Home Page   Contact Us    Service Times   Sermons   Are You Going To Heaven?

NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!

THE GREATEST TRAGEDIES

INTRODUCTION

Yesterday morning the Space Shuttle Columbia came apart as it reentered earth’s atmosphere.

As a result, the seven astronauts aboard lost their lives.

This morning our thoughts and our prayers are with the families of the astronauts.

It was not the first tragedy for our space program.

Most of us remember the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster as it blew apart after its launch.

Some of us remember the astronauts who were lost in the Apollo program on the launch pad as they were just going through pre-launch practice procedures.

Some of us remember other tragedies.

The fact is, life is full of tragedies. Some have a greater impact on us than others.

In the next few weeks I would like to take a look at some of the greatest tragedies of all time from a Biblical standpoint. Some of them have had a great impact upon us and/or the ones we love. Some of them have had world wide impact.

The first of these tragedies is found in Genesis 3–That is, the tragedy of sin.

I.         IT WAS A TRAGEDY BECAUSE OF ITS INTERNAL IMPACT ON MAN.

            (Genesis 3:7-13)

            The internal impact on man was that he died spiritually.

            In Genesis 2 we find that God gave man responsibility. (Genesis 2:15-25)

                        God put man in the garden to dress it and to keep it. (Vs 15)

                        God gave him freedom to eat with responsibility. (Vs 16-17)

                        God gave him the responsibility to name every living creature. (Vs 19-20)

                        God gave him the responsibility to lead a mate. (Vs 21-25)

            Man was made to have fellowship with God. Sin broke that fellowship. (Genesis 3:8-10)

What a tragedy to have sweet fellowship with the God of the universe one day and to be spiritually dead the next.

            In Genesis 3:12-13, we find man trying to pass the buck on responsibility.

            Mankind today is still trying to pass the buck on responsibility for their sin:

                        “Its not my fault, it was my family. . .or my friends.”

                        “It was the neighborhood I grew up in.”

                        “It is because I grew up poor.”

                        “The devil made me do it!”

II.       IT WAS A TRAGEDY BECAUSE OF ITS EXTERNAL IMPACT ON CREATION.

            A.        All Of Creation Was Cursed. (Vs 14)

                        All of plant life and animal life.

Every time you have to pull weeds out of your flower bed it should remind you of the consequences of sin.

Every time you have to slap a mosquito it should remind you of the consequences of sin.

Every time you have to go to the doctor or take medicine it should remind you of the consequences of sin.

            B.        The Battle Of The Ages Began. (Vs 15)

The battle for the souls of men.

                        Satan desires to damn souls for eternity in hell.

            C.        Toil And Trouble Began. (Vs 16-19)

                        Work did not begin but labor did. (Genesis 2:15)

                        1.         Labor In Childbirth.

                        2.         Labor In Work.

            D.        Physical Death Began. (Vs 21)

Up to this point there was no death.

            E.        Paradise Was Lost. (Vs 22-24)

The most perfect place God created was forfeited by man.

III.      IT WAS A TRAGEDY BECAUSE OF ITS EVENTUAL IMPACT ON MAN.

(Genesis 5:5–“And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.”

            Man began to die physically. Since that time man has continued to die physically.

            Every cemetery is a testimony to the tragedy of sin.

            Every cemetery is a reminder that we too will pass that way.

Every person who loses a loved one to death wants to know “why” – The why is found in the consequences of Adam’s sin.

IV.    IT WAS A TRAGEDY BECAUSE OF ITS UNIVERSAL IMPACT ON CREATION.

            A.        All Of Mankind Was Impacted.

Romans 5:12–“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

            B.        All Of Creation Was Impacted.

Romans 8:19-22

V.        IT WAS A TRAGEDY BECAUSE OF ITS ETERNAL IMPACT ON MAN.

            (Vs 15, 21)

            A.        Because Of Sin Man Was Doomed In His Sin.

                        Eternal Death. Separation from God for eternity in hell.

            B.        Because Of Sin A Substitute Was Needed. (Vs 21)

                        1.         As A Sacrifice For The Sinner.

Romans 6:23–“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.”

Romans 5:20-21–“But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

                        2.         As A Covering For The Sinner.

2 Corinthians 5:21–“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

                                    Christ is our covering. He is our Righteousness.

            C.        Because Of Sin Our Substitute Came.

John 3:16–“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

                        Luke 19:10–“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

                        Ephesians 2:1–“And you hath He quickened who were dead in trespasses and sin.”

The entrance of sin into the world was the greatest tragedy to happen in this world.

However, God has made a provision for sin. Jesus Christ the Righteous.

1 John 2:2–“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

1 John 5:11-13–“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

What have you done with Jesus?

Have you believed on Him? Have you trusted Him to save you from your sin?

If not, you are still in your sin and if you continue to live in your sin it will have eternal consequences on you.

John 3:17-18–“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Anytime a tragedy happens there is usually an attempt to rescue survivors from the results of the tragedy if possible.

If you have trusted Jesus, what are you doing to rescue the souls of men from the awful tragedy of sin upon their lives?

We should be groaning. (Praying for sinners.)

We should be going. (Giving the gospel to sinners.)

We should be giving. (Sending missionaries around the world.)

Home Page   Contact Us    Service Times   Sermons   Are You Going To Heaven?

NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!