To view a 2019 version of this sermon, please click here: https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2019/04/romans-1215-1-thessalonians-518-john.html
Hello, I am Captain Michael Ramsay. My wife Susan and I are the
Officers at 614 Warehouse Mission here at 77 River Street and 252 Parliament at
College. We have three daughters. One is
finishing grade 11; one, grade 10, and one is completing grade two. They are or
will be soon 17, 16, and 8. We’ve been here for 3 years now. And the end of
April every year in the Salvation Army they announce which officers are moving and
where they are moving to. This year our name came up and so in two months we
will all be moving to Port Alberni on Vancouver Island. This is kind of neat
because I grew up in Victoria and Susan grew up in Port Alberni. It is like
going home for her. It has been 15 years since we left the Island so none of my
kids remember BC or the Island. My youngest was born in Saskatchewan actually
and that brings me to one of the verses that I want to look at today.
Romans
12:15: Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
We are
all familiar with the hockey players, coach, trainer, that perished in
Saskatchewan recently. I read this verse, Romans 12:15, as I was trying to come
to terms with the tragic bus crash that happened in Saskatchewan. We lived on
the prairies for almost a decade but still I honestly did not expect to feel
the amount of grief and sadness that I did. Friends of mine lost friends and
family members in the crash. My heart breaks for them. My heart breaks for the
young people and their families.
As I led
prayer time here in Toronto that Sunday after the accident, I had to stop more
than once to regain my composure. Songs at the Sunday service would remind me
of people whom I knew would be grieving. Images would flash before my mind. I
used to live right near where that bus
crash happened: I used to live in Nipawin and pastor churches in both Tisdale
and Nipawin. I would drive that same stretch of highway where the accident occurred
every week, many times a week.
One
Spring afternoon, at about the same time of day, at about the same time of
year, I was driving that same stretch of highway with my two young daughters in
the car. Our car crashed and rolled over and we were left dangling in the air.
We were okay. I, disoriented, even wandered out into the middle of the highway
at one point. We were in shock but we were okay.
I can't
imagine the family members, friends and others standing recently on that same
stretch of road - and their loved ones aren't okay.
My mind
races. I recall a house fire in Nipawin that killed two very young children who
were classmates of my daughters and my having to speak to the press. I think of
those families then in Nipawin and the families now in Humbolt. My heart hurts.
I recall an explosion and fire in Nipawin, right behind my office, as well. I
recall standing next to people dying on the sidewalk. I recall walking the
streets talking and praying with everyone I saw. I recall organizing food for
those who needed it and providing comfort when I could. This time I am thousands
of miles away and do not do any of that.
I recall
my friends in Swift Current. The bus crash of 1986 is still in people's
memories and their hearts. I have one friend who was a first responder and has
told me many of times about that incident. I see my friends grieving. I can do
nothing but pray and pray I shall for peace and comfort for all who are
grieving even as I, though separated by thousands of miles, mourn with those
who mourn. #HumboltStrong
And then
while we were still coming to turns with that bus crash, the horrific van crash
happened here in Toronto. When that fellow ran down and killed all of those
people on Yonge Street, just a few subway stops North of where we live.
This just
passed Sunday I joined the Toronto community in supporting those impacted by last
Monday’s tragedy at the #TorontoStrongVigil. The event was hosted in
collaboration with community groups Faith
in the City and the Toronto Area
Interfaith Council. I am a part of those groups. It was a real blessing to
be a part of that remembrance, that vigil. Many people shared prayers, songs, words
of encouragement and comfort.
One of
the things that really resonated with me as I was standing with community
members and later clergy from other denominations and faiths was a spirit of
gratefulness.
1
Thessalonians 5:18: Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will
for you in Christ Jesus.
People
were grateful for the support of others. People were grateful for their
community. People were grateful for the response, the love, the giving, and the
forgiving of others. We were thankful.
This
gratefulness, this thankfulness to God is one thing we can offer at this time
as a community to our community in need. We can offer comfort and support to
those of us who are healing through giving thanks in all circumstances; for
this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
And this
is the case for all of us. None of us, I don’t think, leads a life free of
mourning or tragedy. None of us, I don’t think, leads a life free of trials and
tribulations. None of us, I don’t think, leads a life free of troubles and
struggles.
John 16:33: “I have told
you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will
have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
This, I think is the message of hope for me today. There is
trouble in the world. There has always been trouble in the world and there will
probably for many years to come still be trouble in the world. Sad things
happen. We know it is true. Jesus told us so; the Bible tells us so; and we all
have lived and will live through difficult times but, you know what? Tomorrow
the sun will come up and the day will continue and we can take heart because
Jesus has already overcome all of our troubles in the world; so we can turn to
him and experience comfort for yesterday, peace for today and hope for
tomorrow.
Years ago after my own accident on that same stretch of
highway that the Broncos bus was travelling was quite revealing to me. On a
Sunday, coming back from Church, I hit black ice and rolled over and wrote off
my car. That week when I travelled that same road, in a different car, I pulled
over at that same spot. I noticed the sun was out and their was no sign of
accidents, or black ice or anything of the sort.
God promises that He will be with us in the very midst of
our struggles and our suffering. And if there are any of us here who have never
prayed to him for our eternal salvation and comfort in the thick of everything
we experience in this life, I invite you to chat with me after the service here
or Ray at any time and we can pray with you. For God promises that He will
never leave us nor forsake us. He can get us through anything and He give us,
like we said, comfort for yesterday, peace for today and a true, real, solid
hope for the tomorrow.
Let us pray.
Benediction
from the Bible: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you
trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy
Spirit.
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