Caught Outside The Ark
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Introduction
Introduction
Good evening and welcome back!
Tonight if you will, start turning in your Bibles back to Genesis 6.
Tonight we are going to be looking a little bit at the life of Noah and some of the surrounding issues with his building of the Ark.
Outside of Jesus and Jonah, there are probably few things in the Bible that are more familiar to us than the account of Noah and his ark.
From the time we are old enough to understand and be taught we are taught about Noah and the ark and how God told Noah to build an ark, fill it with two of every kind of animal on earth, and then go into the ark because God was going to send a great flood.
We also know all about it raining for 40 days and 40 nights and the water even coming up from the deep to flood the earth and how everything outside the ark was killed.
We know how when the rain stopped Noah sent the raven and then the dove and the dove returned and after seven more days he sent out the dove again, that came back with an olive branch and then after seven more the dove didn't come back signaling that there was dry land for Noah.
We also know about God sending the rainbow as a sign that He would not destroy the earth via flood again.
All of that we have been taught and is important history and tells an important lesson about God, His mercy toward His children, and His judgment on the evil of the world.
However what I want to talk about tonight are those outside the ark.
Those that wouldn't come into the ark!
What it was like for them.
And what their refusal to come into the ark represents for us, the Church in the year 2022.
So, again we are going to be looking at Genesis 6, starting in verse 8 . . .
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 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. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.
The Ark Represents Salvation
The Ark Represents Salvation
So, we see here the beginnings of Noah and his walk with God that would eventually save himself, his wife, and his sons and their wives, along with the animals.
But even at that, this was a little bit of a strange request from God.
Of all the things he could have told Noah to do, he told Noah to build an ark—a boat.
Noah, go out and build me a boat!
Because . . .
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. 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.
So, we begin to see God's plan unfold here.
He tells Noah that He is going to bring a flood upon the earth and the flood is going to destroy everything.
But why? Why would God go to this extreme?
The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the Lord said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.”
And skip down to verse 11 . . .
Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 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.
Humanity had grown wicked and evil.
People’s hearts were corrupt and focused on evil continually.
The earth was filled with violence.
It had gotten so bad that it grieved God.
The Bible says that it repented the Lord that he had made man on earth and it grieved his heart.
If God felt that way about the world then, I wonder how He feels about our world today?
The evil and corruption that we have going on today.
The wickedness of humanity.
Jesus also talked about the times we are living in...
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 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; 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.
As Jesus points out that in the days of Noah, the people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage.
In other words they were going along, living their life, not a thought in the world about the eternal things, about the coming of the Son of Man.
Their heart was evil and corrupt and they were clueless about what was coming on them.
However, this all changes . . . .
Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
And, finally a warning from Christ . . .
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Some Refuse to Heed the Warning
Some Refuse to Heed the Warning
We are to WATCH and BE READY because we don't know when He is coming.
Rest assured though, He is coming!
And going back to our passage, in Verse 14 of chapter 6, God gives Noah the command to build the ark . . .
So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.
After this, God gives Noah the instructions on how to build the ark, what dimensions it will be and what materials to build it out of.
He then tells Noah His plans for the earth . . .
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. 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. You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 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. You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”
Just like God established a covenant with Noah, He also establishes a covenant with us today.
This isn't just as promise or a contract.
This is a blood covenant based on the blood of Jesus!
After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
And . . .
But God found fault with the people and said: “The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
And . . .
The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
This covenant is not just offered to a select few BUT TO ALL WHO will accept it.
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
And . . .
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
And just like Christ preached the message on the earth, his Apostles preached the message, and every preacher since has preached the message, Noah also preached the message.
In fact, he preached the message for 100 years while he was building this ark.
And the message was this.
Judgment is coming! Get ready! Come into the ark!
However, they still refused.
They still would not commit to God.
They still were living their lives oblivious to the end.
They thought that they were okay, didn't have anything to worry about.
Thought old Noah was just some old nut out building a big boat.
After all, it had never rained before.
They didn’t even know what it was or what Noah was going on about.
So, they mocked him and ignored him.
Just the ramblings of this crazy old dude building a big boat on dry land.
They had better things to do.
The State of the Modern Church
The State of the Modern Church
That's the state the modern day church is in in many instances.
So many out there that won't come and get into the ark.
They won't enter into the true covenant with God.
They may have to give up something, leave some worldly possessions behind.
What's even worse is we have multitudes that came and got into the boat, but they got back out before the flood came.
God tarried a little while and they decided that they would take their chances.
But Noah obeyed and followed God.
And guess what—the floods came.
And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him. Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth.
Notice that Noah was six hundred years old when he got in the boat.
If we back up a couple of chapters and we read . . . .
After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.
So, Noah was 500 years old when he started having kids.
Many say that this was also when God spoke to Noah and told him to build the ark.
So, if that holds true, Noah had 100 years to build this ark, the whole time warning others of the impending danger.
100 years to preach the same thing Jesus and the Apostles preached . . .
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
And . . .
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
And . . .
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”
I know what we all are saying, "I've repented", "I believe the gospel." Really?
How is your walk since you repented?
Are you closer to God than you were then?
Are you closer to God than you were yesterday?
Do you still believe Jesus is coming again?
Are you READY and WATCHING?
Are you living a Holy Life, Acceptable to Him?
In the words of the Apostle Paul . . .
and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
Have you received the blessed Comforter?
Has your heart been "strangely warmed" as John Wesley put it?
Has there been a change of heart?
Have you got in and stayed in the ark, or are you wandering back and forth, in and out?
If you are wandering in and out then you are in a dangerous place . . .
The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord shut him in.
They went into the ark, but God shut the door.
Noah couldn't shut the door to the ark, and Noah couldn't open the door to the ark.
That was God's department.
The same is true for us today . . .
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
And . . .
“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. “Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
Folks, we don't want to get caught outside the ark . . .
Altar/Challenge
Altar/Challenge
Maybe you are here tonight or watching online and are outside the ark tonight.
In a wrong relationship with God.
Maybe you don't have a relationship with God at all, that can change.
Maybe your relationship has been compromised and you are outside His will.
Either you have never came into the ark or you have wandered back out of the ark.
Either way, you are not right with God, but you can be.
You can do something about that tonight.
Maybe you have been saved, but you can't get over that hump.
You've not given it all to Jesus, you've not been willing to give up EVERYTHING to Him and for Him.
You can do that tonight.
Its your choice but its a choice you have to make.
Let’s Pray . . .