Sermon Tone Analysis
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I do not know if there is anything worse than finding yourself at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Have you ever walked into a situation by happenstance and thought, “Man… I do NOT want to be here right now!”
Maybe it was the entrance into a conversation you didn’t want to be a part of.
Maybe it was the inclusion in a situation you wanted nothing to do with.
Maybe it was a position you were placed in at work.
Whatever the case… many of us know what it feels like to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
And when we stop and think about most of those moments… what is it that we do not like about such moments?
THEY MAKE US FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE.
Awkward moments… tense situations… moments of confusion or intensity… being pulled into people’s business we didn’t ask to be a part of… can certainly make a person feel uncomfortable.
And this is where one of Noah’s sons finds himself in our passage of study this evening.
These three sons had been with Noah throughout the entire flood narrative.
They saw the wickedness of the world prior to the flood.
They saw the building of the Ark that would be a refuge from the flood.
They saw the cleansing of the earth through the enormity of the flood.
The saw the resetting of all things through the recession of the flood.
These guys had literally seen the world at its worst, and the intensity of God’s judgement on sin.
So… you would think they would have a well-earned understanding regarding the dangers of sin and the power of God.
They were spared for the favor that Noah had found in the eyes of the Lord.
Now… on the other side of the flood… we get a glimpse of life back in motion in Noah and his family.
Noah was a man of the soil.
Noah… was an agriculturalist.
He knew how to work the ground so that the ground would produce fruit.
Specifically, Noah had planted a vineyard and apparently he was successful in producing fruit.
In order for wine to be made, a harvest had to be brought in.
So as we read verse 20 and the first half of 21, we understand that those verses covers a significant amount of time.
Think of it this evening:
Noah had to prep the ground for planting.
Noah had to plant the seed.
Noah had to wait for the vines to grow and produce fruit.
Noah had to harvest the fruit.
Noah had to make wine of the fruit.
Noah had to wait for the wine to ferment in order for intoxication to be possible.
Consider this: it can take 3 years before a grapevine produces any fruit.
It can take an additional two years for that fruit to be drinkable from the bottle.
While we are not certain on the exact time that is represented here… we can assume that 3-5 years pass by in verse 20-21.
I bring that up to make this point: at least 3-5 years have passed since Noah and His family exited the ark.
We are not for certain as to when this story took place… it is possible it was significantly further out than that.
But life was back in full motion.
And unfortunately, Ham would find himself in one of those awkward moments.
Noah was drunk.
Scripture doesn’t go into detail to condone or condemn his drunkenness… it just gives the report.
Noah planted a vineyard, he made wine from its fruit, and he got drunk off the wine.
Noah was in a compromised state because his mind was under the influence of alcohol.
Noah probably didn’t want to be where he was in this moment, either.
Alcohol has a way of placing people in situations… they never thought they would find themselves in.
Drunkenness does nothing but make fools of the drinker.
And in that foolishness… damage can be done.
Noah placed his family in an awkward situation.
He was out… he was hammered.
He was unaware of his situation.
He was passed out in his tent, uncovered (naked) because of his over-consumption of wine.
And then… the situation intensified.
Ham, one of Noah’s sons, walks into the tent and find his dad fully exposed and unconscious.
Talk about awkward!
Talk about wrong place wrong time!
Talk about an uncomfortable moment!!!
Ham is bewildered… I can only imagine he is a bit embarrassed.
So he leaves his father in the condition that he found him, walks out of the tent undetected… and then tells his brothers what just happened outside the tent.
Now, it could be very likely that these guys were looking for their dad.
Perhaps they were concerned for his safety because of his absence.
Maybe this was a well-being visit.
We simply do not know.
What we do know is Ham left dad in the condition that he found him… and then proceeded to talk about what he saw with his two brothers.
Ham dishonored Noah in two different ways.
One, Ham discovered his dad in a compromised state… and he did nothing to alleviate his condition.
Not only was Noah exposed… he was unconscious, passed out.
He was not well physically.
Two, Ham spread the word regarding Noah’s condition bringing further shame to Noah’s situation.
I’m sure Noah wasn’t pleased with how things turned out that day regarding his own actions… but that displeasure was intensified when he learned what happened when Ham entered his tent.
Where Ham went Bad.
Being caught in a moment of discomfort is one thing… but choosing to make matters worse regarding that moment is another.
As people of God, we are called to make a difference in this world… to operate differently than this world… and to be extensions of Jesus’ love to this world.
The behavior Ham displayed in reaction to what he encountered was behavior more reflective of the world than God.
And I get it… Ham didn’t want to be where he was in that moment… but he was there… and he would be held responsible for his reaction.
We have no idea what we might come across in the course of a day.
We do not know what kind of situations lie ahead.
However, I pray that no matter what comes our way, we will opt to honor God in our behaviors, attitudes and actions.
For instance, if or when we find ourselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, I pray that our emotions and self do not become distractions to what we know our God would have us do.
Ham was so caught up in his discomfort that he missed out on the opportunity to honor his dad.
Instead, he made matters worse for him.
Did Noah deserve to be in the spot he was in that day?
Yes.
That might sound harsh but hear me out.
Noah choose to drink, and to drink, and to drink some more.
Just when you thought he might be finished, he opened another bottle and then… his face hit the floor.
Noah’s actions landed him in this compromised position.
And that is what sin does… drunkenness is sin.
Sin lands us in situations that can be destructive to our lives.
Noah was where he was because of what he had done.
However… the added shame of his situation came because of the actions of another… his son, Ham.
Ham did NOTHING to remedy the situation… he only acted in his discomfort and brought further shame to the story.
As believers, we are NOT to be spreaders of shame… we are to be extensions of grace - specifically God’s grace.
Think about it… how quick are people willing to talk about awkward moments they encounter or conversations that went south?
How quick does our culture move to criticize and to condemn?
And I believe that much of what is spoken is done to ease that person’s discomfort regarding the situation.
They do not agree with what they heard, saw, or experienced.
However, spreading word of said experience only delivers more shame and discomfort to the parties involved.
The victim in our passage tonight is Noah - who fell victim to his own decisions.
Perhaps Ham felt violated regarding what took place, “You won’t believe what just happened to me.”
How often do we put “me” in the lead?
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