SERMON: LIVING IN A TSUNAMI WORLD

LIVING IN A TSUNAMI WORLD
20 March 2011

I. Introduction
-- turn in your Bibles to Psalm 121

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.


-- as I’m sure everyone in here knows, on March 11th at 2:46 pm the nation of Japan was rocked by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake that hit off its northeast coast -- the fourth largest earthquake recorded in the world since 1900
-- this quake along the Pacific tectonic plate generated a massive tsunami that sent 30-ft waves roaring onto Japan -- devastating coastal towns and causing damage as far away as California and Hawaii -- and resulting in the deaths of over 10,000 people in the small island nation
-- in addition to the wholesale destruction of homes and communities along the coast, the massive tsunami also severely damaged nuclear plants in northeast Japan -- and for the past week the eyes of the world have been watching as Japan’s scientists and engineers desperately tried to cool the nuclear material in these plants and prevent the catastrophic release of radiation at levels exceeding that of Three Mile Island and Chernobyl
-- while people in California and along the United State’s western coast scrambled to buy iodine tablets and Geiger counters -- and as our TV screens were filled with the horrific images of the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami and of the race against time to rescue survivors and to restore order in a devastated country which was trying not only to survive a natural disaster but also the complete meltdown of a nuclear reactor -- we looked at the situation and felt hopeless and wondered if anyone would be able to help us out of this disaster

-- how often in recent years have we experienced these same feelings of hopelessness and helplessness? -- in the last decade, we have seen unprecedented natural and man-made disasters of increasing magnitude -- from the horrific events of 9-11 and the 2004 tsunami that killed over 230,000 people in Indonesia -- to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and earthquakes in Haiti, Tibet, Chili, and New Zealand -- to catastrophic flooding in Europe and South America
-- we have witnessed economic and financial collapses -- seen the dollar decrease in value against other national currency -- and watched as home foreclosure rates and unemployment reached all-time highs
-- and, just this morning, we open our papers to read of military attacks against the nation of Libya as our country expands the war effort from Afghanistan and Iraq and Pakistan to yet another region of the world while unrest and civil protests rage throughout Bahrain and Iran and other Arab countries
-- events such as these cause us to do just as the Psalmist does here and turn our eyes to the heavens and ask the questions, “How do we live in such a world? -- How do we survive in the midst of total chaos and devastation and destruction? -- Where do we look for answers and hope and help?”

II. Scripture Lesson -- Psalm 121:1-8
-- we are unsure who wrote this Psalm -- the scriptures do not tell us who the author is -- some scholars think it was King David and that this Psalm was written as he fled from Saul and his armies or later in life as he fled Jerusalem after his son usurped the throne
-- but, regardless of who wrote these words, they resonate in our hearts -- because we have felt the same emotion -- we have experienced the same doubt and despair and uncertainty -- and we know, as we read the heart-cry of this Psalmist, that we could have written these words ourselves

-- while we don’t know exactly the situation that led to this Psalm, we do know this -- the Psalmist who penned these words was in the midst of chaos -- perhaps surrounded by enemies who sought his life -- perhaps seeking answers in the midst of a natural disaster
-- he had little hope left of surviving -- and everywhere he looked, he saw danger and death and destruction -- he asked himself, “How do I live in this world?” -- and then he gives us the answer in this Psalm

-- look back at verse 1 and see what he wrote

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?

-- Corrie ten Boom -- the great Dutch evangelist who was sent to a German concentration camp for hiding Jews in her home during World War II -- once wrote, “Look around and be distressed -- Look within and be depressed -- Look at Jesus and be at rest”
-- the Psalmist looked around and was distressed -- he looked within himself and didn’t see any hope there -- so he lifted his eyes to the hills -- he lifted his eyes to heaven -- wondering where help would come from

-- verse 2
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

-- the Psalmist makes it clear here -- our help does not come from charismatic presidents or politicians -- it doesn’t come from bank presidents or generals leading armies -- it doesn’t come from scientists or engineers
-- our help comes only from the Lord -- from the maker of heaven and earth -- and that’s true, whether we’re talking about being surrounded by enemies or if we’re talking about natural or economic disasters or if we’re talking about the state of our soul -- our hope rests only in God -- our Savior can only be God

-- verse 3
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

-- when I read these verses, I am reminded of the great battle of faith on Mount Carmel when the prophet Elijah confronted the false prophets of Asherah and Baal -- if you remember this story, Elijah proposed a test of faith whereby the nation would see who the true God of Israel was based on which God could supernaturally light the fire on the altar
-- the false prophets went first, and no matter how loud they wailed and cried out -- no matter how much they cut themselves and offered their souls to their gods -- nothing happened -- and Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry louder -- perhaps your god is asleep and cannot hear”
-- the Psalmist here reminds of the great truth that our God doesn’t sleep or slumber -- the Bible tells us that God is with us always and will never leave us or forsake us
-- God wasn’t asleep when the earthquake hit off the coast of Japan last week -- He wasn’t slumbering when the tsunami roared ashore -- He wasn’t surprised by what happened -- He was there, in the midst of His people, ministering to them in their despair
-- some might ask why God didn’t stop the tsunami -- why He didn’t stop the earth from quaking or the tectonic plates from shifting -- but answers to questions like that are above our understanding -- God is God and His purposes and His ways are higher than ours
-- but, I do know this -- without winter, we can never enjoy the beauty of spring -- without sickness, we can never rejoice in health -- without pain and death, we can never realize the blessing of life
-- why do bad things happen? -- why does God allow bad things to happen? -- we don’t know -- but, we do know that He is there in the midst of our pain and suffering -- ministering to our hearts and spirits and giving comfort to our souls
-- the Psalmist gives us the promise that God will never let our foot slip off the path of salvation -- He will never let our faith waiver -- no matter what we may experience -- no matter the tragedies we may faith -- He will hold us firm and keep us on the straight and narrow because our God never sleeps -- He never slumbers -- but He is always there to lift us up and to bring us hope and help wherever our feet may trod

-- verse 5
5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

-- I don’t know about you, but these verses here speak to me in a special way -- I don’t know how many of you have spent sleepless nights worrying about things in your life -- about your family -- about your work -- about school or tests or friends -- but I know the feeling of being wide awake at 3:00 in the morning -- worrying and anxious about things to come
-- some have done that with this disaster in Japan -- others have stayed up and worried about finances and jobs and other things -- but these verses say that we don’t have to worry -- that whether it’s in the middle of the day or in the middle of the night, God is with us and He is watching over us
-- they remind us of the truth of that quote that gets passed around on e-mail and on the internet -- “Why take your worries and troubles to bed with you? -- Give them to God -- He’s going to be up anyway!”
-- Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. -- And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
-- all the worrying in the world won’t make the slightest difference in the situation in Japan -- staying up all night and fretting about your family or your job or your friends won’t change the situation in the slightest
-- worry is actually the opposite of faith -- worry says that the problem is too great for God and that we must come up with some answer on our own to fix the problems in our lives and in this world
-- but, the Psalmist reminds us that it’s not up to us -- it’s up to God -- the Lord is with us and He watches over us -- regardless of whether we slumber or sleep or whether we stay up all night worrying and fretting -- God watches over us and He keeps us from all harm -- not only now but in the future as well
-- but what about those in the tsunami? -- what about those in the flood? -- God didn’t keep them from all harm, did He?
-- the thing to remember is that God’s focus is on eternity and not on this world -- Jesus said in Matthew 10:28, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
-- Jesus didn’t die on the cross so that we would live a life free from trouble and pain here on earth -- He didn’t die on the cross so that our 401Ks would be full and that we would enjoy a peaceful and secure retirement in the sunset of life -- no, Jesus died on the cross so that we might have eternal life with Him
-- God’s focus is always on the eternal and on bringing glory to Himself -- when the Psalmist says here that God will not let our foot slip and that He will keep us from all harm, he is not referring to life here on earth -- he is referring to eternity
-- the message of this psalm is that our trust and our faith should be on the God who sees past the immediate -- who sees past the worry and stress of the crisis -- to the great eternity we will share with Him in heaven

III. Closing
-- so, what do we do with disasters such as the one in Japan? -- how do we live in a tsunami world?
-- Hudson Taylor -- the great missionary to China and founder of what is today known as the Overseas Missionary Fellowship -- gave this excellent advice in regards to worry and anxiety -- he wrote: "Let us give up our work, our plans, ourselves, our lives, our loved ones, our influence, our all, right into [God's] hand -- and then, when we have given all over to Him, there will be nothing left for us to be troubled about."
-- in other words, Taylor suggests that we work to meet the immediate needs of those affected by these disasters and that we show the love of God by being His hands and feet to those most in need of His presence
-- if you are looking for tangible steps you can take to survive in this world, let me give you this advice
--first, when trials and troubles come our way -- when things arise that give us pause and that cause us anxiety and worry -- the first thing we should do is to look to the hills -- we should turn to God in prayer and ask for His hand and His grace to be in the situation -- ask Him to take away your worry and anxiety and to replace it with His peace -- and rest sure in the knowledge that He is with you no matter what is going on around you

-- second, you can prepare -- Jesus gave us the parable of the man who built his house on the foundation of rock and who was ready when the storms came -- we know that troubles are going to come our way -- we know that trials and natural disasters will occur -- and we should prepare for them by having on hand ample supplies of food and water and medicine

-- third, you serve -- we have been called to be Christ’s hands and feet in this world and to share His love with others -- physically, materially, and spiritually
-- and, granted, we may not be able to respond physically to the crisis in Japan or in other parts of the world, but we can serve in other ways -- we can send our financial resources to Christian relief organizations already present in the country working to help those affected by the disaster -- we can send blankets and food or other items to relief agencies -- we can write notes of hope and encouragement and share the love of God with them
-- one reason I encourage people to prepare for disasters is so that we are able to respond to those around us in their time of need -- what better way to show the love of Christ than to share your food and resources with someone who needs help in their lives
-- I’ve printed out a list for you of two things that you can take with you today -- one is a list of Christian relief agencies who are actively working in Japan right now and who could use your financial assistance if you feel so led -- the other is a list from FEMA of basic supplies that everyone needs to have on hand to prepare for disasters or unexpected situations

-- lastly, you trust -- it is too easy in our day and age to get overwhelmed with life and the things around us -- the overwhelming message of this Psalm is that we should trust in God -- we should rest in His arms and in His grace and let His peace that surpasses all understanding lift up our hearts in the midst of uncertainty and despair
-- trusting God to take care of you demonstrates a depth of faith rarely seen these days -- by trusting God in the midst of trouble we proclaim to the world that our God saves -- that our God cares -- that our God loves
-- Jesus called us to go forth and proclaim His word to this world and to carry His message of good news to all -- what better message can we give an anxious world than to rest and trust in the arms of our Maker?

-- In his book, “If God Is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil,” author Randy Alcorn tells the story about a friend of his who had to have a double mastectomy because of breast cancer -- Two months after the surgery, her doctors discovered that the cancer had spread -- and that more radical treatments would be needed just to save her life -- in the midst of this devastating diagnosis, one of her friends asked, “How do you feel about God now?” -- after spending some time reflecting on that question and the trial that she was facing, Alcorn’s friend offered up the following response:

-- As I sought to explain what had happened in my spirit, it all became clearer to me -- God has been preparing me for this moment -- He has undergirded me in ways I've never known before -- He has made himself increasingly real and precious to me -- He has given me joy such as I've never known before—and I've no need to work at it, it just comes, even amidst the tears.
-- He has taught me that no matter how good my genes are or how well I take care of my diet and myself, he will lead me on whatever journey he chooses and will never leave me for a moment of that journey.
-- And he planned it all in such a way that step by step, he prepared me for the moment when the doctor dropped the last shoe … God is good, no matter what the diagnosis or the prognosis, or the fearfulness of the uncertainty of having neither.
-- The key to knowing God is good is simply knowing him."
[Randy Alcorn, If God Is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil (Multnomah, 2009), p. 399]

-- that is the message of this Psalm -- in the midst of our trials and troubles -- when we try to learn how to live in this tsunami world -- the answer is simply to know that God is good and to trust Him with our lives and our hearts and our souls
-- as I close now, I want us to remember our families in Japan -- our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering through this devastating natural disaster -- and I want us to consider our response to their plight
-- and, I want to invite you to lift up to God your own worries and anxieties -- to leave these burdens at the cross -- and to trust that He will see you through
-- if anyone would like me to pray with them or if you feel a need to respond to God’s word in some other way -- please either come up as the last song is playing or meet with me after the service
-- let us pray