Today is Father’s Day. We are here celebrating our fathers here on earth. But as we celebrate, let us not forget that our Heavenly Father is the ultimate Father that we should be celebrating! What ever good characteristic that you appreciate about your earthly father is a reflection of our Heavenly Father!
By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
I. Faith filled fathers have vision.
A man and his young son were climbing a mountain. They came to a place where the climbing was difficult and even dangerous. The father stopped to consider which way he should go. He heard he boy behind him say, “Choose the good path, Dad; I’m right behind you!”
Noah was divinely warned of things not yet seen. Godly vision is defined as the ability to see things before they are. God opened Noah’s eyes to see the world as He sees it, and to realize that God was going to do something about it. That is Godly, faith filled, vision!
On our way home from vacation last year, Dewey, my father-in-law, pulled off of the interstate to switch drivers. In the mean time, he fueled up. The van had over half a tank. It didn’t really need fuel. But he decided to get fuel anyway. It was a good thing he did. We might have traveled five minutes when we ran into a wreck. It wasn’t just any wreck. It was a chemical truck that had turned over. The long of the short is it became a four-hour delay. We traveled less than ten miles during that four hours. Those that weren’t prepared ran out of gas, or needed to go the bathroom. It truly was incredible.
My point is this, just as God provides mothers with instincts about their children, God provides fathers with the ability to see things happen long before they do. You wonder why as children your dad would get so upset at you doing certain things, or hanging out with certain individuals? It is because God has given them the ability to envision what could happen.
A. Noah’s vision created reverence. It humbled Noah. It didn’t give him the right to judge
others. Instead of feeling righteous, I am sure what Noah felt was pity, sorrow for his fellow brethren. Godly fear humbles you. The only way we can walk with God is to be humble. Matthew tells us, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” James tells us to “humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” He continues by asking, “Where do wars and strife come from?” He answers by saying, Mark’s paraphrase, isn’t it your pride, your self-centeredness?
Why did God choose Moses? Because he was very humble, more than any man alive. Num. 12:3. 2 Chron. 7:14 says, “If my people who are called by my name will ?????? . Is. 57:15 “ For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“I dwell in the high and holy place,
With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,
To revive the spirit of the humble,
And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Why is it we need humility at a time like this? James tells us “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” We all need the grace of God.
B. Noah’s vision created resolve. He needed to resolve these issues in his heart. He had to decide up front what he would believe. He needed determination due to how others would treat him. Noah lived far away from the ocean. Why would anyone who lived that far inland need an ocean liner? Can you imagine the scorning, name calling, jeering, and mockery that Noah had to endure? That is why sheer determination is needed. Noah believed God despite his circumstances. Despite what others thought or said. Despite even how he felt! He believed it so much that it affected his life. He preached it to everyone. And he kept building the ark.
Today we live in a world that has a tendency to draw attention to the scientific and technological viewpoints. Our world implores us to trust and depend on what the scientific outcomes say. We should rely on our senses or feelings, to obtain comfort, pleasure, or possessions. Therefore the idea of God, and His coming judgment is overlooked. More often than not, the person who proclaims God is ridiculed. If science would point to God instead of itself, wouldn’t it be easier to swallow? If it would say, “Wow, God created earth. We haven’t figured out how. But we are trying. It looks like He might have used geometrics to create….”. But the truth is there are to few scientists who give God any credit. Nothing reflects who He is or His ability. In spite of the world not giving credit to God, we, who are His children must resolve in our heart to give God credit always!
A small boy growing up in Pennsylvania was visiting his grandparents that lived nine miles away. One night a thick fog settled over the hilly countryside before they started home. The boy was terrified, and asking if they shouldn’t be going even slower than they were. Mother said gently, “Don’t worry. Your father knows the way. You see, Dad had walked that road when there was no gasoline during the war. He had ridden that blacktop on his bicycle to court Mother. And for years he had made those weekly trips back to visit his own parents. How often we, God’s children, can’t see the road of life, and have felt the same panic rising in our hearts, we should hear, “Don’t worry. Your Father knows the way!”
II. Faith filled fathers are vindicated.
In the end, Noah was rewarded for his faith, and was proven right by God! Let’s look at how Noah was rewarded.
A. Noah’s family. His family had heard Noah’s cry. They knew his heart. How he
lived. What he believed. They saw his faith and it affected their lives. Because of how he lived, it blessed his family. They were blessed to have a godly father, but they were blessed because the saw God in their father. When we see God in people, it causes one of two things. It cuts us like a knife, and we hate them. Which causes us to respond like what happened with Stephen, remember the stoning in Acts. Or we see the grace of God and respond like what happened with Peter on the day of Pentecost. They responded, “What shall we do to be saved”. In Noah’s case it was the good thing. They responded to God’s presence by believing God and helping Noah.
B. Noah’s fame. The world was condemned just as Noah had said. The world had
mocked, ridiculed and just been mean to Noah and his family. The blew off his warnings, made fun of his faith, and his belief in God. Noah was truly vindicated by God. He was proven right because God did judge the world, and the world saw just how right Noah had been all this time!
Folks, we need to realize that God is going to judge the world again. We should allow that to affect our lives in how we live, and what we say. We also need to realize that God will hold us accountable to who we tell. One reason of Noah’s fame is because he told what God had said! He didn’t just keep it to his family, but he told the world.
C. Noah’s fortune. Noah was counted right with God. Noah’s belief in God caused
him to have faith in God. The only way we can become right with God is to have faith in Him. Gen. 15:6, “And he (Abraham) believed in the LORD; and He counted it to him for righteousness”. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Rom.5: 1.
Are you a faith filled father? Are you a faith filled person? Are you looking for peace with God? Would you like to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” You can if you will just believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord. Do you believe enough to allow Him to change you from the inside out? Do you believe that He can cleanse you and make you whole? Do you believe that the Heavenly Father can reflect Himself in you, the earthly father? The Truth is He can!
One night over dinner, Tommy misbehaved. His father, always a strict disciplinarian, reprimanded him saying, “Tommy, if you do not behave you will be sent to your room!” Tommy did not listen. Ordered from the room, he heard his father’s last words: “And there will be no more food for you tonight!” Later in bed, Tommy’s thoughts of his behavior began to bother him. He was hungry. He couldn’t remember ever having felt more alone or alienated. He began to cry. Then he heard a noise on the stairs. Footsteps came closer to his room. His door opened and his father came in. Closing the door he came over to Tommy’s bed and said, “ I love you, Son, and I’ve come to spend the night with you.”
Folks you may not have had an earthly father like what we have talked about today, but you have a Heavenly Father that cares for you more than you will ever know! Maybe you feel isolated and alienated today. Your heavenly Father is seeking you out. He wants to bless you. Will you open your door and let Him spend the rest of your life together?
