Sermon Title: Open the eyes of your heart.
Scripture Text: 1 Peter 3:18-22
Today's Scripture Text is 1 Peter 3:18-22
But first I want to spend a little time in Genesis 9:8-17 discussing it.
It’s a story most of us are familiar with; Noah’s Ark. A lot of the time we spend most of discussion as Christians on how big the Ark was, how many animals were there, how did they all fit in there and what about the birds that Noah let out and all but one returned.
Something I want us to look at in this: God was very active in this story. So on to the little tidbit that is sometimes overlooked. Let’s take a look at how the Jewish people before Jesus and even after Jesus saw portions of this story. It helped them to understand certain things as the picture was painted of God’s new beginning and forgiveness to them.
They saw the Ark as a vessel that carried them away from all the rotten things that they were living with. When the water fell from heaven for the first time in history it washed them, it emerged them, it cleansed them and it offered a new opportunity to the Noah family. Then the eight entered the Ark and God closed the huge door and that was a beautiful picture of being buried and taken safely to this new wonderful new beginning. The Ark settled on dry land and they and all the animals left the grave of safety/the ark for a new world.
Don’t you think this is one of the wonderful ways of seeing this story?
Well the story continues and we can see they mucked it up again. And God had to give them a way to cover this sin that was just continuing. So now we see Moses receiving the Law from God. This way they could cover their sin with the blood of animals.
Now hear the reading of God’s Word:
1 Peter 3:18-22 NLT
18 Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.
19 So he went and preached to the spirits in prison— 20 those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. 21 And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
22 Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.
Noah’s Ark and Christ are linked in our text today. With Jesus being the more perfect person, the only sinless person, the only Son of God and much more superior to anyone one or anything else. And it is through Jesus that we have this Salvation from sin and a bright future here today and with God in Heaven when we get there.
All of our sins are forgiven “once for all time” because he died for us on that old rugged cross. Our baptism like Jesus is a spiritual baptism and filling of the Holy Spirit to offer us comfort in this life and to speak for us when we cant speak.
If you have this Salvation through Jesus the Christ we should live it. We should walk with Jesus every moment of the day.
If you don't have this Salvation through Jesus the Christ I offer it to you today in the name of the one True God. Our Church that is set aside for our glorious Father Offers to support you anyway possible on your journey.
Open the eyes of your heart. The Altar is open, please come and join with Christ today.
