Harvest Pointe Christian Church, Milford Ohio is a non-denominational Christian Church (Church of Christ) on the Eastside of Cincinnati OH

Fear of Global Calamity | Series: Fearless | 10-11-09

Fear of Global Calamity
Series:  FEARLESS
Matthew 24   

  I. The world has been bad for a long time.
 II. God is in control.
III. Jesus and you win in the end.
         1. If you stand firm, you will be saved!
         2. The whole world will have heard the Gospel.
         3. The end will come.

Full Text 

Associated Press headlines from last Sunday:

Village deaths to lift Indonesian quake death toll
By IRWAN FIRDAUS and ERIC TALMADGE
PADANG, Indonesia (AP) - The death toll from Indonesia's massive earthquake will likely double as officials on Saturday reached rural communities wiped out by landslides that buried more than 600 people under mountains of mud, most of them guests at a wedding celebration.  Virtually nothing remained of four villages that had dotted the hillside of the Padang Pariman district in Indonesia's West Sumatra just three days ago…Hundreds of doctors, nurses, search and rescue experts and cleanup crews arrived at the regional airport from around the globe with tons of food, tents, medicine, clean water, generators and a field hospital.  But with no electricity, fuel shortages and telecommunication outages the massive operation was chaotic.  Roughly 400 people were at a communal wedding in Pulau Aiya village when Wednesday's 7.6 magnitude quake unleashed a torrent of mud, rock and felled palm trees, …"They were sucked … (100 feet) deep into the earth," … "Even the mosque's minaret, taller than … (65 feet), disappeared."  As many as 3,000 people had been declared missing before news about the obliterated villages emerged, while 2,400 were hospitalized and tens of thousands of people are believed to have been displaced.
… more than 30,000 homes, schools, mosques, hospitals and government offices had been flattened or severely damaged ….

Firefighters try to protect Calif mountain town
WRIGHTWOOD, Calif. (AP) - Firefighters launched an aggressive ground and air assault Sunday against a wind-fanned wildfire that erupted in the San Gabriel Mountains and threatened a popular resort community.  Crews spent the day cutting fire lines while battling erratic winds. Helicopters and air tankers, which were briefly grounded due to the weather, dropped water and retardant on the blaze, which doubled overnight to 3,500 acres.  Flames, chewing through chaparral and timber, advanced within a quarter-mile of the mountain resort community of Wrightwood, which was under mandatory evacuation. …Between 4,000 to 6,000 residents were ordered to evacuate, …

Samoans flock to churches to mourn tsunami victims
By AUDREY McAVOY and ROD McGUIRK
LALOMANU, Samoa (AP) - Villagers from a Samoan disaster zone gathered at church Sunday for belated funeral ceremonies - mourning victims of the South Pacific tsunami that obliterated entire communities and killed at least 176 people on both Samoa and American Samoa….

Somalia president condemns Minn. terror recruiting
By AMY FORLITI
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The president of Somalia on Sunday denounced the recruiting of young men from Minnesota's huge Somali community for terrorist activity in his war-ravaged homeland, and said he plans to work with the U.S. government to bring those still alive back home.
President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed spoke with The Associated Press while visiting the Minneapolis area, where authorities believe as many as 20 young Somali men - possibly recruited by a vision of jihad to fight - returned to the impoverished nation over the last two years.At least three have died in Somalia, including one who authorities believe was the first American suicide bomber. Three others have pleaded guilty in the U.S. to terror-related charges.

8 US troops killed in fierce Afghan fighting
By ROBERT H. REID and RAHIM
KABUL (AP) - Hundreds of insurgents armed with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades stormed a pair of remote outposts near the Pakistan border, killing eight U.S. soldiers and capturing more than 20 Afghan security troops in the deadliest assault against U.S. forces in more than a year, military officials said.  The fierce gunbattle, which erupted at dawn Saturday in the Kamdesh district of mountainous Nuristan province and raged throughout the day, is likely to fuel the debate in Washington over the direction of the troubled eight-year war.

Latest typhoon kills 16 in northern Philippines
A young boy searches through flood debris for recyclables from Typhoon Ketsana … Manila escaped the worst of Typhoon Parma that made landfall on Saturday. On Sept. 26, Tropical Storm Ketsana killed at least 288 people and damaged the homes of 3 million. Ketsana went on to kill 99 in Vietnam, 14 in Cambodia and 16 in Laos.

Death toll from floods rises to 205 in south India
In this photo provided by Indian Defense Ministry, an Indian Air Force helicopter rescuing a man from a flood hit area … Soldiers plucked marooned villagers from rooftops in rescue operations Saturday after flash floods and landslides killed 134 people in southern India, …

UN watchdog sets Oct. 25 for Iran inspection
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - The head of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog on Sunday said inspectors would be examining Iran's recently revealed nuclear facility on Oct. 25.  … a recently revealed uranium enrichment facility … has caused consternation around to world over the extent and purpose of Iran's nuclear program.…Revelations that Iran had a second, previously unknown, site to refine uranium has raised new international fears of the purposes of the nation's nuclear program.…

How's that for 1 day's news!  And that was a Sunday, which is a slow news day!  Earthquakes, wild fires, Tsunamis, terrorists, wars, typhoons, floods, and the threat of nuclear war.  And that doesn't even begin to include things that didn't make last Sunday's headlines, like Climate Change, Swine Flue Epidemics, and the Global Economic crash.  It's no wonder people fear a global calamity.  No one can deny that this world is not always a fun place to be.  For most people, the world is bad.

In fact, first of all,
I. The world has been bad for a long time.

Before having their 1st children Adam and Eve sinned.  Since then the world has been corrupt.  Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel.  Cain murdered Abel.

People became worse and worse until one day we read in Genesis 6:5-8,
"5 The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the LORD said, 'I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth-men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air-for I am grieved that I have made them.' 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD."

And you know the story.  God sent a universal flood upon the earth, a real global calamity.  Only Noah and his family were spared on the ark.

You would think that such a horrible disaster would teach mankind to straighten up its act.  But soon after, humans turned against God and it has been that way ever since.  Constantly there have been wars.  Raping, pillaging, torture, genocide.  Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tidal waves, droughts.  Epidemics of disease, plagues of insects, and rodents.  All we read and hear about has been going on for a long time.  The only thing new is our new ways to kill each other.  As Solomon said, "There is nothing new under the sun."

This could get pretty depressing.  But I want you to know that secondly,
II. God is in control.

Jeremiah lived during a horrible time for the nation of Israel.  The Israelites had turned their backs on God and were worshipping idols.  God sent Jeremiah to call the Israelites to repentance.  But they wouldn't listen.

Then, in Jeremiah 18 Jeremiah writes,
"1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:  2 'Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message.' 3 So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 6 'O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?' declares the LORD. 'Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it."

God is in control.  It is God that raises up nations and it is God that brings them down again.  God was warning Israel that if they didn't turn back to Him, He would raise up a nation to punish them, which is exactly what happened.

On the other hand, God sent Jonah to preach to a wicked city named, Nineveh.  They repented, so God did not destroy them.  God is in control.

But the problem is, so often man refuses to turn to God.  Whether God blesses or sends destruction, many still reject Him.  But God is still in control.  God is so wise, knowing the choices a person will make, that He even uses evil people to do His work.

When God sent Moses to Pharaoh to tell him to release the Israelite slaves, in Exodus 9:16 God told Pharaoh through Moses,
"But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."

God knew that Pharaoh was so stubborn that he would not want to let the Israelites go.  So God raised him up at that time so His name would be glorified, so everyone would know that it was God who set the nation free.

As bad as life in Egypt seemed, God was still in control and God was victorious in the end.  He sent 10 plagues, 10 calamites upon entire land of Egypt and finally, Pharaoh relented and Israel was free.  God raises up nations and God tears them down again to accomplish His plan.

After God gave the Israelites their country, they began by serving God, but over and over again they turned their backs on Him.  God would raise up a nation to oppress them.  They would turn back to God.  God would deliver them.  And that scenario happened over and over again.  Finally, God raised up Nebuchadnezzar to carry the Israelites off in captivity for 70 years.  Always, even when Israel was being conquered, God was in control.

So, no matter what calamity may strike, God is watching over you.  Whether it be a tornado or a flood, the swine flu or HIV, if the economy continues to crash, keep trusting in God.  Even if the communists or the Muslims over-run America, God will still be in control.  He will still be watching over you.

That's why David could write, in Psalm 27:1, 3
"1 The LORD is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear?  The LORD is the stronghold of my life-of whom shall I be afraid?"  "3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident."

The Lord is my salvation.  No matter how severe the calamity, you will be saved.  You are Heaven bound.  Remember.  This world is not our ultimate home.  We are looking forward to a better place.  When calamity strikes, pray and be faithful.  Remember God has a plan and He is in control.

And never forget, that thirdly,
III. Jesus and you win in the end.

Many people think of Jesus as a nice old man filled with platitudes.  But the truth is, Jesus was a young man who had a firm grasp on reality.  And in spite of the reality, He offers hope.  Listen, as Jesus informs us of what is to come.

Matthew 24:6-14
"6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines
and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of birth pains.  9Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

Fascinating passage.  Jesus talks about wars and famines and earthquakes and persecution and being hated and the love of most growing cold.  It all sounds so horrifying. It's like something out of a Sci-fi movie.

It reminds me of a couple of old plaques. 

One says, "The light at the end of the tunnel could be another train."  Have you ever felt like that?  Just when it seems things are about to work out, life falls apart again?

Another plaque says, "They told me 'Smile, things could get worse.'  So I did and they did."  Things just keep going from bad to worse.  And our world can do that as well.  Jesus says there will be an increase of wickedness.

But did you catch what Jesus said in Verse 6?  "but see to it that you are not alarmed."  Jesus says not to go berserk.  Don't become frantic with fear.  Don't be alarmed.  But how can you NOT be hysterical?

Look again at Verses 13 and 14. 
"13but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

Notice the 3 important words in these 2 verses.  "Saved."  "Gospel."  "End."  In the midst of all this chaos and destruction 3 wonderful things will happen.

1. If you stand firm, you will be saved!

Remember, we are bound for Heaven.  We do not fear death because death is a beginning.  When we die, our struggles and pain are over.

2. The whole world will have heard the Gospel.

Everyone will not be saved, but every nation will have heard the message.  We will have done our part.  We will be faithful to the end, which is our 3rd word.

3. The end will come.

Last week we spent some time on the celebration of Jesus' return.  A little later in this passage Jesus gives us more hope in the midst of our struggles.

Matthew 24:30-31
"30At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.
31And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other."

All the wicked people filling the earth will mourn when Jesus comes again.  They have no hope.  They are lost and in despair.  But those of us who remained faithful to Him will be gathered to Him.  We will share His great glory.  Jesus and you win!!

But this will also be the day of the greatest global calamity ever.  It will be the ultimate, final global calamity.  Peter tells us about this all-destructive calamity in II Peter, chapter 3.  And I want you to notice that the purpose of Peter's writing is not to instill fear, but rather to encourage you
1. to live a godly life and
2. to live in hope.

Let's begin with Verses 1 and 2.
"1Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles."

Peter wants to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.  It is wholesome thinking that leads to a godly life.  Your thinking controls what you want to do.  It is wholesome thinking that leads to a life of hope.  As you focus on Heaven and the next life, the focus of your life is no longer the dread of disaster, but the hope of eternity.

Verses 3-7.
"3First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4They will say, 'Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.' 5But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men."

Again, the prediction of a wicked world is made.  We are reminded of the past destruction of the earth by a great flood.  Then we are told that the next time the world will be destroyed with fire.  So, why doesn't God just destroy the earth and forget it?  Why let it go from bad to worse?

Verses 8 and 9.
"8But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

Why hasn't' God destroyed the earth already?  God is patiently giving everyone a chance to repent.

Verses 10-12.
"10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.  11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming."

This is the ultimate global calamity.  Space, our atmosphere, and even earth itself will go up in roaring flames.  So, how are we to respond?  With fear and horror?  No.  We respond with lives that please God.

Not much is said today about holy and godly living.  Humanism is rampant.  But we are to be distinctive in the world!  We show we are Christians by how we live!

Again, Peter turns back to destruction.  The end of Verse 12.
"12That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.  [Now, is our hope again!]  13But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness."

It's going to be awesome!
We will be in a universe of righteousness!
No more sin.
No more pain.
No more suffering.
No more death.

Now Peter again returns to his purpose for writing.  Verse 14.
"So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him."

And Peter closes the chapter with Verse 18.
"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen."

Do you need to turn the ultimate global disaster into a day of hope and great expectations?  Do you need the blood of Jesus cleansing you of your sin?

Then come forward when we sing and we'll help you confess your belief in Jesus before others and be baptized into Him so that you can "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ".  Or maybe you've already done that and would like to place your membership with us.  Then come forward as we stand and sing.