Sermon #848 Miscellaneous Sermons

Title: Noah’s Faith

Text: Hebrews 11:7

Reading:

Subject: Faith in Christ

Date: Sunday Morning – May 7, 1989

Tape #

Introduction:
Noah is held before us here as an example of faith in Christ. His name, Noah, means, "rest, or resting place." And our text tells us that Noah found rest for his soul by faith. Today, I want to show you what the Bible tells us about Noah and his faith (Heb. 11:7). But before we look at Noah’s faith, let me show you the source and cause of his faith.

In Genesis 6:8, we are told how that all the world was lost, cursed of God, and sentenced to suffer the wrath of God, because of man’s sin and apostasy from God. God was justly angry with all men and determined to rid the world of fallen men by the flood of his wrath. But in wrath, he remembered mercy. And we are told – "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." All men deserved God’s wrath. But one man was chosen. All men were condemned, justly condemned. But one man was justified. All men went astray from God. But one man was called. All men were lost. But one man was saved. All men were unbelievers. But to one man faith was given. "Noah found grace (not merit, but grace!) in the eyes of the Lord." Always, there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

    1. Noah’s faith was the gift and operation of God’s grace upon him (Eph. 2:8).

    2. His faith was the result of God’s revelation of his purpose of grace toward him (Gen. 6:13-14, 18, 22).

    3. And Noah’s faith is held before us as an example of how sinner’s are saved by faith.


We are told that, "a picture is worth a thousand words." Here is a picture of faith. God help you to see it and obey the example set before us in our text. As Noah fled into the ark, which he had prepared, you must flee into the Ark, Christ Jesus, if you would be saved.

Proposition:

The only way sinners can obtain that salvation, which is in the Lord Jesus Christ, is by faith. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."

I hold Noah’s faith before you as an example for you to follow. And using this example, I want, by the Spirit of God, to persuade you to come to Christ and be saved. Our text tells us seven things about Noah’s faith.

I. Noah was "warned of God of things not seen as yet" (Gen. 6:1-3, 7).

Noah’s faith was the response of his heart to God’s warning. God told Noah that his Holy Spirit would not always strive with man, that his longsuffering is for an appointed time, and that after the appointed days of mercy were ended, he would destroy man from off the face of the earth. Hear me, my friends, God has warned you of these things.

  1. Your days on this earth are numbered.

  2. "Today is the day of salvation."

  3. If you will not trust Christ, you must be forever damned!


A. You have a Bible in your hands.

Read the pages of Holy Scripture. What mercy! God has given you His Word in Book form to warn you of wrath, impending wrath, eternal wrath, inexpressibly horrible, infinite wrath! (Rom. 3:23; 6:23; 1:18).

"The soul that sinneth, it shall die!" (Ezek. 18:20).

  1. Sodom!

  2. Korah!

  3. Noah’s generation!

  4. Pilate!

  5. Judas!


"Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish!" (Lk. 13:5).

B. You have been warned, some of you, hundreds of times by the faithful preaching of the gospel.

Illustration: The watchman.

It is my responsibility to receive the word at God’s mouth and faithfully warn you of wrath to come.

  1. The certainty of it.

  2. The justice of it.

  3. The imminence of it.

  4. The eternality of it.

  5. The horror of it.

  6. The escape from it.


C. How often God has warned you of his wrath upon you by his acts of providence.

You have all seen immortal souls cut down, without warning, and swept away into eternity to meet an angry God, without Christ, without hope. They are forever damned. But you are left! For now, you are spared! Be warned.

D. And God speaks to you by your own conscience to warn you.

You know that you are lost. You know that you are a guilty sinner. You know that the wrath of God is upon you. Do not stop your ears and run madly into hell!

II. Noah, being warned of God, was "moved with fear."

Had Noah been like you, he would have said, "God is merciful, he will not really send men to hell." – or – "There will be time enough to repent later." – or – "I am not bad enough for God to send me to hell." But Noah was not so foolish and senseless. He was "moved with fear."

I can hear someone saying, "Why do you frighten us? You know that fear will not save a sinner." That is true. It is the goodness of God that leads you to repentance. Only the love of God in Christ can melt the sinner’s heart, draw us to Christ, and constrain us to believe. But you will never be drawn to Christ by the cords of love until you are driven from your carnal security by the fear of God’s impending wrath.

NOTE: We preach the law of God to condemn you. Then we preach the gospel of God’s grace to convert you. But no man was ever yet converted until he was first condemned. You must be driven from your carnal security by fear, so that you may be drawn to Christ by grace.

Illustration: The Jailor (Acts 16:29-30).

Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:6).

The Three Thousand (Acts 2:36-37).

III. Next, we are told that Noah prepared an ark (Gen. 6:14, 16, 21, 22).

This ark is a beautiful picture of our Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation of our souls by him.

    1. The ark was built by God’s design.

    2. The ark was a strong, mighty ship.

    3. The ark was roomy – ("Yet, there is room."

    4. The ark had a door made in the side of it. (Only one door.)

    5. The ark had a window in the top of it.

    6. The ark had no steps leading up to it.

    7. The ark had everything needed by Noah and his family.

    8. The ark bore all the storm of God’s wrath.

    9. The ark was covered with pitch (Atonement!).

    10. All for whom the ark was designed entered in.

    11. All who entered in were saved.


IV. Fourthly, the apostle tells us that Noah saved his house – "To the saving of his house."

How can that be? We know that, "Salvation is of the Lord." We know that no man can save himself, much less save his family. But God says that Noah saved his house. The meaning is this – Noah was the instrument God used to save his household.

NOTE: The responsibility of parents, especially fathers! How did Noah save his family? He entered into the ark himself and led his sons, his daughters-in-law, and his wife into the ark.

    1. He was called into the ark (Gen. 7:1).

    2. He went into the ark (Gen. 7:7). He left everything and everyone else behind!)

    3. The Lord shut him in (Gen. 7:16).

    4. You must enter into the Ark, Christ Jesus, by faith.

      1. You must forsake all other arks.

      2. You must not stop at the threshold and look into the ark. You must enter in.

      3. It is not enough to hear about the ark.

      4. It is not enough to know about the ark.

      5. It is not enough to admire the ark.

      6. It is not enough to defend the ark.


V. When Noah entered into the ark, he condemned the world.

That is to say, he declared the world to be condemned. When Noah entered into the ark, he declared that everyone outside the ark was condemned.

  1. Those who mocked the ark.

  2. Those who chose other arks.

  3. Those who helped to build the ark.

  4. Those who saw no need of the ark (Matt. 24:37-39).


VI. Noah "became the heir of righteousness."

He became the heir of that righteousness represented in the ark, the righteousness of God in Christ.

  1. A covenant righteousness.

  2. A just righteousness.

  3. An imputed righteousness.

  4. A free righteousness.

  5. An everlasting righteousness.


VII. All that Noah did and all that he obtained, he did and obtained by faith.

Noah believed God. He believed God’s Word concerning:

    1. Sin and judgment.

    2. Salvation by the ark.

    3. His promise of grace.


Application:

When the flood of God’s wrath comes, will you be in the Ark?
Don Fortner