Looking at the life of Noah as an example of faith living!
#1 THE ROAD OF OBEDIENCE
You have to admit it, it takes enormous faith to build a boat, to build a box the size of an aircraft carrier, inland in Iraq, where there is no body of water for anything that size.
The way you live actually matters! You can't just live any way you want to live.
Gen 6: 9
Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.
Romans 12: 2(NIV). Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. I believe Noah really encapsulates that in his lifestyle. The road that Noah walked was the road of obedience!
Faith = Obedience and Action
Heb 11: 1 - 11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
James 2: 14(NLT), faith without works is dead. “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?”
So whatever you believe should be translated into your behavior.
Belief will correspond to behavior, if it's genuine faith.
#2 FAITH AT WORK
God told Noah what was gonna happen and then guided him through the whole process. So this is where the Boat comes in. The Ark. The 120 years long project. 120 years of putting faith into action by swinging that axe and laying the wood...120 years!!
Building the ark was the process to the promised blessing of life.
Staying faithful during the process is what keeps you afloat during the storm!
One person can make a difference. (One of our values here at church is to ‘MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY LOVING PEOPLE”. We believe a single person can have a great impact, but also when we come together, we can have a greater impact.
God's revelation of the future was enough to prompt Noah's demonstration of faith. God said it. He did it. He honoured God's word. God did not have to give him a second warning. He didn't have to give him a sign from heaven. I think God speaking to you is like a sign in and of itself.
#3 THE BLESSING IS AT THE END OF OBEDIENCE
Noah found a blessing at the end of the road of his obedience. He even experienced blessing in the midst of the flood/the storm. Noah’s family was saved along with him! THE BLESSING IS COMING:) The blessing is LIFE!
After the Lord told Noah to go into the ark, it happened… Plup, the rain drops started to fall from heaven… The flood came and lasted for 40 days. Everything was washed away, except the ARK/Boat. Noah built ‘THE BIGGER BOAT’!
Do you know how amazing it is that this boat floated and withstood the flood? But why did the boat float? How does a boat? It’s sealed!
GEN 6: 14(NLT) “Build a large boat[c] from cypress wood[d] and waterproof it with tar, inside and out.
Gen 6: 14 (NIV) So make yourself an ark of cypress[a] wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.
That word Pitch means ‘to cover’ or ‘covering’ or ‘Atonement’.
What it says there is: When you live a life of faith you are covered by the atonement of Jesus. You are covered by the covenantal promise!
Then after the flood we have the rainbow to remind us of the covenant God made with man to never again flood it like then.
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Life Church is located in Ladner, BC (just outside of Vancouver), and we exist to Love God, Love People, and Love Life! We value relationship over religion, grace over judgement, character over gifting, and making a difference as we love people!
