Scripture: II Timothy 1:1-12
343 NYC Firefighters
23 NYC Police Officers
37 Port Authority Officers
3000 innocent civilians
There were no parting words; there was no time for goodbyes; and there were no bodies to bury. Ashes that once were husbands and fathers and brothers and sons...ashes that once were wives and mothers and sisters and daughters...ashes that once were friends and co-workers...ashes that will forever cover memories and bury futures.
All of us remember exactly what we were doing on the morning of September 11, 2001. It was a beautiful, sunny day in New York City--that is until the towers feel and ashes clouded the sky.
I was doing the laundry when I turned on the television. I sat down to fold some towels, when I noticed that on the screen that one of two tall buildings was on fire. I thought, there shouldn't be a movie on CBS at this time of the day. I then began to watch and listen and soon I realized what was happening. Then I saw the second plane hit the second tower, minutes later the towers came crashing down. In an instant, thousands of lives went up in smoke--thousands of lives were reduced to ashes.
The question I want to ask you today is this, "What happens when the towers in your life come crashing down?"
After United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked, Todd Beamer communicated with people on the ground and learned that the World Trade Center had been attacked by using hijacked airplanes. Beamer tried to place a call through a phone located on the back of the plane seat and was routed to a telephone supervisor. Her name was Lisa Jefferson.
Beamer reported that one passenger had been killed and that a flight attendant had told him the pilot and co-pilot had been forced from the cockpit and may have been wounded. He was still on the phone when the plane made its turn in a southeast direction, a move that had him briefly panicking.
Later, he told the operator that some of the plane's passengers were planning to "jump on" the hijackers and fly the plane into the ground before the hijackers' mission could be accomplished. Beamer asked Lisa to recite the Lord's Prayer with him. According to Lisa, after Beamer finished reciting the prayer, he then said, "Are you guys ready? Let's roll!" ((from Wikipedia)
Let's look at verse 7 in today's scripture. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.
When the towers in life begin to fall, trust in the power of God.
Folks, we can't trust in our government, we can't trust in our economy, and we can't trust in our jobs. We can only trust in the sovereign God of the universe. When the towers of death, sickness, divorce, aging parents, disobedient children and unemployment come crashing down, we need to rely on the power of the Spirit to get us through and we need to trust in the power of God.
We can have strength when we continue to trust God, even when we don't understand. We can have strength when we trust that God has everything under control, even when things seem out of control. We need to continue to trust God and trust that His ways are not our ways and that His thoughts are not our thoughts. Todd Beamer trusted in the power of God.
On the worst, the most difficult day of your life, you need to trust God. Remember, your heart may be broken, but your spirit doesn't have to be crushed. Folks, when the towers in your life come crashing down--trust in the power of God...to get you through...to sustain you...and to protect you.
Let's look at verse 10 in today's scripture. But it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Second, when the towers in your life come crashing down, trust in the Gospel of Christ.
Jesus is the one who has destroyed death. Jesus has the power to overcome death. Jesus is the one who saves us, calls us, gives us grace (vs. 9), and Jesus has given us life and immortality (vs. 10)--even in the midst of crashing towers. And Jesus has given us a spirit of power and love (vs. 7).
Scripture has never said life would be easy, in fact it says quite the opposite. However, scripture does tell us that we will overcome the world. For whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God (I John 5:4-5).
No matter what has happened in your life, no matter what is happening in your life, no matter what will happen in your life--if you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, you have victory in this life. No matter what, you will make it through. No matter what, the power of God will sustain you and empower you to conquer this world. How do I know this?? ...because Jesus has abolished death and brought life and immortality (verse 10).
Genelle was the last to be pulled from the rubble on September 11th after being buried alive for 27 hours. Genelle lay there trapped in the dark after the building collapsed. She looked back on her life and ended up doing what her mother would have done. She prayed. She said, "Well, it was more like pleading, screaming, promising, asking for some sort of miracle."
She then pushed her hand through a few inches of rubble above her head and felt someone's warm hand take hold of her hand. Then she heard the sweetest words she had ever heard, "I've got you, Genelle."
She clung as much to his reassuring voice as to his strong hand. "My name is Paul," he said. "You're going to be okay. They are going to get you our soon. Don't worry, I've got you. They are almost here. Hang on."
Finally she saw a glimmer of light and began to hear other voices and sirens. "They're here," Paul said. "You're in good hands now. I'm going to go and let them do their jobs and get you out."
After Genelle was rescued, she asked where Paul was. The fireman assured her that there hadn't been anyone named Paul there. Genelle never did find Paul.
Before 911, Genelle wasn't a religious person. After 911, she accepted Christ as her Savior.
When Genelle told her pastor about the experience, he said to her, "You asked for a miracle and maybe God sent you his angel." (Guideposts)
Let's look at verses 1 and 12. The promise of life that is in Christ Jesus. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Third, when the towers in your life come crashing down, you can have life.
Genelle teaches us that when there are ashes all around you, take hold of the hand of Jesus. In the midst of death, Genelle found life; because she found Christ.
For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive (I Corinthians 15:21-22).
When you get that phone call...do you know Jesus? One call can change your life forever...do you know Jesus? In the midst of sorrow and struggles and difficulties...do you know Jesus? In times when towers are falling...do you know Jesus? None of us know what tomorrow hold. We need to live life with passion. We need to live life with urgency. And we need to live life with Jesus.
On 911, one horrified air traffic controller said this, "What is wrong with our world?" (Dateline Sept 8, 2011)
What is wrong with our world? Let me tell you. The world doesn't know Jesus!
So again I ask, "Do you know Jesus?" If you haven't trusted Jesus with your life; I hope today is the day. Folks, we don't know what crashing towers await us. We don't know that today might be our last day here on earth. We don't know...but we can know this; that even if towers come crashing down around us, that His power will sustain us. And we can know that even in the midst of death there is life. We can know this; if we know Jesus.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38).
Amen.
