Noah as a Successful Father

 

Rev Gideon Lee

On behalf of the Yeap family especially from Winnie and Sasha, a big thank you and their appreciation for your support during the funeral and wake services.

Have you given your presents or wishes to your father. Yes? Maybe your father is not here with you or perhaps it may be your spiritual father. Take them out for lunch or maybe durians. Yes? I hear this year's durian not as much but still must eat.

This morning I want to announce I have received my father's day present from my wife but I can only open it in early January, so the doctor say. We are expecting our fourth child. If someone ask me, did you plan for this I can only say, man plan but only God can fulfill. It came as a surprise. I will love this child as much as my other children and my wife too of course and my wife have made me sign an agreement that it's close factory after this.

Genesis 6

1 When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years.”

4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days–and also afterward–when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

5 The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth –men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air–for I am grieved that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

9 This is the account of Noah.

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.

11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14 So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. 16 Make a roof for it and finish the ark to within 18 inches of the top. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. 17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark –you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”

22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

Here we read the story of the flood. Since today is father's day you'd expect me to talk about fathers. The bible has lots of names where there are references of good fathers. Like Abraham.

But we will seldom think of Noah as a father as he is often associated with the ark. But at the end of this chapter, it shows Noah was a successful father.

How do we rate a successful parent? Maybe when our children are doing well in life and in their career. Or they successfully raise a family of their own. The success of Noah is that he was able to win over his family.

How many was saved from this flood? Only eight. Not only did Noah save the physical lives of his family but also spiritually.

Noah and you and I are not much different. Noah raised his children during a wicked time, no different from today. As parents we want to bring our child up in the best environment. But like us he raised them during extreme wickedness and violence. Not only that but also during a time when God and His ways was ignored.

It was so bad only eight was saved. If you have unsaved love ones you'd know what it was like to reach them. They ignored God.

Also it's a time of impending judgment. That was the backdrop for Noah. And yet in spite of all this he won his family to the Lord.

To be a successful dad, there is no manual to follow. Except what is found in the bible. Noah was able to influence his family in spite of the circumstances. What can we learn from Noah this morning?

1. Noah walked with God

Genesis 6:8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

Noah found grace in the eyes of God. This tells us that Noah was someone who knows God. He had a personal relationship with his creator. We as a parent should demonstrate to our children that we have a relationship with God.

He was a person that was consecrated to God. He was upright. It is one thing to say you know God and another to walk with God.

Noah was a consistent man. It took Noah 120 years to build the ark. Can you imagine you are preaching and doing all this from the command of God though there was no evidence of a flood. It was not a one day thing. It was 120 years!

Are we walking with God this morning. Are we an example to our children. I am not making judgment on whether we are good or bad fathers. All of us make mistakes me included.

There was an instance when I lost my cool when I saw the table was so messy. I warned the children I will throw all the mess on the table if it was not cleaned up.

And in the spur of that moment I swept all that was on the table onto the floor. Colour pencils and all.

My second daughter, with her big round eyes were take aback and tear weld up her eyes. I didn't see it as I was in anger. Then she ran up angry.

My wife asked me why I had to be so worked up over something so small. She had warned the children that if they spoil their colour pencil she will not buy it again for them and my daughter was afraid the pencils were broken when I swept them onto the floor. You know the lead in the colour pencil can easily be broken?

I had to calm myself and talked to her after. No, as fathers we are not perfect, you and I but we can be better.

2. Noah was someone that witnessed

2 Peter 2:5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;

How he did it? He did it through his conduct. He stood for what is right. He was witnessing to them that he served a God who is righteous. He opened his mouth. He also witnessed through his commitment. He was someone that was obedient to God.

3. Noah won his family

Noah saved his family. No one can claim that in the OT. Only his family was save. How did he do that? He won their respect. Especially over 120 years of commitment. Also they saw how Noah walked with God. Also we see how the children responded to his call to enter the ark. The children and their wife's enter the ark when told to without question. He won their respect and response.

As parents often we give them their material needs or even education. But we need to give them spiritual guidance. My own father provided me with a great spiritual example. My dad was a teacher but I see my father's love for God. He will send not only his children but also my cousins to Sunday school. Also the neighbour's children. He would do that for us. I also see how he served the Lord during the holidays. During year end holidays he would go on missions. He loved to go onto Logos and later Doulos. He spent his holidays like that. My dad loved animals too and that's something I learned from him. He would go catch fighting fish from drains and showed us about them. And we'd watch the fish sleep. My dad had four geese and collected eggs. We had turkeys and ducks, it was like a farm. My father taught me all these things. The reason that I am here today is because of my father. At his funeral, I answered God's call.

We only have one legacy to leave, and we need to show our children how to walk with God. If there's anything, at the end of the day we can say all my children are saved and I will see them one day in heaven.

It will be sad if we see those that are saved through us in heaven but not see our own children there.

Are you saved and in a relationship with God? Are you living a consecrated life where your children can see you? Is your family in the ark? Today, we will make a decision to be parents over our children by being a positive influence, by walking with God. You are in a position of influence because you are the spiritual head of the home. It is not just to put food on the table but to love them. That we would lead by example. That we will rise up in our position to do what is right. Take your place at home and lead your family. If you don't do it, your wife will have to lead the family and that would upset the order.

TOP Youth's presentation for all the fathers. 

Pastor Gideon praying for all the fathers, standing beside their spouse.