Lessons From The Pandemic

INTRODUCTION:

A. During this epidemic

1. I have been noticing something about people

Sort of a lesson in human nature

The Pandemic reveals

Two kinds of people

Two extremes

#1 extreme those go to store

- hoard up all the bottled water, toilet paper for themselves

- set at home watching Netflix

- trying to save themselves from the pandemic

- leave everyone else to fend for themselves

#2 other extreme

Medical care givers exposing themselves to infection

By treating those sick with the virus

OR Public servant working to prevent people from getting the virus

2. Obviously selfishness is the motivation for group #1

3. Ever wandered what motivated these #2 guys

Like the emergency workers running into the burning building

While everyone else was running away?

Twin Towers 9/11 will forever symbolize meaning of self sacrifice

4. BUT WHICH DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

Most of us are probably not either extreme

We think of ourselves as someplace in the middle

I. YOU KNOW THERE IS ANOTHER VIRUS

A. It is not new

1. It has proven more contagious than the this virus

2. It has infected EVERYONE on Planet Earth

the entire population of the world

3. AND Always fatal

4. For centuries the best human wisdom

has failed to find a solution

B. BUT, the trouble is

1. there IS a cure

2. but hardly anyone will take the treatment

could you imagine that happening with the corona virus???

CDC announcing a cure….a vaccine….

No one wanting to take it???

II. YOU ALREADY SEE THROUGH MY METAPHOR

A. The virus is sin

1. It has proven more contagious than any virus

Romans 5:12 sounds just like something out of a news conference

Doesn’t it

by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have

sinned:

2. that is the spread of the virus of sin

B. It has infected EVERYONE

Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

1. the entire population of the earth is infected

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned,

2. Always fatal

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death;

3. For centuries the best of human wisdom

has failed to find a solution

Jeremiah 46:11: in vain shalt thou use many medicines; for thou shalt not be cured.

Just because man can’t discover or invent a remedy

Does not mean it is impossible

Matthew 19:26 With men this is impossible;

but with God all things are possible.

C. There IS a cure…………

Jeremiah 8:22 there Is a balm in Gilead; there is a physician there!

1. We asked this question not too long ago

Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people??

2. The Sad Answer was…no one wants to take the medicine!!

Matthew 9:12 They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

3. There IS a cure…………BUT only one

4. Mankind is looking for love in all the wrong places

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men,

whereby we must be saved.

5. The cure is the Blood of Christ

III. WHAT I DO WANT TO DISCUSS IS…….THIS

A. The same qualities of human nature I observe during this pandemic

have revealed themselves In the epidemic of sin too

B. SAME TWO EXTREMES

1. Hoarders who keep the cure all to themselves

never share

2. Those who go try to save others

C. WHAT WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY IS

WHICH ONE WE ARE

WHAT SHOULD MOTIVATE US

TO SHARE OUR SALVATION

One of the spiritual gifts Holy Spirit endows is evangelism.

Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors

and teachers;

someone that is gifted has a greater power to do this than the average Christian.

but there are certain gifts we should all be doing;

Evangelism is one of those gifts.

We should all be sharing our faith.

It doesn't mean we should all be going door-to-door

but we should all be willing to share the gospel.

D. In our text Paul was COMPELLED to preach

He could not help himself

If you are old school

Grew up watching old popeye cartoons

The old ones that were made to show at the movies between double features

You often hear him say “Oh Woe Is ME”

Stole that phrase FROM Apostle Paul

1 Corinthians 9:16 (NIV)

16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe is me if I do not preach

the gospel!

E. How about you?

F. When you , like Jesus

Find yourself are surrounded by the multitudes of humanity