The Simple Submission of Noah Pt. 1

Introduction

I want to take a few weeks to talk about some of the heroes of the faith. We’ve been discussing the faithfulness of God during trying times and believing in His promises even when we can’t understand what He’s asking us to do. What we’ve been discussing isn’t without precedent. There are many examples of heroes of the faith – if you will, scattered throughout the pages of scripture and I’d like to start a new series- not based on a textual reading through one book at a time, but selected lives highlighted one at a time.

Hebrews 12:1 GW

Since we are surrounded by so many examples ⌊of faith⌋, we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up.

Who were the examples that the author of Hebrews is talking about? Why those saints listed in the Faith Hall of Fame (otherwise known as Chapter 11).

Today I want to start out with the life of Noah.

Noah

The world’s condition was pretty bad:

Genesis 6:5–7 NKJV

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”

This first part of Genesis speaks of a world in woe and the grief in the heart of God. Can you imagine a God so loving and so wonderful be so woefully distraught at the decisions of His beloved creation that He felt remorse at having even made man on the earth? Well that’s exactly what scripture tells us Noah’s generation was like. We see this same situation going on in Sodom and Gomorrah right before God destroys that city with fire and brimstone. Saints does God take sin seriously? You bet He does!

But as God pronounces judgment upon the earth and prepares to destroy it with a cataclysmic flood, we find one glimmer of hope! Aren’t you glad for the glimmers in life? Well we find one here in verse 8. Read it out loud with me now.

Genesis 6:8 NKJV

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Aren’t you glad for those scripture buts? Aren’t you glad for that amazing grace of God? Aren’t you glad there has always been someone – at least one, who is found even somewhat faithful? In Sodom and Gomorrah, it was Lot and his daughters and here it’s Noah. But what I want to know is this: What was it about Noah that God saw and caused Him to show His grace upon Noah? Why Him, and then by extension, how do we appropriate what he had and apply it to ourselves today.

Proponents of dispensational theology will tell you that we are living in the dispensation of grace, but here we see grace in operation way back in the days of Noah. How is that possible? Well could it be that grace is not a dispensation as some theologians believe but rather a gift that is given by God of His own choosing?

Well let’s keep reading to see if we can find out what all this means.

Genesis 6:9–12 NKJV

This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

Noah was Just

Noah was a “just” man. Well some might say he was just a man, but what exactly is a “just” man? Some translations (if you happen to be reading the NIV for example) use the word “righteous”. It seems that Noah had a good relationship toward God, and while not a perfect man (as we discover later in his life) he demonstrated a strong inclination towards submission to God.

Noah was Perfect

Next it says he was perfect. Again if you’re reading the NIV you’ll see that the word they use to translate is “blameless”. Now this doesn’t mean that he was without sin, it means he was without the disposition toward constant sin about which we read in verse 8. In fact based on what we know about the people in verses 5-7 and verse 11, Noah stood out amongst his peers.

Noah walked with God

Noah maintained the example He was given as a young boy of his grandfather. You may have heard of him. He was a man called Enoch. Do you remember him? WHAT specifically do you remember about him? Right he disappeared from the earth. Why? Can you remember the exact passage of scripture that speaks of Enoch? Well let’s turn to it:

Genesis 5:24 NKJV

And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

He was not what? He was not… he ceased to exist on the earth. Why because God took him. Why did God take him? Because he walked with God! What do you think? Now this brings us back to our current point, why was Noah shown grace? Because he took grandpa’s example of walking with God and he incorporated it into his daily life.

In Noah’s day, that meant having a good prayer life (Calling on the name of the Lord). Faithful to his offerings- He would have been faithful with the animal sacrifices that had been established right after the fall of man.

That’s what it says in our passages thus far, but if we skip forward just a bit we see.

Genesis 6:22 NKJV

Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.

Noah was obedient

It says he did “according to all that the Lord commanded him. Actually this point is mentioned again in Gen 7:5. What was it about this obedience that was so special? Where did it come from?

Hebrews 11:7 NKJV

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Let’s break this down. By faith, being warned he MOVED WITH GODLY FEAR! How many of us have some of that godly fear? My guess is not many. Where did that godly fear come from though? It came from all the stuff that we read he did and he was. IT came from him being righteous and blameless and walking with God, faithful to his obligations of sacrifice. In his every day life through a life submitted to the Word of God, he proved out the faithfulness of God each and every day! See that fear of the Lord and that obedience is something that is practiced in the small details of life so that when the big ark words of God come, we are then able to step up and build them. Because of this submission Peter tells us the reward.

2 Peter 2:5 NKJV

and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;

Noah was a preacher of righteousness

God is not going to let you become a preacher of righteousness if you’re not living in His righteousness. He’s not going to let you become a preacher of reconciliation if you harbor unforgiveness. He’s not going to let you become a preacher of faith if you have none for yourself. Where does all this faith come from? Again it comes from submitting ourselves to God in the little things.

Remember, Noah lived in an ungodly world, a world in which he stuck out like a sore thumb. He was the ONLY one to serve God!

How about us?

Well that’s all fine and well pastor, but how does this apply to me? Glad you asked.

We must be just

As strange as it sounds we must be just in in His sight. Lucky for us this is not as heavy a burden as it seems. See, God’s love has already purchased that part for us.

Romans 5:8–9 NKJV

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

He purchased that justification at a heavy price.

1 John 1:7–9 NKJV

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

It was the blood of Christ that cleansed us and was one of the key elements to our justification, but that’s just the beginning, God gave us what we need to be made “perfect”

We must be perfect

Because God knew that we were like sheep constantly going astray, the work on the cross was not one sizes fits all. He knew we’d require all kinds of instruction. Some more than others and some instruction in this area and others instruction in to so He gave us His Word.

2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Not just in written form, but in a most precious and abiding way.

Ephesians 3:16–19 NKJV

that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

It is this faithfulness of God that guards and protects us from the wiles of the enemy.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 NKJV

But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.

All of this He has given us so that we can learn to walk with Him.

We must walk with God

Just like Noah did. Walking with God in the everyday details of life is what is necessary to overcome the world on the calamitous day. So then we must walk with God no matter how those around us choose to walk.

Ephesians 4:17–20 NKJV

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ,

Instead we need to be followers of Christ – just like little children, walking in sacrificial love.

Ephesians 5:1–2 NKJV

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

When we do that we can then walk as “Children of Light” exposing the darkness.

Ephesians 5:8–11 NKJV

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

Now, this does not mean we go around condemning everyone and everything that doesn’t serve God the way we think they should. It means that we expose it with our mere presence. The contrast between who we are and who they are will become painfully obvious very quickly. Finally we must walk in God’s wisdom.

Ephesians 5:15–17 NKJV

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

We must be obedient

Observing not just some of His commandments but all of them.

Matthew 28:20 NKJV

teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Because by doing this we demonstrate that same kind of living faith that Noah did and which James admonishes.

James 2:17–26 NKJV

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Faith produces works, not the other way around. We are not saved by works, but we are surely saved for works. But the end game is this:

We must become preachers of righteousness

It is God’s will that we would proclaim His praises.

1 Peter 2:9–10 NKJV

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

And that includes His righteousness and there is no better way than to live this out in transformed lives.

Romans 12:1–2 NKJV

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Conclusion

God does not want anyone to perish in the great flood of life, but He does require that all come to repentance. He has provided us with all we need to “build the ark”, when we turn from sin and turn to God we find the very same thing that Noah found and that is “grace in the eyes of the Lord.”

Here's the thing. While God, through His prophets, is making big announcements of judgement upon the evil in this world, He is also making proclamations of a great revival – it’s as though He is once again preparing an ark for those who would trust in Him.

It is important, in times like these, that we as a church be ready for whatever God wants to do. We must not become derelict in our role as a preacher of righteousness. We are to be ready to provide refuge for the lost and desperate people of this world. Will you pray with me, that God will shore up our lives so that we may become all that He wants us to be?

Alt Closing:

If you haven’t yet given your life to Jesus by asking Him into your heart, there’s no better time than now.

If you have previously given your heart to Jesus, but find that you have been Derelict in your role as a preacher of righteousness, then will you pray with me that God will shore up our lives so that we may become all that He wants us to be?