Unlocking The Bible - Lesson Three
Pastor Erickson teaches lesson three of Unlocking the Bible from Genesis 4 through 9, tracing Cain and Abel, Seth, Enoch and Noah to show that God must be approached on his terms, that he extends mercy before judgment, and that salvation comes by grace received through faith and obedience. He calls the church to worship God his way, follow his plan of salvation, and prepare for the coming judgment.
The message in 6 points
Life outside the garden
He explains why the church is learning this Bible study so many can teach it, then reads Genesis 4:1-5. The lesson follows Adam's children and shows how sin spread through humanity toward judgment, and how God gave Noah a plan of salvation.
24:10Two offerings, two kinds of worship
Abel brought the firstborn and the best of his flock, the way God directed, with the right attitude. Cain brought an offering he created himself, and it may have taken more work, but God looks for obedience, so the first key is to approach God on his terms, not ours.
28:15A God of another chance
God did not throw Cain away but asked why he was angry and told him that if he did well he would be accepted. Pastor Erickson says God extends mercy before he passes judgment, and conviction is God giving us another chance to change.
37:23Cain goes out from God's presence
Cain killed his brother, lied to God instead of repenting, and went out from the presence of the Lord. He warns against offenses that lead people to take their families out of church, then shows God giving Seth, whose name means substitute, and Enoch, who walked with God.
41:47Noah: grace, faith and obedience
In a wicked generation Noah found grace and obeyed God's exact plan for the ark, building for years before he had ever seen rain. Salvation starts with God's grace, is received by faith, and is proven by obedience, as people still follow God's plan today.
48:34A covenant and a coming judgment
After the flood God made a covenant with Noah and gave the rainbow as its sign. He contrasts a contract, which is conditional and temporary, with a covenant, which is personal and permanent, then compares the days of Noah with our day and calls the church to prepare for the coming judgment.
1:00:48
In his words
“God is a God of another chance. So many times they'll preach that God's a God of a second chance but I don't know about you, I need a whole lot more than two chances.”
“I never want to make decisions in my life that carry me out of his presence. I never want to make decisions for my family that carries our family out of his presence.”
“It's not us begging him for something. Grace is him seeing us with the need and saying, I'll bring it to you.”
Taken word for word from the video, with punctuation added.
Scripture
He reads
Genesis 4:1-5
1And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 2And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. 4And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
King James Version.
Hebrews 11:4
4By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
King James Version.
1 John 3:12
12Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
King James Version.
Proverbs 14:12
12There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
King James Version.
Genesis 4:25
25And 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.
King James Version.
Genesis 5:24
24And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
King James Version.
Hebrews 11:5
5By 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.
King James Version.
Genesis 6:5-9
5And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 9These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
King James Version.
Genesis 6:19-20
19And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. 20Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.
King James Version.
Genesis 6:22
22Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
King James Version.
Hebrews 11:7
7By 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.
King James Version.
Genesis 9:12-17
12And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. 14And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: 15And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. 17And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
King James Version.
2 Peter 3:3-10
3Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
King James Version.
Matthew 24:37-39
37But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
King James Version.
He also points to
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