What Does God Think About Us? | Genesis 10-11 | Darien Gabriel
Series: Chaos to Covenant
Title: "What does God think about us?"
Scripture: Genesis 10-11
Genesis 3:14-15; 12:1-3; 15:1-6
Philippians 2:5-11
Bottom line: God is aware that we're lost without him, and he's preserved a pathway that leads to life in him.
INTRODUCTION
CONTEXT
SERMON OUTLINE
CONCLUSION
NOTES
OUTLINES
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
MAIN REFERENCES USED
My opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.
INTRODUCTION
Review the primeval preservations (later followed by patriarchal preservations) of Seth's line:
Seth (3-4)
Flood (5-9)
CONTEXT
In the wake of God's flood of judgment and rescue effectively restarting creation, we see the righteous, blameless, faith-filled and faithful Noah sin along with his son, Ham. So while we see God re-create the world, it doesn't start without sin this time. Temptation and sin are still present.
Centuries later, mankind is still gathered largely in one place in a city or cities. They persist in rebellion seeking to make a name for themselves through a mighty tower. God deals with their sin with justice and mercy.
Note that chapter 10 probably follows chapter 11 chronologically. However, Moses probably arranged it in this order to show through literary structure that God's response to the Tower and their arrogance was not just judgment but also mercy. Arranged chronologically, it would read as if God only judged them. God's way includes mercy.
In the course of this time in history, mankind discovers/invents a piece of technology on the level of the printing press, internet and iPhone. The brick. 🧱 Not a joke.
SERMON (lots of help from Hughs; see bibliography below)
Genesis 11:1-9 is one extended chiasmus (Hughes). The center point is the main point of this story in history. It answers at least 2 questions:
What does God think about this? (series of events in Gen 11)
What does God do about it? (Also in Gen 11)
Genesis 11:5 is the hinge point from which follows the answer to these questions.
We see in these 9 verses 3 things:
Human arrogance (1-4)
One language unified the people, but around the wrong agenda:
Make a name for themselves
Not scatter instead of what God commanded
Heaven's awareness (5) - God is aware of humanity's lost ness
Heaven's reversal (6-9)
God reverses humanity's plan
God preserves a line of hope back to life in himself
Genesis 12:1-3
Shows God's agenda for the nations/whole world.
Let God make a name for you that will be remembered if he wants to.
Genesis 15:1-6
God shows that he wants to bless the nations/whole world. (1-5)
Abram shows what pleases God is taking his word for it. (6)
Philippians 2:5-11
Jesus didn't make a name for himself.
God made Jesus' name great forever!
What are we living for?
Our name, reputation and legacy?
Trying to avoid what God called us to be and do?
God called us to follow Jesus which is doing and being like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.
CONCLUSION
Bottom line: God is aware that we're lost without him, and he's preserved a pathway that leads to life in him.
Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:
““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” Acts 2:36-39 NIV
Invitation
How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:
Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:
What is God saying to me right now?
What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.
What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.
[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.
Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.
Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.
Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)
Pray
NOTES
N/a
OUTLINES
Outline from Willmington's Outline Bible
H. Noah's sons (10:1-32)
1. Japheth (10:2-5): a list of his descendants, including Gomer, Magog, Tubal, and Meshech
2. Ham (10:6-20): a list of his descendants, including Canaan and Nimrod
3. Shem (10:21-32): a list of his descendants, including Peleg (who may have lived during the tower of Babel dispersion). He was the ancestor of Terah (the father of Abram) and Abram and Sarai
SECTION OUTLINE FOUR (GENESIS 11:1-32)
This section describes the confusion of all things.
1. THE SIN (11:1-4): All human beings attempt to unify themselves for their own glory.
II. THE SENTENCE (11:5-9): God scatters them by confusing their language at the tower of Babel.
III. THE SETTLEMENT (11:10-32): A history is given of Shem's descendants. Shem is the ancestor of Abraham.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
What do I want them to know?
Why do I want them to know it?
What do I want them to do?
Why do I want them to do it?
How do they do this?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/
Read the passage together.
Retell the story in your own words.
Discovery the story
What does this story tell me about God?
What does this story tell me about people?
If this is really true, what should I do?
What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)
What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)
Who am I going to tell about this?
Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast
Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:
Who is God?
What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?
Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)
What do I do? (In light of who I am)
How do I do it?
Final Questions (Write this down)
What is God saying to you right now?
What are you going to do about it?
MAIN REFERENCES USED
“Genesis,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes
Exalting Jesus in Genesis, by Bethancourt
The Genesis Record, by Henry Morris
The Genesis Factor, by David Helms & Jon Dennis
“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)
“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)
“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)
Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)
Willmington’s Bible Handbook, D Willmington (WBH)
NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/
Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)
ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org
The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com
“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)