Reading: Hebrews chapter 11 verse 7:
Ill:
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This morning we have a Readers Digest version of the story of Noah;
• Contained in one verse of Hebrews chapter 11;
• We have a summing up of Genesis chapter 6-9 (104 verses)
The N.I.V:
“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.”
The C.E.V.
“Because Noah had faith, he was warned about something that had not yet happened. He obeyed and built a boat that saved him and his family. In this way the people of the world were judged, and Noah was given the blessings that come to everyone who pleases God”.
The Message:
“By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn't see, and acted on what he was told. The result? His family was saved. His act of faith drew a sharp line between the evil of the unbelieving world and the rightness of the believing world. As a result, Noah became intimate with God”.
From the 104 verses of Genesis chapters 6-10:
• The writer pulls out one thread;
• That thread is the word ‘faith’ and that is the theme of chapter (Heb 11)
• The key verse in Hebrews chapter 11 is verse 6:
• Verse 6: “Without faith it is impossible to please God”.
• Hebrews chapter 11 starts off with a description of Faith (vs 1 to 3).
• It describes for us what faith is!
• Then the writer moves on and gives us a demonstration of faith (vs 4 to 40).
• Examples of faith expressed, lived out in the lives of these men & women.
Ill:
• Faith has to be exercised, practiced as well as song about and talked about!
• Quote: Edna Butterfield.
• My husband, Ron, once taught a class of mentally impaired teenagers.
• Looking at his students’ capabilities rather than their limitations,
• Ron got them to play chess, restore furniture and repair electrical appliances.
• Most important, he taught them to ‘have faith’ that is to believe in themselves.
• One of the mentally impaired teenagers was a boy called Bobby;
• He soon proved how well he had learned that last lesson of faith.
• One day he brought in a broken toaster to repair.
• He arrived carrying the toaster tucked under one arm,
• And a half-loaf of bread under the other.
• True faith has to be more than theory, more than just a word we sing or say;
• It ultimately only proves to be faith when we practice it!
• Note: Biblical faith is never blind!
• It is rooted, sourced, it is embedded in the Word of God!
(1). Noah took God at his word
“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen”
• If you know the story of Noah, or if you read it for the first time;
• The reason Noah acted like he did – was never his idea but God’s!
• The text is very clear God gave Noah a message;
• (a). A message for the people - God spoke to Noah and then Noah spoke to the people.
• (b). He also gave Noah detailed instructions concerning building an ark.
• A large boat, a floating coffin – it was built to float not for its looks!
Important principle number 1;
• Noah took God at his word and so should we!
• God spoke to Noah and although the request was unusual and hard – he obeyed!
Application: There are four words that every Christian should never forget:
• 'God keeps his word'.
• He will not tell us one thing and do another!
• God traffics in truth!
• God keeps his word, always!!!
• He will never use the expression that we often use;
• "Oh well, promises are meant to be broken".
(1). Two things to remember about God's promises:
(A). God is in no hurry:
• Remember that God doesn't operate on our time tables:
• He isn't ruled by wristwatches or by a calendar or diary, his promises are timeless.
ill:
Twice a year we change time.... well our watches anyway.
• We put them forward or backward by one hour.
• A reminder that the whole of our lives revolve around time.
• But God doesn't operate in the realm of the clock:
• He is not restricted to a calendar or a diary - God is in no hurry!
• In fact the Bible teaches that the promises of God:
• Are fulfilled more by our obedience, than by our calendars.
(B). God never forgets or retracts his word.
• There are 7,474 promises in the Bible;
• Check them out if you don't believe me!
ill:
• There is an old gospel chores that says:
• "Every promise in the book is mine" (Nice chorus, bad theology)
If God makes a promise it will be done:
• But a note of caution:
• Not all of the Bible's promises are applicable to all people.
• This is an inspired book, not a magical book.
• So you need to handle it correctly.
3 guide-lines to principles concerning God's promises:
(1). Is the promise universal in scope?
• A promise is universal when it contains words like;
• 'Whoever' or 'Anyone' are used in the scripture passage.
ill:
• Romans chapter 10 verse 13:
• "WHOEVER will call on the name of the Lord will be saved".
• Such promises are held out to anyone, anytime, anywhere;
• Who is willing to follow this advice.
(2). Is the promise personal in nature?
• Many Bible promises are given to specific people or nations;
• They are not and never were meant for you – always check out the context!
ill:
Joshua chapter 6.
• 6 days God told them to walk around the city of Jericho
• On the 7th day march around it 7 times,
• And when the trumpets were sounded, the people shouted, the city walls collapsed.
• God proved faithful, true to his promise.
• But I have some bad news for anyone;
• Who thinks they can get rid of an annoying neighbour like that today;
• That was a personal promise to Joshua.
• It was never meant for folks like you and me.
It is very tempting to claim some of those 7,474 lovely promises:
• Some of the hymns and choruses that we sing,
• Give the impression that they are ours already.
• Quote: “A text taken out of its context leaves a con”
• Some promises are not and never were meant for you – so always check out the context!
• Dealing in promises that were never meant for you,
• Will only result disappointment.
(3). Is the promise conditional?
• Some promises are dependent on personal action:
• They are not automatic, they require you do something,
• Ill: You must read small print or the context it was given in.
• The context (the verses before and after) will tell you what you must do,
• They inform you of your part in the equation before God will fulfil his part.
ill:
John chapter 15:
• Verse 7b: is the promise,
• "......Ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you".
• Verse 7a: is the condition,
• "...Remain in me and my words remain in you".
• Again later in the chapter: Verse 16b: is the promise,
• "The father will give you whatever you ask in my name".
• Verse 17: is the condition.
• "This is my command; love each other".
• Note: According to the context – answered prayer;
• Depends on us maintaining our walk with God (ill: Q.T.)
• Depends on us applying the teaching we receive;
• And it depends on us being in a right relationship with other Christians!
God is faithful and always keeps his word, his promises:
• But we need to make sure that we know,
• What type of promise God has made, before we try to claim it for ourselves or others.
Note:
• I don’t want to sound negative – so remember this - if God has said it;
• And the context of the verse teaches it is for us – then grab it with both hands!
• There are a number of areas in my own life;
• When on a regular basis I have to say; “God I can’t…but you have promised you can!”
• My testimony (my experience) this morning is this - 'God keeps his word'.
• He will not tell us one thing and do another!
• He will never use the expression that we often use;
• "Oh well, promises are meant to be broken".
• God traffics in truth!
• God keeps his word, always!!!
• God spoke to Noah;
• And Noah believed and acted on what God said!
(2). Noah continued despite the mockery of
others
“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen,
in holy fear built an ark to save his family”
• Noah knew (believed the word of God) that a flood of deadly proportions was coming.
• And that knowledge gave him new priorities and a new objective.
• A flood was coming;
• And Noah’s mission was to save both his family and anyone else who would listen.
Ill:
We all know the dangers of a flood.
• We have seen the devastation it can cause on our TV’s;
• And some of you may even have experienced it first hand!
• Even if a flood doesn’t kill you it can still rob you of all you own.
• A whole lifetime of working and saving can disappear in a day or week or month of rain.
By faith Noah…..built an ark:
• Everything Noah did, in reference to the threatened deluge,
• Was done in virtue of simple faith or belief of what God said.
• It was not because he could show from the weather reports;
• That things were heading to such a catastrophe;
• It was not because event like this had happened before,
• It hadn’t…… in fact it had not even rained!
• We are told in Genesis that the earth was watered by the dew of the ground;
• Not by rain drops from the sky.
• So it was not because an event like this had happened before,
• Rendering it probable that it was be likely to occur again;
• It was not because this was the common belief of all men;
• And everyone was in expectation of it.
• The one and only reason Noah acted like he did was by faith in God’s word.
• It was simply because God had warned him of something to come,
• And he put his trust in God’s warnings.
Now in contrast to Noh’s faith and belief:
• We have the unbelief of the people of Noah’s day;
• Who not only refused to believe but openly mocked and ridiculed him.
Ill:
• After all it must have seemed comical to see a man building a huge boat;
• 135 meters long, 22.5 meters wide, and 13.5 meters high.
• In old money that's 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high.
• What made this colossal construction even more rib tickling;
• Was that it was built in the middle of dry land, no where near the sea!
• Those who saw him mocked him; sadly those who listened to him preach also mocked!
• As did those he hired to who worked for him or who supplied him with goods etc.
Ill:
• Proverbs chapter 27 verse 3:
• “Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but provocation by a fool is heavier than both”.
• The Message
• “Carrying a log across your shoulders, while you’re hefting a boulder with your arms,
• Is nothing compared to the burden of putting up with a fool”
• Noah had not just one fool to put up with;
• But a whole community, in fact a whole nation!
Notice what verse 7 says:
• “In holy fear built an ark”;
• Noah knew it was better to fear God than to fear men!
Ill:
• Proverbs chapter 29 verse 5;
• “The fear of man brings a snare”
• ill: Animal snared – pathetic site;
• Going round and round in circles and getting nowhere fast!
• “In holy fear built an ark”;
• Noah knew it was better to fear God than to fear men!
(3). Noah’s faith was a judgement on
others
“It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood.
He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before.
By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world”
Noah himself was a living lighthouse to all those people he encountered:
Ill:
• Around 450-404 BC lived this man (ill: photo)
• His name was Alcibiades and he was a prominent Athenian statesman, orator, & general.
• Despite his brilliance he was known in Athens for his wild living.
• Often when he encountered the ancient philosopher Socrates
• He would say;
• “Socrates I hate you! For every time I meet you, you show me what I am”.
• Socrates pure and purposeful life was judgement on Alcibiades;
• It reminded him and demonstrated to him that he was living wrong!
Ill:
• It is only when you encounter the light; that you realise what darkness is.
• When men * women encounter God’s people they ought to detect a real difference!
Application:
Quote: 2 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 15
“Our lives are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.”
Ill:
• When Paul wrote those unusual words, he had a particular image in his mind
• The picture was presumably of a Roman triumphal Procession.
• With thousands of Roman spectators gathered;
• On the either side of the Roman national High way.
• The conquering general would lead his troops streets on a march of triumph;
• This first group of people were jubilant, joyous and glad.
• After all they were the victorious army.
• Behind them were the musicians;
• And they were followed by the priests with censers of burning incense;
• From which came the smoke of an Aroma which filled the streets.
• After them followed another group of people;
• These people were miserable, downhearted and frustrated.
• They were the captive princes, nobles and the generals were all in chains.
• They are going to be executed and killed or the fortunate sold as slaves.
Paul remind his readers and us:
• That this same procession and aroma give some joy and some others death.
• As we live and speak the gospel of Jesus Christ – we too cause those same two reactions.
• It can give joy and salvation to those who believe or despair and death.
(4). Noah was righteous through faith
“…by his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”
• Did you know that Noah is called the first righteous man in the Bible?
• It is there in Genesis chapter 6 verse 9.
Question: Why was he called the first righteous man?
Answer: Because he believed God!
• When others broke God’s commands;
• Noah sought to keep them.
• When others were deaf to God’s warnings;
• Noah listened to them.
• When others laughed at God;
• Noah reverenced him.
• When others broke God’s commands;
• Noah sought to keep them.
Note: Did you know Noah was the first evangelist mentioned in the Bible.
• In 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 5;
• Noah is described as a “preacher of righteousness.”
Ill:
• Some Jewish scholars maintain that Noah did indeed preach words to his hearers;
• Quote: Pirke R. Eliezer, quotes Noah’s words according to Jewish tradition:
“Be ye turned from your evil ways and works, lest the waters of the flood come upon you, and cut off all the seed of the children of men.”
• The tradition shows Noah giving both a warning and a means of salvation.
• This extra biblical source may have an important truth for us to note and to heed!
Noah’s Flood teaches us two things about the attitude of God towards us.
1.He is angry with sin and will punish it one day.
2.He loves us and sends us a way of salvation,
• If we will only repent and turn to Him.
• Jesus is our Ark of Salvation today.
• Just as Noah was saved by grace through faith from the destruction of the Flood,
• We can be saved by grace through faith in Jesus, when we repent and turn to Him.
