Sermon Central
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A. First You Jump Out Of An Airplane With A ...
Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007 (message contributor)
A. FIRST YOU JUMP OUT OF AN AIRPLANE WITH A HUNDRED POUNDS OF GEAR, INTO THE MIDDLE OF A BURNING FOREST, AND YOU CHASE THE FIRE AND FIGHT IT BY HAND -- USUALLY WITHOUT WATER OR, FIRE RETARDANT AND YOU DO IT BECAUSE YOU’RE A SMOKE JUMPER
B. MIMI SCISSONS, A 37-YEAR-OLD SMOKE JUMPER STATIONED IN GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO WAS ASKED BY A REPORTER, “WHY DO YOU DO THIS?? AND SHE SAID, "I’VE OFTEN WONDERED WHY, BUT I GUESS YOU CAN SUM IT UP IN JUST A FEW WORDS: SMOKE JUMPING IS WHO I AM".
C. SHE’S ONE OF 19 WOMEN IN THE PROFESSION, AND SHE HAS BEEN WORKING AT IT FOR 15 YEARS, IN FIVE STATES.
D. SHE LOST TWO FRIENDS IN THE 2002 STORM KING MOUNTAIN FIRE AND WHEN ASKED ABOUT HER FRIENDS DEATH SHE SAID, "IT WAS DEVASTATING, BUT IT DIDN’T MAKE ME RECONSIDER MY CAREER, THE JOB BEATS YOU UP, BUT THIS IS ME. THIS IS WHAT I DO."
E. ALLISON SHERRY, ANOTHER VETERAN SMOKE JUMPER SAYS, “I ENJOY THE DEMANDING JOB, WHERE THERE’S SMOKE, THERE’S A FIRE AND IT HELPS TO HAVE A SMOKE JUMPER.”
F. THERE IS AN UNDENIABLE AURA SURROUNDING THIS TIGHT-KNIT TEAM OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO FIGHT FIRES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WILDERNESS, ARMED WITH ONLY A FEW TOOLS, COURAGE, AND THEIR WITS.
G. THEY ARE THE GREEN BERETS OF THE FIRE-FIGHTING WORLD, DEPLOYED ANYWHERE, AT ANY TIME, USUALLY WITH REMARKABLE SPEED -- COVERING 150 MILES, IN AN HOUR.
H. SMOKE JUMPERS ARE USUALLY THE FIRST TO GET TO THE ISOLATED FIRES, AND IN SOME CASES THEY FIND THEMSELVES BATTLING FLAMES FOR DAYS ON END.
I. THEY’VE GOT BOTH POWER AND PASSION, HOW ELSE COULD THEY LEAP FROM A PLANE INTO A FLAMING HELL ON EARTH?
J. IN A SIMILAR WAY, JESUS WAS PEERING INTO AN EQUALLY DAUNTING DEATHTRAP,
1. WHEN HE SAID “GOOD-BYE” TO HIS DISCIPLES AT THE LAST SUPPER.
K. KNOWING THAT HE WOULD SOON BE PLUNGING INTO THE INFERNO OF AN ARREST, TRIAL AND CRUCIFIXION, JESUS CHALLENGED HIS FOLLOWERS TO SHOW THE POWER AND PASSION OF LOVE WHEN HE SAID IN JOHN 13:34-35, "JUST AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, YOU ALSO SHOULD LOVE ONE ANOTHER. BY THIS EVERYONE WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YOU HAVE LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER."
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