Intro:
1. "Come to the Ark; the waters rise,
The seas their billows roar;
While darkness gathers o’er the skies,
Behold a refuge near.
Come to the Ark, ere yet the flood,
Your lingering steps oppose;
Come, for the door which open stood,
Is now about to close."
2. What the Ark was in the days of Noah; Christ is in our day - the only place of safety from the coming storm.
3. God’s Gift - the Ark.
Trans:First lets understand this is not a loccal but a universal flood:
(1) First, there was a continual downpour lasting 40 days and 40 nights, along with, a bursting forth of water from the foundation of the deep (7:11-12). That much water would cause more then a mere local flood.
(2) Furthermore, building such a huge Ark would be absurd if it were just a local flood. If it was a local flood, why not move them?
(3) Next, it says that "all the high hills under the earth were covered" (7:19b); and "the mountains were covered" (v.20). This included the moutains of Ararat, the highest peak, of which reaches, 17,000 feet which would hardly be true of a local flood (8:4).
(4) Fourthly, it says that "all flesh died," if it had been merely a local flood, people could have escaped by going to another area. In local floods today, most people survive.
(5) No local flood continues to rise for 150 days.
(6) Even after 4 months of the water receeding, the dove Noah sent out, could not find dry land and had to return to the Ark (8:9).
(7) It was over an entire year (7:11; 8:13) before the land was dry enough for them to leave the Ark.
(8) God promised never to sent another flood like that one again - if it were a local flood, then the promise would be a lie.
(9) Finally, later Biblical writters acepted the idea of a universal flood (Job.12:15; 22:16/Psa. 29:10; 104:6-9/Isa.54:9/1 Pet.3:20/ 2Pet.2:5; 3:5-6/Heb.11:7).
I. FIRST, THE GIFT OF THE ARK WAS SALVATION. 7:1
The Ark is a picture of salvation...
"Then the LORD said to Noah, "Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time.
A. There was only One Ark with only One Door. 6:16b
"You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks
There is only one way of Salvation, with only one entrance into it - Jesus Christ.
"1 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2 "But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3 "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 "When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 "A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." 6 This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them. 7 So Jesus said to them again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 "All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:1-10
Jn. 14:6/Ac.4:12...
"For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus," 1 Timothy 2:5 (NASB)
I lived in Germany, serving in the Air Force, for 2 years and discovered the road system was totally different then ours. It is not uncommon to find that a road just dead ends.
Once we had to ask a man for directions to a certain place. He told us what road to get on, we were running behind and so I asked, "Is that the fastest way to get there." He said, "It’s the only way to get there. If you take any other road you will sooner or later end up back here!"
Jesus is the only way to get to heaven - if you go any other way, you end up right back to where you started - lost!
B. Furthermore, the passengers were divided into Clean and Unclean. 7:2
"You shall take with you of every clean animal by sevens, a male and his female; and of the animals that are not clean two, a male and his female;
1. The Clean - you may be considered clean by this world standards. The Pharisees were considered clean - they prayed twice a day; fasted twice a week; went to the House of God.
But they still had to go through that door to get into the Ark!
Mat. 5:20. Paul was a Pharisee and yet he had to go through Christ to be saved.
"4 although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. 7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith." Philippians 3:4-9 (NASB)
2. The Unclean - many are considered unclean by the worlds standards. They are like the Protitutes of Jesus day. But such need not despair because they also can come - if they come through Jesus Christ.
"2 Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, 4 they *said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 "Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?" 6 They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. 7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. 10 Straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?" 11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more."] John 8:2-11 (NASB)
Trans:Praise God that Ark had a place for both the clean and unclean. Spurgeon:
"The ark, which saved from the flood waters, is a beautiful picture of Jesus Christ, as the ONLY means, of salvation. And that great Ark was meant to saved both clean and unclean.
There is not a soul among you so clean, that you have no need for Christ; and none so vile and unclean that you cannot be saved.
The Ark was for the swine and the sheep; for the poisonous snake and the harmless rabbit; the raven and the dove; so it is for the crude barbarian and the polished Grecian."
II. FURTHERMORE, THE GIFT SEALED. 7:16
Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered as God had commanded him; and the LORD closed it behind him.
God shut the door and it stayed shut! Likewise, we were placed into Christ, by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit has become our seal of security.
"13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory." Ephesians 1:13-14 (NASB)
"Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30 (NASB)
Ryrie, "A seal indicates possession and security. The presence of the Holy Spirit, the seal, is the believer’s guarantee of the security of his salvation.’
God not Noah sealed that Ark - God shut the door!
"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens..." Revelation 3:7 (NASB)
The 144,000 will be sealed by God and thus shut up to God’s safety. Imagine - they are sealed at the beginning of the Tribulation Period and ALL 144,000 are still standing at the end!
Not one of them lost, not one of them missing...
God takes responsibility for your well-being!
My Dad loaded trucks for a living, and after a truck was loaded they would place a seal over the door. Before the drive left, he would examine to make sure the seal had not been tampered with because he was responsible for that seal arriving unbroken and the stuff inside safely delivered.
God sealed you and takes responsibility for you arriving in heaven - safe and sound! He never fails...
III. THIRDLY, THE GIFT OF SEPARATED.
They were separtated from the world. The world was on the outside and they were on the inside - in the same way we are separated from this world.
"15 "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. 16 "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." John 17:15-16 (NASB)
We are in the world, but not of the world...
"But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Galatians 6:14 (NASB)
1. Crucified to its "sin" (Rom. 6:6).
2. Crucified to its "wisdom" (1 Cor. 1:20).
3. Crucified to its "friendship" (Jas. 4:4).
4. Crucified to its "things" (1 John 2:15-17).
5. Crucified to the "pollutions" of the world (2 Peter 2:20).
6. Crucified to the "elements" of the world (Gal. 4:3, 9; Col.2:8).
7. Crucified to the "course" of the world (Eph. 2:2).
8. Crucified to the contaminations of the world (Jas. 1:27).
9. Crucified to the "corruption" of the world (2 Peter 1:4).
10. Crucified to the "care" of the world (1 Cor. 7:32-34).
11. Crucified to the "filth" of the world (1 Cor. 4:13).
12. Crucified to the "spirit" of the world (1 Cor. 2:12).
I have gone fishing many times in my life - you can be surround by deep water and everything is ok. Because the boat is in the water, but the water is not in the boat.
IV. FOURTHLY, THE GIFT OF BEING SHELTERED FROM GOD’S WRATH.
Everyone in that Ark was sheltered from God’s wrath - there were several stories. If one was living in the basement of that Ark, they were as safe as one living in the upper level.
Everyone in Christ is sheltered from God’s wrath. Ro.8:1
"Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." Romans 5:9
"and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come." 1 Thessalonians 1:10 (NASB)
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Trans:How sad that the world of Noah’s day choose wrath over shelter! This past week we had hail, lightening, heavy rain. I have a big hard-plastic dog house. It will sheild my dog from hail and the pelting rain - its on a deck high above the ground, it has warm chips in it.
What does my dog Buster do? He sits there whinning - not in his dog house, but outside of it exposed to the storm! I had little sympathy for such foolishness! IF WE CHOOSE THE STORM OVER GODS SHELTER IN CHRIST...who can we blame?
V. FIFTHLY, THERE WAS THE GIFT OF BEING SCHOOLED. 6:16a
"You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; - only one widow, one place for light to come in.
Spurgeon, "Though the first, second, and third widow to the ark, all saw out of one window; the little saint, who is in the first story, gets light through the one window of the Spirit; the saint who is in the second story, gets light through the same window; and he who lives in the lofities story, has to get light through the same widow too."
We have one source of light - one real teacher.
"As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him." 1 John 2:27 (NASB)
If we listen the Holy Spirit is still speaking, through His Written Word, to the church.
"7 ~’He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches..." Revelation 2:7 (NASB) It is repeated in Rev. 2:11,17,29; 3:6,13,22
I am sure Noah learned many things about God in that ark - we are being school by Christ. Have we stopped being Disciples?
LIFE IS MEANT TO BE ONE EXCITING LEARNING ADVENTURE!
"28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB)
God has much too teach us, one person observed a few things they learned from Noah:
1. Don’t miss the boat!
2. Plan ahead. It wasnt raining when Noah built the ark.
3. Stay ready. It was not until Noah was 600 years old that God asked him to do something big.
4. Don’t be stopped by the critics - just do what God called you to do.
5. Remember the ark was built by amateurs, the Titanic by the professionals.
6. Remember after the storm comes the rainbow.
VI. FINALLY, THERE WAS THE GIFT OF A STRAGEY.
The ark wasnt just floating around aimlessly - it was heading somewhere. Noah and his family would end up in a wonderful new beginning.
We are heading somewhere! This is not all there is!
"If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied." 1 Corinthians 15:19 (NASB)
"8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." Hebrews 11:8-10 (NASB)
"13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them." Hebrews 11:13-16 (NASB)
Tony Bennett had a song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco"
"I’ve been terribly alone
And forgotten in Manhattan
I’m going home to my city by the bay
I left my heart in San Francisco"
We are homesick for our heavenly city - that is where our hearts should be! It is the only cure for a troubled heart. Jn. 14:1-3
"For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come." Hebrews 13:14 (NASB)
"1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had disappeared, and so had the sea. 2 Then I saw New Jerusalem, that holy city, coming down from God in heaven. It was like a bride dressed in her wedding gown and ready to meet her husband. 3 I heard a loud voice shout from the throne: God’s home is now with his people. He will live with them, and they will be his own. Yes, God will make his home among his people. 4 He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever. 5 Then the one sitting on the throne said: I am making everything new. Write down what I have said. My words are true and can be trusted. 6 Everything is finished! I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give water from the life-giving fountain to everyone who is thirsty. 7 All who win the victory will be given these blessings. I will be their God, and they will be my people." Revelation 21:1-7 (CEV)
Brett Kays tells about a woman in his church diagnosed with a terminal illness. Knowing she did not have long to live, she told her Pastor what songs she wanted sung at her funeral, the Scriptures she wanted read, even the clothes she wanted to be buried in.
As the pastor was about to leave, she said, "One more thing pastor - want to be buried with a fork in my right hand." The pastor looking a little puzzed, she explained.
"In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would say, "Keep your fork." It was my favorite part of the meal because I knew something better was coming - like chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie!
When people see me in that casket with a fork in my hand - I want you to tell them, "I’m keeping my fork because the best is yet to come!"
Con:
1. God’s Gift - Gift of Salvation; of being Sealed; of being Separated; of being Sheltered; Schooled; and of a City.
2. On Sept. 8th, 1974 Gerald Ford gave Nixon a parden:
"Now, Therefore, I, Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States, pursuant to the pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, have granted and by these presents do grant a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9,1974."
But it is only good if accepted:
Section II, Article 2 of the Constitution says the president "shall have the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment."
In 1914 a question of law concerning a presidential pardon was brought before the U.S. Supreme Court. The issue before the court was: can the president issue a pardon for offenses a person may have committed but not yet criminally charged; and does a person have a right to reject a presidential pardon not asked for?
"The court ruled that a pardon is an act of grace, proceeding from the power entrusted with the execution of the laws, which exempts the individual on whom it is bestowed from the punishment the law inflicts for a crime he has committed."… "A pardon is a deed, to the validity of which delivery is essential, and delivery is not complete without acceptance. It may then be rejected by the person to whom it is tendered; and if it be rejected, we have discovered no power in a court to force it on him" (Burdick v. U S 236 U.S. 79 (1915).
God offers you a pardon for all your sin, through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a gift...but one you can turn down! You must be willing to receive it.
Johnny Palmer Jr
StrugglingThruScriptures.ning.com
