Thank you Rev. R. Kent Smith
Six Men And A Promise
Gen 5:19-25
19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.
21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:
22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:
24 And Enoch walked with God : and he was not; for God took him.
In the closing hours of this year..
Three men captured the world's attention by their lives and their deaths.
Their funerals spoke volumes about the course of life they had chosen to pursue with the few short years God had granted to them.
All three men, President Ford, James Brown and Sadam Hussein had choices in their destiny. Today they have all three stood in front of the God of this universe with those choices unveiled and judged.
God allowed us to see three men..
President Gerald Ford, a man whose faith in God and service to his country was eulogized by many speakers during the solemn and dignified ceremonies which marked his passing.
A man of character and integrity,
Not perfect but made righteous by his faith in Jesus Christ.
It was in this righteousness he lived out his life as a servant to his fellowman and his country.
Great men and dignitaries attended his funeral.
All coming to pay respect and honor to a man most deserving.
James Brown also was eulogized in a funeral ceremony befitting his life choices.
There was blaring rock music,
Gyrating bodies,
Costumes, and
Great sensual displays of revelry to portray the contribution this man had given through his life to his fellowman.
He lived a life of drugs, alcohol, immorality and rock music.
He was heralded the father of Rap music and
The inspiration of Michael Jackson's greatness.
His funeral with all of it's theatrics was befitting the excess of waste his life portrayed.
Then we had the gruesome hanging of Sadam Hussein.
His death as gory as his life.
A brutal murderer and dictator,
Hung by his neck and
Secreted away in the middle of the night to an unmarked grave.
Thousands of Iraqis celebrated his death for through his life he had brought untold misery and death to many.
A man so wicked that it seemed the world breathed a collective sigh of relief at the pronouncement of his death.
Three men, three men who left their mark on the entire world,
Three famous men.
All three have now stood before their Creator to answer for the choices they made in their life as you and I will someday.
Gerald Ford's life exemplifies the nobility of choosing to walk in harmony with his fellow man…..he was known as the healer of a nation
James Brown chose to walk in the flesh. His life's work glorified the flesh and his death magnified the flesh.
Sadam Hussein chose evil. He was a narcissistic megalomaniac. His life glorified evil and his death was gruesome.
Each of us leave our mark on the world as we pass by…..
Nothing or no one passes by without leaving its mark
Deer in the woods
Boat in the water
Airplane in the sky
Each of us
Let us consider Enoch..
Gen 5:19-25
19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.
21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:
22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:
24 And Enoch walked with God : and he was not; for God took him.
Another man
Another life
Another time
Another epitaph
Enoch walked with God
Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed ?
Who have you walked with lately?
Friends
Associations
Attractions
Whom we walk with.so will our spirits agree..
Friday evening the little man and his fiance..
What did she see in him
What is wrong with her
Do their spirits just agree
The language of love
Enoch walked with God
This statement indicates that there was an agreement with Enoch and God
Their spirits were in agreement
Enoch was upright enough that he could with confidence walk with God
God was comfortable with him and chose to spend time walking with him
God took him.
One day on his walk with God he did not come home at some point God just took him
Adam walked with God until.
Gen 3:8-9
8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
Adam walked with God
Relationship was broken
An angel was placed as a barrier to keep him from returning to that place
He missed those walks
He would never forget that voice as it spoke and whispered to him
He would never forget the incredible opportunities he enjoyed in the garden as he saw each new plant and animal
He would never forget the joy of waking up and discovering the woman the new relationship that God had allowed him
No doubt at times he would pass by the garden and remember the past relationship
Adam walked with god until sin separated.
Peter walked with God..
Three years
Miracles
Provision
Revelation
Failure
Peter had walked with God where no one before or since has on water.
He of all people knew that if you began to sink when walking with Him you could call out to Him
Mark 16:6-7
6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
Got tell his diciples and Peter
Restoration
Rekindled relationship
Hope for each of us.
God forgave him.
The Promise
1 Cor 10:13There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it
