Sermon Central
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Burma Cyclone
Contributed by Jonathan Campbell on May 19, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: A sermon preached in the aftermath of the terrible cyclone which struck Burma on Friday 2 May 2008.
INTRODUCTION
Cyclone Nargis has claimed 80,000 lives. The final death toll is expected to be over 100,000. Two to three million are homeless. It is the worst disaster in Burma’s history, comparable with the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. One eyewitness described Burma as a “war zone”.
Scripture doesn’t specifically mention cyclones but it does refer to the wind. Wind can do great damage as the people of Burma know only too well.
Here are some thoughts about the wind:
1. HARSHNESS
Job 8:2 "How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?"
God has created us with two eyes, two ears, two lips, two nostrils, but only one tongue! Why? Because He knows how harsh our tongue can be.
Colossians 4:6 "Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man".
2. BITTERNESS
Job 1:19 "behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead".
Burma’s population has experienced the same bitterness that Job did.
3. GREATNESS
Luke 8:25 "And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him".
The winds and the waves shall obey Thy will,
Peace, be still!
Whether the wrath of the storm tossed sea,
Or demons or men, or whatever it be
No waters can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean, and earth, and skies;
They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
Peace, be still! Peace, be still!
They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
Peace, peace, be still!
4. NEWNESS
John 3:8 "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit".
George Whitefield frequently spoke to his hearers about the need of regeneration. On one occasion he was asked why he preached so much about being born again. The great preacher’s answer was simple - "Because ye must be born again!"
