the flood was sent.
C. His awareness of God’s Mercy (Hebrews 11:5 and Jude 14).
1. The dysfunction of Noah’s day was similar to the dysfunction that will prevail before the Lord’s return.
2. Lot was “vexed” by the lifestyle of Sodom.
3. This broken world will be set right.
4. Even so, Lord Jesus Come!”
5. “The return of Christ is called The Blessed Hope. Titus 2:11-15 NASB For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. 15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
6. The Return of Christ, our Blessed Hope, is…
a) A Rewarding Hope
1 Thessalonians 2:19, 20 NLT After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! 20 Yes, you are our pride and joy.
b) A Restoring Hope
1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14 NLT And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
c) A Sobering Hope
1 Thessalonians 5:8 NLT But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confident hope of our salvation.
d) A Living Hope
1 Peter 1:3 NIV Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
e) A Logical Hope
1 Peter 3:15 NIV 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,
f) A Purifying Hope
1 John 3:1-3 NIV See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
II. Christian Life Lessons
A. Everyone must make a very personal decision. (The Bridesmaids of Matthew 25)
B. We need to learn to listen to Holy Spirit at a higher level. (Avoid Ignorance and indifference.)
C. Pray that our children have “Samuel and Esther Moments.”
D. We dare not cave into culture.
What Causes a Believer to Begin Walking With God 10.15.23
Genesis 5:21-27 NIV When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. 24Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. 25When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. 26After he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died.
Genesis 5:21-27 NASB Now Enoch lived sixty-five years, and fathered Methuselah. 22Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he fathered Methuselah, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 23So all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. 25Now Methuselah lived 187 years, and fathered Lamech. 26Then Methuselah lived 782 years after he fathered Lamech, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 27So all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.
Observing the Landscape
1. Enoch lived in a particularly significant and challenging time. He may be the best pattern we have for a true “End Time Believer.”
2. His era was known for its rapid move toward Judgment, but also toward Redemption during and after the Judgment process.
3. In the shadow of the approaching Flood, a time marked by wickedness, arrogance, ignorance and indifference, Enoch still walked with God. He did so faithfully and successfully - for a very long time!
A. What started him on the journey?
B. What did his walk with God look like?
C. What were the challenges he faced?
D. How did his walk with God end?
4. When does the journey begin?
A. The “community view”
B. The “crisis view”
C. Both are true.
1) We are hopefully raised in a culture: “As for me and my house, we will serve The Lord.”
2) We may come to Christ through Crisis.
a. “Repent and be baptized, and you shall be saved, and your house.”
b. “…and such were some of you.”
c. Everyone must make an individual choice.
(1) Acts ─ Some believed, while others did not.
(2) I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
d. And it needs to be said that there are differing levels of commitment to The Lord.
5. Jude 14, 15 NASB It was also about these people that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord has come with many thousands of His holy ones, 15to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
I. What were some factors that got the journey started?
A. His awareness of family (v.22)
1. His walk with God was first associated with the arrival of children.
2. His walk continued as he raised his children.
3. Family is designed to bring out the best in us!
B. His awareness of God’s judgment (vv.21, 22)
1. Methuselah ─ “When he is dead (or completed/fulfilled), it shall be done.”
2. He was pointing to The Flood (1 Peter 3:20).
3. Divine Mathematics:
a) At the age of 187, Methuselah fathers Lamech (Genesis 5:25).
b) At the age of 182, Lamech fathers Noah (Genesis 5:28).
c) At the age of 600, Noah experiences The Flood.
d) This is a total of 969 years ─ Methuselah’s age when he died.
4. Therefore, in the year that Methuselah died, the flood was sent.
C. His awareness of God’s Mercy (Hebrews 11:5 and Jude 14).
1. The dysfunction of Noah’s day was similar to the dysfunction that will prevail before the Lord’s return.
2. Lot was “vexed” by the lifestyle of Sodom.
3. This broken world will be set right.
4. Even so, Lord Jesus Come!”
5. “The return of Christ is called The Blessed Hope. Titus 2:11-15 NASB For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. 15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
6. The Return of Christ, our Blessed Hope, is…
a) A Rewarding Hope
1 Thessalonians 2:19, 20 NLT After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! 20 Yes, you are our pride and joy.
b) A Restoring Hope
1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14 NLT And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
c) A Sobering Hope
1 Thessalonians 5:8 NLT But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confident hope of our salvation.
d) A Living Hope
1 Peter 1:3 NIV Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
e) A Logical Hope
1 Peter 3:15 NIV 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,
f) A Purifying Hope
1 John 3:1-3 NIV See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
II. Christian Life Lessons
A. Everyone must make a very personal decision. (The Bridesmaids of Matthew 25)
B. We need to learn to listen to Holy Spirit at a higher level. (Avoid Ignorance and indifference.)
C. Pray that our children have “Samuel and Esther Moments.”
D. We dare not cave into culture.