Take with me your Bibles this evening and turn to the book of Genesis in the chapter six, please. The book of Genesis in the chapter six. Once again, I want to thank your pastor and the oversight here for the invitation to come and to minister today and indeed to our brother David for leading this evening and his words of welcome. Also, it's a joy to have been with you and we pray that the Lord indeed will bless the word has been shared both in song tonight and that which we come to. And blessed to all of our hearts as we minister even together in the gospel. But as we come to the word of God, let's begin our reading at the verse one. Verse one of Genesis in the chapter six. And the word of God says, it came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair and took them wives of all which they chose. And the Lord said, my spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he is also flesh, and his days shall be 120 years. There were giants in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them. The same became mighty men, which were of old, men of renown. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast and the creeping thing and the fowls of the air, for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations. And Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Jepheth. The earth was also corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood. Rooms shalt I make in the ark, and shall pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which I shall make it of. The length of the ark shall be 300 cubits, the breadth of it 50 cubits, and the height of it 30 cubits. A window shalt I make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt I finish it above. And the door of the ark shalt I set, and the side thereof. With lower, second, and third stories shalt I make it. Behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh wherein is the breath of life from under heaven. And everything that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant, and I shall come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt I bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee, they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee to keep them alive. unto thee of all food that is eaten, and I shall gather it to thee, and it shall be food for thee and for them. Thus did Noah, according to all that God commanded him, so did he. Amen, and so reads the word of the Lord. We come to consider, no doubt, what is a familiar account to many, if not all, as we gather together this evening. But nevertheless, as we come afresh to it, we pray that the Spirit of God will indeed use that which we consider tonight to once more remind us of the gospel that is contained even in this passage, in this passage that we have read together, for there is a gospel theme to be found even here at the very beginning of the Old Testament. For as we enter into the days of Noah, and as we behold the events that this chapter records, and we know, of course, the events which follow, there remaineth to this very day a warning to all who remain outside of Christ. And so you may be here with us tonight, one who is yet to taste of the mercy and grace that's offered in the gospel, yet to know for sure that you are a child of God, ready for heaven and for home, yet to settle the matter of the eternal destiny of your soul. Well, contained in this passage tonight, there is a message, a message relevant for you. A message, I pray, that will be applicable to you. A message, I pray, also which will be responded to by you. And so we consider this. Firstly, as we enter into this chapter, let us notice the problem that existed the problem that existed. We can simply summarize it in the words of verse 5 and the words of verse 12. For the Bible tells us, God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. In verse 12, God looked upon the earth and behold, it was corrupt For all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth, sin abounded. Sin is anything that we think. Sin is anything that we say. Sin is anything that we do that breaks God's law. And so as we come to the Word of God, we have revealed to us, even within its pages, that which we summarize as being the law of God, that which is the desire of God as He looks upon mankind and as He beholds the tombs and throwings of man, that which God, a holy God, would desire to see resplendent in your heart, resplendent in mine, resplendent upon the face of the earth. And anything that deviates from that, whether it be a deed, whether it be a word, whether it be even a thought that arises in our minds, in our hearts, perhaps never acted upon, perhaps never articulated to another individual, yet it remains true to this very day that anything that deviates from the expressed will and command of God is sin. And sin, when it is finished, the Bible tells us, bringeth forth death. And sin is not only that which you and I do, but sin is that which we are born into. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And sin that our mothers conceive us, yes, sin indwells the very fabric of our being, is found in the very noblest of homes right through to the very poorest of homes. Sin is found in the heart of every man, every woman, every boy, and every girl. And beholding this account as recorded here in Genesis and in chapter 6, we truly note that as God surveyed all that was occurring and upon the face of the earth in the days of Noah, sin abounded. Sin grieves the heart of God. For as God looked in the verse 5, and he saw that the wickedness of man was great, then in verse 6 it records these words, it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. So while sin is undoubtedly a reality in the days of Noah, and yes, sin remains to be a reality in the days in which we live, the Bible unequivocally records for us that as God beheld the sin that was evident in the days of Noah, and the hearts of men and women alive upon the face of the earth in that day, that those sins, that those words, those thoughts, those deeds that they did, those things that deviated from his expressed law and command, those things grieved him at his very heart. Truly we say, the record of Scripture has not changed. For as God beholds a heart that is full of sin tonight, as God beholds a world that is full of sin tonight, it grieves him at his heart that there are men and women still remaining lost, perishing and dying in their sin, still carrying on, unmoved by the very truth that's recorded for us in his book. Notice there in verse five those words that says, God saw. In that day, there was nothing hid from him. The spiritual condition of the world, the spiritual condition of the men and the women of the world were entirely bare before him. And as we come into this meeting tonight, as we sit here under the sound of the word of God once more, make no mistake about it, God sees you for exactly who you are in his sight. He knows those who are His, and He knows those who have yet to receive Him as Savior and Lord. He knows those who have yet to repent of their sin and put their faith and trust in Christ alone. And yes, we may come and be respectable as we gather together, and yes, we may live an upstanding life within our day-to-day activity, but yes, in the sight of God, undoubtedly tonight, in the sight of God, He knows you for exactly who you are. your spiritual standing is known to Him. So this chapter records for us a problem, but notice also the plan. Because God, as He beheld the sins of the men and women of that day, well, He knows that a judgment day is coming. And so as he surveys the world that Noah lived in, and as he beheld even the sins of the men and women, he begins to articulate to Noah the plan that is in his heart. Verse seven is recorded at these words. The Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth. Carry on down the chapter into verse 17 and read these words. Behold, I, even I do bring a flood of waters upon the earth. to destroy all flesh wherein is the breath of life. And so, as sin has grieved the heart of God, as sin is that which is resplendent, existent, far and near upon the earth in Noah's day, so, too, a holy God sits in heaven and commands even that which is to happen in the days to come. And that commandment, that decree that is issued, that pronouncement is made, and judgment, then, is that which awaits. This is but simply the record of the righteous judgment of God. God is holy. Man in his sin is unholy. And the justice of God demands that truly, that the holiness of God is such that He is compelled to judge the unholy deeds of man. Think not and mistake me not this evening for describing God as being cold or callous or rough. One who is simply able to declare judgment as he does in this chapter without thinking of the consequences or without a care or concern for those who face his righteous judgment. Testimony of a holy God himself is, I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord. I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. But nevertheless, as the sin of men and women alive upon the face of the earth in Noah's day is seen by God and as his holy character demands that justice is meted out, then this justice being meted out means that God must judge the sin of man and must judge the unrepentant sinner. It remains true to this very day. The message we have to declare as we come to the gospel is one that involves the very righteous judgment of God falling not only upon a wicked world, but also upon the people of wickedness. Because of your sin tonight, you who are outside of Christ, you stand under that same sentence of death and destruction. But oh, that tonight that you would hear the call of God. For remember, it giveth him no pleasure to see sinners like you cast into hell, but rather he commandeth all men, all women, all boys, and all girls everywhere to repent. So we see the problem, we see the plan, but we also see the preacher. Read with me in the verse eight of the chapter, it tells us Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. Come down to verse 13, and it tells us, And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them, and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. And carry on down into the verse 22. And thus did Noah, according to all that God commanded him, so did he." See, what was true about all that is recorded for us in the events that are recorded for us in this chapter is simply this. God did not leave the people without a witness. Noah is described by Peter as being the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness. That denotes to us that he being the eighth person, well, that designates his place in history, but a preacher of righteousness describes his message. He is being commissioned by God, commanded by God to bear news of that coming judgment and to reveal even to the men and women of his generation a way that they might avoid that righteous judgment. And remember what's recorded at the very end of the chapter, all that God commanded Noah, so did he. And so this preacher got busy. He began building the largest object of gospel truth that's ever been known. And in that generation, no one was to die without warning. And so for 120 years, board after board, kneel after kneel, reinforced the truth, judgment was coming, but there was an opportunity for the men and women of that generation to repent and to flee from the wrath to come. I have no doubt that there were mockers in those days. There were those who nudged each other and said, have you heard about Noah? Have you seen what he's doing? There he is, building an ark in the middle of the desert, all because he says it's going to rain. Remember, up until the time whenever the rain did fall, there was never known a cloud in the sky, and never known a raindrop to fall upon the face of man or upon the face of the ground. So no doubt there were those who thought that Noah, as he preached this message of coming rain, and as he built this grand structure of an ark, and as the boards began to take his shape and to take form, they no doubt that here was Noah, this crazy man, this man who was a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic, and there he was, simply an item, a person of ridicule, a person of mockery. Friend, and I, you may be here and agree, You may think that judgment and the proclamation of judgment that's contained in God's Word, well, that's an alien prospect. It's a silly suggestion, something that preachers use to promote fear, fear in an age of relative peace, fear in an age of material prosperity, fear in an age of scientific discovery and technological advance. What's there to be afraid of when we die? God is not to be mocked. Judge the world, He will. Judge the sinner, He will. No doubt there were mockers in those days, but no doubt also there were those who were oblivious in those days. Those who were so caught up in life, Those who were so consumed with themselves and with everything that they wanted to do and everything they had to do that they didn't notice. They didn't listen to the message, especially a message which was so inconvenient to all the plans that they had, to all the hopes and dreams that they had. No, they didn't want to hear about a judgment day coming. So they went on, oblivious to the truth. headed straight for eternal damnation. Friend, tonight that may also just describe you. You just mosey on through life and you give no thought, you show no concern to what will be when you die. So no doubt there were mockers in those days. No doubt there were those who were oblivious in those days. But I remind you tonight that standing before you, one who seeks to fulfill his calling as a preacher of righteousness, that I have a job to do. And it's my job to preach a message that the Holy Spirit uses to arrest you in your way. Uses to awaken you, uses to stop you in your tracks, to bring you to your senses. And so tonight, I urge you in the gospel, waking up, flee the judgment. flee from the wrath to come, flee from the inevitable doom that awaits the sinner, the mocker, those who were oblivious. But I believe it's also true to say that there were procrastinators in those days. People who agreed in their head with what Noah was saying, but failed to act in their heart. Noah had an interesting message. Noah had a thought-provoking message. Noah had a message that they promised to give some consideration to just a little bit later. But you know, as they looked around, they saw no clouds in the sky. They saw no evidence that judgment was coming, nevermind judgment was near. And so, no, they weren't going to accept the invitation that Noah was extending. No, they weren't going to get their house in order. They weren't going to get their life in order. They weren't going to enter an ark for anyone or anything, because it might happen one day, but today's not that day. And no, they weren't rejecting it, but they weren't accepting it either. They were just going to wait a little bit longer and see how it all went. I wonder, is that you tonight? Someone who knows the gospel message. Someone who agrees that we live in a sin-sick world. Someone who agrees that within our very innermost being, in the very moment we're born, exists a sin nature. We sin by choice, we sin by nature. But yet through all the truth that's been communicated through you, from pulpits such as this, from the personal witness of friends and family, from those tracks and booklets that have been shared with you, you may remain one who remains undecided, one who's taking a chance with your life, denied you're having a gamble instead of being willing to accept a guarantee. There was a problem. There was a plan. There was a preacher. But notice this chapter also records the performance. Because did judgment come? Absolutely it came. Turn over one chapter to the seventh chapter and read there into verse 11. Tells us in the 600th year of Noah's life, in the second month, in the 17th day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth 40 days and 40 nights, just as God said it would. The end of God's grace to the people in Noah's day had arrived. And here we see the fulfillment of all that God had promised to do back in chapter six. But notice the preacher's voice is now silent. The call to repentance is sounded no more. God is enacting a judgment upon the world. upon the sinners of the world that he had said he would. Read on down in chapter seven and read these words in verse 21, all flesh died. that moved upon the earth, both of fowl and of cattle, of beast and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man. And in all whose nostrils was a breath of life, all that was in the dry land died." Such a sad day. Tragic day. But friend, an inevitable day. A day that God had foretold of through His servant. A day that God Himself had revealed would occur. And so that day came. And notice that judgment came suddenly. Judgment came swiftly. Judgment came soberingly. No, tonight, if you're outside of Christ, then heed the warning that is found here in the Word of God, for as God promised and declared, even that promise of judgment, because of this holy character, because of the demand of justice, because of his holiness, and that happened in the days of Noah. So too, there's coming a day when judge the world he will, judge the sinner he must, Notice fifthly, the protection. For in verse one of the chapter seven, the word of God records these words, the Lord said unto Noah, come thou and all thy house into the ark. For thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Noah was invited into the structure that God had told him to build. And so the God-ordained, the God-appointed, the God-designed means of salvation afforded to Noah the protection that God had promised it would. Just as God's word was true about the judgment that was coming, so too God's word was true about the protection of the ark that he had designed, the protection that it would afford. So too that promise was true also. Look in verse 16 of the chapter seven. The Bible tells us they went in. Went in, male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in. That's a very important statement to read. Because that, I believe, marks the finality of the call that God extended in the generation of Noah. No longer was the door of opportunity open. No longer was that opportunity to flee to no safety and protection. No longer was that opportunity existent. No, rather God shut the door. God's appointed time had come. And all who remained outside of the ark, remember they'd been warned. Remember Noah had pleaded with them. Remember before their eyes had been the construction of the biggest gospel object ever known to man. Remember before their eyes also walked the life of one who knew God, who believed God, and who sought to serve God. But now it was too late. Oh, and in my mind's eye I see How that as the heavens open and as the fountains of the deep begin to spring forth, oh, I see that great company of people. And they're rushing toward the ark. And there comes those who simply mocked Noah whenever he professed even to believe in God and to reclaim his message. And there come those who were the procrastinators and said, well, not today, but maybe someday I'll consider. There comes those who were oblivious to their peril, oblivious to the danger that they were in, to the doom that they faced, and they all come together, and they all beat the side of the ark, and they all say, let me in, let me in, let me in. But God said, no. I shut the door. Protection is known inside the ark, but for you who are on the outside, it's too late. You see, God had said already in the verse three of the chapter six, my spirit shall not always strive with man. And simply we could paraphrase it like this. God says the opportunity to flee, the opportunity to escape, the opportunity to know salvation, it's not gonna be available forever. Tonight, the truth remains the same. The ark was a picture of the only way of salvation. God still has only one way of salvation in this day. And for all who will come that God-appointed way, for all who will repent of their sin and put their faith and their trust in Christ alone for salvation, for all who will enter into that covenantal relationship with Jesus Christ and know that blessed assurance of sins forgiven and the promise of a home in heaven, that opportunity awaits you tonight. That opportunity is offered unto you tonight. That opportunity is available to you tonight. But that opportunity is time limited. There comes a day whenever God shuts the door. And no matter how close you are, you'll never get in. But Noah found grace. In the eyes of the Lord, Tonight, will you accept the offer of grace he extends to you? Or will you enter in before it's too late? You have a problem in your life. God has a plan to deal with that problem. He has sent a preacher to remind you of his plan to deal with that problem. There's coming a day whenever he will perform that plan. But tonight is available to you the protection that salvation affords, the peace that only salvation brings.