September 27, 2009

2009 09 27

Git R Dun: Bring Them Back Alive

Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22

Psalm 124
James 5:13-20

It's hard to believe...but it has been over four years since Hurricane Katrina came ashore in southeast Louisiana.  Most of us remember well those first reports of the damage and devastation throughout Louisiana and Mississippi.  But we will always remember the images of New Orleans most of all. 

While in the Atlantic, Hurricane Katrina had not been a particularly large of dangerous one. When it crossed over Florida, it did so as a Category one hurricane.  That's not to say that you can ignore a Category one hurricane.  Any hurricane can cause damage and take lives.  However, the worst was yet to come.  When Katrina reached the Gulf of Mexico, it gathered strength, eventually becoming a Category Five. 

Then something happened, the storm weakened in strength, but doubled in size.  Katrina continued to gain strength and size becoming the strongest hurricane ever in the Gulf of Mexico at the time.  The scope of Katrina's wrath would be tremendous.  When Katrina reached the shores, it did so with 125 mph winds and torrential rains. 

However destructive the wind and rains were, it was the storm surge that did in New Orleans.  The city itself lay under sea level.  To the north, Lake Ponchartrain was already full to capacity, when walls of water were forced up the Mississippi River and adjoining causeways.  The levees protecting New Orleans failed, and the city began to quickly fill with water.

I remember the images from the newspapers and television in the days and weeks to follow.  The devastation was unimaginable, but the worst was yet to come for those who had stayed to ride out the storm.  Although the orders had been given to evacuate, thousands of residents had stayed.  Without food, water, and sanitation, there was chaos...and death.  The roads were impassible.  We saw the images of people standing on porches and rooftops signaling for help.  Although there were many people from many working to help these people, I will always remember the Coast Guard helicopters, coming in and picking up people with their baskets...and flying them to safety.  I can't imagine how many flights those pilots must have flown.  Hundreds?  Thousands? 

All said, Hurricane Katrina took over 1,800 lives and another 700 are missing.  When considering only the loss of human life, Katrina is the most destructive and costly events in our nation's history.  I know that the struggle to restore New Orleans has been a long one...and continues yet today.  Yet, I still think of those choppers.  Those bright orange Coast Guard choppers.  They dropped off valuable water and supplies, and picked up survivors.  How much greater would the death toll have been without the choppers and their crews?  The people caught in the storm were as good as dead, but because of the effort of the Coast Guard and other agencies, they were saved.  They were brought back to life. 

In the days of Queen Esther, there was a man named Haman.  Haman was a noble of King Xerxes court.  He loved the power and prestige that came with his position...and would do all he could to preserve it.  Haman feared that the Jews in the kingdom were becoming to prominent.  They might challenge him someday and take some of his power. 

Haman went to King Xerxes and told him of a people in the land who were different from them and disobeyed the King's laws.  Haman proposed that they be destroyed.  Not knowing the people about whom Haman was speaking, Xerxes gave Haman a signed edict giving Haman permission to destroy the Jews.  Mordecai was a leader of the Jewish people and found out about the plan.  Mordecai went to Queen Esther, Esther being a Jew herself.  Mordecai told the queen that she must go before the king and ask him to save her people. 

However, there was a problem.  The rule was that NO ONE could not go before the king without being asked first.  If you went before the King without permission, you must die.  Xerxes was a bit of a stickler on his rules and regulations.  Queen Esther must go before the King to expose Haman's plot to kill her people

Esther 4:15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." 17 So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther's instructions.

Esther went before the king without his permission, but he granted her an exception to the rule.  She requested that she be allowed to throw a banquet for Haman. 

Esther 7:1 So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther, 2 and as they were drinking wine on that second day, the king again asked, "Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted." 3 Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life-- this is my petition. And spare my people-- this is my request. 4 For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation.

5 King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, "Who is he? Where is the man who has dared to do such a thing?" 6 Esther said, "The adversary and enemy is this vile Haman."

The King had already signed an edict for the destruction of the Jews.  And the King's word was Law.  But Esther risked everything, even her own life to save her people.  That edict would mean the end of her people and eventually her own death.  But with prayer and fasting, Esther went forward, saved her people, and brought down the man who sought to destroy them all.  The king signed a new edict, not only saving them, but also giving them a new holiday to celebrate.

Prayer is powerful.  Did you know that prayer saves lives?  Did you know that?  How many of you believe that prayer saves lives?  I do.  Most of us already know and believe what James has been telling us today. 

¹³ Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. ¹⁴ Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.

Folks, we know that people get sick.  We know that people die.  That is just the way things are in this messed up, broken down, fallen world of ours.  Last week, we read how Eve and Adam ate the fruit...the forbidden fruit...the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. And things have been a catastrophe ever since.  Before their disobedience, there was no sickness and no death.  There were no hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, famines, droughts, or wars.  Before that time, there was no Alzheimer's cancer, common cold or swine flu. 

Because of sin, the world has been sick ever since.  No one is immune from all sickness or natural disaster.  The world will bring us trouble.  James tells us that we need to pray.  Even when we are happy...praise the Lord.  Is anyone happy?  Praise the Lord!  Is anyone happy here this morning?  Praise the Lord!  If anyone is sick, we need to pray for them.  They need to be prayed over.  I usually have anointing oil with me.  During our pastoral prayer...or during prayer time or after the service...if you need prayer and wish to be anointed, let me know.  We can pray, and (as James says) the Lord will raise him up. The Lord will raise you up.

But that's not all!  James says, If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

The sin in this world is enough to make us sick.  However, it is the sin in our hearts that is always fatal.  Therefore confess your sins to each other.  Find someone who you know is a prayer warrior.  Find someone who prays without ceasing.  Go to them with you cares, your worries, your sins...confess them before God and this person.  Hold on!  Why do I need to confess my sins to anyone else?  Isn't it God who does the forgiveness business?  Yes.  But too many people are secret sinners.  They keep their sins secret.  Then confess them to God...then go back to the same sins again and again.  Yes...only God can forgive sins, but you need someone to keep you accountable.  And you need to pray for the other person as well. 

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.  We know what Elijah did 1 Kings 18.  He prayed and the lands dried up.  He prayed again, and it rained.  Do not underestimate the power of prayer.

¹⁹ My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, ²⁰ remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

We know people out there who need this.  We know people who have been a part of this church or any church, but they have wandered.  They may have left the church, or they may be sitting in the pew next to you.  Whether close to you or far away at this moment, they have wandered.  They may have heard the truth of God's loving grace and accepted it, but over time their hearts have cooled.  The distractions of this world have celled them away.  They have wandered.   They have wandered, but it is time for them to return.  God is calling them, and he needs a few good men.  He needs a lot of good men and women to pray for these people and to reach out to them again. 

We need to ave our sins forgiven.  We need to confess our sins to one another and be held accountable.  I know people don't like that.  It's none of your business.  But if God is our Father, and he tells us to watch out for our brothers and sisters....then it is my business.  Then it is all our business.  We don't need to be busy bodies, but we do need to be busy prayers.  Praying for you.  Praying for me.  Praying for each other and for those who have wandered from the Lord.  There is a death sentence hanging over them.  We have to reach out to them.  We have to get a hold of them.  We have to bring them back...alive. 

Remember.  Remember.    ²⁰ remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

We have to reach out to them.  We have to get a hold of them.  In prayer, we have to bring them back...alive.  Prayer saves lives.  It is mightier than any king.  It is more powerful than a hurricane.  What is your prayer, and for whom are you praying today?