Sermons from Genesis “WATCH YOUR STEP” Genesis 9:18-29
Intro- 1 Corinthians 10:1212Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. None of us are above making mistakes! It’s a part of our human nature! Mistakes are a part of life! We should LEARN from our mistakes! May we learn from Noah to avoid his sin of drunkenness! I read a funny about “Mistakes” in Church Bulletins. “Weight Watchers will meet at 7:00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.” “Pastor is on vacation. Massages can be given to the Church Secretary.” “Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and the deterioration of some older ones.” “The senior choir invites any member of the congregation who enjoys sinning to join the choir.” “Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.”
Mistakes are inevitable! If you live and breathe you are bound to make a mistake! Now I know some of you have Never made a Mistake! But here in the Bible is a Man that Walked With God! He Witnessed for God while the Ark was preparing! He Worked for God in building the Ark! He Waited for God while the Flood was destroying. And after the Flood Noah Worshipped God… and it seems in the next few breaths Noah Wandered from God! He got drunk and lost his testimony! And it greatly affected others! If Noah, a man who Walked with God can FALL, We better watch our step!
At this point we are given the ethnic origins of all the people of the earth. From the three sons of Noah stem all the races of the earth. From SHEM stem the Israelites. From HAM stem the nations of Africa. And from JAPHETH stem the nations of Europe and North America.
Up till this point we note that Noah is a man that found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Gen 6:8)! We read that Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, a man that walked with God (Gen6:9). But when it come s to the Holy Scriptures, God does not pull any punches! God does not hide or gloss over sin! If you or I were writing the Bible we probably would have left out this chapter! Why? Because it tells of Noah’s SIN.
I. THE OCCUPATION AFTER THE FLOOD- (9:20) The Occupation of Noah and his fall are very much related!Can I just speak a word of caution to the young people about choosing an occupation? There’s been many a soul, whose occupation has destroyed their family, destroyed their marriage, and destroyed their life. Just because a Bartender makes a lot of money, that don’t mean you should look at that type of occupation! I watched Undercover Boss a few weeks ago and the President and CEO of HOOTERS was shown working undercover. The beginning of the show portrayed him and his kids playing in the back yard of a Beautiful mansion with everything imaginable to play with in the yard! But one thing I noticed was he was not married! HELLO! His Occupation involves working around girls who are immodestly dressed! I WONDER WHY He Is SINGLE? Let me first say, that if God has a perfect plan to save you! If God has a perfect mate for you! Then know that God has a perfect occupation for you as well.
A. The WORK in the Occupation- 9:20 “Noah began to be an husbandman” The Hebrew translates it this way: Noah was “a man of the ground”. Noah was a man that worked with the soil. 1- It was a LEGITIMATE Work-There was nothing wrong in the work of Noah. Being a farmer is a respectable occupation. It was not the pursuing of this occupation that caused his sin but the perverting of it that caused his sin. 2- It was a LABORIOUS Work- Vineyards don’t grow up by themselves and produce a crop! They have to be cultivated and worked! It requires planting and laboring! Noah obviously was not afraid of hard work! It is noteworthy that Noah did not choose his occupation because he thought it might be easy! There was nothing easy about this occupation! HOWEVER, a lot of people CHOOSE a JOB based on Short Hours, Easy Work and BIG PAY. 2 Thessalonians 3:1010For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.There is NOTHING worse than LAZINESS…!If our Government practiced that principle, a lot of people would get their fat selves off the couch and go to work! And stop looking for a handout! Amen!
B. The WISDOM in the Occupation- “He planted a vineyard” You will NOT receive a crop if you do not Plant some seed! If you want aharvest in the fall you must plant in the Spring! If you want something in life you must plant something! If you want Good Grades… you Must plant Good Study! If you want to make a lot of money…you Must sow some hard labor!
If you want a Hot Marriage, you gotta Sow some Hot Compliments!
C. The WAITING in the Occupation- a Vineyard takes TIME… After you plant the seed it takes TIME for the crop to come up!None of us like to wait though! This is a Hurry Up Society! Cooking over an open Fire was not fast enough so we came up with electric stoves! Then that was not fast enough so we came up with microwaves! And Now we stand in front of that Microwave and say Hurry UP! We want everything on the spot! We have Instant Coffee! Instant Oatmeal! Instant Foods! We want Instant CREDIT.Instant Church! Instant Church Growth! Instant Revival!
D. The WINE from the Occupation- 9:21 “he drank of the wine and was drunken; AND he was uncovered within his tent” 2 BAD Things are seen here: 1- There was DRINKING- Isn’t it something that the first mention of Wine in the Bible is tied to drunkenness? a. This tells me of the PERIL of Drinking! Proverbs 20:11Wineis a mocker, strong drinkis raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. Did you know that Alcohol is a major problem behind sinful behavior? Alcohol is behind almost Every Major Crime committed! It is linked to auto accidents; robberies; gang violence; marital affairs; broken homes…! This story Warns us of the Dangers Connected to Alcohol. b. The PERSON in Drinking!What shocks me is WHO it was doing the drinking! Someone that should have known better! It was Old Man Noah! He had already been through the Flood. He had already learned some lessons in life! He was a man that was upright and just! A man that walked with God! What in the world is he doing drinking? “It’s not the young and untried Noah who sins. It is the seasoned man of God, ripe in experience, who is here brought low”. (Leupold) c. The PRIDE in Drinking- “he drank the wine and was DRUNK” I just wonder at what point did Noah feel it was OK to let his guard down? What made Noah Think he could put it in Neutral and just get drunk? I wonder how many husbands have gone out for drinks after work with the guys and found themselves flirting with another woman? I wonder how many women have let down their guard and went out for a drink and come home with a disease? d. The PRICE in Drinking-Noah’s sin began with just One Drink. SIN always begins with just One downward step! (You Better Watch Your Step) Noah did not get drunk from One Sip! The Devil will LIE to You and tell you, just One Drink want hurt you! Just One Joint want hurt you! Just One Time- want hurt you! The problem for Noah came when he took that first sip! Then
he took another sip! And another…! 2- There was DISROBING- “and he was UNCOVERED within his tent”He didn’t just kick his socks and shoes off…HELLO! The Hebrew word used here means a “shameful nakedness”. And is often used to describe immoral behavior! Drinking and Immorality go hand in hand! Drinking and Disrobing go hand in hand! Illustration- It was drunkenness that caused LOT to commit incest with his two daughters. Lots two daughters knew that drinking would cause their daddy to act immorally. Genesis 19:3232Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. These daughters that had been raised in SODOM knew the tricks of the trade! They knew drinking brought on sexual immorality!
II. THE OBSERVATION AFTER THE FOLLY- (9:22) A. As a FARMERNoah Failed- Noah planted a vineyard. That became his occupation. But in the end, his occupation ruined his testimony. His occupation led to a Curse upon his own family! Did you know Drinkers always curse their families?Some drinkers curse their families with poverty, and others curse their families with shame. Some drinkers curse their families with broken homes and battered hopes! A Pharmacist has a good occupation until he abuses his self with drugs! A Business Man has a good occupation until he steals from the money drawer!
B. As a FATHERNoah Faltered- The full extent of Ham’s actions and involvement in this sin is not revealed! Some think there was a lewd act of homosexuality involved here. Because the Bible says in verse 24 “And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.” Somebody did something! And it was so bad Noah pronounced a curse on Canaan! All this Time Noah has taken some wise steps! And yet in his Older Age he stepped in the wrong direction!
Verse 23- 2 things: We see the Sons Compassion and Carefulness! They showed compassion in covering up his nakedness! They showed Carefulness in walking backward so as not to see their father’s nakedness!
Verse 25- Notice 2 things: Sin Lowers and Sin Limits! When you sin you are headed down! We refer to Adam & Eve’s Sin as the FALL. Sin not only Lowers but it Limits! Sin puts you in Bondage!
III. THE OBITUARY AFTER THE FACTS
Vs. 28-29= Noah’s life can be divided into two segments. Life before the Flood. And Life after the Flood. This episode occurred in the 58th year after they got off the ark! It did not take long to see humanity slipping once again to evil.
Conclusion: Noah’s death reminds us that “it is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27)
Even if you live to be a thousand, you STILL have an appointment with death. It should sober up every soul that this future awaits them. There is one thing for certain all of us must do!
Amos 4:12 “…prepare to meet thy God…”
In closing may we All be reminded Watch Your Step!