INTRO: The Lord used parables or stories about real life situations to teach His disciples and us about spiritual needs son our lives. I want o look at what happened almost a year ago and apply the lessons to us.

1 Pet. 1:24-25 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: ²⁵But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

John 3:14-21 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: ¹⁵That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ¹⁷For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. ¹⁸He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. ²¹But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Pro. 14:12 ¹²There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Matt. 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: ¹⁴Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

John 7:41-43 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? ⁴²Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? ⁴³So there was a division among the people because of him.

Pajwart Walker, 56 years old fled. Her friend Yvette Anderson, 53 years old saw no reason to leave and stayed.

Matt. 24:40-44 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. ⁴¹Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. ⁴²Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. ⁴³But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. ⁴⁴Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Acts 26:2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

Dan. 3:17-18 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. ¹⁸But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

[parallel this to the Lord and firemen looking for the lost]

Luke 15:4-7 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? ⁵And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. ⁷I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Stanley Primneth went back to his desk to make a call and saw the plane coming and hit the floor just in time. Only 17 others besides him above the 77^th floor lived. Another man named Chris was trapped in the elevator on the ground floor and had been told several times help would arrive. He finally escaped when the power shut off and he pulled open the doors. He was just out of the building when it came down.

Jude 1:23-25 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. ²⁴Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.

We can look at…
Reasons people stayed…

But some escaped…
Found the solution and left - let go

Tom Sullivan left it all - even his wedding band and lived.

Found the strength and left - not easy in front of others to "walk away" from sin

Curious and went to check it out - worth serious consideration

Mike Dunn on the 92^nd floor looked out, saw the other tower on fire, told eight others he was going to go see it. Their advise, "Be careful!" He lived they didn't.

[We need to live so as to make others curious about our Lord and Savior]

Frightened and left
Listened to their "gut" - conscious says what to you?