How many of you remember Sunday School? And many of you learned about Noah and the ark?
Do you remember what the teacher taught? Or do you only remember what you learned!
Who was Noah, what did he do? Not all of you went to Sunday School, and some of you perhaps maybe didn’t pay attention, but for those of you who did, what do you remember best?
For most of us, it is the animals, right! Lions, tigers and bears, oh my!
But we forget that Noah also brought some animals for dinner on board!
Like those two cows named buttermilk and hamburger. You can’t really teach that in a Sunday school class!
So, it’s possible that our beloved Sunday School teachers left out a few parts of thee story. Like, what exactly is a cubit?
Here is the conversion! Some estimate that this ark was about 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. By comparison, this sanctuary is 50 feet long and thirty-six feet wide, give or take.
That ark that God wants built is nine times as long as this room and at least twice as wide, and from this floor almost three times as high. And this building Noah is building needs to be water tight, be able to float!
This invitation to follow God’s call in faith is hard!
But Noah says, “yes”!
So, what hard thing has God called you to do recently? Are quibbling about it? Saying to yourself that you don’t have time, energy, skills? Maybe you’re, perhaps, just not into building arks?
Or is it, that perhaps you are unwilling? Ouch!
We have been studying the book of Hebrews at the Wednesday night Bible Study. It is so much fun.
And, yes, this is a straight up advertisement for Bible Studies!
We are starting one tonight on Spiritual Gifts, plus there is one on Wednesday mornings at 10:00am, where we will be starting a study on the character of the Apostle Peter, and you are always invited to consider starting another study at a day, time, and place that works for you.
Tonight, we will have coffee, tea, and desserts. At your bible study you can choose. Just saying…
Wednesday night we meet at the Miedema Farm where Janet Miedema heads the table, often flanked by Penny on one side and Krista and baby Landon on the other.
And we talk and laugh, we pray, and we honestly discuss the scripture. No rose-colored glasses in this bunch. No Sunday School answers permitted. And punsters are welcomed and encouraged, Les, Jim, and even Janet sometimes jump in with zingers.
It is, all in all, a rather a pretty honest evaluation of what we are reading and what we think about it! And…
How we are doing as disciples.
Last week it was Hebrews 11, which among other things says, “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.”
It wasn’t raining. The skies were not cloudy. There were no weathermen to predict a Category 5 hurricane in the community where Noah lived.
Rather what Noah had was the assurance of God, that a storm was coming and that he, Noah, needed to do something about it.
What has God been tugging at your heart about? What has God set before you as an opportunity for service to his kingdom that you can do as an act of praise and thanksgiving that will honor God and grow your faith?
Building an ark is no easy task. Keep in mind while the directions are clear, they are not exactly detailed. And to my knowledge, dimension lumber from Home Depot was not yet available.
Three decks, an opening under the roof a cubit high all the way around the top of the ark. Three decks. A really big door. And what is a cubit?
I don’t remember Genesis telling us how long this building project took. It doesn’t say how many people worked on it. All is it tells us is that Noah built an ark.
All it says was that Noah was faithful.
So, what is God calling you to do?
· Fill a Flood Bucket, or help organize the Flood Bucket filling?
· Going to North Carolina to remediate houses
· Help with EMPOWERkids or EMPOWERyouth
· Be on the Safety or Welcome or Graphics Team
· Be on the Communication or Small Group or Creative Worship Team
· Or the Maintenance Team or IT Team
· Or help with the Deacon’s Food Pantry
· Or help with the Turkey Dinner
· Or invite others to come to worship
What is it God is calling you to do?
And will you, like Noah, say yes, “Here I Am, Lord” send me.
Amen!
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