Life in the New World

Proverbs 23:29-35 Ephesians 5:15-21 Genesis 9:18-21

IT’S A WORLD WHERE GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISE
Seedtime and harvest are not failing; God is keeping his word.He did as he said to Noah. Noah was a farmer or gardener. The soil and climate were good for growing grapes. Humanity to this day prove God’s faithfulness. Crops flourish today and poverty and malnourishment have dropped from 84% to 20% in the last 200 years. This coincides with the spread of the Gospel. Life expectancy has gone up from 22 in medieval times to 36 in the 18th century to 78 now. This has come about because of the spread of the gospel and its transference of medical care. As the gospel declines, so hope declines.
IT’S A WORLD WHERE WINE CAN BE MADE Genesis 14:14
God gave us fruit, and any fruit juice has the capacity for fermentation. There is no harm in this. Wine means fermented fruit juice. God gave fermentation, the word is used 135 times. Wine gives us feelings of relaxation. Rich alcohol drinks were unknown in Biblical times, they are made by distilling. They arrived in medieval times.
IT’S A WORLD WHERE TEMPTATION ABOUNDS Hebrews 2:15
God gave every encouragement to obey him. He warned about the dangers of sin. Like many of God’s gifts, wine has potential to bring cheer or ruin. This incident probably occurred 5 years after the flood. He drank too much and was badly affected.
a) A mature believer sinned against God. Noah had walked with God for over 600 years amid wickedness. He had been saved from destruction. He had seen God’s justice against sin. You would think he would be so careful to avoid sin. We expect people to grow in grace and to mature. How could he fall into such shameful outer sin? Was it a sudden lapse or a gradual slide? He adjusted to the new world. He was not a young man, he grew tired more quickly. It is not easy to be old, he battled against new sins of old age. He may have had more time on his hands and an easier life as he sampled the fruits of the vine.in2 Chronicles 32:25 Hezekiah sinned in old age. In 2 Chronicles 16 so did Asa who would not seek God. Sin crouches at the door and Satan wants to trap us. No one is immune from temptation until we reach glory.
b) A knowledgeable believer sinned. He knew the strength and danger of too much wine and he sinned knowing the danger. 1 Corinthians 8:1. He sinned when he knew the danger. Knowledge of the truth does not keep us from sin. Knowledge can puff us up. It does not guarantee holiness of life.
c) A blessed believer sinned. When he had to be determined, he kept going building the ark. When the pressure is off, the guard come down. This happened to King David and when he became king he sinned. When life becomes easy we become careless, there is no immunity from sin. We all stumble in many ways, even the best of us. We fail in our lips and in our lives. God is faithful and just to forgive us when we repent. There is forgiveness and cleansing when we fail. Constant vigilance is the price of victory over sin.
IT’S A WORLD WHERE DRUNKENESS IS COMMON
At the very beginning of the life after the flood we have this record of drunkenness. The Bible hides nothing – good or bad. This was not an unknown result of drunkenness. The Bible condemns drunkenness and drinking to excess. Excessive drinking has become almost fashionable among the young.
a) The health consequences of excessive drinking are dreadful. Long term damage of the liver and heart grow from excessive drinking. It impairs judgement and is addictive and ruinous. The first result is a lightened mood. Next comes reduced inhibition, then impaired vision etc. Then comes vomiting and a lapse into a coma. Finally can come death due to alcohol poisoning.
b) The moral consequences of excessive drinking are horrendous. It is disgusting, shameful and sinful. This is sad and embarrassing. In the Bible drunkenness is associated with sexual sin and immorality. Proverbs 25. It is an expensive and serious social disorder. Costs to society run to £20 billion per year. We are told in 1 Timothy 3 that no drunkard can be a church officer or inherit the kingdom of God.
IT’S A WORLD WHERE BELIEVERS EXCHEW IT
There are two reactions to this problem of excessive drinking.
a) The response of total abstinence. Total abstinence is the preferred route of many believers. Scripture warns it does untold damage. God’s woes are pronounced on those who indulge. The Bible supports drinking grape juice, not wine. Priests were forbidden to drink alcohol in Leviticus 10:9. It helps prevent hindrances in our spiritual life – Romans 14:21. It is best to abstain. We must never press a drink on a weaker brother or sister. We can get through life without alcohol.
b) The response of strict moderation. Excess is clearly prohibited but the use of alcohol is not in itself a sin.
(i) Wine is represented as a blessing from God – Genesis 27:28 Deuteronomy 14:26 Psalm104:13. These scriptures tell us wine in moderation is a blessing.
(ii) Wine is used to prefigure spiritual blessings – Isaiah 25:6. Can it be inherently evil? No.
(iii) Wine has beneficial properties – Proverbs 31:6 1 Timothy 5:23. Before modern medicine, wine had medicinal benefit. It can purify water.
(iv) Our Lord himself drank wine on occasions – Luke 7:33. He drank wine, he turned water into wine and instituted the Lord’s supper with wine as part of it. It is a matter of individual conscience. We must settle the matter in the face of God. Why do many people drink heavily? It makes them feel good. Many drink to dull sorrow, to dull the pain and get a temporary lift. It is no cure. They need the God of all comfort, peace with God and the joy of the Lord. To be filled with the Spirit is the real answer, not to be filled with alcohol – Ephesians 5:18. We can get peace from God alone when we turn to him through the Lord Jesus Christ.