Genesis 11:1-9 (NASB)

1 Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. 2 It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. 4 They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” 5 The LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 The LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them. 7 “Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.

Theme: Although sinful man seeks to glorify himself, God mercifully intervenes so that He will receive all the glory.

Outline:
1) Man’s prideful rebellion against God (11:1-4)
2) God’s merciful response to man (11:5-9)

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Outline:
1) All babies are created by and precious to God
2) Nations that sacrifice their children were judged by God
3) God calls Christians to have compassion on the defenseless

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Acts 20:24 (NASB)

But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.

Outline:
1) Understand that your life is not just for yourself (v. 24a)
2) Know that Jesus gave you a mission to accomplish for Him (v. 24b)
3) [Accept that] You are called to proclaim the Gospel (v. 24c)

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Outline:
1) Roadblocks to giving
2) Old Testament giving
3) New Testament giving

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Philemon 8-17(NASB)

8 Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus—10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I fathered in my imprisonment, 11 who previously was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. 12 I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, 13 whom I wanted to keep with me, so that in your behalf he might be at my service in my imprisonment for the gospel; 14 but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion, but of your own free will. 15 For perhaps it was for this reason that he was separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 If then you regard me as a partner, accept him as you would me.

Outline:
1. For the sake of love (v. 8-9)
2. For the sake of the church (v. 10-14)
3. For the sake of Christ (v. 15-17)

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1 Peter 3:18 (NASB)

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Genesis 9:18-29 (NASB)

18 Now the sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth; and Ham was the father of Canaan. 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.

20 Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard. 21 He drank some of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it on both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were turned away, so that they did not see their father’s nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him. 25 So he said,

“Cursed be Canaan;
A servant of servants
He shall be to his brothers.”

26 He also said,

“Blessed be the Lord,
The God of Shem;
And may Canaan be his servant.
27
May God enlarge Japheth,
And may he live in the tents of Shem;
And may Canaan be his servant.”

28 Noah lived 350 years after the flood. 29 So all the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died.

As shameful sin rears its ugly head in ourselves and in others, we must battle against it and look to Christ to cover us.

1) God’s people must deal with shameful sin honorably (9:20-23)

2) God sovereignty brings cursing on unrighteousness {and blessing on righteousness} (9:24-27)

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Genesis 9:8-17 (NASB)

8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, 9 “Now behold, I Myself am establishing My covenant with you, and with your descendants after you; 10 and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the livestock, and every animal of the earth with you; of all that comes out of the ark, every animal of the earth. 11 I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be eliminated by the waters of a flood, nor shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 God said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations; 13 I have set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall serve as a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall come about, when I make a cloud appear over the earth, that the rainbow will be seen in the cloud, 15 and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 When the rainbow is in the cloud, then I will look at it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

Theme: God promises to preserve His creation.

1) God’s Covenant (9:8-11)

2) God’s Sign of the Covenant (9:12-17)

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Genesis 9:1-7 (NASB)

1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. 2 The fear of you and the terror of you will be on every animal of the earth and on every bird of the sky; on everything that crawls on the ground, and on all the fish of the sea. They are handed over to you. 3 Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; I have given everything to you, as I gave the green plant. 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 I certainly will require your lifeblood; from every animal I will require it. And from every person, from every man as his brother I will require the life of a person.

6
Whoever sheds human blood,
By man his blood shall be shed,
For in the image of God
He made mankind.
7
As for you, be fruitful and multiply;
Populate the earth abundantly and multiply in it.”

God blesses mankind with provision and protection in the new world where sin and corruption will soon abound again.

God’s Blessing: The Creation Mandate (9:1, 7)

1) Provision: Animals given for food (9:2-3)

2) Prohibition: Don’t eat the blood (9:4)

3) Protection: Sanctity of human life (9:5-6)

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Hebrews 2:1-4 (NASB)

1 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, 3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

Outline:
1) We must pay attention (2:1
2) We must not neglect Christ (2:2-4)

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