cruising to a new sound...

How much noise do you listen to? How much more music do you listen to compared to your time spent listening to God? If you don't listen to alot of music, how many TV's do you have? Have you ever stopped and thought about how much noise is in you life? Let me give some encouragement through an unknown experiment I put myself through.

I am surprised when I think of how much noise we allow ourselves to be surrounded in. My ipod has almost 12 days of music on it. That means that I can plug it into the wall and it would play music for 12 days straight without stopping. That's a lot of noise. However, if you have talked to me in the past few months you know that I have been listening to a sermon series, on my ipod, that goes through Genesis, preached by Mark Driscoll of Marshill Church, Seattle. This series of sermons has brought many new thoughts and 'way-of-life' changes for me.

Genesis is a powerful book which many Christians overlook. My favorite professor at Boyce brought out how every significant theological doctrine is found by the third chapter of this book that is the first book in our canon (literally meaning measuring stick). But not only that, it teaches us through example about the family of God, by tracing one family God chose out of darkness. The majority of this book sheds light on this family's sin and retribution and challenges many current culture standards though it is 4000 years old.

For example I can point you to the 27 chapter where Isaac marries his lovely wife. Here Driscol pulls out 16 principles of courtship that are drastically contrary to the form of dating that is so widely accepted. Or I could direct your reading to the story of Judah and Tamar and show you how the lack of a father in young females lives lead to sexual promiscuity and prostitution. I could also show you how important the role of a father is in for young men because they could end up so evil that God will strike them dead, like he did to those of Judah.

This books also teaches us about reconciling with broken family members, obedience to God, child rearing, and missions strategy. But ultimately, this first book of the Bible points to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. It shows us that in all of our faults and misdemeanors, all of failures and false dreams, we have hope in future of Grace because Christ is seated to the right hand of God.

Did I learn this through reading a massive amount of commentaries? No. Did I learn all of this through numerous hours of classes and school work. No. I learned this in my car, driving to and from work, with no more than an hour a day and for a relatively low cost. I was able to do this by downloading sermons, for free. Granted I have an ipod and it makes it easy for me to store a large amount of just about anything, but blank CD's don't cost much.

The only reason I write about this, is to share the encouragement that I have had in hearing more of God's word. I boast in Christ for what he has taught me through this sermon series and I only want to challenge people to change the background noise that is there only to drown out the whole's in our hearts into something that teaches, rebukes, corrects and instructs us in the way of righteousness, 2 Tim. 3:16. If it sounds weird and abnormal to listen to sermons in your car, I guess that I am weird and abnormal, but let me challenge you with this: Would you rather walk into work with an obnoxious song stuck in your head all day, or would you rather have a verse of portion of Scripture to meditate on?

Revelation 2:29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Isaiah 28:23 Listen and hear my voice;
pay attention and hear what I say.

Jeremiah 13:10 These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt—completely useless!

What are you listening to?

to download some sermons visit:
www.marshillchurch.org
www.sermonaudio.com