Walking With God After Worship
Genesis 5:21-24
Sermon Outline
1. A MAN most INTERESTING!
A) Enoch: The Person
B) Enoch: The Preacher
2. A MINISTRY most INTRIGUING!
A) His Pursuit of God
B) His Passion for God
1) Seek Him Earnestly
2) Serve Him Faithfully
3) Share Him Consistently
3. A MEMORY most IMPRESSIVE!
A) The Life that He Lived
B) The Legacy that He Left
Whenever one thinks of great figures of history, there are many names that come to mind. In the world of entertainment there are the names of Beyonce', Usher, Lil, Wayne, and P Diddy . In the world of politics there are the names of Barack Obama, Abraham Lincoln, FDR, or JFK. In the world of finance there are the names of Howard Hughes, Bill Gates, Donald Trump & Warren Buffet
In the world of military prowess there are the names of Colin Powell, Neville Chamberlain, Winston Churchill, George Patton and Norman Schwarzkopf. In the world of baseball there are the names of Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Hank Aaron and Cal Ripken. In the world of football there are the names of Jim Brown, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. In the world of basketball there are the names of LeBron James Kobe Bryant, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan.
From the great pulpits of the past there are the names of Martin Luther King Jr, Savanarola, Martin Luther, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, C. H. Spurgeon, and George Whitfield. Among contemporaries there are the names of R.N Hogan, Clyde Muse, C.L. Franklin, Jerry Vines and Adrian Rogers.
In the Bible we find the names of great men as well. From the pages of the Old Testament we find men such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, David, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. From the pages of the New Testament we find men such as Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul, Stephen, and of course, the name above all names, Jesus Christ.
However, of all of those names, there is one name that is tragically overlooked. It is a man by the name of Enoch. Enoch is my Bible hero. There are many patriarchs of the faith that I want to talk to when I get to Heaven, but one that I especially want to talk to is Enoch. He was an unusual worshipper.
When most people think of "worship," they relate it in terms of a church service; thus, to many, worship consists of a few songs, a time of fellowship, a time of prayer, a sermonnette, and a benediction. But, that's where it stops.
Many people fail to see that true, real, and authentic worship doesn't begin or end at a church service. Rather, when we assemble together it is to be a culmination, as well as a celebration of a week spent worshipping God. Yet, many walk out of the doors of the church thinking, "Okay, church is over, now what?"
I cannot think of any better example to answer that question than the man mentioned in Genesis 5. The life of Enoch both intrigues me and inspires me. There is very little that we know of Enoch from a human standpoint. His life is described with 51 words in the Old Testament, and 94 words in the New Testament. The three passages that record his life are Genesis 5, Hebrews 11 and Jude 14-16.
However, of what little we do know of him we are most definitely left with the impression that although he was little known on the human side, he was largely known from the Heavenly side.
W. H. Griffith Thomas said, "The witness of Enoch is given to us as an oasis in the chapter, and he is one of only 2 men of whom it is recorded that they "walked with God." [1]
I want us to study the life of my many Bible heros. We will discover the man who was familiar with God, the man who was favored by God, and the man who was faithful to God. But, most importantly, we will discover a man who knew what true worship was all about.
It is about walking with God before we get to church, after we leave church, and all points in between. First of all, notice with me:
1. A MAN most INTERESTING!
Someone has said that every Christian has 4 names: saint, for his holiness; believer, for his faith; brother, for his love; and, disciple, for his commitment.
Warren Wiersbe said, "Every man has 3 names, one his father gives him, one others call him, and one he acquires himself."
As we begin to study the life of Enoch, we see that he had acquired a great name all by himself. He was, unquestionably, a man most interesting. For one thing, we must consider:
A) Enoch: The PERSON
The name Enoch means, "Dedicated." In only 6 verses of the Bible we find the biography of Enoch set forth, but what a biography! The placement of Enoch's name, in this passage, could not be more dramatic.
Lamech, the man who worshipped his sword, was number 7 in the Cainite genealogy, while Enoch, the man who was 'dedicated,' and 'walked with God,' is number 7 in the Sethite genealogy.
I believe that Enoch's dedication to God is most clearly seen in the day in which he lived. These were the days preceding the flood. These were the most wicked, ungodly and heathenistic days the then world had ever known.
In Genesis 3, sin has separated man from God. In Genesis 4, the first murder of history has taken place, "blood" cries "out from the ground," and the godly line of Abel has been destroyed. In Genesis 6 it seems that God had taken all He could take. We read in Genesis 6: 5-6,
"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. [6] And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart."
As a result, God determined to destroy His creation because of its worldly, wicked and woeful practices. Yet, in the midst of some of the darkest days of history, we find Enoch dedicated to serving God. He did not walk in the way of sinners.
His character and conduct were a distinct rebuke to the godless people around him. If you would allow me to put it this way, I believe that Enoch "stuck out like a sore thumb."
I need not remind you that we are living in the midst of ungodly days as well. There are things taking place today that we would have been ashamed to talk about 20-30 years ago. Yet, God is looking for men and women, like Enoch, who will dedicate their life to their call, and the cause of Christ. You see anyone can stand for Christ when everyone around you is standing for Christ. The true test comes when you have to stand for Christ when everyone else lives like the devil.
Secondly, Enoch, the person, leads us to consider:
B) Enoch: The PREACHER
One of the most overlooked aspects of Enoch's life is his preaching ministry. I believe we could say that Enoch was the itinerate evangelist of his day. His message is recorded in Jude 14-15.
"Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, [15] To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him."
Enoch's message told of the time when Jesus Christ would come the second time to judge the world. I'm not sure if Enoch was aware of the full meaning of his message, but he did see something that many of the other godly descendants of Adam did not see.
The hope of the people of God, in this period, was the promise of a deliverer to come. In this period, all of God's people lived in hope of this appearance. But, Enoch comes and preaches that the Lord is indeed coming, but his coming will be a time when the ungodly deeds of every man, woman, boy, girl and nation will be judged.
We live in a day where many preachers are more concerned about being politically correct than being spiritually, theologically and eternally correct. For fear that someone might be offended, many have so watered down the truth that it sounds no different than a story from Reader's Digest.
Thus, most people show up at church and hear a duet, get a sermonnette, have a cigarette, only to leave and stop by the washerette, then go home to play roulette, and live like a majorette.
Adrian Rogers said, "We need God-called men who will take the Book of God and preach the Son of God with the anointing of the Spirit of God. We need men with warm hearts, wet eyes, clear heads, and tongues set on fire."
Enoch would not have made a good televangelist today because he told it like it was, as it was, for what it was. May God raise up more preachers, pastors, and teachers like Enoch.
When you consider the man most interesting, you must also consider:
2. A MINISTRY Most INTRIGUING!
Of all the things about the life of Enoch, the thing that most intrigues me is how Enoch occupied his time. We are told in verse 22, and again in verse 24 that he "walked with God." Again, he is one of only 2 men who bear this most unique description.
What does it mean that he "walked with God?" I believe as we look at his walk with God, 2 things are evident.
A) His PURSUIT of God
Notice carefully it says that "Enoch walked with God." It does not say that 'God walked with Enoch." It is Enoch walking with God. What does it mean to 'walk with God?' I believe G. Campbell Morgan defined it best when he said, "Walking with God means that we are going in the same direction that God is going."
In other words, it wasn't God who was going in Enoch's direction; but, it was Enoch who was going in God's direction. Thus, to walk with God means that a person is going God's way. If we say that want to walk with God, then we are saying that we want to go where God is going, and do what God is doing.
I remind you that God always goes to Church on Sunday. He even goes to Church on Sunday night, Wednesday night, and every special service. A person cannot say that they are walking with God and never read their Bibles, pray, witness, and give. A person that rarely comes to church or misses church on a regular basis cannot say they are walking with God. Again, to walk with God is to go where He is going and do what He is doing.
We read in Col. 2:6,
"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him."
Also in Micah 6:8 we read,
"He hath shewed thee, 0 man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"
The question is asked in Amos 3: 3,
"How can two walk together except they be agreed?"
Thus, a person who is not walking with God is a person who is not in agreement with God. They have decided to go their own way, and do their own thing.
However, if we are going to "walk with God," then we must be in agreement with God. Like Enoch, we cannot walk with God and resist, refuse or rebel against the direction God is taking us. If we are to "walk with God," then it must become the ultimate pursuit of our lives.
Secondly, from Enoch's walk we see:
B) His PASSION for God
The Minor Prophets used the phrase, "walking with God," to describe the intimate walk of the priests who entered the Holy of Holies to meet with, and speak directly to God. As Allen Ross says, "The expression became a common description of the life of fellowship and obedience with the Lord, as if to say that walking with God was a step above mere living." [2]
Notice how long Enoch walked with God. We read in verses 21-22,
"And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: [22] And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years."
Did you see that? Enoch walked with God for 300 years. Think about that! For 109,500 days, 2,628, 000 hours, and 157,680,000 minutes Enoch enjoyed communion and fellowship by walking with God. I believe you would agree, I would like to hear someone like that stand up and testify on Sunday night.
As a 65-year old man, God gave Enoch a son he called Methuselah. His name means, "When he shall die, it shall be sent" referring to the flood. God demonstrated His love and long-suffering by allowing Methuselah to live longer than any other recorded human being, a total of 969 years.
However, Enoch did not know how long Methuselah would live. He only knew that however long Methuselah would live was how long he had to serve God, honor God, obey God and walk with God. Thus, for the next 300 years of his life he did just that: he walked with God.
The implication is that Enoch's walk was no casual stroll. It was the walk of a lifetime. It wasn't a sprint, or a run, but a walk.
It's not unusual to hear about a Christian who walks with God for a while, and then backs off and backs out. Some Christians start out with a blaze of glory, but when the first sign of trouble comes, they are like a shooting star, here and gone.
May God help us to be steady, faithful people, like Enoch, who know God and are getting to know Him better every day. Who walk with God, and are getting closer to Him every day. As the songwriter said:
When we walk with the Lord,
In the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way;
While we do His good will,
He abides with us still,
And with those who will trust and obey.
Let me take a moment and address the ways we can "walk with God." We have seen what it means to walk with God, but how can "walking with God" become a daily reality in our lives.
First, let me suggest that we walk with God when we seek Him earnestly. We read in Deuteronomy 4: 29,
"But if...thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul."
As Solomon prepared to take over the reins of the kingdom, David, his father, advised him in 1 Chronicles 28: 9,
"...if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever."
We hear God say in Jeremiah 29: 13,
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."
How do we seek Him earnestly? A good place to start would be to have a daily time in His Word and in prayer. As we look into His Word, He talks to us; and, as we spend time in prayer, we talk to Him.
Another good way to seek Him earnestly is to be faithful to His house. If you want to see God, then you need to come to church, because God comes to church.
We not only walk with God when we seek Him earnestly, but when we serve Him faithfully. I love the words of Jesus in John 12: 26,
"If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour."
We read in Colossians 3,
[17]"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus...[22]...not with eye service, as men pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God. [23]And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men."
If you are using your gifts, talents and abilities to serve the Lord faithfully, then you are not walking with Him. Someone has well said that the average church is much like a football game, where the people in the game are in desperate need of rest; and, the people in the seats are in desperate need of exercise.
Another has said, "The real tragedy of life is not being limited to one talent, but in the failure to use the one talent."
If you are a blood-bought child of God, then something down deep within you ought to yearn, and desire to do all you can do for the One who "loved you, and gave Himself for you."
Seek Him earnestly, serve Him faithfully, and then share Him consistently. In other words, we should seek every opportunity to share with others what Christ has done for us.
In 2 Corinthians 5: 20, Paul described our role as "ambassadors for Christ." Then, he went on to say that,
"God...hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation."
We were lost sinners who have been reconciled to God by the blood of the Cross. Thus, now that we have been reconciled to God, we are to go and reconcile others to God. Jesus brought us to God, and we are to bring others to Jesus so they can be brought to God.
Several years ago in New Orleans, Louisiana, construction was underway for Interstate 10 right near the Super Dome. One day, there came a cry and the work stopped because of the men, who had been working on the construction crew had not been paying attention as a cement truck was backing up. When he caught a glimpse of the truck, he scurried to get out of the way, but fell and the truck backed right over top of him.
Men on the construction crew ran to him to help as they waited for the emergency unit to arrive. The man who knelt down beside the dying man was a Christian, but had never once shared his faith. The dying man looked at him, and with a fainting whisper asked, "Tell me how I can go to Heaven?" The stunned Christian did not know what to say. He had never shared his faith, or led anyone to Christ. He later said, "I looked into his eyes and was stunned. I did not know how to tell him how to go to Heaven, and I watched my friend breathe his last breath, and slip off into Hell."
There are those in this room who, have been saved for years, but you have never led another person to faith in Jesus Christ. Yet, when we are walking with God seeking Him earnestly, serving Him faithfully and sharing His consistently is the fuel that fills our spiritual tank.
Finally, let me say a word about Enoch and:
3. A MEMORY Most IMPRESSIVE!
Someone has well said, "Civilized man has learned how to fly, but he has lost the art of walking with God." That may be true of many of our lives, but it is certainly not true of Enoch's life. His name will go down in the record of Bible history, and it should serve as an inspiring reputation to every believer for 2 reasons. First, there is:
A) The LIFE that He LIVED
Again, we're simply told that Enoch "walked with God." That's it. Of what we do not know about him, one thing we do know is that he will forever be remembered as the man who was familiar with God.
I realize that Enoch did not attend the Church of Christ of Nod, but had he attended, once church was over, he would walk out the doors walking with God.
You could say that Enoch's only claim to fame was that he walked with God. We never read about him parting a sea, raising the dead, healing the sick, or leading an army. His entire life is summed up in the words, "He walked with God," for 300 years.
There is nothing greater that could be said about us than that we walked with God. When we are gone, people could say, "He went to the moon, he ran a large company, he was a wealthiest man that ever lived, or that he was president of the United States." But I say unto you the greatest thing that could be said of us is that we walked with God.
The greatest thing a child could say about his father is that dad walks with God. The greatest thing a church could say about a member is that he/she walks with God. The greatest thing the people you work with, or go to school with could ever say about you is that you walk with God.
The greatest way we could ever express our worship to God is to walk with Him. The greatest worshippers are not necessarily those who show up just on Sunday mornings; but, the greatest worshippers are those who walk with God before church, in church, and after church.
True worship doesn't begin once we get to church, and it shouldn't end once we leave church. True worship is accomplished as we "walk with God" every second of every moment of every hour of every day.
There is not only the life that he lived, but:
B) The LEGACY that He LEFT
There is another interesting feature about Enoch's life. Not only is he only 1 of 2 men of whom it was recorded to have 'walked with God," but he is only 1 of 2 men who never saw, or experienced death. We read in verse 24,
"And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him."
In other words, one day Enoch received a special escort, exit and escape from death. Genesis says simply that "he was not."
In the 60's, the United States introduced astronauts. In the 80's, the Russians introduced cosmonauts. However, we read that Enoch was a "WAS NOT!" One day he was walking along and suddenly he WAS NOT. He was snatched out, caught away, if you please.
G. Campbell Morgan says that Enoch and God spent the day walking together and toward the end of the day, God said to Enoch, "You are closer to my house than yours, so come on home with me."
Enoch was doing what he had been doing for 300 years: walking with God. Suddenly, one day he was caught up, snatched out, and taken away.
But, blessed be God, I know of another group of "was not's." Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17,
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
Like Enoch, one day there will be a great host that will be "was nots." One day, Jesus will step out on the clouds of glory to call His children home. At that moment, every one who is glory born will become glory bound. Every child of God will become a "WAS NOT!"
You may be at home, washing the dishes or folding clothes; you may be at work, driving a fork-lift or filing papers; you may be school, taking a test or eating lunch; or, you may be church, in Sunday school, or in the choir.
You are just going through life, "walking with God," when suddenly a trumpet sounds, and God says, "Listen, today you're closer to my home than you are to your home, so come on home with me."
Knowing that He could come at any moment, I ask you, when He comes, will He find you walking with God?
Wouldn't it be good to leave this world enthralled in the worship of the One who came back for us? Wouldn't it be good to be found worshipping outside of church just as much as we would inside of church?
I think of a story which told of a large group of people. On one side of the group stood a man, Jesus. On the other side of the group stood Satan. Separating them, running through the group, was a fence. With the scene set, both Jesus and Satan began calling to the people in the group and, one by one, each having made up his or her own mind, each went to either Jesus or Satan. This went on for hours and hours.
Finally, Jesus had gathered around him a group of people from the larger crowd as did Satan. But, one man joined neither group. He climbed the fence that was there and sat on it. Then, Jesus and his people left and disappeared. So, too, did Satan and his people. And, the man sat on the fence all alone.
As this man sat, Satan came back, looking for something which he appeared to have lost. The man said, "Have you lost something?" Satan looked straight at him and replied, "No, there you are. Come with me." The man said, "But, I sat on the fence. I chose neither you nor him." Satan said, "That's okay, I own the fence."
Let's get off of the fence! Let's resolve that we will be people who will walk with God into church, and walk with God once we leave church.
The question shouldn't be, "Church is over, now what;" but, "Church is over, SO WHAT?" I'm going to keep on walking with God as I give my worship of God.
Endnotes
1) Genesis, W. H. Griffith Thomas, p. 64.
2) "Creation & Blessing", Allen P. Ross, p. 175.
