Get in the Container

• The Four Arks- Exodus 2:1-10
• There are things in the Bible that people don’t talk about much and don’t reference much. 
• Recently I was trying to pull something out of fridge- Another one dropped. Sour cream everywhere. I didn’t blame myself. I blamed the container and whoever put it in last. 
• Containers. My life is filled with containers- an object used to hold or transport something.
• Coffee, toiletries, food, tools, stuff. Containers for my containers. Drawers. Boxes for stuff. 
• We all have containers in our life. But we don’t spend much time thinking about them, but they help us. Liquid can mostly only be used in a container. Food is typically eaten from one. All day
• There’s a lot of containers in the Bible. Vessels. Boxes. Chests. Arks. They contain for a purpose. 
• Ark- from Latin arca “large box, chest” noun derivative from the base of arcēre “to hold in, prevent from approaching, keep away,”. “Something that affords protection or safety” 
• Modern Jews call the box they keep the Torah in in the synagogue an “ark” 
• There’s containers all throughout the Bible
• Genesis 24 Abrahams Servant finds a wife for Isaac. He finds her because she has a pitcher 
• Exodus 16 Moses told Aaron to put manna in pot to the Lord. Numbers 4 describes the requirement for the use of dishes, pans, bowl and pitchers. 1 Kings 17 describes the provision from the Lord towards Elijah by a widow. With containers of flour and oil 2 Kings 4 Shows a miracle of Elisha filling containers with oil to pay off debt. John 2 Jesus first miracle was filling containers with water and turning it into wine. Matthew 26 and the woman with the container of expensive oil Mark 14 Jesus told his disciples to go seek out a man with a container of water to find a place for the Passover. 2 Cor 4:7 says that we have the treasure of the Gospels and his power in our earthen vessels. 
• The word picture is that God could have used a strong container, but he used a weak one- US
• CONTAINERS! It’s every where! This isn’t even exhaustive. You see it all throughout scripture
• Ex 2:3 when she could no longer hide him, she took (A container) an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank.
• Moses mother hid him for 3 months, and then because she wanted to honor God, she placed him in a container- an ark. “chest” “to hold in, keep away,” “afford protection and safety”
• There’s actually 4 important Arks in the Bible- Noah’s Ark, Moses Ark, The Ark of the Covenant, and the Church which is an ark- All four important containers for a specific redemptive purpose. 
• All of these Arks point the ultimate redemption that Can only be found in Christ. The only Vessel of our redemption. Our only hope for safety. The container for our redemption- Jesus. 
• All of these arks either physically or spiritually provided identification, provision, protection, and redemption. 

I. Noah’s Ark- a container to be Saved From God’s Judgment

• Psalm 7:11 “God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.”
• From the Dawn of Creation, God does not tolerate wickedness. He may allow it for a season, but it always gets dealt with. Somehow. Some way. God is going to take care of it. 
• Genesis 6:5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
• Who man had become had to be dealt with- God had a plan- Gen 6:7 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.”
• As much as the anger of God burned- He always provides a means of protection from wrath
• Gen 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
• God’s grace told Noah that there was an impending Flood and that Noah should build a container for his family to get into and escape the judgment of God- An Ark.- box and lid.  
• God brings Judgement, Gives Grace to Escape it and means for escape. Through an ARK
• But it required obedience- Noah had to build the ark. He had to get into the container. 
• Don’t miss this- God will always require obedience to grace. There’s always something to do. 
• You have to build the boat. Put the baby in the ark. Follow the ark. Get in Church. Accept Christ 
• Ecc 12:14 “For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.”

• What ark are you not building and getting on that God has told you to escape the Judgment?
• Typically- Everyone knows when they are in Sin and need to stop. But we always wait
• Bible is clear- God always provides a means of escape from his judgment, but will you take it?
• Ro 2:5 “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart, you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.”
• And that’s it right there- A hard heart that refuses to repent and receive grace. Embrace the ark
• If your heart is hard right now- Admit it- Pray- LORD- SOFTEN MY HEART. RESCUE ME IN MY SIN
• READ Matthew 24:37-39
• The Time is NOW- Repent NOW. Receive forgiveness NOW while you Can! 
• Christ is the salvation! Christ is the redemption, protection and provision from the judgment!
• Peter uses the ark as a symbol of baptism- 1 Peter 2:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 
• Enter the Ark of the redemption of Christ! He is the ark- the container- the protection. 
• Noah built the ark and got on it. You have to Receive Christ and get on the Church Ark! 

II. The Ark that Moses Went In: Redemption through Faith (Exodus 2:1-10)

• This is the ark of our scripture today- Moses mother placing him in an ark for his protection. 
• Notice- God provides a way out, but you must be obedient to the grace provided. 
• Moses will be spared, raised up as a deliverer for the nation of Israel- Impossible without obedience. But it took the FAITH. FAITH- A belief in the power of God to redeem you when you obey. Faith is a type of obedience– Its believing that God will do what he said he would do. 
• Heb 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command.
• Hid him and were not afraid. That’s faith in action- It goes past the brain and mouth to HANDS
• God will tell you something through his word or spirit and you, and only you can either choose to believe it by faith and be obedient. No one else. No one is putting the baby in the ark for you. 
• Reading the word, Worshipping, Giving, Serving, Fellowshipping. All by FAITH- Takes ACTION
• God was going to destroy the earth, Noah built an Ark, by faith. And had to get in it!
• Hebrews 11:7 “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.”
• Heir of righteousness according to faith. 
• Righteousness by faith is the only thing that pleases God- Not faithless obedience. It requires obedience but obedience is a by-product of faith. Faith does not come by obedience- 
• Philippians 3:9 “and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.”
• Galatians 3:6“Just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.'”
• Galatians 2:16b that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”
• Will you put your Faith in Jesus? For him to save you and justify you before God?
• Moses in the Ark is a picture of Noahs ark as well. Faith in God. Faith in the Container. Over the water, yet saved by the water. The water could kill, but God’s container saved from the death. 
• Just as we put our faith in Christ and go down in the waters of baptism, we can die in the water, but it becomes symbolic of our Faith in Jesus to kill the old man in the water, and come up in new life.  But it requires FAITH. 
• God does not save people from the cold- You build a house by faith and God uses it. 

III. The Ark of the Covenant: Redemption through God’s Presence (Exodus 25:10-22)

• The contents of the Ark of the Covenant
• The Tablets of the Ten Commandments: God’s law and His covenant with the Israelites.
• The Jar (Container) of Manna: A vessel containing manna, the miraculous bread provided by God to sustain the Israelites It symbolized God’s provision and care for His people.
• Aaron’s Rod: confirming God’s choice of Aaron and his descendants as priests.
• The Ark of the Covenant was a sacred and revered object in the Old Testament, representing God’s presence among the Israelites. Kept in the most holy place, in the Temple. 
• known as the “mercy seat” or the “throne of God.”
• The Ark of the Covenant served as a tangible symbol of God’s dwelling presence among His people. It represented His holiness, authority, and faithfulness to His covenant. 
• In the New Testament, the Ark of the Covenant finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
• Just as the Ark held the tablets of God’s law, Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly, becoming the sinless sacrifice for our redemption. They Followed the ark- We follow Jesus where he Leads
• Jesus also identifies Himself as the Bread of Life, paralleling the manna in the Ark, providing spiritual sustenance and eternal life to those who believe in Him.
• He is the ultimate High Priest, represented by Aaron’s rod, who intercedes on our behalf. 
• The mercy seat on the Ark symbolized God’s grace and forgiveness. Through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, He became the ultimate mercy seat, providing atonement and redemption for sin, allowing us to approach God with confidence and receive forgiveness and reconciliation.
• Just as the Ark of the Covenant directed the Nation of Israel– you must let Jesus direct you
• This container- the Ark, had in it all of God- His presence, law, provision, and priesthood
• The Israelites followed God wherever he took them. They never Got ahead of him
• In Joshua 3 Israel followed about 1000 yards behind the ark as they crossed the Jordan. 
• Hebrews 9:11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.
• Christ is God- The perfect dwelling, deliverer, provider. He is the Law of God, The Bread of Life and the High Priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. 
• But you have to be obedient to him as your high priest. You must follow him and him alone! 
• Gal 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us 
• Hebrews 9:12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”
•  seek God’s presence and find redemption through Christ’s sacrifice and mediation.
• The ark was a container of God’s presence- Christ Contains all of God’s presence
• Redemption is found in HIM

IV. The Church as an Ark: Redemption in the Body

• I preached a long message about how there is no salvation outside the Church
• The Church is the Ark of Salvation. There is no salvation outside of her. She is the only ARK
• When you get Saved- you become part of the Church of God. The natural response is to go from being part of the invisible church to the visible Church being in “The Ark of Christ” his body. 
• Only those in the invisible Church will be saved, who are normally in the visible Church
• The Church is the Ark of Safety- Just as in the Days of Noah. Those ‘in the church’ Not “attending a church”, but a member by faith in Jesus God, our law, our manna, our high priest will live
• Those outside of that ark will not be saved- God saves through faith- and faithful containers. 
• Just as those outside of the Ark of Noah perished, Those babies not put in a ark of Reed, Those who didn’t follow the Ark of God through the wilderness. They will not be Saved. 
• We are the house of God- This church is the ark (as is the global body of Christ eternal)
• Ephesians 2:19-22, you are joined together as a spiritual house in Christ.
• Ephesians 3:10-11 the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose 
• Colossians 1:18 “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”
• 1 Ti 3:15 the house of God, the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
• 1 Pe 2:9 you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people
• This Church, The church is the place of refuge. It is an Ark, the Ark, a place of redemption
• The Church is the Body of Christ, therefore she is Christ. She is the redemption. She holds the bride as she waits for the bridegroom. She CONTAINS that which will be SAVED (noah, moses)
• The Church is a vessel of Redemption waiting for the ultimate tangible redemption of Christ
• Just as Noah built a ark, we build an ark. Moses mom built an ark. Israel built an ark. 
• We build this earthly ark awaiting the redemption of Christ and his return. 
• How then should we conduct ourselves in the house of the living God
• Put full faith in Jesus Christ alone as our redemption
• Love the Church (the brethren, the Body) speak well of her, support her
• Live righteously in obedience as we await the arrival of our Savior. 
• Full FAITH and ASSURANCE in Christ ALONE- Part of his BODY in his ARK

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