7 Lessons From Noah’s Ark

2. One rule of professional football teams is that they not watch TV just before or during playoffs. Why? Because the potential negative coverage by the sports commentators may affect the attitude of the players and make them not play their best. The lesson here is, don't listen to your critics!

B. NOAH’S EXPERIENCE

1. Although the Bible does not tell it, I have no doubt that Noah experienced scathing criticism by his peers. He was portrayed as a fool or insane. He was made an object of mockery and his ship -- built far from water (probably in the middle of a giant forest) -- was probably nicknamed "Noah's Folly."

2. How do I know this? Because human nature hasn't changed. Yet for all the criticism, Noah kept working on the gargantuan craft, to the last nail and the last bucket of tar.

3. When Nehemiah was rebuilding Jerusalem, many ridiculed him and tried to distract him from his mission. But he replied to them, "I will not come down (to talk to you), for the work I am doing is great!"

4. It’s the same with us; we must be doing the Master’s business. We must not listen to critics or let anything hinder us from accomplishing God's will for our lives and from winning people to Christ. That is our mission and we must bring it to completion!

V. THE ARK WAS BUILT BY AMATEURS, THE TITANIC BY PROFESSIONALS!

A. AN AMAZING CONTRAST

1. It's a strange thing that the greatest minds and technology were applied to make the Titanic. It was declared to be a ship that could not be sunk; the builder arrogantly said that not even God could sink the ship.

2. Yet for all their boasting and genius, the Titanic sank after only 4-5 days at sea. Compare that with the Ark of Noah. It was built by simple farmers who probably had no technical help building such a colossal structure.

3. The tremendous pressures and assaults of the water when the flood occurred must have put great stress on the Ark (not to mention that it had so many animals and cargo aboard).

4. Yet for all of its disadvantages the ark floated for over 13 months and perfectly preserved those it was intended to save! So will our salvation perfectly save us!

5. The world will always outspend and outflank us. They will always have a better press and the backing of politicians. Yet somehow the Holy Spirit still wins against great odds. The wise are made foolish. God will vindicate us.

B. THE HEAVENLY ENGINEER

1. Furthermore, the Ark was an engineering marvel. It was so constructed that the animals were mostly fed and watered automatically.

2. The animal waste (approx. 12 tons daily) would prob. flow into large central gutters and could be pushed out a trap door above the water line.

3. Almost half of the interior of the Ark held food and water to last for more than a year before the age humans and at least 16,000 animals! Although it was built by amateurs, the Ark was constructed by the greatest Creator of all.

4. Just as God knew how to take care of all those animals, He knows how to take care of you and has made provision for you each day of your life! You can trust in his perfect care. You are the apple of his eye!