ROMANS 1:22-32 “WHAT IS BEHIND ALL THE SCHOOL SHOOTINGS?”
A) There have been 18 school shootings so far this year.
* All were not fatal shootings, nevertheless guns were fired in schools.
* Let me name a few since 1999 – Columbine HS ... Eric Harris and Dylan
Klebold killed 12 students, 1 teacher and injured 21 additional people.
B) Three more were injured while trying to escape.
* It all ended when the cowards committed suicide.
C) Virginia Tech – 12 students and 1 teacher and another six were
injured escaping from classroom windows, about 2 hours apart.
* The guy’s name was Seung-Hui Cho, a senior at VT.
* He too, at the end of the massacre committed suicide.
D) Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut.
* 20 year old Adam Lanza shot down 23 children between the ages
of 6-7 as well as 6 staff members.
E) Prior to going to the school he shot and killed his mother
at their Newtown home.
* The police heard the final shot at 9:40 am which was Adam taking his
own life by shooting himself in the lower rear portion of his head.
F) Then just recently at Stoneman Douglas HS in Parkland Florida.
* 14 Students and 3 staff members were gunned down by 19 year old
Nikolas Cruz, and 14 others injured were taken to nearby hospitals.
G) The shooting lasted six minutes, after which Cruz dropped his
rifle on the 3rd floor of the building.
* And he left the scene by blending in with fleeing students.
* He walked to a Walmart, where he purchased a soda at its Subway restaurant.
* He then walked to a McDonald’s and lingered before leaving on foot at 3:01.
H) At about 3:40, he was stopped by a police officer in Coral Springs,
two miles from the school and taken into custody without incident.
* He was taken to a hospital emergency room with “labored breathing,”
released after 40 minutes, then booked into the Broward County Jail.
COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL
A) Nearly everyone in America is aware of the tragedy that took
place in Littleton, Colorado at Columbine High School.
* However, we all assume, “Well, it couldn’t happen here.”
* Sure it could happen here ... Kids in Spartanburg could do what those
two punks did and worse.
B) I believe Romans 1 speaks to the situation at Columbine and other
schools and describes many other young people today.
* It talks about “inventors of evil things,” such as pipe bombs.
* It talks about queers ... By the way, did you hear the report
that the student killers were sodomites?
C) The chapter mentions people who are disobedient to parents.
* Those parents had no idea that their kids would commit mass murder.
* And it talks about these people being “full of murder,” and that
describes them in detail.
D) What was the cause of this horrible tragedy and the horrific
tragedy at all of the other schools in America?
* This has been the subject of thousands of newspaper articles, radio and TV
talk shows and conversations of people in their daily activities.
E) As usual, I plan to give the final word on the subject.
* Well, it may not be the final word, but it will be closer to it than
what most people propose .......
* Because the final word I will offer is based upon what
“thus saith the Lord.”
(1) A DISARMED FACULTY IS PART OF THE PROBLEM
* Luke 22:36 “Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse,
let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword,
let him sell his garment, and buy one.”
A) The first problem is they didn’t have God, so they were unable
to properly promote the Bible and true righteousness.
* The problem with the leaders of our country is they have become
so “wise” and so “brainy,” they demoted God.
* But God said they were fools – Psa. 14:1 “The fool hath said .......”
B) When men push God out of their minds, their minds are void
and empty of God.
* God is not in their thoughts – Tragic things happen when men reject God.
C) They didn’t have government, (the ability to maintain discipline),
so they were unable to preserve order and decency.
* They have taken discipline out of schools ... I remember when I was
in elementary school, they would blister your hand with a ruler.
* I’m in favor of putting discipline back into the schools.
D) They didn’t have guns, so they were unable to protect themselves
and the other students.
* With the situation in our schools today, I’m for requiring that all school
staff be trained in firearms and hand to hand combat.
* Shoot the killers on the spot if they have guns, or beat the fire out of
them if they come in a fighting and running their mouth.
(2) DESTROYED FOUNDATIONS ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM
* Psalm 11:3 “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
A) Some basic foundations of what is right and what is wrong have
been destroyed in our country, in our schools, and in our homes.
* Listen to what these foundations are:
FIRST FOUNDATION: ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY
A) The murdering students were responsible for their own actions.
* However, the parents were responsible for their influence in training
their children – Prov. 22:6 “Train up a child .......”
B) Train means to initiate or discipline; dedicate.
* Initiate means to be the first one to start, install, to help to get a first
understanding into the knowledge; originate.”
* Eph. 6:4 “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to .......”
C) Nurture means education or training by disciplinary correction,
chastening, chastisement ... In simple words, “Tan their hides.”
* “But Preacher, I can’t whip my kids.”
D) If you love them, you will ... Prov. 13:24 “He that spareth his rod
hateth his son, but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.”
* Betimes means as often as needed.
E) Discipline them while there is hope.
* Prov. 19:18 “Chasten thy son ... and let not thy soul ...”
* If you begin in time, you can turn out some good honest boys and girls, but you
have to begin in time ... Teach them to respect authority in the home first.
F) “But, Preacher, I don’t know what’s wrong with mine.”
* I know ... You don’t lay a hand on him until you get so mad, you grit
your teeth, then you spat him a little.
* He yells bloody murder and you have to buy him three ice cream cones and take
him to grandma’s to get him quiet ... “Let not thy soul spare for his crying.”
G) Mama used to whip us till we quit crying.
* “Keep it up – I’ll give you something to cry for.” (Hickory Switch)
H) “But what if the “hickory switch” leaves marks on his legs?” – Let it.
* Prov. 20:30 “The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do .......”
I) We raise pigs and cows, we rear children, because most of it
starts with the rear.
* Sometimes you have to beat responsibility in the child.
* Prov. 23:13 “Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou
beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.”
SECOND FOUNDATION: ABOUT REPROBATES
A) Sodomites are worthy of death.
* If sodomy was despised in our society like it should be, the queers
wouldn’t be so bold.
* They would stay in their closets with their Barbie dolls.
* Look at what Paul said in v.26-28 .......
THIRD FOUNDATION: ABOUT REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS
A) When people see wickedness done without swift retribution,
it encourages others to do wrong.
* Eccl. 8:11 “Because sentence against an evil work is .......”
* When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong.
* I’m for capital punishment ... Don’t wait ten or fifteen years to carry
out the execution though.
(3) DEAD-BEAT FATHERS ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM
A) If fathers don’t give their children spiritual guidance,
they’re dead-beats.
* Fathers have a responsibility to raise their children to love Jesus
and live for Him.
B) Most fathers of rebels are not saved, not Spirit filled,
are not strong in Christ.
* Most fathers of rebels are not sober, alert, awake and aware.
* Most fathers of rebels are not serving God – Josh. 24:15 “As for me .......”
(4) DEMONIC FORCES ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM
* Listen to the Bible: Eph. 2:2 “Wherein in time past ye walked according to
the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the .......”
A) The murderers were not submissive to authority ... They were
filled with unclean spirits.
* They were full of rebellion and hatred ... They were possessed by demons.
* They hated God and Christians. (Cassie Bernall)
B) The boys were not sound in mind.
* Spiritual warfare is a battle for the mind.
C) Demon possession will control the mind ... Demons will
take over the mind.
* John 8:44 “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts .......”
D) You won’t convince me that the devil didn’t have nothing to
do with the shooting at Columbine or these other schools.
* Friend, you don’t know what you’ll do under the influence
and control of demons.
E) The boys were not saved.
* All unsaved people are led by unclean spirits.
* These boys went to hell ... The devil had them in his grasp.
F) If we could take the lids off hell today, you would see them
screaming and burning in the fire.
* My God, help us ... Rom. 1:22-32 is the condition in our world today.
CLOSE
A) What was behind all the school shootings? ... A disarmed faculty
is part of the problem.
* Destroyed foundations are part of the problem ... Dead-beat fathers
are part of the problem.
* Demonic forces are part of the problem.
B) If you’re not saved today, please give your heart to
Jesus before it’s too late – So come to Jesus now.
