Sermon Video: God is deeply troubled by human evil - Genesis 6:1-6

Transitioning from the story of the line of Seth that came before it, and the story of Noah and the Flood that follows after, Genesis 6:1-4 is a passage with a wide variety of interpretations throughout its history.  That being said, it continues the story of Genesis 1-11 of God's work at creating order vs. humanity's ongoing introduction of chaos (through rebellion).

Starting in vs. 5, the chapter shifts its focus to God's observation that humanity has become, "evil all the time."  This, we are told, greatly grieves the heart of God, so much so that God regrets having created humanity in the first place.  This startling conclusion will set the stage for the judgment to come in Noah's day as it sets the God of Abraham apart from those deities worshiped in the Ancient Near East in that the LORD actually cares about humanity and evil, having created the former and being wholly apart from the latter.

Sermon Video: The Generations From Adam to Noah - Genesis 4:25-5:32

It might be tempting to skip, or at least skim, the genealogical lists in the Bible. No doubt many people do, but there is wisdom in the words of Genesis that describe the generations between Adam and Noah, especially in the deviation from the repetition that is the (brief) story of Enoch. In the end, this section offers us hope, hope that God was working in and through people even before his covenant with Abraham, that even in difficult times there are those who by faith, "walk with God."

Restoration by D. Thomas Lancaster: A critical review (video version) by Pastor Powell

This is the video version of the work that was previously released in written form: Restoration by D. Thomas Lancaster (FFOZ): A review - This is "another gospel" built on a foundation of lies

Part 1

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Part 4 

Sermon Video: Cain's descendants go their own way - Genesis 4:17-24

In the first of several explorations of the branches of Adam's family tree that do not lead to Abraham and the 12 sons of Jacob, Genesis takes a look at the descendants of Cain.  In the text they build a city, develops its culture, and even a form of case law.  All this to say, they do what mankind apart from a covenantal relationship is able to do and that's not a small thing because we are all made in God's image.  However, as Genesis will show again and again, the branches that are not a part of the upcoming covenant lack one key and insurmountable thing: a relationship with God.  Without God's grace, they lack the means of redemption, thus this passage serves as a reminder to us all of the necessity of God's grace.

Sermon Video: God is merciful, even to the murderer Cain - Genesis 4:8-16

It is well known that Cain killed his brother Abel, what is less well understood is that God showed incredible mercy to Cain when he confronted Cain afterwards. God could have struck Cain down in righteous wrath, ending his life right there, he had earned that punishment. Instead God chose to show mercy, an act of grace that reminds us that all of us who have come to know Christ as our Savior are the recipients of tremendous grace.