Before You Build Your Ark

 

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Genesis 6:9 “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”

Noah lived in a time of great wickedness. People had turned against God and surrounded themselves in the sin of their world. There was so much wickedness that God decided to destroy man and start afresh. Yet God saw one exception, Noah, a man He could use. So God, in His grace, told Noah to build an ark.

I want us to notice 3 things about the ark.

A) The Ark was God’s will for Noah.
God’s plan for Noah revolved around this ark. It was God’s will for his life. In the same way, God has a big plan for your life.

B) The Ark was Noah’s future.
Building this ark was Noah’s future. And likewise, God has in the future something He wants us to do.

C) The ark was a big thing for Noah.
Just as Noah was given a big job for his life, God has a big plan He wants us to accomplish with our life.

So now, understanding the Ark was God’s will and the big future for Noah, we find in verse 9 of chapter 6, some things that Noah did before he built the ark. These 3 things prepared Noah and made it so Noah could accomplish everything God had for him. These 3 things are also some good reminders of things we need to prepare for before we our future.+

A. Just Man

These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”

In verse 9, we read that Noah was a just man. That word “just” means proper, in accordance to. We find Noah in a world where everyone was doing the opposite of God’s plan for them. The wicked world was in no way acting in accordance with God’s plan. But in the midst of this evil world, we find a man that was doing God’s will.

In the same way, we too live in a carnal and wicked world that no longer follows God’s will for their lives. But despite this, God still wants you to be in accordance to His plan. Because when we do, we can expect big and wonderful things in your future. Just as Noah stayed in God’s will, we too should constantly live our life the way God wants us to. Because when we do, expect to have great big plans that God has set up for us.

B) Perfect in his generations

These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”

That word “perfect” means to be Christ-like. It means living righteously. One thing Noah got right was living right regardless of others. Don’t be a teenager that lives right only for your parents, or for your pastor and youth leader. Live a righteous life for Jesus Christ!

If you want to do big things for God in your future, it starts with living a righteous life now.

Being right in our generation might mean we don't follow the crowd. It means we will do what's right even when no one is watching. It means choosing principle over pressure.

 C. Walk with God. 

These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”

Something Noah did before he built the ark was knowing God personally, and that may be something that a lot of teens struggle with. They know the God in the Bible, they hear about God in church, but they never know Him personally.

Having a walk with God is one of the most important foundational parts of the Christian life. Don't miss out on having a relationship with God in your teen years.

So before Noah built that great big ark, he had three things already in his life. In the same way, we too need to:

A. Live in God's will now
B. Choose principle over pressure
C. Have a walk with God

Before we do the big things that God has in our future, we must have some things prepared and ready in our lives.

From Genesis 6–9, God has a message to teenagers saying, "hey, before you build your ark....."