The God Of 2nd Chances

INTRO: Kurt Warner

One of the most amazing stories I’ve ever known is that of Kurt Warner: I was actually a Trent Green fan, Then, the starting QB for the Rams, because I had followed him while he played at Indiana and then Trent Green went down with a carreer ending injury, and with a broken heart, I watched this no name dude named Kurt Warner come off the bench and the rest is history.

About Kurt Warner:

1988 Coming out of H.S, he had no interest from any major football programs, he decided to stay close to home

1993 Iowa:

Disappointed by the lack of interest from any bigger college football programs, Warner ended up at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, a Division I-AA school that wasn't exactly famous for churning out NFL talent. After redshirting his freshman year, the quarterback was relegated to the bench for the next three seasons. He thought about quitting, and only stayed on after his parents convinced him.

Finally, in the fall of 1993, Warner took hold of the starting position, leading the Panthers to an 8-3 record, a playoff birth, and conference honors as the Offensive Player of the Year.

Besides earning some long deserved football cred, Warner's time at Northern Iowa was shaped by the meeting of Brenda Meonio, a 25-year-old single mother of two young children, including a son Zach who had suffered a brain injury when he was an infant. Brenda and Kurt quickly grew close and fell in love when they married in 1997, Warner legally adopted her 2 kids

Despite his senior season success, Warner's dream of playing in the NFL seemed unlikely to be realized following his graduation in 1994. He went undrafted, and while the Green Bay Packers invited him to training camp, the team cut him just five weeks after the signing.

Still, Warner held on to his dream. He took a job in Cedar Falls stocking supermarket shelves for $5.50 an hour, trained during the day at his old college, and told anyone who would listen that he'd be an NFL quarterback some day. NFL Career

In 1995, Warner was asked to play for the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League. There, his accurate and strong arm set a host of league passing records and eventually caught the attention of the Rams, a struggling NFL franchise that sent him overseas to play in the NFL's European league in the spring of 1998.

The performance was good enough to help him land the third-string job for the Rams that autumn, a season in which the club turned in a 4-12 record.

The Rams signed Kurt to The league minimum of $250, 000

Everything changed the following season when, in late August, the team's starting quarterback Trent Green went down with a season-ending knee injury. In his place, the Rams turned to Warner, who'd played well enough in camp to earn the backup position.

Warner came up big, throwing 14 touchdowns in his four games, two more than the team had passed during the entire 1998 season. Football talking heads and fans were enthralled and amazed not only at the quarterback's rise, but also by how the player's talent could be overlooked by so many scouts and coaches. Warner and the league's highest powered offense, dubbed "The Greatest Show on Turf", sprinted to a 13-3 record and a Super Bowl win in which the quarterback threw for a record 414 yards and was the game's MVP.

Over the next several seasons, Warner, who signed a four-year contract in 2000 for more than $46 million, proved his worth, throwing for more big yardage and touchdowns. He then led the Rams to a second Super Bowl appearance two years later. Kurt Warner won 2 NFL MVP and in 2017 was inducted into NFL Hall of fame.

SHOW VIDEO!!!

When I seen that live, I knew I had witnessed something that I would never ever forget.

OUR SCRIPTURE READING TODAY

Jonah 3:10 “When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.”

10. Jonah 1-4

A Prophet of Israel who God wanted to send to Nineveh, the capital of Israels enemy, Assyria. Jonah refused, he went 2500 miles in the opposite direction...

“Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

Jonah didnt preach a good sermon, it wasnt uplifting, yet it caused a great revival that hit that country and even the King repented, he tore of his kingly robe and put on sackcloth and went and sat in the dirt,

9. Rahab – Joshua 2:1-22, 6:20-25

The Bible is clear and consistent when it refers to Rahab—she was a prostitute. Even 3,000 years ago that was not considered an honorable profession. And to make matters even worse, she was a Gentile who lived in the city of Jericho in the land of Canaan at a time when the nation of Israel was about to conquer the land. But this Gentile woman of ill repute had heard about the God of Israel and His greatness. So when spies from Israel showed up at her house, she put her life on the line to hide them. And God granted her a second chance. When Jericho was completely destroyed, only Rahab and her family survived its destruction. But even more amazing is the fact that we find Rahab’s name in Matthew’s genealogy of Christ.

8. Ruth and Naomi- Book of Ruth

7. Moses- Book of Exodus

The life of Moses is an amazing story of second chances — two of them to be exact. He was born in Egypt during a dangerous time for young Jewish boys. Condemned to death by the order of Pharaoh, God chose to spare Moses’s life and gave him the privilege and protection of growing up in Pharaoh’s palace. When other infant boys in Israel found death early in life, Moses was raised with—and as—royalty. As a member of Pharaoh’s house Moses was in a position to help his nation which had been enslaved. But when he killed an Egyptian taskmaster to save a Hebrew young man, the wrath of Pharaoh drove him out of Egypt for fear of his life. Yet 40 years later God gave Moses a second chance to return to Egypt and set His people free.

6. David – 2 Samuel 11-12, Psalm 51

The Bible tells us that David was a man after God’s own heart. But that’s not all he was. He was also an adulterer and murderer—both of which were capital offenses according to the Law of Moses. The story of his affair with Bathsheba and his attempt to hide his sin by having her husband, Urriah, killed by putting him on the front line in battle is one of the most appalling tales of sin in Scripture. But when confronted with his sin, David’s heart broke in repentance and God granted him grace and a second chance.

If you ever wanted to know what repentance should sound like, this is it

Psalm 51:1–17

1 Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin!

3 For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you may be justified in your words

and blameless in your judgment.

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

and in sin did my mother conceive me.

6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,

and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins,

and blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from your presence,

and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners will return to you.

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,

O God of my salvation,

and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare your praise.

16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;

you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Despite his incredible moral failure, David went on to be Israel’s most beloved King

5. Zacchaeus – Luke 19:1-10

At the time of Christ tax collectors were even more despised than they are now. Most were greedy, dishonest men who had the power and authority to take advantage of the poor and become rich at their expense. Zacchaeus was just this kind of man. So when Jesus came to town and chose to stay with him, people couldn’t believe it. Why would Jesus, obviously a man of God, choose to even associate with this sinner? This is just the kind of person Jesus came to save—and to give a second chance. Zacchaeus was the scum of the earth. But when Jesus told him to throw a dinner party in His honor, Zacchaeus publicly repented of his sins, offered to pay restitution four times over, and pledged to give half of his wealth to the poor.

In response, “Jesus said to him

‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost’” (Luke 19:1-10).

4. Peter – Matthew 26:31-35, 69-75; John 21

In every group there always seems to be someone who just has to blurt out the first thing that comes into their mind. When it came to the disciples of Jesus, Peter was that person. James, John, Andrew and the rest of the disciples could always count on Peter to open his mouth and insert his foot. Even during the final hours before Christ’s crucifixion Peter boldly proclaimed that he would stand by Jesus’ side even if it meant death. But Jesus knew better and before the son could even rise again, Peter emphatically denied Christ to save his own life. Yet Jesus had plans to use Peter in a mighty way to build His church and gave him a second chance to show his love for Jesus.

3. Thief on the Cross – Luke 23:39-43

There may be no greater need for a second chance than when you have spent your living for yourself and come face to face with death for the things you have done. The two men crucified on either side of Jesus were those kind of men. They lived their lives in such a way that they were deserving of death. And so they hung, nailed to a cross, next to Jesus. One of the men joined the crowds and soldiers in mocking Christ. But the other realized who it was being crucified next to him and, with death nearby, asked for mercy. This simple act of faith, this humble request was heard and answered as Christ promised him a second chance in eternity.

#1 and 2. You and Me –

Ephesians 2:1–10 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, …”

Praise God in Heaven, that He gave all of us a 2nd chance by sending His Son Jesus to save us from being eternally lost

Thank God He is patient with us and never gives up

Proverbs 24:16 “for the righteous falls seven times and rises again

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Keep Pushin! Keep dancin with the one who brung ya! cause He who started a good work in you will be faithful to bring you across the finish line!

Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Some of you may be asking what is “The day of Jesus Christ?” put quit simply its the day when our struggles end and victory over sin and death is no longer a promise, but a glorious reality.

Since we have such a loving heavenly father, who gives us 2nd..3rd..5th..22.. chances, we must also be willing to give people in our lives 2nd chances too.

Matthew 6:15 “but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Matthew 18:21–22 “Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

4 Things for you to take with you and ponder:

1. We serve a God of second chances because Scripture attests to it.

Psalm 103:10–12 “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”

2. We serve a God of second chances because Jesus taught it.

Matthew 18:21–22 “Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

3. We serve a God of second chances because Jesus demonstrated it.

English Standard Version Chapter 8

The Woman Caught in Adultery

8 53 [[They went each to his own house, 1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” ]]

4. We serve a God of second chances because God continues to deliver us today.

Psalm 71:15 “My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.”

Psalm 18:19 “He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.”

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IN CLOSING: Thank God for 2nd chances! Any Golf players out there? Mulligan

PRAY!