THE ISSUE OF SUICIDE PART 8 OF 10

TEXT- 1 SAMUEL 31:1-6

INTRODUCTION

TONIGHT I AM GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE SERIES OF LESSONS WE HAVE BEEN STUDYING ON THE ISSUES OF LIFE.

THESE ARE ALL ISSUES THAT WE HAVE EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY EXPERIENCED.

THEY ARE THINGS THAT WE WILL MOST CERTAINLY FACE AT SOME TIME OR ANOTHER IN OUR LIFE.

IT MIGHT BE AS A CHILD, A YOUNG ADULT, AN ADULT OR AS A SENIOR CITIZEN.

THEY ARE ISSUES THAT THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT AND SHOWS US HOW TO DEAL WITH.

TONIGHT OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN 1 SAMUEL 31:1-6 AND THE ISSUE I WOULD LIKE US TO DISCUSS IS SUICIDE.

SOME SEEM TO THINK THAT SUICIDE IS ONLY SOMETHING THAT A LOST PERSON WOULD EVER THINK OF DOING.

IN MY LIFETIME I HAVE PERSONALLY KNOWN TWO CHRISTIANS WHO HAVE COMMITTED SUICIDE.

ONE WAS THE PASTOR THAT PREACHED THE MESSAGE WHICH RESULTED IN ME ACCEPTING JESUS AS MY SAVIOR AND THE OTHER WAS A PREACHER'S SON.

OUR OWN CHURCH HAS ALSO BEEN AFFECTED BY SUICIDE.

MY FAMILY HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY SUICIDE.

ONE OF MY GREAT UNCLES COMMITTED SUICIDE BY DROWNING HIMSELF IN AN OPEN CISTERN BEHIND HIS BARN. SEVERAL YEARS LATER HIS SON COMMITTED SUICIDE BY DROWNING HIMSELF IN THE SAME CISTERN. YEARS AFTER THAT HIS SON COMMITTED SUICIDE BY DROWNING HIMSELF IN THE SAME CISTERN.

NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE DON'T HAVE A CISTERN IN OUR BACK YARD.

WITHIN THE LAST FEW DAYS WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD OF PEOPLE IN THE NEWS WHO HAVE ATTEMPTED AND SUCCEEDED IN COMMITTING SUICIDE.

ON TUESDAY A YOUNG LADY WAS WALKING OVER A BRIDGE IN LONG BEACH AND THREW HER CHILDREN INTO THE WATER BELOW AND THEN JUMPED HERSELF.

WHILE SHE SURVIVED, ONE OF HER CHILDREN DIED AND THE OTHER IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION IN THE HOSPITAL.

JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE THAT A TEENAGER WAS ON A CRUISE SHIP WITH HIS PARENTS AND GIRLFRIEND AND GOT INTO AN ARGUMENT WITH HIS MOM AND DAD, WROTE A SUICIDE NOTE AND JUMPED OVERBOARD.

WITHIN RECENT YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN BOOKS WRITTEN ON WAYS TO COMMIT SUICIDE.

ONE WAS WRITTEN BY THE HEMLOCK SOCIETY.

DR. KAVORKIAN, "DR. DEATH" HAS CONSTANTLY BEEN IN THE NEWS BECAUSE OF THE ASSISTANCE HE GIVES TO THOSE WHO WANT TO COMMIT SUICIDE.

SOME STATES HAVE ALSO TRIED TO PASS LAWS WITHIN RECENT YEARS TO ALLOW PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE.

THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS VERY MUCH A PART OF OUR LIVES WHETHER WE WANT IT TO BE OR NOT.

IT IS ALSO AN ISSUE THAT GOD HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT WITHIN THE BIBLE.

HERE WITHIN OUR TEXT WE FIND WHERE KING SAUL OF ISRAEL COMMITTED SUICIDE ALONG WITH HIS ARMOR BEARER.

TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER THREE WAYS TO HELP THOSE WHO MIGHT BE STRUGGLING WITH THIS ISSUE OF LIFE.