Lessons Learned In A Tragic Week

Text: II Corinthians 5:1-11

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (09/16/01)

Introduction:   

On Tuesday (AM), Sept. 11 images and reports emerged out of New York and Washington of devastation and destruction that was previously unimaginable.

The World Trade Center’s twin towers had been slammed into by commercial airlines jets carrying passengers.  The Pentagon had been a similar object of this terrorist attack.  Then both towers in New York collapsed into megatons of rubble taking with them the lives of thousands.

It seemed to many to be like some horrible movie, surreal, a bad dream.  But the nightmare refused to go away!

As the day and the week wore on it dawned on a nation and a world  still in shock that this was horrifying and real.  And it happened in our own back yard.

I believe the events of the last 6 days are a spiritual wake-up call for North America.

We must take inventory of our spiritual lives.  We must have a godly, biblical and eternal perspective concerning the things of this life.

In 2 Cor. 5 Paul provided such a perspective for us.  As we study this passage we can find several lessons that we must learn, or re-learn, in the wake of such incomprehensible tragedy.

I. Vulnerability and Fragility of Human Life

Vs.1 “if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved”

1000’s of people went to work just like normal on Tuesday Morning…And never returned!!

Prov. 27:1

Throughout verses 1-8 we are reminded that this life is temporal, that there awaits another life which is eternal.

We see here several contrasts between the two…..

A. Temporal/Eternal

B. Earthly/Heavenly vs.1-2

1 Corinthians 7:31  And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

All we touch, handle and concern ourselves with in this life is perishing.

C. Mortality/Life vs.4

Expressions – “Life begins at 40”; “Now we’re living”.

NO, we are dying.  True life is in knowing Christ.

John 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

D. Absent from the Lord/Present with the Lord vs.6-8

Vs. 4 “We groan”

Romans 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

II. Success is merely a Veneer, Service is of true and lasting Value.

Vs.9 “Wherefore we labour, that, ….., we may be accepted of him”

“Only one life, So soon ‘Twill be past”

                        “Only what’s done for Christ will last”

The World Trade Center was a symbol of American financial might.  Yet it’s demise was stunning, sudden and complete.

Reminds one of the ultimate destruction of this world’s economic system as described in the book of Revelation.

LOOK UP & READ Revelation 18:7-10, & 17-19

It is a veneer, a false sense of security and safety.

God will not hold us accountable for success, but for service and faithfulness.

It means getting our eyes off things and upon people.

ILLUS: People in NY this week sacrificing to be involved in the rescue and recovery efforts.

Mark 8:36-37  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

37  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

III. God is no Respecter of Persons

Vs. 10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ”

2 Chronicles 19:7  Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.

LOOK UP & READ Luke 13:1-4

There are two things God requires of every man.

A. Salvation

Salvation is the need of the hour.

Acts 17:30  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

John 3:7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Revelation 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

B. Sanctification

Hebrews 2:3  How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

1 Peter 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

IV. The Presence and Potential of Evil in the Human Heart

Vs.10 “that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad”

The actions of these terrorists are cowardly, reprehensible, deserving of thorough and complete censure.  They will receive the full retribution and wrath of nations and people whom they have attacked, not to mention the full measure of justice before a holy God.

We condemn and repudiate their actions as unmitigated terror and hatred conceived in reprobate hearts.

I am reminded of the words of Titus 1:15-16…..

15  Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

16  They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

We all want to and expect to hear this in regard to perpetrators of such horrific and unspeakable acts against mankind.   But there is something more that we do not wish to hear…

Jeremiah 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

The same potential for evil exists in every human heart.

The leaves of a tree may change colour, but the roots remain the same.

ILLUS: Thieving, adultery, deceit, covetousness

We are not all as bad as we can be, but we are all as bad off as we can be!!

V. The Urgency of the Gospel Message

Vs. 11 “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men”

One of the most disturbing scenes witnessed on the day of the attacks was that of people leaping from the upper stories of these buildings to their deaths dozens of stories below.

They had little choice – a fiery death or suicide.

I believe with all my heart that others were leading people to knowledge of the blessed saviour during those final moments of uncertainty.

It is horrific, this senseless loss of life.  The reality of it is acute and painful.  God help us to realize that souls are dying; not only on days of monumental tragedy, but everyday all around us, all over this world, countless thousands are perishing without Christ!!

Three or four die every second.

Every 30 minutes an equivalent number to the NY tragedy perish.

Over 1 million souls every week.

These hijackers were willing to sacrifice their lives for a cause.  That cause brought death and destructions to thousands.

We also have a cause.  It is the cause of Christ, a cause that brings life, and peace, and hope through the gospel.

What are we willing to sacrifice for the gospel message?

Conclusion:     (Review)