From good to bad, to better

Throughout the Bible there are things that take place that inspire us, stories that teach us how through relying upon God and resting in His strength power and plan we can have life and have it more abundantly. We look on as we see David defeat Goliath, as we watch the Israelites walk across the dry ground when the crossed the Red Sea, we watch as Paul writes epistles while in prison, or while Peter sees 3,000 come to faith in the Lord on the day of Pentecost and it causes us to desire this type of supernatural power in our own lives.

But there are two sides to every coin, for every great success that we find throughout the Bible there are times when our heroes blow it. We watch as David the man after god’s own heart lusts after Bathsheba and then while trying to cover up his sin he actually has her husband put to death.

However

We look on as the Israelites complain to God after coming out of great triumph over the Egyptian army, we see them build a massive golden calf to worship, we see how Paul and Peter have a mutual disagreement in the book of Galatians, where Paul confronts peter in his legalism.

We see how Peter struggles to find his identity in Christ as he refers to himself not as Peter but always as SIMON Peter. As we read these stories it is easy to see the humanity of these individuals and it also gives us encouragement.

So tonight were going to talk about what you do when you have blown it, God asked you to do something and you blew it, God had a great plan and you messed it up and now you wonder what you can do about it. Were going to learn why we can actually bring about God’s heavy hand of judgement and how He can bring us up out of the pit we dig for ourselves when we fail Him. This account also serves as a guideline for us to watch out for in our own lives as sin strives to ruin us. You know i find it interesting that sin is a subject that many in our world today choose not to reference in preaching. Modern preachers and evangelists have chosen a method that chooses not to mention the word sin or the concept of it. One very well known preacher of the modern church movement has been quoted as saying: “There really is no need in bringing sin up, i mean people already know they are sinners, we choose rather to preach on the positive side knowing God and the benefits of a relationship with him...”

There is only one problem I see in this approach, you can’t even make it out past chapter 3 in Genesis without seeing sin take root. So to ignore sin is to not give people a full view of the gospel, we cannot know how good God is without first knowing and then being reminded that in and of ourselves we can produce nothing pure that is not somehow tainted with sin.

The apostle Paul says “In my flesh dwelleth no good thing” this was a man who planted churches, who wrote the majority of the NT he was the icon of the first church, suffering for God serving God, and impacting the lost and dying world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet he thought it neccesarry to keep his sin in the forefront of his mind because He knew that left to himself, he would think to much of him. This is the reason why people choose lightweight forms of Christianity and why the church in America has dwindled, we have decided that we like the benefits of Christianity (good marriage, wisdom, love) more than the reality of discipleship which is only understood when we fully grasp just how deep our sin nature runs.

2 Timothy 4:3 ESV

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

We learned last week how sin has no dominion over us but even though we have died to sin, which we choose in Christ, sin has not given up on us. Which is why we need to be as paul said “to be alert, for our enemy prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour”. It has always been this way and so it is beneficial for us to learn from the mistakes of others and seek our own hearts to see if we are on the slippery slope of stumbling out of faithfulness to God.

Turn with me in your Bibles this evening to .

The Command

Genesis 9:1 ESV

And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.

God reiterates his initial commission, remember back before Adam and Eve fell into sin, God had commanded them to be fruitful and multiply and yet they had thier family Cain and Abel but still remained in the same location. There isnt an account of someone leaving that area until Cain murdered abel and then moved to the land of Nod. Then they began to multiply, and remember god told them to fill the Earth, but they remained in one location, as they grew in number Gods word tells us:

Genesis 6:1 ESV

When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them,

Genesis 6:1

Something wasn’t right

Genesis 6:3 ESV

Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.”

Genesis 6:3

The story continues that God decided the best course of action in light of thier rebellion was to send a flood. After the flood of Noah God tells Noah and his sons this commission again:

Genesis 9:1 ESV

And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.

God’s plan hasnt changed He is just waiting on someone to obey, but they only get it half right. They multiplied, we see in the next portion of the Bible that this one begat that one and so on and so forth. they multiplied so much that they had enough people to form nations, but did they scatter?

NO they continued right on rebelling against this initial command. TO FILL THE EARTH, instead they stayed huddled up as a group and moved Eastward.

Now let’s make sure we get this, disobedience has lead to the first murderer in Cain, and a flood that has wiped out everyone except Noah and his family. god spared them but they still have not heeded the command of the Lord. HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THIS: WHEN YOU DISOBEY GOD AND HE POURS OUT JUDGMENT UPON YOU, THAT JUDGEMENT WILL NOT CEASE UNTIL OBEDIENCE IS COMPLETE. Either we comply willingly or he will send waves of trouble to cause obedience. These people are still in a pack and thier initial disobedience grew.

They were happy and successful and very united:

A Picture of Unity

Genesis 11:1 ESV

Now the whole earth had one language and the same words.

They were all on the same page, no confusion, no trouble but as a group they didnt realize they were being disobedient.

Genesis 11:2 ESV

And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.

ONE LOCATION- all these nations of people huddled in one location.

Our lives when we are given a second third or fourth chance by God are marked by unity, and harmony as long as we allow His plans to be our first priority. I want you to see the mindset of these people.

A Plan Born out of Selfishness

Genesis 11:3 ESV

And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar.

Genesis 11:4 ESV

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”

OURSELVES A CITY WITH ITS TOP IN THE HEAVENS!

Now we dont know this for sure, many believe that the name Babel came after god confused the languages but i find it interesting that the word Babel when properly translated means “Gateway to God”. Literally the thought process of these people fall in line with this, they wanted to make something with its tops reaching beyond the Heavens, and to make a name for themselves....

The building wasnt the problem it was the motive behind the building that was the problem, they wanted glory, they wanted to show off how great they were, their concern had nothing to do with God and what He desired. This is where many of us falter in life is that we make plans out of our own selfish desires rather than consider the plan God has already revealed to us. Normally this plan has nothing to do with God’s glory or pleasure but rather it has everything to do with our glory and pleasure. Listen the reaosn they made this choice is because they were afraid.....

LEST WE BE SCATTERED ABROAD OVER THE FACE OF THE EARTH!!!

these people blew it because they were afraid to embrace the very plan of God, but more than that they made this boneheaded move because they were afraid OF THE PLAN OF GOD!

They didnt wanna be scattered even though God commanded them to be scattered.

Often times people fear the plan of God which leads them into sin rather than embrace the plan of God which leads to life and joy and blessing.

God’s plans will not be stopped

Genesis 11:5–6 ESV

And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.

Genesis 11:

Genesis 11:7–8 ESV

Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.

Genesis 11:

God stopped their plan dead in its tracks and caused them to obey Him first. I don't know how many of you have experienced this but how many of you have been heading down a path in your life thinking you were doing pretty well knowing full well what god had told you to do, and yet out of fear you did the next best thing for yourself and god smashed your plans. that is exactly what God is doing in this passage.

God will get glory He will get the glory due his name but he accomplishes it with you or in spite of you.

Confusion is the result of disobedience

Genesis

Genesis 11:9 ESV

Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.

This whole story has gone from good, to bad, but do you wanna know how long it took the curse of the tower of babel to be reversed?

Acts

Acts 2 ESV

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Acts chapter 2

It took hundreds of years for this curse to be reversed but they also didn’t have the indwelling Holy Spirit that we do now.

We have the unifying FORCE of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us to bring order out of chaos, nothing is impossible for those who are in Christ Jesus will we walk in this truth...

So how do things go from good to bad, to better?

The question really is this?

How long will it take you to be obedient to His call?