The Influence of One Man - Noah & Joshua
The sermon highlights the importance of one man's faithfulness and influence in fulfilling God's purposes.
Zac Poonen emphasizes the profound influence of individual faithfulness through the examples of Noah and Joshua. Noah, amidst a wicked world, remained faithful to God, ensuring the survival of humanity and serving as a model for uncompromising faith in today's society. Similarly, Joshua, after years of preparation, was exalted by God to lead Israel, demonstrating the miraculous support God provides to those He chooses. The impact of Joshua's leadership was so significant that the Israelites remained faithful during his lifetime, highlighting the power of one man's devotion to God. Poonen calls for modern believers to emulate the steadfastness of these biblical figures in a world increasingly filled with rebellion against God.
Text
Noah
When the whole world was filled with wickedness and rebellion against God, in Noah's time, although there were 8 God-fearing people on the earth, yet the fulfilment of God's purposes depended entirely on the faithfulness of just one man, Noah.
Noah was the only man who found favour in God's eyes at that time (Gen.6:8). If that one man had been unfaithful to God, the entire human race would have been wiped out, and none of us would have been alive today!! We can certainly thank God that Noah remained faithful.
Jesus said that the last days would be like the days of Noah. The sexual perversion and violence of the days of Noah would characterise the last days too. This is the time that we are living in today. And so, uncompromising men like Noah are what God needs even today.
Joshua
Joshua was another man whom the Lord exalted and stood by. The Lord told Joshua when Israel reached the border of Canaan, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you" (Josh. 3:7)
The Lord had already trained Joshua, for 40 years during the wilderness journey. Now He exalted him to leadership and stood by him just like He had stood by Moses. The Lord even stopped the earth from rotating on its own axis for a number of hours once, to support Joshua. The Bible says that "there was no day like that before it or after it, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man" (Josh.10:14).
Once God has chosen a man to represent Him, it is amazing what miracles He will do to manifest to others that He stands by him.
We read that the Israelites "served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua" (Judg. 2:7).
Joshua's influence was so powerful on the Israelites that they did not dare to worship idols during his lifetime and during the lifetime of his fellow-elders. But once Joshua died, Israel backslid badly. Such is the effect of the life of one man of God.
Sermon Outline
- I. Introduction to Noah
- A. Noah's faithfulness in a wicked world
- B. The importance of one man's faithfulness
- II. Noah's Influence
- A. The Bible says that Jesus said the last days would be like the days of Noah
- B. Noah's uncompromising faith is what God needs today
- III. Joshua's Influence
- A. The Lord exalted Joshua and stood by him
- B. The Lord performed miracles to manifest His support for Joshua
- IV. Conclusion
- A. The effect of one man's life on others
- B. The importance of living a life of faithfulness
Key Quotes
“If that one man had been unfaithful to God, the entire human race would have been wiped out, and none of us would have been alive today!!” — Zac Poonen
“Once God has chosen a man to represent Him, it is amazing what miracles He will do to manifest to others that He stands by him.” — Zac Poonen
“there was no day like that before it or after it, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man” — Zac Poonen
Application Points
- We need to live a life of uncompromising faithfulness like Noah, so that we can be a blessing to others.
- God can perform miracles in our lives if we remain faithful to Him.
- We should not underestimate the impact of one person's life on others.