Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for January 28, 2024
The Case of the Confused Lip
Genesis 11:1-9
1. Background
• table of nations (Gen. 10)
• Babel (Gen. 10:10)
2. Man Proposes 1-4
• key word: “come”
• one language…
• eastward migration to Shinar
• make bricks…build city/tower…make name…
• disregard for God’s word (Gen. 9:1)
3. The LORD Disposes 5-9
• divine inspection
• divine evaluation
• divine interruption
4. So What?
• When you attempt to raise yourself in pride, expect God to bring you down in confusion.
• A repeated reminder: God has declared war on pride. (Prov. 3:34, James 4:6, Luke 18:14)
• Exult in the invitation of Matt. 11:28-30 and reflect on Acts 2:1-13.
• “Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, in Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail…” (Grant)
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for January 21, 2024
Tracing the Rainbow through the Rain
Genesis 9:1-17
1. Setting
• post-flood proclamations
• key emphases: God’s insistence and God’s initiative
2. Renewal of Blessing 1-7
• pronouncement repeated
• provision of food
• prohibition regarding blood (Lev. 17:11, Acts 15:28-29)
• prohibition regarding taking life (Rom. 13:4)
3. Establishment of Covenant 8-17
• promise of preservation
• provision of protection
• pledged with a sign (Rev. 4:1-3, 10:1)
4. So What?
• Because of the reminder that life is precious to God, aim to promote, preserve and protect it.
• “History is God’s highway to an appointed future.” (Piper)
• connection to Christ: Heb. 9:26
• “O joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to Thee. I trace the rainbow through the rain, and feel the promise is not vain, that morn shall tearless be. O Cross that liftest up my head, I dare not ask to fly from Thee. I lay in dust, life’s glory dead, and from the ground there blossoms red, life that shall endless be.” (G. Matheson, “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go”)
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for January 14, 2024
The Ark and Your Anchor
Genesis 7:1-8:22
1. Overview: Two Lessons from the Life of Noah
• Respond actively to the revelation you’ve received.
• Relish practically the reality that God remembers you.
2. Reflect on the Scope of the Flood
• logic
• language of text
• literature
• lesson in NT
3. Flood Theology Observations
• Observe the mercy of God.
• Observe the faithfulness of God.
• Observe the patience of God.
• Observe the justice of God.
4. So What?
• Receive the offered deliverance.
• Resolve to join the rescue team.
• connection to Jesus: Hebrews 6:19!
• Because of who God is, you can have hope!
• “There is a hope that burns within my heart, that gives me strength for every passing day; a glimpse of glory now revealed in meagre part, yet drives all doubt away: I stand in Christ, with sins forgiven; and Christ in me, the hope of heaven! My highest calling and my deepest joy, to make His will my home.” (S. Townend, “There Is a Hope”)
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for January 7, 2024
He Did All That God Commanded Him’
Genesis 6:8-22; Hebrews 11:7
Genesis 6 records the story of Noah in the days preceding the Great Flood. The Lord saved, preserved and used him to make a lasting impact on his generation and the generations that followed.
1. Glean the Key Insights (8-13)
• Noah found grace. He did not earn it.
• How the Lord sees all people: righteous or unrighteous
• Our inconsistency doesn’t invite interest.
• The Lord is neither apathetic nor surprised.
2. Observe the Instructions to Noah (14-21)
• Build the ark for survival and not navigation.
• The size of the ark: sufficient
• The typology of the ark: keeping out and letting in
3. Examine the Obedience of Noah (22 and Heb. 11:7)
• Commitment
• Courage
• Conviction
4. So What?
• When you take the Lord’s word seriously, you can have a lasting impact for His glory.
• Biblical faith includes both a backward and forward look.
• Holiness: the habit of agreeing with God’s judgment, hating what He hates, loving what He loves and measuring everything in this world by the standard of His word. (J. C. Ryle)
• “He who does not believe God will punish sin will not believe that He will pardon it through His atoning blood.” (Spurgeon)
• “His will be done, His Kingdom come, on earth as is above, Who is Himself our daily bread, praise Him the Lord of love…All glory be to Christ our King! All glory be to Christ! His rule and reign we’ll ever sing. All glory be to Christ!” (D. Kensrue, “All Glory Be to Christ”)
