Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11:6-7

The Faith of Noah

Intro.

1. Noah was a man of faith who walked with God, Gen. 6:9.

2. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, in contrast to the wickedness of man, Gen. 6:5, 8, 11-12.

3. Noah was saved (1) By God, Gen. 6:8; (2) By water, 1 Pet. 3:20; and (3) By faith, Heb. 11:7.

I. NOAH PREPARED AN ARK.

A. The Ark was a Grand Expression of God’s Grace, Gen. 6:7-8, 13-14; 7:7.

1. God, because He is God, has the right to decide how to make His grace available to sinners.

2. God’s grace instructed Noah, and God’s grace instructs us, cf. Titus 2:11-12.

B. Building the Ark was Noah’s Grand Expression of Faith, Heb. 11:7.

1. The gospel, God’s great expression of grace, calls on sinners to have personal faith in order to be saved, Rom. 1:16-17; 5:1-2.

2. Saved “by grace, through faith”, Eph. 2:8.

3. Saved by water: Faith to be baptized in order to be saved by God’s grace, 1 Pet. 3:20-21; Titus 3:4-5.

II. NOAH PREACHED RIGHTEOUSNESS, 2 Pet. 2:5.

A. Noah Believed God’s Warning, Gen. 6:13.

1. It is one thing to say we believe God’s word, and something else entirely to allow God’s word to completely and radically change our lives. cf. 1 Tim. 1:13.

2. God’s warning of future destruction compels us to completely change ourselves and our lives, 2 Pet. 3:10-14.

B. Noah Preached Righteousness, 2 Pet. 2:5.

1. Preach the word of righteousness, 2 Tim. 4:2 (Heb. 5:13).

2. Preach the priority of righteousness, Matt. 6:33.

3. Noah was a righteous man: He practiced what he preached, Gen. 6:9, 22; 7:1; Ezek. 14:14, 20.

a. Being a righteous man does not mean he never sinned, cf. Gen. 9:21.

b. We must live what we teach, what we sing, what we pray.

c. When we sin we must repent and return to God, 1 Jno. 1:9-10.

4. God used Noah as example of the righteousness that is according to faith, Heb. 11:7.

C. Noah Preached of Things Not Yet Seen, Heb. 11:7.

1. Preaching calls on us to have faith in the unseen (hope), Heb. 11:1; Col. 1:5.

2. Divinely warned of:

a. Judgment to come, cf. Acts 24:24-25.

b. Reward of the righteous, Acts 10:35; Rom. 2:7, 10.

3. The natural man does not (cannot) accept the preaching of the mind of God – He is not guided by revelation, but human reason, 1 Cor. 2:14-16 (1:18, 23-24).

III. NOAH PATIENTLY WAITED FOR GOD.

A. Noah Worked While He Waited, Gen. 6:22; 7:5.

1. His faith trusted that God would keep His word and not send the flood until the ark was complete, cf. 1 Pet. 3:20.

2. God is also being longsuffering now, 2 Pet. 3:9.

3. Waiting on God does not mean we are not active; more so, 1 Cor. 15:58; 1 Ths. 3:12-13.

B. Noah Looked While He Waited, Gen. 8:6-16.

1. Even after Noah knew of the dry land, he waited almost 2 more months for God’s word to leave the ark, Gen. 8:13-16.

2. We must not presume to act when God has not spoken, cf. Deut. 1:43; Gal. 1:8-9.

IV. NOAH PRAISED GOD WITH OFFERINGS, Gen. 8:20-21.

A. Worship Honors God’s Character.

1. God kept His word to Noah, and Noah was thankful.

2. We honor God’s character as we worship Him in His way, Jno. 4:23-24; Rev. 4:11; 5:12.

B. Worship Honors God’s Mercy.

1. God had mercy on Noah and his family.

2. God’s mercy toward us compels our worship of Him, Psa. 106:1.

Conclusion

Let us follow the example of Noah, Heb. 11:7.

By: Joe R. Price

Posted: March 1, 2013