Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Sunday, September 10, 2017 Disaster Week Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Sunday, September 10, 2017

What’s up? Harvey Flooding Irma Blowing Jose Rising Mexico Quaking West Coast Burning Mynamar Drowning Internet Raging

Lots of talk about God Punishment for permissive society Training in humility and character End of the world People assume that God is in control and intentionally sending hardship our way You can find this idea in the Bible, particularly the Exodus accounts, but you can also find a repudiation of it in the Book of Job and in the words of Jesus (Luke 13:1-5; John 9)

A wiser word Look what we are doing to our planet Look how we neglect to care for the most vulnerable Look how we use science to predict an eclipse and no one denies it’s coming When we use the same tools to talk about climate change, people (many of whom profit from fossil fuel industries) deny this (roughly paraphrased from Neil Degrasse Tyson)

What can we do when things go wrong? Example of Joseph: rejected by siblings, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused, forgotten in prison Names his children in line with his desire to walk free from the emotional baggage of all of this (Ephraim and Manasseh) Forgives and cares for the ones who hurt him most Remains faithful over a long period Recognizes that God is a genius at bringing good results from difficult times

His children’s names (Genesis 41) 50 Before the years of famine came, Joseph had two sons, whom Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him. 51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” 52 The second he named Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my misfortunes.”

God a genius . . . (Genesis 50) Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 Then his brothers also wept, fell down before him, and said, “We are here as your slaves.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? 20 Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. 21 So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones.” In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.

In the NT (in a chapter that speaks of disasters to come, Matthew 24) . . . 45 “Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 

Don’t price gouge in a flood . . . 48 But if that wicked slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and he begins to beat his fellow slaves, and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know. 51 He will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Conclusion There is always an opportunity to do good to others, even in the craziest times This pleases God so much Taking advantage of people in pain is a little lower on his list

Some other voices: Albert Einstein

John D. Rockefeller

John Adams

Petra Nemcova

Jim Rohn