Stepping into the Boat -Noah

I’m Excited this morning as we get started on a 5-week series entitled Faith Full. As we unpack the faithfulness of a few of those mentioned in Hebrews 11… known as the hall of faith. and as we ultimately see in their faithfulness, God was faithful to them…

Our goal with this series will be to not walk away empty… or hungry… but full of faith… or faith full.

Pray

As we start this morning… I want to read an account of a recent story that was brough to my attention last week. Which many of you have probably heard…

The story is this: A missing 3-year-old Texas boy was “totally naked” but “calm” when found in the wood’s miles away from his parents’ house, three days after he disappeared, according to the good Samaritan who found him after learning of the boy’s disappearance at Bible study.

Christopher Ramirez had last been seen by his family on Wednesday when he chased a neighbor’s dog into the woods around 2 p.m. while his parents were unpacking their food truck. The dog returned, but Christopher never did, prompting a major search by local agencies.

Christopher was found around 11 a.m. on Saturday “a bit dehydrated as well as hungry and in overall good spirits and healthy,” The story continues: He was recovering at Texas Children’s Hospital in Woodlands Texas “with his mother by his side.” The man who found him, whose name is Tim, told the sheriff that God had told him at bible study the day before that he would find the boy if he went searching.

“Last night I was in a Bible study that we have every other Friday and there were a number of people talking about this little boy that’s been lost, and it was news to me,” the man who found the boy local reporters. “This is the first I’d heard of it. I’m not paying attention to news or anything, and I was prompted then by the Spirit to say ‘you will go look for that boy. You will search the woods.’

“So, I got up this morning, did my Bible study, devotional time, prayer time, like I try to do every day and my wife came in and said, ‘what are you going to do today?’ And I said, ‘I’m going to go out in the woods and see if I can find that boy.’ And I did.” The good Samaritan said he was walking along a pipeline near the edge of the woods when he heard a noise that turned out to be the boy.

“I picked him up and he was totally naked — No shoes, no clothing, nothing … Three days without food or water … I picked him up and he wasn’t shaking, he wasn’t nervous,” “He was calm.”

Friends, this morning some of us can relate with this little boy… we feel lost and just waiting to be rescued… and in a season of change, we wonder what to do while we wait…? Have you ever felt that way?

You see, there are key times in our lives where we seem to wait.

We wait in line at the local burger drive through, trying to figure out what to do with our time…

We wait in the doctor’s office so as we anticipate the report.

We wait on the side of the road while the Police officer walks back to our vehicle to let us know if we’ve been given a ticket or just a warning.

And guys, we wait to find out if our high school sweetheart will accept the offer to go out on the first date. which by the way, if you’re a hanks kid, this will take place long after college lets out.

You see, there are key times in our lives, where we tend to wait… From one season to the next, from one activity to the next, from one phone call to the next or one doctors visit to the next… and the question becomes, what do we do while we’re waiting.

You see, there was this man Named Noah… who lived in a fallen world… Who day in, day out, built this massive ark… All the while probably being ridiculed and made fun of for such an idea… And Noah knew that God would deliver him, but before the storm came. What did Noah have to do while he waited?

You see, in our lives, we have these key moments of excitement. These make or break it moments. These times of tenson and emotion.. and in these moments and we wonder what to do with our time. This morning If you have your bibles. Turn with me to the book of Genesis Chapter 6. And as you turn there this morning. There are 4 key points which we’ll learn from Noah as consider: What to do while we wait.

I’ve made them simple for us this morning, each point starts with a W. And in your bulletin if your taking notes… you can jot down the answers as we study together.

But the first W is this… 1. While you wait… Walk with God!

Let’s look at Genesis 6: 9-13 9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.

11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.

This morning, as we’re reading God’s Word together, we arrive in a messy scene. People are corrupt, there’s violence everywhere. There’s these giants roaming known as Nephilim, which by the way would have likely been the offspring of fallen angels and women. But everyone did as they saw fit…

From the time of Adam and Eve until now things have just spiraled out of control. So much so that told God regretted that he made humanity and He his heart was deeply troubled… But Genesis 6:8 tells us Noah was faithful, we’re told: “But Noah Found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”

Unlike so many others, likely millions of people on earth. One man… was faithful.

But the question becomes: before the flood, what did Noah do with his time?

If you’re taking notes the here’s the first answer: Genesis 6:9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walkedfaithfully with God.

You see, before the flood came… Noah Walked faithfully with God… during the flood, Noah Walked faithfully… and after the flood noah walked faithfully…

His faithfulness didn’t begin once the storm came, it didn’t begin even when God asked him to build the ark, Friends Noah Was 500 years old and for 500 years, he walked faithfully with God.

You see if we consider the word walk for a brief moment, It’s an action word, so it what part of speech? It’s a verb or an action word, and so Noah walked day-after-day… with God. You see before the flood came, Noah walked with God… and so when the flood came, he was only continuing on in his path.

This morning, I would challenge us and ask are we walking with the Lord on a daily basis?

You see, you may be going through a season this morning… or waiting on news… or waiting for the next storm of life to happen… and we wonder what to do with our time… Friends, walk faithfully with God,

You see Paul writes to Timothy to 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

Just like the Boston Red Sox, who I know so many of us appreciate this morning… There season didn’t begin in Octobe during the playoffs… there season actually began in February… You see we don’t wait until the game starts to suit up, we spend time in and out of season.

Friends, this morning in your own life… are you making time to spend with God. Are you praying? Are you making church a priority, are you listening to Christian music, and are you walking with God? You see all of us are either going into a storm, or we’re in the middle of a storm or coming out of a storm… but the storms… they will come…

Friends, we must walk Faithfully with God, so when the storms come… They won’t rock our boat, spend time with God, Each morning… each day...

Point 2. While you wait… work!

Who here has heard of snow white and her 7 dwarfs? What did they do while they worked? They whistled? Well with Noah… he while he waited, he worked.

The bible says 11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14 So make yourself an ark of cypress[a] wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high.[b] 16 Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit[c] high all around.[d] Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks.

So, friends, in response to the fallen world… God calls Noah, and he tells them that he has a plan… and not just any plan, but God has a specific plan in mind for Noah. He doesn’t say hey just make any old boat, of any given size. And do it your way… I have a specific job for you.

He said to make the ark of cypress wood. And make it 300 cubits, by 50 by 30. or in feet, to make it 450 feet long, by 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. This thing was so massive it could carry 522 railroad box cars or 125,000 sheep. It was 3 stories high, there were different rooms with different purposes.

And where did Noah get these blueprints? He heard them as he was walking with God. Jeremiah 19:11-13 says: 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

You see God had plans for Noah, Specific plans for him… but he also had a future and a hope for Him.

But here’s the key… Before the flood came, Noah had to work. Noah had to get up, day after day, year after year as he worked on this ark… This ark mind you, that after it was built and used and then ultimately came to rest at Mount Ararat… and would never set sail again… but Noah had to work because God called him to it.

You see this week. I reached out to Austin Hiel, because I’m thinking of switching professions and going into farming. Just kidding. But I asked him what do farmers do while they wait to harvest the crops? I mean just like pastors who only preach on Sunday and then wait around for the next week… Farmers must do something similar right? Just wait for the crops to come up on their own year after year?

But Austin explained “around July they we start scouting fields. It gives us an idea what the next steps will be. Between July and Harvest we prepare our machines. There is nothing we can do before harvest to the crop. It is out of our hands. We can scout the fields to see if there will be any issues. We look at the weather and grain prices, both are out of our control.” I liked this part, he said “we take our hunnies on final dates.” And then he went on to say: “we can only rely on the Lord because we as farmers have done all we can do.”

You see, here’s the key… You work, and you prepare, and don’t forget to take your hunnie out on the date… but then… you trust God for the results…

Proverbs 21:31 tells us: “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD.”

You see friends, we don’t always know how the harvest will turn out, but our job is to throw scatter the seeds. Noah didn’t know what mountain top he would land on, and oftentimes we don’t what any given day holds… But Friends, we need only to trust and obey.

See some of us have 9-5 jobs that we work… day in and day out… and while we wait for the return of the Lord… Or as we navigate the seasons of life… we have to keep working and providing for our families.

And those of you who stay home and take care of the kids, your job is just as important. For as you lead your household and continue to point your children to Jesus it will have an eternal impact that is no comparison to a paycheck.

Takes us to point 3. While you wait… Witness!

Genesis 6:17-22 17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”…22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

You see before Noah could set sail, Noah had a responsibility to get others onboard.

Scripture explains that God had establish His covenant with Noah…. But… Because of Noah’s faithfulness God was also going to save his family.

2 points for a brief moment. 1st, it’s important to recognize that your faithfulness to God affects more than just you. Mom, dad… Those little ones around you … Your choices in life will have a huge impact not only on you, but on them. And not just now, but also as they get older, their likelihood of going to church statistics show, is really connected with your walk with God. You see, you model to them, one way a certain way of life, that they will likely follow when they get older.

And so, the first point is… Just like Noah, we have a responsibility to our family.

The 2nd point is this… Just like Noah, there are others that need to come onboard. You see, God didn’t give him this big ark just for him… No God had the animals March 2 by 2 all the way to that ark, animals of every species. And just so we know, Noah was also told to bring 7 species of clean animals, to sacrifice to the Lord.

But the point is this, Noah didn’t only save his family… Noah also saved so many around him. You see, Noah was a modern day rescue ranger, who made it his job to rescue not only his family but also those animals…. Friends, God knew Noah was faithful and he could put him up to the task, and so the key is this… when Noah went on the Ark, he took more than just his family with him.

Noah made sure he wouldn’t be sailing alone.

Genesis 7:11-16 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month—on that day, all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. 12 And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.

13 On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark. 14 They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings. 15 Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark. 16 The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord shut him in.

Let me read that again… once the job was done…. Then the Lord shut him in.

You see friends, once the door was shut it didn’t open until the ark arrived at its destination. Once God calls us home and the final trumpet is sound… that door gets shut.

You see, for right now… that door is open. But very soon, that door will shut… But while we wait for the storm, we must witness to those that are outside of these doors.

The truth is though, only 5 to 10 percent of people in an average church have shared their faith with someone in the last year. That means 90 percent of us have remained silent. We haven’t told others about Christ.

Friends, the question is… who’s (figuratively speaking) not on the ark with you this morning?

You see, the first time God purified the earth… he did so by water, the next time… he will do so by fire.

And don’t take my word for it Matthew 28:18-20: 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Friends, in a very real sense… we are now those who God would say, would you be faithful to me? Would you reach out to those around you? Would you bring others on the ark?

For a moment, I want to give us 3 specific things we can do to together to make a kingdom impact.

1) In just 2 weeks, we will have hundreds of kids coming by these church grounds who may come from families that don’t believe in Jesus. Friends, would we look at this as a harvest… or harvest party? The bible says, “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.”

You see, don’t look at your car trunk as just a trunk, but imagine with me that your car is really a baby ark… and imagine your trunk door as the open door that may ultimately lead to a child’s salvation….. If you can’t make it out, prayer for those that come out… and be encouraged to pass out invite cards…

2) In addition to community outreach, would we have those in this room that would want to be part of an evangelism team of sorts? You see I don’t have the details right now… and to tell you the truth, I would really love to see one of you empowered to lead this…

But imagine going door to door right here in Kenton and passing out tracks and praying with people, imagine visiting the local prison and seeing men come to the Lord as you share the gospel with them. Imagine going on a mission’s trip either nearby or halfway across the world where you feel closer to God then ever. Imagine passing out bottles of water at local high school football games or serving our community in some capacity.

You see, in life… we have been called to serve. And as your pastor, just as Paul writes to timothy, my job is the same. 2 Timothy 4:5 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Friends this morning, I have been called to discharge the duties of my ministry and as Ephesians 4 says to equip the Lord’s people (that’s you) for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. You see, my job isn’t to run each play… but to serve more as a coach.

3) Let me also challenge you in one final area. And please be prayerful about this… but see even at church we have the need for volunteers. And 1 specific area that are dear to my heart is the children’s ministry. You see, in a few weeks, the childrens ministry expanding kids church so that it goes through 6th grade. And the idea is that a single mom with a 2nd or 3rd grader who lives in town, can come to service with her kids and be able to pay attention to the message without being distracted by a son or daughter pulling on her sleeve and asking when service will be over….

Or during service, even in the nursery, we need some of you women to step up and help watch our dear babies… and don’t look at it as just serving our babies. Which by the way, they’re amazing… but look at it as an opportunity to change a stinky diaper, so that a mom and dad can hear the gospel for the first time…

I’m going to call Lisa forward at this time, and as she comes forward, lets touch briefly on our final point.

Point 4. While you wait… Keep Watch!

Matthew 24:36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

2 points and then we’ll close out. First … we don’t know the day or the hour… or we don’t when that moment will come, but friends we must keep watch… because some day, the door will be shut behind us… we must reach out beyond the walls.

But Second…. here’s where I want to encourage you for a moment… you may find yourself in a season right now… in the midst of the storm… but friends, the storm will pass…

You see after years of building the ark and then roughly another year onboard, The bible says in Genesis 8:1 says:“But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.”

You may feel like the storm has been going on for a while, you may be wondering when the storm will subside… But friends, God remembered Noah.

You may feel all alone this morning, you may feel like you’re going through a storm… you may have all kinds of questions… and yet God is for you.

And so, as we close, I’ll end with this. While we wait for Christs return…. 1. Are we walking faithfully? 2. Are we working for the Lord 3. Are we witnessing to those around us and 4. Are we keeping watch and keeping the faith?

Whatever your next step is… Don’t miss the boat!!

Pray