Accidents Happen

Luke 13:1-5

Luke 13:1-51 There were present at that season some who told

Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

Luke 13:1-5• Jesus mentions 2 current events– Pilate killed some from Galilee as human sacrifices– A construction accident killed 18

• Today similar events happen– Family killed by a drunk driver– Roadside bomb in Iraq kills several– Explosion in a coal mine kills almost 30 miners

My Story

• May 5, 2008 – Riding my bike 5 – 10 miles per day

• Dogs escorted me past their property• Suddenly one of the dogs turned in front of

me. I flew over the handlebars and landed on the pavement on the left side of my face

• When you land on your face at 12 miles an hour – all kinds of things happen

My Story• After a CT scan it was learned that:– My jaw was broken in three places and would

need surgery and bone grafts to repair– The bones above my left eye damaged the optic

nerve– Every bone on the left side of my face was

fractured– Nerve damage in the chin area

• Landing on my head may explain about me

2 Years Later• I am able to chew again – the jaw has healed• Scrapes and bruises healed – distant memory• Damage to optic nerve – lost vision in left eye• Some hearing loss – now healed• Almost closed right nostril• Lower lip and chin – feels like I just came from

the dentist • Nerve damage on knee - healed

2 Years Later• I am not looking for sympathy• This is my story – Each of you may also have a

story – accident, injury at work, trauma• You may not have made the news – I didn’t• But it was a time of trauma• It is also a time of reflection• FYI – The bike was sold – I started walking

Lessons to Learn

• Accidents are sudden • They are accidents – not “on purposes”

• They happen when we least anticipate them

Lessons to Learn

• Accidents are sudden• We CAN forget

• I remember hitting the dog

• I do not remember– Hitting the pavement– The police or ambulance– The ER cleaning me up

• My next memory is being taken for a scan

Lessons to Learn

• Accidents are sudden• We CAN forget• We must be patient

• Some healing takes a few days or a couple of weeks

• Some healing takes months or years

• Some things NEVER will heal or be the same

Lessons to Learn

• Accidents are sudden• We CAN forget• We must be patient• We must be flexible

• Accidents change our plans

• They change our priorities

• We must learn to make the adjustments

Lessons to Learn

• Accidents are sudden• We CAN forget• We must be patient• We must be flexible• We can do what we

HAVE to do

• Child or spouse in the hospital

• Personal illness or injury• Death of a family

member• We find the strength to

do what is necessary

Lessons to Learn

• Accidents are sudden• We CAN forget• We must be patient• We must be flexible• We can do what we

HAVE to do• Get on with life

• Don’t put everything on hold

• Yes – It will take time• Yes – Some things will

never be the same• No pity party• Pick up the pieces and

get on with your life

Lessons to Learn

• Accidents are sudden• We CAN forget• We must be patient• We must be flexible• We can do what we

HAVE to do• Get on with life• Personal character

traits

• In times of accident and tragic events in your life your real character will come through– Realistic– Optimistic– Not a quitter– Keep the faith

Lessons to Learn• Accidents are sudden• We CAN forget• We must be patient• We must be flexible• We can do what we HAVE

to do• Get on with life• Personal character traits• Little things aggravate

more than the big stuff

• Most who hear my story gasp at the loss of eye sight or the broken jaw

• They were the easiest to deal with

• It isn’t the detour, but the pebble in our shoe.

• No feeling in lower lip and the constant wiping of my nose are greater aggravations to me

Jesus teaches us:

• Were those who died punished because they were more wicked than others? NO!

• These events were NOT caused by God.• Job did not “charge God with wrong” Job 1:22• Here is the message to get from a traumatic

event in your life: REPENT OR PERISH!• I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all

likewise perish. (Luke 13:3)