"By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith (Hebrews 11:7)."

"So the Lord said, 'I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.' But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God (Genesis 6:7-9)."

IDEA: Faith alone saves, but saving faith is seldom alone.

PURPOSE: To help listeners appreciate the relationship of works to faith.

Hebrews 11 puts a great emphasis on the faith of Abel, Enoch and Noah. If their faith alone saved them, what is the place of actions in relationship to faith?

Do they matter at all?

I. The writer to the Hebrews puts a strong emphasis on the faith of Noah.

He mentions Noah's faith three times in a single statement about Noah, 11:7.

His faith consisted in responding to a warning from God about what he did not yet see, 11:1.

He was warned about a universal flood which he had never seen.

He was told to construct an ark when he had never been near an ocean.

He was told to make a place for animals that he may not have known even existed.

II. As the sacrifice by Abel showed Abel's faith in action, so Noah's construction of the ark demonstrated the reality of his faith.

How did Noah "condemn the world" by what he did?

Do you think it was in his faith or by his actions?

Could his actions have been separated from his faith?

How are works related to faith? Are the works that are commended in Hebrews 11 simply good moral actions?

Faith alone saves, but saving faith is seldom alone.