Sunday Sermons
Noah's Faith
Noah’s Faith
In Hebrews chapter 11 Noah is presented to us as an example of the kind of faith that pleases God (11:7). In this lesson, let's explore Noah's great trust in God and the difference emulating such trust can make in our own lives.
Before the Flood: The View of the World
Prior to the flood, we are specifically told that advancements were being made in agriculture, manufacturing, and the arts (Genesis 4:20-22). Have you ever wondered how Noah’s contemporaries viewed themselves? They would have probably said something like, “Things are on the up and up, we are progressive and are only improving every day”. Some 120 years prior to the flood we are told that Noah’s generation contained “mighty men… men of renown” (Genesis 6:4). The Holy Spirit's recorded words in the Book of Genesis, reveal that prior to the flood there were indeed “famous people” or as we call them today, “celebrities”, with fame beyond a mere village or tribal unit. This was fame on a larger level, the type of fame that transcends borders and nations. Such a list, a “who’s who” probably included men who were famous for all the same things that people are typically famous today: most likely strength, military victories, leadership, politics, business, writing, acting and skill in various athletic contests. The idea that Noah’s generation saw themselves as progressing is only confirmed by what Jesus said about this generation, “They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark” (Matthew 24:38). I would contend that the fact that God expected Noah to build an ark that would be some 450 feet in length and structurally sea worthy in the world's most powerful world-wide flood demands a level of sophistication in Noah’s time, far beyond a primitive, hunter-gatherer or even Third World type of existence.
Before the Flood: What God Saw
God did not see healthy progress, rather God saw “wickedness” (6:5), a continual stream of evil thoughts (6:5), “corruption” (6:11) and “violence” (6:11). The world would have said, “The future is bright”. God saw the real and true state of affairs and said simply, “The end of all flesh has come” (6:13).
Noah’s Faith
- He saw what God saw
Noah did not argue with God’s command, nor did he voice something like, “I don’t understand, people don’t seem to be that wicked”. When the text says that “Every intent of the thoughts of his (man’s) heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5) it does not necessarily mean that everyone was pondering only murder and mayhem. There is a lot of evil that I can dwell on that has nothing to do with murder or pillaging. In fact, Jesus’ statement about them marrying and being given in marriage seems to indicate an orderly, rather than a chaotic society. Yet in an orderly society violence can be rampant, especially when it is viewed as entertainment. At times today in America we have taken comfort by reading Genesis 6:5 and saying, “Well, we aren’t there yet”. But is that true? Just listen to the average plans for the weekend from co-workers. It is often nothing more than selfish plans of drinking after work, partying and living for self on the weekend. Maybe this is one reason why Noah’s generation failed to “get” Noah’s preaching (2 Peter 2:5; Matthew 24:39 “and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away”). It could be that they did not see themselves as corrupt.
In like-manner, our present culture doesn’t get the gospel either. Many people just don’t see themselves as sinners. Like Noah’s generation they might have been perplexed with regard to how God could ever destroy the amazing world of advancements that they had achieved and built? How could God be angry with we who restore wetlands, recycle, donate money to cancer research, and run in 5k’s for various causes? How could God ever destroy such beautiful sites as the Columbia Gorge, Yosemite, Yellowstone or Cannon Beach? Thus resulting in the — “I just can’t believe Noah’s preaching” — attitude. What they forgot was that it is the inner corruption of sin and selfishness that offends God (Isaiah 59:1-2), regardless of one’s physical accomplishments. Life is all about loving, honoring and thus being in a healthy relationship with Him (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
- He Continued to Move: Hebrews 11:7
When the Holy Spirit says that Noah “prepared”, that word “prepared” includes far more than just one afternoon. Yet that is the danger. I have seen so many people get excited about serving God for a while, and Jesus had seen the same thing among mankind from the beginning, “They believe for a while” (Luke 8:13). For example, when Jesus said that the truth will make us free (John 8:31-32), He was not saying that spending a little time here and there reading the Bible will result in one's immediate and complete freedom apart from our own changing our lives to harmonize with what we've read, just as attending services cannot of itself make everything right. Noah’s “preparation” involved up to 120 years of daily obedience, often in face of opposition. It would be wise for us to pace ourselves for a lifetime of daily communication with our Creator and heartfelt worship.
Took God’s Communication Seriously: Hebrews 11:7
God did not tell Noah and his believing friends to build an ark. There were no believing friends! What often distracts Christians today is “minority view thinking” and it goes something like, “How can we really have the truth when we are such a small group of people who believe it?” Yet compared to Noah, our world is flooded with believers. Noah apparently had no “congregation” or group to meet with and worship God (outside his immediate family). We do — even when we travel throughout this nation. The population of the planet at that time may have ranged from a very conservative 16 million to perhaps 6 billion (our current world population), and out of that number only eight people were faithful to God (2 Peter 2:5). So when people say something like, “Very few people even believe what you believe", or "Your message is dated or no longer relevant", or "You must change your message to attract hearers”, or “In order for people to embrace your message you just have to get rid of mentioning the behaviors The Judge condemns and instead live comfortably alongside what He calls evil, for our modern, open-minded society will simply not accept this idea that God will one day condemn all who do not repent” — similar things to most likely said to the great man, Noah. And we should not be shocked, for the Holy Spirit says that without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6) and we must learn to expect Satan to attack us at the very point of our precious, life-preserving faith.
- Remained Focus on Serving God: Genesis 6:22
The devil will seek to immobilize us with such thoughts as: “We must not be doing something right, we must not have the truth — seeing that so many of our evangelistic efforts are refused”. Yet Noah converted no one in 120 years — even though he preached every time that God wanted him to. Keep planting good seed, and leave the increase to God.
- Focused on the Unseen: Hebrews 11:1,7
When God told Noah to build the ark all that Noah was given was a communication. We find no record of any sort of signs that accompanied the communication. The sky does not appear to have been filled with dark clouds and there was no visible indication that it was about to rain hard for forty days and nights. Let's decide that what God has communicated to us is enough, and that we will fulfill our mission for being created not matter what the world around us looks like.
What is Our Focus?
Do I focus on the seen or the unseen (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)? Are most of our conversations and interests on the things we see or the things unseen? Do I trust God and His word or the views of “men of renown”? Did you notice that none of the men of renowned made it on the ark — that none of those famous people accepted the truth, and that in reality the most famous person from that time was Noah, the faithful believer. In God’s eyes, and in terms of what will be recorded for eternity, it is the faithful believer in God who is the person who will be truly remembered, for none of the names of the “men of renown” are known today, yet we know who Noah is, and thank God for his faithful example.
Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.net
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net
