Are You Sure Or Superstitious?

ARE YOU SURE OR SUPERSTITIOUS?

Ps. 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?”

INTRO.- ILL.- In front of a delicatessen, an art connoisseur noticed a mangy little kitten, lapping up milk from a saucer. He recognized the saucer as being a rare and expensive piece of pottery.

He went into the store and offered two dollars for the cat. The owner said, “The cat is not for sale.” “Look,” said the collector, that cat is dirty and mangy, but I’d still like to buy it. I’ll give you five dollars for it.”

“It’s a deal,” said the owner of the store. The buyer said, “For that five dollars I’m sure you won’t mind throwing in that saucer the cat is drinking from. He seems so happy drinking from it.”

“Nothing doing,” said the owner of the store, “That’s my lucky saucer. With that saucer I’ve sold 34 cats this week.”

DO YOU HAVE A LUCKY SAUCER? Or a lucky something that you are just absolutely convinced has brought you good luck in life?

ILL.- DO YOU HAVE A FOUR-LEAF CLOVER HIDDEN SOMEWHERE SPECIAL TO BRING YOU GOOD LUCK? The Druids of England believed the four-leaf clover to hold magical powers. They believed whoever found one would be able to see evil beings such as witches and devils, and therefore be able to avoid them.

I know how to avoid the devil, but it’s not by carrying around a four-leaf clover. A Bible would be better. And better than that would be to hide the Word of God in your heart! Ps. 119:11

ILL.- DO YOU CARRY A RABBIT’S FOOT FOR GOOD LUCK? If so, is it always in your left pocket? Are you sure it was the rabbit’s left hind foot? And, most important of all, was the animal killed at the full of the moon by a cross-eyed person?

ILL.- DO YOU HAVE A HORSESHOE OVER YOUR DOOR? One belief is that if you hang your horseshoe prong side down, good luck will come to you, keeping the Devil from crossing it.

ILL.- Yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day. And may the luck of the Irish be with you! Did you wear the color green on Saturday for good luck? Have you ever kissed the Blarney Stone? I know someone who has and she’s....

Are you a superstitious type person? Do you tend to believe in certain things or certain practices in order to avoid bad luck and gain good luck? Many people do.

ILL.- WHEN SPILLING SALT, DO YOU QUICKLY THROW A PINCH OVER YOUR SHOULDER? You better make it your left shoulder if you do.

ILL.- DO YOU SAY, “GOD BLESS YOU” WHEN SOMEONE SNEEZES? Do you realize what you are doing? When you sneeze friends are apt to say "God bless you" or the German expression "Gesundheit." The custom of asking for God’s blessing began when early man believed that the essence of life, the spirit or soul, was in the form of air or breath and resided within one’s head. A sneeze might accidentally expel the spirit for a short time or even forever, unless God prevented it. Asking for God’s blessing or bowing toward the sneezer was counter-magic. For it meant, "May your soul not escape."

I love to bless others by saying “God bless you,” but not just when they sneeze. I WANT TO BLESS PEOPLE ALL THE TIME! I want God to bless them and direct them in life!

And I have news for you: You can sneeze your head off, but don’t worry. You still won’t lose your spirit. Your spirit will not leave your body until you die.

ILL.- DO YOU KNOCK ON WOOD FOR GOOD LUCK? This is one of the most popular superstitions. People knock on wood after boasting, making a prediction, or speaking of good fortune.

Since wood comes from trees, this belief stems from ancient tree folklore. Down through the ages people believed that trees were the homes of gods. These were kind obliging gods if approached in the right way.

Again, I have news for you: THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD AND HE DOESN’T LIVE IN TREES!

ILL.- DO YOU AVOID BLACK CATS IN ORDER TO AVOID BAD LUCK? This belief goes back to the Middle Ages when it was thought that a black cat was the companion or mascot of a group of witches, and that it changed into a witch or Satan after seven years of service.

Therefore, people reasoned, a cat crossing one’s path might be a witch or the Devil in disguise, up to no good. It is true that the devil is up to no good, but he is not disguised as a black cat. HE IS MORE CLEVER THAN THAT.