The Caleb Project Lesson Two

The second lesson in this series, The Caleb Project, will focus on Noah, another Senior who made the right choices in the face of great odds. Noah was a man of amazing obedience. Genesis 6:22 says of Noah: “Noah did everything just as God commanded Him.” If that could be on the tombstone of every man what a different world we would be in today. We often love and admire the maverick in our world today. God is searching for men who will be obedient to the calling of His Spirit! Recently there was a movie about Noah that caused quite a stir in the Christian community. Many were offended because it did not stay true to the Bible. What a surprise! Hollywood is not following the Bible? Give me break! One thing I did see was that true obedience to God will look crazy to everyone else. Noah had that kind of blinders on, all out for God kind of obedience. He was doing what God said to do without any deviation from the perfect will of God. That kind of obedience is rare and rewarded by God. The flood was a tragedy. It killed all on the earth except those of the Ark. So horrible was the event that God promised to never do it again.

Genesis 6:9-7:1 New International Version (NIV) Noah and the Flood 9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. 11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14 So make yourself an ark of cypress [a] wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. [b] 16 Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit [c] high all around. [d] Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. 17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”abcd 22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him. 7 The L ORD then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.

What is God asking you to do and you have said NO to Him? Is there a cost to being obedient to God? Is it worth it? Is there a reward for obedience? Are you looking for that?

What Genesis teaches us about Noah that can be applied to our lives today:  God saw that Noah was righteous. ( 6: 9 – 7:1)  God saw that the earth was corrupt. ( 6: 11 – 12 )  God unexpectedly punished Sinners. ( 6:13 )  God patiently provided Salvation. ( 6:14 – 17)  God faithfully kept His Covenant. ( 6 : 18 )  God rewarded obedience. ( 6:22 – 7:1)

The story of Noah reveals God’s commitment to restoring creation. He could have destroyed all mankind and not given Noah a chance. We read in Hebrews 11 that Noah built an ark to save his family. He did it not only for himself but for his family. No greater joy than to have your family with you. As Senior Men you get that. The importance of family. Noah teaches us the wisdom of obedience. How we need that kind of wisdom today. We see that God will keep His word: He punished sinners and provided salvation. God kept his covenant and rewarded obedience. He destroyed and renewed His creation and sent a redeemer in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ. Above all Noah shows us to practice practical proactive obedience. So what about you? Are you obedient? Do you live by those 10 Commandments? Would people call you a crazy old man because you listen and follow God above all others? Ready to do something great for God? Then obey him and be an example to all what it means to truly follow the Lord! Time to MAN UP!