Bobby Stafford Noah and the Ark of Safety     Church

Noah and the Ark of Safety

Introduction:

I love the story of Noah and the ark.  I probably first heard it right here in this very building.  Who could forget about the great size of the ark, or about all the animals, or about it raining forty days and forty nights?  Today I want us to first focus our attention on the parallels between Noah’s salvation and our salvation.  Then we will look at how the church is the ark of safety.

Text:  I Peter 3:20-21  “who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.  There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” NKJV

Body:

I.                 Noah’s Salvation

·       Noah was saved by grace.  (Genesis 6:8) “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” NKJV  So are we.  (Ephesians 2:8) “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” NKJV  His salvation and ours are gifts.

·       Noah was delivered from an old world to a new one.  We are delivered out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.  (Colossians 1:13) “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,” NKJV

·       Noah was saved by faith.  (Hebrews 11:7) “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” NKJV  So are we.  Noah was offered a way of escape but he had to accept that offer by faith.  Belief is essential.  (John 3:16) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” NKJV

·       Noah was saved when he obeyed.  All the faith in the world would not have saved Noah if he had not acted upon that faith and built the ark. 

(Genesis 6:22) “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.” NKJV  Today our faith doesn’t save until we obey God’s instructions.  (Hebrews 5:8-9) “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.  And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,” NKJV  (Matthew 7:21) “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ Shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” NKJV

·       Noah was saved through water.  The water kept the ark afloat and made it safe.  God used water to bring about Noah’s salvation.  It is much the same with us.  (Romans 6:3-7) “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.  For he who has died has been freed from sin.” NKJV  Water washed evil from the world in Noah’s day.  Baptism washes away our sins.  (Acts 22:16) “And now why are you waiting?  Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” NKJV 

II.               The Ark of Safety

Let’s look at some of the similarities between the ark and the church.

·       There was only one ark – no rowboats, sailboats, canoes.  There is only one church started by Christ.  (Colossians 1:18) “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” NKJV

·       Both were built according to instructions given by God Himself.

·       The ark only had one door.  (Genesis 6:16) “You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side.  You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.” NKJV  The church has only one Door.  (John 10:1,9) “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.  9 I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” NKJV  (John 14:6) “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.” NKJV

·       The ark had one window as a source of light.  (Genesis 6:16) “You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side.  You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.” NKJV  The church also has only one source of light, the Word of God.  (Psalm119:105) “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” NKJV

·       All those outside the ark died; safety was in the ark alone.  (Genesis7:21-23) “And all flesh died that moved on the earth:  birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man.” NKJV  All those outside the church will perish.  (Ephesians 5:23) “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.” NKJV  (II Thessalonians 1:7-9) “and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,” NKJV

Conclusion:

While there are many similarities between the ark and the church, there is one major difference.  All those within the ark were saved from the flood, but not everyone in the church will be saved.  Matthew 13:47-50 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.  So it will be at the end of the age.  The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire.  There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” NKJV  Faithfulness is needed.  Revelation 2:10 “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer.  Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days.  Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” NKJV 

Bobby Stafford 

October 1, 2017