Noah: The True Story

NOAH: THE TRUE STORY

INTRO TO TOPIC: Discuss the Noah movie starring Russell Crowe that’s now in theatres.

HUMOUR: All I ever need to know I learned from Noah.

• Don’t miss the boat.

• Remember that we are all in the same boat.

• Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark.

• Don’t listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.

• Speed isn’t everything; the snails were on board with the cheetahs.

• Remember the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

• No matter what the storm, when you are with God there’s always a rainbow waiting.

OPENING TEXT – A LOOK AT THE LAST DAYS: (Matt. 24:35-42, NKJV).

“35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. 36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”

THE BIG IDEA: The true story of Noah teaches us something about the justice and mercy of God, and how His grace can save us from His wrath.

I. NOAH AND THE WICKED WORLD:

“5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the Lord said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.” (Genesis 6:5-9).

• Even though when God created the world, it was originally very good, through Adam’s sin, death and the curse entered into the world.

• Why did God flood the Earth? Death is the penalty for sin.

• “(God) did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly.” (2 Peter 2:5).

• Many people focus on God’s judgment of the wicked in this story, but miss His GRACE.

• God’s desire was that the people would repent and be saved, but they didn’t listen.

• As we’re living in a wicked world today, we too can be like Noah and walk with God.

• NOAH: “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” (Heb. 11:7).

II. NOAH AND THE ARK:

• Unbelievers say, “Noah could have never fit all of the animals on the ark!”

• If you ask them, “How big was the ark?” they will say, “I don’t know.”

• Ask, “How many animals did Noah have to fit on the ark?” they say, “I don’t know.”

• It’s unfortunate that most pictures representing the ark are cute little boats with giraffe heads sticking out the windows causing people to doubt the ark could have been real.

1. HOW BIG WAS THE ARK?

“And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.” (Genesis 6:13-16).