WHEN ACCIDENTS HAPPEN PART 3 OF 10

TEXT - LUKE 13:1-9

INTRODUCTION

SINCE WE HAVE BEEN STUDYING ABOUT THE ISSUES OF LIFE WE HAVE LEARNED WHAT THINGS WE SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT DO.

TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE US TO BEGIN LOOKING AT SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT WE MAY HAVE FACED ALREADY IN LIFE OR WILL FACE AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE.

AS I MENTIONED IN THE FIRST LESSON I WOULD LIKE US TO SEE WHAT THE BIBLE HAS TO SAY ABOUT SPECIFIC ISSUES.

AS WE STUDY WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THESE ISSUES I WOULD LIKE US TO LEARN THREE THINGS.

1) WHY WE EXPERIENCE THEM.
2) HOW TO GET THROUGH THEM.
3) WHAT TO LEARN FROM THEM.

TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY EXAMINING THE TOPIC OF ACCIDENTS.

ALL OF US HAVE PROBABLY EXPERIENCED SOME KIND OF ACCIDENT AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER IN OUR LIFE.

HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED HOW THAT THE GROCERY BAG THAT TEARS IS ALWAYS THE ONE WITH THE EGGS IN IT. OR HOW YOUR CHIPPED DISHES NEVER BREAK. OR HOW ANY KIND OF FLYING DUST OR PARTICLE IN THE AIR WILL ALWAYS FIND ITS WAY INTO YOUR EYE?

WHAT KIND OF ACCIDENTS HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED IN YOUR LIFE?

A CARPET LAYER WHO HAD WORKED ALL DAY INSTALLING WALL-TO-WALL CARPETING IN A HOUSE NOTICED A LUMP UNDER THE CARPET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LIVING ROOM. HE FELT HIS SHIRT POCKET FOR HIS CIGARETTES AND DISCOVERED THEY WERE GONE. HE WASN'T ABOUT TO TAKE UP THE CARPET, SO HE WENT OUTSIDE FOR A TWO-BY-FOUR AND TAMPED THE LUMP DOWN UNTIL IT WAS SMOOTH. WHEN HE GATHERED UP HIS TOOLS AND CARRIED THEM TO THE TRUCK HE FOUND HIS CIGARETTES ON THE SEAT OF THE TRUCK. ABOUT THAT TIME HE HEARD THE OWNER OF THE HOUSE ASK, "HAVE YOU SEEN MY PARAKEET?"

IN A TORONTO NEWSPAPER THE FOLLOWING EXPLANATIONS WERE PUBLISHED FOR SOME OF THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED IN THAT CITY.

• I COLLIDED WITH A STATIONARY TRUCK COMING THE OTHER WAY.
• A PEDESTRIAN HIT ME AND WENT UNDER MY CAR.
• THE GUY WAS ALL OVER THE ROAD. I HAD TO SWERVE A NUMBER OF TIMES BEFORE I HIT HIM.
• I PULLED AWAY FROM THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, GLANCED AT MY MOTHER-IN-LAW, AND HEADED OVER THE EMBANKMENT.
• IN MY ATTEMPT TO KILL A FLY, I DROVE INTO A TELEPHONE POLE.
• I HAD BEEN DRIVING MY CAR FOR FORTY YEARS WHEN I FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL AND HAD AN ACCIDENT.
• I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE DOCTOR'S WITH REAR END TROUBLE WHEN MY UNIVERSAL JOINT GAVE WAY, CAUSING ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT.