Good News for the New Year
Genesis 6:5-8
5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
As we face this new year there is this sense of hope. Hope that this year we will do better. Hope that we will reach our goals that we failed to meet last year. It might be to pay off some debt, save up some money, lose some weight, read a book, take a vacation, meet new people, or get the house painted. We look around the world and and in our country we have hope that there will not be another act of terrorism. But deep down in our heart we know the likelihood of some tragic event is very possible.
If we were to take a stethoscope and listen to the heartbeat of the American heart, we might hear what seems to be a healthy heart. Like a ripe watermelon on the outside it may seem sound and healthy, but with closer inspection there is rottenness on the inside. That rotten and vile corruption has made its way to the surface and we are seeing indications of Sodom and Gommorah. When mankind has no place for God then one can expect to see a huge rip in the fabric of society. We are now seeing the deteiration of the home, the public acceptance of Sodomy, the collapse of institutions, the corruption of politicians, the death of sound economical principles, the teaching of lying prophets, and the abandonment of the local church.
Thank God there is still hope! We have good news to share. We will take a look at the good news for the New Year. First, there’s the bad news. You say, “I don’t want bad news, only give me the good news.” The bad news is what makes the good news—good!
I. The Bad News (vv. 5-7)
A. Man is sinful. (v.5)
And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
1. Man is sinful based on God’s standard. “And God saw….”
It’s not what we think, but what God says. God saw the wickedness of man.
2. Man is sinful to the very core. “every imagination of the thoughts..”
3. Man is sinful all the time. “only evil continually”
4. Man is sinful with no sign of things getting better.
2Timothy 3:13
But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
B. Man’s Sinfulness Grieves the Heart of God (v.6)
We have grown so accustomed to sin. It’s part of our existence. It’s our nature. I saw this protest on TV once of Gays marching and their chanting slogan was
We’re here; we’re queer; Get Used to it
We have come to the place where we are used to it. What we allow today, our forefathers would turn in their grave to know what is going on now in America. Here’s the Bad News…..not that sin bothers us, but that it bothers God. God is offended. You can get me upset, or others upset, but it’s a bad thing to upset God.
Hebrews 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
God has regrets of even making man. It grieved Him at his heart. That’s the bad news. Man today does not seem to think God gets all that upset. We think God only dislikes the Adolf Hitlers and the Saddam Husseins of the world. God has a holy dislike, and perfect hatred for sin that is in you and in me.
Psalm 7:11 ESV
11God is(A) a righteous judge,
and a God who feels(B) indignation every day.
Nahum 1:2-3
2 The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is fierce in wrath. The LORD takes vengeance against His foes; He is furious with His enemies.
3 The LORD is slow to anger but great in power; the LORD will never leave [the guilty] unpunished. His path is in the whirlwind and storm,and clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
There is danger coming to those who are comfortable in their sins. There is the whirlwind and storm, the kicking up of dust indicating the approaching God who will measure out wrath against those who oppose Him.
That’s another part of the Grief of God. He is grieved over how the wickedness of man tramples over the holiness of God. He is grieved to know the coming disaster to those who will continue in their wicked living. The Bible says “God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked” Ezekiel 33:11
C. Man’s Sinfulness Invites the Judgment of God (v.7)
I will destroy man.
God did it.
In the end time, it will be God doing it.
Flaming fire against all ungodliness
II. The Good News (v.8)
Noah found grace….
Good News for the New Year….there is available God’s Grace. We are living in the day of grace. Thank God we are not in the day of His Wrath! There’s no hope when His wrath comes.
There is “common grace”. It rains on the just and the unjust. There are blessings from the Lord that is common to both the Believer and Unbeliever. God’s grace is poured out on both the Christian and the non-christian. This is “common grace”. But one day God’s common grace will end.
What you need is God’s “saving grace”.
Eph. 2:8-10 For by grace are you saved…
Good News for the New Year
Genesis 6:5-9
With the new year there is hope for things to be better. Resolutions are common. We resolve to lose weight, learn to play an instrument, read more books, make friends, save money, get out of debt and read through the Bible. Soon reality sets in and we know things in life aren’t getting better. We still have that laziness that keeps us from doing what we should be doing. There is still sickness, cancer, heart attacks, crime, terrorists and the uncertain economy.
Noah faced every new year with the knowledge that things in his world were getting worse. But there was hope. Noah found grace, or favor in the eyes of the Lord. We, also, have hope. There is Good News for the New Year! Before we can appreciate the good news, we must look and consider the bad news.
I. The Bad News vv.5-7
1. Man is SINFUL (v.5)
a. Based on God’s Standard “God saw” Matt. 5:48 v.12 God looked
b. To the Core “every imagination..” Jer. 17:9 Rom.3:10-18
c. All the Time “evil continually” Gen. 11:6 nothing will be restrained
d. And Getting Worse (v.11) corrupt 2Tim.3:13 evil men shall wax
2. Man’s Sinfulness Grieves the Heart of God (v.6)
a. It doesn’t bother man. It does bother God. Man is used to the darkness. “We’re here. We’re queer. Get Used to it”
b. His creation has been affected…earthquakes, volcanoes…Gen.1 God saw that everything was GOOD!
c. It bothers God…His holiness is trampled on. His name is profaned.
Heb. 10:31 It is a fearful thing…
3. Man’s Sinfulness Results in the Judgment of God (v.7)
2Peter 3:10
II. The Good News vv.8-9 “grace”
1. God has provided grace for those who will receive it.
a. Common grace - for all - rains on the just/unjust
b. Saving grace – for His elect Eph. 2:8-10
2. God has given us opportunities to tell others. 120yrs (v.3)
3. God has given to us His Spirit. (v.3)
Pastor Chris Gowen
229 Glenn Springs Rd
Lawrenceburg, TN 38464
chrisgowen@msn.com
