Sermon Central
-
The Day After Tomorrow Series
Contributed by Tom Papez on Aug 22, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: Teaches about looking into the future. Message covers both the arrogance of thinking that a person can control the future, but also offers hope that tomorrow brings a better day to some.
THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW
A STUDY ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT: PART XXV (THE FUTURE)
BIBLE VERSE: Matthew 6:34
So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.
INTRO: A couple of years ago, Hollywood made a move about the end of times (sounds like a familiar topic doesn’t it). Essentially, global warming hits the world, melts the ice, superstorms are created, and almost all of North America gets covered in a new ice age. There are tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, you name it, until the hero gets rescued by a Blackhawk helicopter.
TRANSITION: Though the events of the movie are fantastic and impossible, the truth behind the movie is not. The truth is that life ends, and that for some people, there is no tomorrow.
1. TOMORROW GOES BY FAST
BIBLE VERSE: Proverbs 27:1
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
Life in scripture, can be compared to (have different people look them up & have them fill it in):
The wind Job 7:7
A shadow 1 Chronicles 29:5
The width of a hand Psalm 39:5
A weaver’s web Isaiah 38:12
A vapor James 4:14
The word “Life” is the Greek word “Atmos,” we get our word Atmosphere from that word. And how accurate is that? Isn’t are lives more like the thin later of water vapor?
It really is fragile folks, we really do need to treasure it.
FAST THINGS:
A baby’s car seat is technically only good for 6 years.
Average running shoe lasts about 350-500 miles.
One dollar bill lasts only about 18 months in circulation.
Expensive leather combat boots, only 6 months in battle (8 months in normal use).
A lightning bolt lasts only 45-55 microseconds.
“Unstable hadrons” (a group of subatomic particles) lasts for one
hundred-sextillionth of a second (10 to the negative 23 second).
77 YEARS:
Doctors say that the average American lives 77 years, or in other words…40 Million minutes:
Here is the breakdown: (for teachers, if you want to look up “40 Million Minutes” it is a dramatic vignette done by the Virtual Reality Company, the website is sited in the sources).
40 MILLION MINUTES: The Average American spends during a lifetime?
On the phone: 2 Years
In the bathroom: 3 Years
Getting dressed: 1 Year
Watching TV: 7 Years
With the God of the Universe: 7 Months, and many are much much less.
2. I LOVE YA TOMORROW
Example: Little Orphan Annie
Years ago, there was an amazing music put together that is the 2nd best movie musical of all time (in my opinion, the best is Willy Wonka, of course the original). In the movie, an orphan girl is trapped in a
brutal orphanage but gets to experience life with a millionaire (that is until she gets kidnapped by a guy named rooster but is saved by a Punjabi bodyguard).
TOMORROW THE SONG:
The sun’ll come out
Tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
That tomorrow
There’ll be sun!
Just thinkin’ about
Tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs,
And the sorrow
’Til there’s none!
When I’m stuck with a day
That’s gray,
And lonely,
I just stick out my chin
And Grin,
And Say,
Oh!
The sun’ll come out
Tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on
’Til tomorrow
Come what may
Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love ya Tomorrow!
You’re always
A day
A way!
That’s a beautiful song, it makes people feel happy, comes from a great movie, and brings back to me wonderful childhood memories. But, does it match up to scripture?
ARE WE SUPPOSED TO HAVE EASY & WONDERFUL LIVES?
The following clip is from the Way of the Master:
“If we still want to cling to the message that ‘God has a wonderful plan for your life,’ we had better hide Foxe’s Book of Martyrs from the eyes of non-Christians. Speaking of martyrdom, have you ever pondered what it would be like to be huddling together as a family in a Roman arena as hungry and ferocious lions rush in? Have you ever considered what it would be like to be eaten by lions? I have. My fertile imagination runs wild. What do you give the lion to eat first—your arm? How long would you remain conscious as he gnawed on it?...
…What would you tell your beloved family as you looked into their terrified eyes? How could you reconcile the words, ‘wonderful’ and ‘happiness,’ with having the fierce teeth of a lion rip you apart, limb from limb?
Here’s the deal gang, our lives are suppose to be good, it is suppose to be in God’s will and God’s will will prevail, but there is good news…
BIBLE VERSE: Romans 8:28
8:28 And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose;
