The Faithful Director

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God directs and protects His righteous ones.

Genesis(24) (Part of the Origins(24) series)
by Stuart Johns(25) on July 28, 2024 (Sunday Morning(32))

Direction(2), Obedience(4), Protection(3), Righteousness(2), Sovereignty(2)



Origins

The Faithful Director

(Genesis 7:1-10)

 

INTRODUCTION

“There is a well-known book titled, Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Let me suggest another: Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Noah:

  • Don't miss the boat.

  • We are all in the same boat.

  • Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.

  • Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something big.

  • Don't listen to critics; just do the job that needs to be done.

  • Build your future on high ground.

  • For safety's sake, travel in pairs.

  • Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.

  • When you're stressed, float a while.

  • Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

  • No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.

 

Source: Source unknown; submitted by Jon Mutchler, Ferndale, Washington.

 

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2001/january/12815.html]

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Being obedient

        • Judy and I have always told the Lord we would go wherever He directed us

          • He directed us to south Florida right out of college

          • He directed us to Ohio three weeks after our first child was born

          • He directed us to Missouri after being asked the third time

          • He directed us to California after experiencing a layoff

          • He directed us to Pennsylvania after calling me into pastoral ministry

          • He directed us to Virginia after completing some things in Pennsylvania

        • We have experienced the Lord’s blessing as we have been obedient to Him

 

  • WE

    • How has the Lord directed your life over the years?

    • How is the Lord directing you right now?

    • Are you being obedient to Him?

 

The ark is complete so the Lord gave Noah a divine directive – he and his family were to enter the ark. ​​ Noah is obedient to the Lord’s direction. ​​ This divine directive is also given to certain animals and they obey the Lord and make their way to the ark. ​​ Through Noah’s example, we learn that . . .

 

BIG IDEA – God directs and protects His righteous ones.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Genesis 7:1-10)

    • Divine Directive (vv. 1-5)

        • Go (v. 1)

          • The Lord directed Noah to go into the ark with his whole family

            • Last week we learned that Noah’s family consisted of his wife, his sons, and his son’s wives (Gen. 6:18)

            • These were the only human beings who would survive the coming destruction of the earth

            • The narrator cites the Lord’s reason for sparing Noah and his family

          • The reason is because the Lord found Noah to be righteous in his generation

            • “‘Found’ is a metaphorical translation of the Hebrew word ‘saw’ (NRSV, ‘I have seen’). . .” ​​ [Mathews, The New American Commentary, Genesis 1-11:26, Vol. 1A, 371]

              • God saw something different in Noah than He did in the rest of humanity

              • Genesis 6:5, The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.

              • Genesis 6:12, God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.

            • PRINCIPLE #1 – God is the Overseer of all creation.

              • As Overseer, God sees and knows everything that happens

                • Nothing is hidden from Him

                • Hebrews 4:12-13, For the word of God is living and active. ​​ Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ​​ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. ​​ Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

              • As the Overseer, God is sovereign, which means He has the right to rule and He rules rightly

                • God’s ethical evaluation of Noah was that he was striving to do what was right

                • God’s ethical evaluation of the rest of humanity was that they were striving to do what was wrong

              • God sees and knows everything about us, including our thoughts and attitudes

                • What is God’s ethical evaluation of us?

                  • Does He see us striving to do what is right?

                  • Or, does He see us striving to do what is wrong?

                • #1 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Strive to do what is right, so God will find me to be righteous in my generation.

          • The Lord’s first directive was for Noah and his family to go into the ark, but they were not to go into the ark alone

          • They needed to take some animals with them

        • Take (vv. 2-4)

          • Seven pairs (clean & birds)

            • In Genesis 6:19-20 we have a general statement about the animals and birds that were to be taken into the ark

            • In Genesis 7:2-3 we see a specific statement about how many animals and birds

              • Most modern translations say “seven pairs”

              • “‘Seven’ indicates that the animals and birds are considered a full complement, adequately representing the whole created order.” ​​ [Mathew, 372]

              • The “clean” animals were those that would be used for sacrificing as we will see after Noah and his family leave the ark (Gen. 8:20)

              • The narrator does not give us a list of what animals were clean and unclean, but perhaps we can know some of the clean and unclean animals from the regulations given in Deuteronomy

              • In Deuteronomy, the Israelites were given a list of “clean” animals that they could eat and “unclean” animals they could not eat

                • Read Deuteronomy 14:3-19

                • Read Mark 7:14-19

                • Read Romans 14:1-4

              • In Leviticus 1:3-16, the Lord listed the animals that were acceptable for sacrifice (sheep, goat, bull, dove, or pigeon), which would have been considered “clean” animals

            • Noah was to take seven pairs of clean animals and birds, but only one pair of unclean animals

          • One pair (unclean)

            • This included the rest of the animals on earth at this time

            • Again, the narrator does not provide a list of what animals were considered “unclean”

            • If we refer back to Deuteronomy 14:3-19 we can see at least some of the animals that were considered off limits for the Israelites to eat, because they were labeled as “unclean”

          • Male and female

            • Every pair was to be a male and female

            • This minor detail had major significance after the flood

            • Genesis 8:17, Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you – the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground – so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it.

          • Seven days

            • The Lord explained that in seven days He was going to send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights

              • The mention of 40 days and 40 nights is important

              • “This lengthy period was given to Noah to assure him that God would do a thorough job of flooding the earth.” ​​ [Gangel & Bramer, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Genesis, 76]

            • The seven day timeframe gave Noah and his family time to load and store the food that was mentioned in Gen. 6:21

            • It also allowed time for the Lord to send all of the animals and birds to Noah’s location, so he could load them on the ark

          • God directs and protects His righteous ones.

          • After receiving the divine directive from the Lord, we once again see the character of Noah

        • Obey (v. 5)

          • Noah did all that the Lord commanded him to do – he was characterized as someone who obeyed the Lord

          • Are we characterized as someone who obeys the Lord?

          • PRINCIPLE #2 – God is pleased when we obey Him.

            • We talked about this principle last week too

            • Has God asked you to do something that seems out of the ordinary or against cultural norms? (that was the case for Noah)

              • How did you respond?

              • Are you still waiting to respond?

              • What is holding you back?

            • #2 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Be obedient to what God is asking me to do even if it goes against cultural norms.

        • The Lord gave Noah the directions and what we see in the second half of this section is that he obeyed

    • Dutiful Deference (vv. 6-10)

        • Timestamp

          • The narrator mentioned Noah’s age, so we would have a timestamp to be able to determine the length of the flood event

          • It was longer than 40 days and 40 nights

            • The waters flooded the earth for 150 days (Gen. 7:24)

            • They remained on the ark for an entire year (Gen. 8:13) – Noah was 601 years old when the waters finally dried up

          • After the timestamp, we see the obedience of the humans and animals

        • Humans enter the ark

          • In verse 1 the narrator gave us a general statement

          • In verse 7 the narrator gave us the specific details of which humans went on the ark

            • Noah

            • His sons

            • His wife

            • His sons’ wives

          • They enter on the day that the floodwaters begin (Gen. 7:11-13), not seven days earlier when the Lord told them what was about to happen

          • God directs and protects His righteous ones.

        • Animals enter the ark

          • As the animals came to Noah, I’m sure he and his family placed them on the ark

          • Noah and his family did not have to go out and round up the animals

            • “As He did in the Garden of Eden when He brought the animals to be named by Adam (Genesis 2:19), God brought the animals to Noah.” ​​ [Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary, Old Testament, Volume 1: Genesis-Job, 34]

            • God produced an instinct in His chosen male and female animals and birds that caused them to migrate to Noah and the ark’s location

            • PRINCIPLE #3 – God guides His creation.

              • This shows that God is all-powerful

              • “Sitting on ice floes, dressed in identical tuxedoes, millions of Emperor penguins are mirror images of each other. ​​ And yet, after she lays her egg and dives into the Arctic waters for a three-month eating binge while the father incubates the egg, Mama Penguin is able to pick her husband out of the look-alike crowd upon her return.

                From the North Pole, terns fly to Hawaii for the winter. ​​ But they leave their young behind because the young aren’t ready to fly. ​​ Several months later, having gained enough strength to make the journey, the young terns fly in formation on their own –without a single travel agent or map – straight to their parents in Hawaii.

                I can’t explain terns or penguins but I do know this: ​​ God can do whatever He chooses to do with the animal kingdom, just as He can do whatever He chooses to do with you and me in changing our beastly behavior.” ​​ [Courson, 34]

              • Have you experienced God’s guidance in your life?

                • Scripture background

                  • Psalm 32:8, I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

                  • Psalm 119:105, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

                  • Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

                  • Proverbs 16:9, In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps

                  • Isaiah 58:11a, The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.

                • Did He guide you through a difficult time in your life? ​​ (relationship, finances, health, etc.)

                • Have you shared with others how He guided you?

                  • I don’t believe that God wastes those opportunities on us, but allows us to go through them so we can encourage others

                  • 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

              • #3 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Share with ________________ (person) how God guided me through _________________(situation).

          • God directs and protects His righteous ones.

          • After the Lord guided the animals to Noah, it was time for the floodwaters to come

        • Floodwaters

          • God faithfully brought the floodwaters when He said He would – after seven days

            • PRINCIPLE #4 – God is always on time.

              • He is never early

              • He is never late (although we may think that He is)

                • I am sure that some of us here thought that God was late in providing the next pastor, but He was working out His perfect timing

                • I spoke with Bishop Fetters on Wednesday of this week and we realized that it was a year and a day since he first contacted me about considering coming to Jerusalem Chapel

                • We had a Zoom meeting with Linda and Cam in August and prayed over the weekend concerning the Lord’s will

                • We told the Lord we would go wherever He wanted us to and we would leave our children and grandchildren to follow Him, but the answer we received from the Lord was “No”

                • We could not explain to the Bishop or Jim Bolich why God said “No,” but it was clearly “No”

                • When the Bishop contacted us at the end of 2023 to see if it was still “No,” I told him that it was not necessarily “No”

                • God had worked out a couple of things at Idaville UB Church and was now releasing us

                • The rest is history!

                • In His perfect timing, God led us to you all (Jerusalem Chapel) and we are blessed and excited!

              • He is always on time, because He is faithful

              • “Noah does what God says. ​​ And God does what God says. ​​ He is faithful to his own word as Noah is to God’s word.” ​​ [Hamilton, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 1-17, 289]

              • We can rejoice in the fact that God is always on time, because He is faithful

            • We see God’s sovereignty through His faithfulness and timeliness

          • PRINCIPLE #5 – God is sovereign in the storms of life.

            • King David explains in Psalm 29 that God reveals His great power in nature and because of this, we can trust Him to give peace and strength when the storms of life come

            • Psalm 29:10-11, The Lord sits [sat] enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever. ​​ The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.

            • What storm are you currently going through?

              • Take time to reflect on it [as you listen to the song My God Can]

              • Do you believe that God can handle the storm in your life?

              • Do you believe that God can even though you can’t

              • Do you believe that the Lord is enthroned over that storm?

              • Do you believe He will give you strength and peace through the storm?

            • #4 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Ask the Lord to give me strength and peace through ________________ (life’s storm).

 

  • YOU

    • Are you ready to strive to do what is right, so God will find you to be righteous in your generation?

    • Are you ready to be obedient to what God is asking you to do even if it goes against cultural norms?

    • With whom will you share how God guided you through a difficult situation?

    • What storm of life do you need to ask the Lord to give you strength and peace through as you face it?

 

  • WE

    • We need to strive to do what is right, so God will find Jerusalem Chapel righteous in our generation.

    • We need to be obedient to what God is asking us to do as a body even if it goes against the cultural norms.

    • What situation has God guided us through as a church that we can share with other churches?

    • Is there a storm that we are currently facing as a church that we need to seek God’s strength and peace as we face it?

 

CONCLUSION

“One of our students received an appointment from a bishop, and the student did not feel the placement exactly suited his abilities.

 

I overheard him complaining about it to another student, and then the other student said, ‘You know, the world's a better place because Michelangelo did not say, ‘I don't do ceilings.’’

 

Her comment stopped me dead in my tracks. I had to admit she was right.

 

If you and I are going to be faithful to the ministry God is calling us to, then we had better understand that. I reflected on the attitudes of key people throughout the Scriptures and the history of the church.

 

The world's a better place because a German monk named Martin Luther did not say, ‘I don't do doors.’

 

The world's a better place because an Oxford don named John Wesley didn't say, ‘I don't do preaching in fields.’

 

The world's a better place because Moses didn't say, ‘I don't do Pharaohs or mass migrations.’

 

The world's a better place because Noah didn't say, ‘I don't do arks and animals.’

 

The world's a better place because Rahab didn't say, ‘I don't do enemy spies.’

The world's a better place because Ruth didn't say, ‘I don't do mothers-in-law.’

 

The world's a better place because Samuel didn't say, ‘I don't do mornings.’

 

The world's a better place because David didn't say, ‘I don't do giants.’

 

The world's a better place because Peter didn't say, ‘I don't do Gentiles.’

 

The world's a better place because John didn't say, ‘I don't do deserts.’

 

The world's a better place because Mary didn't say, ‘I don't do virgin births.’

 

The world's a better place because Paul didn't say, ‘I don't do correspondence.’

 

The world's a better place because Mary Magdalene didn't say, ‘I don't do feet.’

 

The world's a better place because Jesus didn't say, ‘I don't do crosses.’

 

And the world will be a better place only if you and I don't say, ‘I don't do ...’”

 

Source: Leonard Sweet, United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio. Leadership, Vol. 15, no. 2.

 

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/1997/september/2587.html].

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