The Harbor Church
Sermon Title: Don’t Settle for Less
Text: Genesis 11:1-9
Point 1: When we disobey the commands of God, we end up settling for second best.
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. Gen. 1:1-2
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Gen 1:28 (See Gen. 9:1, 7)
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Gal. 6:9
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Heb. 12:1
To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” John 10:3-4
Point 2: If we focus on our name, we’ll dishonor the name of Jesus.
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.” Gen. 11:3-4
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. Ps. 113:7-8
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Pet. 2:9
Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Ps. 100:3
He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30
Point 3: When we start down the path of brazen disobedience (and seemingly find success), we gain a false confidence to keep going with no thought of the consequences.
And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, or the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Gen. 6:12-13
And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Gen. 11:5-6
Point 4: God watches over and actively intervenes in the lives of men to ensure that his eternal plans will be fulfilled.
Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech.” 8 So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused[a] the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth. Gen. 11:7-9
Point 5: God is merciful, for he doesn‘t give us what we deserve.
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. Rom. 5:8-9
Application:
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! Ps. 143:10
Genesis 11:1-9 ESV