Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11:6-7
The Faith of Noah
Intro.
1. Noah was a man of faith who walked with God, Gen. 6:9.
2. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, in contrast to the wickedness of man, Gen. 6:5, 8, 11-12.
3. Noah was saved (1) By God, Gen. 6:8; (2) By water, 1 Pet. 3:20; and (3) By faith, Heb. 11:7.
I. NOAH PREPARED AN ARK.
A. The Ark was a Grand Expression of God’s Grace, Gen. 6:7-8, 13-14; 7:7.
1. God, because He is God, has the right to decide how to make His grace available to sinners.
2. God’s grace instructed Noah, and God’s grace instructs us, cf. Titus 2:11-12.
B. Building the Ark was Noah’s Grand Expression of Faith, Heb. 11:7.
1. The gospel, God’s great expression of grace, calls on sinners to have personal faith in order to be saved, Rom. 1:16-17; 5:1-2.
2. Saved “by grace, through faith”, Eph. 2:8.
3. Saved by water: Faith to be baptized in order to be saved by God’s grace, 1 Pet. 3:20-21; Titus 3:4-5.
II. NOAH PREACHED RIGHTEOUSNESS, 2 Pet. 2:5.
A. Noah Believed God’s Warning, Gen. 6:13.
1. It is one thing to say we believe God’s word, and something else entirely to allow God’s word to completely and radically change our lives. cf. 1 Tim. 1:13.
2. God’s warning of future destruction compels us to completely change ourselves and our lives, 2 Pet. 3:10-14.
B. Noah Preached Righteousness, 2 Pet. 2:5.
1. Preach the word of righteousness, 2 Tim. 4:2 (Heb. 5:13).
2. Preach the priority of righteousness, Matt. 6:33.
3. Noah was a righteous man: He practiced what he preached, Gen. 6:9, 22; 7:1; Ezek. 14:14, 20.
a. Being a righteous man does not mean he never sinned, cf. Gen. 9:21.
b. We must live what we teach, what we sing, what we pray.
c. When we sin we must repent and return to God, 1 Jno. 1:9-10.
4. God used Noah as example of the righteousness that is according to faith, Heb. 11:7.
C. Noah Preached of Things Not Yet Seen, Heb. 11:7.
1. Preaching calls on us to have faith in the unseen (hope), Heb. 11:1; Col. 1:5.
2. Divinely warned of:
a. Judgment to come, cf. Acts 24:24-25.
b. Reward of the righteous, Acts 10:35; Rom. 2:7, 10.
3. The natural man does not (cannot) accept the preaching of the mind of God – He is not guided by revelation, but human reason, 1 Cor. 2:14-16 (1:18, 23-24).
III. NOAH PATIENTLY WAITED FOR GOD.
A. Noah Worked While He Waited, Gen. 6:22; 7:5.
1. His faith trusted that God would keep His word and not send the flood until the ark was complete, cf. 1 Pet. 3:20.
2. God is also being longsuffering now, 2 Pet. 3:9.
3. Waiting on God does not mean we are not active; more so, 1 Cor. 15:58; 1 Ths. 3:12-13.
B. Noah Looked While He Waited, Gen. 8:6-16.
1. Even after Noah knew of the dry land, he waited almost 2 more months for God’s word to leave the ark, Gen. 8:13-16.
2. We must not presume to act when God has not spoken, cf. Deut. 1:43; Gal. 1:8-9.
IV. NOAH PRAISED GOD WITH OFFERINGS, Gen. 8:20-21.
A. Worship Honors God’s Character.
1. God kept His word to Noah, and Noah was thankful.
2. We honor God’s character as we worship Him in His way, Jno. 4:23-24; Rev. 4:11; 5:12.
B. Worship Honors God’s Mercy.
1. God had mercy on Noah and his family.
2. God’s mercy toward us compels our worship of Him, Psa. 106:1.
Conclusion
Let us follow the example of Noah, Heb. 11:7.
By: Joe R. Price
Posted: March 1, 2013