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Noah Builds an Ark
Scripture Reference:
Genesis 6:8–22
Introduction:
In a world overcome with wickedness and corruption, one man stood
out because he walked with God. Genesis 6:8 says, “But Noah found
grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Through Noah’s faith and
obedience, God preserved human life and revealed His pattern of
salvation—a pattern that still applies to us today.
A World Filled with Corruption
The people of Noah’s day had filled the earth with sin and violence.
Every imagination of their hearts was evil continually. The world
God had created for good was now poisoned by wickedness. Yet, in the
midst of a world gone wrong, Noah remained faithful. The Bible
describes him as “a just man, perfect in his generations”
(Genesis 6:9). He was not sinless, but he was sincere. Noah’s life
was governed by God’s standards, not by the world’s. He walked with
God daily, standing as a light in the darkness of his generation.
As God
looked upon His creation, He grieved that mankind had corrupted
itself so deeply. The world that was once pure now stood under the
sentence of destruction. But grace still prevailed. “Noah found
grace in the eyes of the Lord.” When the rest of the world
turned its back on God, Noah turned his heart toward Him.
The Character of Noah
Noah’s life was marked by righteousness. He lived by faith and
trusted in God’s commands even when the world ridiculed him. Noah
was blameless, consistent, and steadfast. He was a man who walked
with God when no one else would. His great-grandfather Enoch had
also walked with God and was taken, but God had a different plan for
Noah. Through Noah, God would show His justice and mercy at the same
time—justice upon sin, and mercy upon the faithful.
The Corruption of the People
The Bible says “all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth”
(Genesis 6:12). This was not a small group of wicked people but the
entire human race. Sin had infected every heart, every home, and
every nation. People lived as though nothing was wrong. They
believed they were fine. But God saw their hearts, and His judgment
was righteous. What men called normal, God called wicked.
God’s
judgment was not unfair—He gave them time, warnings, and a preacher
of righteousness in Noah. Yet, no one repented. For over a hundred
years, Noah preached as he built the ark, pleading with his
generation to turn to God. Still, they refused. Noah could not
change their hearts. Faith and repentance must always be a personal
choice.
God’s Command to Build the Ark
When God told Noah of His plan to destroy the earth with a flood, He
also gave him instructions for salvation. He commanded Noah to build
an ark of gopher wood, 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30
cubits high. It was to have three decks, one door, and one window.
Noah had
never seen a flood, nor had anyone else. Yet, “by faith Noah,
being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear,
prepared an ark to the saving of his house” (Hebrews 11:7). Noah
didn’t question or alter God’s design. He didn’t shorten the ark or
add extra doors. He trusted that God’s plan was perfect. The ark
wasn’t designed for travel—it was designed for survival. It was
God’s provision for deliverance.
Just as
Moses later followed God’s blueprints for the tabernacle, Noah
followed God’s blueprints for the ark. His task was simple but not
easy: obey exactly as God commanded. The result was a vessel of
safety floating upon the waters of judgment.
The Faith of Noah
Noah’s faith was active and obedient. Every hammer stroke was an act
of belief. Every plank nailed into place was a testimony of trust.
He worked and preached for years without seeing a single sign of
rain. The people mocked him, but Noah never wavered. Faith does not
depend on sight; it depends on confidence in God’s word.
Noah’s
faith was rewarded. When judgment came, his family entered the ark
and was saved. His obedience had separated life from death,
salvation from destruction. True faith always moves us to action.
The Covenant of Preservation
God promised Noah that if he obeyed, He would establish His covenant
with him. “I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall
go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with
you” (Genesis 6:18). Noah was not responsible for gathering the
animals; God caused them to come to him. God provided what was
necessary for salvation—Noah’s role was to obey.
The
covenant with Noah was the first explicit covenant in Scripture. It
was God’s assurance of life through obedience. “Thus Noah did;
according to all that God commanded him, so he did” (Genesis
6:22). Those words describe what genuine faith looks like.
Salvation Through Water
The flood destroyed the wicked but lifted the ark to safety. Peter
writes, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now
save us” (1 Peter 3:21). Just as Noah was saved through water by
faith and obedience, so are we today. The water itself was not
special—it became the means of salvation when Noah obeyed God’s
command. In the same way, baptism is not magical; it is the point
where faith and obedience meet God’s promise of grace.
God’s
covenant today is established through Christ. He calls us to
believe, repent, confess, and be baptized for the forgiveness of
sins. Through obedience, we enter the ark of safety—Christ Himself,
who shelters us from the judgment to come.
The Lesson for Our Generation
The world we live in today mirrors Noah’s. Sin is celebrated,
righteousness is mocked, and truth is ignored. Yet, the message of
salvation remains the same: God offers grace to those who trust and
obey. Judgment is coming again—not by water but by fire (2 Peter
3:6–7). The question is whether we will respond as Noah did—with
faith that works through obedience.
Sermon
Outline:
Noah Builds an Ark
Text: Genesis 6:8–22
Theme: God’s grace is found through faith and obedience.
Purpose: To show that salvation, then and now, comes through
trusting and obeying God’s revealed plan.
I. The World That Provoked God’s Judgment
(Genesis 6:11–12)
A. The condition of humanity
- The
earth was corrupt before God.
- The
earth was filled with violence.
-
Every imagination of man’s heart was evil continually.
B. The heart of God grieved (Genesis 6:6)
- Sin
had destroyed the beauty of His creation.
- God
resolved to cleanse the earth through judgment.
C. A
single light in a world of darkness
- “But
Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” (Genesis 6:8)
-
Grace always meets the heart that obeys.
- Noah
was different because he chose to walk with God.
II. The Character That God Honors (Genesis
6:9–10)
A. Noah was a just man – he lived righteously before others.
B. Noah was blameless in his generation – sincere,
consistent, upright.
C. Noah walked with God – daily fellowship, daily obedience.
D. He raised a godly family – Shem, Ham, and Japheth followed
his example.
Application: God is still seeking men and women who will walk
with Him when the world walks the other way.
III. The Corruption That Brought Destruction
(Genesis 6:12–13)
A. Sin had spread to all flesh.
No one was exempt from the infection of wickedness. There was no
moral restraint left in society.
B. Violence filled the earth.
Sin breeds cruelty, hatred, and selfishness. When man rejects God’s
rule, chaos always follows.
C. The world’s opinion of itself didn’t matter.
People likely thought they were fine, but what matters is how God
sees us—not how we see ourselves.
Application: People today still justify sin, but when God
looks upon the heart, He judges by truth, not by comparison.
IV. The Command to Build the Ark (Genesis
6:14–16)
A. God gave specific instructions.
Make an ark of gopher wood, cover it inside and outside with pitch,
and build it according to exact dimensions: 300 cubits long (450
ft), 50 wide (75 ft), 30 high (45 ft). It had one window and one
door—because there is only one way to be saved.
B. Noah didn’t have to understand—he only had to obey.
He had never seen a flood or an ark, yet he trusted God’s word
completely.
C. Faith obeys without full understanding.
(Hebrews 11:7)
“By faith Noah… prepared an ark to the saving of his house.” God
speaks, faith acts.
Application: Obedience is the test of true belief. We prove
faith by doing what God says, not by what makes sense to us.
V. The Covenant of Salvation (Genesis
6:18–22)
A. God made a covenant with Noah.
“I will establish My covenant with you.” It was a promise of life in
exchange for obedience.
B. God provided everything Noah needed.
The animals came by divine direction. Food was prepared for both man
and beast.
C. Noah obeyed completely.
“Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.”
There was no halfway obedience.
Application: God blesses complete obedience. Halfhearted
faith will not save anyone.
VI. The Faith That Saves (Hebrews 11:7; 1
Peter 3:20–21)
A. Noah’s salvation came through water.
The water that destroyed the wicked lifted the ark to safety.
B. Peter draws the parallel to baptism. (1
Peter 3:21)
“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us.” It
is not the water itself but the obedience of faith that saves.
C. The same grace that saved Noah is offered in Christ.
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” (Mark 16:16)
Christ is our Ark of Safety—one door, one way, one covenant.
Application: The ark was God’s way of salvation for Noah;
baptism into Christ is God’s way of salvation for us.
VII. The Warning for Our Generation (2
Peter 3:6–7)
A. The flood was universal.
It covered the entire world, not just a region. Peter compares it
directly with the coming destruction by fire.
B. The same word that brought the flood preserves the world for
judgment.
“By the same word, the heavens and the earth are reserved for fire.”
God’s patience now gives us time to repent.
C. The message is the same: prepare while there is time.
Noah preached for decades, and most ignored him. God’s people preach
today, and many still ignore Him.
Application: As in the days of Noah, judgment is certain, but
salvation is available.
VIII.
God’s Plan of Salvation for Us Today
- Hear
the Word (Romans 10:17)
-
Believe in Christ (John 8:24)
-
Repent of Sin (Acts 17:30)
-
Confess Christ (Romans 10:9–10)
- Be
Baptized for Forgiveness (Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21)
- Live
Faithfully Until Death (Revelation 2:10)
Application: God’s pattern has never changed—faith leads
to obedience, obedience to salvation.
Call to Action:
Noah’s obedience saved his family while the rest of the world
perished. God has given us the same opportunity to be saved through
His covenant in Christ. There is one door into the ark of safety,
and that door is still open—but it will not remain open forever.
God’s grace is extended to you today. Take Him at His word and obey
while there is still time.
Key
Takeaways:
- Noah
found grace because he obeyed God’s voice (Genesis 6:8–9).
- True
faith always results in action (Hebrews 11:7).
- The
flood was worldwide, proving God’s judgment is certain (2 Peter
3:6–7).
- The
ark represents salvation in Christ, the one door (John 10:9).
-
Baptism is the antitype of Noah’s salvation (1 Peter 3:21).
Scripture Reference List:
Genesis 6–7 – Noah’s obedience and the flood’s destruction.
Hebrews 11:7 – Noah’s faith demonstrated in obedience.
2 Peter 2:5; 3:3–7 – Noah as a preacher of righteousness and the
universal flood.
1 Peter 3:20–21 – Baptism as the figure of Noah’s salvation.
Mark 16:16 – Belief and baptism as God’s plan for salvation.
John 10:9 – Christ as the one door.
Acts 2:38; Romans 10:9–10; Revelation 2:10 – The response of
obedient faith.
Prepared by Bobby Stafford of the church of Christ at Granby, MO |
The
church of Christ
