"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" (Hebrews 11:7).
"So the Lord said, 'I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.' But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God" (Genesis 6:7-9).
IDEA: The story of Noah is sometimes regarded as a children's story, but it might be a story you would not want your children to listen to.
PURPOSE: To help listeners realize the serious nature of Noah's story.
If I say Shrek, what comes to your mind?
How about Paul Bunyan?
How about Noah?
Do you think that we tend to make Noah like a mythical character to laugh at?
I. The story of Noah is often treated as a story for children.
We can buy a Noah's Ark in an expensive toy store for several hundred dollars. We can purchase a less expensive ark at other stores. I've seen them in church toddlers' classrooms. They are fascinating toys for children to play with. Why?
Do you think the Bible treats the story as an amusing saga from the past?
II. What does the story of Noah tell us that we may need to hear?
Sin is a reproach to any people, and God may deal with it in drastic ways. "Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, 'I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them' " (Genesis 6:5-7).
This is the hard side of God that we tend to avoid.
Recently a newspaper columnist wrote that he had no interest in worshiping a God who would destroy an entire nation simply because He did not approve of what they did. How do you respond to that kind of attack?
This theme of God's judgment in Genesis is found throughout the Bible:
Proverbs 14:34 -- "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."
Romans 1:18-32 -- to indulge sin leads to more sin until the whole culture is destroyed.
There are men and women of faith who stand against their society in its sinward drift.
Noah was a source of warning and judgment to his society (Hebrews 11:7). How do you think that actually took place?
In Gloucester, there is a saying, "If they will not heed the buoy, they will heed the rocks."
There are people of faith in every age who trust God in spite of what is taking place around them. It takes both grace and courage to be a minority in the middle of a militant and intolerant majority.
A mother watching her son who is marching in an army company said, "Everyone is out of step but our James." But there are times when James is the only one who is really in step.
In every age God looks for Noahs who will walk with Him in faith. That is what the writer of Hebrews is doing in presenting Noah as an example.