The Devotion Of Noah

Nathan P. Cook

Walking Righteous In An Unrighteous World • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

Genesis 8:20–22

Worship

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The Devotion Of Noah

And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. 22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

20 And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. 22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Intro. We should listen and take guidance from Noah’s worship.

The Priority Of Worship

“Noah was now turned out into a cold and desolate world, where, one would have thought, his first care would have been to build a house for himself; but, behold, he begins with an altar for God” (Henry)

Noah priority first and foremost is worship of the one who brought him safely through the storm.

Butler, J. G. (2007). Noah: The Ark Builder (Vol. Number Twenty-Three, p. 133). Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Seeking the kingdom of God must be the first priority.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

All other causes are selfish at their root.

This is why we seldom have trouble missing a service because our first priority is worship of self, not the seeking of the kingdom of God.

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

We who believe will learn shamefully, and the lost will learn tragically, eternally the uselessness of our earthly selfish, material, physical pursuits.

The Purpose Of Worship-Why build an altar?

Appreciation

Noah is expressing his appreciation by his offering on the altar

He survived the greatest natural disaster in human history because of the grace of God.

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

“Those that have received mercy from God should be forward in returning thanks, and do it not of constraint, but willingly” (Henry)

“Those that have received mercy from God should be forward in returning thanks, and do it not of constraint, but willingly” (Henry).

Worship is a physical display of our internal appreciation to God for His mercy.

Butler, J. G. (2007). Noah: The Ark Builder (Vol. Number Twenty-Three, p. 135). Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

We don’t have to be convinced to come to public worship, we do so willingly.

Veneration

Noah is showing God honor by his offering on the atar

We honor God by public and private worship

Our present day Christianity has little interest in the honor of God.

By our disinterest in public worship we show our disinterest in honoring God.

By our carnality we reveal the loss of our honor for God.

The less we publicly worship God the less we will have the opportunity to worship God.

Cultural perversion now dominates the public square.

Christians are systematically being silenced, because we have systematically devalued public worship, by lack of attendance and attention.

Propitiation

Noah’s blood sacrifice points to the propitiation for our sins.

The death and the shedding of blood for our sin is represented in Noah’s sacrifice

Noah’s sacrifice shows that theology matters in worship.

23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Noah’s sacrifice shows that theology matters in worship.

Theology is what makes your worship “true” worship.

Wrong theology makes wrong worship.

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

All worship is not true worship

“spirit”=heart

If you do not want to publicly worship God then your presence at public worship means nothing.

“truth”=theology

Our ignorance of theology is our ignorance in worship

If your worship is not by, and through, and because of the blood of Christ then your worship means nothing and accomplishes nothing.

True worship must willingly honor the propitiatory work of Christ on the cross.

The Price Of Worship

And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

Worship always requires time, effort, and finance

24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

Noah was aware of the cost, but did not hesitate to expend what he needed most to worship God.

The building of the altar

“Noah builded an altar” ()

“Noah builded an altar” ().

This is the first time the building of an altar is mentioned in scripture

Butler, J. G. (2007). Noah: The Ark Builder (Vol. Number Twenty-Three, p. 137). Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

Preparation for worship requires effort. You cannot worship without the internal preparation of the heart and the external preparation of a place.

Being cheap with our time, effort or finances reveals our view of worshipping God.

God expended great time, effort, and expense in providing our salvation through the death of Christ on the cross.

The burnt offerings on the altar

“Noah … took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar” ()

Noah sacrificed at great expense to himself, his family, and his future.

Butler, J. G. (2007). Noah: The Ark Builder (Vol. Number Twenty-Three, p. 138). Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

“Though his stock of cattle [livestock] was so small, and that rescued from ruin [flood] at so great an expense of care and pains, yet he did not grudge to give God his dues out of it. He might have said, ‘Have I but seven sheep to begin the world with, and must one of these seven be killed and burnt for sacrifice? Were it not better to defer it till we have great plenty?’ No, to prove the sincerity of his love and gratitude, he cheerfully gives the seventh to his God, as an acknowledgement that all was his, and owing to him. Serving God with our little is the way to make it more; and we must never think that wasted with which God is honored.”-Matthew Henry

We need to ask ourselves honestly, “How much are we really sacrificing in order to worship?”

Butler, J. G. (2007). Noah: The Ark Builder (Vol. Number Twenty-Three, p. 139). Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

Paul displays such sacrifice in the New Testament Church

How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

The Provisions For Worship

How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

Jesus is example of such sacrifice

Butler, J. G. (2007). Noah: The Ark Builder (Vol. Number Twenty-Three, pp. 139–140). Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.The Provisions For Worship

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

The Purity Of Worship

If you want your worship to be true, expect to pay a great price.

The Provisions For Worship

The provision for the worship was provided by God long before the moment surfaced.

Thus Noah’s ability to worship and serve God was not a result of Noah’s ability, but rather God’s supply.

What God provides us is not for personal pleasure, but to be used to further the cause of Christ.

God has provided us a time to worship, a place (the church) to worship, finances to expend in worship, and much more.

If we use these resources to worship self, rather than God, then we will find less and less resources with which to worship God.

The Purity Of Worship-The purity revealed by the offering

The purity of the creed

The use of the word “clean” speaks to the righteousness of Christ

If Christ did not have righteousness He could not have been the sacrifice for our sin.

The ceremonial law of the Old Testament points to the priority of clean/righteousness of the sacrifice.

The righteousness of Christ must be seen in our worship

Our doctrine must prioritize the sinlessness of Christ in our worship or our worship is empty.

Proper doctrine is not important in worship it is, it is necessary for worship.

Our goal is not an unattainable sinlessness, but rather to properly represent a sinless Christ in our worship to a sinful world.

The purity of the conduct

Purity of conduct in public worship is necessary if we are truly to worship.

We cannot choose anything less than our best to sacrifice and then call it worship.

It is antithetical to our doctrine

Sacrificing the least of our time, effort, or finances does not fit any biblical example of worship.

The Product Of Worship-Worship has consequence and compensation

The pleasing of God

“The Lord smelled a sweet savor” ()

“sweet savor”=pleasing

Butler, J. G. (2007). Noah: The Ark Builder (Vol. Number Twenty-Three, p. 143). Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

God is pleased as a result of theologically, doctrinally correct worship.

“I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies” ()

Worship which is not theologically or doctrinally correct stinks in God’s nostrils.

Butler, J. G. (2007). Noah: The Ark Builder (Vol. Number Twenty-Three, pp. 143–144). Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

Pleasing God whatever the cost is the object of the life of the Christian

Theological and doctrinal worship pleases God not man, not even us personally.

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

The promises of God

The promise of protection

“I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake … neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done” ()

Noah’s obedience, service, and worship is recognized by God’s promise of protection.

If we will obey, serve, and worship God will extend His promise of protection.

Butler, J. G. (2007). Noah: The Ark Builder (Vol. Number Twenty-Three, p. 144). Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

The promise of provisions

“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” ()

“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (). To

Butler, J. G. (2007). Noah: The Ark Builder (Vol. Number Twenty-Three, p. 145). Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

The duration of the promise

“While the earth remaineth”

The earth is not eternal ;therefore,

And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

While the earth remains God’s promise remains, but the day will come when the earth will no longer remain.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

The dependability in the promise

“Seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

Thus saith the Lord; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;

Butler, J. G. (2007). Noah: The Ark Builder (Vol. Number Twenty-Three, p. 146). Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

Thus saith the Lord; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;

We would not and could not continue to exist were it not for the promise of God.

The proclamation of God-True worship is instructive (preaching), thus to minimize the instruction is to produce spiritual ignoramuses.

“For the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” ()

Butler, J. G. (2007). Noah: The Ark Builder (Vol. Number Twenty-Three, p. 146). Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

The grace of God

If God dealt with us according to what we justly deserve

“One flood must succeed another till all be destroyed” (Henry).

If God dealt with us according to our deserts, “One flood must succeed another till all be destroyed” (Henry). “If the Lord were to act according to man’s deserving, there would be no interval, and no end, of his judgments” (Candlish).

“If the Lord were to act according to man’s deserving, there would be no interval, and no end, of his judgments” (Candlish).

Butler, J. G. (2007). Noah: The Ark Builder (Vol. Number Twenty-Three, pp. 146–147). Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

God’s grace is far too abundant, evident, and incredible for any person to accuse God of cruelty, injustice, or narcissism.

If a man is condemned to hell for eternity…he has no one to blame but himself.

The guile of man-Depravity

Defining the guile

Imagination/thought life is a reference to man’s planning, purposing, and idle thoughts.

Simply said man’s (yours and mine included) thought life is evil

Baker says the word translated “evil” which amplifies “imagination” has a variety of shades of meaning such as “wicked … noxious, injurious, hurtful … unethical, immoral activity against other people … a very negative attitude toward God or man”

Duration of the guile

The word translated “evil” which amplifies “imagination” has a variety of shades of meaning such as “wicked … noxious, injurious, hurtful … unethical, immoral activity against other people … a very negative attitude toward God or man” (Baker)

Butler, J. G. (2007). Noah: The Ark Builder (Vol. Number Twenty-Three, p. 148). Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

Dwelling of the guile

This evil dwells in the heart.

This means it is not some passing thought, but rather the source of evil thought resides in the center of man’s being.

It is not the ripple created by the breeze on the surface of a river that is to be feared, but rather the rushing current hidden beneath the placid surface.

Duration of the guile

This evil is not the result of life experience, but rather it begins before you even experience life.

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; But the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me.

15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child;

5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity;

We negate this truth by applying it to our children (not wrongly), but the point is that we need to quit searching our life circumstance for an excuse for our sin. We are sinners because our heart is evil, and our only hope is Christ who can give us a new heart.

But the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

And in sin did my mother conceive me.

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