Noah – The Man Who Found Grace Before the Lord
Pastor Tan Thai · Oct 14, 2017
This sermon examines three aspects of Noah's life: he found grace before God not because of his own merit but through God's mercy and grace; he was a righteous, blameless man who walked with God in a corrupt society; and he was a source of comfort and joy to his father and those around him. The message emphasizes that salvation is entirely by God's grace, and a righteous life is the fruit of that grace, not its cause.
The sermon opens with a word-association game to introduce the biblical figure of Noah, pointing out that while most people associate Noah with the great flood, the more important truth is that he 'found grace before the LORD' (Genesis 6:8). The pastor describes the context of Noah's era, when the entire world was filled with wickedness and violence so severe that God regretted creating mankind and resolved to destroy all life. In the midst of total depravity, Noah alone was shown mercy and was saved together with his family.
The doctrinal core of the sermon analyzes the Hebrew word 'chen' (grace/favor), demonstrating that it represents a one-directional act from God toward man, entirely independent of human merit or good works. The pastor connects this to the five foundational solas of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, especially 'sola gratia' and 'sola fide,' drawing on Ephesians 2:8-9 and Romans 1:17. He explains the crucial sequence in Genesis 6:8-9: Noah first received God's grace, and his righteousness and blamelessness were the fruit of that grace, not the reason for receiving it. This principle applies to the entire doctrine of salvation: no one may boast, because salvation is entirely a gift from God.
The sermon highlights Noah's faithfulness as the only man who walked with God in a completely corrupt society, enduring mockery and ridicule for 120 years while building the ark. The pastor uses practical illustrations such as the story of Mencius's mother, peer pressure, and bullying to show the powerful influence of environment on moral character. He also references the remarkable transformation of the Khánh Hội and Tôn Đảng neighborhoods in Saigon through the gospel as evidence that God's grace can change social environments entirely.
The final section focuses on the meaning of Noah's name as 'comfort,' given by his father Lamech who hoped his son would be a source of relief from the toil of the cursed ground. The pastor calls on believers, especially youth and children in the congregation, to live like Noah as a source of joy and comfort to their parents and neighbors through obedience, diligence, respectful speech, and love for God. The sermon concludes with a challenge for every believer to bear the fruit of the Spirit and become the person God can use to 'stand in the gap' for their people, echoing Ezekiel 22:30.