In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of being ready for the second coming of Jesus Christ. He compares it to a thief in the night, coming when least expected. The preacher highlights the need to prioritize eternal things over temporary ones, such as eating, drinking, and marrying. He uses the example of Noah, who faithfully obeyed God's instructions for 120 years, as a model of endurance and faithfulness. The sermon concludes with a call to repentance and turning to Christ for salvation.

Please turn with me, if you would, this morning to Matthew chapter 24. To be like Noah in days like Noah's. That's my message this morning, to be like Noah in days like Noah's. As soon as you get to Matthew chapter 24, let's have a word of prayer together. Can I ask you, brothers and sisters, with your heads bowed and your eyes closed, just to thank God that you are here right now. To thank Him for bringing you here and to thank Him for His presence. If you're saved, could you, in just the quietness of your heart, thank God for the blood of Jesus and that He saved your soul. Would you, in the quietness of your heart, thank Him for the gift of the Holy Spirit? Would you ask God to speak to your heart, directly to your heart today, from His Word? Would you say a prayer for me as I deliver it? Father, I thank You for Your presence in this place right now. I thank You, Lord Jesus, for the truth that You are here. For You have promised that where two or more are gathered in Your name, You will be there in their midst. Lord, I thank You that You are so alive. That You are so glorious, that You have all things under control. And that You are God who speaks to Your people. Thank You, Father, that You know every heart here, You know every circumstance. You know us through and through, and You have a word to speak directly to each and every one of us. Oh my God, give us ears to hear what Your Spirit is saying to us today. And Lord, let no man get the glory. Let us not even think of that, oh God, because we are consumed with Your presence. Let us just be consumed with Your glory, oh God. As we behold the face of Jesus, as we listen to Him speak to us. Oh Lord, let every eye see Jesus, let every ear hear His voice. Let every heart bring Him glory today. Let there be liberty, Lord, in this house for Your word to go forth. And I thank You for it in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. Amen. Beginning in verse 36 of Matthew chapter 24. Now, Matthew chapter 24 is the words of the Lord Jesus as He's speaking to us about the times. What it's going to be like just before He comes again. He's preparing us for His second coming. He's preparing us to be ready for Him to come again. He's coming again. Now, listen to what He says in verse 36. But of that day and hour knoweth no man. No, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. What day? The day when Jesus Christ will part these skies and come again for His church. The day that He comes again. What day? Verse 35 says, heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away. What day is He talking about? That day, when heaven and earth shall pass away. This earth will no longer be as we know it. There's coming a day when God will come to judge the living and the dead. And He will come to judge this whole earth. And this earth will no longer be as it is. Jesus Christ is coming again. He's coming for His church and He's coming to judge the world. Of that day no one knows the hour. No one knows the day or the hour, Jesus says. My Father only. Verse 38. Verse 37 rather. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark. And knew not until the flood came and took them all away, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. Then shall two be in the field. The one shall be taken and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill. The one shall be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore, be ye also ready. For in such an hour as you think not, the Son of Man cometh. In such an hour that you least expect it. At such an hour when you're not expecting him to come, he comes. I had a man call me just a few weeks ago from Wyoming, a friend of mine. And he said, Brian, do you believe that we're in the last days? He said, I mean, do you believe that we're in the last of the last days? I mean, do you believe that Jesus could come at any moment? And that at any moment the end of everything as we know it will be over? The end of the world. I said, brother, it really doesn't matter what I think. But read Matthew chapter 24. Read Luke chapter 17. Read 1st and 2nd Thessalonians. 1st Timothy chapter 3. 2nd Timothy chapter 4. Read the book of Revelation. Folks, it's all pointing very clearly. Very clearly the signs of the times tell us that Jesus is coming very soon. That the end of all things is very near. And the Lord would not have you and I to be ignorant of that. Surely he's going to come like a thief in the night. It will take so many off guard. They will not be expecting him. But you children of God. You who are born again. You who belong to Jesus. He would not have you to be ignorant of the signs of the times. Jesus said in Luke chapter 12. If I may paraphrase. He said to the people of his day. He said, you know how to read the weather. You know how to read the sky. You see a cloud that rises up in the west and you say it's going to rain today. And it does rain. You feel the hot wind blow from the south. And when that south wind blows you say it's going to be hot today. And it is hot today. And Jesus says you hypocrites. You know how to read the weather. You know how to read the sky and what's going on on the earth. But you do not discern the times. You don't know how to discern the signs of the times. Jesus would not have us to be ignorant of this. He would have us to know. He would have us to be able to look around and read what he says in Matthew 24. Read what he says in the book of Revelation. And see that all things surely are pointing to his soon return. That it's very near. That he could come at any moment. He said it this way. He said it would be just like it was in the days of Noah. Verse 37. But as the days of Noah were. So shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. When you see days and experience days on the earth. Like they were in the days of Noah. You can be sure of it. The Lord. His second coming. His coming again for his church. Is very very near. Now that is glorious news for some of us. It's good news for some of us. Because we long to see his face. We long to see him when he parts the sky. And comes in glory. In glory and honor. We long to see his face. We long to be caught up in the clouds. To meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. There's a cry in some of our hearts that even say. Even so Lord Jesus. Come. Come Lord. The day that I will see the one. The face of the one who bled and died for me. The day that you will see the glory of the one. Who hung on a cross for you and was raised again. What a day that will be. To behold his glory. To be caught up. To be with him. To escape the wrath of God that's coming upon this earth. Good news that Jesus is coming again for some. For some it's not good news. For some it is tragic news. It is dreadful news. It is terrifying news. That Jesus Christ is coming again. This time not as a baby born in a manger. This time as King of Kings. This time as Lord of Lords. This time as judge of all mankind. And Jesus said it's going to be like the days of Noah. When people least expect it. He said they were eating. They were drinking. They were marrying and giving in marriage. And then suddenly. He comes. Be ready he says. You notice everything he mentioned about. What was going on in the days of Noah here. None of them were sinful things. None of these are wrong in and of themselves. To eat. To drink. To marry. To be given in marriage. But Jesus is saying in these ordinary everyday things. That you and I do everyday. As life is just ordinarily going on. Suddenly he comes. A man picks up a glass to take a drink. Jesus comes. Another man picks up his fork to eat his bite of his mashed potatoes. Jesus comes. Someone else is walking down the aisle. They're just about to get married. Jesus comes. When you least expect it. Like a thief in the night. He says I'm coming. Therefore be ready. Because in an hour that you are not expecting. That you do not think. He's coming. On one side of the earth it's going to be daytime. Another side of the earth it's going to be nighttime. Somebody will be laying in bed in the middle of the night. And the trumpet blasts. And there he is. He comes. But all these things are just ordinary things. Eating. Drinking. And being married. This is what it was like in the days of Noah. None of these things are wrong. But it is wrong when you are taken up with these things. When you are consumed and taken up with the everyday things of life. As if life is all about eating. All about drinking. All about marrying and giving marriage. Folks those are all temporary things that are going to pass away. We are to live for the things that are eternal. And if a person is living only to eat. Only to drink. Only to make money. Only for the here and now. Like they were in Noah's day. Only living for today. For this earth. For what's going on here as I know it. The coming of Jesus is going to take you by surprise. You won't be ready for that great surprise when he comes. What else was going on in the days of Noah? Let's turn to Genesis chapter 6 and see. Genesis chapter 6. It's important that we understand this. That we know this. Because Jesus said. Just as it was in the days of Noah. So will it be before I come. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. Just as the days of Noah were. So will it be before I come. What else was going on in the days of Noah? Verse 1 of Genesis chapter 6. And it came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the earth. And daughters were born unto them. That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair. And they took them wives of all which they chose. And the Lord said my spirit shall not always strive with man. For that he also is flesh. And yet his day shall be a hundred and twenty years. He's talking about in verse 2. The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair. And they took them wives all of which they chose. Now it would take too much time to explain all of that here today. And we don't have the time to do that. But suffice it to say. The kind of marrying that was going on here in Noah's day. When the sons of God saw the daughters of men and they married. This is not the kind of marriage that is pleasing to God. This is not the kind of marriage where one man takes one woman. And they become man and wife forever. That's the kind of marriage that God instituted. That's the kind of marriage that God ordained. He is pleased with that. What God is talking about that is going on here in the days of Noah. Was the grossest kind of sexual perversion. Adultery. Immorality. Fornication. One of the most predominant sins in the days of Noah. Was sexual sin. And that's why it led the Lord to say in verse three. My spirit shall not always strive with man. For that he is flesh. Yet his day shall be a hundred and twenty years. Notice on down to verse five. God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth. And that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart. Was only evil continually. God looked down upon the earth. And he looked beyond the outward appearance of man. To what was going on in the mind. And he saw that every imagination of the heart of man. Every thought in his mind. All he could think about was to do evil. Evil consumed him. Did you know that God is interested in our thought life? Did you know that God looks beyond your outward appearance. And he reads your heart. And he looks to see what you think about the most. And when he did that in the days of Noah. He saw that the only thing that was going on in the minds of mankind. Was evil continually. How may I sin more? Meditating upon filth. Meditating upon sinful thoughts. He said the imaginations and the thoughts of man. Of the heart of man was evil continually. That's all it was. We can look nice on the outside. We can dress in nice clean clothes. And make our appearance look very beautiful. And yet on the inside have a filthy mind. To have a dirty heart. God looks at the thoughts. And when he did. He found nothing but corruption. But there's another sin that was predominant in Noah's day. Not only sexual sin and immorality. There was another sin that was predominant. It was violence. Look at verse 11. The earth also was corrupt before God. And the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth. And behold it was corrupt. For all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah. The end of all flesh has come before me. For the earth is filled with violence. Through them and behold I will destroy them. With the earth. So you have two sins predominant in Noah's day. Sexual sin and violence. And because of those two. The judgment of God came. He said because of this. The end of all flesh has come. That's another way of saying. The end is here. The end times are here. I must judge. I must destroy. All the earth. There were two sins predominant in the days of Lot. In Sodom and Gomorrah. You know what they were? Sexual sin and violence. And because of that. God rained down fire and brimstone. And he judged Sodom and Gomorrah. There are two predominant sins in America today. You know what they are? Sexual sin and violence. You will be hard pressed to find a movie today. Coming out of Hollywood. That doesn't have one or both of those themes. Sexual sin and violence. And because of it. God will judge. Folks Jesus said. It's going to be just like it was in the days of Noah. And can I say to you that it is just like that in our day. Just like that in our day. When homosexuality is flaunted. And there are even so called churches going up. For gay rights. When adultery is rampant. And when violence is everywhere. You can't even go to Tulsa. Without having to be concerned about drive by shootings. And kids killing kids. It's sexual sin. And it's violence. And because of it. God says in verse 3. My spirit shall not always strive with man. In other words. I can't continue to wink at this. I can't overlook this. I can't always contend with man. Because of the sin of mankind. God must judge. But it's not that he judges so quickly. You see the patience of God in the days of Noah. For a hundred and twenty years. God patiently waited for these people to repent. Through the preaching of Noah for a hundred and twenty years. As he's building this ark. God waits for people to turn from sin. To express sorrow from their sin. And to come to him in faith for forgiveness. God is patient. He so patiently waited for the people in the days of Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah. Year after year after year after year. He waited and waited for them to come to him. They would not. And God so patiently waits for us today. He so patiently waits for us today to repent. I am amazed at how patient God is with America. When you look at the crime and the sin and the evil and the filth. That's going on in this nation. It is absolutely staggering to me. That God has not yet judged this nation. To the degree that he will. He's a patient God. He is long suffering. Look at how patient he's been with me. Look at how patient he's been with you. He waits year after year after year. But here's the thing. Verse three. His patience will not last forever. There's coming an end to every single person who has rejected Jesus Christ. They will one day cross a line. A point of no return. When they cross that line that God says as he did in verse three. My spirit shall not always contend with man. Judgment must come when they cross that line. There's no going back. That is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit friend. When you say no to Christ over and over and over again. And God says last call. Then you cannot repent. Then you cannot be saved. And God says my spirit will not contend with man forever. My spirit will not always strive with man. I must judge mankind. Because he won't turn. After a hundred and twenty years he wouldn't turn. But in case you think that God takes pleasure. In bringing this flood to the earth. To destroy all the earth and mankind. In case you think that somehow he smiles at that. And that he delights in that. Destroying all of mankind on the face of the earth. You mustn't miss this verse. Verse six. It repented the Lord. That he had made man on the earth. And it grieved him at his heart. I don't know if you've ever thought much about this part of God. But God grieves. He looked and he saw that all man everywhere. Would do nothing but blaspheme him. Live in sin and corruption. And violence and sexual perversion had taken over the land. And it grieved God at his heart. The Bible says. You ever think much of the grief of God? I've read that verse many times. And it has driven me to weeping. To think that something could actually make God sad. Sorrowful. What is grief? Look at the mother. Who's had to bury her child. And you will know grief. Look at the spouse. Who's been a victim of adultery. And their home is broken. They know grief. And folks, God has a capacity to grieve. That you and I do not have. He has a capacity to grieve. And when he looks upon the face of the earth. There is only sin. And every imagination of the heart of man. Is only evil continually. It says there in verse six. That it grieves him at his heart. It makes him sorrowful. It breaks his heart. You think God delights in bringing destruction to this earth? No, it grieves him. At all of mankind that he had created. All of mankind that he had created. And had a purpose and a plan for. They turned their backs on him. And spit in his face. And he's grieved at heart. He says I must judge. I will not always strive with man. And he says in verse seven. I will destroy man. Whom I have created from the face of the earth. Both man and beast. And the creeping thing. And the fowls of the air. For it repenteth me that I have made them. Did you know there is a verse in the New Testament. Ephesians chapter four verse thirty. That says and grieve not the Holy Spirit. Speaking to children of God. Speaking to you and me Christian. Grieve not the Holy Spirit. Don't make him sad. And that's how you know if you really are walking with God. And you're a born again Christian. When you sin against God. It makes you sad inside. It grieves you because it grieves him. But watch this. In the midst of all the grief of God at what he sees. And all the filthiness and perversion and violence on the earth. God looks everywhere. And all he can see is sin. And he's grieved at his heart. Suddenly in our text there's this glimmer of hope. There's this glimmer of hope. That as God is looking and he sees nothing but what brings him grief. We come to verse eight. And these two words. But Noah. If you don't have those two words underlined. My brother and sister underlined them. But Noah. God is saying when I looked and I saw nothing but what would bring me grief. I suddenly saw a man. That didn't bring me grief. But brought me gladness. When there was nothing but corruption on the face of the earth. God kept looking until he saw a man. Found a man. But Noah. Who brought gladness not grief to the heart of God. Oh folks. This is the word of God for you and I today. That we are living in days just like the days of Noah. Oh that almighty God. When he looks down upon America. When he looks down upon the face of the globe. And everything is spinning out of control. And everything seems to be moving further away from God. And the darkness is becoming more gross and more perverse. Oh that God could look beyond that and say. But. First Baptist Church Barnstall. Oh but. Pam. And Wayne. And Lori. And Mike. Can he say that friend? Can he look beyond all the corruption of the earth and say. But. My child. There is still one left on the earth. Who has not corrupted himself. Who has not gone the way of the world. Who is set apart and different from everything else that is going on around him. But Noah. But Noah found favor. Found grace. Found favor in the eyes of the Lord. He brought gladness not grief to the heart of God. I tell you. I want this church. To be full of Noah's. And Mrs. Noah's. Who will bring gladness. To the heart of God. Not grief. Gladness to the heart of God. Not grief. When everywhere he looks. And you can't look in the world and not be grieved. If you're a Christian. To know that God is still. He finds a man. He finds a woman. He finds a church. That he says. They bring delight to my heart. They bring delight to my heart. Now what is it about this man. Noah. That found favor in the eyes of the Lord. What was it about him. That brought delight and gladness to the heart of God. Not grief. What is it about him. I want to share with you three things about Noah. Three things. The first one is this. Noah. Walked. With God. Noah. Walked. With God. Verse nine. These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations. And Noah. Walked. With God. Noah. Walked. With God. What does that mean. Noah. Walked. With God. Noah. Walked. In fellowship with God. Noah. Had a relationship with God. Noah. Knew God. Noah. Noah. Notice it's not the other way around. Noah. Walked. With God. Not God. Walked. With Noah. There's a difference in us walking with God. And God. Walking. With us. Most of our praying today. Often times. Is God. Be with me. God. Come. With me. God. Be. With me. Did you know that Jesus never said. Hey. Disciples. Where are you going. I want to come be with you. What does he say. You. Follow me. He's God. We are not. There's a difference between God. Being with me. And me. Being with God. Noah. Walked. With God. In that way. When God said. We're going here. Noah said. Where are you going God. I'm going with you. When God said. No. I want you to build an ark. He walked. With God. There. When God said. No. I just want you to be by my side. And listen to my voice. And listen to my heart. He walked. With God. There. Noah. Walked. With God. Folks. There is nothing more important. Than your relationship. With God. And listen to this. He walked. With God. Even when it meant. Walking. With God. Alone. This is challenged. My heart. This week. That Noah. Had no. Encourager. There was not. Another man. On the face. Of the earth. That was another. Brother. In Christ. Like you. And I have. Where Alan could. Come and say. Brother Brian. I just want to encourage you. We're on the same path. I see that. God's called you. To build an ark. I too. Have heard from God. I'm here to help you. Noah. Had none of that. Noah. Had no. Encourager. Noah. Had to walk. With God. Even when it meant. Walking. With God. Alone. When the whole world. Was going to hell. When the whole world. Was bent. Away from God. The whole world. Hated God. Noah. Stood. Alone. And walked. With God. Noah. Walked. With God. Even if it meant. Having no friends. Can you. My friend. Will you. Walk. With God. Even if it means. Walking. With God. Alone. Even if it means. Walking. With God. Alone. Even if it means. Walking. With God. And everybody. Hates you. Because of it. Will you walk. With God. Though you be the only one. On your job. And workplace. That walks. With God. Will you walk. With God. When it comes down. To you being the only. Christian in the cafe. Walking. With God. Will you walk. With God. When you become. It comes down. To you being the only. One in your home. Who will walk. With God. Will you walk. With God. even if it means you are the only Christian in your school who will walk with God? Will you walk with God even if it means walking with God alone? This is the test. Noah walked with God. And that brings delight to the heart of God. What am I saying? Simply this, church. We are living in the days that are days just like the days of Noah, which tells me that Jesus could come at any moment, that judgment is very near. And because of that, what do we do? We must walk with God and we must walk with him, even if it means walking with him alone. Boldly, I was stirred last night about this, I was talking to the Lord, I said, Lord. It's so different now. There was a time, though I would not have admitted this and I couldn't see it then, but I can see it now, Hindsight's 2020. There was a time when it was more important to me to become a good preacher than it was to truly walk with God, though I would have never seen that or admitted that. There is a time now when I cry out to God and say, God, I don't care about being a good preacher. But all I want to do is walk with you. All I want to do is know you, God. I want to know your heart. I want to know what the most important thing that you want me to know about you is. Folks, lose everything in life if you must lose everything in life, but don't ever lose your relationship, your fellowship with God. Don't ever lose your love for Jesus. If you must lose everything else in life, don't ever lose your love for Jesus. Don't ever lose that personal love relationship with God where it's just you walking with God. There is nothing more important than that in life. Noah walked with God. His motto would have been, though none go with me, still I will follow. I have decided to follow Jesus. Though none go with me, still I will follow. He walked with God. Secondly, Noah not only walked with God, he testified for God. He was willing to speak up. And he was willing to speak up when it was a very unpopular day to speak up for God. Noah was willing to testify to people who loved their sin and hated God. Noah was a preacher. Did you know that? When you and I think of Noah, we immediately think Ark. When God testified about Noah, you know what he called him? Let's look at this. Second Peter. Or you may just jot it down if you don't want to turn there. We're going to turn quickly. Second Peter chapter two. This is what God says about Noah. In verse five. Of second Peter two, it says, and he spared not the old world, but saved Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness. Noah was called a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly. Why don't you go ahead and turn there? Second Peter chapter two. Noah was called a preacher of unrighteous of righteousness. I want you to turn there because I want to show you something in just a minute. A preacher of righteousness, what is it he testified of, he testified for God. Folks, there comes a time, you know, you can be you can remain popular with the world and be a Christian as long as you keep your mouth shut. As long as you don't talk about Jesus. As long as you don't say that name, Jesus. As long as you don't begin to speak in a way that convicts other people. Yes, the world may love you. Do you know they would have never crucified the son of God, Jesus Christ, if he had kept his mouth shut? It was when Jesus spoke, when Jesus preached, when the Pharisees became convicted and they didn't want him speaking anymore, that they hated him and they crucified him. Noah was willing to testify for God even when it was so difficult to testify for God and so discouraging. Here is a preacher of righteousness who preached for 120 years. And you know how big his church got? Eight people, including him and the rest were his family. His wife, his three sons and their wives, and that's all the bigger the church got. Do you think you would get discouraged if you preached for 120 years and never had anybody else saved outside your family? I hang my head in shame when I think about this man who never let discouragement get him down. Why? Because he walked with God. When you walk with God, you walk with hope. You walk with God, you do not. Discouragement can't tag along. He knew he heard from God. He was being obedient to God. Surely he must have got discouraged a little bit, but he didn't stay there. He kept preaching 120 years and he never quit. He preached and testified to a group of people who hated him, a group of people that would say, Noah, you are out of your mind, you're a crazy man. What do you mean, flood? You see, at this time before the flood, the world was never God never watered the earth with rains from the heavens like we know it today before the flood. God had a canopy around the earth, around this globe, and the earth was so protected and all the vegetation was watered with dew from and from the mist of the ground. God, God watered everything that way. There wasn't rains like we know it today. So they'd never seen rain like that. They'd never seen a flood. And here is this man building this huge arc saying that God's going to judge the world with a flood. That's why that's why man lived so long in those days. That's why there were dinosaurs in those days. The earth could could have all kinds of life because of the canopy that God had over the earth. But after the flood, things changed. But can you imagine preaching to a people? They're saying, what are you talking about? Flood. And judgment of God. Oh, no, a judgment of God. If God's going to judge us, Noah, why hasn't he judged us now? We love our sin. We love our perversion. We love our violence. If God is going to judge, why didn't he judge? It's been 100 years, 115 years now, Noah, no judgment. You've been telling our kids and grandkids that God was going to send judgment. We're still living in sin, partying, having a good time. Noah kept testifying. He kept preaching, he was he kept testifying even when it was unpopular. Folks, will you do that? Will you open your mouth and speak of the goodness of God? We had a man do that Wednesday night who unashamedly proclaimed of his salvation, who unashamedly proclaimed and gave glory to God for healing his body. Will you do that? The Bible says, let the redeemed of the Lord say so. There comes a time when you must speak. There comes a time when you must proclaim with your mouth the goodness of God, proclaim with your mouth the glory of God, proclaim with your mouth the gospel of God, Jesus Christ. There comes a time when you must speak up. When you must speak out. When you must testify. Noah walked with God, Noah testified for God. What does it mean for you and I? In these days that in which we live, days that are just like the days of Noah, days that are so close to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, days when the world is scoffing. Look at chapter three here. This is what was going on in the days of Noah. This is what will go on in the days before he comes. Chapter three of Second Peter. Second Peter, chapter three, verse three, listen to what he says, knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lust and saying, where is this promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. Have you heard that? I've heard that many times. Where is this coming of Jesus? You say that Jesus is coming again. My grandpa said that my great grandpa said that and my great great grandpa said that and Jesus has never come. You know what the Bible says concerning such people scoffers. There's scoffers walking after their own lust, scoffing as to what God says, and the reason God hasn't come yet is because he is so patient, even with the scoffers. But they're scoffing, saying, where is this promise? Verse five, for this they willingly are ignorant of that by the word of God, the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of the water and in the water, whereby the world that then was being overflowed with water perished. He's talking about Noah's flood. Verse seven, but the heavens and the earth, which are now by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise. He's not he's not slow in keeping his promise as some men count slackness, but is long suffering to us were not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in the which the heavens shall pass away with the great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up, seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved. What manner of persons ought you to be in all holiness, holy conversation and godliness looking for and hastening, hastening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. So God is saying the first time he judged the old world with the flood and everybody was destroyed except for Noah and his family. The second time he's going to finally judge the world, not with a flood, but with fire and the whole earth will be destroyed by fire. And he's telling us, look back at the days of Noah, it's going to be just like that before he comes, just like that before he judges the world in righteousness and judges this earth with fire. Don't scoff at the promise of God. Be ready, he says. So what am I saying, church, in these days that we're living, which are just like the days of Noah, testify for God. Don't stop testifying till the day you die. Don't stop testifying of the Lord Jesus Christ. Open your mouth and speak, open your mouth and be ready to give a reason for the hope that you have in Christ. Open your mouth and tell somebody about Jesus. Open your mouth and tell others of what he's done for you. How will they how will they believe on the one whom they have never heard? How will they hear unless somebody tells them? Noah walked with God, Noah testified for God, lastly. Noah was faithful to God and he was faithful to the very end. This has so challenged me about this man, Noah. I can see a man hearing from God and start building this ark and working diligently for a year, maybe five years. How about 20 years? But for 120 years, this man put his hand to a hammer and to a saw because he heard from God and he preached what God told him to preach. And he would not stop to the very end. He was faithful. Will you be faithful to the end? Jesus said he that endures to the end shall be saved. It's one thing to start well, it's another thing to finish the race, it's one thing to begin well, it's another thing to press on. When the going gets tough, will you be faithful? When the going gets tough, will you be faithful to your God, to the Lord Jesus Christ? Will you be faithful to the end? Think of this task that he had. And no help from from man. Who's going to pay for all this stuff? I think Noah paid for it all out of his pocket, he trusted God and went to work and he was faithful to the very end. What is God saying to us in these days of Noah before Jesus comes again? He's saying, my child, walk with God, walk with me, walk with God, testify for God and be faithful to God even to the very end. Be faithful to God when it's not popular, be faithful to God when you're hated and ridiculed and mocked, be faithful to God when the going gets tough and perhaps you could stop and blame God. No, no, no, no. Be faithful in the fire, be faithful in the flood. Do you think Noah had any regrets when he stepped into that ark and the final day had come and God shut the door behind him, the scripture says, and the rains came and the floods burst out from under the ground and all mankind perished. You reckon Noah said, man, I I've been wondering if I should have been faithful all this time. He was safe and he was secure in this ark, along with his wife. And his three sons and their three wives. You won't regret being faithful to God, be faithful, even when the going gets tough, be faithful to the end, because, folks, it may be difficult down here and we may be headed for some hard, hard times. But hear this, it will be worth it all. It will be worth it all to see his face. Imagine seeing we're going to see his face, we're going to see Jesus, we're going to behold his glory and his beauty. And I'm telling you, if you're one who has been faithful to the end, one who's loved him with all of your heart, one who's given the rest of your life to glorify his name, you will not be ashamed at his coming. You will not regret having been faithful to God, the regrets are going to come to those who have not been faithful to God, who have taken their eyes off of Christ and live for the things of this world. So I close with this, when God looks and sees nothing but grief. Can he find you bringing him gladness? Can he find someone like Noah who will walk with him, who will testify for him? Who will be faithful to him to the very end, loyal to God, faithful to God. And lastly, when that flood comes, this time is not going to be a flood, this time Jesus is coming and judgment will come, he will judge the earth with fire. And when that time comes, will you be safe, will you be ready? Those of us who belong to Christ will be safe and secure. My dear friend, you may be sitting here this morning, you say, you know what, Brother Brian, if Jesus Christ were to come right now, I cannot tell you that I would be ready. I would not be ready. My friend, you hear Jesus, he said, watch therefore and be ye ready, because in an hour when you do not expect it, he said, I'm coming. Can I say this to you, if the Holy Spirit is speaking to your heart and he's convinced you that you're not ready, perhaps you're living in sin, there's sin in your heart, your sins have not yet been forgiven because you've not truly yet come to Christ and been born again. If you're born again, the Holy Spirit will bear witness with your spirit that you are a child of God. If Jesus were to come today and don't scoff thinking he couldn't, he can come even today. If he were to come today and to call those of us who belong to him, we were gone. Would you be taken up to be with the Lord or would you be left behind because you were not ready? If you are not ready, let me tell you how to get ready. The Bible says that you and I have sinned against God, we've all fallen short of his glory. Your sin has separated you from God. And God hates sin and he must judge sin, but God sent his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, who knew no sin and did no sin, and Jesus died on a cross to pay for your sins, to pay your sin debt in full. And on the third day, Jesus Christ rose again from the dead. Now, there are two things you must do to be saved. The Bible says you must repent, that means you must turn right now to Christ, you turn from sin to Christ. You come to Christ, the second thing he says, you must believe. You must believe that Jesus is the son of God, that he died on the cross for your sins, that he rose again. Believe, put all of your trust in him, just like you would trust a parachute if you jumped out of a plane, twenty five thousand feet in the air, your whole trust is in that parachute to save you. If there's any trust of anything else to save you, you're going to be you're lost. The only hope you have of being saved is Jesus. All of your trust must be put on Jesus, Jesus Christ and him alone. Jesus said no one can come to the father unless he comes through me. He said, I am the way, the truth and the life. If you're not saved, you can be saved today. I'm going to ask you as Stanley comes and leads us in an invitation, I'm going to ask you as we begin to sing, if God is speaking to your heart and you're not ready to meet the Lord in the air, that this very day you will unashamedly get out of your seat and come down here where you and I can pray. You say, why do I have to go down there? Listen, there's something about coming unashamedly. Jesus said, if you're ashamed of me before man, I will be ashamed of you before my father in heaven. There is nothing to be ashamed of. If you're sorry for your sins, you want to be saved and you want to be ready. Get out of your seat and I want you to come forward and you and I are going to get on our knees and we're going to call upon the Lord. The Bible says whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Just like Noah was saved in that ark, secure when all of hell broke loose around him. When the whole earth was destroyed with a flood, he was safe. Are you saved? Are you saved from the wrath of God? Are you saved from your sin? You can be. And I beg you in Jesus name, if you're not, that this will be the day that you get saved, that you come to Christ. Those of you who are Christians, will you make a commitment today to be like Noah in days like Noah's walk with God, even if you it's not easy to walk alone, is it? I mean, but thank God we have one another. We can encourage one another Sunday. Noah had no Sunday worship service. He had no Bible. He had no Christian brother and he walked with God. But some of you are going to walk with God alone on your workplace. Some of you are going to walk alone at school. God knows your grief. God loves you. And you can remember that though you may be alone, you're never alone if you're walking with Jesus and testify for him, make that commitment and be faithful to the end. You'll never regret doing so. Will you stand with me? Father, we give this time to you and ask you to take control by the power of your Holy Spirit, speak to our hearts and lead us and guide us in Jesus name stands going to lead us. I'm here to pray with you, my friend. If you're here today, you need prayer. Please come forward. I come to the cross, seeking mercy and grace, come to the cross where you died in my place. Out of my weakness and into your strength, humbly I come to you. Call me by name, this child that was lost, you paid the price for my guilt and my shame. Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come to the cross, seeking mercy and grace, come to the cross where you died in my place, out of my weakness and into your strength. Call me by name, this child that was lost, you paid the price for my guilt and my shame. Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come. Anyone else this morning that needs to come to the cross? Jesus is waiting, His arms are wide open, put away the guilt and the shame, He's prepared, He's ready, He loves you, He's willing to forgive all your sins, all your failures, all your mistakes, just come, unashamedly come, we're not gonna tarry much longer, another stanza or two, come, be unashamed, say, I need Jesus.