Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for extending your grace to us and showing us the plan you have for our salvation.
Gen. 6:5-8
5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
Noah was not a perfect man. But God extended grace to him.
That’s exactly what all of us imperfect people need.
We need the grace of God. Without it we cannot be saved.
Eph. 2:8 tells us We are saved by grace through faith. It is a gift from God, but not without conditions. Obedience must be part of the picture.
Disobedience is sin. Therefore, the antidote for sin is obedience.
Let’s read on.
9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
--Don’t you just love that? I hope that’s what people say about me too. Don’t you?
Now, notice, it doesn’t say he was perfect, it says he was perfect in his generations. He was in the bloodline of Seth--- the one with the promise. I told you last time how we get into that bloodline.
Going on:
10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
-- So here God tells Noah what He is going to do, and why he is doing it. Then he gives Noah something to do.
14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of:
-- So God goes on telling Noah the specifics on how to make the ark, then in verse 17 tells him why he will need it:
17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and everything that is in the earth shall die.
18 But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.
--I’d say that’s some really good reasons to build an ark. Do you think Noah obeyed? You better believe he did!
He heard from God that this is what it is going to take for him and his family to be saved.
Now, Noah already walked with God. That’s why he heard from him in time to prepare things so they could be saved.
So many people today say, “I know God, I’m alright.” Maybe they are, and maybe they are not. The question is, have they obeyed? Just like God gave Noah instructions for a plan to escape destruction, He has also given us instructions for us to escape distruction:
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
-- Our escape route was first spoken of by Jesus, then confirmed by then that head him. Here is what Jesus said:
John 3:5-7
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
If you have not yet been born again of water and The Spirit, then you have yet to obey.
God’s escape plan was confirmed by those who heard him -- the apostles. Let’s look at what they said.
Acts 2:38
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Here we find birth of water-- baptism in Jesus Name, and birth of the Spirit-- the infilling of the Holy Ghost evidenced by the speaking in tongues. This formula of being “Born Again” is our escape plan and it is consistent throughout the New Testament. (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:41, Acts 8:12-17, Acts 8:36-39, Acts 9:17-18, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 11:15-16, Acts 16:33, Acts 18:8, Acts 19:5, Acts 22:16, 1 Cor. 12:13, Acts 2:4, Acts 4:31, 1 Cor. 14:18)
Note: In Hebrew language, the name Noah means Rest, Comfort.
Isiah 28:11-12 tells of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing:
The Holy Ghost is rest for our soul. It comes with stammering lips and a new language.
Hebrews 4: 1,2,11
Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
11 Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
-- Noah’s faith moved him to obey God. May our faith also move us to obey God’s escape plan. Faith + Obedience= Salvation and rest.
Today is the day of salvation.
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