What it Takes to Build an Ark

So God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all the people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark..." 

Genesis 6:13-14, NIV (1978)

 

Have you ever thought what it takes to build an ark?

What does such an undertaking even mean? How all-encompassing must this building of the ark been for Noah and his family! Just think about some of the facts we have been given. The entire world had turned to unrighteousness, save for one man. I think it is safe to assume that his wife was also righteous, because she was willing to stand by his side through all of this, so let's begin with two righteous people. We are told that the length of man's years was to be 120, so if this was a reference to how much time there would be prior to the flood, this would mean 120 years of preparation and building time.

 

God allowed men to live much longer in those days, and we are told that after Noah reached the age of 500 that his sons were born. Since the flood began in Noah's six-hundredth year of life, that means that the only lifestyle that Noah and his wife's sons would have known would have centered around the building of this ark. It also means that the wives they would take would have necessarily had to have been convinced of the need for this ark, because they would have been fully invested in this undertaking as well.

 

And what an undertaking this would have been. We all have read of the massive size of the ark, and these eight people would have had to build it from scratch. They would have had to fell the towering trees needed for its construction and then shape and fit them with nothing more than hand tools. On top of all the construction, they were going to have to find and process a year's worth of food for themselves and the wide variety of animals that the LORD was going to send them. We must remember, as well, the reason that they were building the ark in the first place - everyone in the world was wicked and violent! We are told in II Peter that Noah was a preacher of righteousness, so if this referred to his duty before the flood that would mean that the reason for his project would not have been kept secret. Can you imagine the challenges and conflicts that this must have brought?

 

So, here we have Noah and his wife working for 120 years to prepare the most important vehicle that was ever built - the ark that would carry them and their family and all those animals through a disaster that was going to wipe out everything that couldn't swim.

 

This is what Noah and his family did! They were devoted to a physical work that would have taken all of their time and effort for 120 years!

 

So, what does it take to build an ark? First, one must be building it as a fulfilment of their duty to the Lord. Second, since it is a duty that comes complete with detailed instructions, those instructions must be followed in as exact and precise of a way as humanly possible - our lives literally depend on it. Third, we have to recognize that our lives and the lives of those we love are dependent upon our doing this work. It is physical and demanding and time consuming! And fourth, despite these physical requirements that are necessary to fulfil this duty, we still have to be first and foremost concerned with spiritual matters. Noah was saved by God's grace because he was righteous, and he clearly attempted to share is knowledge with others because he was defined as a preacher of righteousness.

 

So, what does all that have to do with us?

 

Just this: God has placed us in a physical world with all sorts of demanding and time-consuming physical duties. These physical duties are required, and we must do them to the best of our ability. However, the physical must take a secondary position in our thinking, for we are creatures with a finite, physical body that must be cared for, but these physical bodies are temporary and are meant to house our eternal souls. That being the case, we can never forget that our first and most important duty is to be righteous before God. This means that we will indeed take care of the physical requirements of life, but we will never forget what we are here for: We are here to serve God for a season, in order that we can go on to serve He and Christ for eternity in Heaven.

 

We have to keep the perspective that we can no more do these physical things without God than could Noah and his family build an ark and store it with all the needed provisions without God's help and instruction. And we are required to do both - to give thought to both the physical and the spiritual - or we will fail in both. There are a lot of well-meaning people who focus their efforts in life on doing the right thing by providing for their families and caring for others when it comes to all things physical, but who go on to fail in their most important responsibility - to live a righteous life while encouraging others to do the same.

 

The only questions that remain are these: Can we see it, and will we do it? It is still by the grace and help of God that we have the chance to accomplish these duties that God has laid out for us but accomplish them we must. Noah's family was relying on him to do his part, or they would have been lost. In a similar way, our families are counting on us to do the same, and God has given us the duty to do just that. Again, can we see that, and will we do it? Our eternities hang on the right answer to those questions. The fact is that we have an ark to build, therefore, we must get to that work. Since these are undeniable facts, let's get to the work!

If Christianity Were a Crime

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Philippians 1:21, KJV

 

I heard this question over 40 years ago, and I imagine that you may have heard it too. It went something like this: "If it was a crime to be a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"

 

Now, when we hear that question, our response is probably immediate. We would present as evidence our church attendance. Perhaps we would point out that we often read the Bible, and we pray. Maybe we would look to our bank records and point out the donations we have made through the years. All of these, to be sure, would be evidence, but would this evidence be enough to convict? Or, perhaps, it might be weighed by the jury to be merely circumstantial evidence.

 

A smart attorney might even argue that we had been in a garage on many occasions, but that did not make us a car. Or that maybe we had "YouTubed" a video on changing our spark plugs, but that did not mean we were a mechanic. Or maybe even that we had written a number of checks for gas and repairs, but that did not mean that we "worshipped? our cars.

 

And the truth, of course, is that the lawyer would be right - all such evidence was merely circumstantial and meant nothing, when you really thought about it.

 

This is why we need to get to the crux of the matter. If Christianity were a crime, it would not matter if there was enough evidence for a judge or a jury to convict us; no! It would only matter if there was enough evidence to convince... us!

 

And that is the point! The Apostle Paul was in prison for following Christ. There was more than enough evidence to convict him because he was a genuine follower of Jesus. In fact, he was so serious about his commitment that he stated that for him to live was Christ! In other words, he had given his life completely to Christ. No one had to look for past evidence of his commitment, for he lived that commitment every day. Even when he was under confinement in Rome, he pointed out that the entire Praetorian Guard had come to learn of Christ through him. Even after he had been arrested for following Christ, he spent every day teaching everyone around him about what Jesus had done for him and what He could do for others. 

 

If Christianity was to be a crime, then Paul would daily give enough evidence to hang himself to the very people who held him captive. 

 

And the reason for his acting in such a way was clear: He loved Christ! He believed in Him to the point that he was willing to give up his freedom in order to follow Him. He would eventually die for that so-called crime, and he was clearly more than willing to do so. Why? Because Paul was convicted!!

 

You didn't have to search for evidence to convict him because he was convinced himself. He quite literally believed that to continue to live would mean that he could perform fruitful work in Christ's service. And if that cost him his life, well then so be it! For him to live was Christ and to die was gain. These words were not merely a catchy phrase for Paul - they were the way he lived, because Jesus was his life!

 

How about you? 

Take Heart

Little children, you are from God, and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 

I John 4:4, ESV

 

Do you ever get discouraged?

 

I have to confess that I do sometimes. I have watched with great sadness the names of all the great and important people who are accused of abusing minors, but who have yet to be held accountable for doing so, and I get discouraged. I see the statistics on those who prefer a nation where it is legal to have an abortion, and I get discouraged, I read the polls and see that fewer and fewer people believe that the Bible is God's word, that Jesus is God's Son, and that there even is a God, and I get discouraged. I see what is profane being honored among men, while that which is holy is mocked, and I become discouraged.

 

But then I see passages like the one we read above. and the discouragement begins to fade. 

 

And then I look around me and I still see so many good people. People who do believe in God, and who do hold themselves and others to higher standards. I see the innocence of my sweet grandchildren, and the joy that my brothers and sisters in Christ have when we gather for worship, and I take heart. And I read passages such as this:

 

I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world!

John 16:33, ESV

 

It is only when I take my focus off of Christ that discouragement sets in. But when I remember His love for me, and when I see the good and innocent and sweet things that still remain in the world, and in abundance, that I realize that all is not lost. It is true that there are some very serious issues that we come face to face with in the wicked world that is still ruled by the evil one, and we must do our best to rectify these evils, but we are not without hope. The wicked are often powerful, but they are nothing when compared to the One who is within us. 

 

We are Christians, and that means that we are sons and daughters of the Most High. And God is above all and is more powerful than all. Therefore, though we do sometimes have to walk through that ancient valley of the shadow of death, we do not need to fear evil for God is greater! 

 

Since this is the case, we should take heart. And when we become discouraged, maybe we should be reminded that the One who is in us is more powerful than the one who is in the world. That being the case, we should all have a renewed determination to take our righteous stands no matter how formidable the obstacles or how powerful the foe may be. Jesus told us to take heart, and that is exactly what we should do.

Does Wickedness Even Bother Us Anymore?

Burning indignation has seized me, because of the wicked who forsake Your law. 

Psalms 119:53 (NASB)

 

Does wickedness even bother us anymore? Some of the most recent events in the news have caused me to wonder about this. The FBI released three million pages of documents, pictures and videos of some of the most outrageous crimes against children that have ever been committed. And while it is true that some of the information is little more than gossip and anonymous tips without any evidence that are unworthy of prosecution, much of the documentation is quite supported by evidence and corroboration from multiple witnesses. The FBI says that they released the information to provide full transparency, but they have no plans to go after these serial child abusers.

 

Our own President, a man whom I have voted for three times, has said that this is old news and it is time to move on.

 

Does wickedness, even bother us anymore.

 

At the halftime "performance" of yesterday's Superbowl was a singer who self-identifies as something called "gender fluid". He likes to wear dresses and engage in vulgarities that used to offend people. Today, such activity is so celebrated that the heads of the NFL and television stations thought this was the best of the best when it comes to entertainment and decided to spend millions of dollars to make sure that you and your children could enjoy it.

 

It might even be appropriate to mention that our own nation casually disposes of its unwanted babies at a rate of more than a million a year - but I guess that's old news too.

 

These types of activities occur on a daily basis in the world in which we live, and I guess you would have to conclude that wickedness no longer bothers us - it entertains us. It's not the first time such a wickedness has descended upon the masses of the population. Read Jeremiah 3:3, Jeremiah 6:15, and Jermiah 8:12, when you get a chance. There is much to read within each context and space does not permit that it all be shared, but it can be summed up in this way: Israel, God's chosen people, have become so wicked that God tells them they have the "brazen look of a prostitute". In each passage He has Jermiah point out that the people no longer blush at such wicked behavior. Indeed, they have forgotten how to blush!

 

Because of this, and because the people refused to punish those who were involved in wicked activity, God decided to punish the entire nation.

 

Jesus pointed out something along a similar vein: He said it would be better to have a millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the sea than to sin against or cause a little one to sin. Yet in our world, we glorify sin and put it on display. Or, because the people who are harming children are giving us what we want in other areas, we turn a blind eye to their horrific crimes. And make no mistake; these crimes against children are so evil that in just about every society in the history of this world, when people were caught harming children - they were killed!

 

Yet we, in our society are not gripped with indignation - we don't even particularly want justice. We just want to be left alone - they can have our children, as long as these children are not our own flesh and blood.

 

In Jeremiah's time the people were given an ultimatum: Repent or die. It was the same in Sodom and Gomorrah. It was the same with the world before the flood. And whether we like to be confronted with the reality of God or not, it is the same now.

 

Does wickedness even bother us anymore? I believe it is time for those who wear the name of Christ to answer that question. Until we do, the innocent will continue to suffer, those who deserve punishment will continue to go unpunished, and our own punishment, that is so richly deserved because of our inactivity and refusal to protect the innocent, will be waiting for us at the Judgment Day.

 

Perhaps we should learn from God's Word what it means to have righteous indignation before it is too late... does wickedness even bother us anymore? I think it is time that it did, don't you?

The Importance of Family

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 

I Timothy 5:8, NKJV

 

Do you love your family?

 

Of course, we all do. When we look upon our newborn children, there is a feeling that comes over us that is hard to describe. For we men, it is an absolutely new experience, for at that moment we realize for the first time that we have a responsibility to one who is completely helpless without us and that there is nothing that we won't do to ensure their safety and well-being. Now, I'm not suggesting that the mamas feel any different, but it's likely not the first time they had such a feeling.

 

So, how does this relate to the passage above? After all, this verse is talking about our duty to take care of the older members of our family who do not have anyone else to turn to and who can no longer be reasonably expected to provide for all of their own physical needs. And while it is very true that this is the context of this verse, it is also important to realize that there is a basic truth contained within the passage the speaks to our duty to all of our family that we have the privilege of responsibility.

 

It is that responsibility that I want to talk about today.

 

We just had four of our eight grandchildren stay with us for a few days. The other four live a few blocks away from us, so we are constantly in contact with them, but the other half live an hour and a half away, so our time is more limited. But when we do get together, i am reminded of how important these sweet children are to me. It is akin to the feelings that I had when their parents were born - when all of our children were born for that matter. And there is nothing that I will not do to make sure that they are safe and well-cared for.

 

I think we all see this with our families. This is why we go to work to provide food and shelter for them. This is why we go to their games and cheer for them, why we take them to the doctor when they are ill, why we are vitally concerned with their getting a proper education, and so on - anything to make sure that they are okay. The question is, do we see that in the most important area of their lives? Are we providing for them in that area... or are we worse than an unbeliever when it comes to their immortal souls? 

 

It's an important question to answer, because when it comes down to it there will be a day - a moment where they kneel before God and find out if they were indeed living up to the purpose for which they were created. And what is that purpose. you may ask? It is to serve God!

 

This life is a test in many ways, but the reason for the test always comes back to the same basic truth: We are put here on earth for a short time to demonstrate our love for God and Christ by serving them in the way they have commanded. Jesus said in the 14th chapter of John that if we love Him, we will obey His commandments. Now, we may live in any way we choose and still claim our love for Him, but that doesn't change the immutable nature of His statement. If we love Him, we will obey His commandments and if we do not obey, it's because we do not love Him. 

 

This life, then, is a test of that love. It is not an arbitrary test from a cruel master as some might suspect, because God and Christ love us more than we could possibly understand, and because of that love they want ius to be with them to serve them for all eternity. You can deny this truth if you wish, either verbally or by your actions, but that doesn't change a thing. God wants servants for eternity, and He has provided an opportunity for each one of us to experience Heaven itself if we will just love He and Christ enough to want to serve them for eternity.

 

Which gets us back to the start - do you love your family? Do you love them enough to not only provide for their physical needs, but for their spiritual ones as well? Will we love them enough to teach them about the love that God and Jesus have for us? Will we love them enough to pray for them every day? Will we read from and talk about the Bible with them every day? Will we love them enough to make sure that they have every opportunity to worship with the church and attend Bible classes with the church? And I don't just mean taking them to some functions of the church - you wouldn't let them only go to school on special occasions, and if they were playing a sport you cared about, you wouldn't let them attend practices only when they wanted to. 

 

And you wouldn't feed them only when it was convenient for you to do so or provide them with a place to stay at night only on certain occasions. If you did these things, you would not only be worse than an unbeliever, but you would be subject to legal penalties from the authorities. Yet how often do we give our families the things that last unto eternity? How often are we too tired to feed them spiritually, too busy to talk to them about their responsibility to God, and too lazy to take them (with us) to the worship and to Bible classes?

 

Do we truly love our families? Do we love them enough to do the hard and inconvenient things that will give them the best chance to serve God both here and in eternity? Or are we worse than an unbeliever in the most important responsibility there is when it comes to caring for our families?

 

These are the things I have been thinking about more and more, and our getting to be with our grandchildren has really brought these thoughts into crystal clear focus that I don't always have for them. The most important thing for me is that my children and grandchildren and my wife and all of the family that God has blessed me with a certain responsibility towards is taken care of. We know that on the Day of Judgment nothing else will matter. Since that is true, what does that tell us about the things we should be doing right now to make sure that our families are taken care of? Those who concern themselves with such questions will sure do well. However, those who do not take care of their families in the spiritual areas of life may just one day find out that in God's eyes they are worse than an unbeliever. 

 

So, what is the most important thing to you when it comes to your family? The answer to that will very likely determine whether your family, whom you love, will spend a pleasant eternity with our Lord and Savior, or an unbearable eternity apart from them. The wonderful thing is that it is not too late for us to begin this very day. If we truly believe, I think we will do just that.

 

Do you love your family?