Noah's New Beginning Series

IV. Conclusion/Invitation

Now I’d like to take Noah’s mountain top experience and make practical application to us today – using the four things Noah experienced: salvation; sacrifice; security; and sin. All of us have a sin problem – for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But there’s an interesting passage in 1 Peter 3:20-21 that I’d like us to read to make the point about our salvation. The sentence of verse 20 actually begins in verse 18 but we’ll pick it up after the first phrase in verse 20: …when the longsuffering of God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The fact that baptism saves us shouldn’t surprise us since Jesus said it in Mark 16:15-16 – And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” My friends, a lot of preachers and friends may tell you something different but I’ll put my trust in Jesus and the Holy Spirit to believe what they say about baptism and salvation. If you want to have a mountain top experience today and for the rest of your life, I want to encourage you to put on Christ in baptism. The second thing Noah experienced in his new beginning on the mountains of Ararat was sacrifice. Today we would equate that with worship – expressing our adoration and thanksgiving to God Almighty. Turn with me to 1 Peter 2:4-5 as we read Peter’s inspired words to fellow Christians who had experienced God’s salvation: Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. No longer do we offer animal sacrifices in worship to God as the patriarchs did. No longer do we offer animal sacrifices through the Levitical priesthood as the Jews did under the old law. Now we must offer up spiritual sacrifices as a church – as the Lord’s body of believers. Some examples of these spiritual sacrifices are given in Hebrews 13:15-16 – Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. When we consider God’s grace and all that He’s done for us, we should have a desire to worship Him every opportunity we have. It should be our first priority as it was Noah’s when he left the ark. We should seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness as we are told in Matthew 6:33 and worship is one aspect of this – Hebrews 10:25 – not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Our worship each Lord’s Day should be a weekly mountain top experience as we formally thank God in songs and prayer and remember the sacrifice of His Son. Thirdly, we can rest in the security of God’s promises. God’s rainbow covenant has been in effect for over 4,000 years and has never failed. Unlike the original children of Israel, we are under a better covenant now with better promises (Hebrews 8:6). While we could go to several places, I’d like us to go to Acts 2:38 and tie it in with our salvation – Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” That promise is still ours today – we receive the gift of God’s Holy Spirit to dwell within us when we repent and are baptized into Christ. While the Holy Spirit does several things for us, the one that provides us with security is found in Ephesians 1:13-14 – In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. The Holy Spirit is our security guaranteeing our inheritance in heaven. But it is our responsibility to be faithful until death to receive the crown of life. Finally, we come back to our sin problem. When we’re on the mountain top, we must be careful of the valleys below. It certainly happened to Noah and we are all vulnerable to Satan’s temptations. Paul warned of this in 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 – Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. Yet, so often we give in to Satan. Thankfully, God provides a way for us to be reconciled back to Him. For our private sins, we have repentance and prayer. But sometimes our sins become public and harm the body of Christ. God provides for these through public confession as we read in 1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Do you have a sin problem this morning? Would you like a new beginning? If you do, the blood of Christ can take care of it through baptism or confession.