Noah: The Obedient Eccentric, Feb. 14
This week you get a snap shot, maybe snap chat, with Noah, the Obedient Eccentric. The video clip focused on the person of Noah in the midst of a wicked, sick world. More than eccentric, I think Noah was obedient and righteous. Righteous doesn’t mean perfect or boring. What comes to mind when you hear righteous? Noah pleased God-made God smile. And it wasn’t easy for him, from what the texts in Genesis 6-9 said. It’s a good idea to read these four chapters before Sunday. What do you notice?
Chapter 6. The world was out of control-wicked. It was dysfunction with a big “D” and sinful with a big “S”. Godis going to deal with it.Where might we see this today? There would be a flood with some saved-people and critters. Noah was obedient.
Chapter 7.There is a themein Genesis 1-11. It is like a song-in 4 4 time. The theme is God’s goodness, sin, judgement and grace. The flood is about the third ‘chord’. However, where do you see grace in the story? Where was there grace for the world? The flood occurred. Noah was obedient.
Chapter 8. God remembered. The video clip has God dozing when 40 days are up (40 can be literal or symbolic for a ‘long-significant time’).The Biblical word for remember is ‘faithful to a promise.’ Who can you count on to be faithful to a promise? How is God faithful and to who, in this account? Noah did what, when he got off the boat? (v. 20)
Chapter 9. The flood was over. A new day dawned-a new creation- a new covenant. The rainbow or ‘bow’ (often seen as a weapon) sealed it.God remembered. He won’t flood the world again. Promise.
Now, Noah had family ‘issues.’One day, Noah drank too much homemade wine.He got drunk. However, the emphasis was not on Noah over-imbibing (good thing he wasn’tsteering the ark) but onhis son, Ham,for disrespecting him. Ouch. As a result, Noah hurled a curse at Ham and son Canaan. Some think this explained why the Israelites and Canaanites were at odds for centuries. However, recall Christians interpret all Scripture through the eyes of Jesus. And to show how Jesus fulfilled and also frame-bent things, remember he healed the Canaanite women and fed the crowd of foreigners in the Decapolis. (Mark 8) Goodness and grace.Noah was a righteous man. How hard or easy is it to be a Christian in today’s culture? How are you obedient?
*What are some of the temptations that might sway us to veer off course?
*Are Christians seen as eccentric today? Why or why not?
*Note that Noah blessed Shem and his kin. How do people in well-off countries today define being blessed?
*How does Jesus see blessedness in Matthew 5:1-12 for example?
Jesus made a radical shift in defining blessedness. He unhooked it from material prosperity and lifted up living in relationship with him and serving others without limit. Eccentric? Or the way to true life?