Here in South Jersey, we rode Hurricane Sandy Monday and Tuesday,. W were thankful that very few in our area were affected. Phone calls and visits on Tuesday revealed that this time, we did not have the damage and devastation like we did during July’s devestating dorecho storm that knocked out power for a week and downed thousands of trees.
We breathed a sigh of relief on Tuesday, BUT since then, the news has been growing worse all week as we realize the suffering of others nearby.
- BEACH COMMUNITIES of Ocean City, Seaside Heights, LBI have had devastating damage. Entire blocks of homes are gone, as well as iconic boardwalks and amusement rides.
- BAY COMMUNITIES. Such as Fortesque experienced a huge storm surge that swept away many homes.
- In NORTH JERSEY, the towns of Brick, Toms River, Bayone and Hoboken are suffering with loss of power, loss of public transportation, flooding and storm damage. JONEL Arcedera had his MINISTRY CANCELLED today at First Filipino Baptist church in Bayone.
- STATEN ISLAND was hit the hardest. From the NY Times we read this story: “Staten Island Was Tragic Epicenter of Storm’s Casualties” By JAMES BARRON, JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN and KIRK SEMPLE
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Published: November 1, 2012 “Glenda Moore, 39, ...packed her two boys into her blue sport utility vehicle and was trying to flee the storm by driving to her sister’s home in Brooklyn.
The storm thwarted her getaway, first by stalling the engine, the police said.
Ms. Moore managed to step out of the S.U.V., taking 2-year-old Brendan in her arms and leading 4-year-old Connor by the hand. But a wave slammed into them, driving her and Brendan into the marsh and breaking her hold on Connor’s hand. Another wave carried him away moments later.
About six miles away, rescuers searching a wooded lot found the bodies of an 89-year-old man and his 66-year-old wife on Thursday; the couple had lived less than 500 yards away.
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Personally, most of my family members live on Long Island. My sister’s condo was flooded with 2 feet of water which contained fuel and oil. It will cost thousands of dollars to repair, and most homeowners do not carry flood insurance.
Two of my other sisters have been without power for one entire week. Temperatures are in the low 30’s at night. A niece has been hosting 20-30 people per night in her home which did not lose power. But there are problems getting gas for cars and heating oil for homes. The scene is one of devastation!
We are left with many emotions and many questions;
happy that we were spared
wondering if it is OK to be happy that we were spared
sad for the many victims
Life seems normal here, but less than 40 miles away there is devestation
How should I feel?
Is there anything that I should do?
This sermon is titled “What Should You Do When Disaster Strikes?”
It’s a question that we are all contemplating today, and I want us to gain God’s perspective on this issue as a church family today.
This is a question that Jesus addressed in his earthly ministry. We read of his answer in Luke 13:1-5.
“Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”” (Luke 13:1–5, NIV84)
There are FOUR IMPORTANT LESSONS for us to learn from the Savior’s answer to the question of “why do innocent people suffer?”
We are not told much about the background of Christ’s remark. The people who asked Jesus about Pilate’s actions in this passage are not revealed. It appears that the event must have been widely known, and must have made a deep impact on the people of Jerusalem. Jesus takes the opportunity of this question to teach his disciples important lessons about the reasons for human suffering.
FIRST: Disasters Occur Without Prejudice. Luke 13:1-4
Jesus makes it clear that the popular idea that “God will get you” must be discarded. Jesus remarks on the question of the apparent deaths of Jerusalem worshipers who were killed by Pilate during their sacrifice. This comment addresses the situation of HUMAN INJUSTICE. In the illustration brought up by the people, the cause of death was human injustice. This is as troubling a situation for us today as it was for the Jews of the first century.
“Galileans whose blood Pilate mixed with their sacrifices”
The Event here is unknown.
It must have occurred recently, since Pilate was the reigning authority at the time.
It must have occurred in Jerusalem, since that was the only acceptable place for sacrifices to be made.
Jesus says that the reason for their deaths was NOT because they were more guilty than others. The word around Jerusalem was that the sacrificers were Galilean. The fine people of Jerusalem regarded the people of Galilee as less spiritual than the people of Jerusalem. They reasoned that this must be the reason for their deaths.
Recently, a twelve year old girl was killed in nearby Clayton. Was Autumn Pasquale somehow guilty of something? NO. She was ruthlessly murdered and dumped in a trash bin. Jesus makes clear that those who suffer from human injustice do not deserve their suffering any more than anyone else would.
But then Jesus uses his own illustration to make his point stronger. He brings up another commonly known event that also affected the people of Jerusalem. Here, he addresses the reason for NATURAL DISASTERS. “Those eighteen who died with the tower in Siloam fell on them?”
Jesus dismisses the idea of a vengeful God waiting to pounce on people. Even Jesus disciples’ held to the common idea of the day that when something bad happens, it is always because God is punishing you for sin.
John 9:1 “disciples asked, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind”
Natural disasters occur for ALL for the following reasons.
1. Because We are ALL subject to Creation. “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45)
2. Because the CREATION is GROANING from it’s CURSE. Genesis 3:17–18 “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.”
Romans 8:22 “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”
3. Because GOD is SOVEREIGN and works everything for His purpose.
Proverbs 16:4 “The Lord works out everything for his own ends— even the wicked for a day of disaster.”
Isaiah 14:24 “The Lord Almighty has sworn, “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.”
Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.”
The Second Lesson that Jesus was teaching in Luke 13 was that Disasters Should Cause us to Evaluate of our Lives!
Consider what King King Nebuchadnezzar did after his seven years of judgement from God. Daniel 4:34 “At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation.” The Babylonian King reflected on his condition and gave praise to God!
On the other hand, consider how the Jews of Judah reacted when they were taken into captivity. They rejected God and failed to see what He was trying to teach them. sins. Jeremiah 5:1-3 “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city. Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ still they are swearing falsely.” O Lord, do not your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain; you crushed them, but they refused correction. They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.”
Here in Luke 13, Jesus warns, “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish!”
A third thing that Disasters should do for us is to Cause us to Contemplate the Fragility of Life!
JESUS uses the talk of the Jews murdered by Pilate to teach us to BE PREPARED.
Everyone will die
We don’t know when it will occur
We can’t control the timing.
We can’t add or take away. JOB 14:5 “Man’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.”
We will ALL PERISH. Greek apolumai. = destroy, perish.
The word can mean “DROWN.” “Lord, save us, we are going to drown”
or “STARVE.” Prodigal son, “I am starving to death”
or “DESTROYED.” Destroyed by the flood. Luke 17:27
one of the most memorable ways in which this word is used is in John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish”
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not PERISH”
To emphasize that we should contemplate the fragility of life, Jesus follows this teaching with a Parable in Luke 13:6-8 “Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ “ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.” (Luke 13:6–8, NIV84)
Judgment may be DELAYED but it will not be DENIED!
The author of Ecclesiastes emphasizes the fragility of life in Ecc. 9:1-12
“So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no man knows whether love or hate awaits him. All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good man, so with the sinner; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them. This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead. Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion! For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten. Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun. Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun— all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them.” (Ecclesiastes 9:1–12, NIV84)
Do you see what he is saying? Death occurs to us all. We cannot escape it. All that we can do is live with concern for our lives today.
When disaster strikes, recognize that it might have been YOU!!!!
Do not neglect to PREPARE your SOUL! Hebrews 2:3 “how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?
Finally, Disasters should cause us to SHOW COMPASSION on those in need!
1 John 3:16–20 (NIV84)
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
James 1:27 (NIV84)
27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 2:14–17 (NIV84)
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
APPLICATION
The current count from Hurricane Sandy is 109 Dead. It Could Have Been YOU! Prepare your soul. Be ready for eternity. The only way to be ready for eternity is to accept Christ in your heart.
Millions suffering. We can help SOME.
Join MONDAY in fasting and prayer for our NATION and our COMMUNITY.
National Guard working on Long Beach Island without meals. IF ASKED, I have committed FBC to provide 2 meals per week to the National Guard or to a Shelter. Here’s what we can do:
1. Give Money to buy food (everyone)
2. People to prepare food (kitchen crew)
3. People to deliver and serve food.
Another action item is to collect items for Hurricane victims. Faith Bible will be open Monday from 3-6 PM to accept donations that will be given to the shore.
