Early this summer, Hollywood released a blockbuster movie,

“Evan Almighty,”  the story of an everyday Joe, or in this case, an

Evan, who is tapped by God to build an Ark in modern Day New York

City.  

          Some of you perhaps saw the movie.   Morgan Freeman re

-creates his role as God that many of us remember from the first in

the series, “Bruce Almighty.” 

          I thought it would be good to take a few Sundays as Summer

winds down, and look more at the Noah Story, sort of a “now that

you’ve seen the movie, let’s read the book” approach.  

          Everybody is generally familiar with Noah.   He built an ark.  

We’ve learned about Noah and his ark since we were small children. 

You ever learn the children’s song:  Arky arky? (Children of the Lord)

"The Lord told Noah

To build him an arky, arky

The Lord told Noah

To build him an arky, arky

Build it out of cypress barky, barky

Children of the Lord"

          Nurseries proclaim basic elements of Noah and the ark to

infants, through wall paper, posters, mobiles, blankets.   It may be

one of the first Bible stories we teach to our children. 

           Yet, I dare say, there are still some surprises or at least some

very interesting things in the story we may either have forgotten, or never learned in the first place. 

          This Sunday, we’ll take a bit of time with Noah’s call.   Next 

week, we’ll look at the Big Hairy Audacious Goal God gives Noah.

 Then we’ll tackle the issue of the Flood itself and the difficult notion that God would destroy the earth and all its creatures, and finally, the 

“rest of the story” in the fourth week, what happens after the flood. 

Everybody knows he built an ark.

          But it all began with God calling Noah for a particular purpose 

in a particular time.  Bill Cosby, years ago when I was a child myself, 

recreated that moment in his own imagination, and it became a best 

selling comedy recording.  Remember?        Noah is sawing away, 

perhaps doing a few projects around his home.  (God's voice is in bold)

Whoompa, whoompa, whoompa, whoompa

            Noah!

Whoompa, whoompa, whoompa

            Noah!

Who is that?

            It's the Lord, Noah

Right!  Where are ya?  What you want? I've been good.

            I want you to build an Ark

Right!--Whats an Ark?

            Get some wood build it 300 cubits by 80 cubits by 40 cubits

Right!--Whats a cubit?

When you get that done, go out into the world and collect

all of the animals in the world by twos male and female,

and put them into the ark.

Right!  Who is this really? --Am I on Candid Camera?

          Is that what it was like?  I don’t know, but Bill Cosby always 

makes me laugh.   Yet there is a simple truth in his routine.  God calls 

unlikely candidates for unlikely purposes at highly unlikely times.

 “Evan Almighty”  conveys this idea very well.   Why Evan, why now, 

and why, for God’s sake, why an ark?

          We would like to think that those stories in the Bible are just 

that…stories.  Fables to arrange our world, to give us comfort.  But be 

careful not to ignore the implication…God calls upon his people to 

faithfully implement God’s plans and purposes.   

          The calling of Noah in Scripture is not a conversation.   It is a 

command from God, telling Noah what he is to do, and we’ll talk more 

about that next week.   Then, after describing the ark, the flood, the 

operation the story simply continues: “Noah did this, he did all that 

God commanded of him.”

          Simple obedience.   But our imaginations know better.  Human 

nature cannot help but question, dismiss, struggle to understand the 

voice and will of God.  That’s why Cosby’s routine is so familiarly 

funny, and the movie “Evan Almighty,” for that matter.  We recognize 

the absurdity of the moment request. 

          Noah may have done what God commanded of him, but we 

know there had to be some conversation.   Between Noah and God. 

  Between Noah and his family.   Between Noah and the people.   How 

often have you heard the story of Noah, complete with incidents of 

how people made fun of him, building his gigantic boat in the 

wilderness.   “Noah!  You’re crazy!   What do you need a boat for?  

          That’s not a boat, it’s a barn!”  

          However, in Scripture, there is no such derision of Noah.   The 

story is simpler.   God tells Noah what to do, and Noah does it.   No 

neighbors to poke fun at him.   No wife thinking he was crazy.   God 

calls.   Noah responds. 

          No doubt there were moments like those in our imaginations,

 but these are not important to the intent of the story.   What is 

important is this:  God found favor with Noah, called him to an 

important task, and Noah did it.

          The call came in the context of a particular need.  God 

observes the wickedness of humanity, and becomes remorseful for 

even creating human kind.  God plans out a strategy.  Like an sculptor

dissatisfied with a form, finally pressing down and kneading the clay to 

begin again.   

          God’s call upon Noah’s life came in the context of the 

wickedness of the world and God’s plan to start over.  God’s call comes 

into our lives in an important and particular context.   What is the 

need?   What is God’s plan?  And most importantly, what may God be 

asking us to do?

          But the call also comes for a particular task.   God did not need 

Noah to help wipe out the wickedness of creation.   God did not need 

Noah to preach repentance or even convene a summit.   No, God gives 

Noah an unusual and particular task.  Build a boat.   A boat of 

safekeeping—an ark.  And this ark, will hold something precious—as all 

arks do.  This ark will hold the future.   Noah, his family, and a fertile 

pairing of each creature—a means of starting over.   The wiping out 

and the new start will all be in God’s hands.   What Noah is to do is 

build the vessel.   That’s all.   And Noah did all that God commanded.

          And so our call comes for a particular task.  Mine was to 

preach.   And lead with administrative and business skill.   Your call 

may be to be one who invites others to follow Christ.   Or to encourage

those who struggle in their faith.   Or to teach the stories of Jesus to 

children or youth.   Or to facilitate adult study as a learner-teacher 

that leads others on a journey of faith and discipleship.  Your call may 

be to create a Christian children’s soccer program.   Or to teach 

Spanish to English speakers or to provide food for those who struggle. 

Your call will be for a particular task, and I believe, it will be one for 

which you have an aptitude and perhaps the skills.  I say “perhaps” 

the skills because God has an uncanny way of provision—for all that 

we need to do what God asks of us.  Are you in a place where you can 

hear God’s call on your life?  

          We’re going to leave it there this week, and next Sunday, look 

more closely at the particular task God had for Noah.  The Big, Holy,

Audacious Goal.   When we hear God’s call, more than likely, there’s 

going to be a BHAG to deal with.