The Ark and the Church

(S1) — {Luke 8:22-25}

PRAY

(S2) — SERIES—Seeing Jesus in the beginning

— Creation…God’s Spirit over the waters—Adams fall...Jesus’ victory

— The Ark and the Church: Two life-saving vessels of God

(S3) — Noah and the Ark

Bible story/Familiar—Noah/Big Boat/Two x Two—Cute story we tell our children—But...

— the craziness of this one mans massive building project (No community support)

(S4) — Ark Diagram

Size — 450’ L x 75’ W x 45’ H (cubic) — Capabilities...

The New Manners and Customs of the Bible 6:14–16 “Noah’s Ark”

The arks ratio (length × width × height) of 30 × 5 × 3. According to modern shipbuilders, this represents an advanced knowledge of shipbuilding since it is the optimum design for stability in rough seas. The ark, as designed by God, was virtually impossible to capsize—to do so, it would have to be tilted over 90 degrees.

— Consider the time it took (100-120 yrs) and Noah's age

500 yrs old {6:32}—Command by God {6:14}—600 yrs when the flood waters come {7:6}

— Consider the need for a boat of any kind—No water had fallen from the sky or come from the earth {7:11}

— Then packing it full of stinky animals...feed...take care of...

Life size—Ark Encounter

When we consider the context…reason for the flood—Noah’s story is sobering, challenging and especially convicting.

(S5) — The first of three floods...

1. The flood of EVIL on the earth

One should not be surprised by the corruption of the ancient world…

—Adams’s Fall—sin first entering the human heart—wickedness and unfaithfulness to God was everywhere

[Genesis 6:1-2}

…the intermarrying or relations between the faithful and the unfaithful...

“Civilization and society were developing along two streams—two lines of people—the godly and the ungodly. The faithful and the unfaithful—One walked with God; the other after the flesh and the things of this world.” Preachers Outline/Sermon Bible (KJV)—Co-Mingling with the Ungodly Line, 6

Jesus addressed this in the parable of the faithful and unfaithful servant {MT. 24:36}

...reminds us how quickly a home, church, nation, and world, can turn from God—the faithful influenced by the unfaithful....

2 Corinthians 6:14“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”

{6:3} — God’s patience has limits—his grief...

{Genesis 6:5-6}

Sin plagued the whole earth...except for one man

(S6)

Genesis 6:8–9 NLT

But Noah found favor with the Lord. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.

Noah found favor (grace)…blessed because of it…his walking with God. His life was a remnant of Gods intended paradise—His love for God evident in is his behavior.

John 13:35 “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.””

The increased risk of getting caught up in political vitriol — Standing up for your faith is not putting someone else down for their lack of faith.

Noah knew something the people refused to hear but he didn’t stop speaking and didn’t stop building—Repentance is at the heart of Noah’s story

2 Peter 2:5 “Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood.”

2. The flood of DESTRUCTION

His faithfulness, obedience, his building project, and his words, were all meant to awaken the unfaithful to God’s coming judgement.

During the construction of the ark, Noah preached for over 100 years.  Called a preacher of “righteousness.” 

His mission, more than a massive undertaking, it was to build a..

(S7) —

LIFE-SAVING VESSEL

Lighthouses/Fires/Guide Mariners away from danger

Noah’s words were like a beacon in the night—a warning to the unfaithful.

Do you see the ark as a life-saving vessel? As a beacon of warning to the unfaithful?

Much is left to our imagination on how the people responded to Noah’s project, except that their ways remained—Unaware of the rising waters even before the rains, they did see the ark for what it was—a life-saving vessel.

Swimming to the Buoy

People were drowning in unfaithfulness and didn’t know it until it was too late—lesson...

(S8)

I.Going against the FLOW, takes great FAITH

The disciples in the boat—as the storms came so did the fear! They lacked what they needed—It would take great faith to lead people in the opposite direction that most were going.

God calls Noah to do what no one else would. To believe what no one else did—To call people to faithfulness in God—to swim upstream

(S9) —

Lets admit that going with flow is easier…

Ezekiel 18:9 “He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live, declares the Sovereign LORD.

Where are you...? How is God calling you to swim up stream, to go against the flow? Where is your faith?

Noah believed and was faithful…

{Genesis 7:1}

It was a family affair...by his faithfulness his family would be saved.

(S10) — Second lesson…

II. Remain faithful and NEVER give up on those you love

Grandpa/Grandson who believed

{Genesis 7:4-5}

Noah did as the Lord instructed—The flood of evil, corruption in the human heart and refusal to turn to God. The second great FLOOD of God’s judgment was inevitable!

{Genesis 7:11-12}

…A warning of God’s coming judgment for the unfaithful still today…

2 Thessalonians 1:7–8 “…when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus.”

The rains came, the waters rose and yet because of Noah’s faithfulness…you know the story—God provides a life-saving vessel and on the other side of the storm lies a rainbow

(S11) — Through Noah…

III. All of creation is made NEW!

God is a COVENANT-KEEPING God...

Noah is an example of how we are to live...

Sin and turning away from God has its consequences...

There is hope in God’s GRACE

What God does through Noah...God has done for us in Jesus...

Mark 1:15 ““The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!””

Another boat...lots of water...a life-threatening storm...

(S12)

{Luke 8:22}

Why did Jesus instruct them to get in the boat? To get to the other-side

— With Noah the other-side of the storm was a place people refused to go…

— Jesus was taking them to a place that no one wanted to go (tombs). Where Jesus would extend grace to the outcasts...the unclothed and the homeless (8:26-39).

Was there fear the storm? (fisherman). Or was it where Jesus was taking them? Their fear of the known.

The problem with their lack of faith in the storm—Their view was limited.

—Only seeing what was right ahead head of them, not why Jesus was taking them to the other side

— Only seeing the storm as a way to death instead of Jesus as the way to life

— Only seeing Jesus as a man (sleeping)

{Luke 8:24}

Unsure of who Jesus is, where he wants to take them…they lack faith.

— Faith like Noah to be obedient to God’s will...FAITH like Noah to go against the flow...FAITH like Noah to trust in God who makes things new!

We are not so different...we are not wicked by no means...but we are sinful...

Lazy rivers, cant see around the bend...that ends at a large falls..

The warning signs are there...until its too late...until we have no where else to turn

(S13)

Jesus wakes calms the storm...and says…

Luke 8:25 NLT

Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?”

...not meant as a rebuke—Jesus knew something that the disciples did not yet know—what was to come!

Noah’s boat building was a warning, like a lighthouse, a beacon in the night to turn people to God

It took faith to build a big boat...to tell people to turn to God for the flood waters are coming

In his followers Jesus was laying the foundation for the church—It would take great faith to be the church and lead people to trust in him.

(S14)

JESUS and the CHURCH

But first there was a bigger storm a brewing...one that only Jesus would endure.

— Noah built the ark out of gopher wood...to save humanity—Jesus would build his church out of a wooden cross...to save the world

“The Ark is a symbol of the City of God on pilgrimage in this world: that is, of the Church which is saved through the wood upon which hung ‘the Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus’.” (XV.26)

Noah's family is rescued because of his faithfulness...We are rescued today because of Jesus’s faithfulness—Noah escapes the flood....Jesus does not escape judgement...

The Ark entrance on side—”God closed the door”— Jesus pierced in the side...

When a person puts their trust in Jesus, they become a part of a new family; a place in the boat. Noah built the ark and humanity was saved—Jesus built...

(S15) — The CHURCH to be a LIFE-SAVING vessel

Light Houses became Life-saving Stations (1871)

Closing

The ark wasn’t perfect...messy....family, animals...rain...darkness and neither is the church..its leaders...you and I all need God’s saving grace. The question is..

Am I in the boat? Or am I just being pulled along downstream?

Do you see the church as a life-saving vessel?

Are you on board; in the boat with Jesus? Know Jesus?

If so, have you allowed being in the presence of Jesus to transform your faith?

Day by day the waters are rising...the church on mission to turn hearts to Jesus—only the faithful shall be saved

Matthew 24:12–14 NLT

Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.

There is a flood to come...but there is a greater need for a flood today. Time is running out a different storm is coming in Jesus’ return, so let the CHURCH flood the earth with Jesus...

Our Faithfulness has to be rooted in Jesus. God’s saving vessel...Jesus who built the boat, his church,

— Because of Jesus’ faithfulness to shed his blood on the wood of a cross...new life is made possible!

You, me, the Church: God’s Life-Saving Vessel