AVBC - Communion Sunday - 08/02/26 - Sermon Title: “Noah - Faithful in a Corrupt World” – “Ordinary People, Extraordinary God” - Sermon Series - (Part 1 of 5) – Genesis 6:9-22

Sunday 08/02/26 – Adams Village Baptist Church

Sermon Title: “Noah - Faithful in a Corrupt World” – “Ordinary People, Extraordinary God” - Sermon Series - (Part 1 and 5) – Genesis 6:9-22     

(Cover Picture – Noah’s Ark)

          This morning we are beginning a new five-week sermon series called “Ordinary People, Extraordinary God”. Specifically, over the next five-weeks we will be discussing five figures in the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible that were “ordinary people,” but encountered our “extraordinary God”. These five figures of Noah, Abraham, Joseph, David, and Esther, are by no means all the significant figures in the Old Testament, but this sermon series will focus just on these five. Apart from God, Noah, Abrahan, Joseph, David and Esther were just “ordinary People,” but through God, He made them “extraordinary”.

(Ordinary People - Extraordinary God – Picture)

          I don’t think that being “normal” is a bad thing. For most of us we live lives like most other people, but are we famous to millions or even billions of people? Are buildings named after us? Do people we have never met who know our name and know all about us? We tend to live in a culture where only the elite on the top of the social and economic hierarchy are seen by some as “important.” I disagree wholeheartedly with this, as I believe all people are people. In fact, “ordinary people,” who can do so much through our “extraordinary God”.

          You might have heard me say it before, but my goal as a person, as a Christian, and as a pastor, is “to be nameless to history, and faithful for eternity”. For example, how many people have lived in Adams, Adams Center, Jefferson County, New York State, the United States, and the world, that most of the present human population have never heard of? Further, even if our names are etched into buildings, history books, on tomb stones, etc., do most people know much about them years later? Do we know more than what books might say, or perhaps what has been passed down to us? It is good to remember all those heroes in whom we stand on the shoulders of, but only God is eternal.

With all of this said then, how many of us this morning would say that we are regular “ordinary” people? I think I am a regular “ordinary” person, but not in the sense that I or anyone else is insignificant. We are all just people, all the same before God, but God can use us all to be “extraordinary”. It does need mean that we must be mentioned in the Bible or in other prominent places, but all of us can do “extraordinary” things, through our “extraordinary” God. As it turns out in the Bible God often chose people that were regular or “ordinary” people. The disciples that Jesus called, some of whom were fisherman, were likely just like the average like the average person in Adams or Adams Center. God takes the “ordinary,” and through the “ordinary” can and does do “extraordinary” things!

(Noah’s Calling – Genesis 6:9-22 – Picture)

          This morning though, once again, we are discussing “Noah” in the Book of Genesis, or the Hebrew Torah, for those who are Jewish. Noah potentially could just be name in a lineage or a forgotten footnote in history, but God used him to be “extraordinary”. In truth all are forgotten in many ways, even if a name and some of what person lived is still learned. For we are no longer living in those times, and everything is now what is written, and our world has changed so much. Yet, God called an “ordinary” man named Noah to do something “extraordinary.” It was not about Noah becoming famous, well known, or having us even to this day name children after him, but instead God often choses people for their humility, there faith, and their desire to seek Him.

          In looking at our scripture from the Book of Genesis 6:9-22 once again, we hear:

Noah Pleases God

⁹ These are the descendants of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. ¹⁰ And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. ¹¹ Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. ¹² And God saw that the earth was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon the earth. ¹³ And God said to Noah, ‘I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; now I am going to destroy them along with the earth       (Gen. 6:9-13, NRSV).

          I have to be honest, the story of Noah and the Ark is great, but it is really challenging story in the Bible. The idea that God flooded the whole earth and all people, all flesh, would be destroyed. Some people get focused on this part of the story, but I would invite us this morning to look at this story in a bigger and a larger way. For example, if we were to look at all humanity on earth today, what would be our report card grade? Would we give humanity an A+? Would we give humanity a B, or a C+? Would we give humanity a D or an F, and why? I ask this, because I think this is a bigger theme is this story. I certainly struggle abundantly with some of the violence in the Old Testament and the idea that is the story of Noah that all of humanity is wiped out other than his family, but how would we grade humanity today? Have we all done a good job with the earth? Have we all done a good job loving and serving to best we could?

(Genesis 6:9,14 – Picture)

          To me, the story of Noah and the Ark is a call for us to look at ourselves, and to look at all humanity? It’s a call to ask ourselves if we are truly living the way that God wants us to live. I think if we are all honest, we can probably say that we can do even better than we are doing now. Noah himself according to Genesis 6:9 was righteous, blameless, as he walked with God. Therefore, if someone tells you that are like Noah in the Bible this is not necessarily a bad thing. I mean after all, some people still name their kids after Noah, who was a righteous, blameless, and Godly man. Noah followed God, and did whatever God commanded. Specifically, God asks Noah to build this massive ship called an Ark. How many of would want to do this?

(Noah Building the Ark – Picture)

          Picking up in Genesis 6:14 we hear, once again:

¹⁴ Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. ¹⁵ This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. ¹⁶ Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above; and put the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks. ¹⁷ For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die (Gen. 9:14-17, NRSV).

Again, the story of Noah and the Ark is a powerful and deep story. Imagine building an Ark? This is not just a little project, it is unbelievable!

(Genesis 6:18 – Ark Picture)

Further, as we hear once again in Genesis 6:18. God established a “covenant” or an agreement with Noah.

¹⁸ But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you (Gen. 6:18, NRSV).

 

To make a covenant with God, means that God making a specific promise. God did this with Abraham, with Moses, David, and others like Adam in the Garden of Eden. Just don’t eat off the “Tree of the knowledge of God and evil” God told Adam. This covenant that God made with Noah, however, is the:

Noahic Covenant (Genesis 9): God promised never to destroy the earth again by a flood, giving the rainbow as an unconditional sign for all creation.                           [1, 2, 3, 4]

God’s covenant with Noah, is that He will never again flood the whole earth. The story continues with the rest of our scripture for this morning from Genesis 6:9-22, concluding in Genesis 6:19-22 saying, once again:

(Genesis 6:22 – Ark Picture)

¹⁹ And of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. ²⁰ Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every kind shall come in to you, to keep them alive. ²¹ Also take with you every kind of food that is eaten, and store it up; and it shall serve as food for you and for them.’ ²² Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

 

          This story is so timeless in fact, that some church nurseries have a Noah’s Ark for kids to play with, and you can even go to the “Ark Encounter” in the state of Kentucky. I have never been there, but it is a complete replica of the Ark based upon the Noah story in the book of Genesis. While we do not know what Noah really looked like, I did find a picture of what some might think that he looked like:

(Noah – Picture)

Another joke that I have always had around Noah’s Ark story in the Book of Genesis is that Noah’s wife wanted her mother to come along on this 40-day Ark ride. Of course, there is nothing at all in the Bible at all about Noah’s mother-in-law, but here is a funny picture of how Noah responded to his wife when she asked Noah if he had seen here mother.

(Noah’s “Mother-In-Law – Ark Picture)

          So, Noah, like most of us was a regular “ordinary” person, but God used him to be “extraordinary”.  God can use any of us and does all the time to do little and maybe even massively “extraordinary” things. Again, the story of Noah’s Ark is a very challenging story in some ways. God makes a covenant with Noah to never again flood the earth, and all the covenants of the Old Testament culminate with Jesus. For at the Last Supper, that we will celebrate this morning, Jesus took the cup as said, “this is the blood of the New Covenant,” for our eternal promise and our eternal covenant with God, is through Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

          So how significant is the Old Testament Book of Genesis story of Noah’s Ark? Well, the realtor that helped Melissa and I with the house we live in now was named Noah. What did I get Noah as a thank you gift for his help? Well, a Legos build your own Noah’s Ark kit of course!

          In this first sermon in this sermon series called “Ordinary People, Extraordinary God” I want to explain, once again, why Noah and the story of the Ark matter to us today. How can we take this story out of the doors with us, and how can we apply to our lives and relationships with Jesus today? Here is how:

Genesis 6:9–22 describes Noah's righteous character, God's decision to judge a corrupt and violent world with a flood, and instructions to build an ark to save Noah's family and the animals. It highlights the themes of sin's seriousness, divine grace, and total obedience. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Character and Corruption

·         Noah's walk: Noah is described as righteous, blameless in his time, and walking closely with God.

·         World's state: The earth is filled with corruption and violence because people turned away from God's ways. [1, 2, 3]

 

Judgment and Grace

·         Divine warning: God announces His plan to destroy all life on earth with a flood because of human evil.

·         The covenant: God chooses to show grace by making a promise (covenant) to save Noah and his family. [1, 2]

 

The Ark and Obedience

·         Exact plans: God gives Noah precise measurements and design instructions for the massive wooden ark.

·         Preservation: Noah is told to bring food and pairs of every kind of animal to keep them alive.

·         Complete compliance: Noah shows active faith by obeying every single command that God gives him. [1, 2, 3, 4]

 

Even further:

 

The significance of Noah in Abrahamic traditions centers on salvation, obedience, and a fresh start for humanity, represented by three key themes: deliverance from judgment, the renewal of creation, and a divine covenant.   [1, 2, 3]

Core Religious Meanings

·         Righteousness: Noah stood out as a faithful and blameless man in a corrupt world, proving that obedience to God matters even when no one else follows. [1, 2, 3]

·         Salvation and Grace: Building the ark provided a literal and spiritual refuge, showing God's mercy saving the innocent and preserving all land life from total destruction. [1, 2, 3, 4]

·         New Beginning: Acting as a second patriarch or "new Adam", Noah stepped onto a cleansed earth to restart the human race. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

The Covenant and Symbolism

·         The Rainbow: God made a promise never to destroy the earth by a flood again, using the rainbow as a sign of peace and lasting loyalty.

·         The Name: Meaning "rest" or "consolation" in Hebrew, his birth symbolized relief from the heavy toil and curse placed upon the ground.             [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

This morning, once again, we have discussed the story of Noah and the Ark. Noah, others like him, and us, are “Ordinary People” who have an “Extraordinary God” Amen.