Fathers of Faith

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Fathers of Faith Heb 11:7 “By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” •

Noah lived in a bad day – people were consumed with evil; they thought about doing evil day & night. Everything that was contrary to God’s will occupied their thoughts & imagination.

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God “repented” He had created man…He regretted that He had created mankind. Thru Scripture we find repeated references to “but God…” signifying God breaking into our situation in contrast with & contrary to man’s actions.

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In GEN 6, we find “but Noah…” – in the midst of a people doing wrong, can God say of you & me, “but ???...” Like Noah in his generation, so we are to be in ours.

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Noah was receptive to what God wanted…Noah could hear God’s warning. This was a distinctive quality about Noah. We must be the kind of men that can hear God’s voice in anticipation of judgment.

I. Receptive To Spiritual Input; vs. 7a "By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen..." a. As fathers, we need to have our ear toward heaven. It’s hard to do so because of how we are as individuals. b. In our impatience and unbelief, we can over-react and not respond well. We need to raise our children depending on God’s speaking to us.

c. Our kids are what they are as a result of “us” – their flaws are mine. This reality can create fear that leads us to anxious responses that arise from fear. Such responses – reactions – can produce harmful effects in our children.

d. Noah felt the pressures of his cultural surroundings yet he was described as righteous…he had a heart for God’s purposes. He stood against the currents of his culture that tried to pull him away.

e. Is the only time we are attuned to God is in crisis, or is there a continual

flow of his Spirit in our lives so that we speak God’s words to our kids, so that we have a godly culture in our home?

i. Reading your Bible helps you be attuned to the voice of God. You

recognize God’s voice by repetition, by learning how to identify his

voice.

f. Noah was warned by God about things that we not yet seen. Noah had

no reference point yet he still obeyed. He had no Bible, he had no one to turn to that would affirm he was hearing from God.

i. He was told to build a huge boat that took 100 years to build. ii. He responded to what God said because his family was at stake.

He made a sacrifice because his family was at risk and he had to do something.

iii. There are arks to be constructed in every home because pending judgment is in every place. What is to be done for the salvation of our household to sustain them in the midst of judgment working in our society – in the school, in the neighborhood.

g. Dad’s, what are you building that will be passed along to your children?

Are you building traditions that can worked into the lives of your children, are you building intentionally according to a plan that God has given you?

II. Reverently Responsive; vs. 7b "... in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, A. Hearts; "...in reverence prepared..." – He built with reverence, with piety. He didn’t lower the bar, lower the standard. Reverence doesn’t allow such a lowering, to compare ourselves with others. a. The only way to raise right children is by doing so in your own integrity; children can “smell” hypocrisy. b. The flood proved that God had looked with favor upon Noah and spared him. The water of the flood confirmed that God had delivered him and by it he came to be assured of God’s election of him. B. "Ark" for Their Family; C. Build Conspicuously; ...by which he condemned the world..." 1. As a Witness – the Ark was the largest thing on the horizon and was built that way to draw people to the knowledge of God.

2. A house that is built right will be a testimony to those who don’t know God.

3. In Hopes of them Making Copies, Noah built into the life of his family.

III. Righteousness Recipients... vs. 7c ; A. Right Parenting Imputed to him – Noah was right with God, was favored, was blameless and walked with God. This is the criteria for being a father after God’s own heart. 1. Forgiven for Mistakes – Noah’s obedience was credited by God as righteousness. Because of his willingness to follow God, he became an heir of righteousness before God, an heir of the righteousness of being an effective parent. 2. Parenting Reckoned as Proper B. Reciprocated from his kids; Gen 9:20-23 Japheth and Shem got dad "covered" – 2 responses to your Dad’s mistakes – gossip or look at them with redemptive grace and “covering” your parent’s mistakes. Noah’s sons wanted to cover their Dad. When father’s build well, your children will want to “cover you” rather than to be critical or judge. Fathers should live with contrition and seek forgiveness from their kids as they do so. God wants there to be soundness in relationship between children & fathers. Kids are to cover their parents and honor them in their attitude, doing so with gratitude if for no other reason that that they have given them life.