Running with the Giants Noah
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1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
Today we will pull out Noah -
If Noah could run a lap with you, what would he say?
Don’t miss the boat
Plan ahead… 120 years to build the boat
The wood peckers on the inside are worse than the storms on the outside.
You might want to tell him something…
Why didn’t you swat those 2 mosquitos while you had the chance?
Let’s look at Noah from the Bible
Biblical history is about 6000 years. 4,000 years bc and 2000 AD.
Noah is 10th generation from Adam… 1000 years after Adam. At that time the earth was different. It had not become corrupted by sin.
Heaven is not a place where we will be floating around. God says there will be a new heaven and earth. It’s possible that the earth will be restored to the place it was when Adam was in the garden. At the time of Noah, everything was sustained by springs… it had never rained.
We will come back to an earth that was restored to it’s pre-sin condition. In it’s pre-sin condition, the earth needed no rain. Everything was sustained with fresh springs… that’s why you see people living so long.
Noah lived to be 950 years. At 500, he had Shem, Ham and Japeth.
People lived a long time. Without sin, people lived a long time. His grandfather lived 960 years.
The earth was a better place then and it will be restored… no rainy days and Mondays…
After Noah, life spans began to decrease to the point it is today.
Some folks thin this sounds like a fairy tale. I believe Gen is literal.
Joke: Teacher and child who said Jonah was swallowed by a whale. What if Jonah didn’t go to heaven… then you ask him.
What would Noah say?
What would Noah say?
One Person can make a Difference!
One Person can make a Difference!
This message is for all of you that think you don’t matter… that you can’t make a difference.
5 The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. 6 So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. 7 And the Lord said, “I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them.” 8 But Noah found favor with the Lord.
As it was in the days of Noah
Human traffic
Kids killed for organ harvesting
Economic immorality
Immorality...
Violence
Abortion
We live in a wicked culture. Jesus said in the last days…
I know that we want the nice gospel.... but even through the NT, there is a message that there is a day of judgement coming.
Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
Noah would say that one person can make a difference because he did.
I don’t want us to live our lives not worrying about the wickedness. We may not be adding to the wickedness, but we are doing a lot about it. If we are not careful, we will think this is about us… it’s not.
You can make a difference… here are three areas you can.
Making a Difference
Making a Difference
1. You can make a difference for your family.
1. You can make a difference for your family.
Not the family you think…
1 When everything was ready, the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the boat with all your family, for among all the people of the earth, I can see that you alone are righteous.
Your life affects people around us. Noah alone was righteous and he impacted his family.
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”
household - oikos - impact your sphere of influence. If you will get saved, you will impact your sphere of influence. work, school, ball games, friends, 12-17 people...
Your salvation isn’t just about you… it’s not supposed to be personal where you don’t talk about it. Jesus said to let your life shine.
ILL - of someone coming to Christ through us.
You can make a difference in your family.
2. You can make a difference for your generation.
2. You can make a difference for your generation.
You have a responsibility to your generation. One of the devils’ tricks is to make you think that’s not what your life is about. He will try to convince you that life is about you enjoying your life. He wants that, but his purpose is for you to make a difference in your generation.
You may be thinking… tell me something I don’t know… go deep. That’s not even what church is about...
Church is a half time locker room talk. We want to get you back out on the playing field and in the game to win.
ILL - of wearing glasses. see clearly
36 This is not a reference to David, for after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed.
We want to stor you to make a difference in your own generation.
3. You can make a difference for God.
3. You can make a difference for God.
God is looking for people he can enlist to make a difference for him.
9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”
30 “I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.
God is looking for someone to make a difference in this generation. Sometimes it’s hard to find people. I just want him to use us...
Noah would say… your generation looks just like mine.
Noah’s Words of Encouragement
Noah’s Words of Encouragement
Don’t be afraid to stand out in a crowd.
Don’t be afraid to stand out in a crowd.
Why? Chances are is that God will ask you to do something that is against the flow.
To be a difference maker we have to be different. The reason a lot of us don’t make a difference is that we are not different,
Noah - he was building a boat and it had never rained. Probably easy at first, but imagine around year 87
Don’t be afraid to stand out in the crowd...
when your friends are doing things that displease God
When everyone else is doing it
you are at a movie and it’s worse than you thought
when your friends are telling a dirty joke
when your friends come up and gossip.
when you get pressure to be dishonest at work...
Don’t be afraid to stand out in a crowd.
25 Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.
It’s hard to live righteous in an unrighteous environment and we are in one. Honetsly, the church doesn’t even blink an eye at it anymore. It’s time for the church to make a difference.
Don’t be afraid to do something for the first time.
Don’t be afraid to do something for the first time.
God will ask you to do something you have never done before. My job is to get you ready.
God will ask you to do things that you have never done....
To be a difference maker, you have to be more concerned with obeying God.
Starting Youth for Christ was a huge Leap of Faith, especially when I had a great job offered to me during that time.
Planting this church was a huge leap of faith...
7 It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.
Power of whispers - some of us hear it and don’t respond…
Don’t quit
Step up
Take the risk
Ask forgiveness now
Get help
Get out
Call them… talk
Start today
Be a difference maker
When you see a rainbow, remember that one person can make a difference.
When you see a rainbow, remember that one person can make a difference.
20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
6 Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. 7 And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed. 8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
He wants us to be difference makers.