Ep. 73 | The Door of the Ark | Genesis

Listen in as Pastor Eddie Blalock shares today’s daily devotional featuring Genesis 6:15-17. Let’s be Formed by The Word together!

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Transcript

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Every story has a beginning. And if you don't understand the beginning, you'll likely misunderstand everything that follows. Welcome to Formed by the Word. Currently, we're going back to the very beginning as we look together at the first 11 chapters of Genesis. These chapters explain our world, our struggles, and much about ourselves. We'll see beauty and brokenness, purpose and pride, judgment and grace. We'll watch humanity fall and see that God already had a plan to restore his relationship with us. The Bible doesn't start with a problem, it starts with a perfect God, and that changes everything. So, wherever you're listening, whether you're driving, working out, or just scrolling for something meaningful, lean in, open your heart, because the God who spoke in the beginning is still speaking today. Genesis chapter 6, verses 16 and 17. You are to make a roof, finishing the sides of the ark to within 18 inches of the roof. You are to put a door in the side of the ark, make it with lower, middle, and upper decks. Look, I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die. This week the top of my to-do list reads, Service the Generator. We Floridians know that as hurricane season approaches, we need to be prepared for storms that are likely to come. While we might ignore many warnings, I have noticed that we take hurricane warnings very seriously. When a storm is approaching Florida, people begin to board up windows, fill up gas tanks, empty the shelves at Walmart and Lowe's, and evacuate entire neighborhoods. Here in Lake City, the rodeo grounds becomes a massive display of utility trucks, just waiting for the word to go. Why? Because warnings demand a response. The greater the danger, the more important the preparation. Well that said, history also shows us that many people ignore warnings until it's too late. You probably remember on April 14, 1912, reading about the unsinkable RMS Titanic, but it's received multiple iceberg warnings from other ships throughout the day. At least six to nine messages came in, some describing heavy pack ice and large icebergs directly in their path. One urgent message was even dismissed by a wireless operator who was busy sending a passenger telegrams. Shut up, I'm busy, said the message. The ship maintained full speed. Lookouts weren't increased sufficiently, and no major course change or slowdown occurred. Hours later, it struck an iceberg and sank, killing over fifteen hundred people. Clear warnings were given, but the warnings were ignored due to overconfidence. After all, the ship was unsinkable. The warnings were further blotted out of their minds by busyness and complacency and even entertainment and fun. The consequences were catastrophic and final. Like the passengers on the Titanic, many hear the warnings about eternity, and I'm afraid they keep sailing full speed ahead, convinced it won't happen to me. If anybody deserves to go to heaven, it's me until it's too late. Many sail full speed ahead because they are overconfident in their religious activities, because they're busy with other things, enjoying life and complacent in regards to their faith. Well, Genesis 6 is not just a story of a boat, it's a story of a God who warns before he judges and provides a way of rescue before destruction comes. The Ark was both an invitation of grace and a warning sign of judgment to come. Yes, it's a story for children. Yes, it makes great bedtime reading, but I want to tell you there's more to the story. I have three things that I want to point out today in our very brief text. We've already looked at the text as a whole, but now let's zero in a little bit closer. The first thing I want us to observe is that God provided a way to enter into the ark. And this may seem like a small detail. Of course he did, but actually it's enormous. The ark would have been no good to Noah and his family if there was no way to enter into it. The door may seem obvious, but don't miss its importance. The door in the ark reminds us that God always makes a way for those who trust him. But as in the ark, what's maybe more important than seeing there is a door is seeing there is only one door. Here's a gospel in Genesis moment. John's gospel reveals several important conversations that Jesus had with his followers. One of those occasions, Jesus was helping his followers to understand just who he is, and he spoke a parable about a shepherd, the sheep that were following him, and a gate. The gate was the door that allowed the sheep to go into the safety of a barn for the night. Jesus looked at that, probably saw one there in the town he was in, and he said to his followers, I tell you the truth, this is in John's gospel. I tell you the truth, I am the gate. Some translations even use the word door. I am the door, I am the gate for the sheep. All who come before me were thieves and robbers, but the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. Don't miss that. Let me read it again. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy, but my purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. John 10, verses 7 through 10. You see, Jesus was talking about heaven and that he is the door that opens up heaven to us. He is the door that helps us to escape the judgment of God. Jesus also warned them and us that there are not many doors. There is only one. In the 14th chapter of John's gospel, he says, Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God and trust also in me. There's more than enough room in my father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I'm going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am, and you know the way to where I'm going. No, we don't know the way, Thomas said. We have no idea, Lord, where you're going, so how can we know the way? Jesus told him, Here it is. I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. I think it would be accurate for us to say, I am the door. I am the door. You can see no one comes to the Father except through me. So we must take careful note that before the floodwaters ever came, God gave Noah detailed instructions for the ark and included a door. Now we can't help but notice that the grace in this passage, right? God did not owe humanity a warning, yet he spoke. God did not owe Noah a plan of salvation, yet he provided one. Even in the chapter filled with judgment, grace is already present. Second, notice that the door was open before the judgment came. Again, there was only one door, and that door represented access, salvation, and safety. But here's another important part of the storyline. Here again, we see the beautiful gospel in Genesis. The ark points us forward to Christ, and we know that God's grace provided a door for entry for us, but the door would not remain open forever. Eventually the flood would come, and the opportunity to enter would end. So it is with us. The door of salvation is open to all who will come and enter in, but that door of opportunity will one day be closed. The good news here is that God's grace invites us in before judgment falls. And then finally, notice Noah's faith responds to God's warning. Verse 17 is direct and sobering. God said, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth. The warning given to Noah was real. Judgment was coming, whether people believed it or not. Noah responded differently than the rest of the world. Hebrews 11 7 said that he was warned by God, and in reverent fear he constructed an ark. You see, faith is not merely agreeing with God intellectually, faith acts on what God says. Noah believed God enough to obey him when no one else did. You see, we live in a culture today that often ignores God's warnings, just like the world in Noah's day. But God's heart is not changed. He still warns, he still calls, and he still provides a way of rescue. The question is not whether God has spoken, the question is whether or not we will respond. So here's the takeaway today that leads us into the next few verses. The door of grace stands open now, but it will not remain open forever. Let me finish up with this challenge to you. Noah did not wait for the first rain drop to begin obeying God. Neither should we. God's word calls us to trust him before we can see the outcome. The ark was built by faith long before the flood arrived. The same is true for us today. Grace calls for a response now. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for the grace that you extend to us before the judgment ever comes. Now, Lord, give us wisdom to respond today, to not wait for tomorrow, but to say yes today. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for joining us today. We are so glad that you chose to spend a few moments with us in God's Word. If this episode has encouraged you, we ask that you leave us a review or maybe share this episode with a friend. Also, would you consider sending us a note to let us know what God is doing in your life? Pastor Eddie would love to hear from you. You can find this email in the show notes. Until next time, stay in the scriptures, keep following Christ, and allow your life to be formed by the Word.