Ark to Altar: God’s Grace and Our Gratitude

“This Is The Word of the Lord”

I was encouraged to take a moment and explain why I say “This is the word of the Lord” after we read our Scripture for the morning’s sermon. It’s a recent tradition that from what I gather was started in the 1960’s. A few thoughts:

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

John 6:63 “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.”

Deuteronomy 32:45–47 “When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, he said to them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.””

It wasn’t until Moses began to write down what we have that God give definitively who He is and how we are to engage Him. This is good news! There are beliefs, religions, faith systems that are subjective and nebulous… you make it what you want. This leads to sorrow, heartache, emptiness, and defeat. God has shown us who He is. It is by His word we know who God is… we don’t have to guess. This is good news.

Hebrews 1:1–3 “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

So after reading our Scriptures, God’s word for us, I say, “This is the word of Lord”. This is a call and response that if you wish to acknowledge this, it is highly appropriate for you to say, “Praise be to God”!

Introduction

Imagine being trapped in a dark cave or mine shaft for an extended period. Imagine the fear, uncertainty, and despair that would set in as days turn into weeks. (Thailand Soccer Team: 18 days) Then, describe the moment when you hear faint sounds of rescuers, see the first glimmer of light, and finally emerge into the sunlight. The rush of emotions - relief, gratitude, and joy - would be overwhelming.

This analogy parallels Noah's experience in the ark:

The long period of uncertainty and potential despair during the flood (almost a full year from the time going into the ark until they exited).

The moment of hope when the dove returns with the olive branch

The joy and gratitude upon finally leaving the ark

In many ways, Noah's experience in Genesis 8 mirrors our own journeys through life's trials. We face periods of darkness and uncertainty, but God remembers us. He sends us signs of hope, speaks to us in our distress, and ultimately leads us to deliverance. And just as Noah's first act upon leaving the ark was to build an altar and worship, we too find that our hearts overflow with praise when we recognize God's faithfulness through our trials.

If you have your Bibles or on your devices, you can turn to Genesis 8. If you are willing and able would you stand with me as I read God’s word this morning… let us pray… amen… you may be seated.

God Remembered

v1. When the Old Testament says that God remembered, it combines the ideas of faithful love (cf. Jer. 2:2; 31:20) and timely intervention: ‘God’s remembering always implies his movement towards the object of his memory,’ Kidner, D. (1967). Genesis: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 1, p. 98). InterVarsity Press.

“So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived” - Genesis 19:29

“God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.” - Exodus 2:24

Noah has to be patient. 40 days rain/flood; 150 days waters receded; 90 days continued to recede; 90 more days until the land is dry.

I think patience is divine. It’s a fruit of the Spirit. We don’t have it all the time, it needs to be developed, it needs to be cultivated, and when it is, it is a gift. When it is not, it is one of the worst things in the world. I WANT PATIENCE NOW!! :)

Noah waited over a year before he came out of the ark. Patience. He waited for God’s word.

Reflecting on hardship and difficulty… CH Spurgeon, English 19th century preacher, nicknamed the prince of preachers, said this…

“Affliction could have been the fire to remove our impurities, but impatience has prevented the mental purification that submission could have provided. It is unprofitable, dishonorable, and weakening; it has never brought us gain, and never will.” Spurgeon, C. H. (1911). The Pearl of Patience. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 57, p. 290). Passmore & Alabaster.

Patience receives the promises of God.

“We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” - Hebrews 6:12

While he waits… it’s not a passive waiting… but he sends out birds to gauge what is happening. If God is doing something, you’re going to see signs. Maybe not overt, but this is part of the active waiting. What can we prepare, what can we do until God does what He does.

vv6-12. The dove is an interesting animal. It speaks to a few things. It is the form that the Spirit descended upon Jesus, it is the animal associated with peace, along with the olive branch… drawn primarily from our text here. Where there was judgement but now that has ceased, there is peace, hope, and new beginnings.

The Greek word used for the Holy Spirit is παράκλητος: to come alongside people, advocate, helper, intercessor:

Bring hope to hurting lives - Entering peoples pain - Walk with people who hurt - Empower hurting lives - Show up

Because God keeps showing up in mercy, grace, power and faithfulness

The dove coming with a branch in its mouth communicates that the waters of judgement have/are receding. It’s a messenger of hope.

Building Biblical Hope…What is hope?

“The active expectation of good based on the character of God.” -Katherine Kuhn

“Hope means having something to look forward to” – Guy Gray

Hope is always looking to the future, anchored in a reason that is great enough to sustain you through the pain of living in this world.

It’s not false because it’s predicated on God’s past faithfulness. God’s past faithfulness demands our present trust.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” - Romans 15:13

Our patience is never in vain.

We're called to cultivate patience and hope - not as passive bystanders, but as active participants in God's unfolding plan. When we anchor our hope in God's character and past faithfulness, we find the strength to persevere through any flood.

So, in your seasons of waiting, remember: God hasn't forgotten you. He's working, even now, to bring about your deliverance and to use your story as a testament to His faithfulness. Let this truth be the dove that brings an olive branch of hope to your heart today.

God Spoke

The word of God to those that are perishing is a frightful thing.

The word of God spoken to those who love Him it is great comfort, it brings life.

The very first chapter of the book of Genesis, “And God said,….” “…and it was so”.

Having passed through the chaos waters into a new life, God calls them out of the ark.

It is a de-creation with the flood and then a recreation.

You don’t have to be a Christian very long, or know a Christian very long to see that this is an accurate word picture of what takes place in our life.

The former things of old have passed away, behold we are new creatures, a new creation because of the life, death, resurrection, ascension, and indwelling of the Holy Spirit… our seal of promise.

The resolution comes by the resolve of God’s heart to fashion a newness… Humankind is hopeless. Creation has not changed. It is deeply set against God’s purposes. The imagination of the heart first recognized as evil in 6:5 is still imagination of the heart which is evil in 8:21. All the terror of the waters has not changed that. Hope for the future is not premised on possibility thinking or human actualization. Hope will depend on a move from God. Brueggemann, W. (1982). Genesis (pp. 80–81). John Knox Press.

To be sure God has been committed to His creation from the beginning. The flood has effected no change in human-kind.

What distinguishes God in this narrative from every other god and from every creature is God’s deep grief. That grief enables God to move past his own interest and to embrace his creature-partner in new ways. In the self-abandoning of God (cf. Phil. 2:5–11) comes the basis for a new world called now into being. Brueggemann, W. (1982). Genesis (p. 82). John Knox Press.

In any case, it is clear that chaos is not the last word. The last word is retained by the One who stands outside of and presides over the flood (cf. Ps. 29:10–11). And his last word is, “I will remember my covenant” Brueggemann, W. (1982). Genesis (p. 88). John Knox Press.

“The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever. The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” - Psalm 29:10-11

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” - Isaiah 43:2

Noah Blessed

Noah also stepped out and saw “dry ground”. This is profound in scripture. It’s one of those phrases that seems like a unimportant detail, but when read the accounts carefully, you start to see it’s significance.

Exodus crossing the Red Sea

Joshua crossing the Jordan

Gideon and the fleece

Elijah striking the ground with his cloak dividing the waters, walking through on dry ground

Deliverance and New Beginnings: Dry ground appears in the context of deliverance and new beginnings. It often signifies God's intervention to save His people and lead them into a new phase of their journey or history.

God's Power Over Nature: The appearance of dry ground where there should be water (Red Sea, Jordan River) demonstrates God's power over natural elements, showcasing His supremacy as Creator.

Faith and Obedience: These events often require faith from God's people. They must trust and obey to step onto the dry ground God provides.

Transition from Death to Life: Symbolically, moving from water to dry ground can represent a transition from death (flood, sea) to life and new possibilities.

Noah came out the ark and it says he built an altar to the Lord and sacrificed burnt offerings on it.

There is no indicator to what kind of burnt offerings these were (sin, purity, gift, guilt, etc) but we can surmise that this is something of praise and thanksgiving for what the Lord brought them through.

Seeing God move, experiencing a move of His spirit, by Him meeting our provision, and how often times that results in worship. There is a connection there between the benevolence, grace, and kindness of God and it causing his people to worship. It's very powerful.

Altars are those things that are a reminder of God’s faithfulness.

The Israelites at the Red Sea: After God delivered them from Egypt, they immediately broke into song and worship (Exodus 15). This demonstrates how God's miraculous provision often leads to spontaneous praise.

Joshua after crossing the Jordan they take stones from the middle of the river and build a monument to remember what God did… in that when their children ask why the stones are stacked on top of each other, they are tell of what God had done.

David's life: Many of David's psalms were written in times of distress, yet they often transition from lament to praise as he remembers God's faithfulness. This illustrates worshiping before deliverance.

Paul and Silas in prison: They sang hymns while in chains (Acts 16:25), showing worship in the midst of trials, which led to their miraculous release.

Job's response to loss: Despite losing everything, Job's first response was to worship (Job 1:20-21), demonstrating unconditional praise.

The Prodigal Son: The father's gracious welcome led to celebration, linking God's forgiveness with joyful response.

Healing of the leper: In Luke 17:15-16, one of the ten healed lepers returned to thank Jesus, showing how experiencing God's power can prompt worship.

Worship often precedes breakthroughs in scripture (e.g., Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20)

The cyclical nature of grace and worship: how worship opens our hearts to receive more of God's grace, which in turn inspires more worship.

Personal testimonies of times when worship shifted perspective in difficult situations

The transformative power of choosing to worship even when we don't feel like it, as an act of faith

This too is how God is pleased… Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

There is something that becomes real when we seek God for who He is, not just what He can do for us, but because He is good, holy, righteous, and true; knowing that His thoughts towards us are good and that He works for our good.

Conclusion

As we close our study of Genesis 8, we're reminded that our journey with God often mirrors Noah's experience. We may face floods of trials and periods of waiting, but God always remembers us. He speaks to us in our uncertainty, offering comfort and direction. And like Noah, our response to God's faithfulness should be one of worship and gratitude.

Whether you're currently in the midst of a storm, waiting for the waters to recede, or stepping out onto dry land, remember this: God sees you, He hasn't forgotten you, and He's working even when you can't see it. His voice still breaks through our doubts and fears, bringing hope and new beginnings. So, let us be a people who, like Noah, build altars of praise in every season – not just after the deliverance, but even while we wait. For in doing so, we declare our trust in the God who remembers, the God who speaks, and the God who is worthy of our worship, come rain or shine.

Amen.