THE GREAT EQUALIZERS

South Hampton, Great Britain was alive with excitement. Thousands of passengers got on board the biggest and grandest luxury liner up to that time for her maiden voyage. The richest man in the world, John Jacob Astor and his wife were joined by other millionaires in the 1st class accommodations. There were hundreds more in 2ND class rooms which matched other ship's 1st class facilities and then there were thousands more in 3rd class. Immigrants, in many cases, going to America to improve their lot in life.

First class had magnificent accommodations and no-one from 2ND class was allowed therein. Second class passengers had amenities that 3rd class didn't have but almost everyone considered it a privilege to be on the maiden voyage of the grand ship. It didn't really matter what class you were because on April 15th, 1912, 95 years ago today, the Titanic sank taking with her thousands of 1st, 2ND, 3rd class passengers and various crew from the captain on down. John Jacob Astor could have bought and paid for the Titanic ten times over but he couldn't buy a seat on a lifeboat. Death is a great equalizer.

There are many equalizers that slice through barriers that men have put up or contended with. Barriers like color, wealth, health, gender, religion, age, stature all fall before the great equalizers. When our girls were growing up Rachel always wanted everything to be equal, to be fair and we kept having to tell her, "Life isn't fair. Nothing can be equal because no two people are the same." But the equalizers don't care about our differences. Let's open our Bible and examine some of the Great Equalizers!

I. SATAN IS A GREAT EQUALIZER [IS. 14:12-17]

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

II. SIN IS A GREAT EQUALIZER

Ps. 14:2-3 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Daniel 9:11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

I Jn. 1:8,10 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

III. TEMPTATION IS A GREAT EQUALIZER

I Cor. 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Jm. 1:13-14 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

IV. SIN'S CONSEQUENCES ARE A GREAT EQUALIZER [RM. 5:12]

Job 5:7 Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

Rm. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rm. 8:22-23 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Jm. 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Thus far the Equalizers have all been of a negative sort, but that is about to be equalized itself in a sense.

V. GOD IS THE GREATEST EQUALIZER

And it doesn't matter if you are talking about God the Father, God the Son, or God the Holy Spirit. God is the greatest Equalizer of all.

John 1: 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

Jn 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jn. 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Jn. 16:8-11 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

Acts 10:34-35 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Rm. 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

VI. SALVATION IS A GREAT EQUALIZER [EPH. 2:8-9]

Acts 17:30-31 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Titus2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

VII. SERVICE IS A GREAT EQUALIZER

Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Eph. 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

I Cor. 12:11-31