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The Rainbow's Promise
Contributed by Ken Sowers on Nov 11, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: God’s promises are true
What do you think of when you see a Rainbow?
What does a Rainbow mean to you?
Destruction is a real part of God’s world - good news/bad news story?
Preservation and Destruction are allies, not enemies
Pruning a grapevine or Fruit tree - 17 year cicada
Grooming hair or nails Baby Teeth, Molting, shedding skin Cancer, gangrene
Floods on the river plain Forest fires - Fire and sin
God warns that He will refresh renew the earth by fire
MT 13:40 "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age
I Cor. 3:13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
Preservation Destruction
Ark Flood
Warning to Noah People ignored Noah’s preaching
Save Noah to preserve Righteousness Give creation a clean slate - destroy sin
Is this primarily a story of Preservation, Destruction - or both?
Read the Scripture passage
What do you think of when you see a Rainbow?
What does a Rainbow mean to you?
Imagine what went through Noah’s mind when he saw a rainbow
Let the rainbow assist you in worship
God is Faithful - I will be Grateful
God is creative - Artisitc -
Be creative - line each color with God’s Character
Gen. 9:9 & 11 I will establish - I will remember - even if you forget
it is all about God and His faithfulness, His character
Never again - this is an everlasting covenant
God uses Nature to point towards Him
Covenant connections
I will not destroy with a flood I will bear your sins in my own body
Sign of the covenant Rainbow Cup and bread - symbols of blood and body
Participative - share in the Lord’s Supper
Final Words (After Communion)
9:14 When I bring clouds... Don’t be afraid
Not saying - no more natural disasters
Not saying - no more destruction of the earth (Fire - nuclear - asteroid with our name on it?)
2 PET 3:3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, "Where is this coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
Matt. 24 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
Fight the Lie - ""There’s always time" Noah preached 100 years!
Choose destruction or obedience, God is faithful, No more floods - Rainbow is a sign of promise
In order for God to preserve your life - what must He Destroy?