Choosing Our Response

1 AFTER THE DEDICATION OF HIS BABY BROTHER IN CHURCH, 2 • LITTLE JOHNNY SOBBED ALL THE WAY HOME IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR. • HIS FATHER ASKED HIM THREE TIMES WHAT WAS WRONG. • FINALLY THE BOY REPLIED, 3 • “THAT PASTOR SAID HE WANTED US BROUGHT UP IN A CHRISTIAN HOME, • AND I WANT TO STAY WITH YOU GUYS!” • FOR MANY PEOPLE FAMILY IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF LIFE • MUCH OF OUR LIVES ARE SHAPED BY OUR FAMILY LIFE • AS CHRISTIANS WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO HOW GOD WANTS US TO TREAT FAMILY • WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHO OUR FAMILY IS 4 • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT A FAMILY • AND HOW THEY TREAT EACH OTHER IN A CRISIS • TURN TO GENESIS 9:18 • THE FLOOD WAS OVER 5 • NOAH HAD MADE AN ALTAR AND OFFERED A SACRIFICE • AND GOD HAD MADE A COVENANT WITH NOAH • PROMISING TO NEVER AGAIN DESTROY THE EARTH WITH A FLOOD 6 GENESIS 9:18–19 7 • NOW THE SONS OF NOAH WHO CAME OUT OF THE ARK WERE SHEM AND HAM AND JAPHETH; AND HAM WAS THE FATHER OF CANAAN. THESE THREE WERE THE SONS OF NOAH, AND FROM THESE THE WHOLE EARTH WAS POPULATED. ONLY ONE FAMILY SURVIVED • FAMILY IS IMPORTANT TO MANY OF US • BUT IMAGINE HOW IMPORTANT FAMILY WOULD BE • TO A FAMILY THAT HAD JUST SURVIVED THE FLOOD TOGETHER • THEY HAD NO ONE ELSE 8 • THEY WERE ALONE IN THE WORLD • ALL THEY HAD WAS EACH OTHER • MOSES LISTS THE SONS OF NOAH WHO CAME OUT OF THE ARK • SHEM AND HAM AND JAPHETH; 9 10 • THESE MEN AND THEIR WIVES ALONG WITH NOAH AND HIS WIFE • WERE A FAMILY, THE ONLY FAMILY ON THE WHOLE OF THE EARTH 11 • IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THEY HELP EACH OTHER, SUPPORT EACH OTHER • AS THEY REBUILD AND REPOPULATE THE WORLD • REMEMBER GOD HAD COMMANDED THEM TO MULTIPLY AND FILL THE EARTH WE ARE ALL FAMILY 12 • ONLY ONE FAMILY SURVIVED THE FLOOD • THAT MEANS ALL OF US ARE RELATED • WE ARE ALL FAMILY • IT IS VERY INTERESTING THAT MOSES MENTIONS THAT 13 • HAM WAS THE FATHER OF CANAAN • THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE THE AUDIENCE • MOSES IS WRITING TO, THE ISRAELITES • DO NOT REALLY GET ALONG WITH THE CANAANITES 14 • MOSES HAS JUST TOLD THE ISRAELITES, • THESE GUYS YOU DON’T GET ALONG WITH • ARE YOUR DISTANT COUSINS • THE ISRAELITES COME FROM THE LINE OF SHEM, HAM’S BROTHER 15 • NOW, MOSES MAY BE MENTIONING THAT HAM IS THE FATHER OF CANAAN • BECAUSE THE ISRAELITES ARE ABOUT TO FACE THE CANAANITES • AS THEY COME INTO THE PROMISE LAND 16 • MAYBE MOSES WANTS THEM TO UNDERSTAND • THE KIND OF PEOPLE THEY WILL BE FACING • OR MAYBE HE WANTS TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND 17 • WHY THE CANAANITES ARE THE KIND OF PEOPLE THEY ARE • WE ARE ALL SHAPED BY OUR FAMILY • THE CANAANITES ARE NO DIFFERENT • EITHER WAY MOSES MAKES IT CLEAR THE ISRAELITES • ARE RELATED TO THE CANAANITES 18 19 TREAT THE WORLD AS FAMILY • MOSES MAKES IT VERY CLEAR THAT WE ARE ALL ONE FAMILY HE WRITES; • THESE THREE WERE THE SONS OF NOAH, AND FROM THESE THE WHOLE EARTH WAS POPULATED. • SOME OF US WERE RAISED TO TREAT FAMILY DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHER FOLKS 20 • WE CUT THEM MORE SLACK, WE HAVE MORE PATIENCE WITH FAMILY • WE FORGIVE FAMILY MORE EASILY • BUT IF WE ARE GONNA TAKE GOD’S WORD FOR WHAT IT SAYS • THEN WE NEED TO SEE EVERYONE WE MEET IN ALL THE WORLD AS FAMILY 21 • NO MATTER WHERE WE MEET SOMEONE • IF WE GO BACK FAR ENOUGH WE ARE RELATED TO THEM • THIS IS WHAT THE BIBLE TELLS US • BUT IT IS NOT JUST THE BIBLE THAT TELLS US THIS 22 • ACCORDING TO A SCIENTIFIC STUDY IF YOU GO BACK 35 GENERATIONS • EVERYONE IN THE POPULATION OF THE WORLD • WILL HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME SET OF COMMON ANCESTORS • ALTHOUGH THEY WILL BE RELATED, OF COURSE, 23 • THROUGH DIFFERENT ROUTES IN ALL THE DIFFERENT FAMILY TREES • THEY COULD HAVE SAVED WHATEVER MONEY THEY SPENT ON THIS STUDY • AND JUST READ THEIR BIBLES 24 • THE BIBLE MAKES IT CLEAR WE CALL COME FROM ONE SET OF COMMON ANCESTORS • IF MORE PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD THIS WE MIGHT TREAT EACH OTHER A LITTLE BETTER • ONE OF THE WAYS WE SHOULD TREAT EACH OTHER BETTER IS WHEN WE MESS UP GENESIS 9:20–23 25 THEN NOAH BEGAN FARMING AND PLANTED A VINEYARD. HE DRANK OF THE WINE AND BECAME DRUNK, AND UNCOVERED HIMSELF INSIDE HIS TENT. HAM, THE FATHER OF CANAAN, SAW THE NAKEDNESS OF HIS FATHER, AND TOLD HIS TWO BROTHERS OUTSIDE. 26 BUT SHEM AND JAPHETH TOOK A GARMENT AND LAID IT UPON BOTH THEIR SHOULDERS AND WALKED BACKWARD AND COVERED THE NAKEDNESS OF THEIR FATHER; AND THEIR FACES WERE TURNED AWAY, SO THAT THEY DID NOT SEE THEIR FATHER’S NAKEDNESS. PEOPLE MESS UP 27 • WE ARE NOT TOLD WHAT NOAH DID BEFORE HE BUILT THE ARK • IT IS POSSIBLE HE HAD BEEN A FARMER • AND HERE WE SEE HIM RETURNING TO WHAT HE HAD DONE BEFORE 28 • IT IS GOOD THAT HE IS WORKING THE LAND • THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT GOD HAD CALLED MAN TO DO • NOAH HAD BEEN A GOOD MAN, FAVORED BY GOD • NOAH WAS DESCRIBED AS A RIGHTEOUS MAN, BLAMELESS IN HIS TIME 29 • IT EVEN SAYS, NOAH WALKED WITH GOD • AND YET HERE WE SEE THIS RIGHTEOUS, BLAMELESS MAN • GETTING DRUNK AND PASSING OUT IN HIS TENT • SOME FOLKS WANT TO SAY THAT THE REASON THIS HAPPENED 30 • IS THAT NO ONE HAD MADE WINE BEFORE • AND NOAH HAD NO IDEA WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF HE DRANK IT • I JUST DON’T THINK THAT IS IN THE BIBLE 31 • THE POINT OF THIS HAPPENING IS THAT NOAH MESSED UP • THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH DRINKING A LITTLE WINE • THE PROBLEM COMES WHEN WE ABUSE IT AND GET INTOXICATED 32 EPHESIANS 5:18 AND DO NOT GET DRUNK WITH WINE, FOR THAT IS DISSIPATION, BUT BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT, • NOAH MESSES UP, HE IS A GOOD MAN BUT HE IS ONLY HUMAN • OUR BIBLES ARE FILLED WITH GOOD PEOPLE MESSING UP • ALL OF US WILL MESS UP AT SOME POINT 33 34 • IF ANY OF US COULD NOT MESS UP CHRIST WOULD NOT HAVE NEEDED • TO COME AND DIE TO PAY FOR OUR SINS • THE QUESTION IS NOT IF PEOPLE WILL MESS UP • THE QUESTION IS HOW ARE WE GOING TO RESPOND WHEN THEY DO TAKING ADVANTAGE 35 • WE HAVE SOME OPTIONS WHEN PEOPLE MESS UP • WE CAN IGNORE IT AND ACT LIKE IT DID NOT HAPPEN • WE CAN HELP THEM THROUGH IT SHOWING KINDNESS 36 • OR WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR MESS UP AND MAKE THINGS WORSE • AS CHRISTIANS WE ARE CALLED TO SHOW LOVING KINDNESS • EVEN WHEN… ESPECIALLY WHEN PEOPLE MESS UP • WE SHOULD NEVER TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOMEONE’S MESS 37 • THE TEXT SAYS HAM; “SAW THE NAKEDNESS OF HIS FATHER” • NOW, THE WAY THIS IS WORDED HAM DID NOT GO LOOKING TO FIND NOAH • HE HAPPENED TO LOOK IN THE TENT SAW IT • AT THIS POINT HE HAD OPTIONS • HE COULD HAVE JUST IGNORED IT AND WALKED AWAY • HE COULD HAVE SHOWN KINDNESS AND HELPED NOAH • BUT HE CHOOSE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NOAH’S MESS • “AND TOLD HIS TWO BROTHERS OUTSIDE.” 38 39 • WE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND JUST HOW SERIOUS THIS WAS • TO US IT WOULD JUST BE EMBARRASSING • BUT IN THEIR CULTURE THIS WOULD BE • A BREACH OF FAMILY ETHICS, IT WAS SEEN AS MOCKING 40 • THE FATHERS STRENGTH • THE PROBLEM WAS NOT SO MUCH WHAT HAM SAW • AS IT WAS THAT HE WENT AND TOLD HIS BROTHERS • THERE IS AN IMPLICATION THAT HAM IS TRYING TO 41 • INCREASE HIS IMPORTANCE IN THE FAMILY BY • POINTING OUT HIS FATHERS FAILURE • WE SHOULD NEVER SEEK TO GAIN FROM OTHER PEOPLE’S MESS UPS • WE SHOULD ALWAYS SHOW LOVING KINDNESS TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY MESS UP AS KIND AS POSSIBLE • AFTER HEARING WHAT HAM TOLD THEM • SHEM AND JAPHETH HAD SOME OPTIONS • THEY COULD HAVE IGNORED THE SITUATION AND WALKED AWAY • BUT THEY DID NOT, THEY; 42 43 • “TOOK A GARMENT AND LAID IT UPON BOTH THEIR SHOULDERS AND WALKED BACKWARD AND COVERED THE NAKEDNESS OF THEIR FATHER;” • I AM SURE THIS WAS NOT AN EASY THING TO DO • BUT THEY DID THIS FOR A REASON 44 • “SO THAT THEY DID NOT SEE THEIR FATHER’S NAKEDNESS.” • THEY DID THIS TO BE KIND • THEY DID THIS OUT OF RESPECT FOR THEIR FATHER • THIS WAS PRETTY MUCH THE MOST KIND AND CARING THING THEY COULD DO • WE HAVE OPTIONS WHEN PEOPLE MESS UP • WE CAN IGNORE IT • WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT • OR WE CAN SHOW KINDNESS 45 • IT IS ALWAYS GOING TO TAKE MORE EFFORT • MORE TIME, MORE PATIENCE TO SHOW KINDNESS • BUT IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN CALLED TO DO 46 47 JOHN 13:34 “A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE TO YOU, THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER, EVEN AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, THAT YOU ALSO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. • THAT WORD LOVE DOES NOT MEAN AN EMOTION • IT IS NOT TALKING ABOUT HOW WE FEEL ABOUT EACH OTHER • IT MEANS ACTS OF KINDNESS, CARING FOR, HELPING EACH OTHER • AND IT DOES NOT SAY “LOVE ONE ANOTHER UNLESS THEY MESS UP” 48 49 • WE ARE TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER EVEN WHEN.. • ESPECIALLY WHEN WE MESS UP MOTHER ASKED HER SIX-YEAR-OLD WHAT LOVING-KINDNESS MEANT. • "WELL," HE SAID, "WHEN I ASK YOU FOR A PIECE OF BREAD AND BUTTER • AND YOU GIVE IT TO ME, THAT'S KINDNESS, • BUT WHEN YOU PUT JAM ON IT, THAT'S LOVING-KINDNESS • HOW WE TREAT PEOPLE IN THEIR MESS UP’S IS AN INDICATION • OF WHAT KIND OF PERSON WE REALLY ARE • ARE WE LOVING AND KIND OR NOT 50 GENESIS 9:24–27 51 WHEN NOAH AWOKE FROM HIS WINE, HE KNEW WHAT HIS YOUNGEST SON HAD DONE TO HIM. SO HE SAID, “CURSED BE CANAAN; A SERVANT OF SERVANTS HE SHALL BE TO HIS BROTHERS.” HE ALSO SAID, 52 “BLESSED BE THE LORD, THE GOD OF SHEM; AND LET CANAAN BE HIS SERVANT. “MAY GOD ENLARGE JAPHETH, AND LET HIM DWELL IN THE TENTS OF SHEM; AND LET CANAAN BE HIS SERVANT.” PEOPLE WILL FIND OUT 53 • NOAH WAKES UP AND KNOWS WHAT HAM HAS DONE • THE TEXT DOES NOT SAY HOW HE KNOWS • HE POSSIBLY KNEW BECAUSE HE ASKED, • MAYBE THE COVERING THAT SHEM AND JAPHETH PLACED ON HIM 54 • WAS A CLUE THAT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED • BUT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER HE KNOWS • I AM SURE HAM THOUGHT HE GOT AWAY WITH IT • WE ALWAYS THINK WE ARE GONNA GET AWAY WITH THINGS 55 • BUT, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE TIME PEOPLE FIND OUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE • MAYBE NOT RIGHT AWAY LIKE NOAH DID • BUT AT SOME POINT ALL THE BAD THINGS WE DO GET FOUND OUT 56 • AND EVEN IF WE MANAGE TO KEEP FROM PEOPLE • WE NEVER KEEP THOSE THINGS HIDDEN FROM GOD • WE WILL ALL STAND BEFORE GOD AND EXPLAIN ALL THAT WE HAVE DONE • IT MIGHT BE WORTHWHILE TO CONSIDER THIS BEFORE • WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOMEONE WHO HAS MESSED UP • MAYBE WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW THAT CONVERSATION • IS GOING TO GO WITH CHRIST 57 • “WELL, SEE HE MESSED UP SO I THOUGHT I WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE • OF HIS MESS AND MAKE MY SELF LOOK BETTER” • I REALLY DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO SAY THOSE WORDS TO CHRIST • SEE WE NEED TO KNOW 58 59 THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES • SO, NOAH KNEW WHAT HAM HAD DONE • AND HE IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT • AND IN RESPONSE TO WHAT HAS HAPPENED NOAH SAYS; • “CURSED BE CANAAN; A SERVANT OF SERVANTS HE SHALL BE TO HIS BROTHERS.” • THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT NOAH SAID • IT COULD BE THAT NOAH IS PLACING A CURSE ON HAM’S SON CANAAN 60 • BUT WHY WOULD HE PLACE A CURSE ON HAM’S SON AND NOT ON HAM? • WELL, IF THIS IS A CURSE IT IS PLACED ON THE SON OF HAM BECAUSE • HAM HAD SINNED AGAINST HIS FATHER NOAH 61 62 • AND NOAH IS PUNISHING HIS SON, BECAUSE IT WAS A GENERATIONAL THING • YOU DID BAD TO YOUR DAD SO YOUR SON WILL SUFFER • BUT THERE IS ANOTHER WAY TO SEE THIS STATEMENT BY NOAH • INSTEAD OF A CURSE THIS IS VERY LIKELY A PROPHECY • NOAH IS NOT BRINGING A CURSE ON CANAAN BECAUSE OF SOMETHING HAM DID • NOAH IS PROPHESYING THAT THE DESCENDANTS OF CANAAN WILL SUFFER • BECAUSE THEY WILL BEHAVE LIKE HAM 63 • THIS DESCRIBES ONE OF THE GREATEST CONSEQUENCES FOR OUR ACTIONS • OUR CHILDREN SEE HOW WE BEHAVE AND TAKE ON THAT BEHAVIOR • IF WE CUSS AND SCREAM AT PEOPLE 64 65 • OUR CHILDREN SEE THAT AS NORMAL BEHAVIOR AND LEARN TO DO IT • THEN THEY PASS IT ON TO THEIR KIDS AND SO ON • THE BIBLE ADDRESSES THIS CONCEPT A NUMBER OF TIMES EXODUS 20:5 66 “YOU SHALL NOT WORSHIP THEM OR SERVE THEM; FOR I, THE LORD YOUR GOD, AM A JEALOUS GOD, VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS ON THE CHILDREN, ON THE THIRD AND THE FOURTH GENERATIONS OF THOSE WHO HATE ME, 67 • THIS IS SOMETIMES CALLED GENERATIONAL SIN OR GENERATIONAL CURSES • THIS IS NOT SAYING THAT CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN ARE PUNISHED • FOR THE SINS OF THEIR PARENTS • IT IS SAYING THAT CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN ARE CURSED BECAUSE • THEY FOLLOW, THEY LEARN, THEY TAKE ON THE SINS OF THEIR PARENTS • I CAN ATTEST TO JUST HOW TRUE THIS IS 68 69 • MY GRANDFATHER HAD CERTAIN BEHAVIORS THAT MY FATHER LEARNED • I LEARNED THEM FROM MY FATHER AND THOUGHT THEY WERE NORMAL • ONLY AFTER COMING TO CHRIST DID I UNDERSTAND THE ERROR OF THESE BEHAVIORS 70 • HOPEFULLY SKY WILL NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THESE BEHAVIORS • BECAUSE HE SAW CHRIST WORK A CHANGE IN ME • JUST LIKE BAD BEHAVIOR PASSES DOWN SO DOES GOOD 71 GOD’S FAVOR PASSES DOWN • NOAH GIVES GLORY, HONOR AND PRAISE TO GOD WHEN HE SAYS • “BLESSED BE THE LORD, THE GOD OF SHEM” • SHEM AND JAPHETH HAD CHOSEN • TO SHOW LOVING KINDNESS TO NOAH WHEN HE HAD MESSED UP • AND NOAH DOES NOT PRAISE THEM HE PRAISES GOD • WHEN WE CHOSE TO SHOW KINDNESS TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE MESSED UP 72 73 • THE GLORY, THE HONOR AND THE PRAISE • SHOULD GO TO GOD AND NOT TO US • WITHOUT HIM WE CANNOT DO ANY GOOD THING 74 JOHN 15:5 “I AM THE VINE, YOU ARE THE BRANCHES; HE WHO ABIDES IN ME AND I IN HIM, HE BEARS MUCH FRUIT, FOR APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING. 75 • THIS IS WHY GOD GETS THE GLORY FOR ALL THE GOOD THINGS WE CAN DO • NOAH CONTINUES WITH HIS PROPHETIC STATEMENTS, SAYING; • “AND LET CANAAN BE HIS (SHEM’S) SERVANT. “MAY GOD ENLARGE JAPHETH, AND LET HIM DWELL IN THE TENTS OF SHEM; AND LET CANAAN BE HIS SERVANT.”” 76 • THE PEOPLE MOSES IS WRITING TO ARE DESCENDANTS OF SHEM • AND THEY ARE ABOUT TO GO INTO THE PROMISED LAND AND FIGHT • THE DESCENDANTS OF CANAAN. • MOSES IS HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND WHO THEY GOING TO FIGHT 77 • THIS ACCOUNT OF HOW HAM MISS-TREATED NOAH • AND HOW SHEM AND JAPHETH SHOWED KINDNESS • HELPS THE ISRAELITES UNDERSTAND • WHY THEY MUST CLEAR THE LAND OF ALL THE DESCENDANTS OF CANAAN • HAM HAD DISRESPECTED HIS FATHER AND BROUGHT SHAME ON HIM • SHEM AND JAPHETH HAD SHOWED LOVING KINDNESS TO THEIR FATHER • EVEN WHEN NOAH HAD MESSED UP THEY HAD BEEN KIND (PAUSE) • AT THE TIME MOSES WRITES THIS THE CANAANITES WERE A POWERFUL NATION 78 • THEY CERTAINLY WERE NOT THE SERVANTS OF THE DESCENDANTS OF SHEM • BUT THE PROPHECIES OF NOAH WOULD CERTAINLY COME TRUE • THE DESCENDANTS OF JAPHETH WOULD “ENLARGE” AND INHABIT THE WORLD 79 80 • THE “GENTILES” ARE THE DESCENDANTS OF JAPHETH • AND THE DESCENDANTS OF SHEM WOULD BE BLESSED OF GOD • THE JEWS ARE THE DESCENDANTS OF SHEM • AND WHAT ABOUT THE CANAANITES 81 • UP UNTIL RECENTLY IT WAS BELIEVED • THERE WERE NO MORE CANAANITES IN THE WORLD • BUT RECENT GENETIC STUDIES SHOW THAT MANY OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE 82 • OF LEBANON HAVE CANAANITE ANCESTRY • AND A LARGE PORTION OF THE SERVANTS IN ISRAEL • COME FROM THESE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE OF LEBANON • SO THIS PROPHECY IS LITERALLY COMING TRUE IN OUR TIME (PAUSE) • MOSES CONCLUDES THIS PORTION OF SCRIPTURE BY WRITING; 83 GENESIS 9:28–29 NOAH LIVED THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS AFTER THE FLOOD. SO ALL THE DAYS OF NOAH WERE NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS, AND HE DIED. 84 85 • THE ACCOUNT OF THE FLOOD BEGINS AFTER MOSES WRITES GENESIS 5:32 NOAH WAS FIVE HUNDRED YEARS OLD, AND NOAH BECAME THE FATHER OF SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH. AND ENDS WITH; 86 • “SO ALL THE DAYS OF NOAH WERE NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS, AND HE DIED.” • THIS LINKS THE FLOOD TO THE GENEALOGIES THAT COME BEFORE IT • THIS MAKES NOAH’S LIFE THE LINK BETWEEN THE PRE-FLOOD WORLD 87 • AND THE POST-FLOOD WORLD. • NOAH LIVED TO SEE TWO WORLDS, • BUT, BEING AN HEIR OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS BY FAITH, • WHEN HE DIED HE WENT TO SEE A BETTER THAN EITHER. OUR FAMILY LIVES ARE VERY IMPORTANT 88 • THEY SHAPE HOW WE DEAL WITH THE WORLD • HOW WE DEAL WITH PEOPLE WHO MESS UP • WHEN PEOPLE MESS UP WE HAVE SOME OPTIONS • WE CAN IGNORE THE MESS • WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR MESS • OR WE CAN SHOW LOVING KINDNESS AND TAKE CARE OF THEM IN THEIR MESS 89 • HOW WE CHOOSE TO RESPOND • EFFECTS THINGS FAR BEYOND THE CURRENT SITUATION • OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN SEE HOW WE RESPOND • AND THEY LEARN FROM OUR BEHAVIOR 90 91 • THIS LEARNED BEHAVIOR AFFECTS GENERATIONS THAT WILL COME AFTER US • ALL THE CHOICES WE MAKE CAN AFFECT FUTURE GENERATIONS • BUT ONE SPECIFIC CHOICE WE HAVE TO MAKE CAN AFFECT • NOT JUST FUTURE GENERATIONS ON EARTH BUT IN ETERNITY • WE HAVE A CHOICE TO TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR 92 93 • OR TO REJECT HIS OFFER OF SALVATION • THIS CHOICE HAS AN ETERNAL EFFECT. • IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE WHO HAS NOT TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST. 94