Faith Alone
Am I influencing others or being influenced by them?
Genesis(24) (Part of the Origins(24) series)
by Stuart Johns(25) on July 14, 2024 (Sunday Morning(32))
Faith(1), Righteousness(2), Salvation(8)
Origins
Faith Alone
(Genesis 6:9-12)
INTRODUCTION
“When a video of an American Airlines pilot scolding his passengers during a pre-flight announcement went viral, some people deemed it patronizing. Others are hailing the pilot’s speech as an example of strong leadership—at a time when passengers desperately need it.
In the video, the pilot set some ground rules for his passengers—including what they should expect from their flight attendants, and how they should treat each other during the journey.
The pilot said, ‘Remember, the flight attendants are here for your safety. After that, they’re here to make your flight more enjoyable. They’re going to take care of you guys but you will listen to what they have to say because they represent my will in the cabin, and my will is what matters.’
The pilot added: ‘Be nice to each other. Be respectful to each other. I shouldn’t have to say that ... But I have to say it every single flight, because people don’t. And they’re selfish and rude, and we won’t have it.’ He told passengers to store their bags properly, avoid leaning or falling asleep on other people, and use headphones instead of playing audio out loud on speakers.
The speech—‘a little bit of fatherhood,’ as the pilot deemed it—serves as a counterpoint to a bevy of recent videos depicting outbursts aboard aircrafts. Airlines have seen a significant uptick in unruly passenger reports: nearly 2,500 in 2020 and 6,000 in 2021, compared to roughly 1,200 in 2019 and less than 1,000 in years prior, according to FAA data.
The FAA has referred more than 250 of those cases to the Federal Bureau of Investigations since 2021, a move reserved for particularly violent incidents.”
Source: Ashton Jackson, “An airplane pilot went viral for scolding his passengers,” CNBC Make It (8-3-23)
[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2023/october/airline-pilot-scolds-passengers-it-went-viral.html]
BODY
ME
Influencing others
I worked for Child Evangelism Fellowship as a local director in Ohio for four years
During that time I had multiple teenagers who taught 5-Day Clubs in the summertime
I have stayed in touch with some of those summer missionaries over the years
On one occasion I met up with one of the young men and his wife
He introduced me to his wife as one of his mentors
I was shocked and humbled, because I had not considered myself to be his mentor
I simply tried to live life together with him
God used the times we spent together for His glory
I was certainly trying to live a godly life
On another occasion Judy and I met with a different young man who had been a summer missionary
He expressed how grateful he was for our influence in his life
He was also part of the youth group that Judy and I helped to lead at the church we attended
We were trying to be faithful in our relationship with the Lord and living in a way that pleased Him
WE
Influencing others
How many of us have experienced similar situations in our own lives – where young people have returned and shared how we have had a positive impact on their lives
I would venture to guess that most of us were not consciously mentoring those young people
When we walk with God and allow Him to guide our lives, a natural byproduct of that is having a positive impact on the lives of others
Noah stood out in his culture. He was different. His neighbors and the Lord recognized his character. He was not influenced by the culture of his day, but tried to influence them. We have to ask ourselves the question that Noah probably asked himself . . .
BIG QUESTION – Am I influencing others or being influenced by them?
Let’s pray
GOD (Genesis 6:9-12)
Noah’s faith (vv. 9-10)
Toledot
This is the third toledot (origins of/account of) in Genesis
It is the account/origin of Noah’s line
It encompasses four chapters and is pretty significant, because it covers the flood narrative
After the introductory “origin” statement, we see Noah’s character before God and with others
Noah’s character
Before God
Righteous
This is the first time this Hebrew word is used in the Bible and it’s only used of Noah in Genesis
It can also be defined as faithful
Hamilton states that he was “habitually righteous” [Hamilton, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis Chapters 1-17, 277]
That speaks of his character, it was who he was (mind, body, and soul)
He wasn’t someone different at home and in the public square
He followed the Lord in every area of his life
He was concerned about honoring God and following His commands [Gangel & Bramer, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Genesis, 72]
“Noah’s righteousness didn’t come from his good works; his good works came because of his righteousness. Like Abraham, his righteousness was God’s gift in response to his personal faith. Both Abraham and Noah believed God’s Word ‘and it was counted to [them] for righteousness’ (Gen. 15:6; see Heb. 11:7; Rom. 4:9ff; Gal. 3:1ff).” [Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Old Testament, Genesis-Deuteronomy, 44]
God is the One who called Noah righteous, it wasn’t Noah who claimed that description for himself
Noah had faith that God was real and that he needed to serve, honor, and follow Him
His faith in God affected every area of his life
It affected his thought life
It affected how he dealt with his wife
It affected how he raised his children
It affected how he conducted business
It affected how he related to other people
His relationships with other people were blameless
With others
Blameless
It means perfect, whole, complete, sound, unblemished, having integrity, free from defect, moral uprightness
I’m reminded of the requirements for a sacrificial animal as it pertains to the word blameless
The same Hebrew word is used in Exod. 12:5; Lev. 1:3, 10; 3:1, 6
Exodus 12:5, The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats.
Leviticus 3:1, “If someone’s offering is a fellowship offering, and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he is to present before the Lord an animal without defect.
“Blameless denotes to abstain from sin, not to be without sin.” [Waltke, Genesis A Commentary, 133]
We know that Noah was not sinless, because he was human (all humans are born sinners)
His neighbors could not find anything to accuse him of, that would point to unrighteousness, evil, or corruption
He probably would have been labeled a “goody two-shoes” (uncommonly good)
“His righteousness and blamelessness is in comparison to the people of his time . . . [it] do[es] not generally indicate one’s absolute righteousness or blamelessness relative to God’s standards but indicates one’s status on the human scale.” [Walton, The NIV Application Commentary, Genesis, 311]
Because Noah was righteous in God’s sight and his conduct was blameless with his peers, it was evident that he walked with God
Walked with God
“His righteousness and integrity were manifested in his walking with God . . .” [Kiel & Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, Volume 1, The Pentateuch, 89]
We see the spiritual legacy of Seth’s line through the phrase “walked with God”
We know that Enoch “walked with God” (he was Noah’s great grandfather)
In fact, Enoch’s “walk with God” was so profound that he escaped death
Noah’s “walk with God” meant that he would escape the judgment of the flood
While nothing is said about Methuselah (Noah’s grandfather) and Lamech (Noah’s father) walking with God, it’s apparent that they passed down the spiritual legacy, since Noah walked with God
We see this incredible spiritual legacy down through Noah, then the next generation is identified
Noah’s sons
Noah’s sons were Shem, Ham, and Japheth
These three guys were going to be responsible for repopulating the earth after the flood – that’s pretty significant!
The order in which Noah’s sons are listed is based on their importance for biblical history and not their birth order
Birth order
Japheth is the oldest, Sons were also born to Shem, whose older brother was Japheth . . . (Gen. 10:21)
Shem was the middle son
Ham was the youngest son, Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside . . . 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.” (Gen. 9:22, 24)
Biblical history
In chapter 11 of Genesis we will see the origins of Shem (the beginning of another toledot)
It’s through Shem’s line that Abraham is born
We know that through Abraham’s line, Jesus is born
Noah’s faith is a valuable model for us as we relate to God and others
Application
PRINCIPLE #1 – God is pleased when His people live in a right relationship with Him and others.
Relationship with God
In most cases, if I asked someone if they are good with God, they would probably answer “Yes!”
If I asked them if they were going to heaven, they would most likely say, “Yes!”
When asked by what standard they believe they are good with God or going to heaven, it inevitably centers around them being a good person and God being loving
Certainly God is loving, but He’s also just
Sin
Isaiah 53:6, We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
This is the human condition – we are sinners, wanting our own way
The Good Person test lets us know that we are not really good people according to God’s standard (liar, thief, blasphemous, adulterer, murderer at heart)
Romans 3:23, For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
God’s plan
Jeremiah 31:3, The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.
God’s great love for us compelled Him to provide a way for us to overcome our human condition of sinfulness
His plan was to send His one and only Son, Jesus Christ from heaven to earth to take our punishment for sin
1 Peter 2:21-22, To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
Jesus came as the perfect sacrifice for sin
He willingly died on a cross, so that we could be free from the debt of sin
Romans 3:23-26, For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Ephesians 2:8-9, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.
Noah was saved from the impending flood, because of his faith in God – there wasn’t anything he did to earn it, it was God’s gift to him, because of his faithfulness
He wasn’t being influenced by those around him, but attempted to influence them
We can be saved from eternal death (hell) by having faith in Jesus Christ and His blood shed for us on the cross
#1 – My Next Step Today Is To: Accept God’s grace-gift of salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ.
We can’t live in a right relationship with God without Jesus and the same is true concerning relationships with others
Relationships with others
As followers of Jesus Christ, we have the Holy Spirit living in us to help us in our relationships
Read Philippians 2:12-16
Selfishness is perhaps the key to every sin, and selfishness hurts every relationship we have
Take a moment to think about the last conflict you had with someone (spouse, child, neighbor, coworker, etc.)
If we’re truly honest with ourselves, the conflict probably happened because one or both people involved wanted their own way – the sin of selfishness
James 4:1-3, What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
James spells it our clearly – we have desires that battle within us (selfishness)
I watched a video of a YouTuber and his wife who shared that they had been alcohol free for around two years. They talked about how the consumption of alcohol is culturally accepted and perhaps encouraged (if you aren’t drinking alcohol, then there must be something wrong with you). They realized that the times they experienced conflict in their marriage was when they were drunk. So, they eliminated the thing that was causing conflict. They are teaching their children what they have learned through this.
Are you currently struggling in a relationship with someone? (family, friend, coworker, etc.)
Will you willingly take time to do some self-evaluation to determine if you are wanting your own way?
#2 – My Next Step Today Is To: Ask the Lord to reveal any selfishness I’m experiencing in any relationship and then confess that before Him.
Conflict can be resolved when we acknowledge the part we’re playing in it
It can also be resolved when we pray for the other person(s) involved
It’s also important to go to that individual and ask them to forgive you for being selfish
There’s another principle from these two verses that is important
PRINCIPLE #2 – Faith is possible even if it’s done alone.
We come to God and are saved by faith alone, but there are times when it feels like we are living out our faith, alone (in a void)
Noah certainly experienced that as he remained faithful in a corrupt and violent world
He had to determine if he would influence others or be influenced by them
The same is true for us
It may seem like everyone around you is choosing the things of this world
Perhaps you’re struggling to find other people who are pursuing holiness like you are
There are family members, friends, coworkers, and fellow church attenders who act a different way depending on the crowd they’re hanging out with
I want to encourage you to remain faithful!
It’s possible to remain faithful even when everyone else isn’t
It doesn’t matter what age you are, what gender, what race or nationality
Every one of us, as followers of Jesus Christ, has the Holy Spirit living in us to empower us to remain faithful
You are not alone!
Story of Elijah
Read 1 Kings 19:9b-19a
Notice that Elijah felt like he was living out his faith, alone
God shared with him that He had reserved 7,000 in Israel who had remained faithful
Then God directs Elijah to Elisha
God provided someone to walk together with Elijah, so that he didn’t feel isolated and alone
Noah had the support of his family (wife, sons, and daughter-in-laws)
If you are feeling like you are living out your faith alone, be encouraged that there are others who are feeling the same way
#3 – My Next Step Today Is To: Ask the Lord to connect me with at least one other person who is remaining faithful.
Noah was righteous and blameless, but the rest of the earth was not
Earth’s folly (vv. 11-12)
Repetition
Earth
It’s used three times in these two verses
The people were obviously corrupt and their corruption and violence had corrupted the earth
God had to destroy both the animate and inanimate objects because of the corruption
Corrupt
This word is used three times in these two verses to highlight how bad it had become
Last week we learned that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time (Gen. 6:5)
Violence
“Humanity has devastated the earth by filling it with violence or violation (ḥāmās; 6:11, 13). It is the first use of the verb ‘fill’ since 1:22-23, 28. God had commissioned human beings to fill the earth, and they had filled it all right, but not as commissioned.” [Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament, Pentateuch, 141]
The violence that’s being identified here involves threatening other people and probably physically hurting them too
It was all motivated by selfishness
History repeating itself
Every generation is looking forward to Christ’s return
Every generation is convinced that the time is drawing near, based on the corruption and violence we see
Over the past couple of years, it seems like corruption and violence are running wild in our culture
The protests and violence that have continued to happen across our nation is difficult to comprehend aside from understanding Biblical history and the end times
The political unrest is greater than I can remember in my lifetime
The social unrest is hard to watch and hear about
The “cancelling” of our freedoms is alarming
But don’t be disheartened, there is hope
Jesus is coming!!!
Read Matthew 24:36-41
Corruption and violence will cover the earth
People will be thinking about evil all the time
YOU
How is your relationship with God and others?
Are you remaining faithful?
WE
We need to remain faithful, even if we have to do it alone
We have to ask ourselves, “Am I influencing others or being influenced by them?”
CONCLUSION
“In Executive Edge newsletter, management-consultant Ken Blanchard retells the story of a little girl named Schia (which first appeared in a book titled Chicken Soup for the Soul). When Schia was 4 years old, her baby brother was born.
‘Little Schia began to ask her parents to leave her alone with the new baby. They worried that, like most 4-year-olds, she might want to hit or shake him, so they said no.’ Over time, though, since Schia wasn't showing signs of jealousy, they changed their minds and decided to let Schia have her private conference with the baby.
‘Elated, Schia went into the baby's room and shut the door, but it opened a crack--enough for her curious parents to peek in and listen. They saw little Schia walk quietly up to her baby brother, put her face close to his, and say, ‘Baby, tell me what God feels like. I'm starting to forget.’’ Have you grown older and forgotten God? It's not too late to return to the one who created you. Jesus taught that to enter the kingdom of God, we must simply receive it like a little child (Mark 10:15).”
Source: Leadership, Vol. 16, no. 3.
[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/1997/august/3308.html]
The longer we are alive and the longer we are a follower of Jesus Christ, we can run the risk of not remaining faithful (forgetting what God feels like). We can recapture those feelings and remain faithful by slowing down our pace and walking with God.