We continue our NEW sermon series on things to watch out for. Preaching from Nathan Gordon. Service led by Kuda Osoba.

Sermon Notes

What pride is not?

It’s important to understand the term “pride” should not be confused with feeling a sense of satisfaction in a job well done or feeling proud of your loved ones. There’s nothing wrong with celebrating personal achievements and hard work, if we keep in mind that God is the ultimate source of our lives, power, and abilities. (Acts 17:28)

A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.

C.S. Lewis, 
Mere Christianity

The Situation
– Genesis 11:1-9 Creative Ingenuity or Organised Rebellion? 

• The people in Shinar had a two-fold plan: to build a city and a tower that would reach the heavens and to become famous, so they wouldn’t be scattered across the Earth.
• They were not the only descendants of Noah’s children, as others were scattered throughout other regions at that time.
• The whole world spoke the same language, and among the descendants of Ham was his firstborn, Cush, who was the father of Nimrod, a mighty warrior and hunter whose kingdom was in Babylon.

Challenge ~ Today, some people still go to extreme lengths to achieve fame and adulation in life. However, the people in Shinar were too focused on gaining fame rather than getting to know the God who made the world. It’s important to remember that there is only one name that has all power and authority, and that is Jesus.

The Complication
– God’s vision or Good idea?

As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it. Gen 9:7)

See also Gen 11:3-4

• After the flood, God shared His vision for the world with Noah and his family. His desire was for growth and increase throughout the whole world.
• However, the people in Shinar were more interested in their own vision, which involved remaining in the vicinity of Babylon.
• At times, our human will clashes with God’s divine will because our vision is limited to what we can see or project.
• It’s essential to remember that God’s will is perfect even if we don’t understand it. He wants us to seek His guidance for our lives so that we can walk in tune with Him.

Challenge: We may believe that we have the best plan for our lives and the best projections for the future. But, it’s important to keep in mind that God’s plan for us is always perfect. Therefore, we should seek His guidance and follow His will for our lives, even when it may not align with our own vision.

The Resolution
– Divine intervention (Gen 11:7-8)

Come let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other. So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city.

• Sometimes, God allows humanity to follow their own path and learn from their experiences.

• However, in some cases, like the story of Babel, God intervenes and disrupts the process. It is His divine decision to intervene whenever and however He chooses.

Challenge ~ Divine intervention can be a welcome answer to our prayers when we seek it for our desires. However, sometimes, it can also close doors to plans and ambitions that we hold dear. The people in Shinar learned that despite their grand plans, God’s power is greater than theirs, and they had to accept it.”

The Celebration
 – The effects of unity and God’s vision for our lives

The LORD said, If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. (Gen 11:6).

See also Gen 3:22-24

When people come together with a common purpose and work hard towards a shared vision, they can achieve great results.

• Even God respects such unity, as is evident from the story of the Tower of Babel.

Challenge ~ Similarly, if the church of today can unite behind God’s vision instead of individual self-interests, it can achieve remarkable things. The power of unity is immense, and it can bear even more fruit when it is grounded in God’s plan.”