July 22, 2007 seernon by Rev. Paul Nulton
Acts 2:10 Luke 24: 35-42
One Tuesday, I went to visit a couple in their apartment. The man was dying, and his wife was caring for him there. She told me that the night before, Monday night, she heard four knocks on the wall between their apartment and the next one. The next apartment was empty. I asked her what she thought it meant. She wondered if it was a sign her husband only had four days to live. Her husband Harold died on Friday, four days after she heard the knocks.
Is it possible we are getting messages from a world beyond the one we know?
(Story of Cary on the train track)
In Jan. 1999 Cary drove his car onto a railroad crossing and placed the gear in park. He had seen the caution start to blink but he drove onto the track and waited to die. People didn’t know that Cary ’s life had become unbearable. With one disappointment after another, the strain had become unmanageable. Hesitant to reach out to friends or family for help, he struggled to find peace within a heavy web of depression. The train approached and the brakes squealed as the engineer saw the car. He knew the train couldn’t stop and he yelled “Why won’t he move?”. Suddenly the car lurched forward and drove out from between the crossing rails. The police arrested the driver and charged him with reckless endangerment. When asked why he drove his car onto the crossing, Cary said he intended to commit suicide. However, moments before the train was to plow into his car, he claimed the voice of God said, “Your life is not over; don’t finish it this way!” He spent time in a treatment facility for depression and then went on to enjoy his life.
One popular song by Alabama is called “Angels Among Us”. We played the song at the funeral this week of Kristy Roeder. The song tells us about a boy, lost in the woods. He was guided home by an old man who his mother couldn’t see. We’ve heard others tell us of someone who gave help in a car accident, and then disappeared. No wonder many of us believe there are angels among us.
Two weeks ago I told about a vision my brother had that led him from Virginia to Kansas and to a new job and ministry. That vision is printed in this book by John Sumwalt. John tells of an appearance he had.
(story of Kendall Anderson)
Many times people in my churches have told me about a time after a loved one has died when that person appeared to them. Or it was an angel or it was a light or it was a voice. Usually it has been near their bed in the bedroom, but I’ve been told of appearances other places, too. Usually the message they received was that the loved one was ok, and they didn’t need to worry anymore. The appearance or the voice did not cause fear. It brought a sense of relief.
John Sumwalt’s book contains more accounts of miraculous touches.
(story of Timothy Paulson:)
A man named Timothy Paulson began attending a prayer group in prison where he was an inmate. “As my faith grew, I hungered for an even deeper experience of God. One night, while fasting, I skipped supper and spent about twenty minutes kneeling by my bunk in prayer. I cried out, ‘Lord, reveal yourself! I really want to know you.’ Suddenly a light, brighter than anything I had ever seen before, surrounded me. A tingling sensation went through my body and I knew that God had touched me deeply. I was filled with God’s joy and peace. When my cellmate returned from supper, he said, ‘Tim, what in the world happened to you?’ I told him and he couldn’t wait to get out of the room. The guards and other inmates could see the difference as well. Some were happy for me and others just waited for me to fall. What difference has this made in my life? The joy and peace remained during the rest of my time in prison and since I’ve returned home.”
Ellen Sherry tells of her experience:
“One night in December of 2000, I was thanking God for a prayer that had been answered…and all of a sudden, a wide band of bright, white light came down at me from near the ceiling. My first thought was ‘Oh my gosh, this is going to hurt.’ But it didn’t hurt. The light flowed into my chest and all I felt was some slight pressure. The light flowed and flowed into me, filling my heart to overflowing with indescribable love. It was the most amazing feeling, such a wonderful feeling of peace filled me; peace like I had never, ever known before! And then, after what seemed like a few minutes, the light was gone… it was as if somehow a computer chip of new ideas, thoughts and beliefs was also implanted in me at the same time that my heart was filled with love…I now longer fear death! I don’t know why. I just know that, after death, we will be at peace, we will be with God, and all will be right. I can’t explain why I know this, I just have an unshakable belief that this is so.”
Has there been a time when you received a message from God? You aren’t the only one. And it doesn’t mean you are unbalanced. Tell someone about it. Tell them how it has affected you. It doesn’t mean you any more holy than someone who hasn’t had a vision or a message.
Jesus appeared to his disciples and said “Peace, be with you.” By the sounds of things, God is still using appearances and messages to tell us the same thing.