Wonders of the World -- FPC sermon excerpt
The Seven Wonders of the World.
A man named Antipater compiled a list of truly amazing creations back in the second century, B.C. They included the hanging gardens of Babylon and the temple of Artemis, seven wonders that are now all gone — except for the Great Pyramid in Egypt.
With only one ancient wonder still standing, it’s time for a new list.
A Swiss adventurer named Bernard Weber has accepted this challenge, launching the New 7 Wonders Foundation. He has a website — of course — which allows people from around the world to vote on a fresh list of landmarks.
“The old seven wonders were decided by one single man,” he tells Newsweek magazine (July 31, 2006). “I think today we would like to see a more democratic world where people are allowed to participate.”
So, what would you like to support on the website new7wonders.com? The Great Wall of China? The Taj Mahal? Stonehenge? The Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower, or Sydney Opera House?
Enthusiasm for the competition has been high, especially in developing countries. In China, as many as 10,000 people per day have been casting ballots. Schools have used the foundation’s website for history and geography classes. Some Egyptians have been offended by the contest, calling it “absurd” and saying that the pyramids certainly “don’t need a vote to be among the world’s wonders.”
Other people have made light-hearted nominations, suggesting that the Wonders of the World should definitely include German chocolate cake. Another man reported that he has been lying on his lawn for three weeks without moving. He hopes that satellites will take pictures of him, and everyone will vote him to be one of the Seven Wonders.
Yeah, I would certainly wonder about that guy.
Twenty-eight million people have voted so far, and the winning sites will be announced in a live worldwide broadcast on July 7, 2007 — a date abbreviated as 7/7/07.
A good day to announce the new Seven Wonders.
Easter Sunday is the day each year we are confronted by the greatest wonder of the Christian faith: The empty tomb. On the first day of the week, at early dawn, a group of women come to the tomb of Jesus, taking the spices they had prepared to anoint his body. Luke tells us that they find the stone rolled away from the tomb, and when they go inside, they do not find the body (Luke 24:1-3). The tomb is empty.
The women are perplexed — of course. Who has shifted the stone and removed the body? Grave-robbers? Roman soldiers? Jewish leaders? Disciples of Jesus? They are surprised not by what they see, but by what they don’t see. This great Wonder of the World is a big nothing. An empty hole.
Suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stand beside them. Luke doesn’t tell us that they are angels, but they certainly come across as supernatural — their clothes are radiant and gleaming, like lightning! The women are terrified and bow their faces to the ground, and the men say to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen” (vv. 4-5).
The dazzling visitors ask an important question here — “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” So often our focus is misplaced, and we look in the wrong locations for evidence of God’s activity in human life.
Maybe we have been looking for signs of life among the dead, and missing the places where God is really at work among us.
A man named Antipater compiled a list of truly amazing creations back in the second century, B.C. They included the hanging gardens of Babylon and the temple of Artemis, seven wonders that are now all gone — except for the Great Pyramid in Egypt.
With only one ancient wonder still standing, it’s time for a new list.
A Swiss adventurer named Bernard Weber has accepted this challenge, launching the New 7 Wonders Foundation. He has a website — of course — which allows people from around the world to vote on a fresh list of landmarks.
“The old seven wonders were decided by one single man,” he tells Newsweek magazine (July 31, 2006). “I think today we would like to see a more democratic world where people are allowed to participate.”
So, what would you like to support on the website new7wonders.com? The Great Wall of China? The Taj Mahal? Stonehenge? The Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower, or Sydney Opera House?
Enthusiasm for the competition has been high, especially in developing countries. In China, as many as 10,000 people per day have been casting ballots. Schools have used the foundation’s website for history and geography classes. Some Egyptians have been offended by the contest, calling it “absurd” and saying that the pyramids certainly “don’t need a vote to be among the world’s wonders.”
Other people have made light-hearted nominations, suggesting that the Wonders of the World should definitely include German chocolate cake. Another man reported that he has been lying on his lawn for three weeks without moving. He hopes that satellites will take pictures of him, and everyone will vote him to be one of the Seven Wonders.
Yeah, I would certainly wonder about that guy.
Twenty-eight million people have voted so far, and the winning sites will be announced in a live worldwide broadcast on July 7, 2007 — a date abbreviated as 7/7/07.
A good day to announce the new Seven Wonders.
Easter Sunday is the day each year we are confronted by the greatest wonder of the Christian faith: The empty tomb. On the first day of the week, at early dawn, a group of women come to the tomb of Jesus, taking the spices they had prepared to anoint his body. Luke tells us that they find the stone rolled away from the tomb, and when they go inside, they do not find the body (Luke 24:1-3). The tomb is empty.
The women are perplexed — of course. Who has shifted the stone and removed the body? Grave-robbers? Roman soldiers? Jewish leaders? Disciples of Jesus? They are surprised not by what they see, but by what they don’t see. This great Wonder of the World is a big nothing. An empty hole.
Suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stand beside them. Luke doesn’t tell us that they are angels, but they certainly come across as supernatural — their clothes are radiant and gleaming, like lightning! The women are terrified and bow their faces to the ground, and the men say to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen” (vv. 4-5).
The dazzling visitors ask an important question here — “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” So often our focus is misplaced, and we look in the wrong locations for evidence of God’s activity in human life.
Maybe we have been looking for signs of life among the dead, and missing the places where God is really at work among us.
posted by Henry Brinton | 12:25 PM
1 Comments:
Hello, i just surfed in searching for interesting blogs on new seven wonders of the world, you have a cool blog. Do keep up the good work. i live far from where you are and its nice to be able to see what people from across the world thinks.
Warm Regards from the Other Side of the Moon.
On a related note perhaps you might find the following links interesting. we're reviewing the best among the competing 21 participants for the new 7 wonders competition. i'll like to hear your take on the subject via comments. i'll be back soon...
The Kremlin and the Red Square
Angkor Wat
Eiffel Tower
Hagia Sophia
ps. if you have your own favourites list or if you'd like us to write about other wonders pls do mention about it in the comments.
Bibby
Kerala, India
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