"Noah Found Grace"
Genesis 6:5-20 . . . . . . . . . .January 31, 1999
As you look around at the world in which we live it is easy to see lots of problems. There is corruption in the government, an obvious moral decline, and an ever prevalent disregard for the lives and possessions of others. We see a growing lack of respect in youth toward their parents and elders. And there is a growing preoccupation with the occult. And as we see these things we often say in despair, "What can one person do?" We throw up our hands and conclude that we are helpless to effect any real change.
In the book of Genesis we are amazed at how God used various individuals to change the world. Perhaps the most famous of these figures in Genesis is a guy by the name of Noah. He was only one man but God used that one man to save mankind. So this morning I encourage you not to listen simply to the historical account of Noah. Listen also to learn what God can do through one person.
THE STATE OF THE WORLD
In order to understand what God did through Noah we have to understand what Noah faced. We need to know what the problem was. Listen as the world at that time is described.
Sobering words, aren't they? "Every inclination of the thoughts of the heart were only evil all the time." It doesn't take much imagination to guess what was going on in everyday life. The people of that day disregarded God. They may have talked about Him in conversation but He was absent from their lives. Religion was an academic exercise. These people felt they could make their own way. They could solve their own problems. If they needed something they could pass a law or develop a tax to solve the problem. God's standards were nice but "out-of-date". Morality was something that was determined by personal choice rather than by God's standards.
I hope it is obvious what I am driving at. I suggest that Noah's days were not that different from our own. The flood wiped those people out. But only a few chapters later in Genesis we read of the people of Babel and how they had reached a similar state of decadence. And in Romans Paul states, "there is none righteous, none that do good, no one who seeks God." Things have not changed much. If you don't believe me, try a little experiment,
When you have done some of these things, ask yourself a question: "Why didn't I notice this before? or "Why don't I find this repulsive?" The answer will startle you. It's because these things are mainstream and we have grown accustomed to it. In fact, perhaps we have even embraced it! Chuck Swindoll wrote,
Such is the nature of the world in which Noah lived . . . and the world in which we live.
THE CHARACTER OF NOAH
The next thing we should notice is the character of Noah and how it contrasts with the world he was living in.
In the midst of this decadent society one man stood out . . . a man by the name of Noah. Notice what we read about him.
Noah Found Favor
In the New International Version we read that Noah found favor. In the old King James it is, "Noah found grace." Either way it is important that we don't miss something here. Noah did not EARN God's blessing . . .he was given God's favor. Noah was not a perfect man. We have a tendency to see Noah as someone extra-ordinary. It then becomes easy for us to relegate his obedience and faith to the "that's not reachable for me" status. Truth is, he was a common man who was willing to follow the Lord.
I don't know when Noah was transformed by God's grace. He came from a family of faithful people so he may have come to faith early. It really doesn't matter. What does matter is that Noah trusted God. In so doing, Noah stood alone.
He was a Righteous Man
Noah was a man who did what God wanted him to do. In other words he did what was right (thus the term righteous). He allowed God's standards to effect and direct his life. Noah was unafraid to live differently from the status quo.
He was a Blameless Man
In that godless society no one had any charges against Noah. We can conclude that he had a good
relationship with his friends and neighbors. They may have felt he was weird, or one of those "holy rollers",
but they respected him. No one wondered if Noah was dealing honestly with them. They knew his ethics were solid.
No one had to question whether Noah was cheating on his wife. They knew Noah's was committed to her. No one questioned
Noah's methods. They knew he was not seeking to manipulate them when he acted loving. No one questioned Noah's
sincerity. . . they may have questioned his sanity . . .but not his heart.
This is the same experience believers may have today. In fact, God says we should select leaders who are of good reputation. Having a good reputation may not mean that you are invited to all the gatherings people have. But what it will mean is that when these folks have a need . . .they will turn to you. When they have a crisis they will ask you to pray. They may not feel comfortable around you . . . but they will respect you.
He Walked with God
Noah "walked with God" He didn't just visit with God. He didn't "stop in to see
God" on the Sabbath . . . he walked with Him on a daily and hourly basis. Noah's relationship with God was
not a temporary fascination, it was enduring and steady. It was a relationship that was nurtured over hundreds
of years. It was steady and constant.
GOD'S PLAN
So, in light of man's condition and Noah's faithfulness God comes up with a plan. The plan is to start over. God is going to bring a worldwide flood that will destroy every living thing. And his plan is to preserve humanity through Noah and his family. Listen to the text,
This story is so familiar that we may miss the magnitude of what is being asked of Noah. Noah was asked to build a vessel that was 4 1/2 stories high and as long as a football field and a half! Someone has done the math and figured that the ark had a carrying capacity of 522 standard railroad stock cars. Or the equivalent of eight freight trains of 65 cars each! This was no little recreational vehicle.
To make matters worse, Noah and his family lived 500 miles or more away from the closest body of water! And believe it or not, it is likely that it had never rained before! Can you imagine explaining a need for a boat and the concept of a flood under these conditions?
So, not only did God ask Noah to build this great vessel for which there was no precedent, he had to do so in the midst of public ridicule. Certainly he was known by others as "crazy Noah". I wouldn't be surprised if families traveling on vacation would made it a point to drive by and see the man who was building something "God told him to build". He was a freak. Certainly his family even wondered at times if dad may have "lost it".
Even today, with all the modern tools and resources this would be quite a task. Listen to this humorous piece,
This is a monumental undertaking. Building the Ark would have cost Noah lots of money, and led to unending torment by the neighbors and others who thought he was nuts. He may have faced constant doubt from his family about his sanity. Who knows, there may have even been intervention from the city leaders trying to "stop Noah for his own good."
And all this time Noah is preaching to the people. How frustrating it would have been to
have such an urgent message and get nothing but scorn and ridicule in response. He preached but no one responded.
But Noah continued doing what God called him to do. He trusted God's Word and God's promise. And that's what made
him a man of faith.
Applications
Think about what happened as a result of this one man. First, Noah was able to save his family. Second, Noah stood as a contrast to the world . . . he condemned the world by his faithfulness. He showed the justice of God's action. And lastly Noah established himself for all time as an pattern of faith.
You see, this is not an old yarn about the "good ole days". God is still using people. He won't ask you to build an Ark in your backyard but he does still call people to be faithful.
One person can make a difference. God can use you to do what you never dreamt possible. You may not be used in a worldwide setting . . . but He can use you. But we must remember some things.
FIRST, remember that God is not looking for perfection or even talented people . . . .He is looking for willing hearts. God knows we are sinners, that's why He sent Christ. He is not looking for people who have innate ability. You see, He doesn't want someone who believes in themselves . . . He wants someone who believes in Him!
Just because you have failed in the past does not mean that God can't use you in the present. God can still work through you. It's not dependent on you. He is looking for someone who will dare to trust Him as Noah did. Someone willing to simply do what He says. Someone who will take Him at His word. Are you willing to do that?
Are you willing to do things God's way rather than your own? Are you willing to trust His ability rather than your schemes and devices? Are you willing to wait for Him to work rather than to force the issue with your manipulative ploys? Are you willing to let God set the agenda? Are you willing to let God use you rather than you using God?
SECOND, God is looking for long term consistency rather than occasional experiences. God is not looking for hype and flash . . .He is looking for that which is solid and strong. God is looking for the person who will be steady and walk with Him on a daily basis. He is not looking so much for people who will talk boldly, but people who will live consistently in His grace. God is looking for ordinary people who are willing to trust a great God.
Over and over God used ordinary folks. God chose the reluctant Moses, the bashful Saul, the child David, the socially awkward fisherman. He used the Shepherd Amos. the foreigner Ruth, the woman of questionable reputation in Rahab, the teenagers Mary and Joseph. God specializes in taking ordinary people and using them in extraordinary ways. He can use you. He WILL use you . . . if you will let Him.
But there is more. Friends, realize that the stakes are just as high as they were in the days of Noah. There is no coming flood. But there is a coming judgment. And God offers you the chance to be saved. You don't have to board a boat but for proud Americans perhaps He asks something just as difficult. God calls you to admit that you are lost and helpless to save yourself. He calls us to trust Jesus. To believe Him when He tells us that when Jesus died, He died for our wrongdoing. He asks us to believe that in Jesus we are set free from the past and given a future we do not, and could not deserve.
He asks you to trust your life, your future, and your hope of eternity to Him. As in the
days of Noah . . . we are faced with a choice. You can be among those who are saved . . . or when the judgment
comes you can be among those who destroyed. The story of Noah is more than a fascinating historical account . .
. it is a summons to make the choice of lifetime. Listen carefully and choose wisely.
Rev. Bruce Goettsche