"Noah: A Beacon of Faithful Fatherhood"

Foundational Elements

"Noah: A Beacon of Faithful Fatherhood"

Foundational Elements

1. Sermon Title: "Noah: A Beacon of Faithful Fatherhood"

2. Text of Sermon: Genesis 6:5-9; Genesis 7:7; Genesis 9:1; John 3:16

3. Subject: Fatherhood

4. Central Idea of the Text (CIT): Noah exemplified faithful fatherhood by walking with God and leading his family in righteousness.

5. Proposition: Fathers today should emulate Noah's example of faith, action, teaching, hope, example, and reliability.

6. Objective: As a result of this sermon, hearers will strive to embody the virtues demonstrated by Noah in their own fatherhood and family leadership.

7. Main Point of the Sermon (MPS): We know Noah's faithful actions, and we should apply these virtues to our lives as fathers.

Introduction

Good morning and Happy Father's Day to all the fathers here today! As we gather to celebrate and honor the fathers in our lives, we turn our attention to a man who exemplified faithful fatherhood in the most challenging of times—Noah. Through his unwavering faith and obedience to God, Noah provides us with a powerful model of fatherhood that is still relevant today.

Noah's life teaches us about being a faithful friend, a man of action, a dedicated teacher, a bearer of hope, a shining example of love, and a reliable role model. We will explore these virtues using the acronym FATHER, drawing parallels between Noah's life and the ultimate example provided by God Himself.

History of Father’s Day

1.July 5, 1908 in West Virginia Pastor Webb wanted to celebrate and remember the miners that had died 362 miners died 350 where fathers.

2. Spokane, Washington Sonora Smart Dobb, one of 6 kids raised by her dad wanted to celebrate her father for all he did.

3. Corporations wanted to celebrate DADS as a way of making money by selling stuff like pipes, tools, fishing gear, ties, and leisure clothes. Taking a page from Mother’s Day.

4. Lyndon B Johnson in 1966 proclaimed the third Sunday in June to be Father’s Day.

5. Nixon in 1972 made Father’s Day a national holiday.

Depending on which Bible you use the word Father is used between 979-1131 times. See writers of the Bible cant make up its mind how important Fathers are.

Mark Twain once said, “When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have him around. But when I go to 21, I was astonished at how much the old man learned in 7 years.

Genesis 6–7 “When mankind began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives for themselves. And the Lord said, “My Spirit will not remain with mankind forever, because they are corrupt. Their days will be 120 years.” The Nephilim were on the earth both in those days and afterward, when the sons of God came to the daughters of mankind, who bore children to them. They were the powerful men of old, the famous men. When the Lord saw that man’s wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every scheme his mind thought of was nothing but evil all the time, the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. Then the Lord said, “I will wipe off from the face of the earth mankind, whom I created, together with the animals, creatures that crawl, and birds of the sky—for I regret that I made them.” Noah, however, found favor in the sight of the Lord. Thes…”

Father F= faithful/ friend

Noah was the only one during this time that was moving in the same direction as God.

Genesis 6:5–7 “When the Lord saw that man’s wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every scheme his mind thought of was nothing but evil all the time, the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. Then the Lord said, “I will wipe off from the face of the earth mankind, whom I created, together with the animals, creatures that crawl, and birds of the sky—for I regret that I made them.””

Genesis 6:8 “Noah, however, found favor in the sight of the Lord.” some translations say Grace

Noah’s Life illustrates the good works that should result from a personal relationship with God.

Despite this, Genesis 6:8 tells us, "Noah, however, found favor in the sight of the Lord." Noah was faithful to God, maintaining his righteousness in a corrupt world. This faithfulness made him a friend of God, akin to how Jesus describes friendship in John 15:14-15: "You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."

Noah is a true example of someone in the Old Testament that is truly saved. Ephesians 2:8–9 “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast.”

Illustration: Imagine living in a time when everyone around you is turning away from God, yet you remain steadfast in your faith. This is the kind of faithfulness Noah exhibited.

Application: As fathers, we should strive to be faithful to God, setting an example for our children by staying true to our beliefs, even when it is difficult.

A= Action/ advisor

Genesis 6:9 “These are the family records of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries; Noah walked with God.”

See God didn’t speak to anyone but Noah. Noah told his family of what God spoke to him as we see in chapter 6 and 7.

How would you take this news? What if your dad told you that you had to build a giant ark and gather two of every kind?

Because of Noah’s character his family followed him. Noah took action without questioning God.

James 2:17 reminds us, "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."Noah’s life was a testament to living faith in action.

Illustration: Think about the immense task of building a giant ark and gathering animals as instructed by God. Noah took on this monumental task with unwavering faith.

Application: Fathers should take action in their faith, leading their families with conviction and serving as advisors in spiritual matters.

T= Teacher

From what we see in verses 5-8 we see that his family follows him because of the way that Noah lived .

Genesis 7:7 “So Noah, his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives entered the ark because of the waters of the flood.”

Noah teaches us how we should live and how we should be fathers.

Noah's life teaches us about obedience and reverence for God. Similarly, Proverbs 22:6 instructs us, "Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it." Noah taught his children through his faithful actions and unwavering trust in God.

Illustration: Noah's consistent walk with God taught his family about faith and obedience, ensuring they were prepared to follow him into the ark.

Application: Fathers should teach their children about God through both words and actions, leading by example in living a righteous life.

DAD- This is one that Ginny would prefer me to be called: DAD stands for Does as Directed.

Dad tax: Obie would tell you this is his least favorite part of dads period.

H= Hope/ healer

After Noah tells his family what task must be done and what is going to happen he gives them hope by bringing them on the ark with him. God gives Noah hope in Genesis 6:18 “But I will establish My covenant with you, and you will enter the ark with your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives.”

God heals by establishing a covenant with Noah in Genesis 9 “God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. The fear and terror of you will be in every living creature on the earth, every bird of the sky, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are placed under your authority. Every living creature will be food for you; as I gave the green plants, I have given you everything. However, you must not eat meat with its lifeblood in it. I will require the life of every animal and every man for your life and your blood. I will require the life of each man’s brother for a man’s life. Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in His image. But you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out over the earth and multiply on it.” Then God said to Noah and his sons with him, “Understand that I am confirming My covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you—birds, livestock, and all wildlife of the ea…”

This hope was fulfilled when God blessed Noah and his sons after the flood in Genesis 9:1: "Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.'"

God is the ultimate source of hope and healing. Psalm 147:3 states, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Noah’s life shows us how to provide hope and healing to our families through faith in God’s promises.

Illustration: In times of uncertainty, Noah provided stability and hope to his family, reassuring them of God's promises and plans.

Application: Fathers should be sources of hope and healing, comforting their families with the promises of God and guiding them through life's challenges.

E= Example / Everlasting love

We look back at Genesis 6 and see that Noah gives us as children/ fathers how to be faithful and to be obedient without questioning God.

Enoch and Noah are the first in the Old Testament to Walk with God.

Genesis 6:22 “And Noah did this. He did everything that God had commanded him.”

God’s everlasting love is evident in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."God’s love for us is the ultimate example we should emulate as fathers.

Illustration: Noah's unwavering commitment to God's commands serves as an enduring example of how we should live our lives.

Application: Fathers should embody this everlasting love, showing unconditional love and commitment to their families as God loves us.

R= Reliable/ Role Model in Christ

This is like beating a dead horse to walk with God in this time he had to be in the favor of God.

Noah was a reliable servant of God, consistently demonstrating his faith through his actions. His reliability made him a role model for his family and for us.

To walk with God, as Noah did, is to be reliable in our faith. Hebrews 11:7 commends Noah’s faith: "By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith."

God is our ultimate role model, and He is always reliable. Deuteronomy 7:9 reminds us, "Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments."

Illustration: Being a father means being a reliable source of support and guidance, much like Noah was for his family.

Application: Fathers should aim to be dependable and trustworthy, serving as role models in their faith journey.

Conclusion

As we reflect on the life of Noah, we see a man who exemplified the virtues of faithful fatherhood in extraordinary ways. Noah's faithfulness, his willingness to take action, his role as a teacher, his ability to provide hope, his example of everlasting love, and his reliability as a role model are all qualities that fathers today can aspire to embody.

Noah's unwavering faith and obedience to God not only saved his family but also set a precedent for righteous living. He found favor in the eyes of the Lord because he chose to walk with God, even when the world around him was steeped in wickedness. His actions, driven by faith, demonstrate the importance of living a life that honors God and influences those around us positively.

As we celebrate Father's Day, let us remember that being a father means more than providing for our families; it means leading them in faith, guiding them with wisdom, and loving them unconditionally. Just as Noah's family followed him into the ark, our families look to us for direction, support, and hope.

In John 3:16, we see the ultimate expression of God's love for us: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." This everlasting love is the foundation upon which we build our relationships with our families. As fathers, we are called to mirror this love, providing a steadfast example for our children.

Let us strive to be fathers who are faithful friends to our families, who take action in our faith, who teach and guide with wisdom, who offer hope and healing, who serve as examples of God's love, and who remain reliable and steadfast in our walk with Christ.

May we, like Noah, find favor in the eyes of the Lord and lead our families toward a deeper relationship with God. Let us pray that we embody these virtues and that our lives reflect the love and grace of our Heavenly Father.

Amen.