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“Splitting the Atom”
Matthew 27: 29 – 32; and John 19:34
Sermon by Rev. Dr. Antonio L. Carlisle
Senior Pastor Of the Greater Truevine Missionary Baptist Church in
Lake City, FL Preached At the First Central District Congress of
Christian Education 7/2005
Atoms are the building blocks of life. When we look at the universe
through the eyes of science, we are eventually forced to look at the universe
with an understanding of the atomic beings. At the most basic level human
existence, one can find the marriage of science and life.
Look at the human body: science teaches us that the human body is
made up of elements that are contained on the periodic table; Oxygen,
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Calcium, and a host of 113 other elements.
What makes the human body so strong beyond the consolation of a
few elements? What gives us the ability to be made a little lower than the
angels? Why are we more than just a mass of element that somehow came
together one day by happenstance? What makes the human experience so
powerful, what makes us so unique, what gives us the strength to make it
from day to day, it that our strength grows from the pure essence of whom
God is.
History has taught us that it is human nature to rise above our
problems, to conquer our fears, and solve to our circumstances. History has
shown us that as we endure trails, we are made stronger. As the old folks
use to say, “Just keep on ….living.”
Science has taught us that if we continue to live we will continue to
grow. If we continue to live, we will continue to endure. If we continue to
live we will continue to be changed.
And this principle brings us right to a holistic view of science. The
periodic Table in the eyes of the science is elements, which form the basis of
who we are, and the world that we live in. Based upon the position of the
element on the periodic Table, an element can be described as having
certain properties. Scientists can tell a lot about an element by its position
on this table.
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Silicon (for instance) has an atomic number of “14,” as such silicon is a
metalloid and is very electropositive. Which means this “make believe” metal
reacts in many of the ways like real metal. Silicon is the second most
abundant element in the atmosphere. Then I began to see it. You see. We
have Silicon Christians in the church.
They walk around acting like everybody else, sounding like everybody
else, but they are fair weather Christians. As long as things are going well
they can come to the church. As long nobody is talking them, they can hold
an office. The sad thing is that these so called Christians are the second
most abundant worshippers in the house. Will the Silicon Christians please
stand up!
I’ve learned some other things about Silicon. Silicon can become
harmful and cause chronic respiratory disorders. It irritates the skin and
eyes, and it is a very inert element. Just like the Silicon Christian, they can
be used to build up the appearance of the church, but you better be careful
because when the pressure gets rough, they just might POP. Silicon
Christians can often get under your skin and irritate your eyes. That is who
the songwriter was writing about when he wrote: “don’t why I have cry
something.” But I think the worst thing of all is that Silicon Christians form
the inert basis of the church. They never want everything to change. They
are always complaining when anything is done differently. And Lord help you
if you ask them for anything other that same five dollars that they have
been giving for the last twenty years. Do you know any Silicon Christians?
Here is the question. Are YOU a Silicon Christian?
But science now understands that when you have an element with just
1 fewer electron the properties of that element are very different. They are
very alike in many ways, but they act very different.
(You know where I am going).
#13 on the periodic table is Aluminum. Now I’ve found out that
Aluminum is very light weight, very strong, and very durable. Aluminum is
one of the most widely used metals today. However, even with all of its
using and potential it is still considered a very poor metal when compared to
other metals. In fact, Aluminum in Latin (Pastor Baker) means Bitter Salt.
Oh, I know we have some Aluminum Christians in the house today,
people who are so strong in the Lord. People who are durable when it comes
to enduring church problems. People who are always around and willing to
help out. Around at every church function (that is why I know that they are
here this evening). But if the truth is told they are lightweights when it
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comes to Christian charity, Bible study, and prayer. Upon closer inspection,
we find out that instead of being the salt of the world they’re just “bitter
salt.” Bitter because they were not elected to be the president of this or the
president of that. Bitter because they were not asked to be on the
committee. Bitter because their name was not in the bulletin. They are just
bitter about everything and anything that you can imagine. Even though
Aluminum Christians are throughout the church and they can be in every
position. Prolonged exposure can cause problems.
Aluminum can cause damage to your nervous system. In other words,
they can just get on your nerves. Aluminum can cause loss of memory and
dementia (in other words Shika, they can drive you crazy. Or Conda they
can make you resound the statement uttered by DMX: “Y’all, goin’ make me
lose my mind, up in here.”).
Since we are talking so good like this let’s just look at two more
elements shall we. Holding the # of 12 on the periodic table is Magnesium.
Now Magnesium is solid, it can conduct electricity very well, but only for
short period of time. Just like Magnesium Christians they are solid people
with solid backgrounds, and solid careers. They have never done anything
remotely bad or have caused any SERIOUS problems in their lives. But there
is another side to the story. Magnesium Christians only conduct electricity
for a short period of time. That means they may worship God in the service,
but guaranteed it won’t be for very long. Magnesium Christians are known
for being very unstable, and they can easily ignite and burn. They can burn
with such intensity that the damage that they cause can sometimes never be
repaired. Magnesium Christians will come in to the church and get the
worship service started, but as soon as someone their son to stop
misbehaving, the fire will start. A Magnesium Christian will tear down the
church, and praise God anyhow. They have the motto: “Y’all know that’s just
how I am.”
Then we have the element with the atomic # of 11, Sodium. Sodium is
a soft metal and is very soluble. Sodium has the ability to preserve what it
gets into. And since its soluble it has very little problem getting into allot.
Sodium changes its environment to suit its needs. Do you know Sodium
Christians today? They are always getting into things and always going all
over the place. But the uniqueness of these Christians is that even though
they do all this, instead of being changed by the environment, they began to
change to environment. They go where they have not been invited. They
talk to people who no one else will. They began to changes things that
others are too afraid to change. What I did find out about Sodium is that
Sodium can cause your blood pressure to rise, it can cause your skin to itch,
your eyes to waters, it can even cause your bones to heat up. It reminds me
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of what the young prophet said when he refused to preach the word of God.
“It is just like fire, shut up in my bones.” Have you ever had a Sodium
experience with God—when your pressure rises and skin itches and you
began to cry out to the LORD?
Now, I did not stop my studies into the wonders of science right there
(Dean McIntosh). If I had stopped my studies here, you might leave here
this afternoon thinking that whatever I am now I cannot be changed.
But there is word from heaven for us today. A word that even though
we may be Silicon, or Aluminum, or Magnesium, God still has a plan to get
you from where you are to being Sodium.
Scientific theory postulates that the world we live in is in a state of
constant decay. And who can argue with them when we look at the world
today? Every 24 hours in America:
• 3,000 children see their parents divorce.
• 1,629 children are put in adult jail.
• 3,228 children run away from home.
• 1,512 children drop out of school.
• 7,742 teens become sexually active.
Every day in America our nation screams out for some SALT. Research
has shown that household where a child gets saved first the entire family
only has a 3.5% chance of being saved. And when the Wife is first one saved
the family only has a 17% chance of being entirely saved. But when the
father is saved then the family has a 93% chance of being saved.
EVERY DAY IN AMERICA, OUR NATION IS SCREAMING OUT FOR SOME
SALT.
I don’t know about you but I am tried of seeing our babies going to jail
or to the cemetery. I am tried of seeing our families being destroyed from
inside, out. I am tired of hearing the stories of hopelessness and
helplessness. America is crying out for some salt. (Ad-Lib).
But how do we become the salt that the doctor ordered?
Science once again has given us an answer to the dilemma: the
solution to our problem is in the splitting of the atom. In science, when you
have a molecule and you want to change its atomic structure, you subject it
to high energy battering. And in essence what you must hit it with such
force that knock off one or more its protons. With the protons missing the
element and character will have to change (I know you know where I am
going). An element must be subjected to a literal beat down in order to
become something new. Oh people of God, I have come today to tell you
that all this mess that we are going through is just here to make us into who
we are supposed to be.
Don’t worry about the beating, it will not last always. Praise God in the
Fire, because when you come out. Shout when your enemies scandalize your
name, baby your change is coming. Look at your neighbor and say God is
just splitting the Atom. (Ad-Lib).
Oh, but Pastor Franklin it doesn’t stop there. I found in the Word
another instance when God split the Adam for me. But this time he did not
split the A-T-O-M, he split the A-D-A-M. The Bible says that when they
sentenced Jesus to death the soldiers took him the courtyard and began to
prepare him for the crucifixion.
The older preachers say that they whipped him all night long. But I’m
glad today! (ad- Lib) Jesus was subjected to some pretty harsh battering.
And here it is. When they were ready to ensure that Jesus was dead
the Bible says that one of the soldiers took his spear and stabbed Jesus in
his side. With his knife the ADAM was split.
With his actions, I can stand today and praise God. For everything that
I have been through, God split the ADAM.
When my friends rejected me!
God split the ADAM
When I was lost and in despair!
God split the ADAM
When I was hunger!
God split the ADAM
When I have to go down to the Jail!
God split the ADAM
God split the ADAM
God split the ADAM
I’m not worried about church folks, street folks, slick folks, or even city
folks. In all that I do, I know that God split the ADAM! I’m Glad about it
(Ad-lib).
