Sermon #531 Hebrews Notes

Title: Noah’s Faith

Text: Hebrews 11:7

Readings: Bob Poncer and Rex Bartley

Subject: Faith in Christ Exemplified by Noah

Date: Tuesday Evening – May 1,2000

Tape # W-39a

Introduction:

[Hebrews 11:7] "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."

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. Tonight, I want to show you what the Bible tells us about Noah and his faith (Heb. 11:7). Before we look at Noah’s faith as it is described in our text, let me show you the source and cause of his faith.

In Genesis 6 we are told 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.”

· There is always 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).

[Ephesians 2:8] "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"

2. His faith was the result of God’s revelation of his purpose of grace toward him (Gen. 6:13-14, 18, 22). – Faith arises from, is built upon, and believes God’s Revelation. Faith is no more and no less than believing God’s Word.

[Genesis 6:13-14] "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. [14] Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch."

[Genesis 6:18] "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."

[Genesis 6:22] "Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he."

3. 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).

[Genesis 6:1-3] "And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, [2] That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. [3] And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years."

[Genesis 6:7] "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."

Noah’s faith was the response of his heart to God’s Word. 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.

· Your days on this earth are numbered.

· “Today is the day of salvation.”

· 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). It is written, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die!” (Ezek. 18:20).

[Romans 1:18] "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;"

[Romans 3:23] "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"

[Romans 6:23] "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

· Sodom!

· Korah!

· Noah’s generation!

· Pilate!

· Judas!

“Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish!” (Luke 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.

· The Certainty Of It.

· The Justice Of It.

· The Imminence Of It.

· The Eternality Of It.

· The Horror Of It.

· 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.

Illustration: Sunday’s Wreck

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.”

He was not moved by fear for himself. He believed God. He was moved by fear for his family, his neighbors, those who were yet rebels to God. He feared for the souls of men.

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).

[Genesis 6:14] "Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch."

[Genesis 6:16] "A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it."

[Genesis 6:21-22] "And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. [22] Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he."

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

A. The ark was built by God’s design.

B. The ark was a strong, mighty ship.

C. The ark was roomy – (“Yet, there is room.”

D. The ark had a door made in the side of it. (only one door!)

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

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

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

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

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

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

K. 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.

· Physically!

· Symbolically!

· Spiritually!

NOTE: This is the responsibility of all 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.

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

[Genesis 7:1] "And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation."

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

[Genesis 7:7] "And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood."

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

[Genesis 7:16] "And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in."

D. 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. – Enter in!

4. It is not enough to know about the ark. – Enter in!

5. It is not enough to admire the ark. – Enter in!

6. It is not enough to defend the ark. – Enter in!

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.

· Those Who Mocked The Ark.

· Those Who Chose Other Arks.

· Those Who Helped To Build The Ark.

· Those Who Saw No Need Of The Ark (Matt. 24:37-39).

[Matthew 24:37-39] "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. [38] For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, [39] And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

VI. Noah “became the heir of righteousness.”

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

· A Covenant Righteousness.

· A Just Righteousness.

· An Imputed Righteousness.

· A Free Righteousness.

· 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:

· Sin And Judgment.

· Salvation By The Ark.

· His Promise Of Grace.

Application: I want to send you home with some things to consider.

1. Are you in the Ark? When the flood of God’s wrath comes, will you be in the Ark?

2. When your family meets you at the bar of God, will they thank God for your influence in their lives; or will they eternally damned family gnash their teeth upon your eternally damned soul forever?