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INTRODUCTION: A. It is said of two ancient men, Enoch and Noah, that they walked with God. 1. Enoch: Genesis 5:21-24 - “And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and Begat Methuselah: and Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters and All the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: and Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” Hebrews 11:5 - “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see Death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he hath Had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well- Pleasing unto God.” 2. Noah: Genesis 6:9 - “These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a Righteous man, and perfect in his generations: Noah walked with God.” Hebrews 11:7 - “By faith Noah, being warned of God concerning Things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the Saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and Became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” B. That should be our desire, to walk with God. C. What is involved in walking with God? Let’s notice a few things, at Least, that is involved in this walk. I. FIRST, WE MUST LET HIM PICK THE ROUTE. A. We do a bad job of picking our own way, anyway. 1. Solomon informs us in Proverbs 14:12 - “There is a way which Seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of Death.” B. The way that God has chosen is not easy; Jesus said it is narrow and Hard to find. 1. Matthew 7:13,14 - “Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the Gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many Are they that enter in thereby. For narrow is the gate, and Straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that Find it.” C. But thankfully, God has left us His Word to guide our feet and light Our path. 1. Psalm 119:105 - “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and light unto My path.” II. SECOND, WE MUST AVOID DISTRACTIONS. A. In Robert Frost’s delightful poem, in which a young lad is temporarily Mesmerized by the sight of snow falling in dark woods and stops his Horse to watch. “The woods are lovely, dark and deep,” sighs the boy “but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles To go before I sleep.” the point is, we won’t get to our destination as Long as we are stopped and staring off into the woods! B. Obviously sin can distract us from our walk with the Lord (the Hebrew writer speaks of “the sin which so easily entangles us”.) 1. Hebrews 12:1 - “Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed About with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight And the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with Patience the race that is set before us.” 2. Encourages us as we have run the Christian race. I Corinthians 9:24-27 - “Know ye not that they that run in a race Run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may Attain. And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self- Control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible Crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, as not Uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air: but I buffet my body, And bring it into bondage: let by any means, after that I have Preached to others, I myself should be rejected.” C. But we can also be distracted by things which aren’t evil. 1. Matthew 14:29-30 - “And he said, come. And Peter went down From the boat, and walked upon the waters to come to Jesus. But When he saw the wind, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he Cried out, saying, Lord, save me.” 2. Martha let the noble task of preparing Jesus’ supper distract her From the even more noble task of feeding on His words. Luke 10:38-42 - “Now as they went on their way, he entered into A certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also Sat at the Lord’s feet, and heard his word. But Martha was Cumbered about much serving; and she came up to him, and Said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister did leave me to Serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me. But the Lord Answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art anxious And troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: for Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away From her.” 3. Concentration must be upon Christ lest we fall. III. THIRD, WE MUST PROGRESS. A. Movement is not enough; what is needed is movement forward. God Expects us to grow as Christians. 1. I Peter 2:2 - “As newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which Is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation.” 2. Ephesians 4:14-16 - “That we may be no longer children, tosses to And fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the Sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but speaking Truth in love, may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Even Christ; from whom all the body fitly framed and knit Together through that which every joint supplieth, according to The working in due measure of each several part, maketh the Increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love.” 3. Hebrews 6:1 - “Wherefore leaving the doctrine of the first Principles of Christ, let us press on unto perfection; not laying Again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith Toward God.” Perfection - “full growth” or “maturity” B. God’s walk is not just aimless wandering; there is a destination involved. We must be moving every nearer that goal. IV. FOURTH, WE MUST ENDURE. A. Anyone can start a marathon; few can finish. God is looking for Finishers. B. Paul could state, at the end of his life, that he had finished the course.
1. II Timothy 4:7-8 - “I have fought the good fight, I have finished The course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me The crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, Shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all Them that have loved his appearing.” 2. Philippians 3:12-14 - “Not that I have already obtained, or am Already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold On that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching Forward to the things which are before. I press on toward the goal Unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” 3. Galatians 6:9 - “And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in Due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” V. FIFTH, WE MUST BORROW GOD’S STRENGTH. A. The truth of the matter is that the way is TOO hard, the distractions TOO tempting, the distance TOO great, for us to succeed on our own. But God, in His grace and His patience, is eager to help. 1. Philippians 4:13 - “I can do all things in him that strengtheneth Me.” 2. Isaiah 40:29-31 - “He giveth power to the faint; and to him that Hath no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint And be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall; but they that Wait for Jehovah shall renew their strength; they shall mount up With wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall Walk, and not faint.” CONCLUSION: A. At the end of our lives, if it can be truly said that we walked with God, What else will need to be said? B. Friends, don’t you want to walk with God? Don’t you want to do his Bidding? You know, you can if you want to. We are going to offer an Invitation song that is for you, any of you, that need to respond to God’s Invitation. Won’t you come as together we stand and sing.
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