Emergency Exit

Let’s begin with prayer:

"Lord God, I pray that Your Spirit would give me Your Words this morning. We have come to this place to worship You and to hear from You. If all we hear is some anecdotes, then we’ve missed the point. Our very lives are intricately a part of what you are doing in this world. Help us to see what You have called us to do. Not only that, strengthen us and embolden us to do what you’ve called us to do. In Jesus’ name. Amen."

Did anyone notice the title for today’s message before it went up on the screen? Emergency exit is the title. Has anyone been in a situation where you had to evacuate due to an emergency? Up to this point, I have not been in a real evacuation, although I’ve participated in several drills and a couple of false alarms in school and at work.


Where or during what activity do you hear the most about emergency exits? When you fly, right? They always present the safety information prior to the flight. In fact, since all airlines say the same things the same way, I’m pretty sure their script is part of a federal regulation. I thought I would need to google the whole spiel, but I’ve been on enough flights now that I can recite at least parts of it without looking. If you’ve flown, you’ve heard the flight attendants say things like, “Your seat cushion can be used as a flotation device. In the event of a loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop from the ceiling. Make sure to secure your own mask before assisting others.”

In particular, they always say, “Please identify the emergency exit nearest you and take note that the closest exit may be behind you.”

That’s the first point of today’s message. We will all face an emergency. That emergency is the end of our life. We are all going to die, so it is imperative that you prepare for the exit from this life. Some of us will die sooner, and some of us will live many more years. But, we are all going to die.

Regardless of how much time we have remaining on this earth, at the end of our lives, we are all going to face judgment. The Bible is perfectly clear on this.

… man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, Hebrews 9:27

Our actions will be judged by God himself. Jesus said,

But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. Matthew 12:36

In short, God is going to ask you, “Why should I let you into my heaven?”

And heaven is a perfect place. There is no sin or unrighteousness in heaven. That means no offense toward God or toward any other person can be allowed into heaven. If sin was allowed in heaven, it would contaminate, pollute, and ultimately destroy heaven. Just as heaven is perfect, God himself is 100% pure. He is holy.

In contrast, no person on the earth is pure and holy. We all have sinned in some way, and if we are honest with ourselves, we have all sinned in a lot of ways. God does not grade on a curve. He does not compare our actions or attitudes toward others, and then let some people in and send some away based on what we’ve done or not done. It cannot work like that because no sin can enter in to heaven.

Because we cannot get into heaven on our own, we need an “emergency exit” from this life to escape from death and hell. We need a way to come to eternal safety in heaven.

Jesus said of himself,

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Jesus is the door. He himself is the emergency exit. Jesus became that door by dying on the cross for our sins. He lived a perfect life without sin, and became sin for us. He took our iniquities onto himself, so …

That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Romans 10:9-10

The week before last, Melissa and I flew out to Omaha for the National Pastors’ and Wives’ Conference. It was the first time we have flown anywhere together, so that was special. We ended up with a layover both ways, so we flew on two flights there and two flights back.

Well, on the first flight, we began to board and I noticed this elderly couple waiting to board ahead of us. A couple of things drew my attention. First, the man or his wife must have been partially deaf because he always spoke loud enough that everyone within 10-15 feet could hear him clearly. Next, our flight was on a smaller plane which had little overhead storage. Anyone with a larger carry-on had to check them on the jetway to be stored in the luggage compartment below. The airline employee first had to explain this to the elderly couple. Then, after putting the tag on the bag, the elderly lady left her bag at the counter and began to walk into the jetway. At which point, her husband realizes she left her bag and then he begins to explain to her that the bag has to be brought down the jetway using his same loud voice that everyone can here. When I say elderly, I’m talking late seventies or eighties. Neither one of them was upset. It was kind of sweet to see an older couple able to travel together, and it made me smile.

So we get on board and sit down on the plane. It happens that the emergency exit row is in front of us. After everyone is pretty much on board and settled, the flight attendant comes back to check with the people seated on the emergency exit row. Well, one of the emergency exit rows is occupied by the same elderly couple. Rather than directly asking the couple to move, the flight attendant wanted to talk the couple into agreeing to move. Now, the plane was packed, and I think the elderly couple was afraid that they would lose their seats on that flight. So they are trying to convince the flight attendant they are able to sit on the emergency exit row. The flight attendant pointed out that the emergency exit door weights 40 pounds. Could they lift such a weight? Yes, yes, they both said. The elderly lady even had braces on both wrists. And when the flight attendant asked about them, the elderly gentleman answers, “Oh, it’s okay. She can take them off.” which she immediately does, putting the braces in her bag. As if removing the braces would give this elderly woman strength to lift a 40 pound emergency exit door and throw it out of the airplane.

At this point, another passenger motions to the flight attendant and discretely asks her to move the elderly couple to different seats. With a couple of volunteers, this is accomplished quickly with very little trouble. The elderly couple is happy, the other passengers are happy, and the people next to the emergency exit look like they could at least get the emergency exit door open. We take off and no emergency occurs.

We arrive in Memphis and make our connecting flight. Now it turns out that Melissa and I are seated on an emergency exit row for this flight. Unlike the previous flight, the airline employee at the gate specifically asks us, “You are seated on the emergency exit row. Are you ready, willing, and able to assist in the event of an emergency?” Melissa is ahead of me in line so the question is directed at her. And, she pauses and I can see the wheels turning. She's really thinking about her answer, and the experience on our last flight is fresh on her mind. “Am I ready to assist? Am I willing to assist? Am I able to assist? That emergency exit door weighs 40 pounds. I've never opened the emergency exit door on an airplane. What if I don't know how? What if I'm not strong enough, or it gets stuck?” Then, she slowly nods her head. The ticket agent does not motion her on because she's waiting for Melissa to answer out loud which she meekly does. We get on our flight, and no emergency occurs and we make it safely to Omaha.

Now, why did I share that story with you?

That's the second point for this message. If you are a Christian, if you have been saved, if you have been baptized, then you are sitting on the emergency exit row that leads to the emergency exit door from this earthly life. That emergency exit is Jesus Christ.

I could ask you the question, “Are you ready, willing, and able to assist in the event of an emergency?” But, I really don't have to. See, if you are a Christian and you are still in this world, you have been prequalified and are automatically a passenger on the emergency exit row from this life.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. II Corinthians 4:6

What other reason do we have to exist in this life after the point of salvation? Why are we as believers still here? Why doesn't God take us immediately to heaven. You are a light, a beacon, to direct people to the knowledge of the glory of God.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

If we are to live the life of Christ, a big part of why we are still here is to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. John 14:12

We sang "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord" just a few minutes ago. That song is taken straight from Isaiah 61. Jesus himself quoted this passage in the synagogue of his hometown in Nazareth.

The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:17-21

Maybe you've never thought about that song this way, but the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is not only upon Jesus. It is also upon us. The Spirit of Lord is on us all, all believers, to preach good news. What is the good news? That Jesus Christ came, lived a perfect life, took the death penalty for us that we might live, and he rose again. Jesus last words before he ascended into heaven were

... you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8

You don't have to worry or be afraid if you will be able to be a light or beacon to direct people to Jesus. If you have believed in him, he has given you his Holy Spirit. You have the power to shine brightly for him without fear.

We are going to take communion now in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice. Remember the juice as his blood spilled out for you. Remember the bread as his body pierced and lashed for you. Take a few moments to pray for those close to you who need to see the emergency exit: Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, the life. Ask the Lord, “how can I shine brighter for you?”

Let's pray.

"Jesus thank you for your sacrifice. You didn't have to do it. You chose separation from your Father and indescribable suffering, mockery, and death because you love us. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we may do even greater things than you did on the earth. Amen."