What A Mess! - Part 2 Series

“WHAT A MESS!” – Part 2 Romans 1:18-32

FBCF – 9/14/25

Jon Daniels

INTRO – “World Needs Jesus” video (fade out at 2:50)

“In the midst of a generation screaming for answers, Christians are stuttering.” (Howard Hendricks)

This world just continues to throw us curveballs.

- Last week, started sermon w/ shooting at Catholic Church in Minneapolis

- This week, our nation is reeling from the brutal assassination of Charlie Kirk in broad daylight in front of 3000 people at the Utah Valley Univ.

- We also witnessed a senseless, horrific murder of a Ukrainian refugee girl on a commuter train in Charlotte, NC.

- At same time this week, we are remembering the terrorist attacks on the WTC towers 24 yrs ago on 9/11/01 that killed nearly 3000 people.

All these things are rocking people’s worlds. Feel like we’ve been punched in gut. “What’s going on in the world? Why is there so much evil? What’s wrong w/ people? Why would people do these things?” Multiple people called me asking these questions while planes were crashing into buildings 24 yrs ago on 9/11, & multiple people texted/called me this week after Charlie Kirk’s assassination wanting Scriptural help in understanding what’s going on or needing some Biblical input for comfort & peace.

Parents concerned about the future for their kids. Grandparents for their grandkids. The chasm between political parties is wider & deeper than it’s ever been & continues to grow. The ability to agree to disagree w/ those w/ different viewpoints has vanished. Civil discourse & legitimate debates are a thing of the past. You’d never see anything like this in a Presidential debate today: (video) After debate, Mondale: “If TV can tell the truth, as you say it can, you'll see that I was smiling. But I think if you come in close, you'll see some tears coming down because I knew he had gotten me there. That was really the end of my campaign that night, I think. [I told my wife] the campaign was over, & it was.” We are SO far away from this type of gentlemanly debate. Nowadays, debates are out-of-control free-for-alls where the candidates attack each other, ignoring the debate rules & decorum, talking over each other & over the moderators, shouting at each other – no substance, just insults – just another indicator of the uncivilized condition of our nation now.

So, today’s sermon is not what I had planned to preach but I believe I need to speak into the chaos that surrounds us right now – more so, let the W of G speak into the chaos. This sermon builds on last week & is designed to give you some biblical foundation to stand on as our world seems to continue to spiral out of control. Not going to be my normal sermon w/ 3-4 points that all begin w/ the same letter.

EXPLANATION – Romans 1:28-32

Briefly revisit these verses that I preached on last Sunday & then move to other passages. V. 28 – 3rd time – “God gave them up” – Also v. 24 & 26. God gives people up to the consequences of choosing to live for themselves rather than for Him. Understand this: He doesn’t give up on people – He gives them up to themselves when they exchange His glory for idols; when they exchange His truth for lies; & when they exchange His plan for sex for their own lusts & passions. “Exchange – I don’t want it, I don’t like it, doesn’t fit me.” Difference – 3rd judgment, He finally gives them up to a debased or reprobate mind. Word means to completely lose the ability to make moral judgments – wrong is right & right is wrong. And THAT is where we are in our nation now. THAT is why we are seeing all the vile, depraved, corrupt, immoral things going on all over our nation now – from the smallest towns to the biggest cities – there is nowhere that is untouched by the sin in our world today. We are woefully deceived if we think that living in a small town & putting our kids in a private school is going to protect & shelter them from this sin-sick world. It is OUR responsibility as the Church to live a passionate, Christ-honoring, Scripture-permeated life, & pass that on to the generations behind us.

APPLICATION – The Church must understand & stand against the sin that surrounds us.

Take lots of notes today. Giving lots of Scriptures to go back & read & meditate on in the days to come.

Theologian Karl Barth: “Take your Bible & take your newspaper & read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.” Today – “Bible in one hand & phone in other – social media posts/news apps/blogs/podcasts.”