The Earthquake and Tsunami That Stunned Europe

The Earthquake and Tsunami That Stunned Europe
Luke 13: 1-9
Third Sunday in Lent
March 7, 2010

If today’s sermon seems too serious or too morbid, please bear with me. During the season of Lent, the Scripture readings are very serious and people in today’s culture would consider the Scripture themes dark. But for those who trust in Christ, no matter how bleak a subject matter is, there is always the light and life of Jesus and His Easter Resurrection that predominates. With that said, let us proceed.

We don’t ordinarily associate earthquakes and tsunamis with Europe. Earthquakes and tsunamis take place in Indonesia, Japan and Chile, not Europe. But there was a gigantic trembler which occurred in Europe which shattered the whole continent, not so much physically but psychologically, philosophically, and spiritually. Many bright and intellectual scholars say that Europe was never the same after the Lisbon earthquake.

How Europeans responded to this earthquake and tsunami is related to the message Jesus shared in this morning’s third Scripture reading from Luke 13.

Background

At the time of Jesus, there were at least two devastating events that people often talked about. They were not earthquakes but they were alarming for the region around the Sea of Galilee. One horrific event was the time when Governor Pontus Pilate put to death a number of Jewish patriots and mixed their blood with the blood of the animals offered as sacrifices to God. The other fatal event took place when a tower of stones fell killing 18 people in a section of Jerusalem called Siloam.


Apparently one of the major beliefs among the people was that the persons who died must have been really bad sinners or such an atrocious event would not have befallen them.

Jesus then goes on to explain that this was not the case. The people who died at the hands of the brutal Pontius Pilate and in the collapse of the building in Siloam were no greater sinners than anyone else.

Now back to the largest earthquake and tsunami on record to hit Europe.

The Largest Earthquake in Europe

Of the 20 most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in the world, Europe has only one, and that took place in Lisbon, Portugal on All Saints Day, the day after Halloween, November 1 in 1755 about 20 years before the birth of the U.S.A.

At about 10 am an estimated 8.7 magnitude earthquake struck the city of Lisbon, Portugal. An 8.7 is about the same size as last Friday’s earthquake in Chile. Because in those days before electricity, even at 10 am in the morning people had their fireplaces on or maybe even their oil burning lamps in dark rooms, and so when an earthquake strikes lanterns fall or wood burning stoves topple and fires start. Fires raged through Lisbon and so people fled to the ocean where there is lots of water and therefore would be protection from the fire. Except when people ran to the ocean, a series of huge tsunamis hit and thousands drowned. No one knows for sure how many died from the earthquake, fire and tsunamis. The low estimate is 10,000 but most historians say it was between 50,00 to 80,000.

All of Europe was in shock over what happened in Lisbon.

Considered by many to be one of the smartest persons in all of Europe at that time, a fellow by the name of Voltaire from France, was just stupified by the Lisbon earthquake and tsunams. He could not get over the loss of innocent lives.

How did people especially scary smart people respond to the Lisbon earthquake?

Their lessened their faith in God.

They became more cynical and embittered with God. Isaac Newton-trust nature and universe, Leibnitz “the future is so bright that we will need to wear sunglasses” France “tout est bien” philosophy “everything is good” (it’s all good—a phrase that was used 10 years ago)


They questioned God’s fairness and God’s power.


Based on the Word of God, not on human reasoning and not even on the most brilliant philosophical minds, this is how we look upon disaster.



1. Victims of disaster are no worse sinners than you and I.

Regarding the casualties of Herod’s executions, Jesus says in Luke 13:2,

“Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered in this way?”

Regarding the casualties of the tower that fell in Siloam, Jesus says in Luke 13:4,

“. . . Do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?”


2. When disasters like an earthquake or atrocities like 911 occur, based on the word of God, there are two outcomes.

For the believer in Christ, the disaster or atrocity is the way God calls His good and faithful servant home to heaven.

For the person who rejects Christ, the disaster or atrocity is the way God brings about judgment.

In today’s reading from Luke 13: 6-9, Jesus tells the parable of a property owner who has a fig tree planted. But like some tangerine and mango trees in Waikoloa, the fig tree after it had matured did not bear fruit for three consecutive seasons. The property owner is fed up and so he says to his worker to cut down the tree. The hired hand says, “No, give the tree one more year. I’ll fertilize it and nurture it. However, if nothing happens after one year, you can cut the tree down.”

When any disaster occurs, for some or many, this event truly was a judgment. They were given their time to repent and produce figs. God is fair.

Yet we are not the judge. We do not know and don’t need to know who were those who were given their summons. We also need to remember that there may be some or many for whom the disaster or atrocity was not a judgment. In God’s unexplainable will, the disaster or atrocity was the means by which God calls the servant in Christ to heaven.


Jesus never says in today’s reading from Luke 13 that only the evil persons are casualties in a disaster or atrocity.

Yes, he does say that horrible events can be a judgment for unrepentant sinners, but he doesn’t say that only unrepentant sinners die in such calamities. In other words, there may be faithful and genuine persons who die in tragedies or brutalities.

God though is still fair. Those who trust in Christ are not condemned. They die but are not cast out. Just the opposite. They are embraced into His Kingdom.

Hence, this gives us hope when we have loved ones who lose their lives in crimes, accidents, or disasters. God is just and for the sake of the servant Jesus Christ who pleads for every fig tree, the faithful in Christ have a peaceful future. For them it is truly “tout est bien.” Everything is good.


Conclusion

The All Saints Day Earthquake in Lisbon in 1755 soured the spirits and minds of many Europeans. We pray that no earthquake, no terroristic attack, no traffic accident, or no medical condition will ever cause us to be surly and skeptical of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We trust in our good and all powerful Lord who takes no delight in the death of anyone but would rather give life to all through His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.