This sermon “Get Me Out” was preached by Pastor Pamela on Sunday 16th July, 2023.
For me, life is not a merry-go-round. It’s not a lift in an elevator. It’s a mean rollercoaster ride. How do I enjoy the ride?
Sermon Transcript:
GET ME OUT!! (16th July 2023)
I was extremely blessed, in 2010, to have been invited to speak at a small Christian convention in Denmark (we’re talking Scandinavia Denmark, not the town Denmark down south!) and of course, I gladly accepted with airfares and accommodation all paid for. I was accompanied by my dad, John, who was also invited to speak. It was August so the weather was stunningly beautiful, and the days were very very long. Longer than what we ever get here in Australia.
Now the Christian couple who had invited us also wanted to take us to some good tourist spots around Denmark. One of which was LEGO LAND! If you go to Denmark, you gotta visit LEGO LAND! I mean that’s where Lego came from – The Danes in Denmark. We had a wonderful day walking around Lego Land looking at all the brilliant Lego exhibits, and to finish it off, we decided to take a lovely little boat trip through some caves, where we would see and hear the ferocious Lego dragons hiding in the dark. It was a peaceful journey as our boat gently moved us in and out and through the colourful caverns. I found it incredibly relaxing to be lulled by the gentle rocking movement of our little “boat” after walking around the whole day in the hot sun.
I think I was pretty close to falling asleep when suddenly, without any warning whatsoever, this restful voyage turned into a ride from hell! Because the vessel we were in (in the last 5 minutes of the journey) became a brutal roller coaster ride. You know if you get on a roller coaster, you expect a roller coaster ride, right? But none of us expected that this tranquil journey would end in terror. I’m amazed people don’t suffer heart attacks on this particular ride because I’m sure I came pretty close to having one. Well, we had the picture taken at the point of our utmost fear and this is what I look like when I think I’m going to die.
Could we have the first picture please?
It’s funny, we all look absolutely terrified because we were. It’s obvious we’re all screaming in terror; our mouths are open wide and we’re screaming, there was no pretense of bravery!
That memory has made me laugh time and time again. It was the sudden turn of events that gave us the biggest shock. As far as I was concerned, that was NOT how the journey was meant to go! I was not prepared for such a jolting, breath-taking change!
For me, this ride mirrors LIFE perfectly. This is what life is like. Life is not a merry-go- round. It’s not an elevator ride. No no no, it’s a mean, unsuspecting, roller coaster ride! Which makes you laugh (if you’re a Christian) when you finally get out. The title of my sermon is “Get Me Out!”
Some of you listening may feel exactly like the title of my sermon today. You may even have said to God just this week, “Get Me Out!”. Well, this sermon is God’s response to you.
Let us pray
Heavenly Father, it is an honour to be speaking about You. It is my prayer that all who hear this sermon, even the children in this auditorium, will grow closer to You through it. Help me to represent You clearly, Amen
We’ve all heard many times life being described as a journey. After all, we’re all on a road to somewhere! Well, as Christians, all of us are on our way to glory. Our final destination is everlasting life with Jesus in heaven. Hallelujah! That’s our destination. A wonderful, wonderful place.
A perfect place that cannot be described eloquently enough in any language (it’s beyond description it’s going to be so good). But the journey there, the journey there is full of twists and jerky turns, extremely high hills and sudden drops into the deepest of dark valleys.
In 1971, Malcolm Fraser (Prime Minister of Australia at that time) said, ‘Life wasn’t meant to be easy’. Well, may I just say, “In the very beginning…” I think LIFE was meant to be easy. God created things perfectly. We had a beautiful flawless world to enjoy. But mankind messed up. Mankind invited satanic powers into the picture and as a result, “life was never going to be easy!”
“Life was never going to be easy!”
Even for those who have received Jesus as LORD and Saviour we experience extreme opposition to our faith in God; where our journey in Him can often take on the characteristics of a theme park ride. And this journey may become a big struggle to the point where you may be asking, “What good is this doing me? I’m up. I’m down. I’m in, I’m out, I’m scared and out of breath. How do I handle this ride? Lord, I want to get out. Won’t you make it stop?
Don’t despair Christians. There are some steps you can take, and truths you can cling to, that will help you endure AND even ENJOY, this ride of your life. So, buckle up and take note of just FIVE exciting POINTS that will help you in this journey. And children, if you remember these points by writing them down, and you show me after the service, I have a special treat for you.
NUMBER 1. Surrender to the Ride
Surrender to the ride, you must, because there’s no stopping once you peak that hill and begin that dubious descent. There’s no brake pedal. No way to decelerate. The only thing you can do is raise your hands (isn’t that what they do on the roller coaster ride – raise their hands?) Raise Your hands and surrender to the Saviour by looking totally at HIM! Don’t trust in your own devices, trust in Him.
Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and instructor. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy He knew would be His afterwards; and now He sits in the place of honour by the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2 (TLB)
He went through the most horrendous experience for us because He knew that JOY would follow. It is the same with us. JOY will follow whatever you experience down here on earth because of Jesus. So, surrender to the ride by keeping your eyes on Him.
NUMBER 2. Know You’re Not Alone
Know you’re not alone. Jesus is riding with you. He’s there through all the ups and downs, through every sharp turn, and even in the events that take your breath away. Listen to these Scriptures of truth,
Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)
The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
The Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalms 121:7-8 (NIV)
He kept me safe when my city was under attack. In panic I cried out,
Psalms 31:21-22 (NLT)
“I am cut off from the Lord!” But You heard my cry for mercy, and answered my call for help.
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.
Psalms 4:8 (NLT)
Listen to me church, God knows what’s over the next hill. He sees the end from the beginning.
… I am God, the only God you’ve had or ever will have— incomparable, irreplaceable—
Isaiah 46:9-10 (MSG)
From the very beginning telling you what the ending will be, All along letting you in on what is going to happen, Assuring you, ‘I’m in this for the long haul, I’ll do exactly what I set out to do,’
So, do not be afraid the all-knowing (omniscient) God is with YOU!
NUMBER 3. Ride It Out
You know, no one gets hurt unless they try to get out during the ride. In 2003, I went to the Gold Coast and experienced Dream World with my children. When we were there we became attracted to the ride called The Giant Drop. This ride was indeed its name.
The deal is, you fasten yourself into a seat which then, along with another 7 people filled seats, suddenly drop from a great height, and then stops and drops again, and then stops and then drops really really fast. It’s so fast it takes your breath away and makes your legs kick uncontrollably.
Well, we as a family, were all locked into our seats and just before the ride begins, Diana (my youngest) decides she’s so terrified that she wants out. And I turn to see her struggling to get out of her seat.
I shouted, “What are you doing!?”
She shouted back, “I’m getting out!”
I said, “No you’re not, you’ve left it too late. They’re about to start the drop!”
But Diana didn’t care about that, she was so afraid that she continued to struggle to get out and the whole ride for me was holding my daughter down. It was truly terrifying. You can’t get out of the ride, you got to ride it out!
The Bible tells us that the Apostle Paul once travelled to Rome on a ship destined to head straight into a tremendous storm. He assured all on board that no one would lose their life if they stayed with the ship. He held firmly to God’s promise. Through the battering of the waves and the rocks, all stayed as the ship was literally torn apart. No one was lost even though conditions were far from desirable.
In James 1:2-8 The Message Bible
It says, ‘Consider it a sheer JOY, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colours. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work, so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way’.
Wow what a great Scripture!! Let’s read it again.
James 1:2-8 The Message It says,
‘Consider it a sheer JOY, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colours. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work, so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way’.
James 1:2-8 (MSG)
So, you stay put. You’re not getting out of the ride! Okay?
Number 4. Know the Ride Does End
(In fact, it’s often quicker than what you think it’s going to be.)
It may seem like time is standing still, but trust that you are moving forward, and the end of the ride is coming. Your feet will stand on solid ground again. Trust the Lord to be your firm foundation.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out from the bog and the mire, and set my feet on a hard, firm path, and steadied me as I walked along.
Psalm 40:2 (TLB)
(I like that bit – and steadied me as I walked along – you sometimes need that when you get out of the dizzy rides 😊) The ride will come to an end, so just hold on for a little while longer. I look back on some of my most difficult rides and I now think that they were the best times in my life! Don’t wish your life away by hoping for the ride to end. Because it will end, and you just might regret it when it does!
Number 5. – Once You’re Off the Ride, Reflect on Its Ups and Downs
Reflect on Its Ups and Downs
I read a CBN article, by Carla Pollard, on comparing life to a rollercoaster ride and she said,
At the peaks, you saw things you could never see from level ground. In the low points, you felt things you could never feel ordinarily. During the climb and descent, you may get to know others around you who are experiencing the same fears and thrills as you. You would never have known them if you had not ridden the ride.
Carla Pollard, CBN
If you place your trust in Jesus the purpose of the ride will work together for good in the end. (Romans 8:28). You may never know why or understand how, but Jesus does. When you step on the shores of heaven you will see the end from the beginning just like Him and the roller coaster will make sense. Until then, trust in His love for you, and His love for others, to sustain you through the journey.”
I’ve personally have learnt a lot on my rollercoaster rides one of which is Phil 4:12 and 13
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.
Phil 4:12-13
“I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”
God sustained me through every rollercoaster experience. And I can look back and laugh with Him on the amazing memories they afford me. Hallelujah!
Do you want to get out of your rollercoaster ride this morning? Don’t give up. It’s LIFE! Stay, and learn from the experience with Jesus as your SAVIOUR.
Let us pray
Heavenly Father,
I pray for every person in Cityview Church who are currently facing spiritual persecution & spiritual struggles, that you LORD will give them the strength, the wisdom and the peace of mind to endure whatever lays ahead. I ask that through this experience their faith will be strengthened beyond all measure. And Lord, may they be reassured that they are never ever alone because You are with us in the darkest of circumstances, leading us towards Your light. Father, You are our truth, our light, our joy and our way of escape. Amen