"God, Send A Spiritual Tsunami!”

“GOD, SEND A SPIRITUAL TSUNAMI!”

Mt. 24:37-39

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. A pastor and song leader at one church weren’t getting along. When the pastor preached on giving, the song leader sang, “Jesus Paid It All.”

2. The next Sunday the pastor preached on gossip and the song leader sang, “I Love to Tell the Story!” The pastor got so mad he decided to resign.

3. The Pastor told the congregation, “Jesus led me here and Jesus is leading me away!” The song leader sang, “What a Friend we Have in Jesus!”

B. DEFINITION OF TSUNAMI

1. Tsunamis are giant waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions under the sea. The sea bed is forced up, displacing the water over it and a major wave is begun.

2. Out in the ocean, tsunami waves may only be two feet tall, but as they travel toward land, they get higher and higher. Tsunami waves have been known to travel 600 miles per hour.

3. When the waves reach shore they may rise as high as 100 feet. As a tsunami wave approaches, waters near the land often recede and expose the shallow sea bed.

C. THESIS

1. The Bible’s clear that we’re in the Last Days. Peter said we were in the Last Days in HIS TIME (Acts 2:16-17). So this means we’re close to the Second Coming of Christ & the Rapture. We’re going to see that we’re in a time like Noah’s, where they knew the flood was coming, but many of them didn’t take God seriously until it was too late.

2. My prayer today is “God, Send A Spiritual Tsunami!” We need a new move of the Holy Spirit that will carry the Gospel to all the people of our generation. Programs & politics won’t get the job done. Will you agree with me?

I. RIPPLES IN HISTORY

A. THE ORIGINAL TSUNAMI

1. We’ve all thrown a rock into a still lake/pond and watched as the ripples went out in circles from the point of impact to the distant shores. An entire lake is affected by that one splash.

2. The greatest ripple in history was the impact of the life of Jesus Christ. First He impacted one disciple, then three, then 12, then 120, then 3,000, then 5,000 . . . and the rest, as they say, is His-story. The waves of the Gospel spread out from Jerusalem, through Palestine, to Asia Minor, then Greece & Italy, Spain & North Africa. Those ripples have continued until 2.5 billion people today have been transformed by the life of Jesus.

3. You and I are saved because one of those ripples, set in motion by others, has reached us. But what about those who haven’t heard the gospel? Will we do OUR part to spread the good news of Jesus?

4. Now it’s easier than ever to share your faith. In fact, it’s so easy that even a dog can lead someone to Christ! [I have several stories about dog-witnesses!]

B. ILLUSTRATION

1. There was an incident that occurred in connection with a camp of Chinese soldiers located at Shanghai.

2. One day a dog came into their camp with some pages from a book in his mouth. The soldiers caught the dog and began to read the papers. They were pages from a Bible printed in their language.

3. They became very interested and followed the dog to a Christian hospital, asking for more of this kind of literature. The Christian hospital was glad to help. This gave an opportunity for Dr. Jonathan Goforth and a Chinese evangelist to visit the camp. Two hundred men became seekers of Jesus.

4. If God can use a dog to deliver his Word, then he can use any of us, including you. [Walter B. Knight, Knight’s Master Book of New Illustrations (Eerdman: Grand Rapids, 1956), 622.]

II. THE SYMBOLISM OF EARTHQUAKES

A. THIS WORLD IS TEMPORARY

1. Earthquakes happen because the tectonic plates – large slabs of rock (often 1,000s of mile across) – are floating on the surface of the Earth’s magma, or liquid core. Their movement is stopped by some jutting rock. Pressure builds up and then the rock breaks and the plate lurches, shaking everyone/thing violently.

2. Earthquakes are a symbol of the fact that this world is temporary and will someday end. In Hebrews 12:26-29 God said, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.” Heb. 12:26-29.