Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
I had the verse put above the signature line on our checks. I had heard it in a song. It hits home with me. The Message paraphrase puts it this way:
Proverbs 4:23 (The Message) Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts.
Sure enough, every time I make a mess of things, or someone else makes a mess of things, I can trace it back to this basic principle. Your heart is worth guarding, because that’s where life begins. What’s going on inside there is what’s eventually going to surface on the outside every time.
This series “Changed Hearts, Changed Lives” is a look at the way individuals are changed when they encounter God. In other words, I want us to see how God’s word gets personal. It’s not just something that’s “good for certain people to hear,” or something that’s “nice for us to read.” It’s not just a checklist that you apply to what you do and don’t do.
It’s something that’s living and active and that cuts through all the external garbage we have to get right to the center of our being. It has the power to change us on the inside – to change our hearts, so that the lives we live will be shaped by God’s truth. Yeah, that’s my goal here. I think that’s the order in which it works. If you want your life to be what God wants it to be, you have to start by letting God’s word get to heart of the matter – your heart and my heart.
To kick this all off, we’re jumping into a very familiar story from the Bible. Most people who don’t know anything else about the Bible have at least heard the story of Noah and the ark. We’ve already had a visual just to get us thinking about the whole thing again.
So, just right at this moment, what does the story of Noah mean to you?...
It may just be a cute story. It’s a great theme for a nursery, or a preschool, or a Vacation Bible School. It’s a great way to involve toddlers in learning the names of animals. And it’s a fun story for them to think about. So there are Noah and the ark toys, Noah cross stitches, Noah story books, and Noah songs. Is that where it stops for you this morning?
Joke - A little girl was sitting on her grandpa’s lap listening to the Bible story of Noah’s Ark, asked "Were you in the Ark, Grandpa?" He laughed and said, "Why, no I wasn’t." There was a pause, and she looked up at him, confused, and asked, "Then why weren’t you drowned?"
It may just be a legend to some – an attempt to try to explain something about human history, although I don’t know what it would explain. Please, the earth bears a lot of evidence for a global flood. We don’t need to try to explain it all away. It’s less work to simply look at the evidence and accept that it happened at one point. Or maybe it’s less work still to not even care about it at all. About 10% of the buster generation (1963-1977) believe that Noah’s wife was Joan of Arc.
For some, it’s one of many flood stories from ancient cultures – some 270 different flood stories from around the world – from Babylon, Greece, Egypt, Persia, Syria, Italy, Wales, Scandinavia, Russia, India, China, Mexico, Indonesia, New Guinea, Melanesia, Polynesia, Micronesia and Australia, to name a few. Isn’t it a remarkable coincidence that many of these places, long before the Bible was even compiled, had stories of a huge flood and some kind of vessel? It’s a thing that makes you go, “Hmmmm…”
Still others recognize that the story of Noah is a historical account of something that really happened, and that within that account is also a foreshadowing of something even more spectacular than preserving humans and animal life through a global flood. There is, in fact, a symbol of baptism and our new birth into Christ, and a model of the place that Jesus should hold in our lives.
Most everyone has heard of the show “Extreme Makeover – Home Edition.” That’s where they find someone with a hard luck story, whose house is just a mess, and they come in a re-do the whole thing. The idea of a makeover isn’t new. They’ve been doing makeovers on people for years. I’ve never been terribly excited about those because of what they imply. In some ways I think it’s neglecting what really matters. I suppose, being a guy and all, that I just don’t get it, right? But, then again, if a person is a mess on the inside, no matter how you change the way they look, it doesn’t solve the problems inside. That’s the problem with a “makeover” – that ‘s the problem with every surface level life-change – it’s superficial.
But then there’s this “extreme makeover.” They don’t just go into a house that’s a mess and patch it up and paint over things. They start by…tearing it all down. That’s why it’s an extreme makeover.
That’s exactly what the flood is – it’s an extreme makeover. It’s not just patching up some things. It’s starting all over with the world. By the time we’re through here this morning, you’re going to also have to consider that God is all about doing that with each of us on an individual level as well – not just patching us up, but starting over. So I want to approach all this by asking one question and answering 3X:
Why an “Extreme Makeover”?
I. Because “How Things Are” Isn’t OK
Living in a country that has been around only 231 years, it’s hard to appreciate how fast time passes by in the first few chapters of Genesis. Do the math, and you’ll see that there’s over 1500 years of human history between creation and the flood – more than 6X the age of the US. For all that must have happened in that time, there isn’t a whole lot to tell us, except that Satan had established a foothold in Genesis 3, and by ch 6, things have gotten much worse:
Genesis 6:5-7
The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth--men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air--for I am grieved that I have made them."
I’ve heard lots of ideas about why God did creation in the first place. Go ahead and try to figure that out. One thing’s for sure: He didn’t create it to be a moral cesspool.
It ought to encourage us that God cares enough to do something about it. There are plenty of other planets for Him to enjoy – billions and billions of stars. Why not just ignore this mess and enjoy Mars or something? Instead, God created man in His own image and chose to forever involve Himself with mankind. To let the earth remain a mess just isn’t OK. That ought to encourage us that one day, one more time, He’s going to take what’s wrong with the earth and redo the whole thing.
Why an “extreme makeover”?
II. Because Internal Resources Haven’t Done the Job
Noah is labeled “a preacher of righteousness” in II Pet. And, I believe that I Pet. 3:19 it’s talking about the way he was used by God to try to convince people to change in his day. But do you notice, that after 100 yrs or so of building an ark and preaching, the only people he’s managed to get to listen are his wife and kids?
Genesis 6:9
This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.
Genesis 7:1
The LORD then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.
Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
There’s an interesting spot in the book of Ezekiel where Noah’s name surfaces again. God is talking about what would happen to a country that turned its back on God so that He punishes it. If God looks at a country and says, “OK, that’s it! I’m going to lower to boom on you! You’re done!”
Ezekiel 14:14
even if these three men--Noah, Daniel and Job--were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign LORD.
Ezekiel 14:20
…even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.
I used to read that and wonder – why Noah, Job, and Daniel? What is it about these guys that makes them worth mentioning here? Then it strikes me: all 3 were men whose righteousness ended up saving some of the people around them. Check their stories. Their goodness resulted in helping the people around them. That’s Noah. Only, as numbers go, he didn’t reach very many. There could have been billions of people on the earth by the time of the flood. By conservative estimates, at least 250 million. Noah reached 7.
Here’s the point: according to God, conditions among men had reached a stage that required extreme changes. Having a good person around everyone else wasn’t enough. Having a preacher of righteousness preaching to them wasn’t enough. Having someone who was a sterling example of godly living wasn’t enough. God knew, better than any of us can, that the only way to get rid of the moral decay that had so filled the earth was to wipe it out and start over.
Can God do that? Well, yes, He can. He’s God. He can do something pretty radical. Of course, speaking creation into existence out of nothing, that’s pretty radical, isn’t it?
Why an “extreme Makeover”?
III. Because It’s a Change That Won’t Need Constant Repeating
Ill - We have a small pool at our house. It came with the house. Carrie and the kids were glad to get the house because it had a pool. I was glad to get the house even though it had a pool. I remain convinced that the best pool to swim in is someone else’s. They’re a lot of work. Every spring, right about now, I’m almost convinced to become a believer in evolution as various life forms begin developing in the murky depths of that pool. Things begin to swim and crawl and chirp and jump – and that’s before people get in the pool! The first few years, I used to go through the whole process of cleaning out last fall’s leaves and then trying to get the filter going and cleaning up that water. I’d take a sample of it into good old Joplin Pools. They take the sample, analyze it, and then give a computer printout of exactly what you need to add to the water to make it safe again. Then, the owner gets a box, your computer-generated shopping list, and begins to fill it up with stuff. “Oh, you’ll need this to balance the PH. You’ll need this to raise the total alkalinity. You’ll need this to bring up your chorine levels. You’ll need this to kill algae. You’ll need this to prevent algae…” All that time I’m watching the box get full and thinking to myself, “I wonder how much it’s going to cost to open it this year.” After working all that stuff into the water, a few days later, it would all start to clear up, the life forms would disappear, and it would be safe to swim in. 2 years ago, I discovered a different way: empty out all of the water, refill it with clean water, and you’re good to go!
When God flooded the earth, He was starting over. He wasn’t just trying to repair or clean everything that was wrong. He was completely redoing it. There was a global flood. The text tells us that …
Genesis 7:11
…all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened.
Genesis 7:20-23
The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet. Every living thing that moved on the earth perished--birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.
Ill - Wendy Talbot short “Flood Suite” includes a description of the scene: “It was a flood of anger. It was a spring of tears. It was a sweep of renewal. It was a sea of grace. For Noah and all his beloved will ride upon the waves.”
Applications:
Now, let me turn the corner with this and talk about what it means for each of us. There are some principles here – some that are out rightly given to us, and some that are implied – that we need to give attention to this morning.
All I will ever need to know I learned from Noah. One, Don’t miss the boat. Two, Remember that we are all in the same boat. Three. Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark . Four, Stay fit. When you’re 600 years old someone may ask you to do something really big. Five, Don’t listen to critics, just get on with the job that needs to be done. Six, Build your future on high ground. Seven, Speed isn’t everything, the snails were on board with the cheetahs. Eight, When you’re stressed, float awhile. Nine, Remember the Ark was built by amateurs, the Titanic by professionals. Ten, No matter what the storm, when you are with God there’s always a rainbow waiting at the end.
OK, I guess that’s cute. Now, how about digging into this deeply for just a couple of minutes? You and I – we need an extreme makeover, spiritually. Just as surely as the earth needed to be turned upside down in order to make it right, there’s something about us that cries out for the same thing. Why do I say that? For the same reasons:
I. Because “How Things Are” Isn’t OK
I’ve said it before: if your life is just as it should be, if everything is just great, if you’re absolutely sure that you have everything in place for your eternity and you don’t need anyone’s help, if you know without a shadow of a doubt that on your own you have it all buttoned up and there’s nothing about you or your life to improve, then don’t worry about letting God change you. You don’t need it. Somehow, ahead of all the rest of us, you’ve achieved perfection all on your own and haven’t got any reason to change. Good for you! But if that’s not you this morning, then you can probably agree with the Scriptures and with me that “how things are” isn’t OK.
All have sinned. All are falling short of the glory of God. All of us are living in a “body of death.” Unless something changes that, I’m not OK with that!
The Bible says that, unless something is changed, you are dead in your sins. That’s not OK! Something big needs to happen. Your life needs something big to happen that will change the status quo – which is Latin for the awful mess that we’re in!
II. Because Internal Resources Haven’t Done the Job
The reason the ark worked was because its design was given by God. Man-designed religion hasn’t made anyone right with God. No one has been able on their own to earn it. No attempt to change yourself or make yourself good enough will ever get you there.
Some people think that by adding God to your world you’ll be changed. Let me tell you something – God isn’t going to be added to your world. He’s too big; He won’t fit. Can you imagine:…”Let’s see, I have time for God on Sunday mornings for 2 hours, Wednesdays for an hour, and then I think I can squeeze Him in 2X more during the week for prayers before meals or something like that!” You don’t add God to your world. It’s His world, and you need to fit yourself into the place He has for you in it.
III. Because It’s a Change That Won’t Need Constant Repeating
Some people think that by having God do a “makeover” they’ll be OK. God doesn’t do “makeovers.” God does takeovers. Just like fixing the earth meant starting over again, the way God fixes us now is by a complete takeover. That’s why Peter says,
1 Peter 3:20-21 (SEB)
Today, this is a picture of how immersion saves us through the raising of Jesus Christ from death. Immersion is not getting rid of body dirt. No, it is an appeal to God for a clear conscience.
You see, the flood is actually a symbol of what God does in our own lives today. He doesn’t try to clean off the dirt on us. He puts the old man of sin to death and starts over, just like He started over after the flood. That’s why the Bible tells us
Colossians 3:5
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
If you want to be a follower of Christ, you need to get used to the idea of being a dead man walking.
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Conclusion:
It’s one thing to build an ark, even to let the animals on it. It’s another thing to get on the ark and to have God to shut the door behind you.
It’s one thing to know about the ark – the details of its construction, how much wood it took and how long to build it. It’s another thing to entrust your life to it holding together.
Of course, if there’s a global flood on the outside, an ark sounds like the best alternative, doesn’t it?
