In the U.S in 2015 there were 373 major crimes (murder, assault, rape, robbery) for every 100,000 people. There were 2487 property crimes(theft) for every 100,000 people.

It seems as if the world is becoming as it was in the days of Noah. 

Many Christians are asking “How can  I as an individual or us as a family survive the immorality of this generation? How can we impact our generation for Jesus Christ? How can we make a difference?”

Answers to these questions can be found in the story of Noah and his family. The story of Noah will help us not only survive the immorality and ungodliness of our generation but help us to make a difference. We are not here to coast our way to heaven; we are here to make an impact as salt and light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The words “righteous, blameless, walked with God” could be translated, “a person of integrity”.

“Integrity” is defined as, “uprightness of character”. Integrity is purity in the midst of immorality. Noah had it.  Do we have it? If not how can I get it?

We can learn four ingredients of integrity from Noah. These ingredients are essential in your life and mine if we are to ever survive the lure, the pull, the temptation, the obstacles to living a godly life in America today.

 

The first ingredient – integrity is purity in the midst of immorality. In verse 5 we several characteristics of this generation. God saw that the wickedness of man was great and every thought of man heart was always evil. They never had a good thought. And right in the middle of this sinful world is Noah and his family, who were

godly. A person of integrity will follow God even when it is unpopular. Noah was determined that when God moved, and when God came to him, that he would move with Him.

And the New Testament refers to Noah as “a preacher of righteousness” (II Peter 2:5). He not only lived a godly life, but he spoke the word. Today people can't agree what is the best way to "preach" to someone. Is it lifestyle evangelism or is it confrontational evangelism? Do you just live it and hope people get saved or do you push people into the corner and ask them all the questions? Which do you appreciate most? 

You have two legs. Right and left. When you are walking, which do you like best?

You may favor the right leg more. Someone else may favor their left leg. But don't you need both?

Scientists and mathematicians have calculated that the ark was only half full. Half full – there was room for hundreds, if not thousands of people. Do you know how many people responded to his preaching, to his invitations, to the life he was living? Zero. It was a huge failure. Noah only had seven converts – his own family members. That is one convert every seventeen years of work. And yet, God considered him a man of integrity, not because people responded to his voice, but because he responded to God’s voice.

 

The second ingredient - integrity is obedience in the midst of ridicule. People had to have laughed.

Neighbor: What'cha doin'?

Noah: Buildin' an ark?

Neighbor: What's that?

Noah: Not really sure. But it's supposed to float.

Neighbor: Float on what?

Noah: On the water when the flood comes.

Neighbor: What's that?

Noah: It's when the water gets really deep when the rain comes.

Neighbor: What's that?

Noah: It's water that falls from the sky.

Neighbor: I believe you been drinkin' more than water.

 

The third ingredient - integrity is patience in the midst of uncertainty.

Noah has everyone in the ark, they are in there surrounded by animals, and guess what happens? For seven days, nothing! The door is shut; they have all their equipment; they are ready to float – but there is no rain. After a day or two, the neighbors probably lose their uncertainty; they get a little bolder. They had been wondering, “Is judgment coming?” Now two days have passed and nothing has happened. The neighbors are probably having a great time. Hollering, “Hey, Noah, are you still in there?” You would think Noah is probably scratching his head, asking, “Lord, is this some kind of joke? Where’s the rain?” Yet, there is no record of that. Although Noah was probably confused and uncertain, there is no record that he ever questioned God. My friends, integrity believes God even when it seems ridiculous. You and I want integrity as long as it makes us look respectable. Noah was willing to follow integrity, even when it made him look ridiculous. Look at verse 10 again. It came about after the seven days, that the water of the flood came upon the earth. I think this was probably God’s way of saying, “Look, I’m going to give mankind seven more days to repent. Seven more days because, when all of the generations read of My judgment, they’re going to know that I was so patient with man. I gave him every opportunity, and he would not repent.”

   But after 7 days it begins to rain. The ark begins to float. And  Noah and his family will float in this thing for over a year. This is not a weekend trip; this is a year plus. And when the waters go down, and the ark finally comes to rest on top of one of the ridges in the mountain ranges of Ararat, God did not tell Noah, “All right, here are all the details of how you begin.” God never told Noah what life would be like after the flood. He never even told Noah how long he would float. Noah is sending out a dove to look for some kind of dry land. Noah is so patient that he sends out a dove and waits seven days. I would have been sending out doves every thirty minutes to look for some kind of dry land. What a patient man. In the midst of uncertainty, Noah was a man of integrity.

   The fourth ingredient – integrity is worship in the midst of difficulty. When Noah finally came out, after more than a year in the ark Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. The first thing Noah did was lead his family in worship. What a confusing year this had been for him. It was a year of silence from God; a year of uncertainty; a year of tremendous difficulty, and yet, he worships God.