Title: Flood Assurance
Text: Luke 13:1-5, but it only makes sense in the context of Luke 12:54-57,1-9.
FCF: We are all judged and worthy of death, but God be praised we have an advocate who pleads to give us more time.
SO: I want my congregation to feel sympathy for the people of New Orleans, realizing that could just as easily have been us, and use that realization to guide them to praise for God.
Intro:
I want to set the scene for you. A nation has already been reeling from an act of terrorism that still has tongues wagging. Then, a natural disaster grips them. A mighty tower has fallen, war & anarchy seems imminent, but you never know where it comes from. You can understand then, why people would want to understand why this happening.
Even as we mourn the devastation, and total anarchy in New Orleans, we’re only a week away from the anniversary of September 11th, you’d probably expect I’m talking about these things – but actually, I’m referring to a conversation that Jesus had two thousand years ago.
You see, even in the midst of tragedy, there is, as Ecclesiastes puts it, “nothing new under the Sun.” The death toll has surely increased, but the same questions remain. Why does a loving God let this happen to people who aren’t any worse than I am? And so, that’s where we begin.
Please, take your bibles, and turn to Luke 13:1-5. I want to concentrate on an exchange that Jesus has with some people precisely about this very question. Now, I want to concentrate on Luke 13:1-5, but in order for it to make sense, I want to read this passage in its greater context, so I’m going to start in 12:54 and read through 13:9. One scheduling note - even before this storm, I was planning another sermon that is going to look at the parable in verses 6 – 9. I’m planning on giving that sermon the week after homecoming, because I think that parable has a lot to say to us as a church, but for now, I want to focus on Luke 13:1 – 5.
I’ve been to the Gulf twice in my life. The second time was just last year, when I was at a computer conference in New Orleans. With all the pictures of the Superdome, you’ve no doubt heard and seen the Hyatt next door that had all its windows blown out. Well, I was on the 17th floor, looking right out over the Superdome. It’s been odd seeing pictures of a place that I’ve stayed be so prominently in the news. Then again, when the WTC went down, I kept thinking back to the time that Susan & I stayed in the WTC Marriott, which went down with the Towers. Probably the moral of the story is, don’t let me stay in your hotel.
The first time I was ever down in that area was in June, 2001, when I went to Houston. As my plane was touching down, that city was being flooded by Tropical Storm Allison. That morning, when I woke up, I saw flooding all around me, and let me tell you, if you’ve never seen a flood, it’s a humbling sight. When you see overpasses that are under water, it makes your heart skip a beat. I remember thinking Psalm 8 over and over again – “What is man that Thou art mindful of him?”
I think its natural, whenever we see a disaster like this just to stand in awe. But, after the fact, we want understanding. The sheer enormity of an entire city under water is humbling. But when we see death and destruction, we want to know “Why?” What did they do? Anyone with half a heart string knows that the devastation on TV could just as easily happen to me.
Just in case you don’t believe that, let me suggest to you a few simple facts. You’re already seeing some of the fallout. I’ve watched the gas go from $2.59 to $4.19 at the gas station on Route 50. But I’m not talking about the fallout – the disaster could happen here.
In 1969, Hurricane Camille killed over 100 people in Virginia. Yes, they were down around Roanoke, but that isn’t so far away. Don’t think you need to live in Florida to hit by a hurricane.
You probably know that the single most fatal natural disaster ever to hit the U.S. in recorded history was the 1906 Earthquake in San Francisco. But, do you know where the most powerful earthquake ever to hit was? It was in Missouri, centered right near a town called New Madrid. In 1806, this earthquake was so powerful, that it shook buildings in Washington! If you look carefully at a map of states like Mississippi, Tennessee, and Missouri, you’ll see that the Mississippi is supposed to be the border. Well, that’s true except every few miles you keep seeing parts of each state on the wrong side. Want to know why? It’s because that earthquake totally changed the course of the river. Don’t think that you need to live in California to be shaken by an earthquake.
So, as 2 Peter says, knowing that all this can be dissolved in this way, what effect should that have on you? Well, I want to suggest that this text all points to a single word – Understand! Specifically, disasters like this can be understood, but only in the context of Jesus. This morning, I want to invite you to understand three things:
I. Understand the Signs (You can prepare!)
II. Understand your judgment (We’re all guilty)
III. Understand that you have a protector.
Understand the signs
Maybe the only piece of good news this week is that 80% of the residents of New Orleans got out before the storm. Jesus even uses that analogy when he reminds people of a simple fact. If you see clouds, you know its going to rain. If the wind is blowing from the south, there’s going to be heat that comes after it. There are natural consequences that follow everything.
In the same way, you should know a simple fact about your condition. You live in a world that is chock full of sin.
I’ll tell you, the pictures of the hurricane damage out of Louisiana amaze me, but it’s the people who were left behind that tear out my heart. In the middle of a shelter where 2,000 people have just survived a hurricane, it amazes me that nobody could stop a man from raping a 10 year old girl. In a city where hospitals are trying to deliver urgently needed care, I just don’t understand why looters would hold up a supply truck. And come on, what possesses a sniper to fire on a helicopter getting people out of there?
As an article of faith, I know what Jeremiah means when he says, “The heart is wicked and deceitful above all things, who can know it?” I can’t argue with Paul who says, “All we like sheep have gone astray.” I know what sin does, and it makes no sense. But the truth is, that is the world we live in. We live in a guilty world.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I still like to think that crime leads to punishment – or at least it’s supposed to. You know what is supposed to happen next.
Keep that in mind as I take you to our main text.
Understand the Judgment
What transpires here in Luke 13:1-5 is probably directly aftermath of an event like what we just saw in New Orleans. It’s big news, and everyone is talking about it. Unfortunately for us, they mostly just talked about it, but didn’t write anything down, so all we know about it is in the text.
Now, several of the commentaries put forth a theory here to explain it, and it makes sense, but understand it’s a guess. Here’s the idea. The governor of Palestine is a guy named Pontius Pilate. You’ve probably heard of him before. He has this idea – he wants to build a water project that involves a tower. In order to fund it, he takes money from the Temple treasury, and this annoys the Zealots – the Jewish independence movement. These zealots revolt in protest, causing some damage. In revenge, Pilate sends soldiers – dressed up like common folk, and they slaughter these “holy zealots.” When it says that Pilate “mixed their blood with their sacrifices,” it probably means that in the middle of doing their sacrifice, they were butchered like animals. It got people talking – were these zealots right or wrong. Well, time goes on, and this wonderful tower that Pilate wants built, one day, collapses, killing 18 men working on it. This gets people talking too – was this a sign that the men shouldn’t have been working on the tower?
Whatever the story, you get the basic background – a man-made tragedy, and a natural one. In both cases, people want to know, “Was it something they did?” Well, Jesus has an answer, sort of. He asks, “Are you any more guilty than these people?” It would be hard for someone to say, “No.” I mean, let’s face it – John Doe, innocent bystander at church caught up in this slaughter or John Doe, construction worker – they’re just like you and me.
Now, I have to tell you that the commentaries mostly say the point of this passage is just a simple answer to the question, “Are sin & suffering related?” The commentaries just say the answer is a simple “No.” But I’m not sure I trust them here, because notice Jesus’ question back. “Are you any more guilty than they?”
Paul tells us that we have all sinned, and that we have all fallen short of the glory of God. We are all without excuse, as we read earlier. Jesus is 100% accurate – the poor victims of the hurricane aren’t really any more guilty than we are – but that doesn’t mean we’re totally innocent. Maybe this hurricane was a judgment from God. Maybe the attack on the WTC was a message from God above. If so, then I would humbly submit to you this fact – The victims are no more guilty than we are.
I go back to my point earlier – this disaster really could have struck us just as easily. If you have made a decision for Christ, it is because you acknowledge that you are guilty. We know that ever since the Garden of Eden, we’ve all been under a death sentence. It’s just a grace – it’s a gift that punishment hasn’t yet been demanded, but that doesn’t mean that no punishment is coming, or that it isn’t deserved.
Am I saying that New Orleans is being singled out because of what goes on Bourbon Street? No. But Yes. Bourbon Street has no more strip parlors and alcoholics than 14th Street or Times Square used to be. God didn’t single out New Orleans for special punishment. But Bourbon Street, 14th Street, the old Times Square – they are indications of how far we’ve fallen from what God intends. They are symptoms reminding us that we all deserve judgment.
And, before you excuse yourself by saying, “well I never visit those places,” let me suggest to you that Wall Street and K Street and Pennsylvania Avenue and Main Street each have their own sins for which they accountable. There is none righteous, no not one.
The question I am left with is not, why did the Gulf get it? But rather, why have I been spared? And that brings me to my last point.
Understand the Mercy
Jesus follows this little question and answer session with a parable. It’s a simple little story, but I think it has many profound meanings. The tree clearly represents us, and I am going to talk about our obligations in light of Jesus’ mercy in a few weeks. But, I missed it the first few times, because I forgot that the main character here, is the gardener. Let me read you this parable one more time, just so you see:
See what’s going on here. This gardener knows that the tree isn’t much good yet, but he wants to protect it anyway. He asks the owner, can I just have a little more time with it? Let me care for it. Let me work with it, maybe it’ll do something.
My friends, I know who that gardener is. He’s the same God, who, though the very form of God, chose to empty himself of being God. He humbled himself for us; he died for us. He saved us. And do you know where is now? Seated at the right hand of the Father, pleading for us.
I told you that the first time I was ever in the Gulf I was in Houston during a flood. The night I arrived, I had to get to my hotel. It was late, it was dark, and I didn’t really know how to get where I was going.
I had a rental car and only had a computer to tell me where to go. So, I was pretty much stuck when all the roads that I needed to take were under water. Again, I stress that I had a rental car, so you’ll understand when at a critical underpass to the main highway, I decided – at 1am in the morning – to brave going through what turned out to be about 3 feet of water. I saw several people on the other side, and thought, that’s where I needed to be. You know the old saying, “Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread?” Well, that was me. As I neared the middle, water started poring into the cab from underneath.
Now, I don’t why God chose to look out for me, but he did. I made it across, with only about 3 inches of water in the cab. When I pulled up to the people, I was promptly greeted by a truck driver just shaking his head, and saying, “Do you know how much of an idiot you are? Your car should have died out there in the middle, and you’d be stuck.” To add insult to injury, that truck driver was preparing to lead a convoy from where I had just arrived, back to where I had crossed. His wake was going to lower the water, so a convoy of cars could get back to where I had just come from. You see, they were all stuck, too. And, if I wanted to go anywhere else, I had to join the line. And, so I did.
That truck driver who paved the way for me rescued me. I had been an idiot, but it didn’t matter. He cared enough to wait for me, and rescue me in spite of my idiocy. That, my friends, is a picture of salvation. Want to join in?
Please pray with me.
Long Branch Baptist Church
Halfway, Virginia; est. 1786
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Enter to Worship
Prelude David Witt
Invocation Michael Hollinger
*Opening Hymn #339
“It is Well with My Soul”
Welcome & Announcements
Morning Prayer
*Responsive Reading [See Right]
*Offertory Hymn #¬403
“What a Friend We Have in Jesus”
Offertory Mr. Witt
*Doxology
Scripture Luke 12:54-57, 13:1-9
Sermon
“Flood Assurance”
Invitation Hymn #375
“Tis’ So Sweet To Trust in Jesus”
Benediction
Congregational Response
May the grace of Christ of Savior / And the Father’s boundless love
With the Holy Spirit’s favor / Rest upon us from above. Amen.
* Congregation, please stand.
Depart To Serve
9/11 – Marshall Homecoming / Revival (9/11 – 9/14) – Reginald Rolle presenting.
9/18 – Homecoming (Service at 11am, Potluck to follow, Evening Service at 6:30pm)
9/24 – The Plains Community Lunch, 11am – 1pm @ Grace Episcopal (The Plains)
9/23 - 24 – C.S. Lewis Institute Presents Henry Blackaby (Experiencing God)
RESPONSIVE READING
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;
And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,
and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
Do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience?
Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
You must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come, saying, “Where is the promise of his coming?”
They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water, through which the world of that time was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the godless.
But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.
The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.
Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be? You ought to be leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God.
