Columbine Colorado A Call To Restore Spirituality to America

TEXT:          2 Corinthians 13:5

INTRODUCTION:

1.                I want to begin on this July 4^th by sharing some recent congressional testimony.

TESTIMONY OF DARRELL SCOTT
(FATHER OF TWO VICTIMS OF THE COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTINGS 4/99 IN LITTLETON, COLORADO)
BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON CRIME HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, MAY 27, 1999
2:00 P.M. 2141 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING

Since the dawn of creation there has been both good and evil in the heart of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence.

The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher and the other 11 children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.

The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Able out in the field. The villain was not the club he used. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.

In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA.

I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA -- because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent.

I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy - it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies!

Much of that blame lies here in this room. Much of that blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves.

I wrote a poem just four nights ago that express my feelings best. This was written way before I knew I would be speaking here today.

*******
Your laws ignore our deepest needs
Your words are empty air
You've stripped away our heritage
You've outlawed simple prayer

Now gunshots fill our classrooms
And precious children die
You seek for answers everywhere
And ask the question "Why"?

You regulate restrictive laws
Through legislative creed
And yet you fail to understand
That God is what we need!
*******

Men and women are 3 part beings. We all consist of body, soul, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make- up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc.

Spiritual influences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is historic fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in doing so, we open the doors to hatred and violence.

And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that continue to erode away our personal and private liberties.

We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre

The real villain lies within our own hearts.

Political posturing and restrictive legislation are not the answers.

The young people of our nation hold the key. There is a spiritual awakening taking place that will not be squelched!

We do not need more religion. We do not need more gaudy television evangelists spewing out verbal religious garbage. We do not need more million dollar church buildings built while people with basic needs are being ignored.

We DO need a change of the heart and an humble acknowledgment that this nation was founded on the principle of simple trust in God!

As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes -- He did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right!

I challenge every young person in American and around the world to realize that on April 20, 1999 at Columbine High School -- prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain.

Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your conscience and denies your God-given right to communicate with Him.

To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA -- I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heart before you cast the first stone! My daughter's death will not be in vain. The young people of this country will not allow that to happen

2.               At a time when everyone is placing blame, let me say that the only person that I am directly responsible for today is me.

3.               It is obvious that modern America has done all it can to remove God from public view.

4.               It is time for us to restore the spiritual element to society. And we can only do that if we are truly spiritual ourselves.

5.               So today I ask you examine yourself.

"Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith. Prove yourselves. Do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are disqualified?” (I2 Corinthians 13:5 NASB)

DISCUSSION:

I.                Is prayer a continual part of your personal life?

"Pray without ceasing;" (I Thessalonians 5:17)

A.              Is your prayer life such that you can stop and pray at any time?

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints - and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel," (Eph. 6:18-19).

                        1.         We should pray in the closet and in public.

                        2.         We should "WATCH" (KJV) be "ALERT" (NASB & NIV) for opportunities for prayer.

II.              Do you give thanks at mealtime?

A.              Not some of the characteristics of some extremely wicked people

(1 Tim 4:1-5) “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, {2} speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, {3} forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. {4} For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; {5} for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”

B.              Illustration:  The farmer made his annual trip to bring his hogs to market. On his way home, he stopped at the local truck stop to eat. Before eating he took off his hat and bowed his head in silent prayer. Across the room sat two burley truck drivers. One nudged the other one and pointed at the praying man. The second driver put his hand the side of his mouth and yelled across the room, “Hey farmer, do they all do that back where you come from?” With his head still bowed the farmer quietly replied, “All but the hogs.”

C.              If we eat without prayer, we are eating polluted food (V - 5).

                        1.         Compare to Jews cleansing items with water. We don't use water but we do use prayer.

D.              Worst of all, if we eat without giving thanks we are ingrates.

E.               Even in public we give thanks if we care more about the Lord than we care about what complete strangers think of us.

F.               What would happen to our society if everyone who claimed to be a Christian quietly gave thanks for his food before each meal meal?

III.            Do you give as you've been prospered?

"Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you do also; On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.” (I Corinthans 16:1-2)

"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."  (Matt 5:20)

A.              Often new converts have budgets structured in such a way that they can't give as they've prospered:  they should perhaps pick a bill that would amount to about what they need to be giving, pay it off and go from there. Perhaps it would help to give 20% to 30% of each raise.

IV.           Do you find time for daily, private Bible Study?

A.              We must study to be approved of God. (II Tim. 2:15)

B.              Instead of being used by your habits, make habit your tool. Find or make a place for regular private QUIET study.

C.              It must be regular (daily).

"These were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11)

D.              Daily study is always the most productive kind. (Psalm 1:1-2)

E.               It must be quiet and private

F.               Study must be systematic and planned.

1.               None of us would dream of going into a field with a shotgun and just shooting in any direction, WITHOUT AIM.

2.               Imagine having a math problem, opening the book to the middle and expecting to solve the problem.

3.               List the different methods of study.

            A.        Matthew 4:4

V.             Do you attend Bible classes?

A.              You should be there to share what you know.

B.              You should be there to learn from others. Otherwise you will become stagnant.

(Acts 8:30-31) So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" {31} And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.

C.              The difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.

VI.           Do you attend ALL SERVICES of the congregation?

A.              We must attend for encouragement of each other and ourselves.

"And let us consider one another so as to stir up love and good works.” (Heb 10:24-26)

B.              Can you really see Jesus, Peter, James or John doing what you do instead of attending services?

C.              If you say you love Jesus but don’t bother to attend with him and the brethren, your actions speak louder than words.

D.              If you miss a service because friends dropped in, you are telling the Lord that you love your friends (BUT NOT THEIR SOULS) more than the Lord.

E.               There was a time when schools would have never dreamed of scheduling activities on Wednesday night. All of the Christians would have been missing.

F.               The fact that people that know you well would think of dropping by on Sunday AM, PM or Wednesday shows that they don't think you're THAT dedicated.

            B.        If you are working overtime you could have turned down; you've told the Lord which is more important to you.

                        1.         If you took it because you were afraid to say no, you've told the Lord you fear the Foreman more than the creator.

            C.        If you weren't too sick to stay home from work or school but you did stay home from church; you're telling the Lord something.

            D.        If you don't stay away from work because of hypocrites and foremen that always get their way; would you stay away from the church for the same reasons?

VII.          Do you wholeheartedly give your attention to all the activities of the Assembly?

A.              Would you daydream at a meeting with the president of the U.S.?

"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst of them."  (Matt 18:20)

B.              You're in a special meeting with the Lord of all.

C.              How we conduct ourselves during services will have a great bearing on the growth of the congregation.

"Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing."  (I Thessalonians 5:11)

D.              Do you sing in such a way as to help build up the church (edify)?

                        1.         If the only way we can tell you are singing is because we see your lips moving, you aren't admonishing anyone.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Colossians 3:16).

E.               People who watch and play with children or otherwise allow their children to disrupt services are saying that they don’t take the Lord’s presence seriously.

F.               Illustration: the people who were playing with the baby during Keith Stotts' meeting at Fairview WV.

G.              We are not here to be entertained. We are here to provoke one another, to admonish each other and declare the worth of God.

VIII.       Do you invite people to attend services with you?

(Isaiah 2:3)  Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

A.              Notice the order in Isaiah 2:3 in this prophecy concerning the NT church. They invited and then the law flowed forth.

B.              This one of the most elementary things we can do to help promote the spread of the gospel.

IX.           Do you make an effort to lead people to Christ?

1.             A.        Most would say, "I don't know enough".

"For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” (Heb 5:12)

He that wins souls is wise (Proverbs 11:30). 

A.        Therefore he who refuses to do so is foolish.

"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit...By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples...You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."  (John 15:2,8,16)

X.             Is your home life such that you would be happy for all your friends to see it as an example?

A.              The way you act could cause some to refuse to even come to services.

"The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,"  (Acts 1:1)

"Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,"  (Phil 1:27)

B.              The way you treat your spouse and children.

XI.           Do you practice hospitality/ fellowship?

A.              If evil companionship corrupt good morals, surely good ones will make good morals.

B.              Hospitality is a characteristic of the Christian mind set.

"Rom 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be] kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality."

"A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach." (I Tim. 3:2).

"But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love among yourselves, for love will cover a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

XII.         Do you rigidly try to abstain from words, actions and thoughts which do not reflect credit to Christ?

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” (Eph 4:29)

"Walk in wisdom toward those who are outsiders, redeeming the time.  Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one." (Col 4:5-6)

XIII.       Do you visit the sick and sorrowing?

"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world"  (James 1:21).

A.              You're paying the preacher to do that? Could you pay him to do the rest of your work?

XIV.      Do you see things to do and volunteer your services for the Lord's work?

XV.        Do you labor in the vineyard out of Love to Glorify God instead of self?

A.              I Peter. 4:10-11.

XVI.      Do you accept responsibility and do the job without requiring continual prodding?

XVII.    Are you a Christian?

A.              If you answer to all of the previous points is yes and you answer "no" to this point, all of the work is in vain.

(Isaiah 64:6) But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.

Conclusion:

1)               We can only change the world by changing ourselves.