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INTRODUCTION
ILLUS: Every once in a while when asked how we are doing, I hear us respond “Fine, under the circumstances.” I was chided once to not say
that - what are we doing under the circumstances? We should be above. Who is in control? Us, others or God? How do you respond?
Noah is a great example of one who lived above the circumstances. FAITH ABOVE WATER. His faith in God rescued him and his family from the judgment of
God upon the world. READ TEXT: Hebrews 11:7
The main account is Genesis 5:29-9:29 Over 4 chapters
- I trust we know well the story of the flood - Noah and his family, 8 people rode in an ark with 2 of every kind of animal for 1 year
during the great flood of the earth. God’s judgment.
- Many mock the story today. The flood explains the world’s climate, geography, division of continents, fossils and even fossil fuels.
In judgment there was grace - coal, oil.
As we study Hebrews Hall of Fame of Faith, the Famous Folks of Faith, Noah is a tremendous example of one who lived a life of faith, who lived above
the circumstances.
Summary verse in OT Gen. 6:8-9 “...Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.”
Summary verse in NT is Hebrews 11:7 Our Text this morning.
There is so much to say about Noah. What can we learn and apply from Noah to our life from this one verse that the author of Hebrews stresses?
1. Faith Listens to God “By faith Noah, being warned of God about things not yet seen”
- God spoke to Noah Gen. 6:13-7:6 Words of warning and instruction.
- Hard words - evil world, difficult task - barge 450x75x45 ft
- But gracious words - he and his family will be saved - 8 people
- The coming judgment of flood was unheard of. The earth had a built in sprinkler system every day. No rain, no floods. But one was coming.
- God speaks to Noah, and in order for Noah to do what he did, he had to have faith in the God, the word of God, the unseen plans of God.
- Faith believes the word of God - the invisible and the impossible
- Application: Faith listens to God - God speaking to us from His word, from our prayers, from His church. We like to hear the nice
encouraging words God says, and there are plenty. YET we don’t like to hear the emphatic words of warning.
ILLUS: Preachers can get in trouble for stepping on people’s toes. Negative sermons. “If you are going to preach against
something, preach against the Hittites, they haven’t been around for 6,000 years.”
- What words of warning is God saying to you? Maybe to us as a church?
ILLUS: Read Body Aches by Kenneth Quick, ChurchSmart, given by Don Shaw. How God disciplines a church. The warnings,
the symptoms of a church under God’s discipline. Why does a church struggle with the same problems over and over? Decision
making, leadership, relationships, worship, etc.? The church has been disobedient in the past in the area of discipline. Rev. 3:19
spoken to the whole church of Laodicea “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, therefore be zealous and repent.”
The church loves to hear the nice words of God, how about warnings from God? Then - Repent!
ILLUS: Friend in Wisconsin whose theological emphasis is while God is a God of grace, He is also a God of judgment - the church
doesn’t get it, we don’t preach the tough stuff.
- As a body, and as individuals, if we are people of faith, we need to listen to God. What is God saying to our church?
- What is God saying to each one of us about our relationship with God?
2. Faith is Obedient to God "in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, but which be condemned the world"
- When God speaks we act.
- “in reverence” (“in fear”), a reverence that causes one to tremble before a holy God and behave
accordingly “Sir, yes, Sir.” A reverence that does not mock warnings, or misuse God’s word. A reverence that respects
God and His word completely, without hesitation.
- In reverence he built the ark (no easy task) for two purposes:
- Salvation for his family - his faith influenced his family
- They lived countercultural, lived by faith in a world gone mad
- Noah’s influence on family was effective, Godliness is not inherited but it is influential.
- Condemnation on the world - his faith revealed their unbelief
- “preacher of righteousness” Gave a negative message in a violent world, a message not too many
wanted to hear
- He “prepared an ark” - following God’s designs.
- Building material “gopher wood” (those with wood stoves know this wood, telling your kids to go for wood). Exact
Dimensions. Three stories. Taking in the animals God brought. No testing of the seaworthiness before - perfect first time.
- 120 years of hard labor, being mocked, being a preacher of righteousness. How foolish to build a ark on dry land to be saved from
something is unheard of. Obedience to God’s commands based on reverence for the person of God based on faith in God.
- Genesis 6:22; 7:5 almost identical “Noah did according to all that the Lord God had commanded him.”
ILLUS: Wouldn’t that be great if others said that about us, epitaph on our tombstone? This is not a general doing God’s
will, but following specific commands specifically given. When God calls us we should know what it is...do it all - family needs,
occupation, ministry, etc.
3. Faith is rewarded with righteousness “and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”
- Gen. 6:8-9 “Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord...righteous man.”
- Noah’s building of the ark was both a result of his faith in God and evidence of his faith in God.
- God’s rewards faith with declaring us righteous.
- In NT times, through faith in Jesus Christ, we are declared righteous, holy and without blame. Eph. 1:3-4; Jude 24; 1 John 2:29, 3:7
- Concept of sanctification: positional immediately at salvation, progressive in our Christian life, and perfect in the presence of God.
- God sees at us through the blood of Jesus Christ - our sins are gone.
QUOTE: Spurgeon: “To me the greatest privilege in all the world would be perfect holiness...perfect conformity to the Lord
Jesus...Saints are so righteous in Jesus Christ that they are more righteous than Adam before he fell...believers have a
righteousness which they can never lose.” (Quotes 100, 178)
CONCLUSION
Faith brings righteousness for we listen to God even when the message is hard to hear and we obey God even when it is against the grain of the
culture around us. Noah reminds us that faith in God is sometimes against all common sense.
How is your faith progressing today?
Is it being tested?
Are you living above the circumstances?
Are there any areas of your life where faith is against all common sense?
ILLUS: This is Memorial Day weekend, we honor those who have served our nation - many served because of their faith in God.
At Arlington National Cemetery among the thousands of graves honoring our nations greatest is the grave of William Jennings Bryan lived
1860-1925. Political leader, US Representative from Nebraska, Secretary of State under Pres. Wilson. Lawyer defending Christian belief at the
Scopes Trial. On his headstone are these words “Lord, I believe! Help Thou my unbelief!”
Maybe that is your prayer today. Keep believing, God rewards faith eternally.
Invitation
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.
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