It was God

As we begin this morning turn with me in your bibles to our anchor verse found in Isaiah 43:2 it says, “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.”

In this series we are at looking at lessons from the deep. Our aim is to help you learn how to be over-comers in Christ when you find yourself surrounded on every side. To overcome in the seasons when it seems like your not going to make it, your going under, and all is lost.

What I believe is that as we read these stories we are receiving wisdom and encouragement from the lessons of those who have not only gone before us but they also came out victorious in their life. If we will gain wisdom and understanding from their stories we too will see victory in our life. This morning I remind you that in the deep places of life we must choose to press into Christ and His promises.

Now turn with me this morning to Genesis 6:1-12. (Read & Pray).

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Submit

As we look at the story of Noah we see that he lived in a Godless sinful culture. Every thought and intent of the hearts of men were only evil continually. It was so wicked that God decided it was necessary for a reboot of humanity. He was going to destroy all flesh that had the breath of life in it.

Yet in the midst of this Godless, wicked, sinful world you see a man named Noah. Noah was a just man (righteous), perfect in his generations (he had integrity and was wholesome). Noah walked with God. Not only did Noah walk with God but 2 Peter 2:5 tells us that Noah was also a preacher of righteousness. Noah lived in a Godless Culture but He stood for and preached righteousness. Understand this morning that Noah living righteously was not something short lived because he knew a flood was coming.

Something interesting about this time in the bible is that people were living for a really long time. At the beginning of the story in Genesis 6 Noah is 500 years old.

You might hear that and think that’s impossible, but it is important to remember that God created mankind to live for eternity. Genesis 5 recounts the ages of people who lived into the hundreds of years the longest being Methuselah at 969. Yet we read in Genesis 6:3 that God put a limit on the lifespan of mankind to 120 years because of wickedness.

At 500 years old Noah is instructed by God to build an Ark because He has found grace (favor) in the sight of the God. Why did he find favor? Because He was just (righteous), and perfect in his generation (he had integrity and was wholesome). He walked with God.

In Genesis 6:13-22 God gives the measurements of the ark and the size. What it shall be made of and how to make it water proof with pitch (a tar-like substance). A critical verse to point out that leads to Noahs success is Genesis 6:22 says, “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.”

In Genesis 7 God commands Noah and his household to come into the ark. He shares with Him that in 7 days I am going to bring my flood over the earth. He gives Noah warning so that he can be prepared. Lets pick up the story in Genesis 7:7-24. (Read)

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Apply

There are a few things that I want to point out in this story.

At the time of the flood Noah is now 600 years old Genesis 7:6. He faithfully and diligently fulfilled what God asked Him to do for 100 years. Up until the flood came on the earth mankind had never experienced rain. Genesis 2:4-5 says, “This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the Lord God has not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground;” What God said was going to happen, actually happened. God warned Noah to get into the boat because in 7 days the flood would come. In seven days the flood came. Whats important to understand is that God does not change. What He says He will do, He will do. Just because the timeline doesn’t line up with what we think it should be doesn’t mean that He won’t do what He said. Numbers 23:19, Psalm 89:34 (My covenant will I not break), Isaiah 55:11 (So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth.) Noah listened to what God said to do, and did it when He said to do it. God said get in the boat with the animals and your family. Noah did as God commanded. We spend to much time questioning God and not enough time doing what He says. Human reasoning while your seated on the throne of your heart will eventually lead you into deception and unbelief. Learn to respond in obedience to God’s word even when you don’t understand. Noah and his family went in the ark but it was God who shut them in. Genesis 7:16, “So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in.” The boat didn’t sink during the flood because God shut them in. Noah prepared to the best of his ability with the instruction he was given, but it was God who made sure the boat stayed afloat.

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Closing

Here is this weeks lesson from the Deep.

Depravity and wickedness in the world are no excuse to not serve God. It doesn’t matter how wicked the world is you can walk uprightly in the fear of God. Your life can be wholesome, and filled with integrity. We must make the choice to walk with God as Noah walked.

Why? Because as it was in the days of Noah so will it be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man.

Turn with me to Matthew 24:36-39 (read). “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man be.”

Here are some parallels from the Story of Noah to us today.

Just like the people had never experienced rain at the time of the flood, we have never experienced a rapture. What God said would happen with the flood happened. What God says about the end times and the rapture will happen just like He said. We will also have to make a choice to do what God said to do. If we obey we will see deliverance. If we do not we will see destruction. If you walk in obedience it will be God who shuts you in. He will be the one sustain you and see you through. If we choose disobedience we will like the people outside the ark swept away to our death.

We must learn to stand 2 Peter 2:4-9, “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 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; 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,”

In the Days of Noah People didn’t care that judgement was coming. They went about life eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage. Completely oblivious to the fact the words of the righteous man of God were going to come to pass.

Noah preached righteousness for a century leading up the flood, but people were to busy and preoccupied to hear the caution of the Lord. It is much the same today for so many. The culture is once again Godless. People are eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage. Going about life oblivious to the fact that one day at a time they do not know a trumpet will sound and it will be to late.

The “flood” of eternity will be washing over them and there will not be time to repent. For to long they were unable to get their eyes off the pleasures of culture. They struggled to keep their eyes on God as they lusted for the desires of the flesh and sin. They will be caught unprepared and unaware.

In the mean time they laugh and mock at the message of the Gospel seeing it as archaic and foolish. They look at faithful people as fools out of touch with reality, but make no mistake there will come a day again where it will begin to rain, but this time it will be the rule of is reign.

Don’t make the mistake of envying culture and wanting what they have. Don’t desire to live like them. Live set apart. Live holy. Live in obedience.

1 Corinthians 2:9, “For eyes have not seen nor ear heard neither has entered into the heart of man the things that the Lord has prepared for those that love him.”

Noah lived in a godless culture Noah stood for truth and walked by faith even when no one else did

Noah was obedient when everybody else was just going about life

Noah preached righteousness so that others might know God

Noah was diligent with the plan of God for 100 years

Noah didn’t get tired and quit

Noah built and prepared for something he had never seen

Noah trusted and served God while everyone else lived wicked

Noah saw deliverance because of his faithfulness and obedience

Noah became the recipient of God’s promise

I encourage you today to live out John 14:21-24, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world? Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.”

We learn the lesson from the deep by walking how Noah walked in obedience to the word and command of God.

Let’s Pray!

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