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We are in a series called “Sword Sharpening” and looking at how to make the most out of your time with the Bible. This week we are continuing our look at the storyline of the Bible, which we call His Story, and we will look at the third section, Genesis Chapters 12-50, and call it the Kingdom Covenant. Right after the Tower of Babel events in Genesis Chapter 11, we are introduced to Abraham.

Genesis 12:1-3 (NIV)
1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

This is God’s second covenant after the events of the Fall. The first covenant was with Noah after the Flood. Both covenants were designed to preserve God’s desire for a human family. God never gives up on humanity, and He reveals His rescue plan will come through one family, the people of Abraham, who later become the nation of Israel. In Genesis Chapters 12 -50, we are introduced to the following three generations of Abraham’s family, represented by Isaac and Jacob, and Joseph. Eventually, as His Story develops through the rest of the Old Testament, we will ultimately meet Jesus, who is born through Abraham’s lineage at the beginning of the New Testament. Jesus is the one promised, the one all of this points to.

Galatians 3:26-29 (NRSV)
26 for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. 27 As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

We will learn that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph lived by faith. They believed in and held on to this covenant God made with Abraham, even though they didn’t see it come to fulfillment in their lifetimes.

Hebrews 11:8-10 (NIV)
8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Hebrews 11:13 (NIV)
13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.

Abraham died without ever receiving the promise that God gave him. Isaac died without ever receiving the promise that God gave him, Jacob, and Joseph. They all died before the promised Messiah came, before the promised kingdom came, before all the promises that were given initially in the Abrahamic covenant.

The writer of Hebrews is illustrating the most critical message that the world will ever hear by looking at the life and death of these patriarchs. It is important to note that they were far from perfect. They made a lot of mistakes and a lot of bad choices in their lives. Even with their often messy lives, they died in faith. They died confident that the promise would be fulfilled even though they had not yet received it. They believed at the very end of their life that God, who had not yet fulfilled His promise, would fulfill it even after they were gone. That is why the writer of Hebrews makes examples of them. Their lives demonstrate that salvation is by faith alone, by grace through faith, not by works. It’s always been that way.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

We will be looking at this and a lot more this weekend at Keys Vineyard Church so make plans to join us in-person or watch online.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

As a Church Consultant, several excellent books about helping churches and pastors are worth reading. Perhaps one of the most essential books on church consulting is Lyle Schaller’s “The Interventionist.”

“The Interventionist” is a thought-provoking book that explores the concept of active intervention in the life of a congregation and its surrounding community. Published in 1997, this work remains highly relevant as it addresses the challenges churches face in engaging with their members and the broader society.

Schaller begins by highlighting the significant shifts in society and culture that have impacted churches over the years. He emphasizes that many traditional approaches to ministry are no longer effective in reaching and engaging modern-day individuals. He proposes a more proactive and intentional approach, which he calls “interventionism.”

According to Schaller, interventionism involves identifying and addressing specific needs within the congregation and community rather than relying on passive maintenance and routine programs. He argues that churches must embrace change and adapt their practices to meet the evolving needs of their members and society at large.

One of the critical concepts Schaller introduces is the idea of the “interventional pastor.” He asserts that pastors must lead in identifying and implementing necessary changes. This includes being willing to challenge established traditions and programs that are no longer effective and being open to new ideas and approaches.

Schaller also emphasizes the importance of congregational involvement and collaboration in interventionism. He suggests that churches should actively seek input from their members and engage them in decision-making processes. By fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility among the congregation, the church becomes more responsive to the needs of its members. It is better equipped to bring about positive change.

The book discusses various areas where interventionism can be applied, including worship, education, evangelism, and community outreach. Schaller argues that churches must reevaluate and revamp their worship services to make them more engaging and relevant to contemporary audiences. He also stresses the need for lifelong education within the church, where members are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the challenges of the modern world.

Regarding evangelism, Schaller suggests that churches should shift from passively waiting for individuals to come to them to actively going out into the community and engaging with people where they are. He encourages churches to develop intentional strategies for reaching the unchurched and making the gospel accessible to them.

Furthermore, Schaller emphasizes the importance of community engagement and social responsibility. He advocates for churches to actively address social issues and partner with community organizations to bring about positive change. By becoming a visible and contributing force within the community, churches can demonstrate the love and compassion of Christ in practical ways.

Throughout the book, Schaller provides numerous examples and case studies of churches that successfully implement interventionism. These examples illustrate how interventionism can be applied and the positive outcomes it can produce.

“The Interventionist” challenges traditional notions of church ministry and offers a compelling argument for a more proactive and intentional approach. It serves as a call to action for pastors and church leaders to embrace change, engage their congregations, and actively intervene in the lives of their members and communities. Schaller’s insights and practical advice make this book a valuable resource for anyone seeking to revitalize and transform their church for the better.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

We are in a series called “Sword Sharpening” and looking at how to make the most out of your time with the Bible. We will continue looking at His Story, which we have broken down into eight sections, and this week we will be in Section 2, which we have called ‘Kingdom Rebellion’. The Kingdom Rebellion section of His Story has three main ideas to remember: the flood, the fall, and the tower of Babel.

The Fall

One of God’s supernatural children decided to dishonor God’s decision to have a human family by tempting Eve, hoping God would destroy her and Adam. He came to Eve in the form of a serpent. He succeeded in getting Eve to sin but failed when it came to getting rid of humanity permanently.

Genesis 3:1-7 (NIV)
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'” 4 “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked, so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

What happened in Eden was only the beginning of the story. There were consequences for rebellion. God basically kicked Adam and Eve out of His house. He cursed the serpent and cast him away from His presence. Shockingly, things get even worse.

The Flood

Genesis 6:1-4 (NIV)
1 When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days–and also afterward–when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old men of renown.

The elohim see that human women are beautiful and imitate God by producing their own children to image themselves. This is where the Nephilim come from. Humanity is permanently damaged because of the elohim’s actions and the Nephilim’s infiltration. The flood is the solution.

Genesis 6:7 (NIV)
7 So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth–men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air–for I am grieved that I have made them.”

Being grieved is different than being angry. God wasn’t angry. He was heartbroken over what was going on. So He would start over and put an end to what the evil elohim had caused. It was a cosmic reset. Remember in Genesis 1:2 how the waters covered the earth? The flood would reset things to that point. Fortunately, there was Noah, so God chose him and his family to start things over again. After the flood, the command given to Adam and Eve is repeated to Noah and his family.

Genesis 9:1 (NIV)
1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.

It was a new start. God still wanted a human family. But there would be yet another rebellion.

The Tower of Babel

After the flood, God wanted Noah’s descendants to multiply and spread out over the earth. Like Adam and Eve, they were to be God’s co-workers to maintain creation. Instead of doing that, they gathered at Babel and built a city and a tower to their own glory.

Genesis 11:1-4 (ESV)
1 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”

God had already had to kick humanity out of the garden. He had a cosmic reset at the flood, but now another group has gone their own way. Because of human rebellion against His will, God assigned the nations of the earth to other members of his supernatural family — the elohim (sons of God).

Deuteronomy 32:8-9 (ESV)
8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. 9 But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.

We aren’t told how long it took, but the Bible tells us that the elohim assigned over the nations did a lousy job. They became so corrupt that God had to judge them, too. He would one day take away their immortality and take back the nations.

Psalm 82:1-8 (ESV)
1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods, he holds judgment: 2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah 3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. 4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” 5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6 I said, “You are gods, sons of the Highest, all of you; 7 nevertheless, like men, you shall die and fall like any prince.” 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!

God will start over again, this time with Israel. That is where we will pick things up next week, in the third section called ‘Kingdom Covenant’.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.