Thousands of years ago a preacher of God lived among sinful people. This preacher preached for more than one hundred years to these wicked people about the coming punishment by God. Yet, not one person in the whole world besides this preacher’s family was obedient to God. This must have made the preacher very sad and it greatly displeased God.
For 120 years this preacher, with the help of his family, built a large boat as God had instructed him. Sinners laughed at the preacher and his family because of what he preached, because of the godly way his family lived, and because of the large boat that they built.
Finally, God decided to flood all the earth and drown every person–except this preacher and his family. It was a terrible time because almost all people on earth died in that flood. Only the preacher and his family survived.
This preacher, of course, was Noah. The account of this world-wide flood is found in Genesis, chapters six through eight. The apostle Peter called Noah “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5).
The same flood water which destroyed the ungodly world also saved Noah and his family. These eight souls were separated by that water from the wicked world which died in the flood. The apostle Peter compares the saving effect of the flood water in Noah’s time with the water of baptism: “who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh,but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:20-21). Dear friends, one is saved today when he is baptized in water. Have you been baptized?
The longest sermon was in vain to the world that died in the flood. How tragic that only eight people in the whole world were saved.
Sadly, today many people also refuse to obey God. Preachers of righteousness are laughed at and God is greatly displeased. God’s punishment is coming again, although this time God will punish with fire: “The Lord is not slack as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, 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 which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?” (2 Peter 3:9-12).
Please, do not allow God’s preaching to be in vain toward you. Do not perish with the wicked world. Be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins. “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. . .’” (Acts 2:38).
If you need further information about how to obey God, please let us know.