The Ark of Safety
INTRO: I am beginning, this morning, the first of a 3-part series on the End-Time Harvest. And in doing so I’d like to ask simply a few questions to spur you on to spiritual thought…about yourself –
Where are you on your journey with God?
What is going on in your life spiritually at this place where you find yourself?
What do you think your particular assignment is upon this place we call “terra firma” (planet earth)?
I ask these questions because I am convinced that we have some things misplaced, if you will, the K/G as it relates to the ministry; we have some things out of order, for the most part.
I look out among you and I see BUSINESSMEN, BUSINESSWOMEN, REGISTERED NURSES, SCHOOL TEACHERS, MANAGERS, ELECTRICIANS, SUPERVISORS, and the like.
But what is the REAL (somebody say REAL PURPOSE); what is the real purpose that you are here?
And the INDICTMENT that I am going to mention this morning I think exists all over the EVANGELICAL world; yes, even among PENTECOSTALS.
There has been a tragic error that has been embraced for a long time, both by the CLERGY and the LAITY, that soulwinning/harvesting is the job of the PASTORS.
In fact, I think that there are some PASTORS that even believe that (because some pastors think that ministry simply CANNOT be done without them; or without their holy hands in it.
I think there are CLERGY that think that way.
I think there are LAITY that think that way.
This distinction that we make between the cleros and the laos; this distinction between PREACHER or PASTOR & PEOPLE; the cozy line of demarcation of the ORDAINED and the UNORDAINED. I would submit to you that that line doesn’t seem to come across that clear in the Bible.
You see the real purpose for your life and my life is to be a representative for Jesus Christ in the earth; moved and empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue the perpetual work that began on the Day of Pentecost when the CHURCH (ekklesia) was established.
I love what Bishop Larry Jackson left us with last September in the Men’s Conference. He said, “I’m not a black man; I’m a representative of Jesus Christ upon the earth, doing Kingdom business DISGUISED as a black man.”
I may be a School Teacher, but I’m in the school to on heavenly assignment.
I may be the owner of an Auto Repair Shop, but I’m business to touch everybody who brings their car to my place of business.
I may be a Nurse at the Hospital, but I’m really there to do the work of the Kingdom to everybody who gets sick and ends up in that institution.
I’m a representative from heaven sent down upon the earth disguised as something else.
You see we have this CRAZY idea that has settled in among the pews for a long, long time that Professional Ministers DO ministry. We get encouraged by showing up to church to hear what has happened in THEIR lives.
The Bible clearly tells us that in Ephesians, Chapter 4:11,12
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
Not ALL, but SOME are called to be in the ministry as a life calling; vocation; profession.
SOME are called to that here. SOME are called to that all over the world, but ALL (say ALL) …ALL are called to represent Christ in the earth and to do the work of the ministry.
We are called to PREPARE you; ;to TRAIN you; to EQUIP you; to RELEASE you to do the work of the ministry.
You are called to BUILD UP the Body; in NUMBER and in NURTURING.
We, who are in the professional ministry; the full-time call to Christian service are not supposed to have a clearer line to heaven than you do. We are not suppose to have a better prayer life than you; a stronger witness than you. We are called to help you fulfill the call upon your life to do the work of the MINISTRY.
In fact, let me speak to the younger generation for just a moment –
YOU GUYS HAVE GOT TO HELP US! You have got to help us REALIGN the CHURCH CULTURE today to better match the SCRIPTURES. You have got to help us get this living organism called the church back to a BIBLICAL PICTURE as God intended.
Our generation seems to have placed a lot of attention on the PASTOR, and the EVANGELIST, and the OFFICE thereof, but YOUR GENERATION today must come to an understanding of just WHO you are and what your PURPOSE is. And, let me tell you….THERE WILL BE….THERE ARE SOME…..and THERE SHOULD BE some persons who feel the divine call of God upon their lives for ministry.
In fact, I would venture in the Spirit to say that there are PERSONS right here right now, that HAVE the divine call of God upon your life; your scared, your concerned, but you must HEED to His voice. And the rest of you…..
I beg you, I plead with you…in the Name of Jesus… help us to realign the picture of MINISTRY with that of the SCRIPTURES. God calls SOME….and those SOME equip and train and release the rest of those who find salvation at the cross of Christ and are immediately thrust into a life of REPRESENTING JESUS!!!
You hear the Holy Spirit call you to SALVATION!
And when you are genuinely saved, born again, life-surrendered, transformed by HIS TOUCH, you cannot help but SHARE the message of the cross of Christ.
That’s what Noah did!
Look at Genesis 6.
Genesis 6:5 – 7:23 (It’s a lot, but we need the Scriptures)
He must been phenomenally wealthy. The Bible does not tell us that anyone funded the building of the ark. Noah built it; with supplies that he resourced.
Noah invested in this that God called him to do FINANCIALLY.
Not only did he invest in it FINANCIALLY and PERSONALLY, but he invested his REPUTATION in it.
NOAH HITCHED HIS ENTIRE REPUTATION TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS ARK.
His friends came to him, “Noah this boat idea is crazy! Noah, I love you man. I am your friend, but Noah, we are in the middle of the Turkish desert. We are 1000 miles from a body of water. Noah, just how do you think you are going to FLOAT this boat when you get it built?
Noah, people think that you are psychotic – ‘God told you to do this?’ They think you have lost your mind. Come on Noah! I’m your friend and I don’t want to see you get embarrassed anymore than you already are. Come on Noah.’
And those that were NOT his friends were not that kind – ‘You fool. Get down off that scaffolding and get a real job. You’re an idiot; following some stupid idea that you say is ‘God’. You’re a NUT.
But NOAH kept building. He was building an ark because God said so.
I wonder what it was like at home? Shem, Ham, and Japheth were up on the scaffolding themselves; walking in the ways of Dad; following his direction.
I suppose they must have had some conversations of doubt; wondering if their dad really had heard from God. Is it really going to flood? Will this boat ever be used as a boat, or will we just turn it in to a tourist site one day?
And his wife? We aren’t told anything about their conversations. I wonder if she said to Noah, her husband…’Honey, have you really heard from the Lord? Are you sure? My friends have kicked me out of the Women’s Club. They don’t want to meet me for tea anymore. And…and…honey..the newspapers are writing about you. The commentators are saying you are NUTS.’
But NOAH kept building.
And he just didn’t keep building. He was PREACHING. The spirit of Jesus was experienced through the life of Noah.
He was building an ark because He heard God say ONE TIME….”I am going to destroy the earth with water. Build and ark.” And Noah responded to that which he knew was the voice of God.
NOW LISTEN…
You and I are called to INVEST our LIVES, our RESOURCES, our PRIDE, our EGO, and our REPUTATION on the one statement that we hear GOD SPEAK TO US when He says by the SPIRIT….”JESUS IS LORD”.
That is the only ARK of safety that you and I can lean on.
The world is shaky, Christ is solid.
The world is corrupt, Christ is king.
The world is flesh-filling, Christ is fulfilling.
He is the only absolute in a world of uncertainties!
Jesus Christ is Lord!
That’s the ARK of safety on which you and I are building our lives.
And every time we pray we drive a nail in that ark.
And every time we go to church we drive a nail in that ark.
And every time we witness we drive a nail in that ark.
Every time we stand for Christ, we are driving nails in the ark of God’s safety for our lives.
We stand on Christ; the ark of safety for our lives and the lives of our families.
And let me tell you that you and I are facing the days in which we will find it more and more difficult to live for Christ.
Did you ever think that it would be against the law to pray in a public school?
Did you think that there would come a time in this nation where a young girl would share her testimony as the Valedictorian of her Senior Class and have Administration withhold her diploma on graduation night, because she called the name Jesus?
That’s the kind of society that we live in; a drifting society….a society that denies Jesus. And you and I must come to the place where we are committed to building the ark of safety that is found in a right relationship with Jesus Christ for our lives and for the lives of our families.
It’s tough. Because you get up on Sunday mornings and you are one of the only families on your street that gets into the car and heads to the church. Every other family on the block says you and your family are NUTS (You believe in this ARK of SAFETY that is found in Jesus).
And the kids will ask you, “Dad, how come our neighbors are getting up this morning and they’re going to Bush Gardens and we’re going to church? And when the kids ask this, you must have an answer.
And it can’t be the answer that says, “Well, my dad took me to church and his dad took him, so I’m taking you.” That answer has to be rooted and grounded in building of an ark of safety in our lives that is only found in Jesus.
Others go to Wal Mart, to McDonalds, Busch Gardens, to the river, and to anywhere else but the house of the living God. (And please…I am an advocate of a vacation) but what happens to the church of the Lord Jesus when the weather changes and the kids are out of school?
You and I are called to hinge our lives upon the building of that Ark.
Look at Matthew 24:37-44 (Listen to the Holy Spirit friends…)
37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Listen friends, Noah staked his life on that ARK.
And he preached at every opportunity that came his way.
Folks were stopping by and asking him what in the world was he doing.
And Noah said, “there is coming a flood”. And the Lord is going to destroy everyone on the earth, but me and my family are going to be safe. And I believe Noah told every person he could about this ARK.
He invited others to get on the scaffolding and help them build, but they just laughed and said, “Noah…you have lost your mind.” But Noah kept building the ark to the saving of his household.
Noah preached the safety of God to everyone who inquired. They would reject Noah’s message and he would tell them to get a hammer and help’em. That God would save them.
But they laughed and mocked. Noah would say “Do you think that God had me build a boat like this for 8 people?” Come on board! Judgment is coming, but you and your house can be saved!!!
And I’m sure in the darkness of Noah’s humanity that there were times that he felt the enemy of his soul tell him that this whole plan might fail, but Noah kept on building the ark to the saving of his household.
He kept on building the ark and preaching the flood; building the ark and preaching the flood; building the ark and preaching the judgment of God.
And the day finally came when the RAINS came. It rained many times, but this time it didn’t stop. It rained and rained and rained.
And the moment finally came when God said, “That’s it….it’s time. And God spoke to Noah and told him to get his family inside. And the Lord took care of the animals by gathering them in pairs; male and female. And they all entered the ark. And the Bible says, “THE LORD GOD SHUT THE DOOR.”
And the rains came and the came and the came. And the rains weren’t what actually flooded the earth. Scholars tell us that when that much water sat upon the earth for days and days and days, that the cisterns of the earth gave way (the water that destroyed the earth actually came from within the earth) and ROSE UP TO DESTROY EVERYTHING that LIVED.
And the only survivors were those who were in the ark – Noah and his wife, Shem, Ham, and Japheth and their wives. They and they alone were safe in the ARK OF GOD’S divine care.
Friends, God has called you and I to share the message of the coming again of the Lord Jesus. You don’t have to be a Professional minister to do that. God’s call is upon every one who names the name of Jesus to pronounce that JUDGMENT IS COMING, but YOU CAN BE SAVED.
Judgment is coming, but you can find the ARK of SAFETY in Jesus and Jesus alone.
And you know we live in a day when the message of GRACE has been abused because we are SO convinced of the message of grace, that we have convinced ourselves that there couldn’t possibly be a judgment. God is a God of tremendous love and he wouldn’t allow anyone to miss out.
The Bible teaches us that there is a HEAVEN to gain and a HELL to shun.
Paul said, “Knowing therefore the TERROR of the Lord, we persuade men.”
PRAYER: Bow your head with me please.
1) I’m asking everyone in this room this morning…”Do you know Jesus? I’m talking about know him in a life-changing, born again, kind of way? Do you know Him?
If not, then I want you to get out of your seat and in doing so, You are saying, “Pastor, I want to get in the ark of safety. I want Jesus. I want to know Him.
2) I’m asking, secondly, if you have forfeited too many opportunities to
People about this coming flood of judgment, and you want to get serious about being used by God, empowered by the Holy Spirit to win people to Jesus. Get up and join us at this altar of empowerment.
