Prepare your heart for the Sermon by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together hearing God's Word.
You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.
Carefully Think
- Read Genesis chapters 8-9. Skim chapters 6-7 or listen to the sermon audio from last week to set the context for these chapters. What specific parts of the account of chapters 8-9 are you familiar with and which are you not?
- What were the specific steps to the ending of the flood? How did Noah test the condition of the earth from the Ark and what were his clues that the waters had receded?
- What were God’s instructions to Noah once the flood subsided; how did Noah respond?
- What warning was given by God after he blessed Noah and his sons; how did Noah respond?
- What are the details of the covenant God gave after Noah exited the Ark? What are the conditions of this covenant?
- What is recorded about the behavior of Noah’s sons and how would that behavior affect them and their descendants?
Prayerfully Meditate
- Recount the details from this passage of how the Lord provided a future for Noah and his family, particularly in light of Genesis 6:11-13.
- Reflect on the promise made in 8:21-22. Why do you suspect this promise was made? What else could God have done at that point?
- Recount the consequences of sin so far through the beginning of Genesis to this point. How much has mankind’s relationship with God changed from Creation to this point? What specific sins are working against your relationship with God in your life? Confess and forsake that sin.
- Also from Creation to this week’s text, In what specific ways has God made provision to preserve humanity in spite of their disobedience? In what specific ways has God preserved and sustained your life in spite of your sin? Rejoice in the Lord for his grace and kindness.