Sermon Central
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Are They Attacking Again? Series
Contributed by Paul Decker on Nov 4, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: When tragedy strikes, we can trust God. [terrorism & war]
STANDING TALL:
ARE THEY ATTACKING AGAIN?
S: Courage
Th: Standing Tall
Pr: WHEN TRAGEDY STRIKES, WE CAN TRUST GOD.
?: How? How do we do that?
KW: Applications
TS: We will find in our study of Psalm 27 five applications that will instruct us on how to trust God when tragedy strikes.
The _____ application is…
I. PROFESSION (1-3)
II. PRESENCE (4-5)
III. PRAISE (6)
IV. PRAYER (7-12)
V. PATIENCE (13-14)
Version: ESV
RMBC 02 Nov 03 AM
INTRODUCTION:
ILL Notebook: Fear (Pillsbury Dough Boy strikes again)
A woman in Arkansas was sitting in her car in a parking lot when she heard a loud bang and then felt a sharp pain in the back of her head. She was holding her hands behind her head when someone walked by and asked, “Are you okay?” The woman answered, “I’ve been in shot in the head and I’m holding my brains in.”
Well, it wasn’t her brains. It was dough. A Pillsbury biscuit canister had exploded in the back seat, apparently from the heat, making a loud explosion and shooting the dough into the back of the woman’s head.
Well…
1. Have you ever had a good reason to be afraid?
As we can see, some fears are irrational.
Other fears, though are very rational.
For instance, listen to this quote…
ILL Notebook: Fear (bin Laden quote)
We – with God’s help – call on every Muslim who believes in God and wishes to be rewarded to comply with God’s order to kill Americans and plunder their money wherever and whenever they find it.
Do you know who said that?
If you said Osama bin Laden, you would be correct.
It was one of many declarations of war he has made.
This particular quote happened on 23 Feb 1998.
Well…
2. Times have changed, haven’t they?
Our country has not been the same since 9/11.
You know, as a kid, I never imagined a commercial jet would become a missile.
I never imagined letters with anthrax.
I never imagined bio-chemical warfare, but now all our kids live in a world where these things have happened.
On 9/11, we were targeted, we were hit and we were hurt deeply.
And now a void is left.
Spouses became widows and widowers.
Parents have outlived their children.
Good friends became grieving friends.
It was a nightmare.
TRANSITION:
It must break God’s heart that those created in His image, and have so much in common with the divine, have messed it up so much.
We have so much potential for good, but instead we have caused and created so much pain, evil and death.
And as a result…
1. Our world is not at peace.
All over the world there is war.
And we continue to be in the center of it.
Our nation continues to be anxious as the conflict in Iraq persists.
But we are not the only place and we are not the only ones where this is happening.
Conflict continues in places like Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Israel, India and Pakistan.
And countries that have no conflict worry about “sleeper cells” that are ready to strike.
Countries like Japan, Singapore, Germany and a host of others are on the watch for the next attack.
We are vulnerable.
We must recognize this.
The Office of Homeland Security does its best, but there are too many targets to guard.
There are too many creative ideas in the mind of evil genius.
And, unfortunately, there are too many reasons to hate what this country stands for.
There is reason to be afraid.
It seems only a matter of time until the next attack comes.
I don’t mean to be the bearer of bad news, but I don’t think the world is getting better, and generally speaking, I am an optimist.
Nevertheless, as a believer, the last thing life is is hopeless.
You see…
2. WHEN TRAGEDY STRIKES, WE CAN TRUST GOD.
As believers in the Lord Jesus, we are not to cower with fear.
We are called for something more.
We have been commissioned to make a difference in the lives of people.
And perhaps our greatest opportunities come when the tragedy comes.
This is why we are considering Psalm 27 today.
For…
3. We will find in our study of Psalm 27 five applications that will instruct us on how to trust God when tragedy strikes.
OUR STUDY:
I. The first application is PROFESSION (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? (2) When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. (3) Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
