Text:
Gen. 4:25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. 26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.
Title:
“The First Prayer Meeting Ever...”
Introduction: Interesting Facts
There are ten generations between Adam and Noah. Adam was alive through the first 8 of them. (Most of these men from the ancient of days, lived to be about 900 years old.) Can you imagine someone trying to popularize the theory of evolution with Adam standing their to defend the story of creation? I think Adam would have punched you in the nose if you had told him that he came from a tad pole!
Enoch was the seven in the generations. God took him by rapture. The flood waters were not far off. This pictures how the Church is to be raptured before the time of the Great Tribulations.
Both Noah’s Grand Father, Methusalah, and his Father, Lamech died just prior to the flood. It is speculation, but I wonder if they were alive at the time of the flood waters, and refused to get into the ark?
Other thoughts: World gone wild...
Adam and Eve lost both of their sons on the day that Cain killed Able. Think about it.
Cain descendants became known as the "Sons of Men." They have a distinct linage that would become extinct at the time of the flood.
1. They moved from the presence of God.
2. They built a City.
As if to say, that they did not need God anymore. There kingdom was of this world.
3. They set there own standards.
Lamech of Cain was in the sixth generation and he was not satisfied with one wife. He wanted to have a dysfunctional family and took another wife. He also murdered a young man that had offended him.
The Promised Son?
God had promised that from the seed of the woman there would come one who would remove the effects of the curse in Genesis 3:15. The "Messiah" would be bruised by the snake, but in the same act, the Messiah would step on the head of the snake and therefore, diminish his power.
When Seth was born, it seems that Eve thought he might be this promised one. Seth means "appointed." But Seth was not the Messiah.
Seth named his Son, Enos which means weak and frail. It is in the day of Enos that men "began to call upon the name of the Lord."
Which takes us to the title of the message:
"First Prayer Meeting Ever"
1. They met for public worship.
According to the commentaries, this is the first record of public worship. God had already sanctified the Sabbath day. Almost three hundred years of human history had gone by and finally there was someone who stood up and said, "Let’s have Church!"
Can you imagine when the Church bell rang for the first time? Adam and Eve were still in mid life. I can just picture Grandpa Adam and Gramma Eve coming through the doors of the Church and sitting themselves down in the "family pew." The comes in the Father of Enos. Seth takes his place. Then other sons and daughters come. Enos is the first preacher!
2. They called themselves, “The Sons of God.”
Cain’s descendants were called "The Sons of Men." Enos first sermon would be how that his congregation would be known as the "Sons of God!"
We are to be separate from the world. Our Kingdom is to come. We are to live by God’s standards!
3. They asked God for things.
The reason why we "Call upon the name of the Lord," is to ask God for things. Enos was "weak and frail." He knew of his need for God’s help. Do you?
This Sunday’s theme was "Prayer Meeting Sunday." Let me encourage you to be a "Prayer Meeting Christian!"
I will be looking for you this Wednesday night at 7 PM in the family pew!
Conclusion:
Are you a “Son of Man,” or a “Son of God?”
Verse to consider:
(John 1:12 KJV) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
