Sermon Central
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The Lemming, The Pacific Salmon, And The Caterpillar
Contributed by David Anderson on May 3, 2001 (message contributor)
Summary: People running from fears of death need to know the destiny that Christ has won for the Saints.
Sermon: "The Lemming, the Pacific Salmon, and the
Caterpillar”
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In the powerful name of Jesus we are saved-- From what? Sin, satan, and death. Think of how the mere thought of death influences our lives! Many people wonder what they’ll experience when they die. God has already shown me MY FUTURE through John’s vision which took place on the Island of Patmos.
If you are a believer in the Christ Jesus of the Bible, this is what you and I and all believers will see after death according to Rev. 21: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men, He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people; He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.” And Jesus said, "I am the ressurrection and the life. He who believes in me will life, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)
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He awoke completely refreshed! Waling out into the garden barefooted, he felt its soft, moist texture beneath his feet. The sun was bright.... the birds were singing... his wife stood before him tall, radiant, smiling–full of innocence and playful joy.
There was only joy for Adam and Eve... joy in their play.... joy in their work.... joy in their relationship with each other and with God.
There was no danger... No again... no sickness... No
dying... no evil! The law of God was written in the hearts of Adam and Eve. Those who do the will of God are forever blessed, and cannot be touched by any harm what-so-ever!
Adam and Eve wore no clothing. They were innocent,
seeing only beauty in each other and within the Garden of Eden. If they had remained pure in God’s law, they and their ancestors--we ourselves!-- would have remained beyond harms way. But disbelief brought disobedience, and the powers of darkness descended like devouring vultures to feast on the corpse of a fallen humanity.
No more perfect protection. No more perfect innocence. After the Fall, Adam and Eve knew that they had sinned and that the consequence of their sin was (and always shall be) death.
The Lord Jesus Christ faced our death for us-- and he beat it for us!
WHAT EXHILARATION MUST HAVE FLOWED WITHIN
THE HEART AND VEINS OF MARY ON EASTER MORNING! Suddenly she knew that the life and ministry of Jesus did not terminate in a dead end. No-- not at all!
Jesus Christ’s resurrection flooded out like a great light shedding meaning by providing a future in heaven;
validating all of our Lord’s words and actions.
The bottom line is this: The resurrection of Christ means that a person’s past, present, and future are potentially busting with meaning and joy.
What about you? Is there gusto to your life? According to a recent book published by Gallop, most people are in a desperate search to find meaning... to believe that somehow they fit into a design which is big, very big and enduring.
Let’s look at the quest for meaning–for meaning in your life, by considering three creatures of the animal kingdom: the Lemming... the Pacific Salmon... and the Caterpillar.
THE LEMMING-- not to be confused with the sour lemon--
is a plump little animal related to the mouse. The lemming lives in cold, northern parts of the world and its best known kind lives in Scandinavia.
Although scientists now question this, legend has it that the lemming will, every few years, gather together in great numbers and race to the sea as they drown themselves. Although, as I say, science now questions this, I distinctly remember a film once showing an enormous number of lemmings racing toward the sea, many falling off a cliff and tumbling into the waters below.
Many people live their lives like lemmings. They live a faced pace life. They are constantly running here and running there. They have a multitude of diversions... Yet in the back of their mind they sense that each day their time grows shorter and death comes nearer.
No wonder people living like lemmings will tell Gallop that they hunger for meaning! It’s impossible for unbelievers to cover up the dark dread that lies ahead, striking fear and sorrow into the most enthusiastic heart.
