God’s Covenant with Noah

Summary

In this sermon, Pastor Mark Plunkett of Heritage Presbyterian Church reflects on God's covenant with Noah, based on passages from Genesis, while also weaving in a personal Father's Day story. He emphasizes Noah's faith and obedience in building the ark without fully understanding its purpose, highlighting the importance of trust in God's plans. Plunkett draws parallels to modern covenants, underscoring that love should be at the heart of every agreement, whether with God or with others, and reflects on how his father showed love and fairness through a personal agreement.

Takeaways

• 🙏 The service begins with a prayer, asking for God's guidance and acceptance of worship.
• 📖 The sermon focuses on three readings from the Book of Genesis, specifically related to Noah and the flood.
• 🌍 God was grieved by the wickedness of humankind and decided to destroy life on Earth, but Noah found favor with God due to his righteousness.
• 🛠️ Noah demonstrated faith and obedience by building the ark without fully understanding its purpose, following God's commands.
• 🌧️ The flood lasted 40 days and 40 nights, and Noah, his family, and pairs of animals were saved in the ark.
• 🌈 After the flood, God made a covenant with Noah, promising never to destroy the Earth again and using the rainbow as a symbol of this covenant.
• 🤝 God's covenant with Noah was unilateral, unconditional, everlasting, and universal—affecting all living beings.
• 💡 The sermon highlights that true covenants, including those between people, should be based on love, just as God's covenant with Noah was grounded in love.
• 👨‍👦 The pastor shares a personal story about his father to emphasize the importance of love in relationships and agreements, even when discipline or correction is involved.
• 💖 The takeaway message is that all covenants and agreements we make in life should be made with love at their core, following God's example.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the sermon delivered by Pastor Mark Plunkett?

The main theme of the sermon is God's covenant with Noah, focusing on the idea of covenants, how they reflect faithfulness, and the presence of love in agreements, especially drawing parallels to Father's Day.

What is a covenant, according to the sermon?

A covenant is described as a deal or agreement between two parties, but when made by God, it takes on a deeper spiritual significance. God's covenants are always unilateral, unconditional, everlasting, and universal.

How does the sermon connect the story of Noah to Father's Day?

Pastor Plunkett connects Noah's covenant with God to Father's Day by sharing a personal story about his own father. This story emphasizes the role of love in agreements, comparing his father's discipline with God's love for Noah.

What scriptures are referenced in the sermon, and what do they focus on?

The sermon references Genesis 6:5-8, Genesis 7:1-10, and Genesis 8:13-22. These passages focus on the wickedness of humankind, God's decision to flood the Earth, Noah's faith and obedience, and the eventual covenant between God and Noah after the flood.

What does Pastor Plunkett emphasize about Noah’s faith during the flood narrative?

Pastor Plunkett emphasizes that Noah's faith is remarkable because he built the ark without knowing God's full plan. His obedience and faithfulness were evident throughout the entire flood narrative, even when the outcome was uncertain.

What are the five key points about God's covenant with Noah mentioned in the sermon?

1. The covenant is unilateral (God proposes and keeps it without human input). 2. The covenant is unconditional (humans don't need to do anything). 3. The covenant will never be broken. 4. The covenant is universal (it affects all living beings). 5. The covenant is everlasting (there is no expiration date).

Why does Pastor Plunkett say that love is central to covenants?

Pastor Plunkett emphasizes that love is at the heart of God's covenant with Noah, just as it should be at the heart of all agreements we make. He reflects on how love was missing from many commentaries and analyses but believes it is essential to understanding the true nature of covenants.

How does the story of Pastor Plunkett’s father relate to the concept of covenants?

The story illustrates how his father created a fair, loving covenant with him over a George Carlin comedy album. This example is used to show how covenants should be made with fairness and love, much like how God made covenants with Noah and humanity.

What is the significance of the rainbow in the covenant with Noah?

The rainbow is the sign of God's covenant with Noah, symbolizing God's promise never to destroy the Earth again by flood. It serves as a reminder of God's mercy and the everlasting nature of this covenant.

What lesson does Pastor Plunkett want listeners to take away from the story of Noah’s covenant with God?

Pastor Plunkett encourages listeners to model their agreements and covenants after God's, which are fair, unconditional, and grounded in love. He highlights the importance of incorporating love into all the covenants we make, just as God did with Noah.