Jesus's Ark

I. Introduction

Now last week was Easter and we talked about the week AFTER Easter…and the week before that, we talked about Noah and his family and how God found only one family faithful on the whole planet.

Now the result of that sin and wickedness is going to lead to God destroying the entire earth except all of those on the ark. Now you’ve probably always calle dthe Ark Noah’s…and I have too....but I want you to see this morning just how much that Ark resembles the Christian life....

You see the older I get, the more I look for Jesus in the Old Testament....a lot of people don’t do that. When you start looking for Jesus in the Old Testament, you find Him....even though He hadn’t been born as a baby in Bethlehem yet…He was there from the very beginning....and I want to take some time this morning to show a little bit of Him to you today.

a. Scripture: Genesis 6:12-22

I’m going to ask you to stand with me, if you are able, as we read from God’s Holy, Perfect, Sufficient and inerrant Word.

<Pray>

Thank you, and you may be seated.

Now, don’t think for any moment that the story of Noah’s ark is a fable or a legend, like Paul Bunyan and his great blue ox. It is a true story. As a matter of fact, if you are a student of history, you will find out that all of the great civilizations have a flood story. Now the one in the Bible, obviously, given by divine inspiration, is the true story and the accurate record. But the fact that all civilizations have a flood story tells us that this roots back to fact. But we don’t need what any other civilization has to say if we have the Bible. May I say, concerning the flood, that the great proof that it happened is that Jesus believed it. In the scripture that I gave you this morning from the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Noah …” (Matthew 24:37) And Jesus spoke of the flood. Now what Jesus has to say means more to me than what any professor, archeologist, paleontologist, or geologist would have to say. I stand with Jesus. And Jesus believed there was a literal flood and so do I.

So here we are in a world found in total insanity. The world is in chaos and turmoil and, as we learned before, only ONE man is his family were found faithful. So God gave this man a way out....and it wasn’t the ark: it was obedience and faith. You see, without obedience and faith, the ark would’ve never been built…and Noah would’ve never gotten on it.

So this is really a story about faith…obedience....and if you look closely enough: Jesus. So let’s dive into it.

II. Major Points - The Ark Pictures:

Our Savior

Our Salvation

III. Point #1: The Ark Pictures Our Savior

Explanation Noah’s ark is a picture of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Peter tells us that. And we’ll get to the passage in Peter later on, but let me show you how the ark is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. Chapter 6, beginning in verse 12: “And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” Now watch this: “Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.” (Genesis 6:12–16)

Here are just a few things to notice here:

A. The Security of the Ship

First of all, think of this ship and its security. It was made of gopher wood. Now most of us don’t speak of gopher wood today. What if I said cypress? It’s the same wood. It’s a fabulous wood that has been used for thousands of years for boats because it is waterproof....it is basically incorruptable. What an excellent picture of Jesus....you say “Vic....how is wood a picture of Jesus?”

Well for one thing, Jesus was human, and the wood of this ship speaks of the humanity of Jesus. Isaiah says He’ll be like a shoot out of a dry ground. (Isaiah 53:2) A tree represents a righteous man. And God said, concerning a righteous man, “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.” (Psalms 1:3) And Jesus, God’s righteous tree, was cut down in His youth.

And think of the door of the ship and the security it offered....there was no door....only God could open and close it. It was God that sealed the door and kept the water out of the ark.

Do you realize that Jesus Christ is the door to Heaven? Jesus says He is the WAY, the DOOR, the only way to the Father and no one comes to the Father but by Him....and once that door shuts behind us, there is no chance of Him losing us. Salvation is not in a place; security is not in a place. Security is in a person, and His name is Jesus.

Aren’t you glad you have the security of Jesus Christ? Once he has you…He keeps you....So many people are scared to death to lose their salvation....don’t be. Jesus is the way....if you went through Him, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.

B. The Structure of the Ship

Next, I want you to mark the structure of the ship....the way it was built. Now we read about what all the ark had…but did you notice afew things it did NOT have? “And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.” (Genesis 6:15) That is, it’s not pointed. It’s square at both ends. Actually, it’s the shape of a coffin. The ancient people used to make their coffins out of cypress wood, using the same shape as this ship. And what God is saying is this, that Jesus is for us a coffin. We are buried with Christ. We die with Christ that we might live with Christ.

Did you notice what else it didn’t have? This ship had no prow and it had no helm. It was not pointed at one end and square at the other. Because it had no course of its own, it was guided by no human hand. There’s no wheel where Noah could steer the ship. Noah was committed to that ship just as I am committed to Jesus when I die to myself and am hid with God in Christ.

Folks, we have to realize that God is in control amen? We think we can plan out our lives....we think we can tell God what we’re going to do and not do....But just like the ark has no wheel or rutter, neither do our lives....God is in charge, amen? It has been said before that “Man makes plans and God laughs....” isn’t that true? We need to learn to have the faith of Noah....that He put Himself totally in God’s hand in the midst of the biggest flood and storm in history.

C. The Sustenance of the Ship

And then think not only of the structure of the ship but the sustenance of the ship. The captain set a good table. Look, if you will, in verse 17. God says, “And … I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.” (Genesis 6:17–22)

What God is saying is, “Noah, you’re going to be on this ship, but you’re not going to starve. You just load it down.” It’s like a great big cruise ship, and God is loading it down with good things that would satisfy. And I stand here this morning to testify that I am satisfied in Jesus....amen? Who here is satisfied in Jesus? HE is enough, amen?

IV. Point #2: The Ark Pictures Our Salvation

Explanation But not only do we see Jesus pictured by the ark; we see salvation that is so clearly pictured by the ark, because what good is the ark if no one gets on it, and if they’re not saved by it? Now if you were to look for the classic passage on salvation, it would have to be Ephesians 2:8 and 9, is that not true? Well, let’s add 10 to it: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8–10) Now stay there, because we will need to look at those verses for a couple of minutes.

When it comes to our salvation, that is simply “how God saves us,” there are THREE prepositions to remember: BY, THROUGH, and UNTO. <repeat>…Now here is what I am talking about: Look back at Ephesians 2:8 and 9:“For by grace … through faith … unto good works.” Boy, that’s incredible! We are saved by grace: “For by grace are ye saved through faith … For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” (Ephesians 2:8–10) Now I want you to see how that works out here in this story.

A. Noah was Saved BY Grace

The only reason God saved Noah was grace....in other words: because He wanted to. Because He loved Noah....and because Noah loved Him. But Noah was NOT perfect....and I want you to understand this: God would have been perfectly justified in NOT saving Noah....but for no other reason than love: God saved Him....not just out of mercy....but something more than that: Grace. You see mercy is saving someone from a punishment. Grace is more than that. You see mercy was God saving Noah from hell....Grace is Him giving us access to Heaven. Noah had salvation by the pure love of God....and WE are saved in the same way. Don’t EVER think that you are good enough or earned it....it is only out of PURE love that God saves sinners…all you need to do is believe....and that brings us to number 2:

B. Noah was Saved THROUGH Faith

Noah was saved THROUGH his faith. Had he not had faith, He would have been done for just like the rest of the world. Instead, He believed…and acted upon that faith....he built the ark and went into it....see, remember I told you: this is a story of faith and obedience....it’s much more than a story about a big boat.

And church: we are saved through our faith and ONLY our faith. We cannot earn it. Our good works are good, but they fall short. Paul said that there is NONE that is good enough and no man can save himself.

C. Noah was Saved UNTO Good Works

Finally, Noah was saved UNTO good works. Because a person is saved....because they have faith, they have good works. Good works do not save you....but instead, they are EVIDENCE that you ARE saved. The Bible says that faith without works is DEAD....but it also says your works don’t save you.....that isn’t a contridiction, it’s asimultaneous truth. When a person has faith, they can be saved....and when a person has faith, it will be reflected in their actions.

So folks, you say “well all I need is faith…I don’t have to do anything.” Folks, I say, you show me a life of no good works and I’ll show you a dead, lifeless Christian. It is our duty to show our faith and love through our actions.

the Bible continuously refers to your works as your “fruits”....you show me a fruitless life, I’ll show you a life without real faith.

Christians: we should radiate life and fruit....and action should follow our faith, just like it did for Noah.

VI. Conclusion

a. Let me ask you this morning: Are you living a life like Noah’s? One that reflects life....one that reflects Jesus? One that has fruit? I hope so.

b. Let’s Pray