Sermon 506: Never Again (Genesis 8:20-22)

Today’s Bulletin

OUTLINE

I. But First We Worship (v.20)
II. The Lord Makes A Promise (v.21)
III. Common & Not So Common Grace (v.22)
IV. Until The World Ends (v.22)



Genesis 8:20-22

“Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. 22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

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Chiastic structure of the flood narrative

A. God resolves to destroy the corrupt race (6:11-13).
B. Noah builds an ark according to God’s instructions (6:14-22).
C. The Lord commands the remnant to enter the ark (7:1-9).
D. The flood begins (7:10-16).
E. The flood prevails 150 days, and the mountains are covered (7:17-24).
F. God remembers Noah (8:1a)
E. The flood recedes 150 days, and the mountains are visible (8:1b-5).
D. The earth dries (8:6-14).
C. God commands the remnant to leave the ark (8:15-19).
B. Noah builds an altar (8:20).
A. The Lord resolves not to destroy humankind (8:21-22).

Sermon Discussion questions
Never Again: Genesis 8:20-22

Ice Breaker: What is a strange subject or topic you would probably be good at teaching a class on?

Weekly Questions

  1. What stood out to you/challenged you most in this sermon?

  2. What’s one area you feel the Lord wants to grow you into more Christ likeness?

  3. How can this group pray for you this week?

This Week Specific

  1. How has “worship as a luxury” affected your view of corporate worship?

  2. How does the sacrifice of Noah relate to our worship today?

  3. Genesis 8:22 states, "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." How does this verse speak to the consistency and faithfulness of God's provision? How does it inspire us to trust in God's ongoing care for creation?

  4. What does it look like to believe this? What does it look like when you struggle to?

  5. How can you willingly give your time as a sacrifice to the Lord today? How is this different from your time being stolen from you or being given reluctantly?

  6. What might it look like to give yourself wholly to the Lord?

  7. In what ways have you seen God’s common grace serve as an avenue for redemptive grace?

  8. What areas are hardest for you to give “wholly”?

  9. Compare Gen 6:5 and 8:21. Why did God flood the earth if he knew this evil wouldn’t be extinguished by the flood?