As we approach the Lord through the inspired Word of God, let us answer this question: "What did you come here to see today"? Or perhaps another question "What did you come to hear today?"

In the Gospel of Luke we read of John the Baptist's disciples as they reported all the miracles Jesus was performing in the land. But John wanted to be sure this was the One God told him about so he sent his followers to Jesus, to question Him. They asked Him very pointedly: "Are you the One, or should we expect another?" Jesus responded by telling them to report to John what they heard and what they had seen. "The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them." Then the Lord said a very provocative thing: "And blessed is he who keeps from stumbling over Me."

Have you stumbled over the Lord? Is it possible to stumble over the Lord and not realize it? Maybe, maybe not. You see in life, especially as a Christian, there a vast array of "stumbling blocks." Even as I sat down to prepare for this morning I was assailed by numerous temptations, stumbling blocks if you will. Stumbling blocks of every shape and size. Some stumbling blocks come by way of People and others by thoughts, while others come by Satan and the World, and one comes by the Lord Himself. What could this stumbling block be? Let?s try to answer that question by getting into the text for this morning.

We will be looking at the life of Noah, a man who found favor in the sight of the Lord. In Genesis chapter 6 verse 9 we learn that "Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God." The only man on the earth that walked with the Lord. Can you imagine being the only Christian on the earth? Here was a man who dedicated to the Lord, righteous and blameless.

Being righteous and blameless is a supreme goal, and as a matter of fact there has been only one Man who has lived that life perfectly. Jesus the Christ, the Son of God. We have read in the book of Romans that no one is righteous, not even one person. So then why was Noah found to be righteous and blameless? We know that if we have faith in Jesus, then we begin to walk with Him. We take on his righteousness and become blameless as we continue our walk with Him in faith.

It is said of Noah in the book of Hebrews chapter 11 verse 7 it was because of faith that He believed God when God warned him of the coming flood. Here we get an insight to the faithfulness of Noah. We are also going to learn a few compelling truths that will help us to start a revival in this Church.

The first truth we will discover is that God will warn us of danger. How we respond to that warning is a direct result of either stumbling over Jesus or walking with Jesus. How you or I respond to this truth will affect us for the rest of ours lives.

In the sixth chapter we learn of God's displeasure that the violence on the earth man had created because "the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Verse 5. This grieved the Lord so He judged the earth and their sentence was death. But let's not forget the promise made to Adam and Eve, that her seed would crush the serpent's head. Noah was the uncorrupted line through which the Messiah would come. God would establish His covenant with Noah.

Every day the world is getting more and more violent, more tempting and either our walk with God will grow stronger or it will become weak. We will lose contact with God and the only warning we will hear or see from the coming danger is the down pouring of a great flood, which will wash us away.

God warned Noah, and he listened to that warning. Since Noah?s walk with God was strong He was able to hear the warning and respond to it.

The second truth we learn from Noah is clear. God will warn you of the coming danger, but we must, in faith, respond.

Yes we all respond to Jesus and receive His salvation, but there is an everyday salvation that only comes about through the building of an Ark that can sustain the force of a flood which the Enemy will bring.

What is the danger God is warning us of, and how can we respond to that warning? First we must believe God, through faith, that there is a real danger. And what is that danger? The writer of Hebrews said in the third chapter verse 12 to "Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God."

As was in the days of Noah so it is with those of us who seek the pleasures in this world, rather than a walk with God. Our walk's with God are characteristic of the Pharisees whom Jesus compared to little children who sit the market place and call to one another and say "we played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge and you did not weep."

So why do we come to Church? Do we come hoping that Jesus will be impressed with our sacrifice, or do we come for more selfish reasons? Maybe we come to socialize? Or even worse we come to Church to relieve ourselves of guilt.

So why should we come to Church? I know some of you, if not all of you are already answering that question, and your answer is something like this: "We come to build each other up. Or, we come to worship God, or even we come to fellowship with other believers." To all of you who had those answers, I say to you that you are right on. But are those the real reasons we come, or has Jesus and His word become a stumbling block before us? When God said through the prophet Samuel that to "obey is better than sacrifice," do we believe it and respond by obeying God when He tells us to do something, or do we say we believe and yet respond by disregarding God?s Word, thereby making Jesus our stumbling block.

The third truth we learn from Noah is this: "When God warns us of danger and tells us what to do, and we believe Him and respond to the warning, it is often difficult and time consuming." God warned Noah, and He told him to build an Ark. Not some little boat, but a huge ship. A task so great that it would take him and his family over a hundred years to complete.

In America we want instant results, and when we do not see immediate results, we get bored and bail out. God tells you to build a home fellowship, but when it gets too hard, or too time consuming you turn tail and run like a coward. God tells you to stay in a local Church, but when it doesn't turn out the way you planned you give up. When God tells you to love your neighbor you ask Him, who is my neighbor? When God asks you where your brother is you tell him, "Am I my brother's keeper." When God tells you to forgive your brothers and sisters, you tell Him they don't deserve it. Jesus and His Word become a stumbling block to you. You no longer hear His warning, and your walk with Him becomes a stained glass picture you hang in your doorway.

It took Noah over a hundred years of labor to build his Ark. But he believed God when He said there was danger coming. He believed Him even if he hadn't seen a flood for hundreds of years. He was six hundred years old when God finally told Him to enter the Ark. And he did. The preservation of his family and his walk with God where at the heart of his obedience.

The Ark we must build is one the one Jesus said he would build: the Church. In Matthew chapter 16 verse 18 Jesus said He would build His church. And since we have taken on the righteousness of Jesus through spiritual re-birth, we must be about our Father's business. We must build the Church. Like the work of shipbuilding, it is hard, and draining. Sometimes there are long days, and some days you feel like the completion will never come, so you think of quitting. It takes you fellow shipbuilders to pick you up and encourage you to keep working.

In our Church we have weary Church builders, who are exhausted of building and are on the verge of quitting. To you I say, never, never give up. And those of you who are full of energy and are excited about the work, pick up your sisters and brothers, and revive them. Give them cold water to drink.

Turn with me please to Hebrews chapter 10 starting at verse 19 and read with me please.

There are many in the Church of God, and there might be one or two here today, who profess Jesus as their Lord, but their commitment is nothing more than an academic decision. That is to say, they believe in God, and they believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but Jesus is not their Lord and Savior.

It is true of them as the prophet Isaiah says of people like them: "This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men."

In the letter from James says of those who say they believe in God, "you do well; the demons also believe and shudder." 2:19

The Lord asks in the Gospel of Luke chapter 6 verse 46 "And why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I say?"

The Lord and His Word have become a stumbling block for these people. He cannot establish covenant with you if you won't receive it. "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple," says the Lord.

Jesus said of His teaching: John chapter 16:1-4.

Has Jesus and His Word become a stumbling block so that you do not enjoy His full blessing? Perhaps you have been fooling around with the Grace of God and have not received the salvation of God.

Maybe you're a born again believer and you started out great. When God called you, you responded quickly. He told you to begin work on the Ark, but also warned you of the coming distress. You began, but soon Jesus and His Word became a stumbling block for you. You turned away because you wanted to fulfill your own desires. They are good desires, but are they God's desires?

Maybe Jesus and His Word are not a stumbling block for you today. Rejoice and be glad, but be alert lest Satan turn you away from the living waters and give you bitter drink.

Let us all stand and read together the word of Isaiah; chapter 55 verses 1 - 3.

Sermon by Pastor Ernest Martinez. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2005.

Copyright © by Access Christian All Right Reserved.

Published on: 2005-01-28 (3228 reads)