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Psalm 63 is a psalm of David.  It was probably written when he was in the wilderness of Judah fleeing from Absalom, his son, during the time of insurrection.  David did not quit singing while in the wilderness.  He made his worship suitable to his circumstances.  The wilderness was a barren place.  But, there was no barrenness in his heart.  His heart was full of praise for God.
The reason for this unique, unquenchable longing for God is found in v. 3, “Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.”  David’s circumstances did not dictate the passions of his heart.  His love for God did.  He compares God’s lovingkindness to life itself, indeed, a monumental comparison.
First, There is Life
There is life with all of its benefits.  The accumulation of experiences, wisdom, relationships, and accomplishments.  Add to that all of its riches.  Over the years, we accumulate wealth in property, material objects, and money.  And, to that add, all of its pleasures.  The things that we enjoy, derive pleasure from, and experience through recreational pursuits.  In addition we must add all of its honor and fame.  Every accomplishment recognized by people.  All of the applause and accolades and popularity we have obtained.  Don’t forget all of the educational attainments and the positions that we occupy along with the power that those positions give to us.  All of life must be placed on one side of the balance.  Yes, life is precious, but it is also temporal, fleeting, and filled with trouble.    “Man that is born of woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14:1).
Second, There Is God’s Lovingkindness
On the other side of the balance, we must put the lovingkindness of God.  The lovingkindness of God is a combination of His love, mercy and grace.  None of these is temporal.  They are eternal aspects of the nature of God that benefit His people.  These qualities of God’s nature and character are greater in effect than any of the aspects of life because they transform life now and prepare it for eternity.  The word better is a term of comparison wherein one thing is placed above another in value, esteem glory, and effect.  Men weary of life, but no man has ever yet been found who was weary of the love and favor of God.  What could be so desirable in life if a person hath no place in the heart of God?  The grace/favor of God is all good.  There is no sorrow in it nor is there any evil attendant in it.  The grace of God bestows the abundant life (John 10:10).  This is the spiritually optimal life.  Life cannot be any better than life in Christ with the expectation of life with God forever.  The grace of God saves (Eph. 2:8-9).  Salvation is the deliverance from the penalty and practice of sin.  Sin corrupts and destroys and leads to spiritual death.  To be saved from that condemnation is to be given life in its fullest measure.  This is spiritual life and eternal life.  The grace of God transforms us into new creatures that God claims as His people.  His people are redeemed, special, distinct from the world (Titus 2:11-12).  In short, the grace of God shapes us for eternity.  David realized in the midst of dark and desperate times that God’s lovingkindness was to be prized above life.  While contemplating this monumental comparison, it lifted his spirit and brought hope in the midst of despair.  It made his heart sing.  Fortunately, he wrote about it and preserved for all generations after him these lofty thoughts drenched with spiritual insight.
I Will Praise Thy Name
Is it possible that any man should have a dog or some other possession that he loves and he would not commend it?  Yet, none of these can stand with the love of God.  How often do we speak of Him to others?  David wrote a hymn of praise in which he declares the difference between life without God and life with God.  What can God add to my life?  His lovingkindness is better than life itself!  Interestingly, Solomon, David’s son, discerned the same thing.  After Solomon had experienced everything life had to offer, he declares, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccl. 12:13).  Oneness with God is priceless.  Everything else is vanity.

Sin hardens the hearts of men!  “But exhort one another daily, while it is called to day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:13).  The hard hearted do not mourn their sins or the sins of others.  Instead, they are arrogant, prideful, and rebellious.  Paul describes their obstinacy in Romans 1:32, “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death,  not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
Contrast this heart condition with the hearts of the righteous.  Two examples will illustrate the difference.  The first is Jeremiah, the weeping prophet.  In Jeremiah 9:1 he writes, “Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!”  Jeremiah lamented the apostasy of God’s people who had forsaken the LORD for idols.  He knew the impending destruction that would befall them because of their sin (Jeremiah 8:18-22).  The second is Jesus.  Jesus said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stoneth them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.”  Jesus foretold the destruction of Jerusalem in Matthew 24.  In Luke 19:41, Luke writes, “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it” (Luke 19:42-44).  Matthew Henry said, “The sins of sinners are the sorrows of the saints.”
David in Psalm 119:136, weeps for the sins of others.  “Rivers of waters run down my eyes, because they keep not thy law.”
The Source of This Mourning
The source of this mourning is the sin of the sinner.  Nothing affected David’s heart more than the dishonoring of God’s law whose glory shines through His word and His judgments.  When God’s law is dishonored, God is dishonored.  A godly man is deeply moved by the dishonoring words and deeds of the unrighteous.  Another source of these tears is the compassion of the righteous.  The sins of others are the sorrows of the saints!  The righteous understand the fierceness of the wrath of God.  They can see and predict the doom of the ungodly.
The Nature of This Mourning
First, let us note what this mourning is not.  It is not apathy.  Apathy is disinterest, lack of concern.  The righteous are not indifferent to the rampant sin of the world.  John declares that the whole world lies in darkness (I John 5:19).  This causes deep grief and is unsettling to every righteous person.  It is not a proud setting off of their own goodness or a holier than thou attitude.  It is not derision or mockery.  It is not bitterness or anger.  It is not vindictiveness or revenge.  It is sorrow of the soul that produces rivers of tears.
Second, it is an act more useful to make us more careful of our own souls.  The righteous understand the peril that sin brings to the soul.  Mourning the sins of others makes us more careful of our own steps lest we fall into the condemnation of the LORD.
Third, It is a barrier to temptation.  The soul cannot bring itself to do what it legitimately mourns in others.  The righteous do not envy the ungodly.  Rather, they weep for them.  The righteous have a true insight into the spiritual consequences of sin. That reality molds the conscience and provides a barrier to sin.
Fourth, it is the height of compassion that sees the appalling spectacle of a world of people apostatized from God.  The shear numbers are staggering when you consider that more than 7.5 billion people inhabit the planet.  Only a small percentage have found the one, true, and living God (Matt. 7:13-14).
Fifth, It is a reflection of a great and intense love for the precepts, ways, and judgments of God.  David affirmed, “O, how love I thy law!  It is my mediation all the day” (Psa. 119:97).  A lack of response to the sins of others may betray a distance between ourselves and God.  Part of the slow and steady compromise with sin involves a lack of passion and devotion to God.  Jesus observed, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matt. 24:12).  Love dies where sin has free course in the hearts of men.  The saints of God are not immune to this malady of the soul.  When we love God and His Word, our sorrow is greatly increased when people trample Him and it under foot.
Sixth, It is the realization of the horror of horrors.  Jesus said, “Except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24).  To die outside of God’s mercy is the greatest calamity that could befall a human life.  When we realize that a precious soul is doomed to eternal punishment–it is a cause for deep sorrow and rivers of tears.
Seventh, It is grief–abundant sorrow–shown when the greatest love goes unrequited.  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31). When God’s love for the world is rebuffed and rejected it is cause for deep sorrow.  When anyone turns away from God’s love, he/she is destined to face God’s wrath!
The Effect of This Mourning
This mourning serves to warn the unrighteous.  When holy men weep, the world should ask, “What’s wrong?”  This mourning serves to instruct the ungodly.  The righteous exemplify godly sorrow.  Godly sorrow is sorrow that is generated in the human heart that understands its transgression against God, that fears the wrath of God, and is genuinely grieved by sin and its consequences.  The righteous teach the sinner the pathway to the heart of God involves a river of tears (II Cor. 7:10-11).  This mourning serves to invite the ungodly to seek a remedy for sin.  The solution to this type of mourning is the joy that comes through salvation.  Godly sorrow leads to repentance which in turn leads to salvation.  Those saved from their sins rejoice (Acts 8:39; 16:34).  The righteous rejoice (Luke 15).  Heaven rejoices (Luke 15:10).
Where Do We Begin?
David mourned his own sins.  “I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears: (Psa. 6:6).  He cried for mercy, ‘Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am weak; O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed:” (Psa. 6:2).  Joy returns when sin is forgiven and the conscience is cleared and cleansed.  “For the LORD will not cast off for ever: But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies” (Lamentations 3:31-32).  “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Psa. 126:5).

What direction are you taking in the New Year?  Where are you headed?  Who are you going to follow to get there?  Who has the ability to give your life ultimate meaning and purpose?  Jesus asked His disciples a question that was answered with a question.  Jesus asked, “Will ye also go away?”  Jesus asks three hundred and seven questions in the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  There are approximately nine hundred eighty questions asked in the Greek New Testament.  Jesus uses questions extensively when teaching others.  Questions provoke thought, are sometimes very personal and generally require an answer.  Our own priorities and pursuits are revealed in an exploration of the context of these questions.
The Question
Jesus asked, “Will ye also go away?”  The “ye” in this question refers to the apostles.  The question probes the level of their commitment to the Lord.  Others, primarily unbelievers, had abandoned following Jesus.  Jesus said some difficult things and they could not or did not accept them.  Jesus told them that they had to “eat His flesh and drink His blood.”  They misunderstood Jesus words.  Jesus did not mean this literally.  He was speaking metaphorically.  He was speaking of fully embracing His true identity and accepting His teaching for their lives.  In John 6:35, Jesus stated that He was the bread of life.  How do we “partake” of this bread?  By believing on Jesus and relying upon Him for spiritual life based upon His word.  In John 6:63, Jesus states, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”  Those who forsook Jesus, failed to meet the test of discipleship.  They would not follow Jesus all the way.  Now, Jesus wants to know if His disciples are fully committed to following Him all the way.  So, He asked this probing and very personal question.  Each of us should consider this question personally.  Will we follow Jesus anywhere and everywhere He leads us?
The Answer
Peter (speaking, no doubt, for the rest of the apostles) said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”   If we are not following Jesus, then, who?  There were other options for the disciples.  They could follow Moses in which they would surrender the efficacy of the atoning power of the blood of Christ which was secured when He died on the cross.  Or, they could follow one of the prophets.  Except, the Old Testament prophets pointed to Christ (Deuteronomy 18:18; Isa. 7:14, 9:6, 53).  They could follow their own lusts, or some of the philosophers of their day (Paul encountered Epicureans and Stoics in Acts 17 on Mars Hill), or perhaps the Roman Emperor.  All of these are rejected by Peter.  Peter declares, ONLY YOU.  “Thou hast the words of eternal life.  Only the words of Jesus have the power to produce spiritual life and eternal life.  A person becomes a Christian by being begotten by the word of truth (I Peter 1:21-25).  Peter writes, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible seed, by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever.”  The word of God is the gospel of Christ.  Jesus wanted to know the level of their commitment to Him.  Unbelievers forsook Jesus.  Did the apostles believe?  Peter responds, “…we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” Faith based upon truth produces conviction.  These convictions are a solid foundation upon which to build a meaningful life.  We can live by these convictions and we can die by them.  Thou art the Christ (the Messiah and so the savior of the world) and the Son of God (deity, the Second Person of the godhead).  The apostles’ faith was deeply grounded in two immutable truths that secured their redemption and hope.
The Resolution
Any question Jesus asked must be resolved.  Truth leads to absolute knowledge and removes all doubt.  It produces resolve.  Only you–resolves who we will listen to and who we will follow.  Follow indicates relationship and resolves meaning and purpose.  Faith resolves identity.  We believe and are sure.  Believers live by faith.  Eternal life resolves the future.  Christians know where they are headed and how to get there.  At the brink of a New Year, we would be wise to consider Jesus’ question for ourselves.  Resolving to follow Jesus gives us meaning, purpose, identity and destiny.

The Christian Chronicle published an article titled, “What is a ‘salvation issue?'” written by Benny Tabalujan.  (The Christian Chronicle, August, 2018, p. 30). The question, “what is a salvation issue?” arises when individuals like Nobie Stone declare that the “age of the earth” is not a salvation issue.  Stone states, “We have a similar conflict today between “young Earthers” and “old Earthers.”  Again, the issue is not a matter of salvation” (Genesis 1 and Lessons From Space: Faith, Reason, and Nature, p. x, Author’s Preface to the Second Edition). In addition to this comment by Stone, I have personally heard that the following doctrines are not salvation issues:  marriage, divorce, remarriage; the authenticity of Mark 16:9-20; premillennialism; moderate use of alcohol; and that nothing is a salvation issue because we are not saved by getting our doctrine right.  The use of the phrase, “salvation issue” begs the question, “who decides the list?”  Tabalujan affirms that there is no biblical checklist.  He states, “humans tend to make up their own based on cultural norms, denominational distinctives and personal preferences.”  This exposes the concept as a man-made doctrine.  There simply is no Scriptural authority for setting aside any of the doctrines or commands of Christ.  The Scriptures affirm, “Whosoever transgresses, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that bidest him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (II John 9-11).  The doctrine of Christ is the teaching from Christ.  All of the doctrine of Christ is a salvation issue.  When we transgress the law of Christ, we sin, because sin is a transgression of the law (I John 3:4).  The persons who affirm that certain doctrines taught by Christ are not salvation issues are affirming that you can transgress the doctrine of Christ without sin in contradiction of John’s plain statement.  Any doctrine that contradicts a plain passage of Scripture is a false doctrine.           John harmonizes quite well with Matthew’s statement regarding the Great Commission, “And Jesus spake unto them, saying, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20).  Labeling some of the doctrines of Christ as “not salvation issues” creates a man-made doctrine that sets at naught the commandments of the Lord.  This usurps the authority of Jesus Christ and elevates man’s authority over God’s authority.  Jesus plainly teaches that all men are amenable to all of the law of Christ.  This includes marriage, divorce, and remarriage, Jesus’ teaching about creation, His teaching about end-time events, His teaching about faith and baptism in Mark 16:9-20 and His teaching about righteousness and morality.
Tabalujan also states that we must not be dismissive about a doctrine that we may consider to be less important than another doctrine.  Jesus spoke of the first and great commandment and the second commandment in Matt. 22:36-39.  He was not teaching that we must obey the first commandment (to love God with all of our heart, soul and mind) and could dismiss the second (to love your neighbor as yourself) because it is somehow inferior to the first commandment.  Jesus spoke of weightier matters of the law and expressly enjoined that these weightier matters (judgment, mercy, faith)must be kept, but the lesser (tithing herbs) must not be neglected (Matt. 23:23).  Jesus said, “….these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone.”  Clearly, all of the commandments of God are to be respected and kept.  If men teach a doctrine that undermines respect and obedience to any of God’s commands or doctrines, he transgresses the law and so sins against God.
Failure to abide in the doctrine of Christ causes a breach in fellowship with God and this is a salvation issue.  The false doctrine, “this is not a salvation issue” is itself divisive because it is not found in Scripture.  It is divisive because it usurps God’s authority.  It is divisive because no two people could ever agree on the list of doctrines excluded from salvation.  It should be rejected immediately for what it is–false doctrine.

Paul declares, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2).
Transformation!
Transformation is change.  It is a complete, radical, change under the power of God that finds expression in character and conduct.  The change impacts every aspect of a person’s being.  The change is in God’s direction motivated by both faith in Him and love for Him.  The direction of the change is based upon conformity to God’s Word.  The change involves resistance to the forces of the world that would attempt to assimilate us to the sinful aspects of the culture in which we live.
The Change Begins With The Renewal of the Mind.
You and I must change our thinking and bring it into conformity to God’s Word.  The goal is to conform to God’s good, acceptable, and perfect will.  The human mind must come into contact with God’s revealed and inspired Word (Rom. 10:17). Faith in God comes by hearing His Word.  We must begin to see ourselves as God sees us with no masks and no excuses.  Looking into the perfect Law of Liberty (James 1:25) will confirm our need for change from a life of sinful conduct to one of righteous conduct.
The Change Continues With A Change of Heart.
Repentance is a change of heart with regard to sin.  We turn away from sin and turn to God (Acts 3:19, 17:30).  Repentance is a universal command of God.  Each person must realize that he/she is lost (eternally doomed to hell) because of sin.  Our sin places our soul in peril.  Each person must realize that salvation is only through Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).  Every soul in eternal peril must change their hearts by renouncing sin and setting out on a new course as a servant of righteousness (Rom. 6:16-17).
The Change Continues With a Change of Our Spiritual State.
In sin, we are lost.  In Christ, we are saved.  The transition from sinner to saint is not complete until we have confessed Christ and been baptized into Christ (Acts 8:37-39; Gal. 3:26-29).  We must undergo a new birth.  We must be born of water and Spirit in order to become a part of God’s kingdom–the church.  The new birth produces a new creature and a new life (John 3:3-5; Rom. 6:4).  We stop being the servants of sin and we begin being servants of righteousness.
The Change Continues With A Change of Life.
Paul states, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (II Cor. 3:18).  The image (eikon) of Christ is summed up in all of the moral excellencies found in the character (impress) of Jesus Christ.  We represent and manifest these qualities by imitation of His example.  We must put on Christ.  We are transformed into His image by following/obeying His Word, imitating His life, and duplicating His work in as much as it is possible for us do so (preaching God’s word, compassion for the lost, the poor, the suffering, etc.).  We must put on the new man which is created in Christ Jesus unto righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:24).  Pursue the sacred (Col. 3:1).  Put to death the former lusts of the flesh (Eph. 4:22).  Put on Christ in all His moral excellencies.  The Christian life involves a perfecting of holiness in the fear of God (II Cor. 7:1).
Change is Possible.
Change is possible, but it requires a change of thinking, a change of heart, a change of spiritual status, and a change of life.  Are you ready for a change that will bless your life now and secure the promise and hope of eternal life?  This change is possible by obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:16).

American writers Joshua Glenn and Rob Walker recently conducted an experiment that they called “Significant Objects.”  They bought worthless knickknacks at flea markets or antique stores, contacted a fiction writer to write a story about each object, and then resold the items on Ebay.  For example, an ugly plastic Russian doll, bought at a flea market for $3 was given to writer Doug Dorst.  Dorst wrote a story about a Russian woodcutter named Vralkomir who saved his village from freezing one winter by dancing on a pile of wood until it burst into flames.  The doll with the story sold on Ebay for $193.  In total, Glenn and Walker sold $128.74 worth of useless junk for $3,612.51.  The stories gave the objects a 2,706 percent increase in value (Popologetics, Ted Turnau, p. 11).
The power of a story is reinforced by the hymn, “Tell Me The Old, Old Story.”  This hymn was written by A. Katherine Hankey, of London, in 1866.  It has been translated into many different languages and has been set to different tunes.  Dr. W. Howard Doane (1832-1915) has this to say regarding the music by which it has become popular and the occasion on which he composed it: “In 1867 I was attending the International Convention of the Young Men’s Christian Association, in Montreal.  Among those present was Major-General Russell, then in command of the English force during the Fenian excitement.  He arose in the meeting and recited the words of this song from a sheet of foolscap paper–tears streaming down his bronzed cheeks as he read.  I wrote the music for the song one hot afternoon while on the stage-coach between the Glen Falls House and the Crawford House in the White Mountains.  That evening we sung it in the parlors of the hotel.”

The words to this hymn are:
Tell me the old, old story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.
Tell me the story simply, as to a little child,
For I am weak and weary, and helpless and defiled.

Tell me the story slowly, that I may take it in,
That wonderful redemption, God’s remedy for sin.
Tell me the story often, for I forget so soon;
The early dew of morning has passed away at noon.

Tell me the story softly, with earnest tones and grave;
Remember I’m the sinner whom Jesus came to save.
Tell me the story always, if you would really be,
In any time of trouble, a comforter to me.

Tell me the same old story when you have cause to fear
That this world’s empty glory is costing me too dear.
Yes, and when that world’s glory is dawning on my soul,
Tell me the old, old story: “Christ Jesus makes thee whole.”

Refrain
Tell me the old, old story, tell me the old, old story,
Tell me the old, old story, of Jesus and His love.

The content of this story consists of heavenly things.  It is about Jesus and His glory and Jesus and His love.  It is the story of man’s redemption and salvation through a selfless savior.  The content of this story makes it priceless and brings hope and healing to struggling souls.
The presentation of this story is part of the “telling.”  Present it simply “as to a little child.”  Present it slowly “that I may take it in.”  Present it softly, “with earnest tones and grave.”  Present it often, “for I forget so soon.”  Present it always, “if you would really be, in any time of trouble, a comforter to me.”
The story of man’s redemption through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is the greatest story ever told.
There is only one thing left and that is the reception of it and commitment to the savior by loving obedience to His holy will (Mark 16:15-16).

Have you noticed the upsurge in the popularity of Noah’s Ark?  Answers in Genesis hpes to build a full-scale ark in a theme park at Williamstown, KY at a cost of $73 million.  God’s ark of Safety is being built in Frostburg, MD.  It is still under construction.  In December, 2012, Johan Huibers became the first to build a full-sized ark that actually floats–Ark Van Noach in Dordrecht, Netherlands.  A full-size replica of Noah’s ark was built in Ma Wan Island, Hong Kong in 2009.  A two-thirds replica is being built by Paul Smith in Florenceville, New Brunswick.  There is an ark inside the Cornerstone church in San Antonio, TX that is a $5 million, two-story, Disney-style attraction, complete with animatronic animals.  An ark is planned for Yerevan, Armenia that would be built in sight of Mt. Ararat.  It would be the center of a theme park.

Why Is Noah’s Ark So Popular Today?  I would like to give five reasons that express my own thoughts concerning this subject.
First, the ark represents safety in the midst of a great storm.  When it rains for 40 days and 40 nights, you need some place to get out of the storm!  When the storms of life come, where do you go?  Read Psa. 46:1 and 57:1.  Where could you go, but to the Lord?  Our ark of safety today is “in Christ” and “in the church of Christ.”  Only “in Christ” do we have real peace, safety, and salvation.
Second, the ark represents heroic effort.  The story of the ark is the story of the faith of one man, Noah, who was one in a billion!  Yes, the estimated population of the earth in Noah’s day was one billion.  Noah was the only father who saved his family.  Noah’s faith was real (Heb. 11:7).  Noah’s faith was complete.  He did all that God commanded him to do.  He built the ark–a gigantic task for his day.  Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.  We need heroes of faith today!
Third, the ark represents God’s faithfulness.  God was faithful to His word of judgment against the wickedness and violence in the earth (Gen. 6:5-7).  God was also faithful to His promise to preserve Noah and his family in the ark (Gen. 6:8).  God was faithful to His word of promise after the flood, i.e. not to destroy the earth by water again.  The rainbow is a sign of this promise.  God’s faithfulness gives us certainty in the midst of uncertainty.
Fourth, the ark represents peace in the midst of turmoil.  The waters of the flood were ferocious and frightening.  But, inside the ark, there was peace.  The waters destroyed the inhabitants of the earth who did not fear God.  But, the same waters lifted the ark to safety (I Pet. 3:20-21).  God’s judgment is real.  The ungodly shall perish.  We can be saved from God’s wrath through Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:8-9).  We can have peace through Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1).
Fifth, the ark represents hope.  Hope, that while others perish, we can be saved.  Hope that we can have a new beginning with God and in Christ.  Hope that is anchored to the promises of God.  Hope that all is well with us because we have hid our lives in Christ where all spiritual blessings reside (Col. 3:3; Eph. 1:3).
Why is the ark so popular?  Men and women still need salvation, peace, and hope.  In short, we still need God.  We need a place where we can preserve our souls.  That place is “in Christ.”  (Gal. 3:26-27).