(originally posted September 9, 2008)
Do you know what bothers me? Sometimes when Pastor Sam is preaching, and he is preaching about something serious, there are certain persons who will laugh out loud. They are not engaging in a 'Toronto blessing' laugh, and they are not suffering from any medical condition as far as I know- it doesn't happen during other components of the service. And they are not holding side conversations with their friend. They appear to be laughing as a direct response to what has been said. If someone out there has a plausible explanation for this phenomenon I'd love to hear it, because I really don't understand how a soul headed for hell can be a comical subject.
Today's title is adapted from a comment made during Sunday's sermon. In reflecting on Noah's neighbors ignoring his years of "carpentry evangelism" and Lot's hesitation and excuses in the face of angels imploring him to flee the impending destruction of the cities Sodom and Gomorrah, Pastor Sam gave the following insight: when God makes a way of escape, there are some who snatch destruction out of the jaws of salvation. God always has a rescue plan, and in His gracious way He does not force it onto us. He calls us to embrace it. But the Scripture gives us numerous examples of men and women who cast aside the rescue option and choose to remain in an environment that is slated for destruction.
If you'll forgive me for not being spiritual, allow me to just appeal for a moment to your logical, rational mind. If you were living in Noah's time, and you and your children have spent the past ten years laughing at Noah's 'radical obedience' as he built this strange uber-container in a land that never knew rain, wouldn't you have picked up on the cue when you saw two of every living creature, one male and one female, walking down to the ark? Would you not have wondered when you saw the seven pairs of all clean animals and birds trekking to take their place in the ark? Ah, and we hear Jesus: if you don't believe based on what I say, at least believe based on the demonstrated signs and wonders. It's the last-chance demonstration of the spectacular power and provision of God before He breaks out in judgement.
Lot, and Lot's wife, still live in the hearts of those who see God at work and yet resist His call to flee from destruction. What does it mean when you have seen the angels of God strike a community with blindness (Genesis 19:1-14), and the angels of God say "Destruction is coming- you must hurry", and your response is "No, I will hesitate"? It means that you are snatching destruction from the jaws of salvation. It means you are sitting comfortably in the fourth row, laughing out loud while humble sons of God are making an appeal for you to run to Jesus while you still have a chance. Would you still laugh if I told you that you only have thirty days left? Unfortunately, history suggests that the answer is yes. So we appeal to the mercy of God and ask Him to take your hand and lead you out (Genesis 19:15-16).
Redemption, rescue, reconciliation, rejoicing. We pray that everyone will be caught and secured in the salvation of God. We pray especially for the four people that God has placed as special prayer requests at this time, as we prepare to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of our denomination. Celebrating the denomination is nice, but it is nothing compared to the celebration of souls coming to Christ. We are looking for, and expecting, a community that is safe in the ark.
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