WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.160 Now, can we turn together in our Bibles to the book of Genesis, first book in the Bible, chapter 4. 00:00:10.500 --> 00:00:17.679 ! We're going to read the end of chapter 4 and some sections of chapter 5. 00:00:18.440 --> 00:00:22.399 We find ourselves looking at two different family trees together. 00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:30.320 The family line of Cain, who we met last week, and then the family line of Seth. 00:00:31.320 --> 00:00:41.799 And we're going to draw with God's help lessons from our shared family tree as we continue to think about our origin story here in the book of Genesis. 00:00:41.799 --> 00:00:45.320 So, chapter 4, beginning at verse 17. 00:00:45.320 --> 00:00:49.640 Cain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. 00:00:50.259 --> 00:00:54.659 Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. 00:00:55.219 --> 00:01:06.260 To Enoch was born Erad, and Erad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech. 00:01:07.319 --> 00:01:11.500 Lamech married two women, one named Ada and the other Zillah. 00:01:11.500 --> 00:01:17.280 Ada gave birth to Jabal. He was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 00:01:17.819 --> 00:01:23.219 His brother's name was Jubal. He was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes. 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:29.560 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. 00:01:30.240 --> 00:01:32.340 Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah. 00:01:32.340 --> 00:01:39.840 Lamech said to his wives, Ada and Zillah, listen to me. Wives of Lamech, hear my words. 00:01:40.219 --> 00:01:44.560 I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. 00:01:44.960 --> 00:01:49.420 If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times. 00:01:50.680 --> 00:01:54.260 Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, 00:01:54.800 --> 00:01:59.600 saying, God has granted me another child in place of Abel since Cain killed him. 00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:06.599 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time, people began to call on the name of 00:02:06.599 --> 00:02:13.299 the Lord. This is the written account of Adam's family line. When God created mankind, he made 00:02:13.299 --> 00:02:18.699 them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them, and he named them 00:02:18.699 --> 00:02:25.240 mankind when they were created. When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, 00:02:25.240 --> 00:02:32.939 in his own image, and he named him Seth. After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons 00:02:32.939 --> 00:02:42.040 and daughters. Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died. And then we're going to 00:02:42.040 --> 00:02:48.680 skip the next six generations, and we're going to come to verse 21 and come to the story of Enoch. 00:02:48.680 --> 00:02:56.219 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. After he became the father of Methuselah, 00:02:56.379 --> 00:03:03.560 Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 00:03:03.560 --> 00:03:12.400 a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God. Then he was no more, because God took him away. 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:19.740 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. After he became the father of 00:03:19.740 --> 00:03:26.759 Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Methuselah lived a 00:03:26.759 --> 00:03:35.599 total of 969 years, and then he died. When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. He named him Noah, 00:03:36.040 --> 00:03:42.259 and said, He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has 00:03:42.259 --> 00:03:50.679 cursed. After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Lamech 00:03:50.679 --> 00:04:00.919 lived a total of 777 years, and then he died. After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:10.799 Ham, and Japheth. Amen. So, we're in two family trees. So, I wonder as we begin if you recognize this 00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:18.720 trend, maybe in your own family, two children in the same family with the same parents, but they turn 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:25.220 out very differently. Their lives follow very different paths. Perhaps that's your story compared 00:04:25.220 --> 00:04:33.860 to your siblings. Or to think about whole family trees, to recognize different branches of an extended 00:04:33.860 --> 00:04:41.100 family can have very different stories. Some will stay local, get married to someone locally and work 00:04:41.100 --> 00:04:46.400 locally, while others will travel perhaps to the other end of the country or the other end of the 00:04:46.400 --> 00:04:52.500 world, and their story becomes very different. Or maybe when you think about your own story of your 00:04:52.500 --> 00:05:00.120 family, it's something like mine where everything changes in your family tree because a parent becomes a 00:05:00.120 --> 00:05:05.240 Christian. Or perhaps because you have become a Christian, everything now changes in your family 00:05:05.240 --> 00:05:12.579 trajectory. Genesis 4 and 5 shows us something of this trend. We meet two of Adam's sons. We meet Cain, 00:05:12.980 --> 00:05:20.660 and we meet Seth, and we meet their families, and those two families are very different. 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:28.480 We can describe Cain as the ungodly family line, and Seth's as a godly family line. 00:05:30.120 --> 00:05:37.259 And that's all very well and good, but you might ask yourself, so what? Why am I sitting here in the 00:05:37.259 --> 00:05:45.540 year 2026 reading about an ancient family tree, reading names that none of us probably can pronounce 00:05:45.540 --> 00:05:53.740 properly, and it sounds like names and people from a whole other world? What's the point? 00:05:53.740 --> 00:06:02.780 Why is it in the Bible? What are we intended to learn from these family trees? Well, as we've been 00:06:02.780 --> 00:06:09.040 saying all along, the book of Genesis, early chapters remind us this is part of our origin story. It actually 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:17.280 helps to explain who we are, how did we get here, and gives us indicators how we should live. 00:06:17.279 --> 00:06:25.839 I wonder if you've ever heard of a genogram. This is new terminology to me as of last week, 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:33.500 but ever since the late 1970s into the 1980s, psychologists and counselors have used genograms, 00:06:33.500 --> 00:06:38.759 which is basically, if you think about a standard family tree, it's like a more elaborate version of 00:06:38.759 --> 00:06:44.199 a family tree. So it'll give you marriages, and it'll give you children, but it'll also include, 00:06:44.199 --> 00:06:52.539 here are some significant life events. Here are some emotional dynamics within this branch of the 00:06:52.539 --> 00:07:00.399 family. Here are some particular medical conditions that track through the tree, and the intent is, 00:07:00.719 --> 00:07:07.259 well, this will help me today to understand something of myself if I look back through the generations. 00:07:08.079 --> 00:07:13.219 We can think about Genesis 4 and 5 doing the same thing for us today spiritually, because the patterns 00:07:13.220 --> 00:07:22.740 and the trends that we identify in these two families are patterns that we still see in ourselves 00:07:22.740 --> 00:07:28.640 and within every human heart. It goes back to that Psalms and Etch and thing, the line between good and 00:07:28.640 --> 00:07:34.740 evil cuts through every human heart. So we're going to look at these two family lines together, 00:07:35.220 --> 00:07:40.760 and we're going to focus, because the author of Genesis wants us to, we're going to focus on the 00:07:40.759 --> 00:07:45.740 person in the seventh generation. So we're going to focus on Lamech from Cain's family, we're going to 00:07:45.740 --> 00:07:52.680 focus on Enoch from Seth's family, and we're going to see a couple of big themes. From Cain's family, 00:07:52.920 --> 00:08:00.459 we're going to see the progress of culture and the progress of sin. And in Seth's family, 00:08:00.459 --> 00:08:07.759 we're going to see a pattern of death and the promise of life. So that's what we're going to look at 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:14.099 together. So we're going to begin with Cain's family, recognizing the progress in culture and then the 00:08:14.099 --> 00:08:20.800 progress in sin. Now some of us might be thinking, oh my goodness, I did not expect to turn up in church 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:25.439 and to go through some genealogy and ancient history. But if you like history, it's a really 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:32.259 interesting chapter. Let me show you the progress in culture very briefly. Chapter 4, verse 17. 00:08:32.259 --> 00:08:42.519 Here we meet Cain, and what's Cain doing? Cain is building a city. And if we know anything about 00:08:42.519 --> 00:08:48.980 history, we know that cities are always key to progress in culture. Think about the Roman Empire 00:08:48.980 --> 00:08:55.120 and how important their network of cities was to holding on to their power, but also to make sure 00:08:55.120 --> 00:09:01.259 that there was a shared language, shared story, shared culture. Or the Aztec Empire, right at the heart 00:09:01.259 --> 00:09:08.379 of the Aztec Empire, over in Latin America, was the great city of gold. Or just think about where we find 00:09:08.379 --> 00:09:15.860 ourselves today in Edinburgh. Edinburgh is associated with royalty and poetry, great novelists and 00:09:15.860 --> 00:09:23.139 philosophers with universities, with an art scene. So cities and culture go together. 00:09:23.139 --> 00:09:32.860 Go down a few generations, the children of Lamech, and we find more progress in culture. Look at verse 20. 00:09:33.500 --> 00:09:39.699 We meet this guy Jabal, and we're told he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 00:09:40.460 --> 00:09:46.819 And again, when farming develops in any place, all of a sudden you've got a people group who have a 00:09:46.820 --> 00:09:52.720 sustainable source of food. And when there is a sustainable source of food, then settlements will 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:58.660 grow up. And then there's the drive to develop tools to increase productivity. And when you meet 00:09:58.660 --> 00:10:04.420 basic needs, you've got stability, you've got security, you've got the foundation from which 00:10:04.420 --> 00:10:11.220 progress in culture emerges. Maybe part of the way we see that is in verse 21. 00:10:11.220 --> 00:10:19.259 There's city building, there's farming, now there's music. Lamech was not having his most creative 00:10:19.259 --> 00:10:27.700 day. Jabal's brother, a guy called Jubal, was the father of all who played string instruments and pipes. 00:10:28.139 --> 00:10:34.779 So do we see the progress in culture? We've gone from this big shift from how am I sort of consuming? 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:40.879 Now we're thinking about the creative arts. Up until now, maybe the emphasis is on 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:48.860 survival, but now people are singing songs. In chapter 2, we heard Adam's poetry when he first 00:10:48.860 --> 00:10:54.139 met his wife. And now we've got this continuing trend, and now there's music, and now there's song. 00:10:54.679 --> 00:11:00.980 And how important is song and music? How often it's the soundtrack to people's lives. It's an important 00:11:00.980 --> 00:11:08.840 part of culture. But we're not done there, because in verse 22, we're also introduced to Jubal Cain. 00:11:08.840 --> 00:11:14.600 And what does he do? He forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. So we've got tools, 00:11:15.019 --> 00:11:20.639 and we've got metal working. And now, the human race can really get creative, 00:11:21.220 --> 00:11:29.340 because with the construction of tools, now new problems can be solved. Productivity can be increased. 00:11:29.340 --> 00:11:37.379 And we see the progress here. Now they're extracting iron ore, and there's a refining process, and tools 00:11:37.379 --> 00:11:46.800 are being shaped, and are being used for the progress of society. Who's responsible for this? 00:11:48.019 --> 00:11:52.879 It's interesting to notice that it's Lamech's three sons. We're going to come back to Lamech in just a 00:11:52.879 --> 00:12:01.679 minute, and he is a horrible person. But here is God's common grace at work. There is still progress 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:11.580 in culture, even in the family line of someone like Lamech. Cultural progress is good. All of us here, 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:19.779 I imagine, we like tools and technology. We appreciate music. We love the city that we live in. 00:12:19.779 --> 00:12:27.019 If you're ever asked the dinner party question, you know, if you could go back in time and live any time 00:12:27.019 --> 00:12:34.679 in the world, what period would you like to live in? Honestly, would anybody go back? Maybe we'd go back, 00:12:34.860 --> 00:12:41.959 maybe the 70s or the 80s, but would anybody go back further? Would anyone go back to the day before there was 00:12:41.959 --> 00:12:48.399 the NHS, or before we had free access to education? Cultural progress is good. 00:12:49.779 --> 00:12:56.799 But remember where we are in the story of Genesis. Remember where we are in the story of Cain. 00:12:57.120 --> 00:13:04.500 Look at chapter 4, verse 16 with me. We find all this happening after Cain went out from the Lord's 00:13:04.500 --> 00:13:13.480 presence, and he's living east of Eden. So, we have to remember all of this is happening after the fall 00:13:13.480 --> 00:13:22.340 into sin. So, at this point, the GPS system of the human heart is now directed, not towards God, but away 00:13:22.340 --> 00:13:29.080 from God. And so, the sad truth that we're presented with is that while there is progress in culture, 00:13:29.620 --> 00:13:38.200 there is also progress in sin. So, let's turn to see that together, this progress in sin. And we begin 00:13:38.200 --> 00:13:45.180 with the head of the family line. We begin with Cain himself. So, last week, if you were here last week, 00:13:45.820 --> 00:13:53.379 Cain killed his brother Abel, jealousy, anger, and a judgment comes from God. And we read about it in 00:13:53.379 --> 00:14:00.580 chapter 4, verse 12. And chapter 4, verse 12 ends with the judgment of God on Cain, 00:14:00.580 --> 00:14:08.740 you will be a restless wanderer on the earth. Fast forward to what we've just read about Cain. 00:14:08.800 --> 00:14:17.040 What's he done? He has built a city. You'll be a restless wanderer, but he's building a city. 00:14:18.379 --> 00:14:24.220 What's going on here? Well, it's like perhaps the more famous story we find in chapter 11, 00:14:24.220 --> 00:14:34.720 in the tower of Babel. In his construction process, Cain is rejecting God's word on his life. He is 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:43.840 defying God's authority. When Cain was fearful as he was driven out from God's presence, 00:14:44.840 --> 00:14:52.420 God showed mercy and gave him a mark of mercy. But Cain does not trust God for security. 00:14:52.419 --> 00:15:00.919 And so, he builds his own city for personal security. And so, we see so clearly in Cain's story, 00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:08.719 the GPS of the human heart is turned away from God, does not exercise faith in God. 00:15:11.019 --> 00:15:17.699 Go down to generation 7. Come with me to the story of Lamech, 00:15:17.700 --> 00:15:27.120 Lamech. As we're given a case study in the progress of sin. His story begins in verse 19. 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:35.900 Lamech married two women, one named Ada, the other Zillah. He has two wives. And did you notice the 00:15:35.900 --> 00:15:43.800 Bible doesn't explicitly say, and he was wrong? Now, why doesn't the Bible explicitly condemn that? 00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:52.179 It's because the Bible doesn't need to, because it is clearly obvious from his life that his life is 00:15:52.179 --> 00:16:01.259 wrong. His heart is wrong. The Bible is subtle. It exposes wrongdoing, but doesn't always say, 00:16:01.500 --> 00:16:06.979 and so clearly it's wrong, because we just know by looking at Lamech's life. 00:16:06.980 --> 00:16:15.440 We then come back to him in verses 23 and 24. But just to make the observation, remember, 00:16:15.580 --> 00:16:21.740 it's Lamech's children who are promoting cultural progress. But what we see from their father Lamech 00:16:21.740 --> 00:16:29.320 is he will take culture, which is neutral, and he will twist it and make something ugly from it in 00:16:29.320 --> 00:16:38.900 this song that he sings. And just as an aside, but I think an important aside in the time that we live, 00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:48.879 you and I, we need art that is beautiful and good. We need stories that are good and redemptive. 00:16:49.460 --> 00:16:55.900 We need music with beauty. That's not always the way our art scene, our cultural scene is going, 00:16:55.899 --> 00:17:03.039 but that's what we need for our heart and for our soul. But think about this song of Lamech, verse 23. 00:17:03.319 --> 00:17:10.039 Ada and Zillah, listen to me, wives of Lamech, hear my words. I've killed a man for wounding me, 00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:19.799 a young man for injuring me. So he's using culture to celebrate his anger and his murder, 00:17:19.799 --> 00:17:28.619 to celebrate in song. If a young man, even a child provokes me, I will not hesitate to kill. 00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:38.659 And he goes further and then he twists the story of Cain and God's words spoken to Cain. 00:17:39.319 --> 00:17:46.159 God promised to protect Cain. Look at chapter 4, verse 15. This is God saying, 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:55.320 anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over. But Lamech says, if Cain is avenged, 00:17:55.420 --> 00:18:06.080 then Lamech 77 times. Lamech says, I will be my own avenger. I will bring justice. I will not live 00:18:06.080 --> 00:18:15.320 with the fear of God. I do not need God. The seed of Cain's sin, his anger and his murder has passed down 00:18:15.319 --> 00:18:24.399 the family line. Highlighting for us that Cain's is a godless family line. We see culture is progressing, 00:18:24.839 --> 00:18:32.019 but at the same time, sin is progressing. And we need to think about that. And it calls for 00:18:32.019 --> 00:18:39.359 biblical wisdom. How do we consume culture? What do we consume? 00:18:39.359 --> 00:18:50.359 Perhaps in our devices to recognize that culture can be harmful and it's important to guard our own 00:18:50.359 --> 00:18:59.240 hearts. So just before we leave this family line, two trends to pick up on for us from the Lamech story. 00:18:59.679 --> 00:19:04.979 Because we live in the tech age. We think about the progress of culture. It's so rapid now. Technology 00:19:04.980 --> 00:19:14.640 is so rapid in the way that it's progressing. And so you and I, we need God's wisdom to navigate wisely 00:19:14.640 --> 00:19:22.640 and well. How do we use this technology well? Because the story of Lamech reminds us, first of all, 00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:29.920 that technology can be twisted. Technology by itself, it's morally neutral. Culture by itself is not 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:36.140 necessarily negative. But we need to recognize that the human heart is not morally neutral. 00:19:37.640 --> 00:19:43.380 And so that what we can do is we can take a person's skill, a person's ingenuity and creativity 00:19:43.380 --> 00:19:51.000 to develop new tech. And that can be used for good purposes, but it can also be used for bad purposes. 00:19:52.759 --> 00:19:57.620 Some of us will know that there was that naive hope in the early 20th century 00:19:57.619 --> 00:20:05.939 with the progress in science and education and technology. You know, utopia, this wonderful world 00:20:05.939 --> 00:20:14.319 is just around the corner. And all those optimistic predictions failed to factor in one reality, 00:20:14.859 --> 00:20:22.500 the reality of the human heart and of human sin. And the result is technology made killing machines 00:20:22.500 --> 00:20:31.200 and gas chambers and nuclear weapons. And there was more death and more killing in the 20th century than 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:39.339 any of the previous centuries combined, because technology can be twisted by our twisted human 00:20:39.339 --> 00:20:47.220 hearts. Let's move really close to home and let's think about our smartphones, because I suspect most of us 00:20:47.220 --> 00:20:52.339 will have a smartphone. There is a sense in which they are amazing devices. We're probably using them to 00:20:52.339 --> 00:20:58.700 take notes and read our Bibles on. A wonderful way to communicate. All kinds of creativity can happen 00:20:58.700 --> 00:21:04.920 with our phones. It's a world of information at our fingertips. It's a wonderful way to bring blessing 00:21:04.920 --> 00:21:12.640 to others when used wisely. Our smartphones are amazing. But how many of us would also testify that they can be 00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:26.800 awful when badly used? Distracted doom scrolling. Social media trolling. The access that we have to a world 00:21:26.800 --> 00:21:34.080 of pornography and a world of hate, and all of it communicated across the globe at the speed of light. 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:42.560 Cultural progress does not mean moral progress. And sometimes new technology brings for us new ways 00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:54.579 to be tempted into sin. And so again, it calls for our wisdom. How am I consuming? What am I consuming? 00:21:56.179 --> 00:22:05.720 Do I recognize how harmful it can be for my mind and for my heart? Remember the image in Genesis 4 of sin 00:22:05.720 --> 00:22:18.640 as predator. That sin is active, the devil is active, and is able even to use technology to tempt us into sin. 00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:29.960 Ask yourself the question, what is forming me? What is forming my habits day by day? 00:22:29.960 --> 00:22:36.180 Because without care, we might find that it's social media that's forming us. 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:44.500 It's the algorithm. It's AI that's forming us. It's cultural trends that are informing our decision-making. 00:22:45.900 --> 00:22:50.440 And especially for us as Christians, we need to be formed by the Word of God. 00:22:51.140 --> 00:22:57.779 By the time that we spend in prayer and in fellowship and in worship with the people of God. 00:22:57.779 --> 00:23:09.079 So technology can be twisted. We also see from this family tree that technology can be trusted instead of God. 00:23:10.579 --> 00:23:18.039 There's a professor of business and sport analytics who pointed this out in an essay this week. 00:23:18.639 --> 00:23:23.819 This reality you can trace in the Bible that a new tool or a new development emerges. 00:23:23.819 --> 00:23:27.960 And that brings for people new capabilities. 00:23:29.179 --> 00:23:30.619 That's a good thing in and of itself. 00:23:31.019 --> 00:23:35.679 But that often leads to, here is a new way to reject or to replace God. 00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:38.759 One example. 00:23:39.879 --> 00:23:41.799 The bricks of Genesis chapter 11. 00:23:41.919 --> 00:23:43.619 New technology for building. 00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:45.859 And that leads to Babel. 00:23:45.960 --> 00:23:49.619 Here's this great city to give glory to people rather than glory to God. 00:23:49.619 --> 00:23:56.279 Or think about what happens when horses and chariots become used for warfare. 00:23:57.079 --> 00:24:02.239 Now God's people are trusting in the horses and the chariots instead of in their God for security. 00:24:02.459 --> 00:24:04.419 Or when kingship becomes a feature. 00:24:04.719 --> 00:24:11.419 Now we're going to trust in the reality of kingship rather than God as king for our dependence. 00:24:12.879 --> 00:24:15.819 Technology can be trusted in the place of God. 00:24:15.819 --> 00:24:21.839 And if we stop and think for even a moment as we think about our smartphones, 00:24:22.980 --> 00:24:26.839 don't we find that sometimes they become the tiny gods in our pocket? 00:24:27.740 --> 00:24:29.599 That they control us. 00:24:30.059 --> 00:24:31.579 They direct us. 00:24:31.980 --> 00:24:34.960 We're always responding to their every need. 00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:38.579 Remember that the devil is a predator. 00:24:38.819 --> 00:24:40.819 That sin wants to destroy. 00:24:40.819 --> 00:24:49.240 And one way for sure is through replacing trusting God with trust in tools and tech. 00:24:52.379 --> 00:24:53.500 I've had a bad day. 00:24:53.559 --> 00:24:54.419 I feel discouraged. 00:24:54.679 --> 00:24:57.019 I'm going to pick up my phone for comfort. 00:24:58.099 --> 00:25:05.299 Or it's what I find on my phone that gives me joy and security rather than my identity in the Lord Jesus. 00:25:05.299 --> 00:25:14.599 What you and I need more than any tool or technology is to find ourselves in right relationship with God. 00:25:15.259 --> 00:25:19.639 Is to find our place in God's story of redemption. 00:25:20.159 --> 00:25:24.839 To find our identity and security and joy in Jesus. 00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:28.879 To worship Him and serve Him. 00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:35.680 And then we're in a good place to enjoy culture and to use technology. 00:25:37.080 --> 00:25:38.860 So that's Cain's family. 00:25:39.380 --> 00:25:42.820 Which shows us the progress in culture but also the progress in sin. 00:25:43.320 --> 00:25:45.400 Now let's turn to Seth's family. 00:25:46.040 --> 00:25:50.780 Where we see both the pattern of death and a promise of life. 00:25:50.860 --> 00:25:52.520 But before we get into it. 00:25:52.519 --> 00:25:56.259 To help us to think about chapter 5 especially. 00:25:56.440 --> 00:25:59.680 Think with me for just a moment about a magician. 00:26:00.500 --> 00:26:02.619 A magician who does card tricks. 00:26:02.740 --> 00:26:06.259 And you know how card tricks so often rely on sleight of hand. 00:26:07.400 --> 00:26:10.259 I love watching card tricks and I love being amazed. 00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:12.279 I don't like to know how they do it. 00:26:12.460 --> 00:26:15.379 But I know that one thing that magicians do is they'll use distraction. 00:26:15.599 --> 00:26:22.379 You know they'll get you to look just for a moment in a different direction in order to do their trick. 00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:24.859 And then we miss what's going on. 00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:29.160 When we come to Genesis chapter 5. 00:26:29.299 --> 00:26:30.879 If we are not careful. 00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:33.139 We will be misdirected. 00:26:33.200 --> 00:26:34.680 We'll look at the wrong thing. 00:26:34.680 --> 00:26:37.879 And we won't see the lesson God has for us. 00:26:38.339 --> 00:26:42.879 I would suggest the number one way we get distracted in chapter 5. 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:48.720 Is we focus on those names and the really big numbers. 00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:54.079 And we get all caught up in how is it possible that they could live for that long? 00:26:54.160 --> 00:26:54.799 What was it like? 00:26:54.819 --> 00:26:56.079 And that can get all our attention. 00:26:56.680 --> 00:26:58.920 Do you know that's not what God wants us to see. 00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:02.559 Do you know what God wants us to see? 00:27:03.480 --> 00:27:07.140 The recurring theme that comes in every generation. 00:27:07.140 --> 00:27:10.600 It's actually the pattern of death. 00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:14.040 It's actually this note. 00:27:14.200 --> 00:27:16.480 And then he died. 00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:20.500 Look at generation 1. 00:27:20.640 --> 00:27:21.519 Adam's generation. 00:27:21.660 --> 00:27:23.440 Chapter 5 verses 3 to 5. 00:27:23.620 --> 00:27:26.799 This pattern we see in six of the generations. 00:27:27.019 --> 00:27:27.839 We meet Adam. 00:27:28.480 --> 00:27:30.240 And after a certain number of years. 00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:32.059 He has a son. 00:27:33.079 --> 00:27:34.059 There's the pattern. 00:27:34.599 --> 00:27:36.259 And he gives the son a name. 00:27:36.259 --> 00:27:39.099 And after Seth is born. 00:27:39.259 --> 00:27:39.879 Adam lives. 00:27:40.519 --> 00:27:41.980 In his case 800 years. 00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:43.460 He has other children. 00:27:44.160 --> 00:27:46.180 We get told how long he lives. 00:27:46.579 --> 00:27:48.960 And then he died. 00:27:49.559 --> 00:27:52.980 Generation after generation after generation. 00:27:53.779 --> 00:27:54.319 Marriage. 00:27:54.879 --> 00:27:55.259 Family. 00:27:56.160 --> 00:27:58.119 And then he died. 00:28:00.420 --> 00:28:02.680 In chapter 5 verses 1 to 3. 00:28:02.799 --> 00:28:04.720 It's really significant to notice. 00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:07.220 That the blessing that God had promised to people. 00:28:07.360 --> 00:28:08.319 It's in effect. 00:28:09.420 --> 00:28:10.680 There are children. 00:28:11.259 --> 00:28:12.460 And they're filling the earth. 00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:13.360 And did you notice. 00:28:13.720 --> 00:28:17.299 That just as God created people in his image and likeness. 00:28:17.400 --> 00:28:19.480 So we discover that when Adam has Seth. 00:28:19.940 --> 00:28:24.360 Seth is born in the image and likeness of Adam. 00:28:25.620 --> 00:28:28.640 We're supposed to see that in some ways. 00:28:29.120 --> 00:28:30.160 There are parallels. 00:28:30.579 --> 00:28:31.680 God creates. 00:28:32.180 --> 00:28:32.900 Adam and Eve. 00:28:32.900 --> 00:28:34.240 They procreate. 00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:37.140 But at the end. 00:28:38.140 --> 00:28:39.299 Death. 00:28:39.579 --> 00:28:40.360 Comes into. 00:28:40.839 --> 00:28:41.299 Every. 00:28:41.880 --> 00:28:42.319 Picture. 00:28:44.339 --> 00:28:46.620 There is cultural progress. 00:28:47.720 --> 00:28:50.360 But the sad epitaph. 00:28:50.920 --> 00:28:52.740 On every gravestone. 00:28:53.079 --> 00:28:54.980 Over every crowning achievement. 00:28:55.360 --> 00:28:57.299 Over all that cultural progress. 00:28:57.420 --> 00:28:58.519 Stands these words. 00:28:58.640 --> 00:28:59.240 And then. 00:28:59.920 --> 00:29:00.200 He. 00:29:00.900 --> 00:29:01.380 Died. 00:29:01.380 --> 00:29:04.440 And so we can't escape. 00:29:04.440 --> 00:29:06.200 What we've been introduced to. 00:29:06.200 --> 00:29:07.300 Ever since. 00:29:07.300 --> 00:29:08.860 Adam and Eve rebelled. 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:10.680 And rejected God's word. 00:29:11.640 --> 00:29:13.160 The sting of death. 00:29:14.440 --> 00:29:15.540 Every generation. 00:29:16.220 --> 00:29:17.740 Is living under the shadow. 00:29:18.740 --> 00:29:19.820 Of the curse. 00:29:20.960 --> 00:29:21.960 Every death. 00:29:22.080 --> 00:29:22.980 Is a reminder. 00:29:23.540 --> 00:29:24.460 Of the punishment. 00:29:24.800 --> 00:29:25.100 Due. 00:29:25.520 --> 00:29:26.220 For human. 00:29:26.800 --> 00:29:27.140 Sin. 00:29:27.140 --> 00:29:30.400 Every generation. 00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:31.420 Is showing us. 00:29:31.420 --> 00:29:32.860 That our sin nature. 00:29:32.860 --> 00:29:33.840 Is now turned. 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:35.380 Away from God. 00:29:35.380 --> 00:29:36.880 That our GPS. 00:29:36.880 --> 00:29:38.000 Does not add. 00:29:38.500 --> 00:29:39.000 God. 00:29:39.160 --> 00:29:40.680 As our home. 00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:43.520 And every generation. 00:29:43.520 --> 00:29:45.040 Is reminding us. 00:29:45.040 --> 00:29:46.100 As we hear. 00:29:46.220 --> 00:29:46.660 Death. 00:29:46.720 --> 00:29:47.420 After death. 00:29:47.660 --> 00:29:48.620 What we need. 00:29:49.620 --> 00:29:50.920 Is the promise. 00:29:51.120 --> 00:29:51.640 Seed. 00:29:51.640 --> 00:29:53.640 Of Genesis. 00:29:53.640 --> 00:29:54.460 Chapter 3. 00:29:55.300 --> 00:29:56.320 We need the one. 00:29:56.440 --> 00:29:57.220 Who will come. 00:29:57.480 --> 00:29:58.380 Who will crush. 00:29:58.520 --> 00:29:59.100 The head. 00:29:59.300 --> 00:30:00.140 Of the serpent. 00:30:00.259 --> 00:30:00.820 Who will bring. 00:30:00.900 --> 00:30:01.800 An end to death. 00:30:01.860 --> 00:30:02.720 And who will bring. 00:30:03.240 --> 00:30:03.759 Life. 00:30:03.880 --> 00:30:05.120 Even in the godly line. 00:30:05.180 --> 00:30:05.759 Of Seth. 00:30:06.620 --> 00:30:07.340 Death comes. 00:30:08.660 --> 00:30:09.820 And generation. 00:30:09.820 --> 00:30:10.920 After generation. 00:30:10.920 --> 00:30:12.080 We are left. 00:30:12.080 --> 00:30:13.060 With longing. 00:30:13.940 --> 00:30:14.680 Where will hope. 00:30:14.960 --> 00:30:15.440 Come from. 00:30:16.020 --> 00:30:16.880 Where will life. 00:30:17.020 --> 00:30:17.580 Come from. 00:30:17.900 --> 00:30:19.160 When will the promise. 00:30:19.360 --> 00:30:19.759 Seed. 00:30:19.920 --> 00:30:20.560 Arrive. 00:30:21.640 --> 00:30:24.360 But let's hear. 00:30:24.780 --> 00:30:25.800 If we can. 00:30:26.420 --> 00:30:27.460 The simple. 00:30:28.140 --> 00:30:28.860 Somber. 00:30:29.580 --> 00:30:30.120 Warning. 00:30:31.700 --> 00:30:32.400 So timely. 00:30:32.680 --> 00:30:33.440 Don't be distracted. 00:30:40.280 --> 00:30:41.900 What we need. 00:30:42.280 --> 00:30:43.440 To hear. 00:30:43.600 --> 00:30:44.660 From this family tree. 00:30:44.800 --> 00:30:46.320 And from our own. 00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:47.520 Family stories. 00:30:48.440 --> 00:30:50.000 Is to remember. 00:30:50.880 --> 00:30:51.320 Death. 00:30:51.640 --> 00:30:53.900 We need to learn. 00:30:53.900 --> 00:30:54.400 To view. 00:30:54.400 --> 00:30:54.580 To view. 00:30:54.580 --> 00:30:55.740 Our lives. 00:30:55.740 --> 00:30:56.580 In light. 00:30:56.580 --> 00:30:58.280 Of our mortality. 00:30:58.280 --> 00:30:59.380 And in light. 00:30:59.380 --> 00:30:59.920 Of. 00:31:00.440 --> 00:31:00.920 Coming. 00:31:01.120 --> 00:31:01.840 Eternity. 00:31:01.980 --> 00:31:02.660 To recognize. 00:31:02.660 --> 00:31:03.660 What really. 00:31:04.280 --> 00:31:04.920 Matters. 00:31:04.920 --> 00:31:05.800 In light of that. 00:31:07.000 --> 00:31:07.960 To recognize. 00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:09.020 That we are invited. 00:31:09.020 --> 00:31:09.740 To live. 00:31:09.840 --> 00:31:10.540 Each day. 00:31:10.660 --> 00:31:12.040 Before the face. 00:31:12.040 --> 00:31:13.240 Of God. 00:31:13.800 --> 00:31:14.920 To be ready. 00:31:14.920 --> 00:31:15.520 For the day. 00:31:15.600 --> 00:31:16.520 When we will stand. 00:31:16.660 --> 00:31:17.220 Before. 00:31:17.400 --> 00:31:18.259 Our God. 00:31:18.259 --> 00:31:20.000 And to be ready. 00:31:20.519 --> 00:31:21.339 By trusting. 00:31:21.519 --> 00:31:22.119 Jesus. 00:31:22.680 --> 00:31:23.480 The promise. 00:31:23.640 --> 00:31:23.960 Seen. 00:31:25.299 --> 00:31:26.879 So that that reality. 00:31:27.039 --> 00:31:27.519 And then. 00:31:27.740 --> 00:31:28.220 He died. 00:31:28.319 --> 00:31:28.879 Need not. 00:31:29.140 --> 00:31:29.539 Have. 00:31:30.680 --> 00:31:31.119 Fear. 00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:31.920 For us. 00:31:32.200 --> 00:31:32.940 Because we can live. 00:31:33.019 --> 00:31:33.539 With faith. 00:31:34.019 --> 00:31:35.220 So we see a pattern. 00:31:35.220 --> 00:31:35.599 Of death. 00:31:35.660 --> 00:31:36.119 But secondly. 00:31:36.119 --> 00:31:36.960 We see a promise. 00:31:36.960 --> 00:31:37.460 Of life. 00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:38.339 In the godly line. 00:31:38.339 --> 00:31:38.799 Of Seth. 00:31:38.799 --> 00:31:39.759 Let me show. 00:31:39.759 --> 00:31:40.460 Three ways. 00:31:40.599 --> 00:31:41.259 That we can trace. 00:31:41.259 --> 00:31:41.759 This out. 00:31:42.099 --> 00:31:42.419 First. 00:31:43.180 --> 00:31:43.879 Chapter 4. 00:31:43.960 --> 00:31:44.799 Verse 26. 00:31:45.220 --> 00:31:46.059 We meet Seth. 00:31:46.119 --> 00:31:46.859 And we meet his son. 00:31:47.139 --> 00:31:47.500 Enosh. 00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:49.119 And at that time. 00:31:49.180 --> 00:31:49.539 We're told. 00:31:49.659 --> 00:31:50.779 People began to call. 00:31:50.859 --> 00:31:51.799 On the name of the Lord. 00:31:53.119 --> 00:31:53.680 So again. 00:31:53.720 --> 00:31:54.220 If you've been here. 00:31:54.220 --> 00:31:54.740 Since the beginning. 00:31:54.740 --> 00:31:55.119 Of our study. 00:31:55.180 --> 00:31:55.879 You might have a question. 00:31:55.879 --> 00:31:56.599 Because we know. 00:31:56.700 --> 00:31:57.200 Adam and Eve. 00:31:57.200 --> 00:31:58.079 They worshipped. 00:31:58.200 --> 00:31:58.539 God. 00:31:58.599 --> 00:31:59.419 In the garden of Eden. 00:32:00.159 --> 00:32:01.279 And last week. 00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:02.240 We saw that both. 00:32:02.519 --> 00:32:02.899 Abel. 00:32:03.019 --> 00:32:03.440 And Cain. 00:32:03.519 --> 00:32:03.980 They offered. 00:32:03.980 --> 00:32:05.059 God's sacrifices. 00:32:05.599 --> 00:32:06.500 So what does it mean. 00:32:06.500 --> 00:32:06.759 Here. 00:32:06.819 --> 00:32:07.379 When it says. 00:32:07.379 --> 00:32:08.099 At this time. 00:32:08.099 --> 00:32:09.219 People began to call. 00:32:09.240 --> 00:32:10.199 On the name of the Lord. 00:32:11.559 --> 00:32:12.139 It means. 00:32:12.279 --> 00:32:13.179 Here is the moment. 00:32:13.299 --> 00:32:14.319 Where regular. 00:32:14.939 --> 00:32:15.459 Public. 00:32:15.919 --> 00:32:16.299 Worship. 00:32:16.980 --> 00:32:18.000 Begins to happen. 00:32:18.839 --> 00:32:19.759 This is the point. 00:32:19.839 --> 00:32:20.619 Where in front. 00:32:20.699 --> 00:32:21.579 Of all the other people. 00:32:21.579 --> 00:32:22.419 That are being born. 00:32:22.500 --> 00:32:22.939 And are living. 00:32:23.939 --> 00:32:24.759 Seth's family. 00:32:24.759 --> 00:32:26.319 Is going to proclaim. 00:32:27.480 --> 00:32:28.959 Their trust in God. 00:32:29.480 --> 00:32:30.740 The God of the covenant. 00:32:31.439 --> 00:32:32.419 The personal God. 00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:33.379 The God who had made. 00:32:33.379 --> 00:32:34.419 That great promise. 00:32:34.819 --> 00:32:36.359 This is an act of faith. 00:32:36.919 --> 00:32:38.039 This is them hoping. 00:32:38.099 --> 00:32:39.219 In the promise. 00:32:39.219 --> 00:32:40.319 This family. 00:32:40.319 --> 00:32:41.399 Is going to be marked. 00:32:41.399 --> 00:32:41.919 By. 00:32:42.719 --> 00:32:43.240 Worshipping. 00:32:44.579 --> 00:32:45.379 Another way. 00:32:45.439 --> 00:32:46.559 We see the promise of life. 00:32:46.819 --> 00:32:47.819 Is in the walking. 00:32:48.259 --> 00:32:49.019 Of Enoch. 00:32:49.159 --> 00:32:49.579 So remember. 00:32:49.699 --> 00:32:50.079 Enoch. 00:32:50.319 --> 00:32:51.759 He's generation seven. 00:32:52.139 --> 00:32:53.179 Where Lamech. 00:32:54.439 --> 00:32:55.359 Destroyed. 00:32:55.480 --> 00:32:56.619 And brought death. 00:32:57.059 --> 00:32:57.559 Enoch. 00:32:58.119 --> 00:32:58.659 Remarkably. 00:32:58.740 --> 00:32:59.519 Escapes death. 00:32:59.599 --> 00:33:00.579 So let's look at Enoch. 00:33:00.659 --> 00:33:01.679 And his remarkable life. 00:33:01.759 --> 00:33:01.879 Now. 00:33:02.439 --> 00:33:03.139 One thing. 00:33:03.199 --> 00:33:03.959 That's really important. 00:33:03.959 --> 00:33:04.839 To notice. 00:33:05.639 --> 00:33:07.119 In this family tree. 00:33:07.500 --> 00:33:09.259 By a long shot. 00:33:10.000 --> 00:33:10.279 Enoch. 00:33:10.279 --> 00:33:11.779 Has the shortest lifespan. 00:33:12.659 --> 00:33:13.319 So he died. 00:33:13.459 --> 00:33:14.599 It's a very long life. 00:33:14.679 --> 00:33:16.379 But only 365 years. 00:33:16.639 --> 00:33:17.399 Relatives say. 00:33:17.480 --> 00:33:18.139 To his son. 00:33:18.619 --> 00:33:19.839 Classic Sunday school answer. 00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:21.079 Who's the oldest man. 00:33:21.079 --> 00:33:21.559 Who ever lived. 00:33:21.639 --> 00:33:22.019 Methuselah. 00:33:22.099 --> 00:33:22.859 969. 00:33:23.740 --> 00:33:24.399 Compared to that. 00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:25.179 Really short. 00:33:27.679 --> 00:33:29.159 What's that saying to us? 00:33:29.160 --> 00:33:32.240 As we think about the story of Enoch. 00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:34.660 It is saying to you and to me. 00:33:35.080 --> 00:33:36.980 There is a greater gift. 00:33:37.380 --> 00:33:39.779 Than living a really long time. 00:33:40.740 --> 00:33:41.779 And that gift. 00:33:42.060 --> 00:33:42.940 Is living. 00:33:43.200 --> 00:33:44.060 To enjoy. 00:33:44.519 --> 00:33:44.960 God. 00:33:45.820 --> 00:33:47.140 And getting to live. 00:33:47.279 --> 00:33:48.080 With God. 00:33:48.279 --> 00:33:49.259 In his presence. 00:33:50.540 --> 00:33:51.779 And all the obsession. 00:33:52.240 --> 00:33:53.600 With long life. 00:33:53.600 --> 00:33:55.540 And extending life. 00:33:55.700 --> 00:33:56.920 And cryogenic chambers. 00:33:57.100 --> 00:33:57.700 And all that. 00:33:57.700 --> 00:33:59.259 What people need. 00:33:59.360 --> 00:34:00.039 What we need. 00:34:00.220 --> 00:34:01.360 Is Christ Jesus. 00:34:01.360 --> 00:34:02.360 As Savior. 00:34:03.420 --> 00:34:04.660 Because he guarantees. 00:34:04.660 --> 00:34:05.480 Eternal life. 00:34:05.539 --> 00:34:06.319 Knowing God now. 00:34:06.600 --> 00:34:07.940 And life with God forever. 00:34:09.260 --> 00:34:10.420 That's one thing. 00:34:10.760 --> 00:34:12.139 That's striking about Enoch's life. 00:34:12.179 --> 00:34:13.380 Another striking thing. 00:34:14.260 --> 00:34:15.800 And we find it a couple of times. 00:34:16.119 --> 00:34:16.880 Verse 22. 00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:20.059 Enoch walked faithfully with God. 00:34:20.360 --> 00:34:21.639 300 years. 00:34:21.639 --> 00:34:22.679 And then verse 24. 00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:23.760 Just to underline it. 00:34:23.960 --> 00:34:26.460 Enoch walked faithfully with God. 00:34:26.639 --> 00:34:27.599 300 years. 00:34:27.599 --> 00:34:29.460 Of walking with God. 00:34:29.519 --> 00:34:30.579 Maybe some of you have read. 00:34:30.619 --> 00:34:31.679 Eugene Peterson's book. 00:34:31.739 --> 00:34:32.380 Really helpful book. 00:34:32.440 --> 00:34:33.219 A Long Obedience. 00:34:33.299 --> 00:34:34.119 In the same direction. 00:34:34.920 --> 00:34:36.440 He talks about patience. 00:34:36.679 --> 00:34:37.559 And perseverance. 00:34:37.559 --> 00:34:39.059 In the life of discipleship. 00:34:39.460 --> 00:34:40.579 Kind of as an antidote. 00:34:40.699 --> 00:34:42.299 To the instant generation. 00:34:42.440 --> 00:34:43.079 Where we expect. 00:34:43.159 --> 00:34:44.000 Kind of Christian maturity. 00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:44.920 Now in a moment. 00:34:45.579 --> 00:34:47.179 Long patient walk. 00:34:47.219 --> 00:34:47.659 Of obedience. 00:34:48.319 --> 00:34:49.339 We need this walk. 00:34:49.559 --> 00:34:51.400 This was Enoch's walk. 00:34:51.719 --> 00:34:53.579 300 years. 00:34:53.579 --> 00:34:55.679 And the picture is of a servant. 00:34:56.360 --> 00:34:56.880 Walking. 00:34:57.319 --> 00:34:58.799 Before his master. 00:34:59.360 --> 00:35:02.360 Always eager to do his master's will. 00:35:02.779 --> 00:35:04.000 Always ready. 00:35:04.719 --> 00:35:05.420 For obedience. 00:35:05.659 --> 00:35:07.400 It's the same language actually used of the priests. 00:35:07.440 --> 00:35:08.699 As they served in the temple. 00:35:10.139 --> 00:35:12.840 Here is someone enjoying a close relationship with God. 00:35:13.840 --> 00:35:15.599 Delighting to be obedient to God. 00:35:15.599 --> 00:35:18.799 He's a great example of faith. 00:35:19.519 --> 00:35:20.819 And we're told then. 00:35:21.539 --> 00:35:23.539 He was no more. 00:35:24.339 --> 00:35:26.000 Because God took him away. 00:35:29.099 --> 00:35:30.519 And then he died. 00:35:30.599 --> 00:35:31.539 And then he died. 00:35:31.619 --> 00:35:32.559 And then he died. 00:35:33.339 --> 00:35:34.159 But Enoch. 00:35:34.759 --> 00:35:36.179 He escapes death. 00:35:37.460 --> 00:35:39.039 He walked with God. 00:35:39.239 --> 00:35:40.980 He enjoyed life with God. 00:35:40.980 --> 00:35:43.780 In his 300 years. 00:35:44.219 --> 00:35:44.760 And now. 00:35:45.699 --> 00:35:48.059 He is taken to enjoy life with God forever. 00:35:49.619 --> 00:35:51.460 There's a promise of life in there. 00:35:52.599 --> 00:35:54.740 And the chapter ends with another promise. 00:35:55.380 --> 00:35:57.820 It ends with a family who is waiting. 00:35:58.380 --> 00:36:00.480 The chapter closes with a different Lamech. 00:36:00.900 --> 00:36:01.480 Verse 28. 00:36:01.559 --> 00:36:03.320 Lamech had lived 182 years. 00:36:03.380 --> 00:36:03.820 And he had a son. 00:36:03.880 --> 00:36:04.679 And he named him Noah. 00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:06.599 And Noah means comfort. 00:36:07.659 --> 00:36:10.039 And we need to recognize that in his naming of his son. 00:36:10.039 --> 00:36:11.199 It's both an act of faith. 00:36:11.860 --> 00:36:12.940 And an act of longing. 00:36:14.460 --> 00:36:15.940 He will comfort us. 00:36:16.500 --> 00:36:18.619 In the labor and painful toil of our hands. 00:36:18.739 --> 00:36:20.739 Caused by the ground the Lord has cursed. 00:36:21.079 --> 00:36:21.920 Here's the longing. 00:36:22.259 --> 00:36:25.279 Is this the generation when the promised seed will be sent? 00:36:25.559 --> 00:36:26.619 Will my son Noah. 00:36:26.739 --> 00:36:29.300 Will he bring comfort by removing the curse? 00:36:29.380 --> 00:36:30.019 Will it be Noah? 00:36:31.259 --> 00:36:31.880 Will it be Noah? 00:36:33.199 --> 00:36:36.239 We're actually going to leave Genesis in a bit of a cliffhanger ending. 00:36:36.639 --> 00:36:39.019 Because we won't return to it until after Easter. 00:36:39.019 --> 00:36:40.500 But spoiler alert. 00:36:41.440 --> 00:36:42.539 In the story of Noah. 00:36:42.639 --> 00:36:46.880 We will see that God will use him to bring restoration of the earth. 00:36:46.960 --> 00:36:49.219 There will be a new beginning in Noah. 00:36:49.420 --> 00:36:51.840 But he too will sin. 00:36:52.579 --> 00:36:54.159 He is not the promised seed. 00:36:54.239 --> 00:36:55.360 He's not the promised son. 00:36:55.579 --> 00:36:59.099 He can't undo the curse of sin that leads to death. 00:36:59.099 --> 00:37:04.139 But there is in that line of seed. 00:37:04.460 --> 00:37:06.639 In the worshiping and the walking and the waiting. 00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:08.480 A promise that there is life. 00:37:08.539 --> 00:37:10.139 Now why does all this matter to us? 00:37:11.299 --> 00:37:12.639 Think about your life today. 00:37:13.639 --> 00:37:15.139 Think about your family story. 00:37:15.259 --> 00:37:16.480 Think about your family tree. 00:37:16.480 --> 00:37:23.380 There are times when we live and we groan under the shadow. 00:37:23.699 --> 00:37:25.320 Under the reality of death. 00:37:25.320 --> 00:37:31.559 I'm sure most of us were looking at the MSPs debating assisted dying. 00:37:31.700 --> 00:37:37.240 Didn't it remind us as well of the pain and suffering that so many endure at the end of life? 00:37:37.239 --> 00:37:42.919 And the reality of death reminds us that you and I need hope. 00:37:43.399 --> 00:37:45.679 We need a way to break the pattern. 00:37:46.259 --> 00:37:49.459 We need a way to find the promise of life in the face of death. 00:37:49.679 --> 00:37:54.019 We need the son who will come, who will be sent, who will fulfill God's promise. 00:37:54.099 --> 00:37:57.139 The one who will defeat sin and death and the devil. 00:37:57.139 --> 00:37:59.399 And who will bring us new life. 00:37:59.519 --> 00:38:03.799 The one we need is Jesus Christ, the son of God. 00:38:03.800 --> 00:38:10.080 And in the fullness of God's time, wonderfully, Jesus, the eternal son of God, 00:38:10.140 --> 00:38:15.340 he became a man and he became one of us to live a life of perfect obedience and worship. 00:38:15.600 --> 00:38:20.060 To be the one who would truly, faithfully, always walk with God. 00:38:20.780 --> 00:38:22.340 Loved to do his father's will. 00:38:22.460 --> 00:38:24.360 And the father said of him, this is my son. 00:38:24.700 --> 00:38:25.460 I love him. 00:38:25.600 --> 00:38:26.380 Listen to him. 00:38:27.220 --> 00:38:31.080 And Jesus came and this life of worship was also a life of mission. 00:38:31.079 --> 00:38:34.239 He came to rescue and to redeem. 00:38:34.679 --> 00:38:38.659 And he would do that by himself, taking upon himself our sin. 00:38:39.019 --> 00:38:42.179 He would go under the curse that we have lived under. 00:38:42.480 --> 00:38:49.259 He would suffer and die for us so that you and I, by faith, we could find real comfort. 00:38:50.599 --> 00:38:53.299 That we could know God and worship God. 00:38:54.099 --> 00:38:57.400 That we could have eternal hope even in the face of death. 00:38:57.400 --> 00:39:02.980 That trusting Jesus when we die, we'll know we'll be taken home to our God and Savior. 00:39:05.740 --> 00:39:13.300 Today, if that's what you want in your story, if that's what you want in your family story, 00:39:13.860 --> 00:39:16.639 what does God tell us to do? 00:39:16.639 --> 00:39:24.639 He tells us to turn away from sin, from self-reliance, from rejection of God. 00:39:25.379 --> 00:39:27.900 And he invites us to turn to trust in Jesus. 00:39:28.599 --> 00:39:30.259 To trust him as Savior. 00:39:31.199 --> 00:39:33.519 To live with faith in Jesus. 00:39:35.199 --> 00:39:38.699 And then he tells us, share him with the next generation. 00:39:39.739 --> 00:39:41.000 Share him with your family. 00:39:41.000 --> 00:39:47.119 That our family tree would be different because we've known Jesus for our sake.