Things You Need to Know.... from Genesis

Pray for the Davis family.

Pray for Ken Moyer

Prayer for my nephew Jason and anyone who is battling cancer

Pray for those recovering from Covid

Pray for our church, our growth, our children’s ministries, our families.

Genesis 3:8–19 ESV

8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” 16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” 17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

History of All Humanity (over 2,000 years) 1-11 Beginning of the Human Race 1-2 Beginning of Sin and Death 3-5 Judgment: the Flood 6-9 Judgment: Tower of Babel 10-11

History of One Man’s Descendants (about 350 years) 12-50 Abraham: Friend of God 12-24 Isaac: Servant of God 25-26 Jacob: Prince of God 27-36 Joseph: Exalted of God 37-50

Genesis shows us where we have come from, why we are here and where we are going

For each of these there are two truths that you MUST see…

What do you say to a nation group of people who have been enslaved by the nation of Egypt for over 400 years?

What do you say to them now that they have been delivered by a man who claims that he has been sent by Gd to deliver them and to create a nation that will be ruled by God and his law and not by a king?

This man, who’s name is Moses, has done miracles, he has led the people through the Sea. He has gone up a mountain and come down with the Ten Words of God.

And now he is writing the Law - 5 books which will reveal the words of God, the Law of God, and the way to worship God. These books will tell the people where they have come from point them toward where they are to go. And he will tell the people who this God is - he is the true and living God and his name is Yahweh. And He is the God who reveals himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

This morning I would like us to begin looking at the first five books of the Bible and see the sovereign plan of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I would like us to see that even when life seems uncertain, we worship a God who is in control.

I have two sisters. My older sister’s 35 year old son suddenly found out a few months ago that he has cancer, had emergency surgery and is currently going through chemotherapy .

My younger sister wrote to me this week and here’s the conversation which she said I could share with you:

Hey Mike this might seem very silly But I was wondering what kind of Bible can I buy So that I can talk to God He has kept me alive all these years I don't know why But I pray for Jason everyday And I'm pretty sure the big guy listens to me But what I don't understand why does he take the good Jason's never done anything to anybody and it makes me wonder why did he keep me And I didn't mean like Jason is going to die I just meant why him to get cancer

I guess what I'm trying to tell you is I don't understand why he takes such a beautiful person And not take somebody that's bipolar with mental health issues every day I just don't get it. Sorry to vent on you I just needed something to say I guess Hi Karen. Dawn and I don’t understand either. I’m old and it wouldn’t surprise me if I had cancer. But Jason is young. Can I talk about this in my sermon on Sunday? What you said is very true and a lot of people feel the same way. Like I said I'm sorry that I'm bothering you I don't go to church but I talk to him almost every night And I don't understand if that is worthy or not but then when I see people around me good people that die it makes me wonder why Like I said, no prayer is unheard. Thanks for listening to me last night I was just really down and thinking about all the people that have died in my life who I love Sometimes it gets to me Everybody dies. The sad part is that it’s always the wrong people and in the wrong order.

Where does the Book of Genesis fit into this difficult conversation?

(1) God is the Creator

(2) God is the Savior

(3) God is the God of Grace and Law, Grace and Judgment, Grace and Forgiveness

Breaking God’s rules: Don’t eat from the tree, Don’t murder, Don’t lie, Don’t deceive

Flood - Babel - Sodom and Gomorrah

Sinful men find God’s grace - Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph

Genesis 1:31 ESV

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Genesis 50:19–20 ESV

But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Romans 8:28 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.