Sermon Tone Analysis

Hebrews 11:7 (NLT)

It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood.

He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before.

By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

ILLUSTRATION:

Quite a few years ago, I heard about a man who set out to build his own sailboat in his backyard.

He worked diligently on the boat.

He worked after hours when he was off work from his day job and most weekends.

After several months, the boat began to take shape.

People in the community begin to take interest in the sailboat and in their neighbor who had proven to be quite the craftsman.

All went well, until one day, someone asked him how he was going to get the boat to the ocean.

The poor man had never given a thought about how he planned to get his prize sailboat to the ocean.

His boat was too big to be moved down a public street.

The backyard shipbuilder had thought about everything, except this! Folks in the community thought it rather humorous that a man would go to all the trouble to build a sailboat and never stop to think of how he was going to transport it to the water.

It looked as if the sailboat would never get the opportunity to prove itself seaworthy...that is, until the right people happened to be watching an evening newscast, telling of the man's predicament.

Someone in the department of the Navy heard about the man's problem and offered to help.

The Navy contacted the man and offered to airlift the boat with one of their giant helicopters.

The story made big news!

Everyone turned out to see the boat lowered into the water.

People cheered and applauded, as the captain took the wheel for the first time.

INTRODUCTION:

We all know the story of Noah.

He, too, built a boat in his backyard.

And just like the man in the story before us, Noah's boat was nowhere near the water...but differently than our first story, God would bring the water to Noah.

That would be a story for the evening news, wouldn't it?

The Bible records many interesting facts about the construction of the Ark.

According to Genesis 6, it was 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet deep.

It was made of gopher wood and sealed with pitch.

It had three floors, one window and one door.

But there was something missing-something you would normally find on any ship.

Noah's Ark (we should really say, ''God's Ark; it was His idea) was missing a rudder.

But Noah didn't need a rudder-God was the Captain of his ship, and God doesn't need a rudder to steer a ship.

The Bible says in Gen. 7:16, that when Noah and his family entered the Ark, ''...the Lord shut him in.''

Now, if we have studied the Bible at all, we know that the Ark is a picture of Christ.

Those in Christ (in the Ark) are saved and safe!

Once Noah and his family entered the Ark, they had no need to worry.

God would provide for them.

They had food and shelter.

They were protected from the storms and the flood.

By faith, they trusted God to care for them and to lead them.

The safest place for Noah and his family was in the Ark.

Again, in Hebrews 11:7a , says

Hebrews 11:7a (NLT)

It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood.

The story of Noah's Ark and the flood, symbolize or picture many different things: the faith of Noah, God's love and mercy, His longsuffering and patience concerning judgment....

However, there is one outstanding thought I would like to have us keep in mind throughout the message-the importance of being in the Ark and trusting God, as the Captain of our ship.

If we are trusting Him, we have no need of a rudder on our ship; He'll do all the navigating.

Let me give you three things about the Ark.

It is first of all...

I.

A Picture of Christ

II.

A Picture of Rest

III.

A Picture of Safety

I. THE ARK IS A PICTURE OF CHRIST

Paul said in Romans 8:1a ,

The Ark is a picture or symbol of Christ.

Those in the Ark-in Christ, are saved from judgment.

One other thing, the door on the Ark is also picture of Christ.

In John 10:9a , Jesus said,

John 10:9a (NLT)

Yes, I am the gate.

Those who come in through me will be saved.

In John 14:6, He said,

Two things:

A. Noah's Salvation

1. Noah's salvation was by the grace of God.

The Bible states: ''But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord'' (Gen.

6:8).

Someone might ask, ''What about the rest of the world's population, did they not deserve God's grace, as well?

No, they didn't, nor did Noah...nor do you and I, for that matter.

Noah had done nothing to deserve salvation.

He was like every other man born into sin.

In Job 15:14, it says, What is man, that he should be clean?

and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

Romans 3:10 puts the period on the end of the sentence: ''As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.''

2. There was one difference between Noah and the rest of the world-and it was a big difference: Noah had faith in God.

Remember Hebrews 11:7a, ''By faith...Noah prepared an ark.''

And in the last part of that verse it says, ''...by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.''

3. Salvation is comprised of two components: God's grace and man's faith in God.

The Bible says, ''For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.''

Acts 16:31 tells us: ''Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.''

a.

Now let me add something about saving faith.

Faith in God is not, ''Oh, I believe in God, but I can still live like the world.''

No, true faith involves repentance.

It is saying to God, ''I'm sorry...I'm sorry for my sins.''

When that happens, God's grace and man's faith connect...that man becomes a new person in Christ.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephes.

4:24, And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

4. When Noah and his family were placed in the Ark, it was a picture of being placed in Christ; they were saved from destruction.

Romans 8:1b says, ''There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus....''

And let me remind you once again, ''Noah's Ark did not have a rudder.''

It was all by God's grace; God did not need Noah's help to steer the Ark to safety.

a. God does not need our baptism, our Church membership or our good works in order to save us-God has is no rudder on the good Ship Salvation; it is by grace we are saved.

B. Man's Judgment

1. Conditions in Noah's day.

What was it like in Noah's day?

Look at Genesis 6:5-7

2. Conditions were so bad, that God had to destroy that which He had created with His own hands.