Sermon Tone Analysis

Chilean Miners - On August 5th, 2010, 33 miners working in the San José Copper & Gold Mine in Chile’s Atacama Desert were about 5 hours into their shift, approximately 2000 feet below the earth’s surface when they began hearing strange noises, then loud explosions.

Dust filled their work areas and small rocks began dropping on them.

Fortunately, they were able to move into a specially designed steel reinforced room which kept them safe.

They had enough provisions to feed 25 men for 2 days.

Many thought they would be rescued in a few days.

They didn’t realize that a 550 foot tall, 770,000 ton piece of Rock had broken off of the mountain and fallen into the mine.

It sealed off all ramps and opens into the mine.

All power, phone, water and air lines were broken off.

For 17 days the miners rationed their food and attempted to survive.

They ate a teaspoon of tuna with some water, and bits of cookies that were found in the safe room.

Finally, after hearing probes being drilled around them one punched through into their room.

They beat on the probe with hammers, painted it red and attached a note which when drawn to the surface said “We are okay in the refuge, the 33 miners.”

It would take 52 more days until they were rescued, but eventually all 33 were brought to the surface.

4 rescue capsules were built, although only one was used..

They were almost 13’ tall and 21” wide.

The capsules were raised and lowered inside a 24” hole that had been drilled down to the miners.

Each miner wearing a special rescue suit was strapped into the capsule.

They wore sunglasses as well as a communication helmet, monitors and probe’s to keep track of their vitals as the capsule was then pulled to the surface.

The journey took 10-15 minutes.

The whole operation took 22 1/2 hours to complete.

But late in the evening of October 13th, all 33 Miners were safely back on the surface!

After being trapped for 69 days, 2000 feet below ground they were Saved!

Today, our message continues from the book of Ephesians 2:1-10

Let’s open our bibles or turn in your bible app and follow along as we read.

(Events in Bible App)

Paul turns his attention to our spiritual condition as he continues his letter to the Ephesians Christians.

Remember, these believers were living in a city that worshipped the Pagan god Diana, which included the worship of silver statues of her sold by the local silversmiths.

These believers were surrounded by neighbors and other citizens who were not believers.

Greeks and Romans who would live a life of revelry and sin.

These believers were living in a culture similar to ours.

A culture that allowed various forms of worship.

A culture that allowed just about anything, and a culture that new little about God.

He had spent the first chapter of Ephesians explaining the benefits they now enjoyed because they were believers and followers of Jesus.

He talked about the blessings they had as Christians.

He reminded them that they were chosen by God, that they were adopted as sons and daughters, with all the benefits that gives them.

He reminded them of their redemption and forgiveness that they now enjoy.

In Chapter 2 he begins by explaining spiritual condition before the followed Jesus.

As we start I want to say this: Nobody likes to think about sin and it’s punishment.

In fact, preachers seldom preach about Hell and the afterlife.

Many preachers think these are not approprate and uplifting comments.

I recently saw an article that said you would most likely never hear Joel Osteen preach a sermon about hell.

In fact, Joel had this to say about sermons regarding hell:

“People already feel guilty enough.

They’re not doing what they should, raising their kids—we can all find reasons.

So I want them to come to Lakewood or our meetings and be lifted up, to say, ‘You know what?

I may not be perfect, but I’m moving forward.

I’m doing better.’

And I think that motivates you to do better.”

Now,I don’t want you all to go home today and say “That was a pretty depressing sermon.”

I don’t want you to go away feeling bad about yourselves.

But i think it’s healthy and okay for us to think about sin and it’s consequences.

It’s okay to speak about hell.

It’s okay to be reminded of where we will end up if we don’t follow Jesus.

In fact, one of our first motivations to follow Jesus is to avoid going to hell.

That’s okay.

I hope you don’t want to go to Hell.

It’s not funny.

I hate it when people joke about hell.

You’ve heard people talking and maybe tell a coarse joke or some particularly unclean story and say something like “I’ll see you in Hell” and then laugh about it.

Why do they do that?

Why do we even remotely think hell is a place we might want to be?

Listen to what Paul says in Ephesians 2:1-3 about our spiritual condition before we followed Jesus:

While Paul doesn’t go into detail about what Hell is like, he does very clearly state the spiritual situation we are in without Jesus.

DEAD!

Dead in your sins.

Deserving of wrath.

In other words, you have no hope!

To help us understand a little bit of what awaits those who don’t obey and follow, let’s look in the book of Luke at a story Jesus told about the rich man and Lazarus.

Jesus first explains how on earth the Rich man lived a life of ease and pleasure while, Lazarus, a beggar had lived a very difficult life.

When they die, Jesus explains how they are doing while awaiting the final judgement.

Both men were in “Hades” but Hades is not hell.

Hades simply is the temporary dwelling place of the dead.

(We may need to study this at another time) We know Hades is not hell because the book of revelation tells us at the final judgement both death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire.

Look at how Jesus explains the conditions the rich man now finds himself in:

Luke 16:22–24 (NIV)

“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side.

The rich man also died and was buried.

In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.

So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

The Rich man was now suffering.

He was in agony in the fire.

Why?

Because while he lived he chose to please himself and follow his desires.

He refused to believe and obey Jesus.

The result was that when he died he “earned” a reward - a reward of agony and punishment.

We need to understand our condition with out Jesus is perilous.

Utterly hopeless!

If we chose to spend our lives only in efforts to satisfy our desires.

If we only seek to gratify the “cravings of our flesh,” If we chose to ignore God and don’t turn and follow Him - this is what we can expect.

Torment!

Agony!

Fire!

We need to see that without Jesus Christ our efforts are hopeless!

For 17 days the Chilean miners were trapped in a “Safe Room” 2000 feet underneath the surface of the earth.

They had minimal supplies and no contact with the outside world.

They nearly gave up hope.

There meager supplies were running out.

It was dark, it was sweaty, and it literally stunk.

They feared that if one of them died, they would end up being lunch for the survivors.

The contemplated suicide.