We're going to look at Old Testament characters and talk about the character traits portrayed by each that God wants to develop in us as His children. The theme of this series is simple: God seeks to stretch us to go beyond our comfort zone so He can grow our character.
In life, there are two zones to live in. One is the “comfort zone”. It's safe. It doesn’t require a lot of courage or faith or obedience. We can hang back and settle down in the comfort zone. The problem is that the comfort zone is a “no growth zone”. You may think the worst that can happen is the longer you stay, the more you remain the same.
But actually, the longer you stay, the less you stay the same, because you atrophy into something less. Either we're growing stronger in the development of Christ-like character, or we are growing weaker. So what needs to happen is that we need to stretch ourselves out of our comfort zone and get into the other zone, the “character zone”.
The character zone isn't always safe. But it’s in the character zone we experience the growth God wants for us. It’s there God can develop our character to reflect that of His Son. It’s only in the character zone that we find significance and are enabled to partner with God to build His kingdom and make a difference in our world.
In this character tour of the Old Testament, we'll see how God stretched folks in order to develop Christ-like character in each of them. Today, we begin with Noah, who is a portrait of faith.
1. Noah had a personal faith - v. 8
In some translations, the word "favor" is translated "grace." Indeed, grace is unmerited favor; it's getting something we don't deserve. Noah benefited from God's grace - that is only accessed by a personal faith.
"Through our faith, Christ has brought us into that blessing of God’s grace that we now enjoy." - Romans 5:2a (Easy to Read)
At this point, it might be helpful to explain the differences between Old Testament and New Testament salvation. Some mistakenly believe Old Testament believers were saved through observing the law of Moses or through offering animal sacrifices. No. Old Testament believers were saved the same way that New Testament believer are saved, through personal faith in the Messiah and His complete sacrifice for our sin that provides forgiveness.
Old Testament believers were saved through faith in the promised Messiah who would come. New Testament believers are saved through faith in the promised Messiah who has come - Jesus.
For New Testament believers, salvation is like a gift certificate: it's already paid for, we just need to accept it and cash in on it. For Old Testament believers, salvation was like credit - they received it before it was paid for.
Old Testament believers were pointed to the cross through what was foretold (Genesis 3:15) and foreshadowed (animal sacrifices & the law). New Testament believers are pointed to the cross through what we are told in the New Testament and the historical reality of Jesus. Old Testament believers were saved by looking forward to the cross, while New Testament believers are saved by looking back to the cross.
Old Testament believers were assured of their salvation by virtue of the promise of God's Word (Joel 2:32). New Testament believers are
assured of their salvation by virtue of the promise of God's Word (Romans 10:13) and the presence of God's Spirit (Romans 8:16).
Noah was saved by grace through faith, just as we are today. Now, one might expect this to be the case because of Noah's family tree. Some of his forefathers were great believers like Methuselah and Enoch, who is said to have walked with God. Enosh, the grandson of Adam didn't die until Noah was over eighty. This was passed down to Noah, as to everyone else, but it didn't benefit anyone, including Noah, until they chose to personally place their faith in God's promise of salvation.
It's been said: "God doesn't have any grand-children." That is, one does not inherit saving faith. It must be a decision made in response to God's truth that you own personally. Noah had a personal faith.
2. Noah had a practiced faith - v. 9
A. Which brought transformation to his life.
To be righteous means to be right. God calls us to apply our faith to ourselves and correct what is wrong about us with that which is right.
Perhaps you've heard the quote from English novelist, Charles Reade:
"Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny."
Now, this quote is neutral. However, notice what happens when we start with a wrong thought:
"Sow a wrong thought, reap a wrong action; sow a wrong action, reap a wrong habit; sow a wrong habit, reap a wrong character; sow a wrong character, reap a wrong destiny."
Conversely, notice what happens when we start with right thinking:
"Sow a right thought, reap a right action; sow a right action, reap a right habit; sow a right habit, reap a right character; sow a right character, reap a right destiny."
"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." - Romans 12:2 (NLT)
To move from my comfort zone into the character zone, I must be stretched by challenging and changing my thinking to God's truth.
B. Which brought separation from the world.
If one isn't copying the behaviors of this world, then they will stand out. Noah stood out from the world of his day. The NLT says, "Noah was . . . the only blameless person living on earth at the time."
C. Which brought dedication to his God.
Two things are required to walk with anyone, including God.
1) Noah met with God.
If I'm going to walk with anyone, I need to have a place to meet them. It's there our walk begins. We're going to meet at their house before we begin our walk around the block. It's the same with God. Where do we meet Him? In His Word and in prayer.
2) Noah went with God
"Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?" - Amos 3:3 (NLT)
3. Noah had a powerful faith - vs. 11-22
Noah's faith was powerful, not because of the strength of his faith, but because of the strength of the object of his faith - the strength of God.
"Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, 'Why couldn’t we drive it out?' He replied, 'Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'" - Matthew 17:19-20 (NIV)
The disciples' problem was they had faith in their faith, not faith in their God. Noah had faith in a God he had come to know because he walked daily with Him. Nowhere in the Bible are we told to take a "leap of faith." Faith is always described as a walk. Because Noah had walked with God, he was prepared for this next step, and obeyed.
Conclusion:
1) Noah's faith enabled him to see the invisible.
When Noah built the Ark, he was building the it in the middle of a desert. He built the Ark on dry land. Most scholars believe it had never rained up until that point. How did Noah not wonder if he was crazy? He had trained himself daily to recognize the voice of God.
You see, even though the Old Testament believer did not have the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit we enjoy today, they could still ask for His ministry in their lives (Luke 11:11-13) and could recognize the voice of God through the Spirit's working.
"When the Spirit of truth comes . . . He will speak whatever He hears. He will also declare to you what is to come." - John 16:13 (HCSB)
The Holy Spirit speaks through "dreams and visions" (Acts 2:17).
"Every vision or dream from God comes in three parts:the what, the how, and the when." - Rick Warren
"Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart’s desires (what). Commit your way to the LORD (how); trust in Him, and He will act (when)." - Psalm 37:4-5 (HCSB)
2) Noah's faith enabled him to experience the incredible.
"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." - Hebrews 11:7 (The Message)
3) Noah's faith enabled him to invest in the eternal - v. 10
Noah's sons were sufficiently impressed with their father's faith, for they evidently also believed, joining him in building and entering the ark. When you and I move from the comfort zone to the character zone, it not only makes a difference in us, but an eternal difference in others.
