Ark-Building 101 Series

From the Very Start

A Look at the Ancient Text of Genesis that speaks with Amazing Present-day Relevance

Ark Building 101

Now, as you can tell from the title our message today reflects on Noah and his boat-building project. Those of you know me that if I’m willing to talk about anything involving a boat, this must be a pretty important message…

Any by the way, did you know that the majority of people who own boats name their boats? According to one survey the most common name – obsession. Not surprising.

This morning, I want to look for just a moment at the text leading up to Genesis chapter six. Remember, last week we looked at the tale of two sins found in Genesis 3 – Eve and Adam both sin and we came to a few conclusions – one of which I think bears repeating:

“Sin is bad… And I’m against it.”

Allow me to elaborate. In chapter 4 we hear the tale of sin overpowering one of Adam & Eve’s children. Cain is jealous of his brother’s offering to God and sin comes knocking on the door of his heart. Remember from Sunday school what God says to Cain:

[6] Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? [7] If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you…" Genesis 4:6-7 [NIV]

It desires to have you… and have him it will. We’re given a quick summary of human procreation through a geneology of some really old people in Genesis 5. Then, in fact, sin quickly proves itself humanity’s master. Need proof? Listen to Genesis 6, beginning in verse 5, and this is Eugene Peterson’s The Message:

“God saw that human evil was out of control. People thought evil, imagined evil – evil, evil, evil from morning to night. God was sorry that he had made the human race in the first place; it broke his heart. God said, ‘I’ll get rid of my ruined creation, make a clean sweep: people, animals, snakes, bugs, birds – the works. I’m sorry I made them.”

Do you hear this? “I’m sorry I made them.” This is 5 chapters – 8 pages – from when God said, “Let us make humankind in our image – in the image of God we will make them…” Now, God is sorry. If this narration had a soundtrack it would be a funeral dirge. Until…

“I’m sorry I made them.

But Noah was different.”

Noah was different. “God liked what he saw in Noah.”

Now, things are looking up.

Listen to how God sees Noah:

“Noah was a good man, a man of integrity in his community. Noah walked with God.”

Whoa. Wouldn’t you like that to be the way God describes you to everyone he meets? I mean, when the Bible says ‘He’s a good man’ that’s a pretty good thing, isn’t it?

What was it that Noah did right?

First, Noah Lived Faithfully

“Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.” Genesis 6:9

Noah is 600 years old at this point. For 600 years while the rest of the world is giving itself over to evil, evil, evil… Noah is living faithfully – never knowing that God has something amazing in store for him.

- Noah had a blameless outer life

- Noah had an intimate inner life

o You have to have both. One without the other isn’t faithful living. And both are very intentional decisions aren’t they?

Noah Listened Closely

… to God’s plan

“Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it…” verses 14-15

… to God’s purpose

“I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.” verse 17

… to God’s promise

“But I will establish my covenant with you.” vs. 18

Noah Acted Immediately

“Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” vs. 22

- We see no questions, no insecurity, no procrastination

- Noah spends no time looking for other boats to model his after…

- Noah spends no time hiring consultants for boat improvement

- Noah spends no time assessing God’s evaluation of the world…

- Noah allows for no distractions…

- Best we know, Noah quit doing anything else – and became a full-time ark builder. Immediately.

This is Courageous Faith

w It is something he’s never done before

Remember, he’s called a FARMER in Genesis 9. Farmers don’t tend to have a lot of training in boat building, or ocean navigation. Noah never cries out, “I don’t know how, I’ve never done this before… I’ve never seen a boat…” Noah doesn’t let himself fail to try simply because he’s a novice.