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.
Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Jepheth.
Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence.
God saw how corrupt the earth had become,
for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.
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.
So make yourself an ark of cypress wood.
Make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.
This is how you are to build it.
The ark is to be 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high.
Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening,
one cubit high all around.
Put a door on the side of the ark and make lower, middle, and upper decks.
I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens,
every creature that has breath of life in it.
Everything on earth will perish.
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.
You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures,
male and female, to keep them alive with you.
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.
You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten
and store it away as food for you and for them.
Noah did everything just as God commanded him.
The Lord then said to Noah,
Go into the ark, you and your whole family,
because I have found you righteous in this generation.
Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal,
a male and its mate,
and one pair of every kind of unclean animal,
a male and its mate,
and also seven pairs of every kind of bird,
male and female,
to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth.
Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth
for forty days and forty nights,
and I will wipe from the face of the earth
every living creature I have made.
And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks, Craig.
Let's just pray as we come to God's word
and ask him to bless all that's said,
and all that we're reading
and we hear from him.
Let's pray.
Lord, we know you're the one who speaks these words.
You're the one who has given us these words
to help us to understand who you are.
And I pray, Lord, that in this incredible passage
that we would see your care,
your goodness,
your grace,
and that we'd understand more of you today.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
So we can't cover every aspect of this passage,
but just to come at it from a particular angle today
and help us to see God's care.
If you made the trip to Cove in East Cork,
you can visit a Titanic exhibition.
And you can be allocated a person randomly
who sailed on that ship from Cove.
And you can find out at the end,
did you survive or did you not?
And of course,
there's also an impressive exhibition in Belfast.
And you can learn about the various classes of people
on board and the characters who sailed on the great ship.
And you can find out about how the ship sank.
You can think with a morbid wonder, maybe,
what was it like on those lifeboats.
And you can learn about the characters and the aftermath.
And I think there was investigations in New York and London.
I'm not sure how many of you remember them.
But you can even stand in one area in Belfast.
And you can see this glass floor.
And you look through the bottom.
And you see the ship as it is now.
As though you've gone down.
And you see where it is on the floor, the wreckage.
But one of the things you'll notice is how plush this ship was.
It was a ship like no other.
In its time, it was beyond anything ever seen before.
And the wonder of the first class cabins.
It was a modern vessel.
And you think, you know, turn of the century.
It was 1912 after all.
Funny how we do that with dates, isn't it?
Funny how we say, oh, it's shocking.
This is 2024, actually, after all.
And we're not living in 1990, you know.
And probably arrogance.
When we might be embarrassed in five years
about how we were today.
It was a modern ship.
And it was 1912.
Another vessel that was built in the modern age at the time.
We read about in Genesis 6.
Noah was asked to build an ark.
And there was a great deal of detail about this ark.
It was full of instruction as to how to build this ark.
Chapter 6, verse 14.
It was to be made of cypress wood
and made waterproof with pitch.
This was standard in the ancient world,
but there was nothing standard
about this boat that was to be built.
It was something else again.
Completely out of the ordinary
and unique in that time.
Make rooms in it.
Verse 14.
It's just there, like we always say in Scripture.
Scripture often does that.
It says something matter of fact.
Matter of fact.
Make rooms in it.
Someone has written these words.
Prior to the invention of seaworthy vessels,
which could carry sailors and cargo
through the heavy seas of the Mediterranean,
most boats were made of skin or reeds
and were designed to sail through marshes
or along the river bank.
They were used for fishing or hunting
and would not have been more than 10 feet in length.
True sailing ships with a length of 170 feet
are first depicted in Old Kingdom Egyptian art
about 2500 BC
and are described in Ugaritic and Phoenician texts
1600 to 1200 BC.
Even this late,
they still generally navigated within sight of land
with trips to Greece, Cyprus,
as well as ports along the coasts of Egypt,
the Persian Gulf and Asia Minor.
Noah's boat was a boat like no other.
Again, the detail goes to the dimensions,
which are seemingly quite easy to determine
along with the shape.
450 feet long, 75 feet wide, 45 feet deep,
one and a half football pitches.
Don't get bogged down on what type of football.
Verse 16 talks of a roof.
It's a bit unclear in the translations.
The word roof appears only in the Hebrew Bible,
translated as window, skylight, vaulted roof,
peripheral window.
Then God explains what will happen in verse 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.
And people say, what kind of God is this?
We might ask that question.
We won't answer every aspect of it.
But two things we saw right at the start,
God cares.
And we see also,
he is the Lord of the deluge.
The word for flood occurs 12 times in Genesis 6 to 11
and once outside that in Psalm 29 verse 10.
The Lord is enthroned over the flood.
The Lord is enthroned forever.
And he's thinking of his people.
Verse 18.
Like he thinks of you and me in January 2024.
God cares for you.
God provides rescue in the form of his saviour.
And he carries you safe to shore,
as the kids' song says.
This is happening because of a promise.
I will establish my covenant with you.
And you will enter the ark.
You and your sons and wife
and your son's wife with you.
Not just Noah, but the family as well.
Part of the promise.
Maybe because they were all righteous like Noah.
Or maybe because he was righteous
and they benefited.
None of them were perfect.
But then we have the animals.
Even the animals.
Verse 19.
Two of every living creature,
male and female,
to keep them alive with you.
Two of every kind of bird,
every kind of animal,
of every kind of creature
that moves along the ground
will come to you
to be kept alive.
You are to take every kind of food
that is to be eaten
and store it away as food
for you and for them.
Chapter 7, verse 2
talks more specifically
of seven pairs
of every kind of clean animal,
a male and its mate,
and one pair of every kind
of unclean animal,
a male and its mate,
and also seven pairs
of every kind of bird,
male and female,
to keep their various kinds alive
throughout the earth.
It's interesting.
Clean and unclean,
even at this stage.
But again,
we move on in verse 6,
chapter 6, verse 21.
Every kind of food
is to be taken and stored.
And then chapter 7, verse 1,
the Lord says to Noah,
go into the ark.
Go into the ark.
You and your whole family,
because I have found you righteous
in this generation.
And Noah did
all that the Lord
commanded him.
So what are we to make
today of these
passages?
This account.
Just a few simple things.
Firstly,
Noah was a righteous man
and God cares
for his people.
Noah was a righteous man
and God cares
for his people.
What does it mean
to be righteous like this?
I wonder how I can be righteous
like Noah
this year.
Well,
Noah was a man
who didn't conform.
That's one thing.
He wasn't a Christian
just on a Sunday.
He was a Christian
every day
of the week
when you leave here
and how we live
today.
and Tuesday
and on through the week.
You could see
by his life
every day
there was a difference.
Is that what people
can see
in ourselves?
He was a man
who obeyed God
and it was visible.
There was a visible difference.
We need that again,
don't we,
to be reminded
New Year.
Is there a difference
in how I live my life?
Among the people
he's placed
around me.
The people
I come into contact with.
In the mission field
where he has me.
wherever that is.
He was a man
who obeyed God.
Chapter 6,
verse 9.
This is the account
of Noah
and his family.
Noah was a righteous man
blameless among
the people
at this time
and he walked
faithfully
with God
and his three sons.
Someone has said
Noah is described
in superlative
terms.
That doesn't mean
he's perfect.
He's a sinful man
but his righteousness
is shining through.
We are sinful people
but that our righteousness
would shine through.
He's standing out
from the crowd
and may that be
the prayer of your heart
this year
to be a Christian
living lives
of righteousness.
something that goes
against the flow
of what we are seeing
all around.
So often we conform.
So often we are Christians
who almost want to exhibit
that we conform.
You know,
we're no different.
We're no different after all.
Well, in a sense
you want to show
that you're sinful.
You want to show
that you're imperfect.
People might take you wrong.
They might think
there's something
special about you
and you want to show
that you're
I'm a sinner.
I need his grace.
But on the other hand
you want to also show
that you're different
and for that
to be visible
and seen.
I also think
sometimes we do
exude that
when we don't realise.
We don't realise
what people see
from a positive perspective.
Believe that God can
show people
that your life
is different
even when you don't
feel that way.
So Noah's world
we see in verse 11
of chapter 6
and we probably know
very well
the earth was corrupt
in God's eyes
and was full
of violence.
God saw
how corrupt
the earth
had become
but God
could see
that Noah
was righteous.
The world
we live in
is no easier
than the world
of that time.
Christians face
new dilemmas
today.
You face
new battles
new issues.
Kinsale
carried a line
mission fields
and to some people
you know
they look on
Christians
as a danger.
You know
you're bad
you're a Christian.
You believe
in one God
you believe
that Jesus
is the only way.
The things
you believe
are not accepted
are not acceptable.
It's difficult
days
to be a Christian.
We believe
we have an answer
to give to people
but we are living
in a world
that is corrupt
that does not
think
of him
does not
honour him
and we are
called
to do so.
He sees you.
He sees
everything
that you
go through
and he sees
everything
you do
for him.
He knows
you in the
workplace
or at home
today.
He knows
you in school.
He sees
you in college
and he sees
your righteousness.
I wonder
do you feel
awkward
as we talk
about this
righteousness?
Psalm 14
The Lord
looks down
from heaven
on all
mankind
to see
if there
are any
who
understand
any
who
seek
God.
All have
turned away.
All have
become
corrupt.
There is
no one
who does
good.
Not
even one.
Were you
wondering that?
Were you
thinking to
yourself
all this
talk of
being
righteous?
Noah being
righteous?
I need
to be
righteous.
And you are
thinking
I am not
very
righteous.
You think
to yourself
how can I
be righteous?
I know
what I am
actually like.
I know
what I am
really like.
All this
talk of
righteousness.
I don't
feel that
way at
all.
This is
where the
gospel comes
in.
This is
where the
rescue comes
in.
We know
that the
only righteousness
we have
is in
Jesus.
The only
righteousness
we can
have comes
from him.
Truth is
we are
not holy.
To stand
in God's
presence,
to serve
him,
we are
not
righteous
in our
own
righteousness.
Noah
wasn't
perfect
and he
didn't have
a righteousness
that came
from himself.
But by
grace
it is
possible
for God
to look
down on
those who
seek to
serve
him
and to
see
Christ's
righteousness.
To see
Christ in
us,
to see
Christ for
us,
to see
Christ
with us.
What does
that mean
for us
as believers
today here
in Carigoline
and in
Kinsale?
What did
it mean
for Noah?
well,
we talked
about the
features on
the boat
that Noah
was to
build and
one final
feature that
I didn't
mention.
The boat
had no
rudder
and it
had no
sail
and it
was not
designed
to be
navigated.
it
wasn't
a ship
with
Noah
as
captain.
It
wasn't
about him
navigating
this ship
through
the
ice
fields.
It's
not a
ship
that needs
to show
itself
to be
the best
or the
fastest
or the
greatest.
It
doesn't
need
satellite
tracking
to follow
it.
And do
you know
what it
didn't
have?
It
didn't
have
life
boats
because
it was
the
life
boat.
no man
or woman
will be
in charge
of this
boat
when the
doors
close.
It
will be
a boat
simply
left
in the
hands
of God.
You
and I
in the
gospel
this
year.
In
the
hands
of
God.
Noah
will
build.
Maybe
his sons
will help
him.
Maybe
people
will
mock
him.
We
don't
know
actually
all
the
facts
that
we
sometimes
assume
or
attribute
to
the
story.
But
when it's
finished
they'll
get on
board
and
they'll
sit
tight.
That's
the
gospel.
We have
very little
to put
our hope
in in
this
world.
No
hope
of
guiding
our
own
course.
And
knowing
exactly
how
that
will
turn
out.
We
can't
predict
the
years
ahead
never
mind
the
months
or
the
weeks
ahead.
Kingdoms
will
rise
and
kingdoms
will
fall.
Only
that we
get into
the
boat
God
has
for
us.
A
lifeboat.
The
gospel
of
Jesus.
And
he
will
take
us.
And
he
will
change
us.
And
he
will
guide
us.
He
will
direct
our
lives.
And
it's
all
grace.
And
the
righteousness
we
have
is
just
from
him.
But
it is
righteousness.
It's
the
righteousness
of
Jesus
who
hung
on the
cross
for
our
sins,
paid
the
price
that
we
should
have
paid,
that
we
couldn't
pay.
The
Father
who
gave
up
his
son
for
us
and
told
us
to
get
on
board
in
a
sense,
like
with
this
great
ship.
And
when
we
get
on
board,
sometimes
we
think
of
all
kinds
of
things.
We
think,
what
about
this?
What
about
that?
Even
what
about
other
people?
people.
And a
lot of
our
time as
Christians
is spent
caring about
other
people.
A lot
of our
ministry,
called
Kerry Project,
is about
other
people.
The way
we've
done
things,
we think
about
other
people,
we care
for other
people.
But
sometimes
you just
have to
be so
thankful
for what
God has
done in
your life,
that he
has saved,
that he's
rescued,
that he's
called you,
that he
has you,
that he
cares
for you.
Exactly
that verse
in 1
Peter.
5.
Let's
bow our
heads
and let's
pray.
Lord,
we give
you praise
and we
give you
thanks
for your
mercy
shown to
us in
Jesus.
We just
pray and
thank you
Lord that
we don't
deserve
any of
this but
we get
to enjoy
your grace
and your
freedom
and your
righteousness.
The way
you look
on us
because of
Jesus
when we
know and
love you.
I pray
Lord that
we would
know you
in our
hearts.
I pray
you'd
encourage us
that you
care.
You care
for every
person,
every
single
person.
I pray
Lord that
we would
understand
this
gospel
of Jesus
not an
old
religion
but a
gospel,
a good
news
of freedom
from sin.
We are
not
righteous
but in
your grace
because of
what Jesus
did.
We can
be seen
that way
when we
don't
deserve
it.
Thank you
Lord.
Help us
to be
grateful
this week
for all
you've
done in
our lives.
Forgive us
Lord for
our desire
to live
our own
way.
Forgive us
for the
times when
we are
cynical
about your
love.
When we
suffer
and we
blame you,
forgive us.
Cleanse us
Lord from
our heart
and our
suffering
that causes
us to
often live
as though we
don't have
you in
our lives.
Help us
not to live
as orphans
but to
live as
sons of
you.
Lord we
give you
praise and
thanks for
this great
mercy you've
shown us in
Jesus.
Thank you
for the
example of
that great
boat that
Noah built
his
obedience.
We pray
that we
would
follow and
we pray
Lord that
you would
lead us
this week.
In
Jesus name
we pray.
Amen.
Thank you so
much Craig.
We're going
to sing our
last song
now.
Thank you
Thank you.