Do We Have a Second Chance?

There’s No Hope for Me

Today is the 28th of December. 2024 is almost in the books. As we look back over our lives for this last year how would you categorize yours? Was 2024 a good year for you?

Would you hold your head up high and say yup it was a very good year for me. I’m very pleased with how my life has progressed.

Or are you in the other camp. Where you want to crawl into a hole and pull the dirt or rocks in over top of you because your pretty sure that you missed up so bad that even God would be dis-satisfied with your performance for the year. I or you or we don’t even want to look at the list of stupid choices that have been made. I’ve so badly blown it that, to use the contemporary colloquialism, I’m screwed. My life is full of chaos and I have no control of it. How can the Lord ever think that I’m worthy of love. I wish that there was some sort of rewind button for my life. Do you feel that you fit somewhere in this category? Is it even possible to start over again? Do we even get a second chance at life?

I’d like to look at this thought of second chances a little closer this morning.

A New Beginning

How does one approach the idea of a second chance with our lives. If your sure you’ve messed up in your relationship with your heavenly father, will God give you a second chance? Where do we look for ways to reshape our lives and rebuild our relationships with our families, our friends, our spouses and most importantly our God? Of Course the obvious answer is the Bible and God. Solomon says

Proverbs 2:6 NKJV

6 For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;

Does this world have understanding about really anything anymore? Spend 5 minutes with the news headlines and the answers is glaringly obvious. The answer is a resound no!

1 Corinthians 3:19 NLT

19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.”

1 Corinthians 1:20 NKJV

20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

I found a story in my research about a man that I’d never heard of before.

His name is Brain Welch or Brian “Head” Welch to his nu-metal rock band followers. n the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, The band Korn achieved significant commercial success, and Brian Welch found himself caught up in a lifestyle that came with rock stardom. This included heavy drug use and the trappings of fame, which led him down a path of personal turmoil and despair. His life was outwardly glamorous but internally, he was battling severe addiction and the challenges of being a single father.

At his lowest point, overwhelmed by his lifestyle and the responsibilities of fatherhood, he was ready to give up. He would be, in our estimation, someone not savable. He needed a second chance. I’ll elaborate more on his story in a bit.

The Nature of Forgiveness

How easy is it to forgive if you’ve been hurt? If we are the one that did the hurting, do we get to the point where we want to be forgiven? How do we accomplish this? I’ve thought about this before and we as sinful human beings don’t know how to forgive. Just like everything else in this world, we learn by example. If you’re lucky enough to have had those examples growing up then your already ahead in understanding. To forgive is not part of our natures. If it were left up to us there would only be hate, hate and more hate. We would all be destroyed as a result of our hate. Look at this verse.

Lamentations 3:22–23 NKJV

22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

Did you catch the important points there?

Lamentations 3:22–23 (NKJV)

22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

What does that tell you of the God I want to get to know much more than I even do. Mercy in the Bible is multifaceted. It includes kindness, goodness, grace, favor, pity, compassion, and steadfast love. These are synonyms for the character of our wonderful God. By these mercy’s we still have a chance to live and not cease to be. His compassion or His love for us will never stop as human love often does. The best part of this verse says that God's kindnesses—like life, health, food, shelter, clothes, love from others, and many more blessings—are given to us every day so regularly, that we might start to take them for granted and forget that they are gifts, showing the unwavering love of God, who is the source of all good things.

Every morning we get the chance to start over. Every morning we get to try again. If we’re smart we ask for God’s help that next time around. It says right there. Those chances are new every morning. Not just some mornings, but every morning.

Examples of Second Chances

I mentioned earlier that we learn from examples. There are many examples of second chances in the Bible, but I like these 2 especially. Let’s look at them.

Denial and Repentance

If you remember during Jesus’ trial at the Sanhedrin, John was in with Jesus. Peter wanted desperately to know what was happening to his Master, but he was also scarred. His mind was so mixed up. This was not how things were supposed to be. The closest he could get was outside in the courtyard with a number of other waiting to see what would happen. He tried to stay concealed, but he was recognized.

A slave girl said you were with Jesus weren’t you. Peter probably without even thinking said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about”. Now he was getting worried, so he went into an area outside of the gate and another slave girl said, “I recognize this man he was with Jesus of Nazareth”. He denied with an oath this time, “I do not know the man” After a bit others around him that were watching and waiting said, “You have to be one of those that were with Him, even your accent betrays you” Now he was really scarred. The old Peter came up from the depths of his being and he began to curse and he swore with another oath. “I do not know the man”. At that point he heard a rooster crow. This verse flashed in his mind.

John 13:38 NET

38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? I tell you the solemn truth, the rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times!

The Bible says that he went away weeping bitterly. I can pretty much guess that this was not just a crying spell. He went a way sobbing. I’ve only had that happen a few times in my life. The time that was the most vivid in my mind, was the day that Kathy and I moved away from the farm after we’d been here a couple of years. I cried for about 20 miles and could hardly see the road. I was leaving the security of the farm and I was realizing it was now up to me to keep my family safe and secure and that was earth shaking to me. I pretty sure that Peter thought he had just destroyed any chance for hope for himself. He had just made the biggest blunder of his life. The Bible doesn’t tell how long Peter stayed in that state, but it does tell us what ultimately happened.

John 21:15–17 NLT

15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. 16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. 17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

Three times Peter had denied Him, three times Jesus gave Peter the chance replace the denial with affirmation of his love and willingness to follow God’s plan for his life. Jesus knew Peter’s heart and He knew his humanness. Jesus/God’s desires for Peter was shown in Jesus’ willingness to forget and forgive his past mistakes and lead him to the next chapter in his life.

We are not in any different position that Peter was. The Lord was willing to give that second chance to Peter and if Peter is one the examples of how are relationship with God should be should we desire any less?

A Father’s Love

In Luke 15:11-24, Jesus tells the parable of the Prodigal Son. A man has two sons, and the younger one asks for his share of the inheritance while his father is still alive. The father grants his request, and the young son leaves home, squandering his wealth on reckless living in a distant land. Soon, he finds himself in dire straights and poverty, especially as a severe famine hits the land.

Desperate and destitute, he takes a job feeding pigs, a task considered unclean and humiliating, particularly from a Jewish perspective.

Hitting rock bottom, he realizes that even his father's servants live better than he does now. He decides to return home, planning to ask his father to take him back not as a son but as a servant.

However, as he approaches home, his father sees him from a distance. Filled with compassion, the father runs to his son, embraces him, and kisses him.

The son begins to confess his wrongdoings and unworthiness to be called his son, but the father interrupts, calling for his servants to bring the best robe, a ring, and sandals for his son—symbols of restored family status. He also orders a celebratory feast with a fattened calf, declaring, "For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." This joyous return and lavish welcome illustrate the themes of repentance and unconditional love.

A whole sermon could be written on this parable alone and I’m sure it has been done, but look at the comparisons of father to son and then put them in the context of ourselves to God.

The son has big wishes and big wants. He father is wealthy, the son sees that wealth and wants his gratifications now instead of having to wait for it. The father wisely realizes that some lessons are learned the hard way and gives the son his share in cash or at least something that he could carry. The son thinking that he has made wise decisions goes off to enjoy his fortune with no thought for the morrow. Didn’t work out so well did it.

Does this scene look familiar either with someone your acquainted with or even yourself? When we are young we think that we know it all, we’ll be hanged if we will take direction from anyone, let alone family of all things. We will do it or way and the rest of the world be hanged.

As you contemplate the father’s side of the story, I would wish that you had that representation in your life. I did, not that I’m bragging don’t get me wrong. My father had his faults, he was human. But he gave me the privilege of seeing a representation of my heavenly father that I have been able to visualize for myself. But those of you that haven’t had that privilege, here is your example of our heavenly father.

God is watching and waiting tirelessly for us to realize that we have made a mess of things, that it’s time to throw in the towel and start the journey home. As we make the last bend in the road, we see Him on the porch waiting and watching. He see us and can’t stand it any longer. He races off of the porch and gets to us before we make it to the yard in front of the house. His arms are opened wide and the hug that we receive is beyond anything that you have ever experienced before. The coat or robe and the ring and the sandals come out. All symbols of our kinship to our heavenly father. The robe and the sandals shows us that we are not servants but part of the family. Son’s and daughters of God. The ring shows that we have been restored to the status as member of the royal family. The feast is celebration of the Fathers joy to have us back where we belong.

Now I ask you, is it possible to get a second chance? Do you see a God of second chances? I do! I see a God that is more than willing to give us unmerited favor, grace, compassion, and forgiveness if we will only come to Him and say Lord will you help me get it right this time?

Our Response to God’s Offer

Acts 3:19 NKJV

19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

See how Paul instructed his followers and his statement applies to us as well

Romans 12:1–2 NLT

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

I see instructions for a fresh start here for myself, that renewal every morning that God has promised me. Do you see things for yourself in this parable and verses for yourself?

Living as People of Second Chances

Do you see the grace that you and I have been given? God is has so much capacity to forgive and given us a fresh start. He wants to do that for us. He has told us that He will. He has provided for us even before we get to the point of asking. Do you see what our part in this is?

Ephesians 4:31–32 NLT

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Remember David Welch that we talked about earlier? At his lowest point, overwhelmed by his lifestyle and the responsibilities of fatherhood, Welch turned to Christianity. In 2005, in a dramatic and public display of his newfound faith, he decided to leave Korn to focus on his spiritual growth and his daughter. His conversion was marked by his baptism in the River Jordan, a symbolic act of renewal and commitment to his faith.

After his conversion, Welch spent several years out of the spotlight, dedicating himself to raising his daughter, overcoming his addictions, and deepening his relationship with God. He spoke openly about his struggles with drugs, his faith journey, and the peace he found in Christianity, which he detailed in his autobiography, "Save Me from Myself."

Welch's story didn't end with his departure from Korn. In a move that surprised many, he rejoined the band in 2013, bringing his renewed faith with him. He continues to play music, now using his platform to share his testimony and encourage others who struggle with similar issues, showing that transformation through faith is possible even in the most public and unlikely settings. His life is a testament to the idea that it's never too late for a new beginning and that God's love can reach us in any circumstance.

I read some of what he wanted to accomplish by going back to the band. I was impressed. His music is not what I would want to listen to, but God wants to reach the people that do listen to that kind of music and that won’t start by them coming to a church. They have to hear it “from one of there own”.

We need to be ambassadors of God’s grace, of God’s second chances. How do we do that? By sharing to stories of our second chances with others.

We are 4 days away from 2025. 2024 is about gone. Will you make a commitment with me to make 2025 the year of second chances for everyone we connect with?