What the Bible Is All About 3

Review

Bible – conflicted

Personally – disturbed – my inability to reconcile – loving Jesus – brutal book

Question it – disrespect

Lost

Blindly accepting & doing – never right.

Humility

“I could be wrong.” – Open/closed hand

Going through classic parts – Jesus

Forgiveness Mercy Self Sacrificial love

Better Questions

Why did people find it important to tell this story? What was it that moved them to record these words? What was happening in the world at that time? What does this passage/story/poem/verse/book tell us about how people understood who they were and who God is at that time? What’s the story that’s unfolding here and why did these people think it was the story worth telling?

Last Week: Jonah

Discredit us Responded poorly

The Flood

Mankind – wicked Wipe mankind from face of earth 1 righteous – Noah Ark – him & family Bring some of all animals on earth – 1 pair some, 7 for others Rain 40 days/nights Every living thing – killed Water receeded – ark – mountains of Ararat – 8 more months Finally, got out of boat Built altar – worshipped – burnt offering – clean animals “Never do this again.” Rainbow Naked

Let’s Talk about Floods

Sumerians Mesopotamians Babylonians

Water – power to destory everything – common

Devine judgement – Wickedness – Angry – Starting Over

Boats

Flood in Genesis – 2500BC / 1400BC – not unusual Angry – Wrath

But then – does something strange – ends w/ promise – never going to happen again.

Not how other stories ended – Gods satisfied.

But this God – different

Living w/us Life is preserved/respected.

Question: Why was this story told?

Imagine – no pictures – earth.

Hut – never traveled Terryifying

Causes: God’s mad. That’s the BG

Twist:

Promise Compassion Rainbows Covenants

Not how people talked – Pissed.

But this story – relate. & save.

This is a story about a new view of God.

Relationship.

Need today

It’s primitive – progressive.

Never talked like this before


“I can’t believe people still believe this stuff!”

We respond:

Yes the boat was big enough Of course God has a plan for the elephant poop

Try: take seriously – Result: miss point

Story: major step – understanding God

Now: Cross – They didn’t – WHEEL


Few points about story:

This is a story about God’s peace

For this is like the waters of Noah to Me; For as I have sworn That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, So have I sworn that I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. (Isaiah 54:9)

For the mountains shall depart And the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you, Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” Says the LORD, who has mercy on you. (Isaiah 54:10)

Isaiah: God never angry w/us

Preachers: warning – sin/unpunished

This is a story about contrast

Our God vs other gods

Hunger Games – Capital / Poor districts

God’s goodness, despite our wickedness

Destroy b/c wickedness / Peace, not dependent


Like Jonah/whale – focus ark – miss rainbow.

Very old story. Obvious: both sides of literalism

Don’t get stuck: history, miss:

Kinder, better God Intention is not violence but love.

Classic story – violent/wrathful God

Look correctly – opposite:

Kind Loving Compassionate Looks like Jesus