Crisis sermon

Hope in a Crisis. Tsunami, Hurricane and earthquake. The punishment of God?

A Sermon based on Luke 13

1755 is one of those significant dates in Adventist theology and history. For the early Adventist pioneers it was a fulfilment of Matthew 24:7 – the beginning of the “birth pains”, as Jesus termed it -- that would come before his return.

So what happened on November 1, 1755? To quote the August 30, 2004 National Geographic Magazine:

It was one of the greatest natural disasters in European history. The 8.7 earthquake that struck Portugal in 1755 killed at least 60,000 people, and triggered tsunamis (giant waves) that wrecked seaports in Portugal , Spain , and Morocco .

It’s often called “The Great Lisbon Earthquake” as Portugal ’s capital city saw more death than anywhere else – some 15,000 people – but it was only when I read the National Geographic article that I realised how devastating that earthquake and its subsequent tidal wave were.

It generated a 5- to 10-meter-high (16- to 33-foot-high) tsunami wave which swept across the coasts of Spain , southern Portugal and Morocco , devastating most of the ports and dragging people and debris out to sea.

Shaking was felt in France , Italy , and North Africa . The quake was reported to have lasted for as long as ten minutes.

The disaster was a setback to a powerful trading nation— Lisbon may have been the richest city in Europe at the time—and caused an important shift in the balance of power of the era.

Waves 2 metres high reached the coasts of Cornwall and the Orkneys, and even across the Atlantic in the Bahamas and Newfoundland . (BBC)

Adventists have looked back at the Great Lisbon Earthquake, then subsequent earthquakes around the world, we’ve shaken our heads, and pondered on the earth’s creaking and groanings – signs of the end of the age.

This year those creakings and groanings seem to have increased at least 3 fold. As the January 5 National Geographic News states:

The Indian Ocean tsunami generated by the most powerful earthquake in decades on December 26 is believed to have killed more than 150,000 people and made millions homeless, making it perhaps the most destructive tsunami in history.

Then more recently residents of New Orlean’s and a great swathe of the southern United States suffered the destructive force of Hurricane Katrina.

Now we watch the painful images on our TV screens of death and destruction in Kashmir , with over 50,000 dead and many more than that injured, homeless and without basic necessities in sub-zero temperatures.

It would be easy to be overwhelmed by the hopelessness of it all but I am equally encouraged by the warm response of so many individuals and nations giving so much in response to these tragedies. Encouraged that even in the midst of disaster, good things can come. That rebels, instead of fighting can provide aid. That religious communities that sometimes distrust each other can work together. Even those little stories that come up of a child being found alive, floating on a plank of wood, another found up in a tree. A man, rescued from a floating tree in the middle of the ocean, having survived drinking the milk from coconuts plucked from the ocean.

Events like these also make us ask questions. 9/11 – despite all its horror, we can perhaps understand and trace the root causes for such an atrocity. But the mass destruction of so many lives from “natural causes” – how do we explain what the insurance companies like to call “an act of God”?

That’s a debate that also raged in the 18^th century following the Lisbon Earthquake. It refocused a debate that was already going on. Some scholars, such as the poet Alexander Pope, held a very optimistic world view, believed that the world was a good place getting better. An event, such as the great Lisbon earthquake, then posed a most serious problem for the theologians and those who subscribed to the philosophy of optimism.

They dealt with it in several ways. These “optimists”, depending upon their concept of Original Sin and present-day wickedness, attributed the earthquake to God's wrath visited upon sinful people. The Protestant clergy in Northern Europe argued that the quake had occurred because most of the people of Lisbon were Roman Catholics.

Among the Catholics, and especially in Lisbon , the clergy believed that the shock was the result of divine anger at the presence of Protestants. Alleged heretics were forcibly baptized with the aim of preventing more earthquakes.

But there were those who sought another answer. The philosopher Voltaire was one of them.

On November 24, 1755, he wrote to one of the Tronchin brothers in Lyon that it now would be hard to see how the laws of motion lead to such awful catastrophes in the "best of all possible worlds." Again he commented how mere chance often determined the fate of the individual. He wondered what the clergy would say, especially the officials of the Inquisition, if their palace still stood in Lisbon . Voltaire expressed the hope that the Inquisitors had been crushed like the others, for that would teach humanity a lesson in tolerance: the Inquisitors burn some fanatics, but the earth swallows the holy man and heretic alike.

Voltaire wrote a poem concerning the destruction of Lisbon . In 180 lines he tries to come to grips with reality. The tone is one of deep pity for the lot of humanity in a world where both the innocent and the guilty seem to be pawns of fate.

It is the humanitarian Voltaire, a man deeply moved, who poses the question, can we indeed say that innocent victims were being punished for sin by a just God?

And can you then impute a sinful deed

To babes who on their mothers' bosoms bleed?

Was then more vice in fallen Lisbon found,

Than Paris , where voluptuous joys abound?

Was less debauchery to London known,

Where opulence luxurious holds the throne?

Of course, Biblically, there is a precedent for it. God did bring down fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah .

And there are many examples in the Old Testament of natural disaster or Divine Intervention being used to provoke or chastise God’s people or their enemies. The book of Job tackles the big question, “why does God allow the righteous to suffer?”

But following words of judgement I’ve heard coming from some of my fellow church members I’d like to focus on some very practical words of Jesus.

Luke 13:1-5 (ANIV)

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem ? 5I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

Jesus words seem to fit in with the Sodom and Gomorrah scenario. They had what was coming to them. Repent – so that you can be ready if something bad happens to you. What Jesus is saying certainly appears to fit in with the common philosophy of the day. Back then it was commonly assumed that if something bad happened to you it is because you were a sinner. That’s why Jesus tells the paralyzed man “your sins are forgiven you” before he tells him to “stand up and walk”. (Mat 9:2) On the other hand that’s why the people were surprised at Jesus response to the rich young ruler. They saw him as righteous – rich, intelligent, in good health – he must be blessed by God.

So on that basis the 18 who died when the tower there on the south eastern wall of Jerusalem collapsed must have been wicked – while those who maybe looked out from the temple walls and saw it happen must be righteous as they are still alive. Can you imagine how much comfort that must give at a funeral?

It’s a philosophy that Jesus wants to dispel. And he does it in two ways. First, by exaggeration. “It’s not just those who died in the tower that are sinners. It’s all mankind. Get your act together then and repent.”

That’s the harsh side. That’s the “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. (Rom 3:23) It’s true. But left on its own it’s bad news. And Jesus always wants to give us hope – so he tells a story.

Luke 13:6-9 (ANIV)

6Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig-tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig-tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' 8" 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig round it and fertilise it. 9If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "

I’m not sure why the fig-tree is planted in a vineyard – it’s not the normal place to plant trees – but there can’t be anything worse then to plant a tree there – and for it to take the nourishment that should be going to the vines – and then for it not even to provide a harvest. I enjoy my gardening – particularly vegetables. But while I do gardening for the enjoyment and for the exercise, I do like to see a result at the end. This land owner is looking for the result – and this is where Jesus really gives hope – give it more time. Tend it well. Fertilise it. Dig around it . Give it every opportunity to bear fruit.

Sin may be killing you – for as Paul said, “The wages of sin is death” – and what we get either by old age, illness or disaster is our just deserts – but Paul thankfully doesn’t stop there. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom 6:23)

That’s what Jesus is offering. That’s why, I believe, the “time of the end” has gone on so long – Jesus is giving as many as possible the opportunity to repent. The opportunity to bear fruit.

Somebody asked me whether I thought that the South East Asian Tsunami, the New Orlean’s flooding, the Kashmir earthquake, would cause more people to look towards God? I don’t know whether it will or not – but it certainly helps us focus our minds on our own humanity – and hopefully then to focus our minds on Jesus.

We can’t fully explain suffering, or why such terrible things should happen. But we can, always, point to hope – hope in a God who chooses life for us rather than death. Hope for a future where there will be no more “death, or mourning, or crying or pain.” (Rev 21:4)

I had someone write to me recently. He is from Tanzania – but resident in Thailand . Resident, not by choice, but because he is serving a 37 year jail sentence. He described himself as an evil man who had done much wrong in the past. There in prison he had suffered from depression and was on the brink of suicide. But then hope came into his life. Hope as he head the words of Jesus, “Come unto me, all you that are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28)

Today he is a different person. He’s still in prison, but now he sees a bright future in front of him.

Horacio Spafford penned the hymn:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll,
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Spafford was a successful Chicago lawyer but recently his son had died and then a massive fire in 1871 wiped out a lot of his real estate investments in Chicago . He decided to take a break and travel to England , meeting up with his good friend Dwight L Moody and helping him with his evangelistic campaigns. Due to last minute business concerns his wife and four daughters sailed to England a few days before him. Sadly their ship was wreaked and sank in just 12 minutes. Landing in Cardiff his wife cabled him a message, “Saved alone.”

He wrote the words of this hymn as his ship sailed near the spot where his daughters drowned. Words of comfort then. Words of hope now.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blessed assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Disaster brings out our humanity, it also increases our hope in a Saviour who brings peace to our souls.

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