United in Error

1 THE STORY IS TOLD OF A BOY • WHO WAS REBELLING AGAINST HIS FATHER CONSTANTLY • THIS BOY WAS DESTROYING HIS OWN LIFE BY HIS REBELLION • BUT HE REFUSED TO HEED HIS FATHER’S WORDS 2 3 • ONE DAY, THE DAD SAID TO THE BOY, • “I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT YOU’RE DOING TO YOUR LIFE • I’M GOING TO PUT A WOODEN POST IN OUR FRONT YARD • EVERY TIME YOU REBEL, I WILL PUT A NAIL IN THIS POST 4 • EVERY TIME YOU OBEY, I WILL PULL OUT ONE NAIL.” • THE FIRST THOUGHT FROM THE BOY WAS, • “I’M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO FILL THAT POST WITH NAILS.” • AND HE DID. IN TWO MONTHS’ TIME, HE FILLED THAT POST WITH NAILS 5 • BUT HE ALSO BEGAN TO FEEL THE DAMAGE HE WAS DOING TO HIS OWN LIFE • AND TO HIS PARENTS’ LIVES • WITH TRUE REMORSE, THE BOY BEGAN TO OBEY HIS FATHER • ONE BY ONE, THE NAILS CAME OUT 6 • WHEN THE LAST NAIL CAME OUT OF THE POST, • THE BOY BROKE DOWN IN TEARS • THE DAD ASKED, “SON, WHY ARE YOU CRYING?” • AND THE BOY REPLIED, “I GOT RID OF THE NAILS, 7 • BUT I CAN’T GET RID OF THE HOLES” • IN LIFE NONE OF US WILL OBEY GOD PERFECTLY • WE WILL ALL FAIL TO DO GOD’S WILL AT SOME POINT • WE NEED TO KNOW HOW GOD RESPONSES WHEN WE DISOBEY • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT GOD’S RESPONSE • TO THE DISOBEDIENCE AT THE TOWER OF BABEL • TURN TO GENESIS 11:1 • AFTER THE FLOOD GOD HAD INSTRUCTED MANKIND TO FILL THE EARTH 8 • HE HAD PROMISED TO NEVER AGAIN FLOOD THE EARTH • MOSES HAD GIVEN THE A GENEALOGY • DESCRIBING THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD 9 10 • NOW MOSES WILL EXPLAIN HOW THESE NATIONS • WERE SCATTERED ACROSS THE EARTH GENESIS 11:1–4 11 NOW THE WHOLE EARTH USED THE SAME LANGUAGE AND THE SAME WORDS. IT CAME ABOUT AS THEY JOURNEYED EAST, THAT THEY FOUND A PLAIN IN THE LAND OF SHINAR AND SETTLED THERE. THEY SAID TO ONE ANOTHER, 12 “COME, LET US MAKE BRICKS AND BURN THEM THOROUGHLY.” AND THEY USED BRICK FOR STONE, AND THEY USED TAR FOR MORTAR. THEY SAID, 13 • “COME, LET US BUILD FOR OURSELVES A CITY, AND A TOWER WHOSE TOP WILL REACH INTO HEAVEN, AND LET US MAKE FOR OURSELVES A NAME, OTHERWISE WE WILL BE SCATTERED ABROAD OVER THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH.” TAKE CARE IN UNITY 14 • GOD’S WORD TALKS A LOT ABOUT UNITY • GOD’S PEOPLE ARE TO BE UNITED • HAVING ONE PURPOSE, ONE GOAL, SET ON THE SAME THINGS • UNITY IS GOOD (PAUSE) • WELL IT IS GOOD TO BE UNITED • WHEN WE ARE UNITED IN DOING GOD’S WILL • BUT WHAT ABOUT WHEN WE ARE UNITED • IN REJECTING GOD’S WILL • THAT IS WHAT WE SEE HERE • THE TEXT SAYS; 15 16 • “NOW THE WHOLE EARTH USED THE SAME LANGUAGE AND THE SAME WORDS.” • THIS IS REALLY ABOUT MORE THAN JUST HOW THEY TALKED • THESE PEOPLE ARE UNITED • THE IDEA OF SAME LANGUAGE AND SAME WORDS 17 • MEANS THEY WERE ON THE SAME PAGE, WITH THE SAME PURPOSE • THEY WERE WORKING TOGETHER • AS THEY WERE JOURNEYING EAST • THEY FOUND A PLAIN IN THE LAND OF SHINAR AND SETTLED THERE 18 • FROM THE GENEALOGIES WE THINK THIS IS • APPROX 150-200 YEARS AFTER THE FLOOD • SO NOAH IS STILL ALIVE, HE LIVED 350 YEARS AFTER THE FLOOD 19 • AND I THINK IT IS LIKELY THAT ALL THESE PEOPLE • WOULD HAVE BEEN RAISED TO KNOW WHAT GOD HAD COMMANDED 20 GENESIS 9:1 AND GOD BLESSED NOAH AND HIS SONS AND SAID TO THEM, “BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY, AND FILL THE EARTH. 21 • BUT FOR SOME REASON THEY ARE UNITED • IN SETTLING IN THE LAND OF SHINAR • BEING UNITED CAN BE AWESOME • GOD LOVES IT WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER FOR THE SAME GOAL 22 • BUT IT HAS TO BE HIS GOAL NOT OURS • BEING UNITED.. JUST TO BE UNITED IS NOT A GOOD THING • AS A MATTER OF FACT WE ARE GONNA SEE • THAT BEING UNITED IN DISOBEDIENCE IS • ONE OF THE WORST THINGS WE CAN DO • WE NEED TO TAKE CARE IN WHO WE ARE UNITED WITH • TAKE CARE IN WHAT WE ARE UNITED IN DOING • WE NEED TO 23 24 TAKE WITH ENCOURAGEMENT • SOME FOLKS WANT TO BLAME NIMROD FOR THE BUILDING OF THE TOWER • BUT I WANT US TO SEE SOMETHING HERE • THE TEXT SAYS; • THEY SAID TO ONE ANOTHER, “COME, LET US MAKE BRICKS AND BURN THEM THOROUGHLY.” • IT DOES NOT SAY NIMROD TOLD THEM TO MAKE BRICKS • IT SAYS THEY ENCOURAGED ONE ANOTHER TO MAKE BRICKS • MAYBE IT WAS NIMROD WHO SAID BUILD THE TOWER? 25 26 • BUT THE TEXT SAYS; • THEY SAID, “COME, LET US BUILD FOR OURSELVES A CITY, AND A TOWER WHOSE TOP WILL REACH INTO HEAVEN, • THAT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THE PEOPLE ENCOURAGED • ONE ANOTHER TO BUILD BOTH THE CITY AND THE TOWER • SOME PEOPLE HAVE TAUGHT THAT THE • SIN OF THESE PEOPLE WAS IN TRYING TO BUILD A TOWER • THAT WOULD ACTUALLY REACH UP TO HEAVEN • THE PHRASE; “A TOWER WHOSE TOP WILL REACH INTO HEAVEN,” 27 28 • DOES NOT MEAN THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD ACTUALLY REACH HEAVEN • IT JUST MEANS A REALLY REALLY TALL TOWER • I DON’T THINK NIMROD MADE THEM BUILD THE TOWER 29 • AND I DON’T THINK THE SIN OF BABEL • WAS TRYING TO BUILD A TOWER TO GET TO HEAVEN • THESE PEOPLE SINNED IN DISOBEYING GOD’S COMMAND TO FILL THE EARTH • AND THEY WERE UNITED IN DOING THIS • AND THEY ENCOURAGED OTHER TO DISOBEY • THE BIBLE INSTRUCTS US TO ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER 30 1 THESSALONIANS 5:11 31 THEREFORE ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER AND BUILD UP ONE ANOTHER, JUST AS YOU ALSO ARE DOING. 32 • BUT, WE NEED TO TAKE CARE IN WHAT WE ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER TO DO • IS IT GOD’S WILL, IS IT BIBLICAL 33 • WE NEED TO TAKE CARE WITH UNITY • WE NEED TO TAKE CARE WITH ENCOURAGEMENT • WE NEED TO TAKE CARE WITH PRIDE • IT’S NOT ALWAYS WHAT WE DO THAT IS THE PROBLEM • SOMETIMES THE PROBLEM IS WHY WE ARE DOING IT • BUILDING A CITY IS NOT REALLY THE PROBLEM HERE 34 35 • REALLY EVEN BUILDING THE TOWER IS NOT SO MUCH THE PROBLEM • THE MOTIVE, THE REASON THEY ARE DOING THESE THINGS IS THE REAL PROBLEM • LET US MAKE FOR OURSELVES A NAME, OTHERWISE WE WILL BE SCATTERED ABROAD OVER THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH.” • THERE ARE REALLY TWO MOTIVES STATED HERE • THE IMMEDIATE MOTIVE IS ONE OF PRIDE • LET US MAKE FOR OURSELVES A NAME • BUT UNDER THAT MOTIVE IS ANOTHER MOTIVE 36 37 • OTHERWISE WE WILL BE SCATTERED ABROAD OVER THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH.” • IN THEIR PRIDE THEY ARE TRYING TO STOP GOD’S COMMAND • FROM BEING FOLLOWED 38 • THEY ARE NOT JUST DISOBEYING • THEIR GOAL IS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO DISOBEY AS WELL • IF THEY MAKE A NAME FOR THEMSELVES THEN • THEIR DESCENDANTS WILL RALLY AROUND THAT NAME • AND WILL NOT SCATTER OVER THE FACE OF THE EARTH • HUMILITY IS DEMONSTRATED IN TRUST AND OBEDIENCE • PRIDE IS DISPLAYED IN INDEPENDENCE AND DISOBEDIENCE 39 40 JAMES 4:6 BUT HE GIVES A GREATER GRACE. THEREFORE IT SAYS, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” • WE ALL NEED GOD’S GRACE EACH AND EVERY DAY • WE NEED TO GUARD AGAINST NOT JUST WHAT WE DO • BUT WHY WE DO IT • IF OUR MOTIVE IS ONE OF PRIDE 41 42 • WE CAN END UP DISOBEYING GOD IN THAT PRIDE • THE TRUTH IS MANY OF THE FOOLISH & SINFUL THINGS WE DO • WE DO OUT OF PRIDE A CLEVER SALESMAN WAS FAMOUS FOR CLOSING HUNDREDS OF SALES 43 • WITH THIS LINE: “LET ME SHOW YOU SOMETHING • SEVERAL OF YOUR NEIGHBORS SAID YOU COULDN’T AFFORD.” • I HAVE MADE MORE FOOLISH PURCHASES OUT OF PRIDE • THAN ANY OTHER REASON • I ONCE SPENT $62,000 TO SHOW SOMEONE I DID NOT NEED THEIR HELP 44 • THAT I COULD MAKE IT JUST FINE WITHOUT THEM (PAUSE) • THE THING ABOUT MOTIVES • IS THAT WE MIGHT HIDE THEM FROM THE WORLD • BUT GOD NOT ONLY KNOWS EVERYTHING WE DO • HE KNOWS WHY WE DO IT. 45 GENESIS 11:5–7 46 THE LORD CAME DOWN TO SEE THE CITY AND THE TOWER WHICH THE SONS OF MEN HAD BUILT. THE LORD SAID, “BEHOLD, THEY ARE ONE PEOPLE, AND THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME LANGUAGE. 47 AND THIS IS WHAT THEY BEGAN TO DO, AND NOW NOTHING WHICH THEY PURPOSE TO DO WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM. “COME, LET US GO DOWN AND THERE CONFUSE THEIR LANGUAGE, SO THAT THEY WILL NOT UNDERSTAND ONE ANOTHER’S SPEECH.” 48 GOD SEES US • WHEN IT SAYS HERE; • “THE LORD CAME DOWN TO SEE” • THIS DOES NOT MEAN GOD COULD NOT SEE FROM HEAVEN • IT DOES NOT MEAN GOD CHANGED WHERE HE WAS LOCATED 49 • GOD IS OMNIPRESENT, HE IS EVERYWHERE AND SEES EVERYTHING • THIS EXPRESSION CAME DOWN TO SEE • IS TALKING ABOUT GOD’S GRACE AND MERCY • JUST LIKE WHEN CHRIST CAME IN THE FORM OF A MAN 50 • THIS IS AN ACT OF COMPASSION • GOD MEETING MANKIND WHERE HE IS • IN HIS SIN AND REBELLION (PAUSE) • GOD DOES THE SAME THING FOR US, EVERY DAY 51 • WE FAIL TO DO GOD’S WILL • WE SIN BY THINKING, SAYING, OR DOING • SOMETHING THAT GOES AGAINST GOD’S WILL • AND HE IS RIGHT THERE WITH US • THE HOLY SPIRIT INDWELLING IN US • MEETING US WHERE WE ARE IN OUR SIN, IN PRIDE AND REBELLION 52 GOD KNOWS US • HE KNOWS WHAT WE WILL DO • NOT JUST WHAT WE ARE DOING • THE PEOPLE ARE UNITED THEY ARE WORKING TOGETHER • BUT NOTICE WHAT GOD SAYS; 53 • “AND THIS IS WHAT THEY BEGAN TO DO,” • GOD KNOWS OUR MOTIVES • HE KNOWS WHY WE ARE DOING WHAT WE ARE DOING • THEY ARE BUILDING A CITY AND A TOWER • BUT THEY ARE DOING IT OUT OF PRIDE AND REBELLION • THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE DOING SOME GREAT THING • SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE A NAME FOR THEM • AND THEN GOD SAYS; 54 55 • “AND NOW NOTHING WHICH THEY PURPOSE TO DO WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM” • MOST OF THE TIME WHEN SOMEONE SAYS NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM • IT IS A GOOD THING 56 • IN OUR WORLD TODAY THIS IS WHAT WE WANT • FOR NOTHING TO BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR US • FOR OURSELVES, FOR OUR CHILDREN, FOR OUR COUNTRY • THAT NOTHING BE IMPOSSIBLE 57 • BUT, IS THAT REALLY A GOOD THING • DOES IT REALLY SERVE GOD FOR “NOTHING TO BE IMPOSSIBLE” FOR US? • ARE THERE SOME THINGS • THAT WE ARE BETTER OFF IF THEY ARE IMPOSSIBLE FOR US? 58 • WE THINK IT IS BAD THAT THE WHOLE WORLD IS NOT UNITED • BUT HOW BAD WOULD IT BE IF THE WHOLE WORLD • WAS UNITED IN REBELLION AGAINST GOD • REMEMBER THAT IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE FLOOD GENESIS 6:5 59 THEN THE LORD SAW THAT THE WICKEDNESS OF MAN WAS GREAT ON THE EARTH, AND THAT EVERY INTENT OF THE THOUGHTS OF HIS HEART WAS ONLY EVIL CONTINUALLY. 60 • THAT WENT SO BADLY GOD DESTROYED EVERYTHING • MAYBE WE NEED TO BE OK WITH THE WORLD NOT BEING UNITED • MAYBE WE NEED TO BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT TRUSTING AND OBEYING GOD 61 • AND LESS CONCERNED ABOUT “NOTHING BEING IMPOSSIBLE” FOR US (PAUSE) • GOD SEES WHAT WE DO • GOD KNOWS WHY WE DO IT • AND GOD TAKES ACTION • THE LAST TIME THE WORLD HAD BEEN UNITED IN SIN • GOD HAD FLOODED THE EARTH • THIS TIME GOD SHOWS GREAT MERCY • BY COMING DOWN 62 • AND GREAT MERCY BY CONFUSING THEIR LANGUAGE • GOD HAD COMMANDED THEM TO FILL THE EARTH • THEY HAD REBELLED AND BUILT A TOWER • TO MAKE A NAME SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE SCATTERED 63 64 • AND IN HIS PATIENCE AND WISDOM GOD • FINDS A VERY GENTLE WAY TO SCATTER THEM • GOD IS SO AMAZINGLY PATIENT WITH US • FREQUENTLY WE HAVE DRIFTED SO FAR FROM HIS WILL • AND HE GIVES GREAT MERCY AND GRACE • IN BRINGING US BACK TO WHAT HE COMMANDS THE REBELLION OF A TEENAGE DAUGHTER • WAS BREAKING HER MOTHER’S HEART 65 66 • THEIR STRUGGLE REACHED ITS PEAK • WHEN THE YOUNG GIRL WAS ARRESTED • FOR DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL • AFTER POSTING BAIL FOR HER DAUGHTER, • THE TWO DID NOT SPEAK FOR A COUPLA DAYS 67 • WHEN THEY DID SPEAK • THE WOMAN HANDED HER DAUGHTER A SMALL WRAPPED GIFT • THE GIRL FLIPPANTLY OPENED IT • AND WAS EXASPERATED BY WHAT SHE SAW. • THE BOX CONTAINED A SMALL ROCK. • SHE ROLLED HER EYES AND ASKED, “WHAT’S THIS FOR?” • HER MOTHER SIMPLY REPLIED, “READ THE CARD.” • SHE DID AND WAS OVERCOME BY THE WORDS INSIDE. 68 • TEARS BEGAN STREAMING DOWN HER CHEEKS • SHE REACHED OUT TO EMBRACE HER MOM. • THE CARD SAID, “THIS ROCK IS MORE THAN 6000 YEARS OLD. • THAT’S HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE BEFORE I GIVE UP ON YOU.” 69 • A MOTHERS PATIENCE AND LOVE ARE GREAT • GOD’S PATIENCE AND LOVE IS EVEN GREATER • WHEN WE ARE DISOBEDIENT GOD IS PATIENT 70 71 • MORE PATIENT THAN WE CAN IMAGINE • AND IN HIS PATIENCE WE CAN TRUST • THAT HIS PLANS WILL HAPPEN GENESIS 11:8–9 72 SO THE LORD SCATTERED THEM ABROAD FROM THERE OVER THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH; AND THEY STOPPED BUILDING THE CITY. THEREFORE ITS NAME WAS CALLED BABEL, 73 BECAUSE THERE THE LORD CONFUSED THE LANGUAGE OF THE WHOLE EARTH; AND FROM THERE THE LORD SCATTERED THEM ABROAD OVER THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH. GOD’S PLANS WILL HAPPEN 74 • WE HAVE A GOD WHO HAS A PLAN • THIS PLAN WAS DECIDED BEFORE TIME BEGAN • AND NOTHING AND NO ONE IS GOING TO STOP IT FROM HAPPENING 75 • PART OF GOD’S PLAN WAS MANKIND FILLING THE EARTH • GOD COMMANDED MANKIND • TO BE FRUITFUL, MULTIPLE AND FILL THE EARTH • AND NOW THEY ARE DISOBEYING 76 • SO GOD WILL JUST HAVE TO CHANGE HIS PLANS • NO! THAT IS NOT HOW IT WORKS • GOD’S PLAN WILL NOT BE STOPPED WHEN WE DISOBEY • GOD GAVE THEM A CHOICE TO BE PART OF THE PLAN 77 • THEY COULD OBEY AND BE BLESSED TO SERVE GOD’S PLAN • OR THEY COULD DISOBEY AND GOD WILL INSURE • THAT THE PLAN WILL OCCUR JUST AS HE WISHES • SO; LORD SCATTERED THEM ABROAD FROM THERE OVER THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH 78 • GOD’S PLAN IS ACHIEVED WITH OR WITHOUT OUR OBEDIENCE • WHEN WE OBEY AND FOLLOW HIS COMMANDS • WE ARE BLESSED TO BE PART OF HIS PLAN • OR WE CAN DO WHAT WE WANT • AND END UP GETTING WHAT WE WANTED • BACK IN VERSE 4 THEY HAD SAID; • LET US MAKE FOR OURSELVES A NAME, • AND AMAZINGLY ENOUGH GOD GAVE THEM EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANTED 79 80 • THEY GOT A NAME FOR THEMSELVES… BABEL • THOUSANDS OF YEARS LATTER PEOPLE STILL TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY DID • HOW PRIDEFUL AND ARROGANT THEY WERE • HOW FOOLISHLY THEY WENT AGAINST WHAT GOD COMMANDED 81 • THE HEBREW WORD BABEL LITERALLY MEANS TO CONFUSE OR MUDDLE • THEY GOT A NAME FOR THEMSELVES • BUT, GETTING A NAME DID NOT STOP THEM FROM BEING SCATTERED • GOD’S PLAN REQUIRED THEM TO FILL THE EARTH 82 • IF THEY WOULD NOT DO IT FREELY • GOD WOULD SEE TO IT THAT IT GOT DONE • GOD’S PLANS ARE NEVER THWARTED • HE ALLOWS US THE FREE WILL TO BE PART OF THEM 83 • OR TO DISOBEY, REBEL, REJECT THEM • WE ARE BLESSED TO BE A PART OF HIS PLANS WHEN WE OBEY • BUT WE SHOULD NEVER THINK HE CANT GET IT DONE WITHOUT US 84 A YOUNG BOY WAS TRAVELING BY AIRPLANE • TO VISIT HIS GRANDPARENTS • BESIDE HIM SAT A MAN WHO HAPPENED TO BE A SEMINARY PROFESSOR. • THE BOY WAS READING A SUNDAY SCHOOL TAKE-HOME PAPER, 85 • AND THE PROFESSOR THOUGHT HE WOULD HAVE SOME FUN WITH THE LAD. • “YOUNG MAN,” SAID THE PROFESSOR, • “IF YOU CAN TELL ME SOMETHING GOD CAN DO, • I WILL GIVE YOU A BIG, SHINY APPLE.” 86 • THE BOY THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT AND THEN REPLIED, • “MISTER, IF YOU CAN TELL ME SOMETHING GOD CAN’T DO, • I’LL GIVE YOU A WHOLE BARREL OF APPLES!” • GOD WILL ACCOMPLISH WHAT HE HAS SET OUT TO DO ISAIAH 55:11 87 SO WILL MY WORD BE WHICH GOES FORTH FROM MY MOUTH; IT WILL NOT RETURN TO ME EMPTY, WITHOUT ACCOMPLISHING WHAT I DESIRE, AND WITHOUT SUCCEEDING IN THE MATTER FOR WHICH I SENT IT. JUST LIKE THE BOY 88 • WHO WAS REBELLING AGAINST HIS FATHER • WE CAN END DOING ALOTTA DAMAGE BY OUR DISOBEDIENCE • GOD GIVES US THE FREEWILL TO CHOOSE TO FOLLOW HIS PLAN • HE ALSO ALLOWS US THE FREEWILL TO REJECT HIS PLAN • SOMETIMES WE ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER TO REJECT HIS PLAN • SOMETIMES WE ARE EVEN UNITED IN REJECTING HIS PLAN • USUALLY WHEN WE REJECT HIS COMMANDS PRIDE IS IN THERE SOMEPLACE 89 90 • IT WOULD BE VERY FOOLISH OF US • TO THINK GOD DOES NOT NOTICE OUR PRIDE AND REBELLION • IT WOULD BE JUST AS FOOLISH • TO THINK GOD WOULD NOT DO SOMETHING ABOUT OUR PRIDE AND REBELLION 91 • GOD HAS A PLAN THAT WAS CREATED BEFORE TIME BEGAN • HOW COULD WE POSSIBLY THINK HIS PLAN REQUIRES OUR OBEDIENCE • WE REALLY SHOULD BE VERY THANKFUL IT DOES NOT 92 • GOD’S PLAN IS CERTAIN BECAUSE IT IS BASED ON WHO HE IS • ON WHAT HE DID • THAT HE CAME IN THE FORM OF A MAN, JESUS CHRIST… 93