Sermon 508: Noah Gets Hammered (Genesis 9:18-29)

Today’s Bulletin

OUTLINE

I. Noah’s Family (v.18-19)
II. Noah’s Hits The Bottle (v.20-21)
III. Noah’s Son’s Response (v.22-23)
IV. Noah’s Curse (v.24-29)

Genesis 9:18-29

The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the people of the whole earth were dispersed.

20 Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. 21 He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father's nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,

“Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”

26 He also said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant.

27 May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem, and let Canaan be his servant.”

28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 29 All the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died.

—————-

Sermon Discussion questions
Noah Gets Hammered: Genesis 9:18-29

Ice Breaker: What is one of your most embarrassing moments?

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. From this story, what is your impression of Noah? His Sons?

2. How’s this compare with what you thought when you read Genesis 6:8-9?

3. What lessons can we learn from Noah’s story about the dangers of complacency and the importance of remaining vigilant in our spiritual lives?

4. Why do you think the Bible includes stories of its heroes’ failures and shortcomings, like Noah’s drunkenness, despite their overall reputation for righteousness?

5. Reflecting on your own life, have you ever experienced a time when personal struggles or neglect led you to compromise your beliefs or values?

6. How did Noah get here?

7. What are some biblical perspectives on the consumption of alcohol, and how does Noah’s story add depth to this discussion?

8. How does this passage challenge you to honor your specific parents, even in difficult or embarrassing circumstances, as exemplified by Shem and Japheth's respectful response to Noah's drunkenness?

9. Why did Noah curse Canaan for his father’s actions? How has your life been affected by your parents sin or mistakes or such? What about their successes?

10. Consider your own reactions when you become aware of someone else's sin or mistake. How can you apply the principles demonstrated by Shem and Japheth to your own relationships and interactions? What does covering others sins look like?

11. In what ways does our response to others' shortcomings reflect our understanding of God's grace and mercy? How can we demonstrate grace and compassion towards others, even when they fail?

Sermon 507: The OG Rainbow (Genesis 9:1-17)

Today’s Bulletin

OUTLINE

IV. Obligations For People In A Sin Stained World (v.1-7)
A. Propagate Like Bunnies (v.1; 7)
B. A New Tree aka How To Eat An Animal (v.2-4)
C. Proportionate Sword of Justice (v.5-6)
II. What Is A Covenant?
III. Who’s In This Noahic Covenant? (V.9-10)
IV. What Does God promise In The Noahic Covenant? (v.11)
V. What’s With The Rainbow? (v.12-17)

Genesis 9:1-17

And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 2 The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. 3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.

6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image. 7 And you, be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it.”

8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9 “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

—————-

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.”

—————-

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?

Sermon 505: The Gospel According to Noah (Genesis 8:1-19)

Today’s Bulletin

OUTLINE

I. God Remembers (v.1a)
II. God Recreates & Restores (v.1b-3)
III. God Drains the Tub (v.3-5)
IV. Send Out The Raven! (v.6-7)
V. The Dove Experiment (v.8-12)
VI. God Speaks, Noah Obeys (v.13-19)

Genesis 8:1-19

“But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. 2 The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, 3 and the waters receded from the earth continually. At the end of 150 days the waters had abated, 4 and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. 5 And the waters continued to abate until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.

6 At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made 7 and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground. 9 But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him. 10 He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. 11 And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. 12 Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and she did not return to him anymore.

13 In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried from off the earth. And Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry. 14 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth had dried out. 15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Go out from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—that they may swarm on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. 19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by families from the ark.”

—————-

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).

Another way of looking at symmetry using only the numbers used in the passage.

7 days of waiting for flood (7:4)
7 days of waiting for flood (7:10)
40 days of flood (7:17a)
150 days of water triumphing (7:24)
150 days of water waning (8:3)
40 days of waiting (8:6)
7 days of waiting (8:10)
7 days of waiting (8:12)

Mt Ararat (2 views)

Sermon Discussion questions
The Gospel According to Noah: Genesis 8:1-19

Ice Breaker: If you could only know one, what detail do you wish God shared about this story?

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. What do you think Noah and his family did while waiting in the Ark for so long?

2. How do you think you’d have responded when the dove came back with nothing?

3. What good news comes after the flood?

4. What is something you’re struggling to wait patiently on the Lord for?

5. What aspect of this passage do you need today? (Patience to wait for God’s timing, reassurance of God’s promises, etc.)

Sermon 504: A Boatload of Grace (Genesis 6:9-7:24)

Today’s Bulletin

OUTLINE

I. Noah & Sons (6:9-10)
II. The End of All Flesh (6:11-13)
III. Frälsningsbåt: Ikea For Salvation Boat (6:14-22)
IV. God’s Recreation Kit (7:1-9)
V. The Unimaginable Waters of Judgment (7:10-20)
VI. All Flesh Died (7:21-24)

Genesis 6:9-7:24

These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.” Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, and seven pairs of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth. For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.

Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came upon the earth. And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth.

In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights. On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark, they and every beast, according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kinds, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, according to its kind, and every bird, according to its kind, every winged creature. They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the LORD shut him in.

The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark. And the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days.

—————-

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).

Gustave Doré’s images of the flood (1866) are a bit more terrifying. This is more realistic than the sermon art.

Sermon Discussion questions
A Boatload of Grace: Genesis 6:9-7:24

Ice Breaker: If you could only know one, what detail do you wish God shared about this story?

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. What do you find most amazing about this story?

2. How would the way people views Noah in this day be similar to the way those outside the faith view you as a Christian today?

3. What is something difficult God in his word has asked of you?

4. Was it right for God to wipe out so many people?

5. 100 years of building the ark is a long time to work… and be mocked. What can we learn from Noah in this?

6. Anyone willing to share an area you are struggling to obey “all that the Lord commands” (v.7:5)? Anyone else have wisdom for that?

7. How does the story of Noah reflect God’s righteous judgment? How does this same story reflect his grace and mercy?

8. How does the flood reverse how God created the world?

Sermon 503: What A Wonderful… & Messed Up… World (Genesis 6:1-8)

Today’s Bulletin

OUTLINE

I. Who Are The Sons of Man (v.1-2)
A. Male angels marrying human woman and having children
B. Men in line of Seth, marrying women from line of Cain
II. A Life Span or a Warning? (v.3)
III. Who Are The Nephilim & Mighty Men of Renown? (v.4)
A. Half human, half angels
B. A group of warriors (marking time)
IV. What The Lord Saw (v.5)
V. What The Lord Will Do (v.6-7)
VI. A Great But (v.8)

Genesis 6:1-8

“When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.”

8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
WHAT A WONDERFUL & MESSED UP WORLD: GENESIS 6:1-8

Ice Breaker: What is closest you’ve come to experiencing the flood?

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. What’s the strangest part of this passage?

2. Apart from the obscurity of some details in verses 1-5, what do you find most disturbing about the description of human corruption in verse 5? Why? What would most disturb someone who believes human nature is essentially good?

3. Why do you think God feels the way he does about human wickedness (v. 6)?

4. Do you think his decision in verse 7 is justified? Why or why not?

5. What parallels between Genesis 3 and Genesis 6 help explain how sin works?

6. One interpretation of Genesis 6:3, that man’s days shall be 120 years, is a warning of the coming flood. What warning signs do we live with today? How do we respond to those warnings?

7. When are you most tempted to judge God’s actions? How can you right your heart/thoughts when you do?

Sermon 502: Walking With God (Genesis 5)

THis weeks Bulletin

OUTLINE

I. Prelude To Ten Generations (v.1-2)
II. And He Died, And He Died And He Died… (v.3-21)
III. And He…Didn’t Die? (v.22-24)
A. The Other Enoch
B. Walked With God
C. Enoch Didn’t Die
IV. A Different Lamech In A Different Line (v.25-31)
V. A Spark of Hope (v.32)
VI. Where Is Jesus In All of This?

Genesis 5

This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created. When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.

When Seth had lived 105 years, he fathered Enosh. Seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.

When Enosh had lived 90 years, he fathered Kenan. Enosh lived after he fathered Kenan 815 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died.

When Kenan had lived 70 years, he fathered Mahalalel. Kenan lived after he fathered Mahalalel 840 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Kenan were 910 years, and he died.

When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he fathered Jared. Mahalalel lived after he fathered Jared 830 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died.

When Jared had lived 162 years, he fathered Enoch. Jared lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died.

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.

When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he fathered Lamech. Methuselah lived after he fathered Lamech 782 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.

When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground that the LORD has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.” Lamech lived after he fathered Noah 595 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died.

After Noah was 500 years old, Noah fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genealogies: Stating Age at Fatherhood and Age at Death

Another way to look at it, light color shows when they had a child in age, the dark shows how old they were when they died.

How this will be used

Sometimes Brian makes references to books, to questions, quotes, etc in sermons. This is a place to find those in case you miss them, also a place for occasional blog post or other information.

Remember The Providence of God is Good

There is a lot of frustration in the world today. We are living in a global pandemic; a virus has caused a great deal of fear and death. The economy is simply messed up, record numbers of people are without a job, schools have been canceled, graduations won’t happen, camps and sports aren’t happening, the library is no longer part of our normal life, working from home can be taxing and overwhelming, vacations have been canceled and it all just…you know…it stinks. No one enjoys frustration, but if we believe the Scriptures, and we should, then we know this virus is not a random event and our frustrations aren’t the result of some cosmic roll of the dice….

“The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
he frustrates the plans of the peoples.”

- Psalm 33:10 

But why? Why does God do that? Why is work harder now? Why are your summer beach plans and pool days and seemingly everything else frustrated? 

Is it judgement? I don’t know. 

Is it akin to the Tower of Babel? I don’t know. 

Is it to redirect our dependence to the Lord? I don’t know. 

I don’t know the specifics of what God is doing and neither does anyone else outside of the Trinity. 

But I do know that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

You know that too… intellectually. Now is the time to know it on a deeper level, to truly believe this truth in your heart so that you can start looking at the little details of your life, start looking for how God is working this for good. Maybe in your relationship with God, maybe in redeemed time with your children or spouse or a friend or just an evening walk in creation cause the 15 car train of Zoom meetings has passed for the day and you have no place else you have to be. Start looking. You will be surprised at what you find to be thankful for. 

Be frustrated, that’s a real emotion. But start moving beyond the frustration to see how the One who has frustrated your plans would have you flourish and glorify Him as you pick up the pieces of a frustrated life and build something new that honors the Creator and Sustainer of all things.

Free Kid's Bible Crafts

Laura and I have already used this Big Picture Bible Crafts (Free from Crossway Books) with our younger kids and they’re great. You can download it at the link below.

Free PDF of book here

Corona Files: Somo Orange

This is just for light fun….

A few Kids Resources

Below are a few ways Laura and I have found helpful for an aspect of discipling our own kids, in this case things they can do on their own like reading the Scriptures and processing what they read.

Kids- this bible (NLT Wayfinders) has been a great translation as they learn to read the Bible independently. It has three different reading plans built in so it's easy to follow (the plans range from an overview of the whole bible to an in-depth reading)! 

This devotional (Foundations for kids) has been great for Berkley (she's 10). It has a reading for the day and then an activity. It also accounts for a wide range of ages with a longer Scripture passage reading for older kids and shorter for younger ones. 

I'm a broken record with Adventures in Odyssey, but given that all three of our very different personalitied kids love it, it's worth recommending again! It has been an awesome tool in their discipleship. They have a month long free trial right now, give it a try.

From Pastor Brian

From Pastor Brian:

I hope this finds you doing well considering the circumstances (aka a global pandemic and social distancing). 

I spent the first half of this week sick (99% sure it wasn't COVID-19), but the Lord has restored me to health and I wanted to touch base with everyone.

Here's some wisdom for your day: Time is like toilet paper-- you can't buy it (somewhere only Stucky is laughing). But it's true, time is the greatest thing you have and no matter how much money you have, you simply can't buy more. This week finds some of you extremely busy while others are wondering what to do with nothing but time.

If you are in the second category, here are a few ideas...

Connect With People 
Use Zoom, MarcoPolo, Facebook Messenger or this really cool device called a phone- it has a feature that allows you to listen and talk to just about anyone in real time! :) I challenge you to call someone in the covenant community whom you don't know well (or even someone you do) and just ask how they're doing and how you can pray for them. Then pray for them- either with them right then or later. Call family members you never talk to, old friends you intended to keep up with, your neighbor, brainstorm a little. 

Nourish Instead of Numb
Do not numb yourself with entertainment. That's not to say you can't enjoy a TV show or finally watch all three extended versions of The Lord of the Rings (Hough house plans to do this one!), but don't fill in the gaps in your schedule right now with only entertainment. Instead, use this time to nurture your soul with what it really needs: more and slower time in prayer (try writing your prayers; pray for President Trump and Governor Kelly and leaders everywhere trying to make wise decisions with limited information). Reading of the Scriptures; if you're doing our year long reading plan you're in Numbers or Deuteronomy, read ahead and make some margin for later, but don't rush. Also read something in that stack of Christian books that seems to endlessly grow taller due to lack of time to read. 

Here's a random "I'm locked in my house" Rabbit Trail of books: Laura and I are currently reading together The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, it's not the most theological book, but it goes very deep in the practical and we've really appreciated. 
I'm also reading: 
On The Road with Saint Augustine by James Smith (beautifully written) 
The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges (amazing book). 
Memoirs of An Ordinary Pastor by Don Carson (eh, it's ok. Joe, that's an American "eh," not a Canadian "Ehh?" despite it being about a Canadian pastor)

And at night when my brain is shutting down I'm reading a novel titled Beyond the Broken Bay (it's about a family in Manila during WWII, so far it's good)

Laura is reading Devoted by Tim Chalies. 
Raising Grateful Kids in An Entitled World by Kristen Welch
and something about laugher that she keeps reading me funny stories from. if you want to know more you'll have to call her 785-341-4069 (see what I did there??). 

Now back on track...

Be Present
As much as we should be connecting with others, we should also be mindful to connect with those very near us. Sit down and play a game or cards with your child(ren) or spouse or whoever is blessed enough to be locked away with you.

For The Love, Avoid The News
I don't mean all the news, but in times like this we seem to want to know everything and so we go to the news constantly (and remember media corporations are CORPORATIONS- they exist for profit and bad news sells). Too often we listen to people share terrifying news on social media, we watch the panic and our hearts melt with anxiety. Listen, you are not Creator, you are the creature, you were not created to be omniscient, you cannot carry the weight and pain and worries of the world. So stop. Don't. Focus on those you know and those people down the street you could know if you weren't carrying the weight of the whole world. 

Serve Others

• If you're not in lock down and can safely run an errand for a neighbor (particularly elderly) offer to do just that.  

• Pray for those you're concerned about, for their safety, but even more that God might work through this for their salvation. The Gospel shines in the darkest of times. 

• If you've got a stack of 500 rolls of toilet paper you might offer a bit to those who don't have any left. 

• Financially, consider those you know who are hourly workers and won't be getting a paycheck as things currently stand- give what you can to someone you know in need. 

A Bit of Encouragement 
One thing that has not been changed by this virus in any country around the globe is the death toll: it remains at 100%. All will die eventually from something so we can't live well if we're living in fear of death. Even more so, those who trust in Jesus have no reason to fear death. 

I know, some of you are thinking, "It's not death I fear, it's the economy." Listen, I don’t believe we’re gonna end up in poverty as a Americans, but it would be ok if we did. What a great time this is to practice living more simply in case God ever puts us in a position where we must. Our hope is not in the economy or long life, our hope is in the Lord who laid down his life for us on the cross thus securing salvation for His children. So moment by moment, remember the Lord your God. 

Let's love God well and love all our neighbors well during this time.

Below are some resources I highly recommend...

List of New Years Reflection Questions

These are from Donald Whitney

1. What’s one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?

2. What’s the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

3. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?

7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?

8. What’s the most important way you will, by God’s grace, try to make this year different from last year?

9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?

10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?

11. What’s the most important decision you need to make this year?

12. What area of your life most needs simplifying, and what’s one way you could simplify in that area?

13. What’s the most important need you feel burdened to meet this year?

14. What habit would you most like to establish this year?

15. Who is the person you most want to encourage this year?

16. What is your most important financial goal this year, and what is the most important step you can take toward achieving it?

17. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your work life this year?

18. What’s one new way you could be a blessing to your pastor (or to another who ministers to you) this year?

19. What’s one thing you could do this year to enrich the spiritual legacy you will leave to your children and grandchildren?

20. What book, in addition to the Bible, do you most want to read this year?

21. What one thing do you most regret about last year, and what will you do about it this year?

22. What single blessing from God do you want to seek most earnestly this year?

23. In what area of your life do you most need growth, and what will you do about it this year?

24. What’s the most important trip you want to take this year?

25. What skill do you most want to learn or improve this year?

26. To what need or ministry will you try to give an unprecedented amount this year?

27. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your commute this year?

28. What one biblical doctrine do you most want to understand better this year, and what will you do about it?

29. If those who know you best gave you one piece of advice, what would they say? Would they be right? What will you do about it?

30. What’s the most important new item you want to buy this year?

31. In what area of your life do you most need change, and what will you do about it this year?

These are some additional Questions to think about

1. What books had the greatest influence on you this past year?

2. What was the best place you traveled to in 2018?

3. What did you waste the most time on and how’d you best spend your time best this year?

4. Who are you most thankful to God for putting in your life? 

5. Have you learned anything significant either through teaching or experience this year? 

6. What one thing do you most regret about last year, and what will you do about it this year?

7. What goals seem silly, but are still goals this year? 

8. In what area of your life do you most need to make change or to grow in and how will you pursue it this year?

9. In what area of life do you need more of God's wisdom?