Tag: John Walton

“The Need for Cleansing: The Flood, part 1”

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we contimued our preaching series, “Fractured,” drawn from Genesis 4-11. This is the second part of a two-part series on Genesis 1-11 that will stretch from January through Lent up to Easter. You can access the first part of this series on Genesis, “In the Beginning,” here. This third week of the series I preached from Genesis 6:9-8:1, walking through the first part of the flood narrative with Noah and his family.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.” 
(Genesis 6:11-12)

A New Generation (6:9a)

The story of Genesis as a story of God working across the generations 

  • The ten toledot of Genesis
  • The generation of Noah and his family
  • Leads up to 10:1 with the generation of Noah’s children

The Tension Between Noah and His Generation (6:9-12)

Noah as righteous, blameless, and walking with God

Noah’s generation as corrupt and full of violence

The Tension Between God and a Disordered World (6:13-22)

God’s heart vexed by what God sees

God’s judgment on corruption, violence, disorder

Two asides

  • about comparable ancient stories of a flood
  • about dates, times, geography, and expansiveness of the flood

The Tension Between God’s Judgment and God’s Mercy (7:1-24)

The Cataclysmic Nature of God’s Judgment

The Generative Nature of God’s Mercy

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

  • Memorize Genesis 6:18 or 8:1
  • Draw, ink, or paint this first half of the story of the Flood in Genesis 6:9-8:1. As you do that, consider what God is speaking to you about your own heart. When you finish, consider sharing your prayer reflections and/or artistry with a friend.
  • Read through other references to Noah in the Bible: 1 Chronicles 1:1-27; Isaiah 54:8-10; Ezekiel 14:12-23; Matthew 24:36-41; Luke 3:23-38; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:19-22; 2 Peter 2:4-10. 
  • Read one of the following:
    • Peter Spier’s Caldecott Medal winning children’s book, Noah’s Ark

“The Power of Anger: Cain & Abel”

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we began a new preaching series entitled “Fractured,” drawn from Genesis 4-11. This is the second part of a two-part series on Genesis 1-11 that will stretch from January through Lent up to Easter. You can access the first part of this series on Genesis, “In the Beginning,” here. This first week of the series I preached from Genesis 4:1-16, walking through the story of Cain and Abel.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“Now Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let’s go out to the field.’  While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.” (Genesis 4:8)

The Turn Toward the Next Generation (4:1-2)

Cain: the firstborn, who works the soil, like Adam

Abel: the second-born, who keeps flocks

The Brothers’ Offerings and Conflict (4:3-7)

Two different offerings and two different responses from God

The silence of Abel

Cain’s response of anger and depression

The warning of God

The Double Wrong of Cain (4:8-14)

Cain intentionally murders his brother

Cain pleads ignorance and non-responsibility

God’s punishment upon Cain 

God’s Grace Amidst Punishment (4:15-16)

Grace in hearing Cain’s complaint (4:13-14)

Grace in the promise of protection (4:15)

Grace in the mark of Cain (4:15)

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

“The Fall, Part 2” (Genesis 3)

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we concluded our preaching series entitled “In the Beginning,” drawn from Genesis 1-3. This is the first part of a two-part series on Genesis 1-11 that will stretch from January through Lent up to Easter. This final week of the series I preached from Genesis 3:14-24, walking through the second half of Genesis 3 and our exploration of the Fall into sin.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.” (Genesis 3:23)

Consequences for the Serpent (3:14-15)

Impact on movement and humiliation

Disruption of relationship with humanity

Consequences for the Woman (3:16)

Impact on childbearing

Disruption of relationship with man

Consequences for the Man (3:17-19)

Impact on work and eating

Disruption of relationship with the creation

God’s Grace Amidst Judgment (3:20-24)

Grace in a hopeful name and God’s clothing (3:20-21)

Grace in God’s limitations of humanity’s reach (3:22-23)

Grace in glimpses of holiness and future restoration (3:24)

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

  • Memorize Genesis 3:19
  • Genesis 3 holds an important place in the New Testament. Read either or both Romans 5:12-21 and 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, 45-49. As you read, take some notes on how the Apostle Paul reflects on what we read in Genesis 3. After you finish reading, let your notes and thoughts lead you into prayer, perhaps being still before God, praising God’s greatness, confessing sin, or thanking God for Jesus our Savior.
  • Watch the Bible Project video, “The Tree of Life”: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/tree-of-life/
  • Read one of the following:

“The Fall, Part 1” (Genesis 3)

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our preaching series entitled “In the Beginning,” drawn from Genesis 1-3. This is the first part of a two-part series on Genesis 1-11 that will stretch from January through Lent up to Easter. This sixth week of the series I preached from Genesis 3:1-13, walking through the first half of Genesis 3 and our exploration of the Fall into sin.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“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?”’” (Genesis 3:1)

The Serpent, Disorder, and Questioning God

What about the serpent?

The agent of disorder in the world that God has ordered

The question of God and disordered relationship with God

The Woman and the Man, the Garden with Two Trees, the Fruit and Human Choice

God the gardener creates human gardeners

The garden with two trees signifying ultimate dependence upon God

The fruit and human choice for autonomy from God

The Catastrophic Effects of Human Choice Against God

Disordered human life

Disordered relationship amongst human beings

Disordered relationship between human beings and creation

Disordered relationship between human beings and God

Making It Real 

Facing into our own disorder: naming our shame

Facing into our disordered relationships: looking at the ways we try to “cover” ourselves from others

Facing into our disorder with the natural world: Facing into our misuse and failure as stewards of the world

Facing into our disorder with God: hearing God’s questionsFacing the only One who can save us: looking to Jesus

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

  • Memorize Genesis 3:9
  • Draw, ink, or paint all or part of this story of the Fall in Genesis 3:1-13. As you do that, what stands out to you most? Consider what God is speaking to you about your own tendency to turn away from God for other things. When you finish, consider sharing your prayer reflections and/or artistry with a friend.
  • Watch the Bible Project video, “Genesis 1-11”
  • Read one of the following:

“A Garden and a Gardener, Four Rivers and Two Trees” (Genesis 2)

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our preaching series entitled “In the Beginning,” drawn from Genesis 1-3. This is the first part of a two-part series on Genesis 1-11 that will stretch from January through Lent up to Easter. This third week of the series I preached from Genesis 2:4-15, walking through the Genesis 2 account of creation.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3)

The Toledot Structure of Genesis

Ten toledot in Genesis:

The story of God’s work with generations and peoples

God Creates a Garden (2:8-10)

God is not only a craftsman but a gardener or farmer

God brings forth beauty and diversity in creation

God Creates a Gardener (2:7-8, 15)

God the gardener creates humanity as sub-gardeners

Humanity is rooted in creation

God’s Garden and the Four Rivers (2:10-14)

The one river 

The four rivers

God’s Garden and the Two Trees (2:9)

The garden with many trees

The two trees in the middle of the garden

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways: