Jump Start # 1802

Genesis 6:22 “Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did.”

This week we are taking a look at Noah and the flood. A recent trip to the Ark Exhibit in northern Kentucky displays a life size replica of the ark. It is amazing. Our verse today, proclaiming that Noah did all that God commanded, doesn’t surprise us. Similar statements are sprinkled throughout the flood account. Noah was a righteous man and righteous people do all that God commands. It’s hard to be “right” when you don’t do what God says. Those that built the replica of the ark knew the size and proportions of the ark, because Noah did what God said. There were three decks. There was a door. There were rooms inside. There were provisions for Noah and the animals.

Through the years, this example of Noah has been a standard to use to show people the importance of obeying God and Bible authority. The ark was to be made of gopher wood. The ark was to be so many cubits long, wide and high. The ark was God’s design. The ark was God’s idea. What was to go into the ark was determined by God.

There are some lessons:

God didn’t build the ark, Noah did. God provided the information, but Noah had to do it. It took Noah a long time. The ark is huge. There is a parallel to today’s church. God will give the increase and the church will grow but we have to do it. We have to teach. We have let our lights shine. We have to spread the word. We have to invite. God didn’t build the ark for Noah. God won’t grow the church without us.

Noah is praised for doing all that God commanded. Noah understood. Noah knew that when God said something, He wanted it done that way. Our verse states that Noah did ALL that God commanded. It’s that word “All” that gets folks today. Some get pretty close. So do a lot of what God says. But that’s not the same as “doing all.” I am amazed at how many mainline denominations are now flirting with the Catholic faith. There was a time historically when major lines were drawn and there remained huge distinctions. A large Christian church in our area had an ash Wednesday service. From the outside, it looks like the Christian church is dating the Catholic church. Why? Was this some new revelation from Heaven? Was this an attempt to attract and keep Catholic folks? Are we so interested in numbers and size and revenues that we forget to do all that God commanded?

We know the ark had three decks. How do you know that? God commanded that and Noah did all that God commanded. We know the ark had a window and a door? Where do you get that? God commanded and Noah did all that God commanded.

If we took Noah’s example and used that for a model for the church, then we could in modern times have a replica of the original church. We know that the early church had the Lord’s Supper on Sunday. We know the Lord’s Supper consisted of unleavened bread and fruit of the vine. We know that the early church raised money by the members giving. We know that the early church sang hymns. They prayed. They had preaching. When we use that model and format, we can build a worship like God intended. We can do ALL that God commanded.

It is right here that we start to have issues. Some will say, “God didn’t say you can’t bring in a banjo.” That’s correct. He didn’t say that. Why can’t we have a banjo to go along with our hymns? Why couldn’t Noah have brought along a few extra dogs or put in one more window? There’s no harm in a few extra dogs? God didn’t say “You can’t bring your favorite pet.” Noah did all that God commanded. It’s that simple. Did God command it? If He did, Noah did it. If God didn’t command it, Noah didn’t do it. So, why can’t the kids at church have a car wash and raise some extra money for the church? They’d have fun and it would help the church out and we’d be serving the community. This is how we moderns think. We reason too much. We try and try to force a square peg into that round hole. Give us enough time and we’ll get it in there. We work this angle and that angle. We try and try. What’s wrong with having a place for the teens to play ball on a Friday night? Why can’t the church build something for them? It would be great for them and it would serve the community. Why can’t we have a soup kitchen in the building to feed poor people? It would do us good and it would serve the community. Why can’t we have a school connected to the church? We could offer classes through high school and our kids could get a Bible based conservative teaching. It would help our kids and we could serve the community.

Why can’t we do just what God said? Why can’t we do all that God commanded? We try to make things that God has not commanded right by saying, “it will do good and it will help the community.” What the community would like the most, is for a church to quit following God. Sing, dance, party, have a good time and never, ever demand obedience to God. That’s what the community wants. How about asking, instead of “we could serve the community,” we could serve God!

No one believes that Noah built a smaller boat that was attached to the ark. Why don’t we believe this? Because Noah did all that God commanded. God never commanded a second boat. No one believes that Noah snuck some friends on the ark. He hid them as stowaways. Why? Noah did all that God commanded.

The problem today is that we are not content with what God has said. We feel that God has left some things out, needs improving or at the worst, we think that we know a better way than God does. To worship as the early church did would be declared “boring” my most today. To grow a church by simply teaching and inviting won’t work, the experts tell us. You have to have this and that to survive today. Change this. Change that. Had Noah listened to moderns, the ark would have looked like a Disney Cruise ship. Cool, everyone would say. I’ll get that boat! Mickey, Donald and Noah. Party on the seas! Fun times. Someone to take our photo. Someone to make the cute animal features out of towels. Mickey waffles for breakfast. Movies at night. Fun. Fun. Fun.

Noah did all that God commanded. The ark wasn’t a cruise trip around the world. The flood was God’s wrath against a world that no longer listened or obeyed God. The flood was death. The flood was tears. The flood was starting all over with creation. Put away the Mickey ears. Noah was a righteous man who walked with God. Those are God’s words.

God said and Noah did. For that reason, Noah was allowed on the ark. When are we going to understand this? When are we going to listen to what God has said and be satisfied with that? When are we going to have enough faith to trust that God knows what He is doing?

When, if ever, are we going to be like Noah, and do all that God commands?

Roger