Genesis 6:5-8
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
God talks about the wickedness in the earth. Natural disasters are frequent. It may seem like God is losing the Great Controversy. Cain chose wickedness. Abel chose the righteousness of God. God’s true loyal followers have always been faithful and always will stand on God’s side.
Seth and his descendants chose to follow the line of the loyal. Cain’s descendants followed wickedness. The families of Seth and Cain started to intermingle and out of these marriages many chose to follow wickedness. Do you want to be part of the Line of the Loyal?
Enoch was an incredible man. He remained faithful even while he was surrounded by evil. Enoch did not withdraw from contact with the world. Enoch showed us how to be in the world but not of the world. We can chose to be like Enoch. It is possible to live a righteous life. Biblical repentance is turning away from sin. Turn to Jesus and He will change your life. God wants all to be saved.
We love God and can have power to turn away and resist sin. God’s grace is big enough to keep us from sin. We will always need the grace of God. Lean on God. Jesus has the power to transform and change.
Noah was in the Line of the Loyal. Noah preached for many years and only 8 human beings walked onto the ark. If we are not right with Jesus, how are we going to be ready when Jesus comes again?
In verse 8, Noah found grace. He was a sinner and made mistakes but he realized he needed Jesus. God honors the humble and extends grace. The Devil and Jesus both want us to see how bad we are. The difference is that the devil blinds us in our sense of running and needing Jesus. Jesus says come to me and I will raise you up.
It is easier to be saved than to be lost. World was evil beyond description. God sent the flood. Noah’s descendants then fell into evil after the flood. The people started building the ‘Tower of Babel’ that was going to reach up to the heavens. Then the language differences confused the builders and caused problems. God is our tower of strength. God’s people stand for God’s word. World may say we are crazy or a kook. God’s faithful people stand for God’s word.
The towers of evolution, science, prosperity religion, and new age philosophy are dominant in today’s world. A new Babylon is being built right now. The new Babylon won’t last.
Revelation 18:2-4
And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”
4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.
God is asking: “What is your Babylon today?” Is anything in your life taking the place where God should be? All humans have a soul that needs God since God created us so He could have a place to dwell. Do you have financial situations? Is money more important than keeping the Sabbath?
Jesus said come out of Babylon. Do you have temptations in your daily life? God will take care and provide for you. Do you want to be in the Line of the Loyal and make God the priority in your life? Jesus is pleading. Don’t resist the Holy Spirit. Place your life in God’s hands and stand up for Jesus. Ask for Jesus to come into your heart and accept the Savior of the world.
This was Pastor Brandon Korter’s sermon from 19 March 2011 at Bellingham, Washington Seventh-day Adventist Church. This is number 3 of a series of sermons.