02/14/2010  Commendable Faith - Noah, Build Me an Ark:  Hebrews 11:7; Genesis 6:5-22

The life and times of Noah are much more than an ancient story. They are all about a man of persevering faith who obeys God when the whole world was wallowing in violence and selfishness. Noah "found favor" in the eyes of the Lord. Noah's ark becomes a picture of God's refuge from danger and death to all who would enter in to discover God's favor.

The apostle John gives us the words of Jesus centuries later:

So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."

Noah's faith was reckoned to him as righteousness. Faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ who suffered for our sin provides us with the eternal gift of righteousness before a holy God.
TAKE HOME:
God did not abandon Noah during his long period of building the ark and the year of floating high above the mountain tops. God will not abandon us in our faith journey in things that we cannot yet see. BY FAITH... (your name) how would you finish the sentence? What step are you taking by faith to discover God's rich reward?