BOLD Week 3: Bold Truth – Genesis 6
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BOLD: beyond the usual limits of conventional thought or action.
Intro.
3 BOLD truths behind Noah’s Ark…
Background: Genesis 6:1-6
When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.
5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.
Here we see that the earth had become wicked in every way.
– The “sons of God” (those who professed religion) married “daughters of men”
(strangers of God and godliness.)
– They ignored God. They chose only by the eye. They lived only by their desires.
– Men of renown (used their position to promote themselves. oppress others)
– “Every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually”
Many would say, “Big deal..they married who they wanted, they did what made them happy, they lived their lives.” What’s the big deal?
1) Sin is a problem that can’t be ignored. (vss. 1-6)
Conventional thought: Sin is not a big deal.
Many people would choose to ignore the issue of sin.
ILL. Refusing to go to the doctor for tests because of fear of the results. (Just because we ignore it,
does not mean that it isn’t a problem.)
Sin is a big deal. It should be a big deal to us, because it is a big deal to God.
“Grieved the heart of God.” NLT: “It broke his heart.”
7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
Why is sin a big deal?
*It is the very antithesis of God’s nature.
What is God’s nature? In God’s response (vss. 7 & 8), we get a good look at the nature of God…
– Because God is holy, he cannot tolerate sin.
(God’s holiness demands separation.)
For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. – Ps. 5:4
*Sin is a big deal because it separates us from God.
– Because God is love, he is grieved when his children turn their back on him.
(God’s love demands restoration.)
Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever
wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. – James 4:4
*Sin is a big deal because it hurts. It enslaves us & destroys us. It blinds us to truth.
– Because God is just, he must deal with sin.
(God’s justice demands payment.)
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of [God’s] throne. – Psalm 89:14
For the wages of sin is death… – Romans 6:23
*Sin is a big deal because it is costly.
– Because God is merciful, he offers a way of salvation.
(God’s mercy offers grace.)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God… – Ephesians 2:8
7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
2) God offers mercy before judgement. (vss. 7-8)
Conventional thought: The flood was not fair.
We don’t want fair. (“the wages of sin…”)
To sin against God is so horrible that sinning even one time warrants eternal condemnation.
We don’t want fair. We want grace. “The beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair.” Reliant K
- “God’s process is always mercy before judgement.” The offer of mercy always precedes judgement. (Cain, Jonah, Sodom & Gomorrah) During the construction of the ark (approx 120 years), Noah is described as a “preacher of righteousness”
“And God did not spare the ancient world—except for Noah and the seven others in his family. Noah
warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of
ungodly people with a vast flood.” – 2 Peter 2:5
“How could a loving God do that?”
- “None are punished by the justice of God, but those who hate to be reformed by the grace of God.” – Matthew Henry
We see the result of God’s mercy being displayed in the one family who chose to follow and obey God.
- In Noah’s day grace came in the shape of an Ark. Today grace comes in the shape of a Cross.
In the person of Jesus, the Son of God, we see the only means of man’s salvation.
ILL: That’s ingenious!
Judgement is still coming.
“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,” (Heb. 9:27)
– Great White Throne (Rev. 20:11-15)
– Judgement Seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10-12, 2 Cor. 5:10)
As followers of Christ, we should be more motivated by the realization of God’s grace than the fear of
his judgement.
ILL: Punishment by parents. That grace should motivate us to live as those who have been redeemed.
- Although we see God grieve that he created mankind, we never see Him grieve that He redeemed mankind. The effects of redemption:
- Sins are forgiven.
– Relationship is restored.
– Free from the power of sin.
– We are invited to join God in his mercy-giving plan.
9 This is the account of Noah and his family.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.
11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14 So make yourself an ark
3) God uses those with bold faith to accomplish his mercy-giving plan. (vss. 9-14a)
Conventional thought: My story is not connected to God’s story.
- Noah wasn’t trying to by picked. He was looking to God. “He walked faithfully with God” (Imagine the human pressure he felt.) By walking with God, he lived a Bold Life. As Noah honored God, God blessed him. God blessed his family. And God chose him to be a part of his plan to save humanity. God honored his faithfulness. God honored his bold living.
How do I live a bold life??
- Bold living is fueled by a bold faith. Bold faith is only truly demonstrated by active obedience.
- Noah took a step of obedience, (There was nothing glamorous about picking up a saw and starting to cut wood), but God used that step of obedience to literally change the world through him.
Ex. Julianna’s Testimony
- Our story and God’s purposes intersect at the point of obedience.
ILL. Shoney’s Waitress.
WHAT IS YOUR SAW?
- If God is big enough to trust with your eternity (future), then God is big enough to trust with your today.
What we will see: When you do what you CAN do (in obedience to God), then God will do what you CAN’T do.
The 140
Although sin is a problem that can’t be ignored, God gives mercy before judgement & invites us to join him in his mercy-giving plan.