As It Was... So Shall It Be

“As it was . . . so shall it be”

Luke 17.26-30

September 20, 2015

CFBC, Chester, IL * Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction:

A We are in a period where many are wondering if God is about do something in terms of His Coming, judgement, rapture, or revival.

1 Shemitah, etc.,

2 There is nothing wrong with studying prophecy, eschatology, signs of the season . . .but it should not be the only issue we’re concerned about.

a We should be busy doing Kingdom work, serving the Lord, living the life of faith, praying, leading our lost friends to Jesus even when the Lord returns.

b Not running for the hills, hiding in bunkers, stocking up on ammo . . . praying, worshiping, and

B Luke 17:26-30 (NASB) 26 "And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 "It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; 29 but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 "It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.

1 Jesus gave us two Old Testament examples of how His own people will be living in the last days.

a He offers the lives of Noah and Lots as two types of lives that the believer in the last days will more than likely be living.

b Both men lived in sinful times, people had ignored God’s voice, refused to embrace grace offered . . . both men escaped God’s judgement when He poured it an all those around them.

2 However, we do not consider Noah & Lot as equals or possessing the same degrees of faith. (If you were gonna BBQ some ribs, who would you rather invite over?)

a Jesus is telling us that when judgement comes, there will be those who survive in the style of Noah and some who survive in the style of Lot.

b How are their styles different? How can I have the style that gets me the BBQ invite?

I Noah made it out of judgement alive.

A Noah lived in a world described in Genesis as:

Gen. 6.5, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was on evil continually.”

Gen. 6.11-12 (KJV) 11 “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.”

1 In Noah’s day were the days of Nephilim, when fallen angels who had copulated with women and produced giants (cf. Gen. 6.4), corrupting the bloodline of humanity. . the devil, band of fallen angels called demons, (who are not able to receive grace, redemption, saved), if the bloodline was altered with demonic DNA, then mankind would be unable to receive grace/redemption/salvation.

a It was a time of all out satanic assault on humanity that manifested not only with the giant, but also in the actions, behaviors, thinking of the populace.

b It was a time marked by violence, debauchery, broken families/vows, rampant sin, wickedness, perverse minds, and exploding violence.

2 Genesis 6:8 (KJV) But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

a God’s grace came to Noah in the form of His warning that judgement in the form of a flood was coming.

aa Prepare your family, built the ark, and warn your neighbors. . . and Noah did just that.

bb Noah kept one eye on the sky and the other on getting his family ready (and warning his neighbors) for the judgement.

cc Why did Noah did this? Because Noah had faith, “believed in the LORD: and he counted it to him for righteousness.” (Gen.15.6)

b Noah didn’t get saved from the flood because he was perfect, good, but because he 1)believed in the LORD by faith and 2) He put in right standing (righteousness) with God.

aa Noah received grace the same way everyone receives grace: Phil. 3.8-9 (NASB) 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,