Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share First Responders – Aware
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
First Responders – Aware
First Responders 2 –
Awareness: Bystander effect
Welcome
back to Redemption Church. Hello online peeps. Hello in the room
peeps. My name is Chris Fluitt and we are in the 2nd
week of our First Responders Message Series.
First Responders
In
the 1st
week we told you that a First Responder is someone designated or
trained to respond to an emergency. God is a first responder and He
has called us all to be first responders. And we live in a world
that is overcome with emergencies. It is time for the people of God
to respond.
And
last week our Care Pastor, Marshal Blessing told us to be prepared
for an emergency by the power of the Spirit.
Last
week we had a powerful time of talking to God at the end of service.
Let’s purpose in our hearts to have another powerful time at the
close of this message today.
Today
I want to talk about Awareness.
Awareness
In
Moscow, Russia a waterpark named Transvaal had a terrible accident.
The roof of the main building collapsed killing 28 people in 2004.
In
1984 a six flags amusement park had a haunted castle attraction. A
cigarette lighter ignited the flammable foam rubber walls and 8
people lost their life.
In
Karun Australia, in the year 2000 a train scaling a mountain caught
fire. 12 people survived and 155 people perished.
In
Orkney, South Africa, a train crashed through a safety barrier. Only
a few were injured on the train. There were no deaths on the train,
but the train crashed into a nearby elevator that was carrying 104
gold miners. All the miners lost their lives in 1995.
In
1626 something happened, no one is sure, that caused the
Wanggongchang Explosion in Beijing, China. The Wanggongchang
Gunpowder Factory exploded and destroyed part of the city and killed
20,000 people.
In
1947, in Texas City, Texas many people died in the Texas City
Disaster. It was the deadliest industrial accident in U.S. history,
and one of history’s largest non-nuclear explosions. A mid-morning
fire started on board the French-registered vessel SS Grandcamp
(docked in the port), and detonated her cargo of approximately 2,200
tons of ammonium nitrate. This started a chain-reaction of additional
fires and explosions in other ships and nearby oil-storage
facilities. The events killed a total of at least 581 people,
including all but one member of the Texas City fire department.
You
probably know of the Titanic sinking in 1912. 1,514 people lost their
life in that tragedy. But did you know that the Titanic is only the
7th
deadliest non-military maritime accidents. There are 6 more deadly
accidents. The most horrific being the 1987 sinking of the Dona Paz
in 1987. 4,400 passengers lost their lives when the Philippine liner
collided with an oil tanker.
In
1986 the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded upon take off. 7 people
lost their life. In 2003 the Space shuttle Columbia exploded upon
reentry and 7 people were lost.
These
are just a few of the tragic events in human history that could have
been avoided if only someone had been aware of the problem
beforehand.
Awareness
can make us aware of the problem before it is a problem. Everyone
knows it is a problem after the explosion and loss of life. What we
need is an awareness that calls attention to the problem so that it
can be solved or at least minimized before the tragic event.
Problems
that go un-noticed become tragedies.
For
this reason you have probably heard this phrase.
See
something say something
You
have probably heard this slogan or seen it in a commercial or
signage. It is posted at schools, government buildings, the bus stop
or subway..
The
U.S. Department of Homeland Security has designated September 25th
as “see something say something” national awareness day.
See
something say something is an open invitation to be a first
responder.
You
may not be trained to take down someone who has malicious intent to
hurt people… but if you noticed them you could call someone who is
trained to take them down. You would save lives by simply being
aware.
You
may not be trained to fight a fire, but if you were aware enough to
spot a potential fire hazard you could actually stop a fire before it
started.
You
may not be trained to use the paddles of a defibrillator, but with
awareness your phone call can get an EMT on the scene to save a life.
With
awareness you are actually a PRE-Responder… PRE-SPONDER… not a
real word but I am going to go for it.
Presponder
The
World doesn’t just need first responders who show up after the
tragedy has started. The World needs people to respond before the
tragedy starts.
God
has called you to act before the tragedy occurs.
In
Acts 11 a group of Christians in a city called Antioch received a
word from God. God spoke to that group of believers through prophecy.
God told them that Jerusalem was going to experience a famine and
Antioch became PRESONDERS. They took up an offering and sent their
gift to Jerusalem BEFORE the famine occurred.
God
let us be aware like Antioch. Lord make us aware of the tragedy
before it occurs. Church let us be willing to act! See something
say something. See something DO SOMETHING.
If
we aren’t aware then the best we can ever do is try to respond
after the tragedy. Let’s be aware.
Awareness
The
Word of God calls for us to be aware.
1 Peter 5:8 (NIV2011) Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Be
alert! Be sober minded! Do not be distracted. Be focused. Why…
because there is an enemy looking to devour someone. If you are
alert you could be a PRESONDER and save someone from the enemy before
the tragedy occurs.
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NIV2011) Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.
Be
on your guard! This means you are looking and expecting and
adversary.
Stand
firm in the faith. When the opportunity to be a 1st
responder occurs you need to already be standing in faith. When your
loved one gets the bad report from the doctor is not the time to
figure out if you believe in healing… you will never be ready to
respond. STAND FIRM IN FAITH before the problem arrives. Then you
will be able to be courageous and strong in response.
Watchman
In
your Old Testament there is a theme of awareness and readiness called
the Watchman. The “watchman on the wall.” Someone was designated
to sit upon the high walls of a city and watch for enemies… watch
for problems. The watchman was to be alert and then alert others of
a problem.
Isaiah 62:6 (NIV2011) I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest,
We
are to be watchmen watching over our families, neighborhood,
community, city… “You who call on the name of the Lord…”
that is you and me Church… Give yourself no rest! Our awareness
needs to be continual.
Ezekiel 33:2 (NIV2011) “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman,
Ezekiel 33:7 (NIV2011) “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.
Not
only are we supposed to watch… we are supposed to speak! See
Something Say Something!
We
must watch and be aware… and then we must hear the word of God and
then speak out that warning. God says give them warning from me.
This gets real serious!
Ezekiel 33:8 (NIV2011) When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.
Ezekiel 33:9 (NIV2011) But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.
It
is not enough to see something… You must say something. Redemption
Church, God will hold us accountable if we do not speak up. It says
if we do not speak, the wicked person dies and are accountable for
their blood.
This
is serious. Come on PRESONDERS. Come one Watchman on the wall. We
must see something and say something.
See
something Say Something
On
August 3, 2019, a young man entered a Walmart in El Paso Tx. The
young man opened fire on innocent people with a motive that was evil
and hateful. 22 were killed and 24 more were injured. I am not here
to talk about guns or immigration… I am here today to talk about
something you may find more personal.
Shortly
after this young man entered the El Paso Walmart, first responders
were called and on their way. I am thankful for the first
responders, but we needed someone to respond sooner.
We
need presponders… We need someone to respond BEFORE the tragedy.
The
young 21 year old man was from Allen, Tx. A few miles from here.
Redemption Church, this man was living in our back yard…
I
take this personally. Believers in Jesus Christ we were called to
pre-respond.
he ever drove from the Metroplex to West Texas…
he ever gassed up his car…
he ever bought the weapon…
he ever started down the dark road of hate…
he started to feel isolated and alone…
Someone
needed to reach him before…
If
only someone would have reached him…
if
only there was a church that would have reached him and brought him
into a beautiful community…
if
only there was a young person who would have reached him with their
personal testimony while they walked the hallways of school…
if
only there was a neighbor who felt the drawing of God to share the
gospel…
if
only a coworker would have reached him with the truth that God loves
him…
if
only there was a family member that would have prayed with him…
Redemption
Church it was our job to reach that young man.
Redemption
Church it is our job to reach your friends and family… your
coworkers and fellow students… your neighbors… to reach all of
this area…
Have
we forgotten? Are we aware? Is there a watchman on the wall?
The
Church of Jesus Christ can stop the emergency before it is an
emergency!
Christian,
you can heal depression before it becomes suicide.
Christian,
you can bring reconciliation before the divorce.
Christian,
you can cloth and feed the homeless girl before so that she never has
to become a prostitute.
Christian,
you are able to impact the war torn towns in Guatemala, Honduras, El
Salvador, and Columbia before the refugees make the dangerous trek to
our border.
Christian,
you can befriend someone who is struggling with faith before they
lose their faith.
Christian,
we are called to save people from tragedy and bring them into the
testimony of God’s amazing Grace!
Christian,
people are on their way to a place called hell. A soul in hell is the
worst tragedy ever. You could save someone before they step into
eternity.s
Are
we aware?
See
something Say Something
Sometimes
we are aware but remain silent. When we remain silent we become
accountable for their blood.
Kitty
Genovese
This
is Kitty Genovese. She died a very terrible death. In the early hours
of March 13, 1964, 28-year-old Kitty Genovese was stabbed outside her
apartment in the Queens borough of Ney York City. Right in the heart
of the most populated American city, Kitty was attacked. She cried
out for help. She screamed that she had been stabbed. The attacker
ran away briefly out of fear that her cry would bring help… She
crawled over to a locked apartment building door and banged and
screamed for someone to let her in. When Kitty’s attacker noticed
that help was not coming, he returned and stabbed Kitty 7 more times,
raped her, and stole $49 out of her purse. For 30 minutes Kitty
screamed for help and fought for her life.
There
were 38 witnesses. No one called the police. All 38 witnesses thought
that someone else would call the police. There was one attacker, but
that attacker is not the only one responsible for the death of Kitty
Genovese. All 38 witnesses are accountable.
38
witnesses, but zero first responders.
The truth is we could have the biggest attendance numbers, and yet no one would respond.
It
is not enough to see something… we must also say something… do
something.
38
witnesses to the attack on Kitty Genovese , but zero first
responders. This is what psychology calls the bystander syndrome
(bystander apathy).
Bystander
syndrome
Bystander
syndrome is a social psychological claim that individuals are less
likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present; the
greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that one of
them will help.
Instead
of responding to the emergency, the group of bystanders looks around
to see if someone else will do something… or they walk off assuming
that someone else with respond to the emergency.
Someone
else will do it… We do this all the time..
hear stats and figures about an emergency. We are even moved in our
heart, but we remain a bystander and not a responder.
drive past people who are need of help, because surely someone else
will help.
see someone on social media ask for help but we keep scrolling
because someone else will likely help.
hear about an urgent need in our community or on the other side of
the world… we understand the need… we see the importance… we
feel the goose bumps… there are a lot of witnesses to the need but
few responders.
your church, have stood here and asked for help… please help us
minister to children, help us host a small group meeting, we need
greeters, people to work in the tech booth, we need people to pray,
we need people to give, we need your help, we need you to invite
your friends… but the bystander syndrome says that the more people
witness the need means that there will be few responders.
Are
you a bystander or a responder?
You
are called to do great things.
You
are called to bring hope to the hopeless.
You
are called pray for people and see them recover.
You
are called to open up your Bible and share what it says and see the
people you share it with come into a relationship with Jesus.
You
are called to serve.
You
are called to be a friend.
There
is no end to the great things God is calling you into…
Are
you aware of your calling? Yes… Then you ought to come pray about
it today… No… then you ought to come pray…
Are
you aware of the emergency? Yes… then you ought to come pray….
No… Then you really need to pray for God to open your eyes and
heart…
Have you been a bystander?
Yes? Then you ought to come repent!
View all episodes
By Redemption Church Plano Texas
5
11 ratings
First Responders 2 –
Awareness: Bystander effect
Welcome
back to Redemption Church. Hello online peeps. Hello in the room
peeps. My name is Chris Fluitt and we are in the 2nd
week of our First Responders Message Series.
First Responders
In
the 1st
week we told you that a First Responder is someone designated or
trained to respond to an emergency. God is a first responder and He
has called us all to be first responders. And we live in a world
that is overcome with emergencies. It is time for the people of God
to respond.
And
last week our Care Pastor, Marshal Blessing told us to be prepared
for an emergency by the power of the Spirit.
Last
week we had a powerful time of talking to God at the end of service.
Let’s purpose in our hearts to have another powerful time at the
close of this message today.
Today
I want to talk about Awareness.
Awareness
In
Moscow, Russia a waterpark named Transvaal had a terrible accident.
The roof of the main building collapsed killing 28 people in 2004.
In
1984 a six flags amusement park had a haunted castle attraction. A
cigarette lighter ignited the flammable foam rubber walls and 8
people lost their life.
In
Karun Australia, in the year 2000 a train scaling a mountain caught
fire. 12 people survived and 155 people perished.
In
Orkney, South Africa, a train crashed through a safety barrier. Only
a few were injured on the train. There were no deaths on the train,
but the train crashed into a nearby elevator that was carrying 104
gold miners. All the miners lost their lives in 1995.
In
1626 something happened, no one is sure, that caused the
Wanggongchang Explosion in Beijing, China. The Wanggongchang
Gunpowder Factory exploded and destroyed part of the city and killed
20,000 people.
In
1947, in Texas City, Texas many people died in the Texas City
Disaster. It was the deadliest industrial accident in U.S. history,
and one of history’s largest non-nuclear explosions. A mid-morning
fire started on board the French-registered vessel SS Grandcamp
(docked in the port), and detonated her cargo of approximately 2,200
tons of ammonium nitrate. This started a chain-reaction of additional
fires and explosions in other ships and nearby oil-storage
facilities. The events killed a total of at least 581 people,
including all but one member of the Texas City fire department.
You
probably know of the Titanic sinking in 1912. 1,514 people lost their
life in that tragedy. But did you know that the Titanic is only the
7th
deadliest non-military maritime accidents. There are 6 more deadly
accidents. The most horrific being the 1987 sinking of the Dona Paz
in 1987. 4,400 passengers lost their lives when the Philippine liner
collided with an oil tanker.
In
1986 the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded upon take off. 7 people
lost their life. In 2003 the Space shuttle Columbia exploded upon
reentry and 7 people were lost.
These
are just a few of the tragic events in human history that could have
been avoided if only someone had been aware of the problem
beforehand.
Awareness
can make us aware of the problem before it is a problem. Everyone
knows it is a problem after the explosion and loss of life. What we
need is an awareness that calls attention to the problem so that it
can be solved or at least minimized before the tragic event.
Problems
that go un-noticed become tragedies.
For
this reason you have probably heard this phrase.
See
something say something
You
have probably heard this slogan or seen it in a commercial or
signage. It is posted at schools, government buildings, the bus stop
or subway..
The
U.S. Department of Homeland Security has designated September 25th
as “see something say something” national awareness day.
See
something say something is an open invitation to be a first
responder.
You
may not be trained to take down someone who has malicious intent to
hurt people… but if you noticed them you could call someone who is
trained to take them down. You would save lives by simply being
aware.
You
may not be trained to fight a fire, but if you were aware enough to
spot a potential fire hazard you could actually stop a fire before it
started.
You
may not be trained to use the paddles of a defibrillator, but with
awareness your phone call can get an EMT on the scene to save a life.
With
awareness you are actually a PRE-Responder… PRE-SPONDER… not a
real word but I am going to go for it.
Presponder
The
World doesn’t just need first responders who show up after the
tragedy has started. The World needs people to respond before the
tragedy starts.
God
has called you to act before the tragedy occurs.
In
Acts 11 a group of Christians in a city called Antioch received a
word from God. God spoke to that group of believers through prophecy.
God told them that Jerusalem was going to experience a famine and
Antioch became PRESONDERS. They took up an offering and sent their
gift to Jerusalem BEFORE the famine occurred.
God
let us be aware like Antioch. Lord make us aware of the tragedy
before it occurs. Church let us be willing to act! See something
say something. See something DO SOMETHING.
If
we aren’t aware then the best we can ever do is try to respond
after the tragedy. Let’s be aware.
Awareness
The
Word of God calls for us to be aware.
1 Peter 5:8 (NIV2011) Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Be
alert! Be sober minded! Do not be distracted. Be focused. Why…
because there is an enemy looking to devour someone. If you are
alert you could be a PRESONDER and save someone from the enemy before
the tragedy occurs.
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NIV2011) Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.
Be
on your guard! This means you are looking and expecting and
adversary.
Stand
firm in the faith. When the opportunity to be a 1st
responder occurs you need to already be standing in faith. When your
loved one gets the bad report from the doctor is not the time to
figure out if you believe in healing… you will never be ready to
respond. STAND FIRM IN FAITH before the problem arrives. Then you
will be able to be courageous and strong in response.
Watchman
In
your Old Testament there is a theme of awareness and readiness called
the Watchman. The “watchman on the wall.” Someone was designated
to sit upon the high walls of a city and watch for enemies… watch
for problems. The watchman was to be alert and then alert others of
a problem.
Isaiah 62:6 (NIV2011) I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest,
We
are to be watchmen watching over our families, neighborhood,
community, city… “You who call on the name of the Lord…”
that is you and me Church… Give yourself no rest! Our awareness
needs to be continual.
Ezekiel 33:2 (NIV2011) “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman,
Ezekiel 33:7 (NIV2011) “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.
Not
only are we supposed to watch… we are supposed to speak! See
Something Say Something!
We
must watch and be aware… and then we must hear the word of God and
then speak out that warning. God says give them warning from me.
This gets real serious!
Ezekiel 33:8 (NIV2011) When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.
Ezekiel 33:9 (NIV2011) But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.
It
is not enough to see something… You must say something. Redemption
Church, God will hold us accountable if we do not speak up. It says
if we do not speak, the wicked person dies and are accountable for
their blood.
This
is serious. Come on PRESONDERS. Come one Watchman on the wall. We
must see something and say something.
See
something Say Something
On
August 3, 2019, a young man entered a Walmart in El Paso Tx. The
young man opened fire on innocent people with a motive that was evil
and hateful. 22 were killed and 24 more were injured. I am not here
to talk about guns or immigration… I am here today to talk about
something you may find more personal.
Shortly
after this young man entered the El Paso Walmart, first responders
were called and on their way. I am thankful for the first
responders, but we needed someone to respond sooner.
We
need presponders… We need someone to respond BEFORE the tragedy.
The
young 21 year old man was from Allen, Tx. A few miles from here.
Redemption Church, this man was living in our back yard…
I
take this personally. Believers in Jesus Christ we were called to
pre-respond.
he ever drove from the Metroplex to West Texas…
he ever gassed up his car…
he ever bought the weapon…
he ever started down the dark road of hate…
he started to feel isolated and alone…
Someone
needed to reach him before…
If
only someone would have reached him…
if
only there was a church that would have reached him and brought him
into a beautiful community…
if
only there was a young person who would have reached him with their
personal testimony while they walked the hallways of school…
if
only there was a neighbor who felt the drawing of God to share the
gospel…
if
only a coworker would have reached him with the truth that God loves
him…
if
only there was a family member that would have prayed with him…
Redemption
Church it was our job to reach that young man.
Redemption
Church it is our job to reach your friends and family… your
coworkers and fellow students… your neighbors… to reach all of
this area…
Have
we forgotten? Are we aware? Is there a watchman on the wall?
The
Church of Jesus Christ can stop the emergency before it is an
emergency!
Christian,
you can heal depression before it becomes suicide.
Christian,
you can bring reconciliation before the divorce.
Christian,
you can cloth and feed the homeless girl before so that she never has
to become a prostitute.
Christian,
you are able to impact the war torn towns in Guatemala, Honduras, El
Salvador, and Columbia before the refugees make the dangerous trek to
our border.
Christian,
you can befriend someone who is struggling with faith before they
lose their faith.
Christian,
we are called to save people from tragedy and bring them into the
testimony of God’s amazing Grace!
Christian,
people are on their way to a place called hell. A soul in hell is the
worst tragedy ever. You could save someone before they step into
eternity.s
Are
we aware?
See
something Say Something
Sometimes
we are aware but remain silent. When we remain silent we become
accountable for their blood.
Kitty
Genovese
This
is Kitty Genovese. She died a very terrible death. In the early hours
of March 13, 1964, 28-year-old Kitty Genovese was stabbed outside her
apartment in the Queens borough of Ney York City. Right in the heart
of the most populated American city, Kitty was attacked. She cried
out for help. She screamed that she had been stabbed. The attacker
ran away briefly out of fear that her cry would bring help… She
crawled over to a locked apartment building door and banged and
screamed for someone to let her in. When Kitty’s attacker noticed
that help was not coming, he returned and stabbed Kitty 7 more times,
raped her, and stole $49 out of her purse. For 30 minutes Kitty
screamed for help and fought for her life.
There
were 38 witnesses. No one called the police. All 38 witnesses thought
that someone else would call the police. There was one attacker, but
that attacker is not the only one responsible for the death of Kitty
Genovese. All 38 witnesses are accountable.
38
witnesses, but zero first responders.
The truth is we could have the biggest attendance numbers, and yet no one would respond.
It
is not enough to see something… we must also say something… do
something.
38
witnesses to the attack on Kitty Genovese , but zero first
responders. This is what psychology calls the bystander syndrome
(bystander apathy).
Bystander
syndrome
Bystander
syndrome is a social psychological claim that individuals are less
likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present; the
greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that one of
them will help.
Instead
of responding to the emergency, the group of bystanders looks around
to see if someone else will do something… or they walk off assuming
that someone else with respond to the emergency.
Someone
else will do it… We do this all the time..
hear stats and figures about an emergency. We are even moved in our
heart, but we remain a bystander and not a responder.
drive past people who are need of help, because surely someone else
will help.
see someone on social media ask for help but we keep scrolling
because someone else will likely help.
hear about an urgent need in our community or on the other side of
the world… we understand the need… we see the importance… we
feel the goose bumps… there are a lot of witnesses to the need but
few responders.
your church, have stood here and asked for help… please help us
minister to children, help us host a small group meeting, we need
greeters, people to work in the tech booth, we need people to pray,
we need people to give, we need your help, we need you to invite
your friends… but the bystander syndrome says that the more people
witness the need means that there will be few responders.
Are
you a bystander or a responder?
You
are called to do great things.
You
are called to bring hope to the hopeless.
You
are called pray for people and see them recover.
You
are called to open up your Bible and share what it says and see the
people you share it with come into a relationship with Jesus.
You
are called to serve.
You
are called to be a friend.
There
is no end to the great things God is calling you into…
Are
you aware of your calling? Yes… Then you ought to come pray about
it today… No… then you ought to come pray…
Are
you aware of the emergency? Yes… then you ought to come pray….
No… Then you really need to pray for God to open your eyes and
heart…
Have you been a bystander?
Yes? Then you ought to come repent!