Would Your Boat Float?
-Introduction
-Shortly before midnight on April 14, 1912, the RMS Titanic struck and iceberg and
began to take on water. About 2 ½ hours later, in the early morning hours of April 15th,
the Titanic sank into the icy water. Of the 2,223 people on board, 1,517 perished.
-I can’t image what it would be like to be aboard a sinking ship - whether in terms of the
Titanic in peacetime or in terms of wartime Naval battles.
-Regardless of the time or circumstances, being on a ship that was going down would
be a fearful time, a time of despair.
-For the lesson this morning though, I want to consider a ship that absolutely, positively
was not going to sink - Noah’s ark. Let’s first consider this question: Was the ark
unsinkable due to God or due to Noah? Then, let’s see if we can make some applications
to our lives today.
-Noah’s Ark
-Gen. 6:5-9, 12-19 - This was an impressive ship!
-Using 18” as a cubit: 450 ft. long, 75 ft. wide, 45 ft. tall. Even with a conservative cubit
of 17 ½”: Volume - 1,396,000 cubic feet (equiv. of 520 railroad box cars); 3 decks for a
total of 95,700 sq. ft.; gross tonnage capacity of 13,960 tons
-Again, what an impressive boat!
-But, what made it unsinkable?
-God’s Part
1. God was the One giving the instructions. Loosely paraphrased: “Noah, here’s what
you need to do. Build it this way.” Of course, God knew the best way to build it.
2. God was with Noah.
-Gen. 6:8, 18
-Gen. 7:1 - “Come” (KJV) - “to go or come” (Strong’s)
-Gen. 7:16 - We see God’s involvement.
3. God provided safety.
-Gen. 7:17-20 - We now know that when a boat is filled to it capacity, it will sink into
the water to a depth equal to ½ its height. The ark was 30 cubits tall and would
therefore, when fully loaded, sink into the water 15 cubits - the depth that the waters
prevailed over the mountains.
-Noah’s Part
-Ultimately, we can say that the ark didn’t sink due to God. However, we can also say that
the ark didn’t sink because of Noah.
-God gave the instructions. Yet, Noah had to follow them and he did to the detail.
-Gen. 6:22; 7:5, 16
-What if Noah would have used a different kind of wood? Not covered it quite right with
pitch both outside and inside? Changed the dimensions or ratios? Added another door or
a few more windows? Left out or added a deck or two? Tried to “squeeze in” a few more
animals? What if Noah hadn’t quite finished in time (Gen. 6:3) and left some things undone?
-Considering the consequences that would have resulted from these scenarios is all
speculation because Noah followed God’s instructions. He did as he was commanded.
-Wouldn’t we all agree that it was necessary for Noah to do so regarding the ark?
-And, wouldn’t we all agree that there is a very valuable lesson there for us?
-Noah followed God’s pattern. And, in his example, we see a pattern for us to follow.
We, too, are to follow the patterns that God has given us - what is required to be saved,
proper worship, teaching, service to God, daily living.
-When we consider the example of Noah, we see a man who was not complacent; a
man who was not apathetic, a man who did not become distracted by other things
and therefore leave his work undone. We see a man who kept his priorities in the
right place, maintained his sanctification and obediently walked with God.
-In this we can see some obvious applications for us.
-Would Our Boat Float?
-This takes us back to last weeks lesson regarding foundational principles from the book
of Genesis: We must follow God’s instructions - Being obedient goes beyond avoiding
the wrong and also included doing that which is right.
-Eph. 2:8-10, Gal. 6:9, 2 Thess. 3:13, 1 Cor. 15:58
-So, let’s use Noah’s example of building the ark as imagery (simile, metaphor, allegory)
for our lives - our service to God - our Christian duties and responsibilities. Let’s say
that our active service to God - good works - represent our building of an ark, board by
board.
-Obviously, it takes time to build an ark. Therefore, this isn’t a short-term process.
-Gen. 5:32 - Noah, 500 yrs. old; Gen. 7:6 - Noah, 600 yrs. old
-The building of our ark is to be a way of life - our manner of life - Rom. 6:17-18.
-So, as we get involved with (and carry out) the work of the church, we add boards to
the ark. As we do good, we add boards to the ark. By following God’s instructions, we
add boards to the ark.
-Again, in this context, it’s not about wrongs we avoid. It’s the right that we do.
-James 4:17
-So, here’s an important question that we each need to consider: “Would your boat float?”
-Invitation
-If you haven’t begun the process, then you need to get started: Obedience to the Gospel:
Believe in Jesus (John 3:16, 8:24), Confess your faith (Matt. 10:32, Rom. 10:9-10),
Repent of sin (Luke 13:3,5; Acts 17:30), Be Baptized into Christ for forgiveness of sins
(Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38), Walk in Newness of life (Rom. 6:4, Eph. 4:22-24).
-If you’ve started the building process, how’s the project coming along? Are you still at
work? Or, have you become distracted, complacent, apathetic? Have you allowed sin to
hinder your progress? If so, acknowledge your shortcomings, repent and seek forgiveness
through prayer (1 John 1:7-9, Acts 8:22-24).