Date: 22nd June 2008 (Sunday AM) Ref: A0390

Place: Kambah P.S.

Title: The Coming Environmental Catastrophe

Text: & Luke 12:42-47

Illust: According to CBS & MSNBC news in America, a new study by Australian scientist Dr. Tom Chalko, MSc, PhD, and published in the NU Journal of Discovery, had just found a new reason for us to be concerned about global warming: The research proves that destructive ability of earthquakes on Earth increases alarmingly fast and that this trend is set to continue, unless the problem of ‘global warming’ is comprehensively and urgently addressed.[1] ~ Even Earthquakes caused by Global Warming…

I. Man Made Global Warming

A. The Big Scare

i. Global warming, the big scare of the times. We are destroying the planet, if there is no rain, it is Climate Change, if there is tropical downpours & floods or fierce snowstorms it is global warming – climate change. –– Not just climate change but anthropogenic global warming – i.e. man caused. – It’s all your fault, all that CO2 that you produce causing the earth to heat up. We have no time we must act...

Climate change is real, urgent and greatest threat facing our world today. But the federal government’s overwhelming concern has been that cutting greenhouse gas emissions will negatively impact on the economy. .. Across the world, creatures as diverse as polar bears, frogs, tigers, pygmy possums, whales, orang-utans and turtles are struggling to survive as their ecosystems shrink as a result of global warming.[2]

ii. Oh no according to the Greens even the extinction of species is all global warming’s fault. It of course has nothing to do with hunting, fishing or population growth. Global Warming is to blame. – It gets worse, ABC Science Show presenter Robyn Williams claimed that sea levels could rise by 100m – Not a good idea to own coastal property!

iii. Now according to the Australian scientist Dr Chalko also earthquakes are getting worse because of Global Warming.

In Feb. 2006--A group of more than 85 influential American evangelical leaders released a statement today expressing a biblically driven commitment to curb global warming and called on the government to enact national legislation to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that are contributing to global climate change. ...signed by leaders of evangelical Christian denominations, mega-church pastors, Christian college presidents, and CEOs of major evangelical world relief organizations. The signers include Rick Warren, Rich Stearns, president of World Vision, and Commissioner Todd Bassett, national commander of The Salvation Army. ...Citing higher sea levels, more frequent heat waves and droughts, increased tropical diseases, and reduction in agricultural output as likely results of "even small rises in global temperature,"–[3]

What is the right response of us as Christians?

B. Nothing to Worry About

i. It is important to understand that your average reporter understands very little about what they actually report upon & they are looking at sensationalism. – Also important to understand that the science is far from settled.

31,072 US SCIENTISTS REJECT AGW CLAIMS" - There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gases is causing, or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth's atmosphere and disruption of the Earth's climate. Moreover, there is substantial scientific evidence that increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide produce many beneficial effects on the natural plant and animal environments of the Earth."[4]

ii. Don’t be worried that you are not a scientist & can’t really understand the issue, some online bloggers did some research into Dr Chalko & found:

Dr Tom J. Chalko lives in Mt Best, Victoria, .. He plays classical guitar exceptionally well, enjoys windsurfing,.. takes time to practice meditation, telepathy and astral travel. His hobbies include challenging paradigms and paradoxes in geophysics, studying puzzling properties of electro-photonic glow (Auras) using Kirlian camera, learning to see human aura, discovering purpose of life, as well as organizing controversial seminars.[5]

Chalko also runs a website for followers of the Thiaoouba Prophecy, which preaches that advanced beings from the planet Thiaoouba abduct one Earthling every century and impart unto the chosen-one the true meaning of life.

iii. Obviously not all as “alternative” as Dr Chalko, but it would be wise to be a bit sceptical about the whole issue of AGW. – Actually God has made it very clear:

Proverbs 8:29 When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, (NKJV)

Genesis 8:22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.” (NKJV)

Job 38:1-11 1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: 2 “Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge? 3 Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. 4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, 7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8 “Or who shut in the sea with doors, When it burst forth and issued from the womb; 9 When I made the clouds its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling band; 10 When I fixed My limit for it, And set bars and doors; 11 When I said, ‘This far you may come, but no farther, And here your proud waves must stop!’ (NKJV)

II. Real Environmental Catastrophe

A. Tribulation

i. But you might be surprised to know that I believe in AGW, it is just that I don’t believe that CO2 is the cause, I don’t believe cutting back on coal power etc etc is going to make any difference. – The Scientists, the Greens, the politicians, the reporters etc are all not addressing the real issue:

ii. The earth is going to get very hot & it is all mankind’s fault – The problem is that there is a God & He has laid down the laws of how He expects us to behave, yet mankind by & large scorns God’s laws, murders babies by the millions, calls good what God calls evil & calls; intolerance, hate speech, evil, what God calls good.

Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (NKJV)

iii. Woe is pronounced on this society, this age, this world. – The Greens should read Revelation. The judgements of God will make their worst nightmares of Global Warming look like a mild spring afternoon. –

Revelation 8:7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. (NKJV)

Revelation 8:8 Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. (NKJV)

| Oh no all those poor whales !!! |

Revelation 16:3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died. (NKJV)

| Now that’s Global Warming !!! |

Revelation 16:8-9 8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, (NKJV)

B. The Catastrophe of Lost Souls

i. In a society that is more concerned about the mulesing of sheep, the culling of Kangaroos or the shooting of a Polar Bear in Iceland[6] the real catastrophe is the eternal damnation of souls passing into eternity without the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

ii. As the church of Jesus Christ, we don’t need to worry about the scaremongering around CO2 caused Global warming, we have much greater issues to concern us. – Need to keep focussed on what Jesus wants us to be focussed on.

Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. (NKJV)

iii. Nothing about Climate Change in the Great Commission. Every corporation knows that to be successful you need to focus on your core business, Jesus has given us our core business –, Jesus said preach the Gospel, the good news that Jesus Christ died, was buried & rose again to conquer hell & death. That those who believe in Him shall not come under the judgement of God. ~ Let God worry about the weather.

III. Right Response

A. Security

i. Paul said “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.” (Phil 4:6, NLT) ~ You & I are to live secure in the knowledge that God is on the throne, that He has everything under control.

ii. There is no need to fear about the future of the planet, we know the end of the story, it is all going to burn up in the end. – Our eternal home is in heaven.

B. In Season

i. This brings us to our text, & Text. - Are we just to sit back & not be involved, No, we need to stay focussed on our calling, with a sense of urgency, an understanding of the immanence of the outpouring of the judgement of God.

ii. Jesus expects you & I to be engaged in the task He has set us, He expects you to be focussed, to be about the Masters business – Preaching, witnessing, praying, demonstrating the love of God to those we come across, those in need.

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. (NKJV)

iii. We don’t have much time left, The message of the Word of God is that while God is longsuffering there comes a point in time, when He says enough is enough, the sin of man has reached a limit & God pours out His wrath in judgment.

John 9:4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. (NKJV)