Micah 6:8 ESV - He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
INTRODUCTION:
• GOD’S GREATEST DESIRE IS RELATIONSHIP WITH US.
1. Angels were created as messengers and warriors
2. Cherubim's and Seraphim's were created for perpetual worship, but
3. Man was created for willful relationship with God
• God walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day
1. God would come searching for them to just walk and talk with them.
• Many Walked with God in the Bible
1. Moses walked with God (At the burning bush, in the Mount of God…)
2. David walked with God (On the Hills of Bethlehem-Judea, as the Warrior King of Israel…)
3. Old Testament Prophets and New Testament Saints walked with God
• We can walk with God today
1. Spend more time with God than with people - Floyd Lawhon
• In this two part series we will talk about four men in the Bible who walked with God and see what we can learn from their experiences.
INTRODUCTION ENDED
I. ENOCH
A. What’s in a name? Points to Ponder
"And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." Genesis 5:21-24
1. From the Hebrew name ?????? (Chanokh) meaning “dedicated".
2. This Enoch is not to be confused with Cain’s son named Enoch.
3. This Enoch was a descendant of Seth. (the brother that replaced slain Abel)
4. Enoch lived 365 years before God took him. There are 365 days in the year…
5. Enoch was seventh generation from Adam (number of perfection)
6. Enoch was the father of Methusalah (the longest living person who lived 969 years before the flood and died in the year of the flood), and
7. Enoch was the great-grandfather of Noah.
B. New Testament Lessons from Enoch’s Example
"By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Hebrews 11:5-6
1. Enoch was a man of faith!
2. Enoch’s translation was “by faith”.
3. Enoch had a reputation of pleasing God.
4. Without faith it’s impossible to please God.
5. When we approach God we must believe:
a) That God is…
b) That God is a rewarder of those who DILIGENTLY seek Him.
C. Biblical Application
1. It takes FAITH to please God.
2. Faith comes by hearing - Romans 10:17
3. Faith works by love - Galatians 5:6
4. Faith is activated by confession - "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:8-10
II. NOAH
A. What’s in a name?
"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch." Genesis 6:8-14
1. Derived from the Hebrew name ???? (Noach) meaning "rest, comfort".
2. Noah was the great grandson of Enoch. He probably knew him. Walking with God ran in the family!
3. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord outside of the dispensation of grace.
4. Noah was just and perfect (because of God’s grace) in his generations.
5. Noah was obedient for 120 years while people mocked him. He built and preached then built and preached some more for 120 YEARS! He was the epitome of faithfulness.
B. New Testament Lessons from Noah’s Example
"By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." Hebrews 11:7
1. Noah operated by faith. How else could you keep going for 120 years? Some of run out of gas after 120 days!
2. Noah became the heir of the righteousness which is by faith because of his unwavering faith and obedience to God.
3. He probably learned this from his great-grandfather Enoch.
C. Biblical Application
1. Noah taught us that sometimes our faith and obedience to God will go against the flow of our present world. That’s why it is so important to not be conformed to the world…
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:2
a) CONFORMED - Made to resemble; reduced to a likeness of; made agreeable to; suited. - Websters Dictionary
b) The only way our mind can be transformed is by the Word of God!
c) Stay in the Word
2. Read and Expound Ephesians 2:1-10
a) V.5 - The same grace that Noah experienced will save us from impending judgement just as it saved him and his family.
b) Noah experienced the saving of his family and because of grace so can we!
"For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy." 1 Corinthians 7:14
c) God is into household salvation!
CLOSING OF PART I:
God’s Greatest desire is “Willful Relationship (intimacy) with man.
