Building an Ark

INTRODUCTION

This morning we’re going to be in Genesis 6 as we continue our series through the book of Genesis.

Context:

Real quick let me catch you up on the context. God doesn’t just decide to destroy the earth out of nowhere. Things had been progressively getting worse and worse and worse.

The last time we met together in Genesis the wickedness in the earth had gotten so great that every thought of every man was only evil continually. (Gen 6:5)

Why does God destroy the earth? Because it had gotten completely corrupt. (Gen 6:12) “ALL FLESH had corrupted their way upon the earth.”

There’s an interesting word play in the Hebrew on the word “destroy.” In Genesis 6:13. Gen 6:12-13

Genesis 6:12–13 ESV

12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

That word translated “destroy them” is the same word used for “filled with violence.” It’s as if God is saying, “humanity has become so corrupt that they are literally destroying the creation I gave them to cultivate. So since they’re destroying my creation I’m now going to destroy them.”

But I don’t think his judgment is rash or emotional. I think it’s the same motivation that motivates the discipline of a loving Father.

God’s discipline comes from a place of holiness and love. Just like when somebody you love is eat up with cancer - you’re willing to do whatever it takes to get rid of the cancer - even if that means destroying their body through chemotherapy.

That’s essentially what God is doing through the destruction of the world. It’s an act of love and grace by a holy God and merciful Father.

Starting Over

So God is going to start over. Except in starting over he decides to do something unique. He doesn’t create a new garden, new Adam, new Eve, etc.

He decides to choose ONE PERSON out of all of the earth to warn of his impending judgment and save him and his family by grace, through faith.

That’s where we ended last week.

Genesis 6:8 ESV

8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. As a result of that, not only does God save Noah. But God delivers Noah’s entire family.

In God’s sovereign plan, today is Mother’s Day. While it would maybe seem more applicable to find one of the great moms of the Bible and preach a sermon about her, there are actually some really insightful principles here in the life of Noah that apply to mothers as well.

If you are a parent, a mom or a dad, you are entrusted with a stewardship. God had given you one of the greatest gifts: the gift of human life.

But that gift has been given to you in a world that has gone wrong. It is extremely difficult to raise godly children in a wicked world.

But we see in the life of Noah some principles for how to “Live Right in a World that has Gone Wrong.” Noah built an ark to save his family from the flood of God’s judgment. His life gives us some insight on how to save our children from the same.

Let’s pick it up in Genesis 6:14-22

Genesis 6:14–22 ESV

14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. 16 Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. 21 Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.” 22 Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

Be a Recipient of Grace

The first principle for raising a family that escapes the flood is to be someone who lives in the grace of God yourself.

It’s easy to read Genesis 6:8-9 and think that Noah found favor in the eyes of God because of something HE did.

Genesis 6:8–9 ESV

8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. 9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.

Many people read this and think, “Noah found favor in the eye s of God because of his moral superiority compared with his peers.

But that’s not true. Noah was not a righteous man because of morality or personal character. Noah was a man with BIG FLAWS. If you doubt me, just read what happens after God saves him and his family from the flood. He basically destroys his family even after experiencing God’s supernatural grace in his life.

Noah wasn’t righteous because of his moral effort or personal character. He was made righteous because of God’s grace.

By grace Noah was chosen by God to receive this message.

By grace Noah was spoken to by God to hear about his impending judgment and means of salvation.

By grace Noah was invited by God to repent of his sin and trust in God’s provision for escaping his judgement through the building of an Ark.

EVERYTHING good that happens to Noah and EVERYTHING good that happen to Noah’s family through his leadership is because of God’s GRACE.

Receiving Grace

So the first step to raising a family who escapes the flood is to be person who lives by grace through faith.

2 Timothy 2:1 ESV

1 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,

Through many dangers toils and snares I have already come. Twas Grace that brought me save thus far and grace will bring me home!

The grace of God that saves you is the same grace that sustains you. The grace that gets you started is the same grace that gets you across the finish line.

As Paul said in Gal 2:20

Galatians 2:20 ESV

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Moms - if you want your children to experience the grace of God then model what it looks like to live by grace through faith.

Don’t reject the grace of God. Receive it by faith.

The Lord tells Noah, “I am setting my covenant up between you and me and your family.”

Embrace Your Calling

The second pillar for raising kids that escape the flood of judgment is “Don’t reject the call of God. Embrace it by faith.

Genesis 6:18–19 CSB

18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark with your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives. 19 You are also to bring into the ark two of all the living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you.

Do you think Noah wanted to hear what God was saying to him in verse 18?

One of my favorite movies is a modern remake on this story with Steve Carrell entitled “Evan Almighty.” In it Evan is a successful recently elected US Senator. The LAST THING on his mind is being chosen by God to deliver a message of judgement and build an ark for his families salvation. He had a life to live and didn’t care to be thought crazy by the rest of the world! But God chose him.

Sometimes the Lord is going to ask you to do things that sound crazy on the surface. They sound culturally weird or maybe even offensive.

I remember growing up God asking my parents to do something that I couldn’t see or understand at the time as a teenager. Many of their friends and acquaintances couldn’t see it or understand it either. But they were convinced they had received a word from GOD!

I can’t say whether they did or did not really hear from God in what they decided to do but here’s what I do know - sometimes God will ask you to do things that are absolutely out of this world crazy. And everything in you will want to RUN from God’s call!

Here’s the thing - if Noah would’ve RAN then his family would’ve PERISHED.

For some of you - the cost is high, you’ve have questions still unanswered, you have fears and anxieties and everything else - whatever you do - DON’T RUN FROM GOD’S CALL. ACCEPT THE INVITATION. EMBRACE GOD’S CALLING on your life.

A few weeks ago we had our Foster 325 Launch Sunday. God might’ve been asking some of you to step up as Foster moms or Foster Dads. Don’t run from God’s invitation. Embrace God’s calling without hesitation.

Expect Some Pain

Here’s the thing, sometimes embracing God’s call will entail a little pain and suffering in the short-term.

If you investigate some of the details on these commands from God you learn real quick this building project would’ve been a pain in Noah’s BUTT!

DATA ON BUILDING PROJECT

Just because God’s call on your life is INCONVENIENT doesn’t mean it’s not POSSIBLE and it doesn’t mean it’s not GOOD.

I spoke with a pastor this last week who was talking about how God confirmed in his life that God wanted him to take a certain new ministry assignment. He said I knew it was God speaking because it was the most difficult ministry assignment, the furthest away from home for the LEAST amount of money.

I certainly don’t think that just because something is difficult and inconvenient that it’s God’s will. That’s crazy talk! Often God’s will is an invitation to blessing and abundance!

The point is, SOMETIMES God’s will requires a little pain.

J. D. Greear Sermon Archive Mission: Genesis 6

Imagine the difference from this point on in how Noah saw the world: Every person he saw was headed for destruction.

○ The house he had built wouldn’t be there for very long.

○ The things he created would soon be gone.

○ Everybody he knew would either be saved on the ark or destroyed in the flood.

Don’t let the temporary pain of faith keep you from the long-term blessing of obedience.

There is a RICH BLESSING when we fully embrace the call of God on our life. Don’t cut yourself off from that blessing!

Choose to Be Grateful

Instead of complaining about the temporary pain choose to be grateful for the divine blessings you know you will receive in the future.

When Noah gets out of ark he praises God for his plan.

Conclusion

Like Noah, we’ve received the grace of God.

Like Noah, we’ve been given a clear mission. (Matthew 28:18-20) Our families, the nations, our neighbors.

Like Noah, we’ve been given something to build (Matthew 16:18-19) On this rock I’ll build my church and gates of hell will not prevail against it!

Like Noah, it’ll require we reorient our priorities.

Like Noah, we must choose to be grateful in our obedience.