Real Righteousness Series

Intro:

1. John Raymond, the executive pastor of the World Harvest Church in Slidell, Louisiana. He became the first clergyman on reality television when he appeared on Survivor Ta-hi-ti.

Pastor Raymond wanted to use the experience to spread the gospel. Raymond brought things along that reflected his faith- like a Bible.

Unfortunately, he was the first contestant voted off the Island. Why did he get the dubious distinction of being the first contestant to go?

Well it wasn't because of his skills dealing with the outdoors. Raymond says he grew up hunting and fishing in Louisiana, so his outdoors skills were good. The film footage shows Raymond starting the fire, finding water, catching most of the food, and even digging the latrine.

So why did he get the boot? Raymond suggested it was because of his occupation. He said, "Someone also suggested that many people are uncomfortable around ministers because they feel they have to be too cautious or that they have a second conscience floating around. So maybe they didn't want me around long."

2. The vast majority of the people on this planet are unrighteous in the eyes of God, and would love to get rid of God and His righteous people - but the truth is, the righteous will ultimately survive and inherit the earth, not the unrighteous.

3. The Witness of Noah's Righteousness.

Trans:Gen. 6:8-12

I. FIRST, NOAH'S RIGHTEOUSNESS WAS FOUND. 6:8

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD - the root word means "to bend or stoop," thus condescending or unmerited favor of a superior person to an inferior one. This is the first occurrence of the word.

Butler notes:

"Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord" (Genesis 6:8). This sentence speaks of the conversion of Noah. All men are saved by grace, and it was this grace which saved Noah from Divine judgment.

To further examine this grace from God for Noah, we note four things about it:

(1) The Source of grace.

"Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." - My dog found a dog treat in his bowl. He didn't buy, earn it, or deserve it. I bought it and stooped down, and put it in his bowl.

Barnhouse, "There was no grace in Noah, the grace was in the eyes of the Lord"

(2) The Sovereignty of grace.

"6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; 7 nor are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants, but: "THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED." 8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants. 9 For this is the word of promise: "AT THIS TIME I WILL COME, AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON." 10 And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; 11 for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, 12 it was said to her, "THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER." 13 Just as it is written, "JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED." 14 What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! 15 For He says to Moses, "I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION." 16 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH." 18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. 19 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?" 20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it? 21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? 22 What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? 23 And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory," Romans 9:6-23