INTRO: Birchwood, Wisconsin – A Wisconsin hunter is accused of killing five people and wounding another three after he allegedly shot them over a fight involving a tree stand, authorities said Monday. The dead included a teenage boy, a woman and a father and son, Sawyer County Chief Deputy Tim Zeigle said. Some of the victims were shot more than once.
The 36-year-old suspect was arrested Sunday afternoon, Sawyer County sheriff’s officials said. Jake Hodgkinson, a deputy at the county jail, identified the alleged gunman as Chai Soua Vang but would give no additional details.
The incident began as two hunters were returning to their rural cabin on private land in Sawyer County and they saw the suspect in one of their hunting platforms in a tree, Zeigle said. The platforms or "tree stands" allow hunters to see deer without easily being seen themselves. A confrontation ensued, followed by an exchange of gunfire. It’s not known who fired the first shot, Zeigle said.
Both hunters were wounded and one of them radioed friends at the cabin a quarter mile away. Other hunters responded and were shot. About 20 shots were fired, but it’s unclear if any of the hunters had fired at the suspect or who might have shot first, Zeigle said. There was just one gun among the eight people killed or wounded, he said.
"It’s absolutely nuts. Why? Over sitting in a tree stand?" asked Ziegle. Zeigle said the suspect was "chasing after them and killing them," with an SKS 7.62 mm semiautomatic rifle.
The suspect, who did not have a compass, got lost in the woods and two other hunters, not knowing about the shootings, helped him find his way out, Zeigle said. When he emerged, a Department of Natural Resources officer recognized the deer license on his back, given to police by a victim, Zeigle said.
-This story is an example of an unhealthy individual who was driven by selfish motives. In contrast, over the last few weeks we’ve been looking at healthy relationships.
Review for those who have not been here.
Healthy Relationships
Serving Loyalty Forgiveness Love
Christ
Pillar 1 – Serving. We got a glimpse of the Lord’s life, in the last few hours. The scene showed his disciples bickering about who would be the greatest while Judas was out making a deal with the devil to turn the Lord over to the religious establishment.
-The Lord did something amazing. He began to wash their feet, something no one else wanted to do. That is truly serving.
Pillar 2 – Loyalty. We looked at the man Uriah who was loyal to his soldiers, his country, God, and the king. We learned loyalty will cost you something, it may cost you your life, but it will be remembered.
Pillar 3 – Forgiveness. Forgiveness is surrendering my right to hurt you for hurting me. Jesus instructs us that we need to forgive others; if we don’t, our Father in heaven will not forgive us.
Pillar 4 – Love. It always protects (looks past the faults of others), it always trusts (believes the best in others), it always hopes (helps others), it always perseveres (more than just hangs on, it
conquers).
Today we’re going to be looking at the foundation. Without a sturdy foundation, the house will eventually collapse.
TITLE: Relationship Builders – Part 5
TEXT: Luke 6:46-49
I. We are all builders. The question is – are we going to build a sturdy house or a fragile house?
-Another way to look at it – in regard to relationships – are we going to build healthy relationships or unhealthy relationships?
A. The key is verse 46: Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?
1.Many people want to have a healthy relationship with God.
-But they don’t go about it the right way (these folks do it their own way) and they think they’re okay when they’re not.
2.They don’t find out that they built a poor house until the storms come and destroy everything.
B. The solid house—those who not only hear the words of God but they also put them into practice.
1. Notice the text says a man dug down deep. Anytime I’ve heard the term dig deep was when I was feeling a lot of pain or going through some difficult circumstances.
Example. Like having to run 2 miles under 12 minutes or lifting weights and you always got the coaches yelling dig deep, dig deeper. (I felt like saying I don’t want to, I’m deep enough.)
-After it’s all over you’re glad you did because it paid off.
2, The wise man searched for rock, where it was much more difficult to build and where it was hard to labor to cut out the foundation.
C. Fragile house—a man built his house upon the ground, or Matthew tells us a house upon the sand. 1. Why do you think he did such a foolish thing?
-Maybe he was lazy. He didn’t want to do all the hard work, it was too much.
-Maybe he was shortsighted. He was focused on the here and now, the idea of worrying about today’s pleasure at the expense of tomorrow’s.
Point: For whatever reason, the man built on sand so when the storms came his house was crushed!
2. Notice the storms came to both houses. The storms of life cannot be avoided, they will come. The only question is what will be the outcome.
TS:Well, how do I apply this to my life in regard to healthy relationships? II. Building healthy relationships is a must.
A. It has to start with Christ as the foundation otherwise it won’t work. This is a nebulous thought that we all agree on but when it comes down to specific situations it’s very difficult.
1.Let me explain. Remember the picture of healthy relationships supported by the four pillars (serving, loyalty, forgiveness, love). They were set on Christ as the foundation.
2.Let’s pretend. Let me lead you into the storm.
You wake up one morning and go off to work. You kiss your wife and three children good-bye for the day. You get to work and what a beautiful day. Things are going so well. You reflect on how blessed you are. A few hours into your day you remember that you forgot something. So you slip out the back door and drive home. You stop by the store to buy your wife a rose to tell her how much you love her. You drive up quietly because you want to surprise her. You sneak in the back door and walk to your bedroom to surprise your wife and you find her being intimate with your good friend.
You quietly leave to get out of the house and go for a long drive wondering what went wrong. You come back home many hours later not knowing what to expect or say. You’re greeted at the door by your smiling children.
Not much is said that evening until the children go to bed and your wife sits down and explains to you that she’s been having an affair for many years. In fact your younger two children are not really yours, she believes they’re your friends.
Your whole world has turned upside down in one day. The storm has come with a vengeance. In one day you’ve found out the love of your life has been unfaithful and your two younger children might be your good friend’s children.
3.What are you to do? Your wife says she wants to work things out and you know the Lord wants you to reconcile.
B.You know in your mind you’re supposed to obey but you can’t seem to get past the hurt and pain. -All those memories keep pouring in, what are you to do?
1. Walk in faith, believing God in some way is going to take what the enemy meant for destruction and turn it around for the good.
-You step out in faith and serve when you don’t want to serve, you’re loyal even though she was not loyal, you forgive because God forgave you, you love because it always overcomes (it always protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres, it conquers).
2. Is it easy? No, you have to dig deep. God’s grace will carry you, his Spirit will strengthen you.
-You’ll know and experience God in ways that maybe you never would have before. C. Today are your relationships set on the foundation of Christ? If they are they will survive the storm.
1. If they are not, they will shatter when the storms come.
-A storm will reveal what the relationship is built on.
In Conclusion: How are your relationships doing?
1st and most important. How is your relationship with Christ?
-Is it healthy or is it unhealthy (you only talk with God when you need something)? Or maybe you’re mad at God because he’s not answering your prayer the way you’d like.
2nd How is your relationship with your spouse and family?
-Do you serve, are you loyal, have you forgiven, are you loving? Or are you putting conditions to these?
3rd How are your friendships?
-Are they based on the world or are they based on Christ the Rock? (Take a look when the storm comes.)
The good news. If you recognize you haven’t been building healthy relationships and they’re always falling apart, then start with God’s help.
