Learning From Noah!
Introduction:
A. We have all heard of Noah.
1. Noah was told to build an ark.
2. Noah and his family: built that ark; took animals on that ark;
and lived on that ark for over a year, while God caused a
great flood to come upon the earth for 40 days, and 40 nights.
B. Many people think that this is just a children's story, but there
are mighty, and important, lessons in the story of Noah, and the
flood.
1. Sin has serious consequences.
2. Men have a free will.
3. There will be a day of reckoning.
4. Man has to do things God's way.
5. Few will be saved.
6. God keeps His promises.
Let's turn to Genesis 6, and examine these lessons.
I. Sin has serious consequences.
A. Sin is controlling.
1. vs 5 = every imagination of man's heart was on evil
continually.
a. The people of Noah's days were consumed with,
controlled by, and slaves to, sin.
b. Sin controlled their every thought, and their every
action.
2. The N.T. tells us we can be slaves to sin (Romans 6:16).
a. There are people who are addicted to: drinking, drugs,
gambling, and sexual activity.
b. There are people who cannot talk w/o using profanity.
c. Although we cannot know what is in people's minds,
one wonders if the thoughts of peoples hearts today are
on evil continually just like they were in Noah's day?
d. There have been sex offenders who have admitted that
they started down the path of being a sex offender by
first looking at pornography. When that did not satisfy
them they looked for something else (stronger), which
led them to something else, and to something else. It
is like drugs. It takes more and more to satisfy them.
e. We do not have to reach such a perverted state to be
a servant of sin. When we choose to sin, we are the
servants of sin.
B. Sin is grievous to God.
1. The sin of the people of Noah's day (6:6).
a. Repented the Lord = caused Him to grieve in having
made man.
b. Grieved (different word than repented) = cause to
grieve, or suffer.
2. When we sin...
a. God does not laugh...like some people do when their
child repeats cuss words that they have heard them say.
b. He does not sluff it off, and say that we are just sowing
our wild oats.
c. Nor does He just ignore it, and say, they are just having
a little fun.
d. God loves us (John 3:16), but sin seperates us from Him.
How could sin, therefore, do anything but cause Him pain?
C. Sin is punishable.
1. God said He was going to destroy man, whom He created (6:7).
a. Why?
b. Because of sin!
c. Their sin was going to be punished by their being destroyed
from the face of the earth.
2. God says that He will punish men for sin in the N.T.
a. Wages of sin is death (spiritual seperation) (Romans 6:23).
b. The unrighteous shall not enter into the kingdom of God
(I Corinthians 6:9-10).
c. Those who have sinned will have their part in the lake of
fire and brimstone (Revelation 21:8).
d. The ungodly shall be sentenced to everlasting punishment
(Matthew 25:46).
II. Men have a free will.
A. Noah had a free will, and, Noah decided not to live like the
rest of his generation (8-12).
1. The world of Noah's day...
a. Corrupt (destroyed, ruined; to act wickedly) (11a).
b. Filled with violence (11b).
c. The people of Noah's day had chosen (by their free will)
to fill their world with wickedness, and violence.
2. But, Noah chose to live differently. Noah was...
a. Just (9a).
b. Perfect in his generation (9b).
c. Walked with God (9b).
d. Noah could have chosen to be like the rest of the world,
but he chose not to.
B. We too have a free will.
1. We can choose to....
a. Be holy as God is holy (I Peter 1:16).
b. Flee youthful lusts, and follow after righteousness
(II Tim.2:22).
c. Present ourselves a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable
unto God (Romans 12:1).
2. In other words, we can choose to....
a. Not use profanity.
b. Not do things that have the appearance of evil.
c. Dress modestly.
d. Be honest.
e. Work hard, as unto the Lord.
f. Not be involved in illicit sexual activity (homosexuality,
fornication, or adultery).
III. There will be a day of reckoning.
A. There have been many days of reckoning.
1. There was going to be a day of reckoning in Noah's day
(Genesis 6:13).
a. God had been patient with man, but He says the day is
coming when He will punish men for their sins.
b. That day was not going to be far in the future.
2. There were other days of reckoning as well.
a. Adam and Eve's day came when they were cast out of
the garden, and seperated from the tree of life, and God.
b. Sodom and Gemorrah's day of reckoning came without
warning.
c. The nation of Israel's had been warned time, and time
again, that there was going to be a day of reckoning, and
God kept His promise..first by sending the Assyrians on
the northern nation, and later the Babylonians on the
southern nation.
B. God says there is going to be a day of reckoning in the future.
1. It will come as a thief in the night (I Thessalonians 5:2).
2. On that day He will judge all mankind by that man whom He
has appointed (Jesus Christ) (Acts 17:31).
3. When He returns He will sit upon His throne, and all men
will be judged by His word (John 12:48), according to the
things they have done, and not done (Matthew 25).
4. And, even the secret things will be revealed (Romans 2:16).
5. As a song we sing says, it will be a bright day for some,
and a sad day for many. But, it is a day we all will face.
IV. Man has to do things God's way.
A. To be saved from the flood Noah had to do what God said.
1. God told him how long, tall, and wide to build the ark.
a. Noah could not change any of God's deminsions.
b. Noah did according to all God commanded him (6:22).
2. God told him what kind of wood to build it out of.
a. Noah could not make substitutions.
b. Noah did according to all God commanded him (6:22).
3. God told him how many doors, window, and decks to
put in the ark.
a. Noah could not decide to put more, or less in.
b. Noah did according to all God commanded him (6:22).
4. God told him how many of each animal to bring on board.
a. Noah could not decide to leave off the ones he did not
like, and bring more on that he did like.
b. Noah did according to all God commanded him (6:22).
B. To be saved from the wrath to come, we have to do what God says.
1. Not everyone that sayeth unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven, but he that....? (Matthew 7:21)
a. But, he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
b. Can we go to heaven w/o doing the will of the Father?
2. Jesus is the author of eternal salvation unto all them that...?
(Hebrews 5:9)
a. Obey Him!
b. Will we be saved if we do not obey Him?
3. What has God told us to do to be saved?
a. Believe - Mark 16:16.
b. Repent - Acts 2:38.
c. Confess - Romans 10:10.
d. Baptized - I Peter 3:20-21.
e. Be faithful unto death - Revelation 2:10.
* Noah not only had to be in the ark to be saved from the
flood, he had to stay in the ark until the end.
* We must not only obey the gospel, we must remain
faithful unto death.
4. Noah had to do all of what God told him to do to be saved,
and so must we.
V. Few will be saved.
A. Few were saved in Noah's day.
1. Only 8 were saved.
a. 6:18.
b. 7:1.
c. 7:7.
d. 7:13.
e. I Peter 3:20.
2. Millions of people were lost.
a. Even though Noah preached to them (II Peter 2:5).
b. They were lost, but what is even sadder is that one day
they will be raised from the dead, only to face the final
judgement, at which time they will be eternally punished.
B. Few will be saved in the end.
1. God would have all men be saved.
a. For He loved all men enough to send His Son to die for
them (John 3:16).
b. He is longsuffering, not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance (II Peter 3:9).
c. He has told christians to go and preach the gospel to
all nations, and every creature (Matthew 28:19-20;
Mark 16:15-16), because He wants all men to be saved.
2. But, few will be saved - Matthew 7:13-14.
a. Jesus said if we want to be saved we have to choose the
narrow way.
b. The path of righteousness, and obedience.
c. But, few will find it.
1) Many will not find it because it does not let them live
the way they want to live.
2) Many will not find it because it requires them to do things
they do not want to do (being baptized).
Conclusion:
A. God kept His promise in Noah's day.
1. He told Noah that He was going to punish the ungodly, and He did.
2. He also told Noah if he did what He said, he would be saved, and
Noah was.
B. God will keep His promises He has made in the N.T.
1. He has told us that He will punish those who obey not His gospel,
and He will!!!
2. But, He has also said that He will save those who obey His gospel.
C. If you believe God, why not do what He says..while there is time!