Drunkenness
Naked Noah, 20 September 2026
13 09 26 Filed in: Sermons | Ideal Family
Naked Noah
Series: Ideal Family
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
September 20, 2026
Genesis 9:20-25
Series Big Idea: All families are messed up, including biblical families.
Big Idea: Even the best parents—and children—are human and make mistakes.
Scripture: Genesis 9:20-25
Who is your hero? It’s been said, “Never meet your heroes.” It’s tempting to put heroes on a pedestal, and it can be disappointing to encounter their weaknesses and imperfections. Today, we’re going to look at one of the Bible’s most famous characters and uncover a story from his life that often gets overshadowed by the construction project that made him famous.
Good morning! My name is Kirk and today we’re continuing our new series entitled, “Ideal Family.” Last week we said all families are messed up. Yours, mine, and the perfect-looking one sitting on the other side of the room!
We began our series with a look at the First Family, Adam and Eve and their sons Cain and Abel. Today we’re looking at one of the greatest heroes of the Bible, Noah. If you turn to Genesis chapter 6 we’re told…
The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:6-7)
Let that sink in for a minute. God regretted making humans. No wonder He sent a flood.
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:8)
The sentiment is repeated in the next verse…
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. (Genesis 6:9b)
So God tells Noah to build an ark (6:14) because, as He said
I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. (Genesis 6:17)
Of course, God had Noah and his family enter the ark along with pairs of animals, and…
Noah did everything just as God commanded him. (Genesis 6:22)
God gave Noah further instructions…
And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. (Genesis 7:5)
Then we have the great flood.
The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days. (Genesis 7:24)
But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. (Genesis 8:1)
Later…
Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. (Genesis 8:15-16)
God loved Noah and his family. He was a righteous man. He obeyed God. His obedience essentially saved living creatures from extinction.
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” (Genesis 9:12-16)
So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.” (Genesis 9:17)
The writer of Genesis mentions Noah’s three sons again and then tells us
Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. (Genesis 9:20)
Great. Who doesn’t love grapes? Grape juice. Raisins! Noah’s dad was a farmer, so planting made complete sense. But…
When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. (Genesis 9:21)
Wait a minute! What is happening? Noah is drunk and naked?! The two often go together, by the way! The Japanese have a proverb which says: “First the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, and then the drink takes the man.” Fortunately, he’s inside his tent where nobody can see him. But this is Noah! Righteous Noah! Naked Noah!
Did we need to include this in the Bible? Can’t we just call Noah a superhero and stop after the rainbow? Actually, no! First, we are all descendants of Noah and his sons. We wouldn’t be here without them.
Second, we get to see how even the most righteous people in the Bible were not perfect. We all sin and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). We’ll see this throughout this series.
We also see how sin affects others…families.
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. (Genesis 9:22)
Seeing your dad naked is…well, it’s never good! He could’ve covered his dad and left quietly, but he told his brothers. He dishonored his father, leaving Shem and Japheth to intervene.
But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. (Genesis 9:23)
Love is looking out for the best interest of another person. It doesn’t condone sin. It doesn’t cleanse sin (only Jesus’ blood can do that). But love does cover sin (1 Peter 4:8). Did you see what I did there?!
The relationship between a father and son is special. The video earlier showed an “ideal” relationship and then a real one. That’s not to say we should be flippant about things such as borrowing/loaning money from relatives, but relationships can be complicated. Nevertheless, we are to honor our parents. This is one of God’s Top Ten (Exodus 20:12). Honor your father and your mother. Shem and Japheth honored their dad. Ham did not.
So Noah gets drunk and naked, his youngest son, Ham, saw him naked, his brothers covered him, and…
When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said,
“Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” (Genesis 9:24-25)
Ham sinned. His son, Canaan, is cursed. It’s not clear why. There are several theories, but we’re not sure. We do know sin has consequences…and can impact others, too.
He also said,
“Praise be to the LORD, the God of Shem!
May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
May God extend Japheth’s territory;
may Japheth live in the tents of Shem,
and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.” (Genesis 9:26-27)
The chapter ends by telling us
After the flood Noah lived 350 years. Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died. (Genesis 9:28-29)
What a life! What an ending!
So What?
I realize this is an odd passage. The point is…don’t plant a vineyard! Actually, that’s not the point, though alcohol can lead to a host of problems.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, (Ephesians 5:18)
Genesis 19 tells an even more bizarre story where two girls got their dad drunk and slept with him in hopes of getting pregnant! Ewww!
I think one takeaway from today’s text is that even the best parents—and children— are human and make mistakes. After all, Noah made the faith hall of fame.
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. (Hebrews 11:7)
Noah was a righteous man, but his story didn’t exactly end on a high note.
How will your story end? Your past righteousness is valuable, but today is the first day of the rest of your life. How will you live it?
I pray you will honor your parents and/or be honored by your children.
If you drink, I hope you are of age and do so responsibly. Consuming alcohol is not forbidden in the Bible, but drunkenness is clearly a sin…and can lead to other sins.
At the end of the day, all our heroes will disappoint us because they are all imperfect…except Jesus. He is my Hero. He died to offer forgiveness for all of my sins…and yours, too, if you surrender to him. He’s the one I am seeking to know and follow. He will never fail us. Hallelujah!
Series: Ideal Family
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
September 20, 2026
Genesis 9:20-25
Series Big Idea: All families are messed up, including biblical families.
Big Idea: Even the best parents—and children—are human and make mistakes.
Scripture: Genesis 9:20-25
Who is your hero? It’s been said, “Never meet your heroes.” It’s tempting to put heroes on a pedestal, and it can be disappointing to encounter their weaknesses and imperfections. Today, we’re going to look at one of the Bible’s most famous characters and uncover a story from his life that often gets overshadowed by the construction project that made him famous.
Good morning! My name is Kirk and today we’re continuing our new series entitled, “Ideal Family.” Last week we said all families are messed up. Yours, mine, and the perfect-looking one sitting on the other side of the room!
We began our series with a look at the First Family, Adam and Eve and their sons Cain and Abel. Today we’re looking at one of the greatest heroes of the Bible, Noah. If you turn to Genesis chapter 6 we’re told…
The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:6-7)
Let that sink in for a minute. God regretted making humans. No wonder He sent a flood.
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:8)
The sentiment is repeated in the next verse…
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. (Genesis 6:9b)
So God tells Noah to build an ark (6:14) because, as He said
I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. (Genesis 6:17)
Of course, God had Noah and his family enter the ark along with pairs of animals, and…
Noah did everything just as God commanded him. (Genesis 6:22)
God gave Noah further instructions…
And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. (Genesis 7:5)
Then we have the great flood.
The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days. (Genesis 7:24)
But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. (Genesis 8:1)
Later…
Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. (Genesis 8:15-16)
God loved Noah and his family. He was a righteous man. He obeyed God. His obedience essentially saved living creatures from extinction.
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” (Genesis 9:12-16)
So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.” (Genesis 9:17)
The writer of Genesis mentions Noah’s three sons again and then tells us
Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. (Genesis 9:20)
Great. Who doesn’t love grapes? Grape juice. Raisins! Noah’s dad was a farmer, so planting made complete sense. But…
When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. (Genesis 9:21)
Wait a minute! What is happening? Noah is drunk and naked?! The two often go together, by the way! The Japanese have a proverb which says: “First the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, and then the drink takes the man.” Fortunately, he’s inside his tent where nobody can see him. But this is Noah! Righteous Noah! Naked Noah!
Did we need to include this in the Bible? Can’t we just call Noah a superhero and stop after the rainbow? Actually, no! First, we are all descendants of Noah and his sons. We wouldn’t be here without them.
Second, we get to see how even the most righteous people in the Bible were not perfect. We all sin and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). We’ll see this throughout this series.
We also see how sin affects others…families.
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. (Genesis 9:22)
Seeing your dad naked is…well, it’s never good! He could’ve covered his dad and left quietly, but he told his brothers. He dishonored his father, leaving Shem and Japheth to intervene.
But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. (Genesis 9:23)
Love is looking out for the best interest of another person. It doesn’t condone sin. It doesn’t cleanse sin (only Jesus’ blood can do that). But love does cover sin (1 Peter 4:8). Did you see what I did there?!
The relationship between a father and son is special. The video earlier showed an “ideal” relationship and then a real one. That’s not to say we should be flippant about things such as borrowing/loaning money from relatives, but relationships can be complicated. Nevertheless, we are to honor our parents. This is one of God’s Top Ten (Exodus 20:12). Honor your father and your mother. Shem and Japheth honored their dad. Ham did not.
So Noah gets drunk and naked, his youngest son, Ham, saw him naked, his brothers covered him, and…
When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said,
“Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” (Genesis 9:24-25)
Ham sinned. His son, Canaan, is cursed. It’s not clear why. There are several theories, but we’re not sure. We do know sin has consequences…and can impact others, too.
He also said,
“Praise be to the LORD, the God of Shem!
May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
May God extend Japheth’s territory;
may Japheth live in the tents of Shem,
and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.” (Genesis 9:26-27)
The chapter ends by telling us
After the flood Noah lived 350 years. Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died. (Genesis 9:28-29)
What a life! What an ending!
So What?
I realize this is an odd passage. The point is…don’t plant a vineyard! Actually, that’s not the point, though alcohol can lead to a host of problems.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, (Ephesians 5:18)
Genesis 19 tells an even more bizarre story where two girls got their dad drunk and slept with him in hopes of getting pregnant! Ewww!
I think one takeaway from today’s text is that even the best parents—and children— are human and make mistakes. After all, Noah made the faith hall of fame.
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. (Hebrews 11:7)
Noah was a righteous man, but his story didn’t exactly end on a high note.
How will your story end? Your past righteousness is valuable, but today is the first day of the rest of your life. How will you live it?
I pray you will honor your parents and/or be honored by your children.
If you drink, I hope you are of age and do so responsibly. Consuming alcohol is not forbidden in the Bible, but drunkenness is clearly a sin…and can lead to other sins.
At the end of the day, all our heroes will disappoint us because they are all imperfect…except Jesus. He is my Hero. He died to offer forgiveness for all of my sins…and yours, too, if you surrender to him. He’s the one I am seeking to know and follow. He will never fail us. Hallelujah!