Faith in Action: Trusting God's Promises Like Noah

Today, we gathered in the presence of God, inviting the Holy Spirit to move among us and fill our hearts with wonder, love, and freedom. We celebrated the truth that every victory, every need, and all our deepest longings are found in Jesus alone. In worship, we declared that God is our way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, and light in the darkness—even when we cannot see or feel Him at work, He never stops working on our behalf. We were reminded that God’s faithfulness endures through every season, and His promises never fail.

Turning to the Word, we continued our journey through Hebrews 11, the “hall of faith,” focusing on the life of Noah. Noah’s story is not a children’s fable, but a profound account of faith in the midst of a corrupt and violent world. God’s grief over humanity’s betrayal was likened to the heartbreak of a bride deserted at the altar—a longing for relationship unfulfilled. Yet, in the midst of judgment, God’s grace was extended to Noah, not because he was perfect, but because he responded to God’s offer of salvation by faith.

Noah’s faith teaches us to trust God’s word over our own perceptions and feelings. For 120 years, Noah built the ark despite never having seen rain or flood, choosing to believe God’s warning over the evidence of his senses. Faith, then, is living by God’s reality, not our own. Like a pilot trusting the instrument panel over what he sees or feels in a storm, we are called to trust the Word and Spirit of God as our guide.

Noah also feared God more than he feared people. He endured ridicule and misunderstanding, yet his reverent awe for God kept him steadfast. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and it anchors us when the opinions of others threaten to sway us. Ultimately, Noah acted in obedience—he didn’t let endless questions or doubts paralyze him. He entered the ark, and in doing so, his life became a silent testimony that condemned the world, simply by living in faith.

We are each faced with the same decision: to enter the “ark” of salvation provided in Jesus, or to remain outside. God welcomes our questions, but calls us to step into faith first, trusting that understanding will follow. Jesus, like Noah, built an ark—not of wood, but of His own flesh—so that all who enter by faith are shielded from judgment and made new. God’s faithfulness has not failed us, and He invites us to trust Him more deeply, to live lives that declare His reality, and to call others into the safety and freedom of His grace.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Faith Anchors Us Beyond What We See or Feel Noah’s obedience was rooted in trusting God’s word over his own senses and emotions. For 120 years, he built an ark without any evidence of rain, demonstrating that true faith is anchored in God’s promises, not in our limited perception of reality. Like a pilot relying on instruments in a storm, we must let God’s Word and Spirit guide us, especially when circumstances seem contrary. [54:04]
• 2. God’s Grief Reveals His Deep Desire for Relationship The grief God felt over humanity’s corruption is described as the pain of betrayal, like a bride abandoned at the altar. This reveals that God’s commands and judgments are not arbitrary, but flow from a longing for restored relationship with His creation. When we turn away, we grieve His heart, yet His love compels Him to act for our ultimate good—even when it requires radical measures. [43:16]
• 3. The Fear of the Lord Liberates Us from the Fear of People Noah’s reverent awe for God enabled him to withstand ridicule and misunderstanding from those around him. The fear of the Lord is not terror, but a deep respect that prioritizes God’s opinion above all others. When we care more about what God thinks than what people think, we find the courage to live differently, speak up when needed, and remain steadfast in our convictions. [61:01]
• 4. Obedience Requires Action, Not Endless Quibbling God welcomes our honest questions, but there comes a point when faith must move from inquiry to action. Noah had to stop debating and simply obey—building the ark and entering it when the time came. Likewise, we are called to step into the “ark” of Christ’s salvation, trusting that our questions will find their answers as we walk in obedience. [68:42]
• 5. A Life of Faith Silently Testifies to the World Noah condemned the world not by words, but by the way he lived—his faith was a living declaration that someone else was in charge of his life. Our lives, when surrendered to Christ, become a testimony that challenges the world’s values and points to a greater reality. Living by faith is not about perfection, but about loyalty and trust in the One who is always faithful. [75:08]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:34] - Inviting the Holy Spirit & Worship
• [05:56] - Freedom and Praise in God’s Presence
• [10:06] - Declaring God’s Faithfulness
• [18:44] - Way Maker: Trusting God’s Character
• [27:03] - Joy in the House & Family Updates
• [30:18] - Praying for Ukraine and the Church
• [32:47] - Introduction to Hebrews 11: The Hall of Faith
• [38:07] - Noah: Faith in Action
• [41:56] - God’s Grief and Humanity’s Betrayal
• [45:47] - Radical Measures and God’s Justice
• [51:26] - Three Lessons from Noah’s Faith
• [57:51] - God’s Word as Our Instrument Panel
• [61:01] - Fearing God Over People
• [68:03] - Obedience: Acting on God’s Word
• [75:08] - Living Faith as Testimony
• [77:45] - Jesus: The Greater Ark
• [79:35] - Invitation to Enter the Ark
• [82:58] - Closing Worship & Benediction

Bible Reading

Hebrews 11:7 (ESV) — > By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Genesis 6:5-9 (ESV) — > The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. ... Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.

Observation Questions

1. According to Hebrews 11:7, what motivated Noah to build the ark, and what was the result of his obedience?
2. In Genesis 6:5-6, what does it say about the condition of humanity and God’s response to it?
3. The sermon described God’s grief as similar to a bride abandoned at the altar. What does this tell us about God’s heart for relationship with people? [[43:16]]
4. How long did Noah build the ark before the flood came, and what was unusual about his circumstances? [[52:04]]

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon said Noah “trusted God’s word over his own senses and emotions.” Why is this significant, especially considering Noah had never seen rain or a flood? [[52:04]]
2. What does it mean that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” and how did this help Noah withstand ridicule from others? [[01:01:01]]
3. The pastor said God’s grief over humanity was like the heartbreak of a bride deserted at the altar. What does this analogy reveal about the seriousness of turning away from God? [[43:16]]
4. The sermon emphasized that Noah’s faith was shown by action, not just belief. Why is it important that faith leads to obedience, even when we have questions? [[01:08:42]]

Application Questions

1. The sermon compared trusting God’s word to a pilot trusting the instrument panel in a storm. Is there a situation in your life right now where you need to trust God’s word over your own feelings or what you see? What would it look like to do that this week? [[54:04]]
2. Noah endured ridicule and misunderstanding for years. Have you ever felt pressure to go along with the crowd or feared what others might think about your faith? How can you grow in caring more about God’s opinion than people’s? [[01:01:01]]
3. The pastor said God welcomes our honest questions, but there comes a point when faith must move from inquiry to action. Is there an area where you’ve been “quibbling” or hesitating to obey God? What is one step you could take toward obedience this week? [[01:08:42]]
4. Noah’s life was a silent testimony to the world. In what ways does your daily life point others to God’s reality? Is there a specific area where you want your actions to better reflect your faith? [[01:15:08]]
5. The sermon described God’s grief over broken relationship with humanity. Is there a part of your life where you sense God is longing for deeper relationship with you? How might you respond to His invitation this week? [[43:16]]
6. The “ark” was a place of salvation for Noah and his family. The pastor said Jesus is our greater ark. Have you personally “entered the ark” by trusting Jesus for salvation? If so, how does that shape your sense of security and purpose? If not, what questions or hesitations do you still have? [[01:17:45]]
7. The sermon challenged us to live lives that call others into the safety and freedom of God’s grace. Who in your life might need an invitation to experience God’s grace, and how could you reach out to them this week? [[01:17:45]]