Spring Break Regrets

It’s great to see you all and I hope you had a great time on spring break. Did any of you get to go to a really exotic place on spring break? Did any of you get to go to a really cool place? Where did you go on spring break? Did you have fun? Was spring break too short? Did some of you have to stay here and work during spring break? Are ready to get back to your normal routine? Are you ready to buckle down and have a great finish to the school year?

When I went to college here 30 years ago, I usually had to work through spring break. So I personally don’t remember any specific spring break regrets (even though I’m sure that I had some), but I do have regrets for things I did while I was a student here at MSU (actually it was called SMS back then). I wasn’t a Christian back then and I drank too much alcohol. I used to watch movies that I shouldn’t have watched and I used to chase young women around. I have many regrets about my college days. But you are fresh off spring break, so I want to ask you: Do you have any regrets from last week? Did you do anything that you shouldn’t have? Do you have any regrets about what you did on spring break?

Ephesians 5:18 says And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit. Did you get drunk to excess last week? I suspect many of you did because most surveys show that between 80-88% of all college students drink alcohol. Galatians 5:21 tells us that getting drunk is a work of the flesh and people who get drunk will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Did you get drunk last week? Listen to Galatians 5:19-21, Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness (unbridled sensuality), Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance (dispute), emulations (jealousy or envy), wrath, strife (contention), seditions (commotions), heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings (immoral festivities), and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have told you in the time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Did you have sexual relations last week – outside the biblical definition of marriage? 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 states Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind (homosexuals), Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Did you get drunk last week? Did you have immoral sexual relations last week? Jesus said that lusting after someone is a sin; did you lust last week? Matthew 5:27-28 says You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not commit adultery: But I say to you, That whosoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. Did you look at anyone with lust last week?

Jesus continues on in Matthew 5:29-30, And if your right eye offends you, pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell. And if your right hand offend you, cut it off, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell.

1 John 2:15 says Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. James 4:4-5 states You adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do you think the scripture said in vain, The spirit that dwells in us lusts to envy?

Revelation 21:8 says But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Folks I’m out here today trying to warn you to flee from the wrath to come. God will judge all unrepentant sinners on Judgment Day and if Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, it will not end well for you. All unredeemed sinners will be cast into the lake of fire. This is very serious. Are you sorry for your sins or do you love your sins and laugh in the face of almighty God? Does your conscience bother you today or do you mock and scoff God?

Do you have any regrets from last week? Are you truly sorry for your sins? 2 Corinthians 7:10 tells us: For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world works death? What are you working for today? What are you working and living for today – death? For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23).

If your conscience bothers you, please know that there is hope today. Unrepentant sinners are under God’s wrath (John 3:36), but repentant sinners have hope. God has forgiven me for the sins I’ve committed and I now have the peace that passes all understanding. You also can receive that same peace. You can be forgiven, cleansed and made new if you will repent. 2 Peter 3:9 says The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. We are to have repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19).

There is hope today if you recognize that you are a sinner. If you recognize that you are lost and need to be saved. If you recognize that you cannot save yourself. If you quit trusting in your own good works or your own self righteousness. Today, cry out to God to have mercy on you, a sinner. Then turn away from your sins by repenting and put your faith in Jesus Christ. Trust that His finished work on the cross can take away your sins. He can wash you whiter than snow. You can be seen as righteous or right before God because Jesus bore your sins on the cross; where God saw Jesus as guilty for your sins. It is the great exchange. You can be seen as right before God through the righteousness of Jesus because He was counted as a guilty sinner for your sins – IF you repent and put your trust in Jesus.

That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9-10). For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13).

Oh, be saved today. Come to Jesus. Put your trust in Him. Trust the only One who can cleanse you from your sins. Repent and believe the Gospel today and be saved. Receive forgiveness like you’ve never had before. Luke 24:45-47 says Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said to them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission (forgiveness) of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Repent with godly repentance. Truly be sorry for your sins and forsake those sins and receive forgiveness from God. Be cleansed today, be made whole today, be made right with God today; repent and put your faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t live in a state of shame and regret. Receive forgiveness from the Lord today.

There is hope in Jesus. Romans 15:12-13 states And again Isaiah says, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
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Now I want to give you a public service announcement. Young ladies, if you find out in the next few weeks that you are pregnant; do not kill your baby in the womb because of one night of sin. The baby should not receive a death sentence because of your sexual indiscretion. Do not murder your child. Everywhere you read about a pregnant woman in the Bible, she is said to be with child. If you are pregnant, God already considers that baby growing inside you a child. Do not fight against God. Have the baby and give him or her up for adoption if you can’t keep them. If you find out that you are pregnant in the next few weeks, please let me know and I will direct you to some resources that are available to you like the Pregnancy Care Center.

Young men, if you find out in the next few weeks that you are to become a dad, don’t force or talk the woman into getting an abortion. If you force, pay for, or drive someone to an abortion clinic, you are guilty of murder, just like the mother and the abortion doctor (and everyone that works at the clinic) are murderers. Do not have blood on your hands. You were man enough to create a child, man up and help the young woman make the right decision. Adoption is always a better option than abortion. My wife and I have adopted two children in the past. I assure you that there are people who want to adopt babies.

Now if you have had an abortion in the past, you can be forgiven, just like we can be forgiven for any sin and that is repentance toward God and faith toward Jesus Christ our Lord. You can be forgiven if you have had an abortion in the past. Ask God to forgive you and then become a voice for the voiceless. Stand against abortion.

(This message was lifted up at Missouri State University on March 19, 2014)