SWEPT AWAY
SW01.08.12am
INTRO: Near the end of 2011, Cyclone Grant struck Australia, what we would call a hurricane in this hemisphere, swept a large freight train off the tracks, also swept a car off a roadway. Passengers in the car tried to escape the waters at first by climbing onto the roof of their car. However, they were swept off of the car roof by the waters, but they were able to grab hold of a tree finding refuge there while waiting for rescue. Two men on the train were also injured, but thankfully all were been rescued from rushing waters. (ABC Online 12.27.11). Job 22:15-17 NKJV: Will you keep to the old way which wicked men have trod, who were cut down before their time, whose foundations were swept away by a flood? They said to God, 'Depart from us! What can the Almighty do to them?'
What happens when you leave God out of your life? You will be swept away by the challenges of life. Will 2012 be the year that we personally are swept away? Will we face a personal or a national disaster that will sweep us off of our feet?
First, I want to talk about some of the things that many say we may face during this year. Then I want us to think about what we as Christians should do if we were to face such a disaster and how we can keep from being swept away.
I. Countdown to Destruction - What are some of the disasters that could happen, or that some say could happen during 2012? We've already talked about the end of the world thing with the Mayan calendar. Some think based on that long count calendar the world as we know it will end on 12.21.12. Most true Mayan experts say that prediction is not a valid use of that calendar. Here's another prediction that keeps coming up: World wide economic collapse will occur this year. This is based on the continuing problems the European countries are having. Hopefully, they will continue to work things out along the way and avoid this kind of disaster.
Then there's the Mark of the Beast thing. Revelation 13:16-18: "He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666." If you look at any of the new Driver Licenses, on the back is something that they scan whenever you purchases certain prescriptions or even over the counter medications. This could very easily be tattooed on your forehead or on your hand and it would contain all the personal information that they wanted it to contain.
And then there are the possible military problems, such as; Iran actually trying to block the strait of Hormuz and even temporarily succeeding. That would cause an economic shock across the world including in our country with increased oil and gasoline prices.
Then there is the possibility of Iran attempting to take over Iraq and succeeding. And the possibility of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon and delivery system capable of threatening our country. Or, even the very likely possibility of Israel attacking Iran to destroy their nuclear capability. If that were to happen Iran would retaliate against Israel by launching conventional missiles, by using Hamas and Hezbollah. If that were to occur it is very likely that our country could be drawn into the conflict and regardless the economic impact on the world economy would be horrible.
Then we have the troubling relationship between Iran and Venezuela. If Iran were to base missiles in Venezuela they could cause enormous problems for us even if they just hit us with conventional warheads. Of course, there is China which continues to ramp up their military capabilities, and let us not forget about North Korea, another friend of Iran.
Another thing which is still lurking in the shadows is terrorism against our country. How about a few random car bombs scattered across the country? Random shootings by trained snipers? Our borders are still relatively easy to cross.
But we can take this down to a more personal level. What if you are struck with a health disaster during 2012? It can get serious in a hurry when it happens to you, as it has to us. An unplanned trip to the emergency room and a few days stay in the hospital. A bad diagnosis can change your world in a hurry. To sum all of this up, it is enough to say that there are some terrible things that could effect all of our lives during this New Year.
II. So, what do you do if the worst happens? What if, one of these terrible things happen in the world, or to our country, or even to us personally? God tells us what we need in Hebrews 6:17-20 NKJV: "Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."
What is it that we need to survive a disaster in 2012? We need an "anchor for the soul". In spite of what could happen, might happen, or will happen in 2012, we need to remember that God is still alive and that He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
Here in Hebrews we see that a promise has been made by God. God through the writer of Hebrews is encouraging believers then to continue on. Believers in the first century are being reminded that God is still God. They were being reminded that Jesus did die on the cross for their sins, and that they do have eternity in Heaven ahead for all those who believe in Jesus. Jesus is our High Priest forever, believers were told then. In the order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek had no beginning or ending, Jesus has no beginning or ending. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Just as believers in the first century needed to be reminded of the hope that they have in Jesus, we need to be reminded too. Jesus is and will always be the anchor of our soul. Jesus held those early believers together through the tough times and He can do the same for us.
Think of a ship and the ship's anchor for a moment. The ship is tied by cable or chain to a heavy anchor made of metal or other material that rests on the floor of the sea. For the believer we are tied not to the earth; no, our anchor is as the writer of Hebrews says has entered the, "Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus." As the High Priest in the Old Testament entered the Holy of Holies behind the veil, our High Priest forever, Jesus is in Heaven where He, as He says in John 14, has prepared a place for us. Our soul is tied not to an anchor at the bottom of the sea, but it is tied to Jesus in Heaven above.
III. Again think of ships and of their anchors. Think of the chains that tie, that tether the ship to the anchor. When I was a boy my Dad had made an anchor for our boat. It consisted of a can filled with concrete and a small nylon rope that tied the boat to the can. Probably not the most secure anchorage for a boat.
Think of the chain that links a battleship to its anchor. One such chain describes each link in the chain as weighing 120lbs and being about three feet in length. Now that is a chain!
The question I think for all of us as we face this New Year is this: What is the condition of the tie between us and our anchor of hope? Is the chain to our anchor a puny little rope that will break whenever a good wind comes along. Or, is it more like the chain of a battleship that connects to its anchor? How strong is that link between you and your anchor of the soul, Jesus Christ? I think we can see that here is where some work needs to be done in each of our lives. We need to have the strongest spiritual chain possible connecting us to the anchor of our soul.
How do we do that? What are the nuts and bolts of having that stronger spiritual chain to connect our soul to our anchor? Just in case you missed out on the course How to grow as a Believer 101, I want to share with you what you need to do.
IV. First, this is a Bible. It is not just a book. It contains the Words of God. According the Gospel of John chapter one, Jesus is the Word become flesh. Take a moment to comprehend that. You could say that Jesus consists of the words on these pages (The Bible). If you want to know Jesus. If you want to be more like Jesus, then you need more of these words.
However, you need to understand that when you read the Bible you are not just gaining information. When you read the Bible you are communing with God. When you read the Bible you are connecting with God. When you read the Bible you are feeding your soul, as Jesus says in Matthew 4:4, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." When you read the Bible you are connecting your soul to a spiritual IV that infuses LIFE into your soul. Jesus says in John 6:63, "The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." If you want to keep from being swept away by the coming events of the year 2012, you're going to need a massive amount of the Word of God.
V. Second, if you are going to keep from being swept away by the events of 2012, you are going to need a prayer life. Prayer, communication with God, talking with God is an awesome privilege. In Hebrews 4:15-16 we are told this, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
It is an awesome privilege for us to do this because during Old Testament times, only the High Priest could go into the Holy of Holies. Now, because of Jesus, every believer is a priest. You can go directly to God. You don't have to come to me or to a priest, or the pope, or anyone else to have them talk to God for you. In the Name of Jesus Christ, you can talk to God.
We have the great promises of prayer in the Bible: Matthew 7:7-8 NKJV, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."
Matthew 6:6 NKJV, "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."
Matthew 18:19 NKJV, "I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven."
1 John 5:14-15 NKJV, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."
Matthew 21:22 NKJV, "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
John 14:12-14 NKJV, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." If you don't have a prayer life, you need to get one because without it you will be swept away by the events of 2012.
VI. Third, you need to be here just like you are today assembling, meeting with other believers every time you possibly can. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."
Matthew 18:20 says, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
Can you be a Christian without being in church? Sure, there are countless millions that are not assembling, meeting with other believers like we are today. But do you want to do what they are doing and have a puny little rope connecting your soul to the anchor in Heaven? Or, do you want to strengthen that link between your soul and your Lord Jesus in Heaven? Now is the time to be faithful in church. Now is the time to meet with other believers. Do it now before the storms of 2012 sweep you away.
VII. You know it is depressing to think of all the bad things that could happen to our world, to our country, and to ourselves personally. Is that what God would have us to think about all the time? Is that what our focus during 2012 should be? No! Our focus, our thoughts, our hopes should be upon the Anchor of our soul. Hebrews 12:3, "For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls."
Instead of worrying about and thinking about all of the bad things that could happen, or might happen; instead think about Jesus. Read Jesus, the Word of God. Talk to Jesus, pray, pray, and pray some more. And, instead of thinking that you don't need church, come and be here where Jesus promises to be in the midst of us every time we meet.
So, in the year 2012 you don't have to be swept away because you have an anchor for your soul and His name is Jesus.
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