“Superheroes of the Faith”
Noah – Man of Obedience
God is looking for people who will live righteous lives in the face of evil.
People like “Noah.”
People who:
Are obedient to God When it’s not popular
Push aside fear and Step out in Faith
People who will serve the Lord in a broken, desperate world. God is calling us to be those kind of people -
To be “Superheroes of the Faith.”
If you follow Hollywood there is no shortage of superheroes. From Batman to Spiderman, From Superman to Frodo, "Tinsel town" has plenty of superheroes to go around.
These days, if our culture can’t find real heroes, they invent them.
But friends, real heroes do exist. You don’t have to go to the movies to find people of courage & strength.
Oftentimes, the real heroes - not recognized for their contribution at the time. They just go about quietly doing good & working for the Lord behind the scenes.
If you’re looking for heroes, don’t forget to look in the Bible. God knows heroes when He sees them. In Hebrews 11 – He singles some of them out.
This month we’re going to take a closer look @ the lives of some real heroes of the faith.
As we do we’ll be gleaning some practical helps for living the life of Faith – a life that God can bless.
Our 1st Superhero – Noah.
You may recall – Noah built a great, wooden ship – “The Ark.” God used the ship to spare Noah & his family and the animals from a worldwide flood.
Many – hear as a child – Sunday School, VBS, Children’s Church.
IL – Grandpa & Ark
Lil’ girl sitting on her grandfather’s lap.
He was reading the Bible story of Noah’s Ark.
“Were you in the Ark, grandpa?”
“Why, no I wasn’t.”
Pause - “Then why weren’t you drowned?”
“That’s interesting, but what’s it got to do with me?”
Actually, we can learn a great deal from Noah.
IL – All I will ever need to know I learned from Noah.
1. Don’t miss the boat.
2. Remember that we are all in the same boat.
3. Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark .
4. Stay fit. When you’re 600 years old someone may ask you to do something really big.
5. Don’t listen to critics, just get on with the job that needs to be done.
6. Build your future on high ground.
7. Speed isn’t everything, the snails were on board with the cheetahs.
8. When you’re stressed, float awhile.
9. Remember the Ark was built by amateurs, the Titanic by professionals.
10. No matter what the storm, when you are with God there’s always a rainbow waiting.
All kidding aside – the story of Noah…
• Set in a world much like ours.
o No electricity, indoor plumbing, cable TV
o But – 1 major similarity.
o Filled with evil.
“THE LORD SAW HOW GREAT MAN’S WICKEDNESS ON THE EARTH HAD BECOME, AND THAT EVERY INCLINATION OF THE THOUGHTS OF HIS HEART WAS ONLY EVIL ALL THE TIME.” (GENESIS 6:5 NIV)
The world was in a state of Universal Depravity.
Time-honored, traditional values gave way to situational ethics. Human culture – threw off godly restraints and pursued wickedness.Every man did what was right in his own eyes.
The same thing is happening in our world today.
People are making up their own rules.
Rather than - obedience to God, many - doing what’s right in their own eyes. This attitude of relativity has even entered the corporate world.
“The Wizard and the Warrior” is a new book on leadership.
In chapter 15 - authors prmote Situational Ethics in the marketplace.
“(Leaders) must be willing at times to violate conventional wisdom and rules in the service of a larger cause, but still anticipate the risks.”
“Rule-breaking is sometimes the only way to win, but leaders need to be mindful of the associated risks.”
That kind of thinking:
• Feeds the idol of Selfish Ambition.
• Leads to unethical and even criminal behavior.
Does the word “Enron” ring a bell.
A world of situational ethics is a dangerous world.
Once people start inventing their own rules –
& changing those rules as it suits them –
the world becomes a very dangerous place.
That’s exactly what happened in Noah’s day.
The people discarded the ways of the Lord and pursued their own selfish ways. As a result – violence raged upon the earth.
“NOW THE EARTH WAS CORRUPT IN GOD’S SIGHT AND WAS FULL OF VIOLENCE. GOD SAW HOW CORRUPT THE EARTH HAD BECOME, FOR ALL THE PEOPLE ON EARTH HAD CORRUPTED THEIR WAYS.”(GENESIS 6:11-12 NIV)
This state of “Universal Depravity” was so widespread/intense, it literally altered God’s dealings with man.
“THE LORD WAS GRIEVED THAT HE HAD MADE MAN ON THE EARTH, AND HIS HEART WAS FILLED WITH PAIN. SO THE LORD SAID, ‘I WILL WIPE MANKIND, WHOM I HAVE CREATED, FROM THE FACE OF THE EARTH…’” (GEN. 6:6-7 NIV)
Of coure, this is not a popular msg.
People want to talk about how God is loving - merciful - patient - kind. But, He’s also JUST.
“HE IS THE ROCK, HIS WORKS ARE PERFECT, AND ALL HIS WAYS ARE JUST. A FAITHFUL GOD WHO DOES NO WRONG, UPRIGHT AND JUST IS HE.” (DEUT. 32:4 NIV)
“RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE ARE THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR THRONE…” (PSALM 89:14 NIV)
God is faithful - loving - gracious - YET, when the cup of iniquity is full God’s holiness demands that He deal w/wickedness in a JUST & RIGHTEOUS way.
That’s what happened in the days of Noah.
The world was filled with evil.
Violence raged upon the earth.
Finally, the cup of iniquity was full to brimming over.
God’s patience was exhausted and His holy Justice was brought to bear.
“THEN THE LORD SAID, ‘MY SPIRIT WILL NOT CONTEND WITH MAN FOREVER…” (GEN. 6:3 NIV)
“Contend” = Abide, Strive, Remain, or Put Up With.
There came a point when God’s patience was exhausted.
Creation had crossed the line and God’s judgment was lit. “poured out.”
“IN THE SIX HUNDREDTH YEAR OF NOAH’S LIFE, ON THE SEVENTEENTH DAY OF THE SECOND MONTH—ON THAT DAY ALL THE SPRINGS OF THE GREAT DEEP BURST FORTH, AND THE FLOODGATES OF THE HEAVENS WERE OPENED. AND RAIN FELL ON THE EARTH FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS.” (GEN. 7:11-12 NIV)
Not just a downpour.
This was a Worldwide, Cataclysmic Upheaval.
“The springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened.”
Not just a downpour – a global event of epic proportions.
“THE WATERS ROSE AND COVERED THE MOUNTAINS TO A DEPTH OF MORE THAN TWENTY FEET.” (GEN. 7:20 NIV)
Can you imagine?
The world was covered with water – highest MT – 20 feet under.
This wasn’t the 1st time the earth was covered with water.
“IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. NOW THE EARTH WAS FORMLESS AND EMPTY, DARKNESS WAS OVER THE SURFACE OF THE DEEP, AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD WAS HOVERING OVER THE WATERS.” (GEN. 1:1-2 NIV)
Notice striking similarity.
As God was creating – before He brought His divine order & structure –
• the world was in a state of chaos (formless and void) –
• it was covered with water & darkness was over the surface of the deep.
Then God:
• Created the light.
• Brought forth the dry ground with rich vegetation.
• Animals, aquatic life – mankind.
God created a beautiful world.
It was ordered and in perfect balance.
Then – mankind sinned and introduced evil into the world.
And evil grew.
Like a great sea of iniquity – evil covered the world.
So great was the uncontrolled violence and evil –
God poured out his judgment in a worldwide flood.
Notice something about this scene.
• It’s easy for us to focus on the evil of mankind
• The great & terrible judgment of God
• But what can escape our notice –
o In one sense, God’s judgment was simply a reversing of His created order.
o The earth began in a state of chaos w/water covering the planet.
o Then God set the world in order.
o Sin – a reversal of God’s created order.
o When you reverse God’s order you go from structure to chaos.
o “If you want to do things your way – remove my influence and let the earth return to the way it was before I set it in order.”
Don’t miss the significance of that statement.
Whenever we choose the way of sin, we choose the way of...Disorder, Decay, Death.
“…WHEN LUST HAS CONCEIVED, IT GIVES BIRTH TO SIN; AND WHEN SIN IS ACCOMPLISHED, IT BRINGS FORTH DEATH.” (JAMES 1:15 NASB)
Earlier – our world has much in common w/the world in Noah’s day.
FLOOD LESSONS ABOUT GOD
• HE IS AWESOME IN POWER
o God created the heavens & the earth.
o God renovated the earth with a flood.
• HE IS JUST
o God’s judgment was given with reluctance & grief.
o Reluctance – earth was filled with evil. This didn’t happen overnight.
o Grief – not uncontrolled anger.
“THE LORD WAS GRIEVED THAT HE HAD MADE MAN ON THE EARTH, AND HIS HEART WAS FILLED WITH PAIN.” (GEN. 6:6 NIV)
o Like a parent grieves over his wayward children…
o God sent His judgment – not with a smile – w/a heavy heart.
…“AS I LIVE,” SAYS THE LORD GOD, “I HAVE NO PLEASURE IN THE DEATH OF THE WICKED, BUT THAT THE WICKED TURN FROM HIS WAY AND LIVE…” (EZEKIEL 33:11 NKJV)
• HE IS MERCIFUL
o People given opportunity to repent.
Noah preached 120 years.
o Finally, God sent judgment – saved:
Noah & Family, Animals & birds
Entire human race (through Noah)
o Before the 1st drop of rain –
God, Himself shut the door (Gen. 7:16 NIV)
o The Rainbow
“I HAVE SET MY RAINBOW IN THE CLOUDS, AND IT WILL BE THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND THE EARTH.’” (GEN. 9:13 NIV)
A Bow – Symbol of war
Rainbow – String on the ground (symbolizing peace)
FLOOD LESSONS ABOUT NOAH
• HE HAD HOLY FEAR
“BY FAITH NOAH, WHEN WARNED ABOUT THINGS NOT YET SEEN, IN HOLY FEAR BUILT AN ARK TO SAVE HIS FAMILY.” (HEB. 11:7 NIV)
That “holy fear” made Noah a wise man.
“THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE, BUT FOOLS DESPISE WISDOM AND INSTRUCTION.” (PROV. 1:7 NKJV)
• HE HAD UNWAVERING CONFIDENCE
o Never experienced rain
“…A MIST WENT UP FROM THE EARTH AND WATERED THE WHOLE FACE OF THE GROUND.” (GEN. 2:6 NKJV)
FLOOD LESSONS ABOUT LIFE
• GOD MAKES THE RULES
o We cannot come to God on our own terms.
God is: Loving, gracious, kind - Just.
God’s justice demands the punishment of sin.
o Noah lived life by God’s rules.
o If we are going to find favor – live by God’s rules.
• SIN IS MANKIND’S GREATEST PROBLEM
o Nowadays – Sin = “Old Fashioned”
Healthy self-image.
o All have sinned.
o Wages of sin.
o Relationship w/God requires repentance & faith in Christ.
• FOLLOW NOAH’S EXAMPLE OF HOLY FEAR
“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.” (HEB. 11:7 NKJV)
• Moved by Holy Fear
• Built an Ark (What Ark does God want you to build?)
A Final Thought
“BUT AS THE DAYS OF NOAH WERE, SO ALSO WILL THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN BE. FOR AS IN THE DAYS BEFORE THE FLOOD, THEY WERE EATING AND DRINKING, MARRYING AND GIVING IN MARRIAGE, UNTIL THE DAY THAT NOAH ENTERED THE ARK, AND DID NOT KNOW UNTIL THE FLOOD CAME AND TOOK THEM ALL AWAY, SO ALSO WILL THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN BE.” (MATT. 24:37-39 NKJV)
a. A Warning of the End Times
i. Marked by indifference
1. “Marrying & giving in marriage” (normal life)
2. “the did not know until the floods came.”
ii. Pleasure-oriented, self-gratifying
b. True Faith either
i. Converts sinners
ii. Condemns them
