Taking a break from our series in the book of 1 Peter, this morning I want to address from a biblical perspective, a passionate topic of conversation that is being mentioned almost on a weekly basis now, which is the topic of quote, mass shootings. In fact, as I looked at the news this morning, I saw that there was just another shooting, five dead, 20 injured in Alabama. To help us understand all that we're seeing unfold in our nation and world, and to help us discern things as they are from a spiritual perspective, I want to preach a message I've entitled, Man's Depravity and the Media's Disregard. Man's depravity and the media's disregard. Romans 1, beginning in verse 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness, because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power in Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened, professing themselves to be wise, They became fools and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves, who changed the truth of God into a lie. and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections. For even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature, and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient, being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whispers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affections, implacable, unmerciful, who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." Man's depravity and the media's disregard. It's the guns. It's always been the guns. Guns are the problem. We need stricter gun control. We need to ban all guns. The main reason why so many children are being killed in schools is because guns. Why can't you see it? If there are no guns to obtain, there will be no guns to shoot people with. These are the passionate statements made by individuals every time. There is a shooting that the news media decides to highlight and set before our faces. Now, despite what you believe about guns and despite your political preference or personal beliefs about how things are, I want you to humbly and honestly answer the following questions in your mind. Who says killing is wrong? Who says killing is wrong? This is a legitimate question that is never brought to the table of discussion after, quote, mass shootings. Who says killing others is wrong? I mean, why are people so upset, so heated, so angry about people dying when our culture largely declares that morality is subjective? Isn't this the argument we hear from the world? Don't they passionately persist that morals are social constructs? Are we not living in a day in which children in their homes, in their school classrooms, and in our culture are being told that we are simply the product of evolution? We are just accidents, we're living organisms that came as a result of a big bang, and thus we have no ethical purpose in this world? Do we not live in a day where we are being conditioned on every side to believe that everybody is right and nobody is wrong? Are we not being encouraged to believe that what is right for you is right for you and what is right for me is right for me? So tie it all together. If children are taught from kindergarten to college, that there is no God. Truth is subjective to how one feels. We as humans are simply evolved creatures who have the ability to determine what is right and wrong for ourselves. My question is, what are we so worked up about? Who says killing is wrong? Of course, I'm using sarcasm to make a point, but my point is a valid point. It's a point that nobody is making. And to add to this question, another point that nobody wants to recognize is the fact that we, as a culture, fill our hearts and our heads daily with violent thoughts. Do you not realize that our culture cherishes TV shows, movies, music and video games filled with violence. We're so numb to it. and it's awareness now, but if you would honestly evaluate the TV shows streaming through the most popular streaming services, the movies hitting the theaters, the video games hitting the shelves of gaming stores, and the music being pumped into the ears of the average person, you will find themes of cold-blooded murder, amusement in running from and killing police officers, glorying in drug and alcohol use and abuse, fornication, adultery, rape, physical abuse, anger, selfishness, dark demonic images, and even specific references to following Satan. Are you listening? I'm not exaggerating in the least. Have you seen what some of these heavy metal and rock and roll bands look like? Have you seen their stage props? Have you listened to their lyrics? And I know most of you see the dark advertisements of the movies and television shows that are being promoted. They're dark, they're violent, they're sensual, they're demonic. And sadly, all this is easily accessible to young children who have unregulated, unfiltered smartphones. Children in grade schools are being exposed to the most violent, ungodly, perverse entertainments. But I guess we shouldn't be worked up about this, right? Because again, Who says looking at pornography as a kindergartner is wrong? Who says listening to music with vile words in first grade is wrong? Who says anything is wrong? Who is our authority? What determines right and wrong? Stick with me. Who says lying is wrong? Who says stealing is wrong? Who says changing your gender is wrong? Who says fornication is wrong? Who says polygamy is wrong? Who says adultery is wrong? Who says homosexuality is wrong? Who says abortion is wrong? Who says getting drunk is wrong? Who says doing drugs is wrong? If we are going to live by the morality is a social construct philosophy, I guess we need to embrace the fact that our society has determined that it is best to be without objective morals. Do you see the dilemma at hand in our nation? On the one hand, we are angered at the moral deterioration of our society. And yet on the other hand, we don't want to have an honest conversation about the root cause. We want to blame a president, a political party, or a firearm. We get mad at our neighbors, at our co-workers, a family member. for believing different than we do about the cause and the answer to our nation's problem, when the reality is both sides, Republican and Democrats, are completely wrong about the cause and answer to our cultural problems. Questions to consider. Now in my second main point, I want to look at the biblical cause and solution regarding the great divide and collapse of our nation. And the fundamental root cause to our problems in our society, catch it, is our hearts. Our hearts. Evil men do evil deeds because they are evil. Man sins because he is a sinner. Jeremiah 17, 9, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Jesus says, Matthew 15, 19, for out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. Romans 3 tells us that man in his sinfully depraved condition has a mouth that is full of cursing and bitterness and has feet that are quick to shed blood. When you listen to the news and you hear the depressing reports of evil that occurs in our society, if you want to know the true cause for it, just open up your Bibles. This world lives as it does because they belong to their father, the devil, and the lusts of their father, the devil, they are doing. Those are Jesus's words. Who is the devil? He's a liar. He's a thief. He's a murderer. He is one who does not abide in truth. Are you catching the correlation yet? Why is this world living as it is? Because that's their nature. That's all they know. They're blind to the truth of the gospel. They are hardened toward God. You see, when it comes to mass shootings, most people's focus is on that which is physical. It's the guns. It's the politicians. It's the policies. It's the Democrats, it's the Republicans, it's mental illness. When the reality is, it's a spiritual illness called sin. This world is rebelling against God. This world is walking according to the prince of the power of the air who is the wicked one. And here's a news check for you. If it were possible to destroy all guns, it would not solve our problems. If you took away guns, people would use their vehicles to run people over. Oh wait, we already have that problem. If you were to take away all vehicles and all guns, people would use knives. Oh wait, we already have that problem. If you took away people's knives, then people would use other sharp instruments. If you took away all sharp instruments, people would use rocks. If you took away all the rocks from the earth, people would use their hands. If you cut off people's arms, people would still find a way to curse God and kill one another. This is how depraved and how dark humanity is. This is how hard our sinful hearts are. Man is not basically good. He is basically evil. That's not my opinion. That's the opinion of God. The fundamental root cause of our nation's problems is our hearts. If you leave here this morning remembering only one thing, remember this. The heart Of all of our problems is the problem of our heart. The heart of all of our problems is the problem of our hearts. Now, the secondary cause to our nation's problems that is articulated here in Romans 1 is the divine judgment of God. Why are we seeing our country deteriorate spiritually? Why are we seeing so much violence? And it seems ever since COVID, things just went from first gear to fourth gear real quick. People in this city practicing anarchy, Police officers wanting to be defunded. Police officers being shot and hated even more so. Young people running the streets and looting businesses. Why are we seeing all this? Cause number one, because of our sinful hearts. Cause number two, because of the judgment of God. What is the cause of the decline in our nation? Why are we seeing more violent acts committed? How is it that we've come to a place in our world where the most basic truths of life are being questioned and disbelieved? Well, verses 18 through 32 of Romans 1 tells us clearly. We are where we are as a nation because God's judgment is upon us. In our nation, That which is evil is called good, and good is called evil. And this is so because God is giving us over to our own sinful yearnings. Now, as I read the text again, I want you to notice the themes we are seeing played out before our eyes in our culture, namely sexual immorality, transgenderism, ignorance of God, violence, murder, rebellion against authority. As I read the list, I want you to think about how much God has blessed us as a nation in past years. And how far we've strayed from the authority of God's word in recent years. I want you to notice the focus of man suppressing truth. Notice the emphasis of man instinctively knowing what is against God, yet pursuing it anyways. Are you ready? Back to Romans 1, beginning in verse 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Because that which may be known of God is manifest to them, the men, for God has showed it unto them. for the invisible things of him, that is God, from the creation of the world are clearly seeing, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power in Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Translation, man knows that man did not create all this. Man knows that there is a higher being. Man knows he is accountable to God. Man can look at this creation and see that God is powerful, majestic, orderly, and all-knowing. Verse 21, because when they knew God, did we at one time in our nation know God? Were we not built upon Christian principles? Because when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart became darkened. Think of the years, think of the decades, think of the centuries that have passed from 1776 until now. professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts." There's that part again. Their own hearts. The heart of all problems is the problem of the hearts. God's giving them over to their own sinful hearts to dishonor their own bodies between themselves who changed the truth of God into a lie. The truth of God is that males are males and females are females. But we're not operating in that truth, are we? And worshiped and served the creature that which has been created more than the Creator, who is blessed forever, amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections, for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature, and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust one toward another, men with men, working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error, which was meat. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge. How many people in our nation grew up at least with some understanding of Bible truth? We used to have prayer in school. The Ten Commandments used to be displayed in school. The children who are now 18 to 35, many of them grew up in a church, in a Sunday school, in some sort of youth group program. But now they don't like to retain God in their knowledge. So God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient, being filled with all unrighteousness. Look at our world, think of our nation. Think about what you hear on the news. Fornication, wickedness, covetousness. Think of the music. Think of the movies. Think of the television shows. Think of that which the common teenager seeks after. Maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit. Think of social media, malignity, whispers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents. Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affections, implacable, unmerciful, who? Knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Now back to some general questions. Do people instinctively know that murder is wrong? Does man intuitively understand that it is wrong to go up to a random person and punch them in the face for no reason? Does man know that? Does humanity recognize that it is immoral to break into someone's house at night and steal their money and their jewelry? Come on, be honest. Everyone instinctively knows that these things are wrong. And how do we know they're wrong? Because they're written on our hearts. Listen, if someone murdered a close family member of yours, or if someone broke into your house right now while you're at church, and in their breaking in your house, they stole your most expensive jewelry, you would not only feel violated, but you would demand that the police find the criminal, take them to jail and see that they are sentenced for their crimes, right? Why would you do that? Because Romans chapter one is true. We innately know there's a God. We know that we did not create ourselves. We know that this God, this creator, has a basic code of truth and morality. And yet, in our rebellion against God, we suppress the truth and believe lies. And we take pleasure in all kinds of sinful practices. And because of this, God has given us up. to our sinful lusts, our vile affections, and a degenerate mind. This is exactly what is being played out before our eyes. God is taking his hand of blessing off of our nation. God is letting us as a nation eat the fruit of our own ways. We are reaping what we have sown. We've pushed God out of our homes. out of our schools, out of our society. And God has said, if you want a nation without my guidance and blessing, you can have it. God is allowing us to destroy ourselves. That's exactly what the news is portraying each and every day. So what's the answer? Well, the answer is in verse 16. and the rest of the book of Romans? The answer is the gospel. You say, what's the gospel? The gospel is the good news. Well, what's the good news? It's the good news that God in his mercy and grace offers salvation to sinful, lost, rebellious people. Paul says in Romans 1 16, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believe it, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. You see, what our nation needs is salvation. You say, what's salvation? Here it is. Salvation is the process in which sinners are brought to God. Salvation is a transformation the heart. Remember what I said earlier? The heart of all of our problems is the problem of our hearts. Our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked. Out of the heart comes evil thoughts and murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. So what does our nation need? We need new hearts. We need a heart surgery. We need a new heart with new affections, new desires. We need a heart that will love God and love others because naturally we have a heart that is hard, that loves self and hates others. What do we need? We need a heart that will forgive and be kind. We need a heart that will put others before self. And guess what? We don't have the power to change our hearts. But the gospel, Paul says, Romans 1, 16, is the power of God unto salvation. You see, Jesus has the power to cleanse our hearts and to save us through his death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, left the glories of heaven to come to this world to offer life as an atonement for the sins of those who would believe on him. Jesus offered his life. as a way of forgiveness. Jesus came to reconcile us to God. He came to offer us hope and peace and joy and life. Jesus says that the thief, that is Satan, has come to steal and to kill and to destroy, but he has come to give us life, and not only life, but abundant life. You see, the only hope for our nation is Christ. The answer is not physical, but spiritual. The answer is not social reform, but sincere repentance. The answer is not found in guns or government, but in God. The problem we have is not a mental health problem, it's a spiritual health problem. We don't need to pump people with more pills. We need to point people to the Prince of Peace. And sadly, not even, quote, conservatives who claim to be Christian, who throw around God's name will highlight the biblical problem and solution. Listen, even Republican conservative voices on the radio and television believe the problem and solution lies in men, policies, and a platform. I've listened to them. I've never, I've never heard them talk about the sin nature of man. I've never heard them speak of the gospel and the need for men to be born again by the spirit. No, they think Trump will save us. They think a Republican majority in the House and Senate will save us. They think winning the argument over the Democrats will save us. I cannot think of one time where one of these conservative Christian talk show hosts gives a theological lesson from the Bible about the heart of man and has commanded their listeners to repent of our dependence upon man. I've never once heard a talk show host begging believers to diligently pray that the gospel would penetrate through the hearts of others so that our nation might be spiritually saved. I've never once Heard a talk show host ask Christians to be more diligent in sharing the good news of the gospel with their family members and neighbors. Never once. I've listened to hours. I've never heard conservative Republican voices to seek God in his face. I've heard them encourage their listeners to go to the voting booths. I've heard them encouraging others to be in attendance at school meetings, to be involved in making their voice known on a political level, but never on a spiritual level. In fact, I've never heard these so-called conservatives encourage Christian people to live a life wholly dedicated to God. I've never heard them encourage others to be faithful in reading their Bibles, going to church and doing all they can to be a godly testimony before the world. All I hear from conservative voices are, let's lift up the MAGA flag. Come on, take it. So let's be honest enough to recognize this morning, both sides of the aisle are operating on false ideologies. Both sides are spiritually cross-eyed when it comes to the real problem and real solution. I'm always tempted to pick up the phone and call some of these talk show hosts on the radio and say, you want a pastor's perspective on these things? Do you really want to know the truth? But they'd interrupt after five seconds and tell me, no, you're wrong. The president is our answer. Republicans are the answer. So this leads me then to some concluding words of application. Having considered all that we have in this sermon, we come now to the so what moment. So what? So our nation has strayed from God, so what? So we are prone to trust in men, government, policies, and guns, so what? Let me give some application for believers. Number one, it's time. fellow Christians, that we confess our sins to God. That's application number one for born-again believers this morning. It's time that we as Christians confess our sins to God. You say, pastor, what are you talking about? This evil world is the problem, not us. We are nice, moral, law-abiding, church-going people. You're preaching at the wrong crowd. Am I? Listen, church, our nation is the way it is because so-called Christians have not been a bright light for Christ. Trace the prophets of old, and when they saw their nation crumbling and giving way to sin, they confessed humbly to God that we have not done what we have ought to do. It's true. It's only your pride and arrogance that will kick against this. If you will think about how far we've come as a nation and correlate it to the state of Christianity, you will find a direct correlation. Most churches look like a six flags over Jesus than it does a church anymore. It's a place of entertainment, social connections. enjoying the show with a cup of coffee rather than seeking God. Prove me wrong. The less committed Christians are to the cause of Christ, the less influence we have on this nation. You can sit back and get mad at Democrats, homosexuals, and transgenders all you want, but the Bible tells us we are to blame. So the solution starts with us. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves. Where's the focus on the world or God's people? How will we win the world for Christ if we don't live for Christ? How do we expect others to visit a church and hear the message of the gospel when so many Christians are so flippant about coming to church? And now we have pastors canceling services on Christmas and Easter. What are we teaching the world? How will this world give us a listening ear if we treat spiritual things so lightly? You see, we need to confess and forsake. our sins. How easy it is to point the finger at all these sinners who know nothing else but sin and blame them for the problem when we're not even praying for our enemies. Application number one, what do we need to do? We need to confess and forsake our sins. Application number two for believers, we need to pray. Pray. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and seek my face, pray. God says, then you will hear from heaven. Then he will heal our land. Do you pray for our nation? Do you pray for leaders that you do not agree with? Do you pray for your enemies? How often do you pray? How often do we pray for our hangnails? more than the salvation of souls. We can pray for so-and-so in the hospital having surgery on their foot, but what about our neighbor who needs a heart surgery? Where's the focus? It's on us. You are the light of the world. If you've hid your light under the bushel, how do you expect people to come to the light? You are the salt of the earth. If the salt has lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? Application number three, we need to be bold in evangelizing the lost. If we have the answer to our problems, God forbid, God forbid that we should keep it from those who are lost. Paul says, if our gospel be hid, guess who it is hid from? It is hid to those who are lost. Have you told someone about the good news of Jesus Christ? Have you handed out a gospel track? Have you invited people to church? How are we involved in evangelizing? Are we seeking to converse about these things with lost ones? Maybe you would take these questions and go to work tomorrow and say, who says these things are wrong? When they're heated and passionate about these things they hear on the media. We need to be bold in our evangelizing the lost, perhaps the lost has grown in its sinfulness because Christians have been cowardly in their evangelizing. Application number four, we need to get our eyes off of men. Christians, it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. I know you know this theologically, but it's about time that we know this practically. No one man, no one movement is going to save our nation. Swallow it now before you become disappointed before the next election. I'm trying to help you. Israel leaned on the crutch of Egypt. And when God cut that crush off, they fell flat on their face, highly disappointed. When God told them, do not rely on the arm of the flesh. Do not look to men with whom I give breath. Rely on the eternal one. Get your eyes off of men. And then application number five. Believers, we need to be ready to help others. when everything crumbles. And eventually things will crumble in some way. Mark my words, it's coming sooner than we think. Things are going to crumble in our nation. And we need to be here for this world when they come to their senses like the prodigal son, remember? The prodigal son wasted all of his substance, finally came to the point where he came to himself. He realized how foolish he was and he turned back to the father. And guess where the father was? The father was there waiting and watching and there to receive the son. So an application, believers, we need to be ready. When this world finds that there's no satisfaction in the things of this life, we need to humbly, graciously, lovingly accept them with all of their baggage. We need to point them to Christ. Five applications. Now to those of you who may be listening who do not claim to be a Christian, my application for you is as follows. All I ask of you is that you would sincerely think about all that I have said. Think about my opening questions. Who sets guidelines for what is right and wrong? Who says killing is wrong? Who says anything is wrong? If you don't believe the Bible, if you don't agree with what the Bible says about the cause and solution to our problems, then what do you believe? What is the authoritative source of your beliefs? You see, it either rests in a perfect God or imperfect man. You're either relying upon God's word or man's word. There's no middle option. So what is it? Where is your trust? What is the source of your hope? And finally, if God is calling you to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ now, I respond to you to respond to it. The good news of the gospel is offered to you today. Life and death is set before you now. Jesus Christ tells us in his word that he can wash away your sins now. The Bible says, seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon. That's our source of hope and peace, returning to the Lord and finding pardon. That's what our nation needs. It needs the Lord. So we pray, our Father, Thy kingdom come. Yes, we need Christ's kingdom ruling in the hearts of people. We need Christ, the conqueror, to conquer the sinful hearts of men. So make that prayer an evangelistic prayer for our nation. Lord, let your kingdom come. It's not a physical kingdom. That's what the Israelites were hoping for, a physical Messiah, a physical savior who will come with a sword and destroy the Romans. No, that's not our salvation. Our salvation is spiritual. Christ Jesus, the King of kings, conquering the devil, his demons, and the works that