God is patient and warns people of impending judgment. God chose Noah and told him that He intended to end all evil (Genesis 6:13). The world was so violent, etc., and He was going to destroy and bring judgment because sin must be paid for. He warns Noah of what He was about to do and told Noah to build an ark (Genesis 6:14-15). Noah has no concept of an ark; never built something like this before yet God instructed him to do it. God also said He is going to bring about a flood (Genesis 6:17). Noah had no concept of a flood— there has never been any rain on the earth that time but as God warned him, it happened.

What God says stands true! We entrust ourselves upon the Word of God. If God says something will happen, it will. The apostle Peter affirmed that the flood happened and said the Lord knows how to rescue those who follow Him but for those who don’t follow Him, there’s a day of judgment reserved (2 Peter 2:9-10).

God warns us because He is patient towards us, not wishing for any to perish but all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:8-9).

Noah found favor (grace/graciousness, kindness, acceptance/compassion) in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8-9). He received grace from God amidst his wickedness. The grace of God changes you. It makes you live a righteous life. God could have chosen to wipe out the entire world but He chose to spare Noah and his family by grace alone.

Noah “in reverence” means in a holy, godly fear he stood in awe of God. This is how our relationship with God should be. Walk in worship, reverence, and devotion to Him. Noah walked with God even if the world did not walk with him. He chose to walk against the flow; it did not matter if anyone else followed him. He revered God. God tells Noah that He will have a covenant with him (Genesis 6:18). A “covenant” is a promise, allegiance, pledge, alliance, by which God says to Noah that He’ll take care of him. Our relationship with God is a covenant one. It is based upon His promises. This was told seven times (Genesis 6:18; 9:9, 9:11, 9:12, 9:13, 9:15, 9:17) to Noah because he walked with God.

If you walk with God, He will never walk out on you! To walk with God means to listen (obey) to His voice, worship Him, pray, read His Word, and spend time in His presence daily and moment by moment.

God calls us to do something with our lives, He instructs us to fulfill His purposes.

Noah was to build an ark, this is a massive, colossal task! God instructs Noah to make the ark (Genesis 6:14-16); cover it with pitch (Genesis 6:14); enter the ark with his family (Genesis 6:18; 7:1); bring two or more of every living thing (Genesis 6:19-20, 7:2-3). He obeyed God completely (Genesis 6:22; 7:5, 7:9, 7:16; 8:18, 8:20; 9:1). He did this for 120 years. Such was the faith of Noah.

Noah and his family entered the ark, together with the animals (Genesis 7:1,4). Noah fully obeyed God by faith even though he didn’t understand everything yet! We are saved by grace through faith, but that grace empowers us to continue to work out our salvation (Philippians 2:12-13).

God closed the ark and sealed it. He secured them within the ark, mindful of His promises to Noah. Water covered the Earth for 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:10-12) and the water receded steadily after 150 days (Genesis 8:1-3).

If you go against the flow, you will witness about God. Our main mission is to share about God to all the world.

Noah took part in the righteousness that God granted him. Noah’s very life and testimony was enough to condemn or convict those around him. Your life as a Christian should make non-believers question their disbelief in God (Dietrich Bonhoeffer.) Noah witnessed about God, but no one heeded him (2 Peter 2:5). When we witness for Christ, be faithful even though no one may respond.

Because of Noah’s faithful witness, his family went into the ark with him. God spoke to Noah to go out of the ark in due time, to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 8:15-17). Noah then built an altar to the Lord (Genesis 8:20-21), to also remind future generations of what God did. In response, God showed Noah a rainbow reminding him of the
God’s faithfulness and grace.

There is One greater than Noah—the Lord Jesus Christ! He warned us that there will be a judgment soon. He walked with His Father on earth, worked on the cross for our salvation, as a witness to all that God’s grace spares us from God’s wrath. Noah was rescued, and the world was judged. Jesus was judged, and the world was spared. Through Noah, his family were able to enter the ark. Through Christ and His cross, you and I who were enemies of God are made into God’s family and are preserved. The ark of Noah foreshadows the cross of Christ; only those who “enter in” will be saved and secured!

Jesus is the one who rescues us from the wrath to come. Jesus is the greater Noah who invites us into the ark of His salvation (1 Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9-10)!

(Leaders: Please choose questions that are appropriate to the level of spiritual maturity of your members)

How is God calling your attention or warning you on any aspect of your life

2. Setting It Right.

How is your walk with the Lord today? In what way can you grow?

3. Living It Out.

What has the Lord done in your life that is worth sharing? Who do you need to witness about God to this week?

PRAY CARE SHARE IN ACTION

Pray for people to heed God’s warning and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.

Be compassionate and sensitive to the needs of other people and take action in helping meet those needs.

Share your testimony and the gospel to your family, loved ones, and even those who don’t seem to listen.

I. Thanksgiving

II. Country and the World

III. Church

IV. CCF Facilities

V. Personal Concerns

HEBREWS 11:7

By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.