PURSUED: “Grace In The Storm”
WHEN THE WORLD WAS DROWNING IN SIN, GOD WAS STILL MAKING A WAY TO SAVE.
Genesis 6:5-8, “The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. 6 So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. 7 And the Lord said, “I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them.” 8 But Noah found favor with the Lord.”
Genesis 6:9-13, “This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God. 10 Noah was the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. 12 God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt. 13 So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!”
Week 1: ADAM HIDES. GOD SEARCHES.
Week 2: HUMANITY FALLS. GOD PROVIDES A WAY
TRUTH: GRACE DOESN’T MEAN THERE IS NO STORM. GRACE MEANS GOD PROVIDES A WAY THROUGH THE STORM
GOD DOESN’T ABANDON PEOPLE IN THE STORM; HE MAKES A WAY THROUGH IT.
1. THE WORLD WAS BROKEN…BUT GOD STILL SAW ONE
Genesis 6:5, “The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.”
Genesis 6:8, “8But Noah found favor with the Lord.”
**NOAH WASN’T LIVING IN A PERFECT WORLD. HE WAS LIVING FAITHFULLY IN A BROKEN ONE.
Genesis 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.”
**YOU CAN’T CONTROL THE WORLD AROUND YOU…BUT YOU CAN CONTROL HOW YOU WALK THROUGH IT.
2. GRACE BUILDS AN ARK BEFORE THE RAIN
Genesis 6:14, “14Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out.”
TRUTH: FAITH MEANS BUILDING BEFORE YOU SEE THE BLESSING
Hebrews 11:7, “It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.”
**FAITH ISN’T PRETENDING SOMETHING EXISTS WHEN IT DOESN’T.
**FAITH IS TRUSTING GOD’S WORD ENOUGH TO BEGIN BUILDING BEFORE YOU SEE THE FINISHED PRODUCT.
3. GOD REMEMBERED NOAH IN THE STORM
Genesis 8:1, “But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and livestock with him in the boat.”
TRUTH: WHEN THE BIBLE SAYS, “GOD REMEMBERED,” IT OFTEN MEANS GOD IS ABOUT TO MOVE.
**YOU MAY FEEL FORGOTTEN IN THE STORM, BUT FEELING FORGOTTEN ISN’T THE SAME AS BEING FORGOTTEN.
4. GOD’S GRACE ALWAYS POINTS TOWARD A NEW BEGINNING
Genesis 9:12-13, “Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. 13 I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth.”
TRUTH: THE RAINBOW ISN’T PRIMARILY A SYMBOL OF A STORM. IT’S A SYMBOL OF GOD’S PROMISE AFTER THE STORM.
1 Peter 3:20-21, “…those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. 21 And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
John 10:9, “Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.”
THE INCREDIBLE PARALLEL:
NOAH HAD AN ARK
WE HAVE CHRIST
NOAH HAD A DOOR
JESUS IS THE DOOR
NOAH ENTERED BY FAITH
WE ENTER BY FAITH
NOAH WAS PRESERVED THROUGH JUDGMENT
JESUS SAVES US FROM THE JUDGMENT OUR SIN DESERVE
