Prepare your heart for the Sermon by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together hearing God's Word.

You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.

Carefully Think

• Read Genesis chapter 5. What is the repeated phrase that occurs 8 times? (Hint: look at the end of v. 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, and 31) What do you think is emphasized in this passage based on your observation? Look back on God’s warning in 2:17, and God’s curse on Adam in 3:19. How does this whole chapter point to the fulfillment of both things?

• Pay careful attention to the first three verses in this chapter. What comment is made regarding Adam’s creation? Why would it be important to note that man was made in God’s image at this point in the narrative? What do you notice about the comment made concerning Seth, Adam’s son? What do you think is the significance of that?

• What character(s) in this genealogy stand out to you? Why? Verses 22-24 should stand out like a lightning rod. Enoch is the only character whose spiritual life is described, and not only that, but he is the only character in the chapter whose story doesn’t end with “and he died”. What do you think Moses is trying to point out with this? Also, notice the significance of the naming of Noah. What do you think is significant about this?

Prayerfully Meditate

• What did Adam pass on to his son and thus to the rest of mankind? Why is it important to recognize that both the image of God, and the effects and consequences of sin were passed on? Are there other places in this book that affirm these truths?

• How do vv. 22-24 bring hope? How do these verses display God’s grace, and the responsibility of man? How is this short testimony about Enoch a glimpse into the reversal of the effects of sin that were seen, especially in 3:8?

• What do you think Lamech had in mind when he named his son “Noah”? Could he have been thinking of the promise in 3:15? What does this reveal about his faith? How does this point to the significance of his son, Noah?

• How does this whole chapter stand in contrast with what we saw this past week in 4:17-24? How was the line of Cain described in those verses? How does this chapter demonstrate what was said in 4:25-26? Which of these two lineages do you fall under? What does your life reflect: a casual approach to worship, or daily walking with the Lord?