I. EXORDIUM:
Whoever has seen a 100 year old man, please raise your hand.
II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:
General believer
III. OBJECTIVES:
Importance of close relationship with God
IV. TEXT:
Genesis 5:24
communing with God—and then he was there no more, because God had taken him.
V. THESIS:
Close relationship with God is better than long life
VI. TITLE:
Close Relationship with GOD
VII. EXPLICATION:
A. Author: Moses
B. Keyword: Beginning or origins
C. Date and Time of Writing: From the Beginning
D. First Messianic Promise: Genesis 3:15
Genesis 3:15
"I'll place hostility between you and the woman, between your offspring and her offspring. He'll strike you on the head, and you'll strike him on the heel."
VIII. MAIN BODY:
A. Enoch enjoyed being with God.
1. God is pleased with him. God enjoyed Enoch too. (Hebrews 11:5)
Hebrews 11:5
By faith Enoch was taken away without experiencing death. He could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he won approval as one who pleased God.
B. It's a close relationship (Divine Fellowship):
1. Enoch's example. (Genesis 5:22)
Genesis 5:22
After he fathered Methuselah, Enoch communed with God for 300 years and fathered other sons and daughters.
2. Noah's example. (Genesis 6:9)
Genesis 6:9
These are the family records of Noah: Noah was a righteous man. Blameless during his times, Noah communed with God.
3. Levi's example. (Malachi 2:6)
Malachi 2:6
True teachings were in his mouth, and falsehood was not found on his lips. He walked with me peacefully and righteously, and he turned many from sin.
C. He enjoyed God throughout his life.
1. Lord JESUS CHRIST's example. (2 John 1:6)
2 John 1:6
And this is what demonstrates love: that we live according to God's commandments. Just as you have heard from the beginning what he commanded, you must live by it.
a. Let us walk in love.
D. God enjoyed him.
E. God took him away from this earth.
1. He's the longest man who lived away from earth.
a. He's still alive today.
2. Making Methuselah, his son, the oldest man who lived on earth - 969 years
a. Methuselah died at 969 years. (Genesis 5:27)
Genesis 5:27
Methuselah lived a total of 969 years and then died.
3. Methuselah was given a chance to walk with God, 3 times more than his father, Enoch, but never got the chance.
a. If given a chance I will choose walking with God, however, my life is short or long, it is important to walk with God, rather than live a long life.
IX. CONCLUSION:
What to do?
Micah 6:8
He has made it clear to you, mortal man, what is good and what the LORD is requiring from you—to act with justice, to treasure the LORD's gracious love, and to walk humbly in the company of your God.
1. To act justly.
2. To love mercy.
3. To walk humbly with your God.
