Adrian Rogers

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 15Christmas is spelled L-O-V-E, as it reflects God's ultimate gift of love through Jesus Christ as described in John 3:16. Love is crucial for using spiritual gifts effectively.Adrian Rogers says, "The real mark of the spirit-filled life is love."1 Corinthians 13 unveils three main aspects of love.The Virtues and Indispensability of LoveLove is absolutely indispensable, with no substitute. Without love, other highly valued attributes or actions are rendered meaningless:Oratory or speaking with tongues becomes like sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. (v. 1)Prophecy, understanding mysteries, and knowledge are as nothing. (v. 2)Faith, even faith that can move mountains, is "nothing" without love. (v. 2)Feeding the poor (bestowing all goods) or martyrdom (giving one's body to be burned) profit nothing if not motivated by genuine love. (v. 3)Adrian Rogers says, "What our Lord is looking for more than people who will die for their faith, is people who will live for their faith, and show that living by loving."The Characteristics of LoveThese are described in verses 4-5: love is portrayed as having specific qualities:Patient ("suffers long"); a lack of patience indicates a lack of love.Kind, described as "love in the little things" and courtesy.Not jealous ("envies not"); willing to give credit and praise others.Humble ("not puffed up"); able to apologize and forgive.Not rude ("does not behave unseemly").Unselfish ("seeketh not its own"); focusing on showing love rather than personal gain.Even-tempered ("not easily provoked"); an "evil temper" is highlighted as significantly damaging to Christian society.Not suspicious ("thinks no evil"), avoiding paranoia or "mud-slinging".The Victory and Eternality of Love1 Corinthians 13:4 states simply, “Love never fails.”It is eternal and will never pass away, unlike prophecies, tongues, and knowledge, which are temporary. Faith and hope find their fulfillment in Heaven, but love endur

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Isaiah 9:6-7Adrian Rogers says, “The greatest event in human history was not when Man first put his feet upon the moon, but when Almighty God came down and walked upon this Earth."No amount of secular knowledge compares to the vital knowledge of Jesus Christ. Isaiah 9:6-7 presents three thoughts about history’s greatest happening.“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).His Supernatural NatureThis passage speaks to both Jesus's humanity (“a child is born”) and His deity (“a son is given”). Jesus Christ's beginning was not in Bethlehem; He is the eternal Word, who was with God and was God from the beginning, and through whom all things were made. Jesus Christ is fully God; He possesses everything God is, has, and does.His Sovereign NobilityJesus is a noble ruler, a sovereign king. He came not only to redeem but also to reign. His Second Coming is certain, and when He returns, it will be as a mighty monarch, with the government upon His shoulder. We cannot "make" Him Lord, as He already is Lord; we can only recognize and bow before His Lordship.His Saving NameThe name “Jesus” means "Jehovah saves". This name was given by God, designating Jesus as the "great I AM" (Jehovah) who saves. This passage also calls Him:Wonderful: He is wonderful in His birth, life, works, words, death, resurrection, ascension, intercession, and future return.Counselor: There is wisdom in His name, as He possesses all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.Mighty God: Jesus made everything and has all power in Heaven and on Earth.Everlasting Father: This invokes worship, as Jesus and the Father are one, and seeing Him is seeing the Father. Worshipping Jesus is not idolatry because He is indeed God.Prince of Peace: Jesus offers peace to those who labor and are heavy laden. The world will not kn

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Ephesians 5:23Adrian Rogers says, “We can never be over those things that God wants to be under us -- until we get under those things that God has put over us.”In order to learn how to cultivate a marriage and a healthy home, we must first understand godly authority.Ephesians 5:23 says, “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and He is the Savior of the body.”This does not mean wives are inferior to their husbands; in Christ, we’re equal. But God created us to meet different needs and fulfill different roles within the home. When the Bible speaks of the husband being the head of the home, it is not speaking of his rights; it speaks of his responsibilities.There are three major responsibilities that deal with the husband, the first being his servant leadership.Ephesians 5 does not call the husband a dictator. Rather, we are given the example of Jesus Christ, who is head of the Church, yet serves her and meets her needs. We are to meet the needs of our wives, who submit to our servant leadership.Husbands are also responsible for sacrificial love, which is first passionate. It is a commitment that comes from the deepest part of our being.It is also a purifying love, as Ephesian 5:26-27 says: “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word... not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”Husbands are to express their love through their protection. If the enemy wants to attack our homes, he has to go through the husband. Husbands are also responsible for offering loving provision, to meet our family’s physical, spiritual, and emotional needs.Finally, husbands are responsible for showing steadfast loyalty. Jesus promised to never leave nor forsake His church. (See Hebrews 13:5.) Likewise, we are responsible for keeping the vows we made when we entered our marriage covenant. If we think of marriage as a contract, we wi

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 1 Samuel 24:1-7King David was a remarkable man after God’s own heart. He lived by principle, not by appearance. He was a warrior who knew many victories, but perhaps his greatest victory was the one over his own spirit when subjected to authority.In 1 Samuel 24, David is hiding in a cave after King Saul has put a bounty on his head. King Saul comes into the cave, unaware that David and his men are hiding just out of sight. David has the opportunity to kill Saul, the man actively trying to kill him. But he does not; instead, he shows us how to behave in a cave, when no one else is watching.He refuses to take vengeance and acts as we should according to Scripture: “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).Like David, we must remember the principle of spiritual authority. David knew that he had no right to take Saul’s life because Saul was God’s chosen and anointed king. There is no king, no power, no ruler that has not been ordained of God. To rebel against them is an act of rebellion against God. We are all subject to them and must submit to their leadership.Second, David gently pleaded for change, with reverence, respect, and reason. David relied on God to change Saul’s heart.If the authority in question commands us to do something that is contrary to the Word of God, we should obey God rather than men. But we must be sure that even when we disobey our appointed leader, we have a warrant from Scripture. Even still, we should act in a manner that respects authority. God took care of Saul, and God will take care of our enemies as we learn to rely on the Lord.Finally, David made a gracious promise to King Saul, that when he became king, he would protect Saul’s loved ones.The spirit of God was in David. Adrian Rogers says, “David never won a greater victory than he won that day in the cave: a victory over self, a victory over Saul, and a victory over sin.”Apply it to your lifeAre you facing conflict in submit

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Romans 5:1-5, 17Any Christian who has not discovered the tremendous power of kingdom authority is living beneath his privileges.However, Adrian Rogers says, “God will never place you over those things that He means to put under you, until you get under those things that He has put over you.”Many of us fail to think of the Holy Spirit as a person with authority, yet the Holy Spirit has authority to rule and reign in our lives. In fact, kingdom authority is mediated by the Holy Spirit.Romans 5 reveals why we should be under the authority of the Holy Spirit.“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2).Adam was the first man created by God and was given dominion over the Earth. But Adam sinned; he forfeited his dominion to sin. And because we are his offspring, we are identified with Adam in this slavery to Satan. Through Adam, we received weakness rather than power and gained ungodliness rather than godliness. We also received wrath rather than approval, warfare instead of peace. We inherited our sinfulness from Adam: not only when we do as we shouldn’t, but also in failing to do as we should.But Romans 5 also reveals what we receive through Jesus when we join the kingdom of light:“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5). “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17).When we submit to the authority of the Holy Spirit, we receive justification of our sins and reconciliation with the Father. Through the Holy Spirit, we have the fellowship with God that was severed when Adam sinned. We’ve also bee

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 1 Peter 1:23-25There is an ongoing war over the Bible. There are those who despise it, but some of the greatest enemies of the Bible are those who disregard that it is the very Word of God.If we want the kingdom authority that God has promised His children, we must be under the authority of the Word of God.We must see it as incontestable:There is no contest, controversy, or denial that the Bible is the Word of God. The Bible is absolutely perfect, for the God of truth cannot speak in error.1 Peter 1:23 claims: “...having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever…”Second, we must see the Bible as the incorruptible Word of God; there is no blemish or spot in it.Though many have come against it with their own personal agendas and opinions, the Bible outstands them all.Third, we see that it is indestructible:“...because “All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever...” (1 Peter 1:24-25).Finally, the Word of God is indispensable:“Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you” (1 Peter 1:25).The Gospel is the message of the church, and we get the Gospel from Scripture. We don’t need a new or modern Gospel for the new and modern age; it stands the test of time. The Bible also prescribes the church’s method, which is (and always will be) preaching.Adrian Rogers says, “No church will ever grow and prosper and be a New Testament church until the pulpit is central and the Gospel is central in the pulpit.”In order to join a church body, one must be born again into the family of God. Only the Gospel can grow this family, and therefore, grow the Church.Apply it to your lifeDo you see the Bible as the incontestable, incorruptible, indestructible, indispensable Word of God?Adrian Rogers says, “We can never have Kingdom Authority, speak or preach

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Romans 14:7-12God wants us to live with kingdom authority, but there can be no reigning in this life until we confess these three words: Jesus is Lord.Lord means “someone or something having power, authority, or influence.” When we claim to commit to Jesus Christ, we must surrender to His lordship, as Paul explains in Romans, “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself” (Romans 14:7)First, remember the redeeming claim of His lordship.“For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:8).When Jesus died for us, He purchased our souls with His redeeming blood; we are no longer our own, we belong to Him.Adrian Rogers says, “When you gave your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, that was the last independent decision you ever made.”Second, we see the resurrection conquest of His lordship.“For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living” (Romans 14:9). There can be no other king in our lives; no man can serve two masters (see Matthew 6:24). Christ requires our submission and absolute ownership of all we possess with unquestioned obedience.We shouldn’t be afraid to trust our lives to the One who loved us enough to die for us.Finally, there must be a regal confession of His lordship.“...As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God” (Romans 14:11). We will confess Christ as Lord, whether in this world or the next.Confessing Christ as Lord seals our salvation and conquers Satan; it also comforts and confirms the saints. The more we assert it to others, the stronger our faith becomes.As we confess Christ’s lordship, the things of this world fall away. Our separation from this world convicts those who see the difference in our lives and want to understand the source of our joy.And when we claim Christ as Lord, our decisions seem to make the

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Luke 10:17-19When we were born again, we became spiritual freedom fighters in God’s invasion army. We cannot be neutral in this spiritual battle: we are in a fight to the finish. We must learn how to come against the enemy and use our kingdom authority in the warfare of prayer.First, let us remember that our kingdom authority has been sovereignly established by God. He delivered us from the bondage of spiritual death. Without Christ, we are spiritually dead, but when Jesus came, He gave us life through His sacrificial death.We’ve also been delivered from our staggering debt; in His death, Jesus paid the debt of our sins in full.Jesus also delivered us from the bondage of satanic dominion. Colossians 2:15 says, “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”Through His resurrection power, Jesus stripped, shamed, and subdued the enemy. Adrian Rogers says, “We don’t pray for victory, we have the victory; we stand in victory.”Secondly, kingdom authority must be strongly enforced if we want to do what our King wants us to do. While we were slaves to Satan, in bondage to his dark kingdom, Jesus came to set us free. Even though Satan’s defeat is absolute, it must be appropriated. He will not roll over in defeat; he will fight to keep us bankrupt, brokenhearted, and bound to our sin. We must come against him in the power of the Holy Spirit.Finally, kingdom authority must be strategically exercised through the children of God who bear clean hearts. Those who act according to the Spirit must also come from the right position: seated with Jesus in the heavenlies.Adrian Rogers says, “Without Jesus, you are in Satan’s dark kingdom, and Calvary is your defeat. But when you come into the kingdom of God, it is now your victory.”Apply it to your lifeAre you longing to pray with kingdom authority? Understand the necessity of your clean heart and begin praying from your victory in Heaven. Re

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Luke 7:1-10The Lord did not create us to live crushed and defeated lives, but to reign and live victoriously. The centurion’s faith in Luke 7 is an example of strength through kingdom authority.“When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick” (Luke 7:9-10).In this passage, we first see the source of kingdom authority: it comes from a higher power. Adrian Rogers says, “Authority comes from above; therefore, any authority that you may hold is no better or stronger than the one who is over you.”The reason God’s children have authority is that God is over them. It is the doctrine of identification. When He died, He died for us, so we died with Him and when He rose, we rose with Him, bearing resurrection life. When Jesus ascended, we ascended with Him; therefore, Jesus’ victory is our victory.Second, we see the secret of kingdom authority: God does not give it to rebels. Adrian Rogers says, “You cannot be over until you are under; if you do not know the restraint of the Spirit, you will never know the release of the Spirit. If you cannot operate the spiritual brakes, God’ll never show you the spiritual accelerator.”Jesus lives as an example of how we are to subject ourselves to authority. Though He was God, He lived as a man, under the authority of God, the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, His earthly parents, and the government.Third, we see the scope of our authority: we cannot refuse, confuse or abuse it. In Genesis, Adam was given authority over the forces of nature, but in Christ, we are given spiritual authority over the power of the enemy.Finally, we see the strength of kingdom authority, which comes from surrender. The centurion in Luke 7 was a man who had many people working under him; yet, he humbled himself, s

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Ephesians 1:15-2:6As Christians, most of us can accept that Jesus Christ is King and He has authority. However, some of us fail to grasp that He has given that kingdom authority to His servants.Ephesians 1:22-23 says, “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”We’re in a spiritual battle, up against the organized, mobilized, and demonized powers of Hell. Therefore, we must understand what kingdom authority is in order to utilize it.First, kingdom authority over all God's creation was gloriously given to Adam.God made us to have dominion; it is the very reason we were created.Second, that kingdom authority was legally lost by Adam.When tempted by the devil, Adam and Eve failed to use the kingdom authority that God had given to them, and therefore, they became slaves of Satan.Third, kingdom authority has been righteously regained by Jesus Christ.Adrian Rogers says, “God owes Satan nothing, but God owes everything to His own justice and His own holiness; Jesus Christ came to this Earth as the second Adam, to gain back what the first Adam lost.”Kingdom authority was lost by a man, and it was legally regained by a man: “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22).Adrian Rogers says, “Jesus died that we might have spiritual authority, not to do what we want, but authority to do what He wishes.”Until you are under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, His Word, and the things God has set over you, you will never live with authority.The devil hopes that you will not understand the incredible power we’ve been given; that he can keep you in the dark. If we ever utilize kingdom authority, all of Heaven will break loose.Apply it to your lifeIf you are struggling to claim your kingdom authority, remember: the sa

Sermon OverviewScripture Reference: Isaiah 40:28-31Do you ever feel there’s too much to do and not enough time to do it?Many of us are emotionally fatigued, physically drained, and spiritually defeated; and the reason is stress. Stress is the gap between the demands placed upon us and our ability to meet those demands.It’s not a sin to be stressed, but it is a sin to reject the help given to you to relieve your stress. God offers His insurmountable strength to us so that we may learn how to handle stress.Isaiah 40:31 says, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.”God will help us fly in the rigors of life.A mother eagle teaches her eaglets to fly by making the nest uncomfortable. In the same way, God lovingly nudges us to the edge of our comfort zone, so that we may learn to fly.God will teach us to run in the rush of life.There’s enough time every day to do everything God wants you to do; sometimes we have to run to get it done. We need to run like an athlete, trusting God to sustain us, so that we will not grow weary.God will aid us as we walk in the routines of life.Our greatest need is day-by-day faithfulness in the little things, steadily walking day by day in the regular humdrum times of life.Adrian Rogers says, “Do you know what victory is? It is all day, every day, hot days, cold days, dull days, bright days, good days, bad days, walking the Christian life.”What does waiting upon God do for us?In times of adversity, we soar like an eagle.In times of opportunity, we run like an athlete.And in times of necessity, we keep walking day by day.Apply it to your lifeIf you believe in the promises of God, you must wait upon Him. What does that mean, practically?Long for Him dailyListen to Him in your quiet timeLook to Him for your every needLive for Him, dedicating your life to the service of the Lord.Spend some time waiting on the Lord tod

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Luke 4:1-2No one is immune to temptation, not even Christians.Temptation can come to any person, at any point, wherever you may be. In fact, many times, the greatest temptations come after our highest spiritual experiences. This was the case for Jesus, who was tempted by Satan after His baptism in Luke 4:1-2.In order to learn how to handle temptation, we look to the story of when Jesus had a head-on collision with the devil, so that we may also have victory over temptation.First, we must understand the three types of temptation we may be bombarded with:The lust of the flesh deals with our passions.The lust of the eyes deals with our possessions.The pride of life deals with our person, with who we are.They can take a myriad of forms, but our temptations are not new. The Bible says, “Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are.” (Hebrews 4:15) This means Satan tempted Him with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life —doing, having, being—passions, possessions, pride.Yet He was without sin.How did Jesus overcome the temptation to sin?He remembered He was a child of God. He submitted to God’s authority. He overcame Satan as man filled with the Holy Spirit, which is promised to us when we become Christians.Jesus also used Scripture to combat the devil’s lies. And lastly, Jesus remembered that He was completely satisfied in His relationship with God.As Adrian Rogers says, “Sonship, submission, the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, knowing who you are in Christ... Jesus is both the example and the power to do that.”Apply it to your lifeAre you being tempted to sin? Remember Jesus’ example. Remember who you are in Christ, submit to the Father, ask for the help of the Holy Spirit and use Scripture as your weapon. Follow the example of Jesus and win the battle against temptation with His power!

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Psalm 119:9It seems as though the chaos of this world is ever-increasing, day after day; when taking a closer look, the primary problem is the thoughts of man.We’ve seen this before in Scripture. Just before the Great Flood in Genesis, the thoughts of men’s hearts were shockingly wicked before the Lord. This is not a new problem, although it does seem to push new boundaries every day.We are constantly being exposed to narratives of violence, promiscuity, perversion and greed. No wonder our thoughts are out of control!Satan is very sinister, very clever and diabolically wicked. He wants to capture the hearts and minds of an entire generation; why? When Satan has your mind, he has you!Though it seems daunting, it is possible and imperative to control your thought life.First, there must be the purification of the mind. Your mind must be clean to begin with, and the Word of God is the cleansing agent. Jesus says in John 15:3, “Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” The Word of God points us toward confession and repentance (the Greek word for “repentance” translates to mean “changing of the mind”).After your mind is clean, you must be determined to keep it clean. There is a battle for your mind. If you’re half-hearted, you will lose it. You must be serious about taking every thought captive and comparing it the truth of Scripture, before it captivates you. You must fiercely guard your heart with the Word of God. Psalm 119:11 says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” It is the Word of God hidden in your heart that is the antidote to future temptation. Therefore, you must saturate yourself with the Word of God.When Scripture gets in your mind, it changes your attitude; your attitude determines your actions.Adrian Rogers says, “When you begin to meditate on God’s Word, then you become a second-nature Christian, which is your true nature, the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ.”Apply it

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Titus 2:14-15Every Christian is in need of a passionate love for the Lord Jesus Christ that overflows into service and worship. However, the cause of Christ has been deeply hurt by extremists and their misguided zeal. We must understand the dangers of extremism and the beauty of God’s grace.Titus 2:14 speaks of Jesus: “...who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”First, zeal can affirm the grace of God.When we truly love the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we will become zealous about truth and excited to do good works for the kingdom of God. This is a good and godly thing because we are called to go “all in” with our love for Jesus; however, when taken to the extreme, good things can become bad things.While affirming zeal, grace avoids extremism.Adrian Rogers says, “Zeal and moderation go together, properly understood; they are not enemies, they’re friends. But extremism is the enemy of both zeal and moderation.”Zeal that is divisive and destructive can be deadly to our churches, homes, and communities. Principles are great when used as tools to live by, rather than as weapons to hurt others.We do not need to compromise on holy living, but we need to learn to live by grace.When we obsess and debate over incidental things, we lose sight of what is fundamental. This kind of zeal is foolish, profitless, fruitless, and divisive. When we have zeal for the wrong things, we’ll often fight the wrong enemy with the wrong weapons and wrong energy.Compromise is not the answer to extremism: grace is.Titus 2:15 says, “Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.”Grace is not an excuse to sin or an encouragement to laziness, it is an invitation to give everything we are to the cause of Christ.We must be zealous of good works, with an attitude of sweet reasonableness. We may not always agree with everyone on everythi

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 15:9-10Many of us believe the lie that God will only accept us on the basis of our performance. But this idea is the opposite of grace and faith in Jesus. Scripture reveals how grace grants us freedom from the performance trap.1 Corinthians 15:10 says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”First, we must acknowledge the ruin of perfectionism.Perfectionism is the disease of judging ourselves by our achievements. Perfectionism is a thief; it promises rewards but steals our joy and satisfaction. Because it is an unattainable goal, we’ll never truly feel accepted—in fact, we may even become angry at God.Perfectionism is harmful to others; perfectionists judge others for not reaching the high standards they themselves cannot reach.Adrian Rogers says, “One of the finest things you could do would be to let others know you are not perfect. They’ll relax a little bit—not because they learn it (that you’re not perfect), but because they learn that you’ve learned it.”Perfectionism can also ruin a church. A church is a fellowship of sinners saved by grace, all in different stages of progression; we are works in progress, not yet perfect.God does not look for perfection from His children; He wants excellence.If we ever want to be free from the performance trap, we must recognize the marks of perfectionism in our own lives.1. Are you an idealist or a realist?2. Do you set impossible goals for yourself and others, failing to fulfill them?3. Do you try to be the best, or to do your best?4. Are you project-minded or process-minded?5. Do you dwell on failure or do you learn from it?God does not keep score or make lists of our accomplishments and failures.By His own grace, God has already accepted us—not because of anything we can do, but because of what Christ has done. Through faith, we can accept

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Romans 6:6-7Nothing liberates us from lives of sin like the wonderful grace of God. God’s plan for us today, tomorrow, and the rest of our lives is abounding victory through His amazing grace.Romans 6:6-7 says, “...knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.”We must know our identification with Jesus, who gave Himself for us.Jesus acted on our behalf. When He died for us, we died with Him. When He was buried, we were buried with Him. And now, we have in us the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.Adrian Rogers says, “We have become one with Jesus Christ because He became one with us. He took of our nature that we might take of His nature.”We must reckon our appropriation of Jesus.Romans 6:11 says, “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”Reckoning is acting on what we know to be true, which is that we are dead to our sins and alive in Christ. This is a continual practice: every day, we must reckon with our faith and believe that we are free from the penalty of sin.We must yield our emancipation to Christ.Our submission to Christ is what completes our faith. The victorious life is God’s work in us; we cannot do it without Him, and He will not do it without us. Yielding begins when we dethrone sin. No longer will our eyes be tools for sin, nor our ears be sin’s instruments, nor will our hands do its bidding. We must make Jesus Lord of our lives, enslaving ourselves to Him.Then we must enthrone the Savior.Romans 6:13 says, “...but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”When temptation comes, we must yield to Jesus. Once we do, His amazing grace will come into our lives, and in that grace, we will see abounding victory.Apply it to your lifeDo y

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Galatians 5:1We live in a world that speaks much about freedom but knows little about it. Jesus came to set the captives free, to break the power of sin.Galatians 5:1 says, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” When we understand the dimensions and dynamics of freedom in Christ, we can live liberated lives.In Jesus Christ, we are free from the bondage of legalism.In Galatians 1:6, Paul questions why some deserted the Gospel of Jesus Christ and followed a “different gospel”. The specific “gospel” these believers bought into had to do with self-effort and good works. But the true Gospel reminds us of God’s unconditional love. We cannot earn salvation on our own; it is the grace of God alone that saves us from our sins.Adrian Rogers says, “God’s love is an action toward us, not a reaction to us. It is not based on what we are but on who He is.” The true Gospel of grace speaks of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; anything else is false.We’re also free from the bondage of criticism.There are some who entangle fellow believers with their own preferences and subject them to criticism. But we must stand fast in the liberty in which Christ has made us free. Though we must be conscious of our weaker brothers, we cannot be in bondage to them. Every demand of the law has been paid in full by the blood of Jesus Christ. We must remember who we are in Him and that He loves us.Finally, we’re saved from the bondage of fatalism, or the elemental forces of nature.In Galatians 4, Paul discusses the Galatian church’s fascination with astrology. In their obsession, some of these believers had enslaved themselves to the idea of fate. But Christ has set us free from the slavery of circumstance. We were in the heart and mind of God before the foundations of the world were established.The cross of Jesus Christ reminds us that when we die to ourselves, w

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Titus 3:3-7As Believers, this world is not our home; but while we’re on our way to glory, we are to demonstrate God’s grace to those around us. Titus 3 reveals the life we could have if we choose to live grace-filled lives.This passage recognizes our past guilt.We are sinners by birth, nature, and choice. Titus 3:3 says, “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.”This passage also describes our present grace.Grace is absolutely contrary to human nature. All the wisdom of this world could never explain it. But having experienced God’s grace for ourselves, we understand what we were once foolish.By His grace, we are freed from a life of sin and the hateful spirit that plagues this messy world.Scripture says, “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit…” (Titus 3:4-5).Grace is rooted in God’s love; there is nothing we can do or stop doing that will save us; it is the grace of God alone that atones our sin. The Holy Spirit supernaturally regenerates us and cleanses us from the inside out. It is a continual work; day by day, the Spirit keeps us, renews, restores, and refreshes us.Adrian Rogers says, “God doesn’t love us because we’re valuable; we’re valuable because God loves us.”This present grace is rooted in the saving death of Jesus Christ. (See Titus 3:6.)Jesus Christ provided himself as an innocent sacrifice; He bore our sins and died the death we deserved.This grace is also for our future glory.Titus 3:7 says, “...that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”Because of God’s grace, we are joint heirs of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is a token of our future inheritance. We

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Titus 2:11-15Grace is God’s love, which He gives at a great cost to Himself. Salvation is something we could never obtain ourselves; it is only by His grace that we can be saved.There is not one spiritual thing to earn, but there is so much to learn; it is so important that we are not a disgrace to God's grace.Titus 2:11-12 says, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age…”We live in this physical world, but as Christians, we are meant to live differently from this world’s systems and orders. We are called to love people, but we cannot love this world’s system. (See 1 John 2:15.)Adrian Rogers said, “A Christian ought to stand out in this world’s system like a diamond in a coal mine; like a gardenia in a garbage can.”This world has a prince, the devil, who is the mastermind behind this world system. This world has an evil philosophy made up of skillfully woven ideals and values that seem beautiful but are dangerous.This world is hostile to the things of God because Jesus exposes sin and evil. The world’s purpose is to draw us away from Him.Genesis 13 tells the story of Lot, a classic example of a “worldly Christian,” or a man who was a disgrace to grace.Lot was Abraham’s nephew who, rather than seeking God, followed the world’s enticing attractions to an unspeakably wicked land called Sodom.Recognizing Lot’s mistakes, we learn that we must:1. Resist the pull of the world2. Refuse the persuasion of the world3. Realize the pollution of the world4. Remember the price of the worldLot’s story shows us what it costs to serve the world—it costs our potential, influence, family, and reputation. The same forces that worked on Lot are working on us today. We must remember the amazing grace of God, and decide every day to honor that grace by living godly lives.Apply it to your lifeThere is a world

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Titus 2The amazing grace of God is what writes our spiritual biographies. Titus 2:11-15 explains how God saved us, and brought us from grace to glory.First, this passage reminds us what grace brought: salvation.“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men…” (Titus 2:11).Without Jesus, we are spiritually dead, separated from God. We are considered devilish, disobedient to God, and depraved in our humanity. We cannot redeem our depravity and earn salvation; however, God brought salvation to us, because of His grace.Adrian Rogers says, “You’re not saved by the merit of man, but by the mercy of God; not by the goodness of man, but by the grace of God. Salvation is not a reward for the righteous; it is a gift for the guilty.”Secondly, Titus 2 reveals what grace taught: sanctification.“...teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age…” (Titus 2:12).Though saved by grace, we cannot continue to live in sin. There is nothing to earn, yet there is so much to learn. We must engage in discipleship and study God’s Word.Third, Titus 2 explains what grace sought: service.“...who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:14).Grace is a gift at the cost of the giver, and we have been purchased by the blood of Jesus. We are also purified from the inside out; we don’t work for God’s love, but our good works are a sign that we love the Lord.This passage also calls us peculiar; we are meant to be different, set apart, a trophy of grace used for the service of God.Finally, this passage shows us what grace wrought: glorification.“...looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ…” (Titus 2:13).The story is not over yet; what began in grace will end in glory. As believers, we have a glorious hope that He wi

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: TitusGrace is God’s unmerited favor; it is the kindness of God shown to one who doesn’t deserve it and who can never earn it.In his letter to Titus, the Apostle Paul claims him as his own son in the faith. He calls Titus a trophy of grace—his life being the evidence of a true believer.This special title, a trophy of grace, reminds us that not only should we be witnesses of God’s grace, but our lives should also be evidence of that grace.First, we must recognize the delight of grace, which is liberty.God’s grace is sovereign; He has chosen us, sought us out, and brought us back to Himself. He is the one who took the initiative; our salvation began with Him.It is a saving grace. The Gospel is good news because it says that salvation is a free gift. We couldn’t work for it, so we can’t lose it.Grace is also long-suffering; it was the plan all along. Titus 1:2 says, “…in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began…”Adrian Rogers says, “God planned your salvation before this planet was swung into space. Your salvation is not an ambulance brought to a wreck; it was in the heart and mind of God before anything ever happened.”The securing and satisfying grace of God is what leads to peace. But we must also remember that denying grace leads to legalism.We are not saved by keeping laws, performing rituals, or anything other than the grace of God. Rules do not make us more like Jesus—grace does.Finally, we must recognize the enemy’s distortion of grace.Grace is not a license to sin, and if we think it is, we need to reconsider our salvation. Though our works do not save us, we should want to keep God’s law, because we love Him.We don’t work for our faith, we work because of our faith. As trophies of grace, we are God’s ambassadors, the evidence that His grace is the only thing that can save, cure, and satisfy us.Apply it to your lifeDoes your life bear the evidence of God’s amazing grace? Do you delight in the li

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Genesis 3:1Satan is a liar and a murderer; he wants to bring death to our happiness, joy, and purity, and he accomplishes this through lies. He wants to destroy us, and he begins by deceiving us.Genesis 3:1 says, “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field…”Satan cleverly crafts subtle lies about the biggest truths. In the Garden of Eden, he tells Eve three lies concerning the nature and character of God. Recognizing his tactics helps us overcome satanic deception.SeveritySatan’s first tactic was to convince Eve to think severely about God, so that she had negative feelings about him.The devil wants us to think God is strait-laced and cruel, and that our relationship with Him would be filled with “don’t!” But Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” God is good and loving. He does not take away joy; He gives it.SkepticismThe devil also wants us to think skeptically about God so that we will not trust Him or His Word.When Satan removes the truth of God’s Word, then he slips in other ideas to replace them. Other religions, spiritual practices, and New Age thoughts are simply substitutes from the enemy to divert us from the fixed standard of truth. The devil is trying to make us think lightly of God; but God is holy, and He will punish sin.SuspicionFinally, Satan will try to convince us to think suspiciously of God. Many people think serving God cramps their style and robs them of reaching their fullest potential. Yet, the devil, who promises total freedom, keeps his victims in bondage.Adrian Rogers says, “There’s nothing in the world more deceiving than sin itself; those who know the least about sin are those who are the deepest in it.”All the problems in the world today are rooted in these three ancient lies, but we do not have to fall victim to the devil’s deception. Only when we commit ourselves to the written word of God, can we overcome the devil’s lie

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Ephesians 4:27Ephesians 4:30 says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”It is unthinkable that a child of God could give a place in his life to the devil and grieve the Holy Spirit of God.However, there are many of us caught in Satan’s strongholds, and we cannot get out. There are three steps to break Satan’s strongholds in our lives.Repentance“...that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts…” (Ephesians 4:22)Repentance means to be done with sin and deal with our old self; there is no other way around it.Resistance“Be angry, and do not sin… nor give place to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26-27)Unconfessed sin is legal ground for the devil to take over; we resist by confessing and resisting the urge to sin.Renewal“...and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4: 23-24)Renewing our minds means pursuing righteousness and holiness.There is no way we can cease to grieve the Holy Spirit until we repent, resist, and renew our minds; this is why we must know exactly what sin is.Ephesians 4:25-29 reveals that lying, thievery, gossip and filthy speech all make room for the devil.But perhaps the most egregious stronghold we could fall into is bitterness.Bitterness will take away our joy and our victory and sabotage our prayer life; it ruins relationships and churches. The slow burn of bitterness quickly ramps up to clamoring, hostility, and evil speech. This breaks the heart of God, grieves the Holy Spirit, and gives place to the devil.Adrian Rogers says, “Repentance is not just being broken over your sin; it is being broken from your sin.”The devil does not leave willingly; with the authority of the name of Jesus, we must chase him out. We do this by repenting of our sins, resisting the urge to sin again, and

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Mark 1:21-28Whether we realize it or not, there is a demonic world we cannot avoid. It is real, and we cannot be uninformed or uninterested. We do not fight against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness. We must be aware of the warfare in order to win the battle.The Enemy comes against us in three basic ways:Oppression. The devil knows how to harass you, and demon spirits will oppress you.Obsession. The devil stirs an insatiable longing within people that drive them and mold them until they are caught up and swept along.Possession. It is possible for the devil, through one of his demons, to possess a person. He takes control of his mind, his emotions and his will.There's a battle. And Satan never gives up anybody or anything without a fight.But there's no waiting to see who will win. Satan has been defeated. Jesus has authority over the enemy and all of the powers of darkness. The demons recognize Jesus’s authority. They must always yield to it.No child of God should ever fear the demons. Never. We must be aware of them. Be vigilant, be sober. But do not be afraid. They are afraid of you when you recognize who you are in Jesus, and the authority He has given you.Adrian Rogers tells us, “Unless you are living with God, filled with the Holy Spirit, claiming the power of Jesus Christ in your life, you don't understand the power of our enemy. But you do need to understand the greater power of Jesus Christ and the authority of Jesus rightly applied over the power of the enemy.”Children of God are going to know conflict with the enemy. But God has given us authority over him. Satan has no threat, temptation has no allurement, sin has no hold that the child of God cannot break in the power of Jesus Christ.Apply it to your lifeIf you are recognizing the reality of the spiritual warfare around you, it’s time to get fitted for battle. Get alone or get with some prayer warriors and take authority over the enemy in the name of Jesus

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Isaiah 5:20Under the clever guise of “choice,” abortion is not only legal, but also societally acceptable in America.Adrian Rogers reminds us of three sure things in regards to choice: “You are free to choose. You are not free not to choose and you are not free to choose the consequences of your choice.”Ultimately, to say you are “pro-choice” means you are “pro-abortion.”Pastor Rogers gives three reasons why he chooses to be pro-life, and why you should, too.“I am pro-life because it is a matter of life.” The Bible does not distinguish between prenatal and postnatal life; it speaks of babies in the womb as persons. It is not a part of the mother’s body. It is a new life, with its own blood type and DNA. When a mother is pregnant, God Himself is forming a child within her. It is an object of God’s love and concern.“I am pro-life because it is a matter of love.” Abortion transgresses the Golden Rule: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matthew 7:12). However you want people to treat you, treat them that way. The gruesome nature of abortion is something we would want to avoid happening to us. So, why would we allow it to be performed on a baby?“I am pro-life because it is a matter of logic.” Many of the pro-choice arguments surrounding conception and the “beginning of life” disregard nature and negate drastic strides in today’s medicine. In regard to the arguments about rape, incest, or deformity, we must remember that we cannot play God in these cases.Where do we draw the line? Does God not have a plan for every life He creates in a womb?In conclusion, the fact that there are debates in favor of killing unborn lives should cause us to mourn and to respond in anguish. There is much to be done to protect unborn lives. It starts with knowing without doubt that every life matters in the eyes of God.Apply it to your lifeBe informed. Vote for life. Have compassion on the unwed mother

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 1 Timothy 6:20Christians believe in special creation, the fact that God created man in His own image, as evident in the Book of Genesis.However, there is another school of thought that contradicts this belief: the theory of Evolution. It is the theory that we are simply creatures of accident; that men have evolved from a speck of protoplasm and green algae, first as a worm, then as a fish, an amphibian, a reptile, a bird, a mammal, and then finally we evolved into man.The equation of evolution goes as follows: Nothing + Time + Chance = Everything. It’s a fairytale for adults, a philosophy that poses as a scientific fact.There are three reasons to reject evolution:Logic. Evolutionists have no explanation for the origin of life or fixity of species. They cannot explain how certain properties exist that have nothing to do with the survival of the fittest. Where does music come from? Love? The evolutionist has no answer.Morality. If there is no God, if man is an accident, there can be no Ten Commandments, therefore no fixed standard of right and wrong. Adrian Rogers explains the danger of discrediting morality for the sake of evolution: “When we teach our children that they’ve come from animals, they will begin to live and act like animals.”Theology. If evolution is true, there was no Garden of Eden, there was no original sin, no depravity. And then man, as Adrian Rogers says, “doesn’t need a birth from above; he just needs a boost from below.”There’s something wicked behind this whole idea of evolution. Aldous Huxley, acclaimed evolutionist, states his own bias against creationism: “I had motives for not wanting the world to have a meaning…” This translates to: “I chose evolution to shut the mouths of those who believe in special creation.”But you are not an accident. You are a special creation, made in the image of God. And you are precious to Him. May we become the people we were created to be.Apply it to your lifeEvolution is not a

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 2 Samuel 11Children of God are just as capable of sinning as they were before they were saved. However, there is a much greater cost to their sin than before.King David was a man above every other man—none more noble, gifted, or humble than David; yet he fell into a deep, dark sin. David committed the sin of adultery with a married woman, and she conceived his child. So, David then committed the sin of murder.We need to know the tragic cause of David’s sin, so that we may know how to avoid the high cost of low living.First, David committed the sin of idleness. 2 Samuel 11 reveals that David was home when he should have been with his compatriots in war. This is why we are called to the harvest field or the battlefield, to stay occupied, lest we commit a sin of omission.Second, it was a sin of carelessness. David began to take his many victories for granted. He presumed God would keep blessing him. This teaches us that an unguarded strength is a double weakness.It was a sin of impulsiveness: David wasn’t planning to sin that day.Adrian Rogers explains, “Sin is a combination of undetected weakness, an unexpected opportunity, and an unprotected life.”It was a sin of callousness. When his scheme to cover up his sin was compromised, David ordered for Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, to be killed in battle. He planned, connived, and orchestrated calloused, cold-blooded murder.It was a sin of stubbornness. Despite the conviction he felt, David went a whole year without repenting. But God did not forget David’s sin, and He wouldn’t let David forget either. David’s sin weighted, wounded, and weakened him. David received words of rebuke, arrows of conviction, and hands of pressure from God.David was finally confronted by the prophet, Nathan, and was convicted and chastised. He had to pay the consequences for his sin. But God was faithful to forgive him; He is faithful to forgive us, too.Apply it to your lifePerhaps it’s time for you to be lovingly

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Acts 19:21-32If you take a stand for the truth, you are not always going to be popular. We see an example of this in Acts 19, when Paul visits Ephesus and sees that they are engaging in wicked ways of making money. The most vital nerve in the human body is the one that runs from the heart to the wealth, and what Paul does in Ephesus is put his finger directly on it.There are four principles laid out in Scripture that confirm why it is wrong for Christians to gamble, and unwise for societies to endorse it.Gambling transgresses the principle of Honesty. It is robbery by mutual consent. It is the transfer of wealth (not earned or given) without giving anything back in exchange. Somebody has said, “He who gambles and loses is a fool. He who gambles and wins is a thief.”Gambling transgresses the principle of Love. Gambling is pleasure and profit at the cost of someone else's pain and loss. You cannot win unless someone else loses. If you win at gambling, you victimize your neighbor.Gambling transgresses the principle of Work. The Bible does not teach getting wealth by gambling. The Bible teaches getting wealth through work. Gambling produces no real wealth. It merely redistributes it from the hands of the many into the hands of the few.Gambling transgresses the principle of Providence. A gambler is depending upon chance. The Bible says that we're to rest upon providence. Matthew 6:33, "But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”Adrian Rogers tells us: “There's less laughter and gaiety in a casino than any other public resort. The Christian doesn't need to get his thrill from covetousness and dishonesty.”No matter how alluring it may look, gambling contributes nothing to the common good. It undermines values. It mocks work. It finances crime. It robs children. It enslaves people. And it poisons whatever it touches.The wealth you obtain for yourself will pass away. Only what’s d

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Genesis 10-11There is coming a kingdom of Christ, as well as a kingdom of Satan. These two kingdoms have been at war since the Book of Genesis, and we are in the middle of it. If we want to recognize Satan’s kingdom to come and know how it will ultimately face its gruesome demise, we must look at one which was already strategically defeated.In Genesis 10-11, we are introduced to a Babylonian man named Nimrod. He wanted to be king and to be worshiped like God. A few chapters prior, God gave the commandment to His people to be scattered and replenish the earth after the Great Flood. Rather than obey God, the Babylonians centralized their government under Nimrod’s authority and began building a tower to reach the heavens, all to make a name for themselves and to be equal with God. They directly disobeyed God and followed Nimrod in rebellion.How did this tower of blunders end in Genesis? The Babylonians spoke one language at this time. But God confounded their speech, and they suddenly couldn’t understand each other. The construction of the Tower of Babel ended with Almighty God coming down to earth and sending confusion into the camps of His enemies.We are not too far off from the blunder of Babylon.Have we not substituted our own wit for God’s wisdom? Through new minds, machinery, and money, are we not trying to make a name for ourselves? Do New Age religions not bank their ideology on finding the power within ourselves, generating independence from Almighty God?Dr. Adrian Rogers says: “What is the difference between manmade religion and the true salvation that comes from God? Man tries to build from earth to Heaven. True salvation reaches down from Heaven to man.”The only hope for this world is the coming of Jesus Christ. And when He comes, He will destroy the kingdom of Satan, and any other kingdom that dares to make an enemy of God.These are the days to get right with God. Let us not wait another second.Apply it to your lifeIf you’

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Genesis 1:26In simplest terms, the belief behind the Animal Rights Movement is that there is no essential, intrinsic, or basic difference between man and animal. But God’s Word says otherwise.According to the Book of Genesis, both man and animal were created by God separately, and neither evolved from the other. Though there are similarities, there is a stark contrast between man and animal as well.For one, man has a longing in his heart to know God. Man is created in God’s likeness—not in His physical image, but in His moral and spiritual image. When God created animals, in His mercy, He gave them instincts. But when God made mankind in His image, He gave us spirits.Adrian Rogers says, “The Holy Spirit is to man what instinct is to the animals. Now, if you were to take the instinct out of the beehive, what would happen? It'd be very much like our world today—men without the Holy Spirit.”Man has a capability for dominion, but he also has a capacity for depravity…one that animals don't have. Animals can't sin because animals don't have any choice. The reason they don't have any choice is they don't have any moral basis.But man does!Man also has a concern for his destiny that animals do not have. Man is the only creature who knows he's going to die. Animals never think about death. But the Bible says that God has put eternity in the hearts of men.Animals have a body and a soul (a soul being made up of a mind, emotions, and a will). But only man has a spirit. And the Holy Spirit molds us into what we're meant to be.Adrian Rogers also adds, “With your body, you know the world beneath you. With your soul, you know the world around you. But with your spirit, you know the world above you! And God made man with a spiritual capacity to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him.”Apply it to your lifeWhat did God make you to do? God created you to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him. The Bible says, "It is in Him that we live, and move, and

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Daniel 9:24-27It is sometimes difficult to wrap our minds around the blueprints of God’s plan for the world. That is because we approach them from our individual “worlds.” However, God’s Word tells us that Israel is the ultimate epicenter of God’s covenant with His people.Israel is the spiritual center of the world. We often refer to it as the “Holy Land,” because it is the city where the stories of the Scriptures took place. It is where Jesus was born, where He lived, and began His earthly ministry. It is where He died, rose again, and ascended into Heaven.Israel is also the prophetic center of the world. It is the only nation whose history is minutely foretold in Scripture. When we add up the number of years recorded in the Bible concerning the nation of Israel’s commencement, construction, and the coming of Christ, we calculate 483 years of the 490 years prophesied in the Book of Daniel.But when Jesus came, that clock stopped, and it has yet to resume. There are 7 more years of biblical prophecy yet to be fulfilled.Israel is the storm center of the world. It will be the warzone of the battle of Armageddon. But just before this last great battle, according to the prophecies found in Revelation, the world will see its darkest days, and the nation of Israel will seem to be at its most vulnerable.The Antichrist will come onto the scene as a charming leader, and he is going to make a treaty with Israel, offering false promises of peace and protection under his reign, yet he will bring more destruction to the nation than ever before, all within the strict confines of the 7-year timeframe known as the Great Tribulation. 7 years.The 490 years prophesied will then see completion. In the end, Jesus will return. He will win the battle with a word, just a word. The tongue that spoke everything into existence will speak His enemies into oblivion!And His church will be complete.Adrian Rogers reminds us, “Jesus came on time, He died on time, He

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Acts 10:34-48Jesus Christ is a historical fact. When combing through history, secular historians have proven His existence over and over again.There is no disproving that there walked upon this earth a man known as Jesus Christ. But if He is only a man, then by account of what He said throughout His ministry on earth—that He is the Son of God—He is a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord…Deceiver, deceived, or Deity.How are we to know that He is who He says He is? There are at least three ways.There is the personal witness of the saints. Peter says in Acts 10:39, “And we are witnesses of all these things which He did.” The apostles each bore their own testimonies about Jesus’s virtuous life, vicarious death, and victorious resurrection.There is a prophetic witness of the Scriptures. The Old Testament was written by a number of different authors over a period of about 1,500 years. Yet each page echoes the life of Christ before He ever roamed the earth, and serves as a symbol of His character and redemptive love before we ever knew His name.There is a powerful witness of the Spirit. In the example seen in Scripture, when Peter preaches in Acts 10:44, God steps in to speak for Himself: “And while Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on them, on all them who heard the word. And they of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.”The Spirit proves the legitimacy of Christ’s lordship and affirms the testimonies of the Scriptures and the Saints. Adrian Rogers says: “The Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and the word of the redeemed, and He says, ‘Amen. It’s truth.’”Apply it to your lifeWho do you say Jesus is? Liar, lunatic, or Lord? Do you know Him to be what He says He is? Do you live your life like you know He is Lord? Worship Him today. If you feel you are dwindling fr

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Genesis 3:1-6“When a man ceases to believe in God, he doesn’t believe in nothing; he believes in anything,” observed writer G. K. Chesterton.New Age-ism is a melting pot of Eastern philosophy. It’s a cosmic sponge that absorbs all religions, cultures, and governments together. It’s not a new thought at all; it’s simply an age-old heresy repurposed for the modern world. But it is dangerously deceptive and must be viewed as such. There is no basis of morality for the New Ager, which results in the destruction of our values and our faith.Adrian Rogers says it this way, “New Age-ism is a repackaging of the mustiest lies around that go all the way back to the Garden of Eden.”Our Enemy, Satan, enforces belief in New Ageism first by applying satanic deception. He packages it as the potential for self-development, self-discernment, self-deification (the idea that we are all God, and God is in all), and self-determination.The Enemy also appeals to our selfish desires. We see this in the Garden of Eden, when Eve saw that the fruit was good food and desired the wisdom that the serpent told her it would give her. So she ate the fruit.Then, the Enemy appropriates a subtle disguise. Deception works best when dealt with in the details. The devil today appears as an angel of light. He reshapes evil until it looks good, useful, and harmless.Lastly, the Enemy achieves the scattering of New Age-ism through strategic dissemination. He mass-markets it, incorporates it into everyday life. Children adopt these seemingly innocent principles in primary school. These thoughts are folded into exercise routines and big-brand mission statements. It is widely popularized and made to seem inescapable.But we can escape it. And we must. Everything is not what it seems. We must treat every myth as a missile meant to attack our faith, and we must be ready for it.Apply it to your lifeIt is important to identify Satan’s deception around you, through the media, the mark

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Genesis 13:10-19:29Pastor, author, and teacher Adrian Rogers said, “We hear a lot about the separation of church and state; we need to hear more about the separation of church and world.”Separation from the world is the first duty of any believer in Jesus. If you are a child of God, you’re going to find yourself in conflict with this world.When we say “world,” we’re not talking about the actual planet or the people who inhabit it. The planet is God’s creation, and the people are what He loves the most. We are talking about an ungodly system, philosophy, or order.The world has its charming persuasions. The world will offer many things to gain our affiliation, but charm is deceitful.The world has its controlling power. It will squeeze you into a mold very subtly, in your sense of direction, and then your decisions. It further controls you through its deception until finally you are destroyed.The world has its corrupting pollution. Those who play with fire—or even play in close proximity to the fire—will be burned. We talk about the world with its empty philosophies, but we must never forget this is a dirty, dirty world.Also, the world has a costly price to pay. We look in Scripture at the example of Sodom: a city of the world, an abomination in the eyes of God.Lot, despite his love for God, loved Sodom as well. God delivered Lot from the city before raining fire upon it. But Lot did not leave unscathed. Lot’s decision to love Sodom cost him his faith. He eliminated his fellowship with God. It cost him his family. He lost his doubtful wife, his twisted daughters, and his scornful sons-in-law, and it cost him his fortune. It all went up in smoke with the city he gave half his heart to.What we learn from Lot is to be pure and undivided at heart, eyes completely fixed on Jesus and His instruction given to us in Scripture.Apply it to your lifeThe Serpent doesn’t wait for us to come out to the garden anymore. He strikes us at the playground

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 2 Timothy 3:1These are dark days in which we live. 2 Timothy 3:1 calls them “perilous times.” But as we wait for Jesus’s return to this world, we need to learn how to prepare ourselves not only to survive, but to thrive and be victorious.And to be prepared, we first need to recognize what’s happening around us. 2 Timothy 3:2 tells us, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves...” Adrian Rogers says it this way: “What are people living for today? They’re living for what they can grab, not for what they can give.” Living for ourselves is the root of the darkness we see around us today.Psalm 16:11 tells us we can find genuine pleasure in the presence of God. But instead, problems exist because our society today loves pleasures more than it loves God.As a result, we are left with deep emptiness. In 2 Timothy 3:7-8, we can see a glimpse of humanity’s hunt to fill its insatiable desires in the last days: “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth...” Though knowledge increases, the truth does not.Does all of this sound familiar? These are dangerous times. But thanks to God, we don’t have to face these days without hope. We are called to be the Church, the Light in the darkness, and we are called to be it together.The closer we get to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the more we need the people of God. We need to hold each other accountable to the Truth of the Gospel. We need to be saturated with the Word of God, motivated by the Spirit of God, and activated in the work of God.Apply it to your lifeAdrian Rogers says, “Don’t doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light.” Know where you stand and what you stand for, because the days are growing darker and the Enemy works in the shadows. Remember what you have learned in the light.

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Revelation 1:3Eternity is only a heartbeat away; at any moment Jesus may return, as Revelation 1:3 warns, “...the time is near.”When Jesus came to this earth the first time, He came with His glory veiled; when He returns, His glory will be unveiled, and we will truly see Him. The Book of Revelation gives insight regarding the soon coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ.He is the resurrected Christ with undiminished humanity.Jesus is fully God and fully man; He has not laid His humanity aside.He is the reigning Christ with unrivaled majesty.In Revelation 1, Jesus appeared to the Apostle John wearing the robes of royalty.Adrian Rogers says, “When He came the first time, He came to redeem; when He comes again, He will come to reign.”He is the righteous Christ with undiminished purity.Revelation 1:14 describes His purity and holiness: “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow…”He is the revealing Christ with unhindered scrutiny.Jesus sees us and sees through us; He cannot be deceived, for: “His eyes like a flame of fire…” (v. 14)He is the relentless Christ with untarnished integrity.“His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace…” (v. 15) Brass is an emblem of judgment, and the feet speak of His going forth; when Jesus returns, He is not coming to redeem, but to judge.He is the regal Christ with unchallenged authority.Revelation 1:15 continues to speak of the power of His voice: “...and His voice as the sound of many waters…”He is the regulating Christ with unequaled mastery.Jesus continues to be the One who holds everything in His right hand.He is the revenging Christ with unspoiled victory.At Armageddon, Jesus’ words will be like a two-edged sword.Adrian Rogers says, “The Lord Jesus who spoke them into existence will speak them into oblivion.”He is the resplendent Christ with undimmed glory.The radiance of our Lord will light all of Heaven for all eternity.He is the reassuring Christ with undeniable deity.Jesus,

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: John 4:23-24Adrian Rogers says, “Christianity is not a religion; it is a vital relationship with God through Christ. It’ll be a great day in America when people stop enduring religion and start enjoying salvation.”We were created to worship God; it is life’s greatest privilege and highest duty to praise Him. In order to fully enjoy our salvation, we must first confirm what true worship is.Worship is an expression of belief; it is a response to all that God is in gratitude and praise.John 4:23 says, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.”Human beings are incurably religious; whatever we love, fear, serve or honor more than God is an idol. This is why it’s important to know exactly who we are worshiping because if we do not worship Almighty God, we will be susceptible to worship anything else.We must also remember why we worship: because we become like the things we adore. The more we worship God, the more like Him we will become.But not only does God seek worshipers for what it does for us, but also what it does for Him. Our praise gives Him pleasure; as our Father, He yearns for our devotion and our honor.Finally, we ought to consider the way of true worship: both in spirit and in truth.John 4:24 says, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” When Jesus says to worship God in spirit, He is referring to our spirit, which is our innermost being. If our spirit is dead or warped, we can’t truly worship. But we must also remember to worship in truth; our emotions cannot dictate our praise—there must be intelligent worship.Adrian Rogers says, “Your worship will never rise higher than your knowledge of God.”Spirit and truth go together; we honor God by actively praising with our spirit and seeking truth within His Word.Apply it to your lifeHave you discovered life’s greatest privilege of wor

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Exodus 33:1-4In Exodus 33, God shined His glory upon the prophet Moses’ face; yet, Moses lost the glow over time.As Christians, we are temples of God; the Lord lives and dwells in us. But many of us are not aware of the presence of God in our lives and lose our glow. This passage reveals how to restore the glow, by practicing the presence of God.First, there must be a determination to know God intimately.God promised Moses protection and provision, but because of the people’s sins, He would not go with them. In Exodus 33:15, Moses requests, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.”Second, we should prepare our hearts.We cannot casually, haphazardly seek the presence of God. We must embrace isolation: “And no man shall come up with you, and let no man be seen throughout all the mountain…” (Exodus 34:3).God instructed Moses to get away from the backslidden people he was leading in order to pay attention to what God was doing. There are times we need to get alone with God, away from the demands of others, in order to learn from Him.When we open the Bible, we must do so with an expectant heart and a pen and paper, ready to write down what the Lord reveals. After we humbly receive a word from God, we must respond with adoration: “So Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped” (Exodus 34:8).Then may we give our intercession, and pray for others. If we are not sure who to pray for, we can trust God to lay it upon our hearts. After observing what God has revealed, we must be sure to obey. Adrian Rogers says, “We cannot claim the promises of God without obeying the commandments of God.”Finally, there is a transformation.Moses spent so much time with the Lord, face-to-face, that the skin on Moses’s face shone of the glory of God. Likewise, when we spend enough time in the presence of God, the presence of God gets into us, and we reflect His glory to others.Apply it to your lifeWhen you prac

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Malachi 1:6-14Our highest privilege as Christians is to know and enjoy God’s presence in a personal and exciting way. But what happens when we find ourselves in a spiritual drought?Malachi 1:6-14 reveals three key ways to keep the wonder in our worship and a fire in our faith.First, we must recognize the nature of God, as Father and as Master: “'A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence?' Says the Lord of hosts…” (v. 6).Our spiritual drought could be a result of taking God’s role as Father and Master too lightly. God deserves our deepest honor and greatest reverence. Adrian Rogers says, “The fear of God is love on its knees; it is the one fear that removes all other fears.”Secondly, we restore the wonder when we revere the name of God.“For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; in every place incense shall be offered to My name, and a pure offering; for My name shall be great among the nations,’ says the Lord of hosts” (v. 11).God deserves the best of what we have, and yet, we despise the name of God by offering half-hearted worship and withholding our perfect offerings. God’s name is defiled if our giving to Him makes no difference in our lifestyle. Adrian Rogers says, “God’s name is not to be defiled; it is to be declared.”Finally, we will restore the wonder in our worship when we respect the nobility of God.“But cursed be the deceiver who has in his flock a male and takes a vow but sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished— for I am a great King,” says the Lord of hosts, “And My name is to be feared among the nations” (v. 14).When we remember the depths of God’s nobility and respect that He is the King of kings, we will be excited to be in His presence.Apply it to your lifeHave you lost the wonder in your worship? Recognize God’s nature as a Father and a Master, who deserves our l

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Exodus 33:1-3Our purpose is to know God intimately and to enjoy Him personally; we need nothing more and should settle for nothing else. We must learn how to enjoy the presence of God, and even more importantly, how to stay in it.In Exodus 33, Moses has interceded for the nation of Israel. In response, God promises His protection and provision, but not His presence; He will not be with them.Adrian Rogers says, “It is frightening to have success, possessions, and protection but not the presence of the Lord.”There are several reasons God withdrew His presence from His people.Direct DisobedienceThe Holy Spirit gives us the assurance of our salvation. When we knowingly and willingly disobey God, we grieve the Holy Spirit and quench Him. (See 1 Thessalonians 5:19.) If we are experiencing estrangement from the presence of God, we must first be assured that there is no unconfessed sin in our lives.Divided DevotionThe people of Israel rejected a direct command of God, and as a result, their devotion was divided. Some of the nation committed the sin of idolatry.We must remember: anything we love, fear, serve or trust more than God is an idol. God demands preeminence and He will take nothing less. And in examining our hearts, we should see if anyone or anything has taken precedence over God.Displaced DependenceMoses also detected the people’s displaced dependence; they had placed complete trust and dependence on the work of their hands. This betrayed the One who had brought them through the Red Sea, provided for, and protected them.When we begin to depend upon our own ingenuity, wit, and wisdom, we fail to give God the glory and, ultimately, fail ourselves.Determined DefianceFinally, Israel maintained its determined defiance.“Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people” (Exodus 33:3).Being stiff-necked is the opposite of being meek and pliabl

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 5:10Matthew 5:10 prepares us for persecution as it reveals, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”According to Scripture, becoming a genuine Christian means becoming the butt of the world’s jokes. It means being ostracized socially and considered inappropriate to society. But no matter what happens, nothing can take our joy from us.Adrian Rogers says, “Joy controls conditions like a thermostat. Persecution is the thermometer that registers how much you love Jesus.”The first reason we are persecuted is because of the life we live: “for righteousness’ sake” (v. 10).Christians are persecuted because they divide; they are different. In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus called us the “salt” and “light” of this world. Salt irritates the wounds of this world, and light exposes its darkness. In context, Jesus is saying we are to be irritants and exposers of sin.But we must not confuse punishment for persecution. Adrian Rogers says, “We are punished by good people when we do evil. We are persecuted by evil people when we do good.”Christians who are filled with the Holy Spirit will be “naturally supernatural.” We don’t dare to claim we are persecuted if we are not living for Jesus Christ.The second reason we are persecuted is because of the Lord we love: Jesus says, “for my sake” (v. 11).The world hates Jesus Christ because He stands against the very things the world stands for: drunkenness, abortion, pornography, pride, racism, and greed. And as followers of Christ, we can expect persecutions of various kinds: personal insult, physical abuse, social stigma.But our response should be one of royalty; because we are children of the King, we reign in life and can return good for evil. We must also rejoice in the Lord; we have been identified as followers of Christ, and associated with the Lord—what an honor!Finally, we should respond in love. What a witness that is: to respond to the hat

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 5:9Matthew 5:9 says, "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”Where do wars come from? James 4 claims that men wage war against one another due to the war within ourselves. Furthermore, this inner war is proof of war with God. People are not at peace within themselves; this is why they cannot be at peace with anyone else.Until we are right with God, we will be troublemakers and not peacemakers. We must understand the priority of peacemaking.First, we must consider the attributes of peace.Peace is not appeasement. In fact, appeasement never brings peace. Adrian Rogers says, “There is something desperately wrong with the person who can get along with everybody.”Though the Bible says to be at peace with all men if it is possible (Romans 12:18), this is not always possible. Jesus Christ, Himself, did not get along with everybody. We will be known by the enemies we make.Adrian Rogers says, “Peace is a right relationship with God that leads to a right relationship with self, and guides us in a right relationship with other people.”Second, we must recognize the adversary of peace, which is sin.Sin brings inner turmoil because it separates men from God. There can be no peace without the Prince of Peace. Jesus will never make a truce with sin. Jesus came to put a line of demarcation between truth and error, between light and dark, between sin and righteousness.Matthew 10:34 says, "Think not that I've come to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace but a sword.”When God's standard of righteousness is set, there will always be division. Without righteousness, there can be no godly peace. And the sword that Jesus has is like a scalpel: it must first hurt before it heals.Peace has been planned by the Father, purchased by the Son, and provided by the Spirit. We are ambassadors and agents of peace, called to share the hope of reconciliation with a world in turmoil.Apply it to your lifeWe are age

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 5:8Matthew 5:8 says, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”It seems every institution nowadays is touched by scandal and problems, and underneath it all is an integrity crisis. This is why it is crucial that we are men and women of integrity, and we dare not leave home without it.The definition of the word “integrity” has to do more with unity or singleness of the heart or mind. In this context, Matthew 5:8 means: “Blessed are those who have integrity, without divided hearts.” This is the principle of integrity: those who are single-minded, not double-souled, are blessed.Integrity takes place in the heart, at our very core.Our hearts are the control center of our emotions. When we speak of our hearts, we speak of total commitment. Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”But on our own, our hearts are diseased, deceitful, and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). The cause and desire to sin comes from within. All the diet and exercise in the world will not cure the spiritual disease of our hearts. In spite of any reformation on the outside, we've not dealt with the problem of the heart. Adrian Rogers says, “Everything that you see wrong in the world today has originated in the heart of men.”God is the Great Doctor.The good news is that God is faithful to make a formal diagnosis of our hearts. If we will let Him, He reviews our conditions and reveals what He finds on the inside. God allows circumstances to come into our lives to see how we will react because our reactions speak the loudest of what’s in our hearts. He is the one who transplants a new, pure heart in us.Sin blinds us, and the world is desperate to see God. But it is only with a pure heart that we can receive the eyes of faith.That is the promise of integrity: when we get our spiritual hearts right, our spiritual eyes will see God.Apply it to your lifeMatthew 6:22 says, “When your eye is sin

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 5:7Matthew 5:7 says, "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy."Mercy is not just softness or mere sentiment; it is compassion in action. And the magnificence of mercy is that those who have received it will show it. Mercy is a godly characteristic, one that resides in the hearts and minds of those who have accepted salvation from Jesus Christ. And it actively reveals itself as compassion for others.First, consider the beauty of mercy: it is godlike.Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Your faithfulness.”Every morning, we get to wake up and greet the mercy of God, which is faithful and fails not. In Luke 10, Jesus tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan and reveals the symbolism of salvation. When others passed by us in our despair and need, Jesus rescued us, healed and cleansed us, and covered our debts. After He told this story, Jesus called us to do the same for our neighbors. He explained that when we are merciful, we are godlike. (Luke 10:37)Second, consider the basis of mercy: truth.Psalm 85:10 says, "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other."To show mercy is not to minimize sin. There can be no mercy without truth, which is that the justice of God says our sins must be punished.When we show mercy, we withhold judgment; when we withhold judgment, it implies judgment was deserved. But thank God that He doesn’t give us what we deserve! Adrian Rogers says, “God doesn't deal with us on the basis of fairness; God deals with us on the basis of mercy.”We are not forgiven because we show mercy; rather, we show mercy because we are forgiven.This is the magnificence of mercy: The more mercy we show, the more mercy we get.Apply it to your lifeDo you have a heart full of compassion in action? If God has forgiven us, how much more should we forgive one another? Remember t

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 5:6The word “blessed” means to be satisfied. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus revealed the secret of satisfaction. Matthew 5:6 says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”Many of us think of righteousness as something to do. But in the Bible, righteousness is wrapped up in a person, and His name is Jesus. When we hunger and thirst after righteousness, we are actually hungering and thirsting after Jesus Christ.Jesus is Our Spiritual SustenanceIn the material realm, food and water are necessities, not luxuries; if we don’t eat or drink, we will die. And so it is in the spiritual realm: Jesus Christ is not some luxury; He is a necessity. Without Him, our spirits will die.We should desire Jesus preeminently, above all other things. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus tells us, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.”Jesus will not work in second place. A lack of joy, peace, or fulfillment is a symptom of unrighteousness. When we hunger and thirst after Jesus, we are blessed, but it is crucial to remember that the blessings are just a by-product. Jesus is the cure; not the joy, peace, and fulfillment that comes with Him.Adrian Rogers says, “You’ll never go beyond Jesus: you may only go deeper and deeper into Jesus.” We should seek Jesus passionately—with a huge appetite. A hungry man is interested in one thing: food. If he is hungry enough, he will go anywhere, do almost anything, and pay any price. Likewise, our quest for Jesus Christ should be marked by deliberation, determination, and desperation.Jesus Satisfies the Strongest AppetiteFinally, we should enjoy Jesus perpetually. Adrian Rogers says, “I don’t know how much of God you have, but you have all you want. Shallow thirst equals shallow satisfaction; small hunger equals small satisfaction.”Contrary to popular belief, we don’t lose the good things of life when we come to Jesus

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 5:5Matthew 5:5 says, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus revealed that it is not the mighty men who are blessed; it is the mighty meek.Meekness is not weakness. Jesus was meek, yet He was a strong man. To be meek means to be yielded, to have a compliant spirit. Meekness is strength under control. When we were created, God put certain drives, instincts, and ambitions into our very natures. These are not evil in themselves, but they must yield to the Holy Spirit so that we may bring Him glory and honor.While some believe releasing or restraining our strength will lead to control, true meekness comes after we see ourselves as poor in spirit. Once we are broken over our condition, we can develop strength under control.Step One: Submit to the Son of God.Matthew 11:28-30 says:Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle [meek] and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.Jesus offers our wild spirits rest and invites us to submit to His lordship and learn true strength from Him.Step Two: Receive the Word of God.We cannot snatch pieces of the Bible to feed our pride or our opinions.Adrian Rogers says, “The Bible is not meant to be interesting; it’s meant to be disturbing.”We must welcome the Word into our lives with humility, reaching out to Jesus Christ with both hands, letting Scripture be our bridle and bit.Step Three: Be Filled with the Spirit of God.The Holy Spirit of God produces meekness in us; we simply bear the fruit of it.When we are meek, we will receive our inheritance. This dynamic is explained in 2 Corinthians 6:10, which says, “...as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”Apply it to your lifeHave you yielded to the Holy Spirit and developed a me

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 5:4The world tells us that a life without tears, sorrow, and heartache is a blessed life; but this is not true. In fact, in Matthew 5:4, Jesus says, "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted."We do all we can to avoid pain. We call on psychologists, self-help coaches, and entertainment to change our conditions. In reality, condition does not dictate character.Jesus, Himself, was a Man of sorrows. He teaches us how to turn our tears into telescopes. He teaches us to bring our sorrows and heartaches into focus in such a way that we can see beyond the present and into the future. Our tears today can become telescopes to make the future all the brighter and all the more meaningful.Turning tears into telescopes is a two-step process. We must identify the convicting guilt that causes us to mourn, and we must recognize the grace that comforts us.In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives insight into the deceptive power of sin. Man looks on the outward appearance and sees outward sin. But God looks on the heart and at our inner intentions that led to our sin.Our hearts are “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). Our hearts are subject to sin’s defilement, which perverts the beautiful things we see and touch.If we are truly convicted by our guilt, it should lead to consuming grief and sorrow.There are two kinds of sorrow: godly and worldly. Godly sorrow leads us to repentance, but the sorrow of the world leaves us with remorse.Adrian Rogers explains, “Remorse without repentance can be a dangerous thing. A person filled with remorse is one who loves his sin and hates himself at the same time. A person who has repented is a person who hates his sin because he loves his Savior. Remorse looks at the sin and its consequences. Repentance looks beyond the sin to Calvary.”Looking at Calvary, we recognize the grace that comforts us. Mourning is the only way to know the comfort of our dear Lord. The w

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 5:1-9“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)In our world today, there is a stronger emphasis on what we have than on what we are. The world says, “Blessed are those with wealth, strength, power, knowledge, and popularity.” But in his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus puts an emphasis not primarily on what a man has, but on what a man is. The first of these character qualities is a poorness of spirit.Matthew 5 reveals how bankruptcy can become a blessing. “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” In this passage, Jesus is not talking about financial poverty. Rather, He is identifying the spiritual poverty of a man.In the spiritual realm, we are absolutely, totally bankrupt—beggars before God. We must discover this truth, and admit it; if we don't see it or refuse to acknowledge it, we will never receive the kingdom of heaven.Adrian Rogers says, “This discovery comes when we see just who God is, and then we understand who we are.” Brokenness follows this discovery; we realize we cannot depend on the things we once believed we could. We cannot depend on our pedigrees, our education, or knowledge; these things cannot help us.Those who are spiritually bankrupt cannot afford to be proud. All we can do is declare our dire condition. Because, as Matthew 5 reveals, spiritual beggars are blessed…“for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”This condition is a blessing because it is the only way we can get to heaven. Adrian Rogers says, “Until a man lays his pride in the dust, he cannot be saved. Even God cannot fill that which is already full. We'll never live spiritually until we admit we are dead spiritually.”When we lay aside our pride and receive salvation from Jesus Christ, we are, in turn, received by God, just as we are. It is the only way we can come to the Father.Apply it to your lifeDiscover your spiritual bankruptcy, depend on God’s promises, and declare it to othe

Victorious Prayer (1696)Matthew 6:13 says, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”Oftentimes, we don’t expect God to answer our prayers. But in this passage, Jesus taught us to pray for deliverance from the evil one. He would never teach us to pray that if He did not intend to deliver us. In these dangerous days, we’re up against the organized, demonized forces of hell. The best thing we can do is learn how to pray this victorious prayer.First, we must see the sinister person of evil. Many of us walk in darkness, because we don’t understand who our enemy is. By the aid of the Holy Spirit, we can expose him for what he is: a person of evil, who hides behind a veil of lies. We are instructed to be sober and vigilant, to view him as a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)We also need to realize the seductive power of evil. His motive is to be worshipped, so he deceives us through various, seemingly harmless methods. It is ignorant to underestimate the devil’s power. Adrian Rogers says, “If you’ve never met the devil, it’s because you and the devil are going in the same direction.” We’re instructed to ask God for deliverance at the start of the day, not the end. If we’re asking God to forgive the same sins, we haven’t learned to pray, Lord lead us, lest we fall into temptation. Deliver us from evil.Finally, we must rely on the sovereign protection from evil… “For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory.” We don’t have to fear; we can stand upon this victorious prayer. And what is the ground of our victory? God Himself, who has absolute authority. His kingdom cannot fail; He rules on earth and heaven.John 14:13 says, “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, I will do it that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”Apply it to your lifeDo you want an answered prayer? Adrian Rogers says, “When your reason for asking and God’s reason for answering are the same, you

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 6:9-15Matthew 6:14 says, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”The two great enemies against the human soul are guilt and bitterness. And the freedom of forgiveness is the only thing that can combat them. We are freed from guilt when we are forgiven by God. We are freed from bitterness when we forgive others.There are four compelling reasons to forgive.The Grace Factor: We forgive because we have been forgiven.The Guilt Factor: If we do not forgive, we can no longer be forgiven.The Grief Factor: An unforgiving spirit keeps us in the prison of our own making.The Gain Factor: When we forgive, we release a prisoner and gain a brother.Remember the costly requirements of forgiveness. Forgiveness is much more than merely accepting an apology. It cancels a debt; when you forgive your debtor, then you pay up.Forgive freely as Jesus did, not after your transgressor has paid his price.Also forgive and finally; bury it in the grave. When God forgives us, He forgets, not intellectually; rather, He remembers our sins against us no more. There’s no grudge. Adrian Rogers says, “The biggest test as to whether or not you truly did forgive is if you keep bringing it up again.” This may seem difficult to do; but if we will let Him, God will give us the desire and the dynamic to do so.What are the results of forgiveness?There will be release: you will set a prisoner free and find out that prisoner is you. You will no longer bear this burden of bitterness that is destroying your soul.If your transgressor will receive that forgiveness, there will be reconciliation. You will gain a brother. And together, you will have a revival.Apply it to your lifeDo you have guilt and bitterness in your life? Have you repented and accepted the forgiveness of God? Have you forgiven others?

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 6:9-13Jesus’s model prayer in Matthew 6 teaches us that it is not the length or language of our prayers, but their faith and focus that elevate them to Heaven. Verse 11 says, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Bread is symbolic of any need we may have. It gives God honor to meet our needs. Adrian Rogers gives four steps on how to pray for our daily bread.We must establish a proper priority.We must express our prayerful petition.You must exercise a personal performance.You must enjoy a present provision.Notice the priority established in Matthew 6:9-13: Thy name, Thy kingdom, Thy will, our bread, our debts, our temptation. If we don't establish this priority, we will not see an answer. Adrian Rogers says, “There's one place that God will not work and that is second place.”Adrian Rogers tells us, “Prayer is the key that unlocks heaven’s treasury.” God will not meet greed, but He delights in meeting every need. He says “Ask of me and I will answer thee” (Jeremiah 33:3).We must learn to ask: “Give us this day bread sufficient for us: what we need.”Proverbs 30:7-8: “Two things have I required of thee. Deny me them not before I die. Remove far from me vanity and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with food convenient for me.”Prayer is not a substitute for work and diligence. Proverbs 20:4 says, “The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold. Therefore shall he beg in harvest and have nothing.”We show our faith by doing something, for faith without works is dead (James 2:26).If we do not learn to be content in any state, we will never be content. The Bible does not tell us not to plan, but the Bible very clearly tells us not to worry.Be content with a little and don’t worry about tomorrow. Who needs a barn of stale bread when our Father is a Rich Baker?Apply it to your lifeWhen you pray for God’s daily provision, are your priorities aligned with His? Have you asked for His providence? Are you prepared to work for

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 6:9-10Matthew 6:10 says, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven…” There will come a day when God’s will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. In this passage, Jesus teaches us to pray for the Coming Kingdom of Christ. It is the Kingdom of God’s government, where God rules and reigns. The purpose of prayer is for God’s will to be done. Therefore, effective prayer is finding the will of God and getting in on it. Adrian Rogers says, “God wants for you what you would want for yourself if you had enough sense to want it.”God has given us principles by which we can know His will:Surrender: Surrender is more than simply committing to the Lord; it is renouncing control. We'll never know God's will until we are willing to say “Thy will be done.”Scripture: The Word of God contains the will of God. His word is His revelation to you.Spirit: The Holy Spirit helps us understand the word of God and articulate our prayers.This is our confidence: When we pray in the Spirit, any prayer that the Holy Spirit lays upon our hearts will be answered. Adrian Rogers says, “The prayer that originates in heaven certainly is not going to be rejected there.”The coming kingdom of Jesus Christ is the Kingdom of God’s grace. Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us (Titus 3:5-7).It is also a Kingdom of God’s goodness. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. He is so good.Finally, it is the kingdom of God’s glory. God will be glorified here upon this earth. The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as waters that cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14).His kingdom has not come yet on earth. His will is not being done on earth, but it will be.Apply it to your lifeHave you surrendered to the will of God? As you pray today, consider praying this simple, yet powerful, declaration: “thy Kingdom come, thy will be done.”

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 6:9-13There is nothing more important than knowing how to pray. Adrian Rogers says, “Nothing can stand against the man who can pray, because prayer can do anything that God can do... and God can do anything.”Matthew 6:9 shows us how to address our God when we pray: “After this manner therefore pray ye, Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name…” What happens when we say, “Father”?First, we express God’s very nature. He is a father. 1 Corinthians 8:6 says, “But there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things in Him.”When we say Father, we also expect His nurture. Calling Him Father infers that we are His children. When we become Christians, we are supernaturally born again. His very life comes into us. We can find great comfort in knowing we have His care. We also have His correction. Hebrews 12:7 says, “for if you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as Sons, for what son is He whom the father chasteneth not?” Adrian Rogers says, “When God saves you, He doesn’t fix you up where you can’t sin any more, but He sure does fix you up where you can’t sin and enjoy it anymore.”We also have His companionship.Again, we are told by Pastor Rogers, “I’m so glad that our heavenly father never gets so busy that he doesn’t have time just to close his ledger and talk to you like there’s no one else on earth and nothing else for Him to do. You can come to Him anytime any day and talk to Him and call Him Daddy.”And we have His compassion. A true father would die for his children. That is exactly what God the Father did when He sent Jesus to take on the sins of the world.Lastly, when we call Him Father, we exalt His name. The name of Jesus is above every name. When we hallow that name — recognize, revere, and rely upon it, we find that we have great power in prayer.Apply it to your lifeAdrian Rogers says, “We don’t bring our shabbiness to God. When we pray, we pray in the name of Jesus.”When you pray today, call Him Fat

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: John 3:1-7In John 3:1-7, Jesus explains to Nicodemus the concept of being “born again.” And if you are a Christian, you are born again. Adrian Rogers says, “By your first birth you have existence. By your second birth you have supernatural life.” Understanding the new birth is crucial to our faith.First, we must understand the three reasons why a person must be born again. By nature, we are plagued with undeniable sinfulness, unsatisfied longings, and our soul’s unending existence. For these reasons, there is an urgency to be born again.Spiritual rebirth, in many ways, parallels physical birth. In a birth, conception takes place. A mother and father join together to conceive a child; in the same way, the Word of God and the Spirit of God unite to conceive a new birth. John 3:5 says, “Jesus answered, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (Water symbolizes the Word of God in Scripture.) Much like parents transmit life into their children, God breathes new life into us.In our new birth, we receive the character of God. Some traits of someone twice-born are a love for Jesus Christ, a desire for holiness, the inner witness of the Spirit, and a desire to share Jesus with others.Birth is a once-for-all experience. In the natural realm, you are born one time. In the spiritual realm, rebirth is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. After birth, true growth begins. Birth simply is the starting place; when we are born again, glory to God, we have a brand new start. Adrian Rogers says, “When you get saved, all of your past, all your yesterdays, are buried in the grave of God’s forgetfulness.”New birth is a daily certainty. There is proof, but it is not a thing of the past. Trusting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior is a present practice. It is a daily occurrence.Adrian Rogers says, “If you’re born twice, that which is born from above will go endless, dateless, t

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: John 16:8There are some things that no pastor or Bible teacher can teach you; they can only be imparted by the Holy Spirit. By our own nature, we can be stunningly ignorant. There are three things you cannot learn in school, that only the Holy Spirit can teach you.First, is the conception of sin. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” We are sinners by nature. The problem comes from within, not primarily because of what we do, but because of what we are.Our nature is a poisoned well. Our sins are the poisoned water that comes out of that well. And perhaps our worst sin is not believing in Jesus Christ. Unbelief is the parent sin, out of which all other sins grow. Adrian Rogers says, “A courtroom may convict you of crimes; conscience will convict you of wrongdoing, but only the Holy Spirit of God will truly convict you of sin.”The second truth only the Holy Spirit can teach is the completion of salvation. Man is ignorant concerning both sin and righteousness. The Holy Spirit of God teaches us that our only hope is Jesus Christ. And when you receive Jesus Christ and His righteousness, He deals with what we are.Christians are not just reformed, nicer people; they have received a new nature as a result of a “new birth.” He changes what we are and then He forgives what we’ve done. He also gives us what we need, which is righteousness. Adrian Rogers says, “He took our sin that we might take His righteousness. You’re as righteous as Jesus Christ because you have His righteousness.”Lastly, the Holy Spirit teaches us the truth concerning judgment. Only the Holy Spirit can teach us that Satan’s cause is a lost cause. There’s no contest out there: truth is mightier than error, love is stronger than hate, and holiness is higher than sin. And our Lord has won the victory.Apply it to your lifeHave you learned these three things you cannot learn in school? Let the Holy Spirit minister to you and impart these th

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 6:19Where does God live? As we study the Bible, it seems God doesn’t seem to stay put…until recently.God’s first house was Adam. Adam was to be a royal residence: designed with a body, soul, and spirit. When Adam sinned against God, he desecrated his spirit; therefore, our very Holy God was forced to move out.God’s second house was the temple. God built a temple for His people in the Old Testament, to teach colossal lessons of holiness, sacrifice, and fellowship. We recognize that this house was desecrated in Matthew 21:13 when Jesus said: “And He said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer, but you’ve made it a den of thieves.” God will not live in a dirty house; Matthew 23:38, says, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” And in Matthew 24, Jesus correctly prophesies the destruction of the temple.God’s third house was Jesus Christ, Himself. Jesus was a house designed; the second Adam: body, soul, and spirit, yet totally perfect. He became a house desecrated when He willingly took all the sins of this world upon Himself. Matthew 27:46 says, “About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying… My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me?” He was a house, desolated. As a result, Jesus became a house destroyed.But because of His great love, our hearts have become God’s home. God lives in us, and God is never moving out. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which you have of God, and ye are not your own? For you’re bought with a price, therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” Adrian Rogers preaches, “Being saved is getting God back in your heart, helping you to understand that you are now a temple of the Holy Ghost.”God dwells in our hearts by faith, through salvation, security, and sanctification. Because of Calvary’s sacrifice, no sin can jeopardize God’s residence in our hearts.Apply i

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 1 John 5:5-13Adrian Rogers says, “We do not live by explanations; we live by promises.” One of God’s promises is the assurance of our salvation.1 John 5 reveals the basis for our belief, and how to be absolutely sure of our salvation in Jesus Christ.First, our certainty comes from the Atoning Work of Christ.1 John 5:6 says, “This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ...”The wages of sin is death. (See Romans 3:23.) and without the shedding of blood, there’s no remission of sin. Jesus took our sin to the cross, and with His blood, He paid sin’s penalty.But there’s also the water, which speaks of that which continues to cleanse. This assures us, not only of our salvation but also of our sanctification. He saves us from wrath and makes us pure.Adrian Rogers says, “I wouldn’t give half a hallelujah for the hope of Heaven apart from the water and the blood, apart from the death of the Lord Jesus Christ upon that cross.”Secondly, our certainty comes from the Abiding Witness of the Spirit.The Holy Spirit takes the atoning work and He testifies of it. He gives witness to us and in us."It is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth" (1 John 5:6).Before we’re even saved, the Holy Spirit is telling us about Jesus. And when we receive Christ, He comes into us, and witnesses from within. "He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself" (1 John 5:10).The Spirit also witnesses through us. When we are sure of our salvation, we can witness to others, because we know that our witness is not dependent on eloquence or logic, but upon the Spirit.The third cord of our rock-ribbed assurance is certainty of the Word of the Father. God gave us His Word.Adrian Rogers says, “The message of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is one message: Jesus saves.”The source of this life is Jesus. The substance of life is Jesus. And the surety of life is Jesus; for the Bible tells me so.Apply it to your lifeAre you absol

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 16:13In Matthew 16:13-20, Simon Peter declares Jesus is the Messiah they’ve long waited for. As a result of his bold faith, Jesus changed his name to Peter (which means “rock”). Jesus then declared He would build His church upon Himself. This radical exchange reveals several things about the church triumphant.First, we learn that it relies on personal conviction from Jesus, Himself. Jesus asks, “Who do you say I am?” (Matt. 13:15) We must personally believe in Jesus Christ; not by our mind or intellect, but by divine revelation.After conviction from God comes confession: Simon Peter answered, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (v. 16)A powerful conversion follows: “That thou art Peter...” (v. 18)And as a result, the church is sovereignly constructed. Jesus said, “...upon this rock I will build my church...” (v. 18) Jesus is the architect, the builder, and the very foundation of the church. He is the one that builds it out of us, living stones (1 Peter 2:5), a group of people redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.Notice the singular commission of the church. In verse 19, Jesus said, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Understand what this actually means: Jesus is saying that Heaven’s will will be done on earth when you use the keys of the kingdom, which is the truth of the Gospel.Our unchanging responsibility as the church triumphant is to win souls to Jesus Christ.“...and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (v. 18) Remember: Hell is not on the offense and the church on the defense. What Jesus is saying is the very gates of hell, the very domain of the dead, cannot stop the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.Adrian Rogers says, “If you say that you’re saved, you will love the church and attend the church. If you say you love Jesus Christ, you

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Proverbs 1:20-22These days, our nation is in troubled waters, and the problem is rooted in fathers who fail to accept their responsibility. The Book of Proverbs reveals how to be the father of a wise child.Proverbs 1:22 says, “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge.”When our children are young, they are simple, ignorant, and careless, which is to be expected. However, some children are never taught to grow in wisdom and remain simple in their adulthood. They may have knowledge, but they lack spiritual wisdom and understanding. They are easily led into error, ready to believe anything.If a child remains naive and has not been led by his father, he becomes a scorner. He defies instruction and despises the good and godly. Because of this, he is destined for destruction.The scorner’s very hard to reach, but there is still hope for him. If the scorner is not reclaimed, he becomes a fool; the scorner is insolent, but the fool is immovable. The fool rejects wisdom, ridicules righteousness, and rejoices in iniquity. His moral sense has been so perverted, he thinks good is evil and evil is good.As parents, there are four things we must keep in mind in order to raise wise children.First, we need to expound truth to our children; saturate them in the Proverbs, emblazon the Ten Commandments into their consciousness, teach them the Beatitudes, that they might learn these simple, basic truths.Second, expose sin: children need to see the repercussions of sin to understand their weight. We must pull away the veil and show them the ugly truth of sin and its consequences.We must also expel scorners, as Proverbs 13:20 instructs, “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.” We cannot let our young, impressionable children hang around scorners and fools; we must be firm with who we allow them to be friends with.Finally, we must expr

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Proverbs 1:7-9Psalm 112:2 says, “His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed.”As parents, our chief desire for our children should be that they love God and honor Him with their lives. The Book of Proverbs is full of wisdom for those who want to raise kids that count in the cause of Christ.We must first give them an example.“My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother…” (Proverbs 1:8). Our children will learn more from our lifestyle than they will learn from our words. Good character is not so much taught as it is caught; it must be demonstrated through us.Second, we should give our children unconditional love, regardless of their misbehavior.This doesn’t mean we give them everything they want. True love is not giving children what they want, but rather, what they need.We must give our children constant encouragement.There’s a difference between praise and encouragement. Praise focuses on the accomplishments of the child, while encouragement focuses on the actual child.Our children need to know they are not a sum of their achievements, and that we love them for who they are.We must also give them wise instruction.Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” When we teach our children Scripture, it should be joined with training, so they can learn how to apply it for themselves when they are grown.We should also give them reasonable restrictions.Adrian Rogers says, “Limitations don’t bind the child; really they set him free.” When we establish restrictions, our children will naturally push against them. If the restrictions give, our children will lack confidence in themselves. This is the reason so many children are conquered by the things of this world.We must also give them a listening ear.Be ready when they’re ready to talk, and make time for it.Finally, give them a happy environme

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 1 Samuel 1It's well been said that the head of the home is the husband, but the heart of the home is the mother. Perhaps the most powerful and influential class of people in the world today are mothers.1 Samuel 1 tells the story of Hannah, a barren woman who wanted more than anything else to have a son. After much prayer, God gave Hannah a son named Samuel, who was considered one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament.Hannah’s story offers five powerful principles for raising godly children.The first is the Principle of Proper Priority.“And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish” (1 Samuel 1:10). Hannah had a God-given instinct to be a mother. She recognized that there is no greater earthly blessing than children.The second principle is the Power of Prayer.Adrian Rogers says, “The time to begin to raise godly children is before they're born, and even before they're conceived.”Hannah is one of several women in the Bible who were considered barren and were later given children by God; other examples are Sarah, Rachel, Ruth, and Elizabeth. Their children went on to bless the world and glorify God. Understanding this, we should begin praying for our children before they are ever conceived.The third principle of raising godly children is the Principle of Purpose.Hannah’s reason for wanting a child was to dedicate him back to God. She wanted to glorify God through her child. Our prayers for our children should not regard their wealth or power, but how they will glorify God.The fourth is the Principle of Persistence."Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him” (1 Samuel 1:17). Hannah was a woman of prayer, but not just prayer easily uttered and soon forgotten. She continued to pray before and after this child was born. By her example, we learn to never waver in our prayers, no matter how dark the circumstances.Finally, there’s the Principle of Persuasion.A mo

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Titus 2:3-5God is in favor of beautiful homes; yet these days, our families face many enemies that threaten to drain us of our splendor. The key to a beautiful home is the wife and mother.Titus 2 shows us what it means to be a godly mother and how to make a home beautiful.“…the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things…” (Titus 2:3).This passage first addresses the legacy the godly woman is to leave.She teaches younger women how to be homemakers and how to instill values in their own families by example. She has the perfume of God in her life, marked by holiness, godly in her speech. She is not to be a false accuser, scandalmonger, or slanderer, nor does she indulge in addictive behaviors.Secondly, this passage tells of the love the godly woman is to learn.“...that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children…” (Titus 2:4). Some look at children as burdens rather than blessings. Older women are instructed to teach the younger women how to love their families.Adrian Rogers says, “Being a homemaker is not easy, not glamorous, but there is no higher calling. Fathers have influence on their children, but mothers make the greatest impression.”Finally, this passage teaches us the lifestyle the godly woman is to live.“...to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed” (Titus 2:5).Here are some descriptions regarding a godly woman:-Discreet: She is sober-minded, sensible, using good judgment in her shopping, bookkeeping, decorating, and physical culture.-Chaste: She is pure and sexually moral.-Homemakers: A woman’s primary responsibility is to keep the home.-Good: She is kind-hearted.-Obedient to her husband: Submission is not subjugation; wives are instructed to submit to their husbands’ loving leadership in the home.Adrian Rogers says, “When is a train more fre

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Exodus 20:12Adrian Rogers says, “Our parents are the first people we meet; if we cannot learn to love and respect our parents, then it’s obvious we cannot learn to love and respect anyone else.”Exodus 20:12 says, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”Honoring our parents means taking them seriously, to revere and respect them. Following God’s command to honor our parents is how we can be children of happy mothers.First, we honor them by the lives we live; we do this by obeying them when we are young.Disobedience is a grave, harmful sin; it is not a weakness, it is a wickedness. Disobedience invites the sure judgment of God. On the contrary, through obedience, we learn character and self-control; we receive God’s blessing and protection.Children are extensions of their parents; when they see their child doing something godly and worthy, it gives parents joy.Second, we honor our parents by the load we lift; we must help them, especially when they get older and need our care.In our society, people sometimes fail to care for their older parents. We must remember that our parents loved us in spite of our faults; we must love them in spite of their faults.Third, we should honor our parents by the lessons we learn.Our parents have the advantage of being further down the road of life than us. It would be wise to listen to the ones who love us and have our best interest in mind.Last of all, we honor our parents by the love we lavish upon them.We must remember what we owe them; they gave us life, their blood flows through our veins.Adrian Rogers says, “I believe that the closest thing on this Earth to the love of God is the love of parents for their children.”We are to return that love to them. When we show respect, express gratitude, heed their counsel, and live lives that honor them, we become children of a happy Heavenly Father.Apply it to your lifeDo you obey an

Sermon OverviewScripture Reference: Judges 17:1-6Our nation is in a battle for values; the morals and ethics that made this nation great are eroding before us.Judges 17 shares an eerily similar sad case of vanishing values. “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6).As a result, there were families without foundations.In America today, we are drowning in religion, but none of it is rooted in biblical truth. Our families are morally and spiritually bankrupt. The ethical standard we’ve liberated ourselves from is what’s held society together.There was also during the time of Judges a lack of principle in their pastors.Those who preach the Gospel must live the Gospel, and there is an especially high standard for those in vocational ministry.John 10:12 warns, “But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees...”Third, values vanish when the government separates itself from God.Our generation wants what belongs to somebody else; we believe we have the right to take what doesn’t belong to us. We are motivated by greed, materialism, and selfishness. We are biblically instructed to take care of those who cannot take care of themselves. But the Bible is also against the misappropriation of other people’s goods through covetousness and dissatisfaction.Adrian Rogers says, “The Bible teaches that we are to worship God, love people, and use things. But what we do is worship things, use people, and forget God.”Romans 1 gives clear warning to the nation whose values begin to vanish. Substituting science for God, practicing idolatry, and developing uncontrollable lusts of the flesh will lead to a death of conscience. The mind becomes morally useless, as every man does that which is right in his own mind.We must know what the Bible says about values, be active members of a Bible-believing church, and pray for our nation.Apply it to your lifeWe ar

Sermon OverviewScripture Reference: Judges 13:24Judges 13-16 tells the story of Samson, a Nazarite who was set aside by God for a purpose; He had been anointed with tremendous supernatural strength through the Holy Spirit. However, Samson was a bundle of contradictions. His story is not ultimately about his physical, mental, and spiritual strength; rather, it is about the high cost of low living.Samson’s sin meant he dishonored his parents.Samson’s parents were godly people; Samson fell into the wrong company and decided to marry a pagan girl despite his parents’ disapproval. Marrying someone who is not of the same faith almost always leads to disagreement, division, and confused children. Samson’s parents wanted more for him, but he settled for less.Samson also deserted his promise. (See Judges 14:5.)As he hung around the wrong crowd, he was hardened more and more by sin, forgetting his vow as a Nazarite.He also distorted his purpose.Samson’s strength was given to him to one day deliver Israel from the Philistines. Instead, he picked shallow fights with them, teasing his enemies and provoking them to anger.Samson defiled his purity.He wasted time with harlots without any conviction. (See Judges 14:16.)He also diluted his power.After breaking every other Nazarite vow up until this point, his uncut hair was the last vow. One prostitute, Deliliah, persistently begged to know the secret of his strength. When he told her, she relayed his secret to his enemies.Samson disgraced his profession.They cut his hair while he slept and his power was gone when he woke. The Spirit was gone from him; they blinded him and bound him. His series of small sins led to this tragic consequence.Finally, he diminished his potential.Now a spectacle in a Philistine temple, Samson repents of his sins and prays for strength one last time. God grants him enough of it to push the pillars over to kill the Philistines present, but Samson died with them.By God’s sovereignty, Samson’s purpose was ful

Sermon OverviewScripture Reference: Judges 11There is a great and present need for men of character, integrity, and strength. Judges 11 tells the story of Jephthah, a mighty man of valor, who is an inspiration for all who want to be men and women of strength.First, he was a man of character in the face of difficulty:“Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah” (Judges 11:1).Jephthah’s undesirable origin as a harlot’s son meant he did not have any sort of upper hand in life, yet he rose to the occasion.We must become unshackled by our pasts and quit making excuses for sin. When we stop blaming our circumstances, we will finally rise to be what we ought to be.Adrian Rogers says, “The Bible teaches that guilt is real, that we are responsible; the Bible also teaches that grace is wonderful and forgiveness is free and full.”Jephthah also exhibited confidence in the face of danger.Assigned commander of the Israelite army, Jephthah was not fazed by his foes or fettered by his fear, because his confidence was in God. Before the battle ever began, Jephthah prayed to the Lord and asked for strength. (See Judges 11:11.) It was not a last resort, rather, a first thought.Finally, we see Jephthah’s commitment in the face of disappointment.Judges 11:29-33 describes the vow Jephthah made to God, that if God gave them victory, Jephthah would devote or sacrifice the first thing to meet him upon his arrival home.God gave him the victory; when he returned home, his daughter was the first one out to greet him.The Bible condemns human sacrifice. (Deuteronomy 12:31.) The Spirit of God would never lead Jephthah to contradict the Word of God. Rather, Jephthah devoted his virgin daughter to never marry and always serve the Lord. Jephthah kept his word, though it meant his lineage would end with her.Any righteous or holy vow he makes, a man of strength keeps it no matter the cost.Apply it to your lifeIf Jephthah’s story tell

Sermon OverviewScripture Reference: Judges 9:8-15The crisis of our nation concerns leadership. We are in desperate need of good, godly leadership.Judges 9:8-15 tells the story of a pitiful politician and a nation in disarray. This passage addresses the three thorns in a nation’s side, and the way to righteous leadership.The first thorn is the apostasy of an unthankful people.In Judges 8, God brought confusion into the camps of Israel’s enemies and gave His people a mighty victory. Yet, just one chapter later, the Israelites had already forgotten Him and turned to other gods. (See Judges 8:33.)This is more than just an issue of immorality—it is apostasy. This blatant act of turning from God is still happening today. Profanity is normalized and our children are desensitized; nothing shocks us anymore. Sin is socially acceptable, and godliness is stigmatized. The fixed standard of morality is long gone; it is only going to get filthier.The second thorn is the arrogance of an ungodly leader.In Judges 9, Abimelech rises with an unholy ambition to lead Israel. He builds a coalition, buys his constituents, and brutalizes his competition. His government was built on blood. However, he also had himself inaugurated with a show of religion. He tried to associate himself with godly things to fool others.There are some politicians who follow this pattern, who would build their campaigns on deception.Abimelech’s charade was accomplished through the apathy of uncommitted bystanders, which is the third thorn of the nation.As Edmond Burke says, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” When we buy into the niceties and luxuries of the sweet-talking politicians, we will find it difficult to root out the brambles of their unmet responsibilities. We must examine our leaders’ intentions with thought and care.Despite the despair of these passages, there was hope for Israel, just like there is hope for us.Adrian Rogers says, “The Book of Judges is not

Sermon OverviewScripture Reference: Judges 6:1-22In Judges 6, Israel had forgotten God and the victory He had already given them. As a result, the nation was intimidated and impoverished by an oppressive enemy; the people’s shame was severe and continuous.Our nation suffers shame of its own. We’ve traded authority for relativism, truth for pragmatism. We’ve traded reason for feeling, convictions for opinion. We’ve done away with the fixed standard of right and wrong. Everyone does what is right in his own eyes.But God raised up an unlikely hero, Gideon, to fight for His people. And as our nation begins to fall into the same trap, we must recognize the four principles of victory in Gideon’s life, that we may be used like him.First, there was the principle of vision.Gideon had a vision of the living God. (See Judges 6:11.) Gideon lived in defeat and fear until he took his eyes from the enemy and fixed them on God instead. We have something far better than Gideon had: the Word of God and the Holy Spirit abiding in us. And there is no excuse for us not to have an encounter with the living God.Second, there was the principle of valor.Gideon was a man of valor, not because he felt brave in and of himself. Rather, God took this fearful man and transformed him with His power, enriched him with love, and enlightened him with a sound mind.Third, Gideon had the principle of vigilance.After dismissing those who were afraid to fight, God tested Gideon’s army further to see which soldiers would be careless and who would remain vigilant. (See Judges 7.)We don’t have to be afraid of our adversary, but we do have to watch, pray, and never let our guard down.Finally, Gideon had the principle of vitality.God’s plan is to take ordinary people and do something incredible through them.Adrian Rogers says, “It’s not your scholarship, it’s your relationship. It’s not your ability, it’s your availability. It’s not your fame, it’s your faith. It’s not who you are, it’s whose you are.”Apply it

Sermon OverviewScripture Reference: Judges 4:1-3The Book of Judges tells us all about Israel’s cycle of sin—sinning against God, suffering for it, asking God for deliverance, and receiving it. But God would rather bless than judge; He is a God of mercy who desires to help us in our distress.Adrian Rogers says, “Don’t ever get the idea that you can sin successfully. Don’t ever get the idea that you can trust in God in vain. Sin can’t win and faith can’t fail.”In Judges 4, we see this in action, as God used the faith of Deborah and Barak to deliver all of Israel from her wicked enemy, Sisera.First, we identify the woman God chose.Deborah, a judge and prophetess in Israel, was a godly woman who used her gifting and wisdom to minister to Barak. God still uses women like Deborah to use their gifts and talents in ministry.Second, we see the warrior God called.There was a battle to be fought to deliver the Israelites from their oppressors. God chose Barak to lead the charge, because his faith was rooted in the God of Israel and he lived as he believed.Third, we recognize the wonder God caused.Judges 4:14 says, “Then Deborah said to Barak, ‘Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the Lord gone out before you?’ So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.”Barak and his army did not stand a chance against the Canaanites’ flashy weaponry and 900 iron chariots. But the fight was fixed, for the stars themselves fought the battle. (See Judges 5:20.) Before the battle began, God sent a rainstorm to soften the ground. This rendered the chariots useless and weighed down the Canaanites’ heavy armor.Adrian Rogers says, “God lined the stars up behind Barak. God lined the whole Universe behind him. The whole Universe is against the man who is against God. The whole Universe is behind the man who’s for God.”When we love and serve God, God is on our side and programs us for victory.Apply it to your lifeEvery day, w

Sermon OverviewScripture Reference: Judges 1:1-2The Book of Judges tells the story of how God blessed the nation of Israel, and how Israel then lost her glory. But, despite its darkness, this book holds out hope that God will bless the nation again.Judges 1 offers three takeaways, that we might bring back the glory of our own nation.“Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, ‘Who shall be first to go up for us against the Canaanites to fight against them?’ And the Lord said, ‘Judah shall go up. Indeed I have delivered the land into his hand’” (Judges 1:1-2).First, there was a glorious conquest.God gave the land to Israel; He gave the people a spiritual heritage. Though their histories diverge, there are striking parallels between Israel and America. God blessed America from the beginning; it is a country with a faith heritage and history.Yet, like Israel, there were days of gradual compromise.God gave Israel victory, but the next generation forgot it. God told the Israelites to drive the wicked Canaanites out of the land. They did not do it, because of their fear, favor, and eventual fellowship with their former enemies.We are facing a similar disheartening truth, that we have forgotten what God has done in our country. Long gone are the days of moral absolutes—rather, we live in a day of moral ambivalence. Whether it be because of fear, favor, or fellowship, we’ve kept destructive sins around, and allowed them to influence us.Adrian Rogers says, “Sin will take you further than you want to go, it’ll take you longer than you want to stay, and it will cost you more than you want to pay.”Finally, there were grim consequences.Judges 2:3-4 tells us that God gave them over to their sin. He didn’t have to judge them—He simply let them have their own way; they lost His protection. Likewise, the sins of our nation have cost America her protection.But God would rather forgive than judge. He would rather save than condemn

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Romans 11:36Romans 11:36 says, “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things, to whom be the glory forever.”God is the producer, preserver, and purpose of creation. Everything starts with God, operates through God, and returns back to God.This divine triangle is exemplified in our salvation. God first loved us and brought us to Himself through Jesus Christ. We live the Christian life through the power He gives, and one day we are going back to Him.This divine triangle is exemplified through sanctification. We receive the Holy Spirit from God and are continually sanctified to become more like God.It’s also exemplified through stewardship. We receive blessings from God to bless others, for the purpose of bringing glory to God. Romans 11:36 reveals three transformational truths about the power of effectual prayer.First, the origin of all effectual prayer roots in the purposes of God. God gives us the privilege of working together with Him through prayer. Prayer is also the way God disciples us; it is how He works on us. Adrian Rogers says, “Prayer is not bending God’s will to our will. Prayer is finding the will of God and getting in on it.”Second, the operation of prayer relies on the power of God. Our old nature does not want to pray. It is God who gives us the desire and power to pray. God also gives us the direction for praying. Prayer gives us insight on what to ask for and how to use what we’ve been given.Finally, the objective of prayer results in the praise of God. Adrian Rogers says, “Thanksgiving enjoys the gift, but praise enjoys the Giver.” Praise and thanksgiving complete the triangle of prayer. Prayer goes into God’s presence to carry something away, but praise goes into God’s presence to remain there forever.Apply it to your lifeEach time you prepare to pray in the name of Jesus, consider these questions:-Has God put this request in my heart, through the written Word or through His Spirit?-Am I now praying in

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 18:15Broken relationships in the church are a very painful problem that disgraces the Father and discourages the Bride of Christ.Adrian Rogers says, “There is nothing worse than a church without harmony and there is nothing better than a church with harmony.”In Matthew 18, Jesus explains how to heal broken relationships. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone...” (Matthew 18:15).First, we must consider our relationship with the person who has sinned against us.If he is a brother in Christ, we are members of the same body; harming him harms us. If he is lost, he needs our pity and prayers all the more; regardless, he is to be loved no matter what.Next, we must remember our responsibility to make it right between us. Galatians 6:1 says, “...if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” We have to ask ourselves: are we sinning in a similar way? Have we been praying for that person and setting a good example?Once we have the proper perspective, we must seek out the biblical procedure of restoration.We don’t have the luxury of waiting for our trespasser to come to us; we go to him lovingly, privately, and humbly. If there is an opportunity for restoration, forgive him freely, fully, and finally. If there is no restoration, come back with fellow brothers or sisters in the faith. If he still refuses to listen, go before the church, as Matthew 18:17 instructs: “And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.”Excommunication is a heartbreaking last resort reserved only for those who are stubborn in their own ways, who will not hear the brother, the committee, or the church that has tried to speak truth in love. It is important that we love the unrepentant offender, but

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 1 Peter 3As Christians, we are instructed to keep the faith and give it away. We must be ready to give an account for what makes us different. We must learn how to answer a skeptic.1 Peter 3:15 says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear…”There are four basic propositions that can help us when giving an account for our faith.First, forego the folly of fools.Foolishness isn’t a lack of knowledge, rather it is evidence of moral depravity. A fool is not an honest doubter, he is simply hostile toward the truth. When someone shows himself to be a fool, we should not argue with him; we should tell him what God says and go our way.Second, we need to learn the limits of logic.To give a defense for our faith does not mean to apologize; it means to give an answer as one would give in a court of law. We know creation’s complex design speaks of God’s existence, as does the moral law of the universe. But we must keep in mind that while logic is a very valuable tool, it can only take us so far in answering a skeptic.We must also remember the resource of revelation.If we want to know God, He must reveal Himself to us.2 Peter 1:19 says, “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts…” God knows we need help understanding Scripture, so the Holy Spirit shines it into our dark hearts, giving us the light to see.Adrian Rogers says, “The Holy Spirit takes the curtain of your skepticism and He pulls it aside, pins it with a star of hope, and floods your heart with Gospel light.”Finally, fortify the force of faith.We are witnesses of His existence because of what He has done in our lives.Apply it to your lifeAre you prepared to give an answer for the hope in you? When Jesus is real to us and is sanctifie

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 2 Peter 2:1In the Bible, there is no greater crime than being a false prophet. It’s bad to tell a lie and it’s worse to teach a lie; but it is evil to teach a lie about God.Adrian Rogers says, “Don’t let false teachers take you by surprise; when you look for the devil, never fail to look in the pulpit.”We must learn how to spot a counterfeit teacher.2 Peter 2:1 says, “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.”Scripture tells us that false teachers are among us and warns us of the dangers of their doctrine.We can identify counterfeits by their message. There are five tests we should run in our minds as we listen to a preacher:-Source Test: What is the basis of his teaching?-Savior Test: Does he believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah?-Subject Test: Is the primary source of his teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ?-Salvation Test: Does he teach salvation by grace or does he try to mix works or baptism or anything else into salvation?-Sanctification Test: Does he teach, and endeavor to live, a holy life?We can also identify false teachers by their methods.2 Peter 2:2-3 says, “And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.”Good counterfeiters will lay false teaching alongside good teaching in order to confuse their listeners. Their words are feigned, like plastic; they are malleable and easy to contort.You can also spot a counterfeiter by his motive, which is to manipulate his people for his own profit or gain.The desperate need in these last days is authentic biblical teaching; God will not spare the false prophet.Apply it to your lifeRemember this adv

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Luke 14:25-35It costs to serve Jesus Christ; we must be prepared to pay the price. Many will try to water down the Gospel in an attempt to gain more followers, but Jesus is not looking for easy followers; He wants fully committed disciples.Jesus wants disciples who will worship at any cost.Luke 14:27 says, “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”Jesus must come before personal relationships and reputations. His disciples must prioritize Him over their families and loved ones, and even before themselves. He must come before personal realization. The decision to follow Jesus was the last independent decision any Christian ever made; our lives now belong to Jesus.Second, Jesus wants disciples who will work at any cost.“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it…” (Luke 14:28).Jesus calls us to build our lives according to His blueprints, spiritually conceived through prayer. We cannot look for a cheap, easy, lazy way to build our lives for Christ. We must count the cost, and steadfastly work to completion.Third, fully committed disciples will war at any cost.Adrian Rogers says, “When I follow the Lord Jesus Christ, I follow Him into battle.” There is no such thing as neutrality in this spiritual warfare. Though we are outnumbered, we cannot be cowards or compromisers. Nor can we be cautious; we must go into the battle with all of our hearts and souls.Finally, Jesus wants disciples who will witness at any cost.“Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Luke 14:34-35)!Salt preserves, flavors, and heals; likewise, we are called to preserve truth and to have a zest about our lives that heals this sick world. But salt also burns and penetrates; it is an irritant that permeate

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 2 Corinthians 5Our achievements in life are impelled by the drive behind them. If we want to be soul winners for the cause of Christ, the apostle Paul offers six mighty motivations in 2 Corinthians 5.First, we see the soul winner’s compulsion: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well-pleasing to Him…” (2 Corinthians 5:9). Our goal is to please God; if we are not bringing souls to Christ, we are not acceptable to God.We also recognize our compensation: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). We will be compensated for our soul-winning work at the judgment seat of Christ. And whatever reward He gives us will never see corruption.Third, remember the soul winner’s conviction: “Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men...” (2 Corinthians 5:11). Paul reminds us of what it means for a soul to die unredeemed, destined for Hell; he understood the terror of the Lord.We are also motivated by our compassion: “For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you...” (2 Corinthians 5:13).Adrian Rogers says, “What motivates me is not my love for people; it is my love for Jesus. Yes, I love people, but the chief motivation of my life is His love for me and, therefore, His love through me.”We remember our confidence: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). As Christians, we are confident that when we lead a soul to Christ, he will become a new creature. Every person is a potential brother or sister in the faith.Finally, we read of the soul winner’s commission: “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation…” (2 Corinthians 5:18). We are

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Romans 2:1-8, 16In Romans 2, the Apostle Paul reveals how God handles hypocrites, specifically addressing those who were indignant at the sins of others, and indulgent in their own.“Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things…” (Romans 2:1).Hypocrites will be judged according to the truth, so there will be no disguise.Today, we see truth being exchanged for style and sacrificed for comfort. But no performance or pretense will fool God, as truth is His standard.Hypocrisy comes from within; a hypocritical heart believes that outward appearance is all that matters. If hypocrites can appear righteous, they believe they will be seen as righteous in the eyes of God.Adrian Rogers says, “God doesn’t look on the exterior; God looks at the heart.”Hypocrites also believe that if they do not have trouble, they are right with God. But we know our blessings are not merited by our behavior. God gives us blessings to bring us to Him, to lead us to repentance. Delayed judgment does not mean no judgment; God waits until the time is ripe before He judges, and we will not escape His judgment.Hypocrites will be judged according to their deeds, without distinction.As Christians, we are not saved by works, but we are judged by works. We will be held accountable for our actions and attitudes, as well as for our advantages.Finally, hypocrites will be judged according to the Gospel.“...in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel” (Romans 2:16).Adrian Rogers says, “If the Gospel does not save you, the Gospel will judge you. The same Jesus who wants to be your Savior will one day be your Judge if you do not allow Him to save you.”The Gospel is a two-edged sword that will either heal or slay. It reveals everything we try to repress and hide, and often, the judgment of the hypocrite is harsher than

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Psalm 128Perhaps the most difficult and profoundly rewarding role a man could ever commit to is being a good Dad. The faith of our fathers is what leads our families through the minefield of today’s world.Psalm 128 describes a faithful father in four ways.First, it is his character.If you fear God, you will walk in the way of God. Though we will inevitably make mistakes, we can be fathers who leave a legacy of integrity.“When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.” (Psalm 128:2).Second, a godly father loves his companion—his faithful, fruitful wife.“Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house…” (Psalm 128:3a).If the wife is the vine, you, as a wise father, understand it is your job to take care of your wife’s love and needs, so she may meet the needs of your children and your household.Third, a godly father leads his children.“...your children like olive plants all around your table” (Psalm 128:3b).In the Bible, olives symbolize fruitfulness and righteousness. This verse is a beautiful picture of how a godly father’s righteousness is reproduced through his children.A good father learns consistency in discipline and cultivates his children through quality time.Finally, a godly father leaves a legacy.“The Lord bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life. Yes, may you see your children’s children” (Psalm 128:5-6).A generation raised by strong, God-fearing fathers makes a strong nation. America will not be changed until our families are changed; and our families will not be changed until the fathers are changed.Adrian Rogers says, “You can’t do anything about your ancestors, but you can do something about your descendants.”As fathers, we have an opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of our children, and our children’s children; let us not waste it.Apply it to your lifeAre you leading your family with charac

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Proverbs 17:17One of the greatest and deepest needs we have as human beings is friendship. We all long for someone who knows, loves, and accepts us—someone who understands our wants, needs, hurts, and fears.The Book of Proverbs is full of wisdom for making friends forever, and how to first be the friend we all need.Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”There are certain marks of true friendship.A friend is someone who shares his or her strengths, blessings, and hope; a friend will share in hard times and in celebration; a friend loves at all times.A true friend is also someone who sharpens; Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” A good friend is the sharp edge of our lives, who encourages,challenges, and confronts us when necessary; true friends make us better people.And a friend is someone who sticks; Proverbs 28:14 says, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”There are some important things to remember when making friends:We make friends by being friends; it is wise to remember that people want to be accepted, acknowledged, and appreciated. We need to pay attention to people, become great listeners, and find something to compliment.People also want to be affirmed and assured; in this negative world, the most beautiful thing we can do is empathize with one another.When we build friendships, we must remember to maintain them. Adrian Rogers says, “You can have a lot of acquaintances, but genuine friends are costly. They cost time and effort; there is an investment; don’t have more friends than you can show yourself friendly to.”Finally, we must remember the ministry of a friendship. There are lost people in this world who need the love and friendship of Jesus Christ; as His Body, we have the responsibility of loving as He loved.Apply it to your lifeAre you in the m

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Luke 10:25-37In Luke 10:25-37, Jesus tells the story of a man receiving aid from his cultural enemy after falling among thieves.The parable of the Good Samaritan reveals the true meaning of being a good neighbor and teaches us how to be a good friend to those who are suffering all around us.First, this story is about criminal inhumanity.“‘A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead’...” (Luke 10:30).The traveler in this story is a picture of humanity going away from God, battered and robbed by the devil. We live in a hurting world of crushed hearts, bruised spirits, and emotional wounds. People need love; they need the relief of a friend who will care for their hurts.This story also reveals casual indifference.In Luke 10:31-32, two self-righteous men, a priest, and a Levite, pass by the wounded man. These men represent people who follow the rituals and rules of religion but do not have Jesus Christ. Jesus is teaching through this story that religion with its rituals and rules cannot save… only He can.Good Samaritan shows us that loving our neighbor means showing compassionate involvement.“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion” (Luke 10:33).This compassion must be genuine and gracious; we don’t just wait until hurting people come to us; we go to them.Adrian Rogers says, “A person who has compassion sees people through the eyes of Christ.”This compassion is also gentle: “So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.” (Luke 10:34).In the Bible, oil is an emblem of the Holy Spirit, and wine is symbolic of the blood of Jesus Christ. Oil soothes and wine cleanses.As we have been cared for by Jesus Christ—who takes our place, carries us where we cannot go ourselves, a

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 5:10-14If we stand up for Jesus, we will be persecuted. The only way to escape it is to compromise—to conform to this world. Instead, we must decide now that we will learn to stand for Jesus, no matter what happens.Matthew 5:10 reveals, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”Adrian Rogers says, “Persecution that you receive is the thermometer that registers your love and your courage for the Lord Jesus Christ.”The first reason we are persecuted is because of the life we show.Persecution means to divide; Christians are persecuted because we are different, distinct by our righteousness.The second reason we are persecuted is due to the lies we suffer.Jesus was crucified because of false witnesses; likewise, Christians will be blamed for things they have not done.But the main reason for our persecution is the Lord we serve.Jesus says, “for my sake.” (See Matthew 5:11.) The world hates Jesus Christ because He stands against the very things the world stands for: liquor, abortion, pornography, pride, racism, hatred, and selfishness.Jesus was an exposer of sin; He came to condemn sin and destroy the works of the devil. And as followers of Christ, whom He has called salt and light (irritants and exposers), we can expect to endure personal insult and physical intimidation. There will be social injustice coming from all sides: from the religious world, from the government, and even from our own families.But we can enlist our persecution for the glory of God. Because we are children of the King, we reign in life and can return good for evil.We must also rejoice in the Lord; we have been identified as followers of Christ, and associated with the Lord... what an honor!Finally, we should respond in love. We could be great witnesses if we respond to the hate of this world with the love it desperately needs.These are days of golden opportunity to stand up and share Christ with othe

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Colossians 2:10In Jesus Christ, we are complete; we don’t have to look for anything else. Colossians 2:3 reminds us that all our treasure is hidden in Him, waiting for us to discover and appropriate it.We must learn how to walk in the Spirit.God the Holy Spirit wants to inhabit our human spirit, to speak to our minds, emotions, and wills.Colossians 2:6 says, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him…”Notice how the Apostle Paul says to walk in the Spirit. We don’t just walk with the Spirit; the Holy Spirit must be the territory of our walk.Adrian Rogers says, “The circumference of our walk is the sphere of the Spirit.”We must make the decision to walk within the Spirit at all times.He will supply all our needs according to the riches of His glory. The Christian walk begins when we take the first step, which is receiving Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. To live victoriously, we must walk in the Spirit one step at a time; once we begin, we never stop.When we walk in the Lord, we’re under new management. Our very character changes; our lives begin to manifest the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.He demands absolute control over our lives. To walk in the Spirit is to be like Jesus.Finally, the Christian life is a continual walk.Our “footsteps” are repentance and faith. These are not things we do once in order to get saved; we repent of our sins and put our faith in Jesus daily.Adrian Rogers says, “Repentance is turning from self; faith is turning to Jesus. And the more you turn from yourself and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, the more real He will seem to you.”And the longer we walk with Him, the more we will realize the Holy Spirit’s control over our lives. We will be cured of our self-consciousness, greed, and competition, for we are complete in Him.Apply it to your lifeIs the life of the Lord Jesus Christ manifested in you? Is He the Lord of your life, the circumference of your walk? Are you taki

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 2 Timothy 3:12-17We are living in a dangerous time of apostasy; it is crucial that we put our faith in Scripture, our sure word in difficult days.2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…”The Bible is the very breath of God, fully inspired by Him. It is not a partial or progressive inspiration; it is full and complete. The Bible gives us instruction for righteousness.Because the Bible is inspired and instructive, it is instrumental in several aspects of our spiritual lives.First, the Scriptures are instrumental in salvation.Our friends are not saved by our philosophies, ideas, or testimonies. Rather, it is only by the saving grace of Jesus Christ, stated in Scripture. The Word of God must be shared with people in order for them to be saved.The Scriptures are also instrumental in our sanctification.This does not mean the Bible makes us sinless; rather, it makes us mature.Adrian Rogers says, “You’ll never be a strong, mature Christian until you get in the Word of God.”Third, the Scriptures are necessary for service.God does not send us into spiritual war unarmed; the Bible equips us for service, like soldiers in a battle. Our faith is not blind or superstitious; it is rooted in evidence. There is historical and scientific evidence in the Bible; it is an indestructible book that has lasted through the ages. It is meant to be treasured.Faith that is rooted in evidence goes beyond evidence. God is good to give us evidence, but there comes a time when we must go beyond evidence. Faith is more than an intellectual response to facts; it is a moral response to what God says through these facts. This is when faith then becomes its own best evidence.A life built up by the Bible is not easily shaken by difficulty; if we are on the right foundation, we can face any fearful thing life throws our way.Apply it to your lifeAdrian

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 2 Peter 1:1-11We all obtain salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. Some grow in grace and knowledge; they become strong, vibrant, and victorious in their faith. Others stumble and stagger, slip and fall.These are dangerous days in which our enemy has inspired confusion to divide God’s people and cause them to question their faith. But God wants us to be strong, stable, and steadfast.2 Peter 1:1-11 shows us how to build stability into our lives.First, we must have a faith that knows.“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord…” (2 Peter 1:2).Assurance is not a feeling; it does not come from intellectual knowledge about God. Assurance is the experiential knowledge that comes from being with God.Adrian Rogers says, “In the Christian life, there is nothing to earn but there is a lot to learn.”Through the knowledge of Jesus, we receive pardon for our sins. After our pardon comes peace with God, and after peace comes power.But we must remember, God has already given these things to us; we are not limited by facts, only our own minds. If we know God’s promises, we can hold onto them in times of deliverance.Second, we must have a faith that grows.“...giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge…” (2 Peter 1:5).If we have this precious faith, we will be diligent about our growth (see 2 Peter 3:18). If we are not growing, we will fall.The characteristics listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7 expand on one another. The first described is virtue, or moral excellence. This leads to practical knowledge, which leads to temperance (or self-control). Self-control will become patience, first in daily trials, then in persecution. And that will lead to God-likeness, which enables us to love one another.Finally, we must have a faith that shows.“For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful…” (2 Peter 1:8).As we begin to grow, we will no longer be barren, blind,

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 1 Peter 3:13-16In the 1st Century, Christians were accused of subversion, of being an economic threat, and of condemning others. Their accounts are a clear warning of the days ahead for Christians of the 21st Century. In 1 Peter, we are instructed to be real, to be ready, and to be bright lights in a dark world.1 Peter 3:13-14 says, “And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed…”There are six things we need to remember if we want to shine in these dark days.First, we must enthrone Christ as Lord: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts…” (1 Peter 3:15). Often we hear people say they’ve accepted Jesus as their Savior, but we cannot have what He gives unless we accept Him as Lord. Adrian Rogers says, “You’re not saved by the plan of salvation; you’re saved by the man of salvation and His name is Jesus.”Second, we must be ready with an answer: “...always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you...” (1 Peter 3:15). If we have truly been saved, there will be something about us that is unexplainable; we must be ready to give a defense for our faith.Third, we must practice genuine humility: “...with meekness and fear…” (1 Peter 3:15). Meekness is not weakness, it is strength under control. In this context, fear is not trembling at what is happening around us; it speaks of holy reverence for Almighty God.We must also live a superior lifestyle: “...having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed” (1 Peter 3:16). We are called to be wise in our conduct and speech. We must also display genuine love. Our logic and our lifestyle have to go together—a full mind wedded with a loving heart.Finally, we must always hold onto hope; Jesus has met the deepest needs of our hearts, therefore we have hope.Apply it to your lifeThese a

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Romans 1:14-16The Apostle Paul was one of the greatest missionaries the world has ever known. Romans 1:14-16 highlights the missionary challenge of Paul’s life: his heart, his zeal, his motivation, and his prayer.This passage first shares that Paul was faithful to the missionary obligation.“I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise” (Romans 1:14). Paul calls himself a servant of Jesus Christ and recognizes that Christ died for him.Adrian Rogers says, “Though salvation is the gift of God’s grace, the great paradox is that when we’re saved by grace, we become a slave to the Lord Jesus Christ. And in slavery to Jesus Christ is absolute freedom.”Not only did Paul mean he was indebted to Christ, but he also felt indebted to the martyrs who had gone before him, suffering for the faith.Each of us is indebted to those who brought the Gospel to us. We stand on the shoulders and reap the legacy of those who suffered, gave, and sacrificed so we could know Jesus.Paul was also flexible to the missionary opportunity.“So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also” (Romans 1:15)A missionary heart is dependable and available; no intellectual, physical, financial, or personal ability can replace dependability and availability.God might have other plans for us than we expect; nothing takes precedence over the call of God in our lives.Finally, Paul was fearless to the missionary opposition.“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Romans 1:6).Paul knew that Jesus was all that mattered, and he was not ashamed of Him. He was not ashamed of the person, the purpose, or the power of the cross—which is salvation.This world is desperate for salvation that only comes from Jesus. We have been empowered to share the Gospel with the world, if we would only be bold enough to share

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Acts 8-10Jesus Christ commanded us to take the Gospel to the darkest corners of this Earth, and God has given us open doors to all the world. In our own way and opportunity, each of us is called, ordained, and equipped to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.In the Book of Acts, the conversions of three men reveal why it is so important to witness to others.In Acts 8, the conversion of the Ethiopian man shows us that all people have a common hunger to know God, even if we don’t understand it yet.Adrian Rogers says, “Man doesn’t primarily need a boost from beneath; he needs a birth from above.”In Acts 9, the conversion of Saul—who later became Paul, an apostle of Christ— reminds us that all people have a common heartache. All the intelligence and money in the world couldn’t buy the satisfaction that is found only in Christ.In Acts 10, the conversion of Cornelius tells us that all people have a common hope—Jesus.Back-to-back, we are shown through Scripture that the hope of Africa is Jesus, the hope of Asia (Paul the Apostle) is Jesus, and the hope of Europe (Cornelius) is Jesus.All people need the same help. The hope of the world is Jesus.God told Phillip, Annanias, and Peter to “Go.” He took their availability, expendability, and adaptability, and used them to share the Gospel with men who would carry it even further, to the uttermost places on Earth.Adrian Rogers says, “A Christian who refuses to go is not missing a blessing; he’s guilty of high treason against Heaven’s King.”We all have the same heartaches and hunger that are only satisfied through our common hope in Jesus Christ. And remember: Jesus will save anybody who is willing to come to Him.They may not even know that it is God they are searching for, but each and every man needs to know Him. It is our job, as a Christian community, to help them.Apply it to your lifeAre you available, expendable, and adaptable, ready to be used by God? Somebody needs you desperately! All men nee

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 28:18-20Jesus’ final words spoken on Earth were His marching orders for His Church. No one is omitted from the Great Commission; it is an all-inclusive command, and the mandate is active today.Matthew 28:18 says, “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”As we fulfill the Great Commission, we are to employ all power.Our Lord has given us every sufficiency we need in this mission.Adrian Rogers says, “Those early Christians had something that swords couldn’t kill, water couldn’t drown, fire couldn’t burn, and jails couldn’t hold. There was no power able to stand against them because the authority of the Lord was with them.”This power is described as sovereign authority from the Lord; its domain is endless, reaching from realm to realm, on Earth and in the heavenlies. This power transcends culture, creed, race, and time.Jesus dispersed this power, through the Holy Spirit, as He ascended to Heaven. This power enlightens us, energizes us, and encourages us as we carry out the Great Commission.We are also meant to evangelize all nations.Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:19).We’ve been commissioned to make disciples everywhere we go. Nobody is left out, nor overlooked—all are lost without Jesus, so we are meant to bring them to Him, whether they are across the world or across the street.Third, we are commissioned to edify all believers.“...teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:20a).Once we’ve evangelized, we must baptize new believers and get them plugged into a church. Once you become a disciple of Jesus, you are to become a disciple-maker.Finally, we are to endure all the ages.“...and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b).Jesus Christ is still with us, even now. The Great Commi

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: John 6:71The name Judas is a name of infamy, disgrace, and treachery; yet Jesus chose Judas to be one of His twelve disciples. It was not a mistake, nor did Judas’s betrayal catch Jesus off guard.The words of warning, assurance, and comfort in John 6 tell us why Jesus chose Judas.First, it was a lesson about religious hypocrisy and the need for true salvation.“‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him” (John 6:64).Jesus knows the difference between a true believer and a hypocrite—those who have trusted in Him and those who have not. Judas serves as a warning for us, because by all appearances, Judas appeared to be in the right. He had the right associations, reputation, and participation. But these outward things did not reflect what was within.Hypocrisy can hurt, especially in ministry; but remember—the other eleven disciples didn’t stop serving Jesus because of Judas. Nor should we let others' scandals keep us from serving.Second, Jesus’ selection of Judas as a disciple teaches us of God’s divine sovereignty and the reliability of Scripture.Long before Judas made the decision to betray Jesus, it was prophesied in Scripture; we can rest assured, God knew. Nothing is out of God’s control.Adrian Rogers says, “Where man rules, God overrules.”Third, Judas’ story is a lesson of personal responsibility and the tragedy of sin.Judas was not forced to betray Jesus; the Bible clearly reveals Judas’ shady character. Sin had deceived him; only after his betrayal did he realize what he’d done. Sin destroyed him. His soul was in remorse, and his mind was anguished. He was condemned by the very devil who enticed him.Finally, Jesus chose Judas to illustrate the security of the believer.Judas did not lose his salvation because he never had it to begin with. He was outwardly religious but had never been born again. On the other hand, Simon Peter, his

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Psalm 19Can an intelligent man or woman believe in God? It may surprise us to realize that intellect has nothing to do with it. If a man doesn’t believe in God, it is not because of intellectual difficulties, rather it is because of moral difficulties.Psalm 19 gives us three distinct reasons for intellectual belief in God, and how He has spoken of His own existence.First, God has declared His glory in the skies.“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1).The heavens declare God’s greatness. The vastness of the Universe, along with its small intricacies, demonstrate God’s power.The heavens declare the goodness of God: “Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge” (Psalm 19:2). It is God who daily maintains the fixed order in the Universe and provides everything it needs to give us life. His mercies are new every morning (see Lamentations 3:23).Second, we can believe in God because of the revelation of the Scriptures.God speaks to us through His written Word. We have access to Scripture, the teachings of God, full of many virtues. It is inerrant, infallible, foundational, and full of God’s promises.The Scriptures are more precious than gold (Psalm 19:10).They are protective, for “By them your servant is warned…” (Psalm 19:11).They are profitable, for “...in keeping them there is great reward” (Psalm 19:11).If we want true and lasting wisdom, we can find it in the Word of God. The Scriptures are pure, clean, right, and righteous, and they endure forever.Finally, we can know God through the illumination of the Spirit.Through the Holy Spirit in our hearts, the Scriptures we read can become real.Psalm 19:12 says, “But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.”The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins and cleanses us. When we hand our control over to the Spirit, He brings us into communion with the Father.Adrian Rogers says, “You don’t come

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Revelation 22Make-believe is not new to our day and age. Some of the biggest actors in the world are not in Hollywood, but in our churches. The Bible calls them hypocrites, people who pander to a phony world.Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus has compassion and forgiveness for the sinners, thieves, and prostitutes. However, Matthew 6 shows us He saves His most severe words for the hypocrites.First, Matthew 6:1-2 illustrates the shameful display of hypocrisy:“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them…” (Matthew 6:1).We are most susceptible to hypocrisy in our areas of deed, devotion, and discipline. When helping others, we must always examine our manner and motive, being careful not to do things for our own glory and praise.This same principle is true for prayer. The length or the language of our prayers don’t impress God (see Matthew 6:7); we are not informing Him of anything He doesn’t already know. Rather, prayer invites God into our lives and grants us the privilege of fellowship with Him.Adrian Rogers says, “Prayer is one of the greatest acts of love and kindness God could ever extend to you. God allows and enables you to join with Him in the administration of the Universe and the affairs of men.”We must also be sure to fast for the right reasons, without posing (see Matthew 6:16). Our goal in fasting is not to draw attention; it is to get a word from God.This passage also addresses the sinister danger of hypocrisy.Hypocrites deceive themselves and others; they are blind leading the blind.Hypocrites defraud themselves and others; in receiving glory here on Earth, they rob themselves of glory in eternity.Hypocrisy destroys; it takes the form of godliness but denies the power of it.We must evaluate our own lives with serious discernment. Hypocrites don’t realize they are hypocrites. Knowing this, we must check our motives, live rightly before the Lord, and serve Him out of our love for Him

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 27:22In Matthew 27, Jesus Christ stood on trial before Pilate, and in verse 22, Pilate asked the most personal and pressing question: “What shall I do with Christ?”What we do with Jesus is an unavoidable decision each of us will make; what we decide—or not decide—will dictate our eternity.We must consider Pilate’s decision: as the people cried out for Jesus’ death, Pilate’s voice of reason and conscience raised alarm. He examined the evidence and listened to witnesses, including his own wife (see Matthew 27:19), and Jesus Himself, who confessed that He is the King for everyone who is of the truth (see John 18:37).Though the voices that confronted Pilate clearly revealed the right thing to do, his warped values pressured him to decide otherwise.Pilate was pressured by public opinion; the people were viciously calling for Jesus’ blood.Pilate’s pride, position, and possessions were more valuable to him than the innocent man standing before him.Adrian Rogers explains, “Pilate had to do something with Jesus. He was faced with the inevitable, unavoidable Jesus Christ, and so are you.”At first, Pilate ignored the issue, then he tried to hand the decision off to someone else. Finally, he decided not to decide.Matthew 27:24 says, “When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.’”Pilate’s rejection of reason and misplaced values made Jesus’ trial a mockery of justice. Pilate’s “neutral” verdict condemned Jesus to death; with the verdict, Pilate also condemned himself.We have an opportunity to make a different decision.Analyzing the evidence from Scripture, the witnesses of the saints, of old and of new, we know Jesus is exactly who He says He is. And perhaps the most crucial witness of them all is God the Father.1 John 5:9 says, “If we receive the witness of men, the wi

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Exodus 20:12One of the most basic, fundamental commandments we are to follow is to honor our fathers and mothers.Exodus 20:12 says, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”Our parents are the first people we meet in this world; if we do not love and respect them, how can we expect to love and respect others?Adrian Rogers says, “The religion that does not begin at home does not begin.”We first honor our parents by obeying them when we are young.Disobedience is not a weakness; it is a wickedness. Disobedience invites the sure judgment of God. On the contrary, obedience invites the blessings of God. The first secret to a long life and prosperity is learning to honor our fathers and mothers. Through obedience, we learn character and self-control; we receive God’s blessing and protection.Second, we should care for our parents when they are old.In our society, people sometimes fail to care for their older parents. We must remember that our parents loved us in spite of our faults; we must love them in spite of their faults.Third, we should honor our parents at all times.We do that first by showing respect, no matter what. We also show honor when we express gratitude. Gratefulness blesses our parents more than we could ever know. We honor them when we listen to their counsel. Our parents have the advantage of being further down the road of life. How wise we would be to listen to the ones who love us and have our best interest in mind. We can live noble lives that bring honor to them. Children are an extension of their parents; when they see their children doing things that are godly and worthy, it gives them joy.Last of all, we must show our parents love, remembering what we owe them; they gave us life, their blood flows through our veins.Adrian Rogers says, “The love of your parents for you is the closest thing to the love of God known on this Earth.”Apply it to yo

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 1 John 5:13God wants salvation to be explained simply, because it is His desire that anyone can understand and obtain it.1 John 5:13 says, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”Salvation is a relationship with God that pardons us from our sins. By salvation, we have peace with God and power over sin. We are given His presence through the Holy Spirit, and through the process of sanctification, we will be made perfect in God’s sight.In order to understand how salvation saves us and makes us perfect, we must understand our human nature.1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”Human beings, God’s crowning creation, are composed of body, soul, and spirit.Our bodies are made of the dust of the ground. But we are not our bodies; we just live in our bodies.We also have souls, which are our personalities, sense of humor, intelligence, likes and dislikes, idiosyncrasies — the things that make us unique.The human spirit is inextricably united with its soul, completely inseparable, but they are not the same thing. The human spirit is the organ of spiritual knowledge; it is evidence that God put Himself into man.Adrian Rogers says, “Salvation is not primarily getting man out of Earth into Heaven; it is getting God out of Heaven and back into man.”It is important that believers dwell in the Holy Spirit, because He speaks to our human spirits, which speak to our souls, which speak to our bodies. Our bodies move out into the world and allow us to be physical manifestations of the Holy Spirit.When we are saved, we immediately receive justification in our Spirit; we are progressively sanctified in our souls, and ultimately glorified in our bodies.Anyo

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Joshua 17:12-18In Joshua 17, the children of Israel have reached the Promised Land, Canaan. Canaan is a picture of a Christian living in victory, being Spirit-filled. However, there were still Canaanites in the land—a demon-possessed people who represent the power of Satan trying to keep us from victory.“...when the children of Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out.” (Joshua 17:13).This passage represents how children of God often settle for less than God’s best. God’s plan for His people was total occupation, but rather than conquering the land, they believed they could tame the Canaanites and use them for their purposes. Some Canaanites they feared, others they befriended and became like them. Each relationship with the Canaanites was a sinful compromise that jeopardized their victory.Likewise, God’s plan for us is total victory through Jesus Christ. Instead, we convince ourselves there is use for our vices and addictions; we befriend the world and fear the devil. Ironically, the Israelites boasted about their greatness, as they failed to drive out the Canaanites.Adrian Rogers says, “Pride is bad enough, but pride that lifts its head from the mire of failure is terrible.”Finally, noticing that they were running out of room in the compromised land, Joshua instructed the children of Joseph to clear out the forest on the mountain. We must clear out the harmless things that clutter our lives. Though trees are beautiful, the Israelites needed the ground. Likewise, our clutter may not be sinful or wicked, but we need the space and time to do what God wants us to do.We must clean out the harmful things that corrupt our lives. God’s order was to first cut down the trees and then drive out the Canaanites. When we first declutter our lives, we can use that new time and energy to conquer the Canaanites of our lives.Apply it to your lifeDo you want to live in the victory that Go

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: John 20:24-28Adrian Rogers says, “The only man-made things in Heaven are the scars that we made in the hands and feet and side of the Lord Jesus.”The Bible tells us that when Jesus comes again, we will see those scars He received from His sacrificial death.John 20:24-28 explains three reasons why Jesus still bears the scars.“Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing’” (John 20:27).First, the scars tell us that as a man, Jesus suffered.In this passage, Jesus invited his doubting disciple, Thomas to examine His scars, which he received when He was crucified. These scars testify that He suffered for us, and still suffers with us, whether in grief, in persecution, or when the Church is unfaithful.The scars also show us that Jesus sympathizes; they remind us that God has been with us, He has felt what we feel and He understands our pain.Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tested like as we are, yet without sin.”Pain has a protecting purpose; it warns us to pivot away from the things that harm us. Pain also has a unifying purpose. As the physical human body comes to the aid of a suffering member, pain draws people together.Finally, these scars reveal to us that Jesus saves.He received these scars when He died upon the cross for our sins. He did not have to suffer. Yet, He moved into our suffering, took it on Himself, so that we could be saved from our sins.Isaiah 53:5 says, “He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed.”Apply it to your lifeJesus had some scars, and if we follow Him, so will we. Let your pain point people to the Gospel; and if you are suffering today, bring your wounds to Jesus; use your scars for His glo

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Luke 24:13-26The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a known fact that we fully believe as Christians. However, in the days following this miracle, some of the disciples were struggling to believe it.Luke 24 tells of two disciples on the road to Emmaus, who came face-to-face with Jesus Christ Himself, the week after Easter.This passage first describes the discouragement of their confused hearts.In verses Luke 24:19-24, we learn these disciples had heard the accounts of Jesus’ resurrection, yet they believed it to have been a misunderstanding. They were confused because they were looking for a political Messiah, and hoped Jesus would come and redeem Israel; yet Jesus had been crucified.Their misunderstanding led to disappointment; this led to doubt and discouragement. They did not yet understand that Calvary would lead to Easter, and Easter to Pentecost—when the Holy Spirit came and carried out what Jesus began.Second, this passage reveals the discovery of a challenged heart.“So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him” (Luke 24:15-16).These disciples were already believers, though they were backslidden and discouraged. Jesus sought them to claim and comfort them. Likewise, we love Jesus, because He first loved us.Adrian Rogers says, “If Jesus would seek us when we were just out-and-out sinners, surely He will seek us when we’re saved and away from Him.”Jesus caught up with them on the road to Emmaus and taught them the Word of God (v. 27). He challenged them because He wanted them to learn to depend upon Scripture and continue growing after His ascent to Heaven. He opened them to the Scriptures, and as a result, He opened their eyes. Only after He taught them God’s Word did they recognize Him. They saw Him in the fulfilled prophecies of Scripture; they also now recognized Him bodily in front of them.This moment led to the dec

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Acts 4:1-20Acts 4 tells of the great conquest of Jesus Christ, the one who died and arose from the grave.He is still alive and well; the Christ that walked the shores of Galilee is alive through His new body, the Church, even today.Because He lives, His persecution continues.Adrian Rogers says, “When you persecute the church, you persecute Jesus.”In the beginning of Acts 4, a miracle was performed by the disciple, Peter. He claimed it was the power of Christ in Him who healed. As a result, the people were beginning to follow Jesus. The religious leaders didn’t like it and began persecuting the Church. But because the apostles were acting as the hands and the feet of the Lord, it was Jesus who was persecuted, too.Because He lives, His preaching convinces.How did these uneducated fishermen preach and five thousand come to Christ? They were not dependent upon their power of persuasion or winsomeness to bring these people to Christ. It was the people’s encounter with Christ through the disciples that convinced them to believe.Because He lives, His power confronts.There are things happening in this world today that are undeniably done by the hand of Jesus. He is still performing miracles.Because He lives, His presence compels.After spending time with the resurrected Christ, Peter was compelled to tell others about Him. If we spend time with Jesus, we will be as bold as His disciples. His presence will compel us with a holy boldness; a knowledge that Jesus is alive and He lives through us.Finally, because He lives, His people confess.Acts 4:20 says, “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Anybody who has known that Christ is alive cannot keep quiet; we cannot hold it in.Because He is alive, we can wear persecution like a badge of honor.We can let Jesus convince, confront and compel others through us.Let us not be ashamed to confess what He has done in our lives.Apply it to your lifeDo you know that Jesus is aliv

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 1 Peter 3:18The cross of Jesus Christ is the cure for sin. 1 Peter 3:18 points out three truths about how God forgives and deals with sin through the cross.The very first truth is the vicarious suffering of the cross. The word vicarious means “in the place of another”. 1 Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust....” Jesus, who is the just, sinless Son of God, died for the unjust, us. He became our substitute. He faced emotional and bodily suffering unlike anything we could possibly imagine.In the Old Testament, God instituted the ritual of the Passover Lamb. There was judgment upon the land because of sin, but God told His people to kill a perfect, spotless lamb. They were to take the blood of that lamb and put it upon the doorpost of their houses. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says, “For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot...” Jesus' crucifixion bears symbolism of that of a Passover Lamb. Even then, God was using the Passover Lamb as a prophecy and a picture of the cross of Jesus Christ.Notice also the vital satisfaction of the cross. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sin....” Once; once for all. The debt has been paid in full. To say that there needs to be another sacrifice for sin is blasphemy. It is finished.We see also the victorious salvation of the cross. “He hath suffered for sin, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” Sin separates us from a Holy God. The cross reconciles us a Holy God. Adrian Rogers says, “On that cross, Jesus took Holy God with one hand, sinful man with the other hand and by the blood of His cross, He hath reconciled God and man.”God has a way of bringing us back.“Oh the love that thought it; oh the grace that brought it.”Apply it to your lifeDo

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 27:26-31Before Jesus was crucified, a crown of thorns was placed on his head. Though done by the hands of wicked men, this crown part of the magnificent plan of a sovereign God, who would use it as a message for all humanity. Matthew 27 sets the scene for the sacred mystery of that crown. In one sense, this was an act of mockery. Yet, there was a mystery here, known only by God: thorns symbolize the curse that is upon humanity because of sin.When God created man and put him in the Garden of Eden, there were no thorns. It wasn’t until after sin infiltrated the garden that God cursed it with thorns. When He was crucified, Jesus wore this crown of thorns because He bore the curse. The crown also speaks of suffering, pain and brutality inflicted on Jesus during His crucifixion.Why were the Roman soldiers beating and mocking Him? Because of their rebellion; they were ridiculing His right to rule. Adrian Rogers says, “The root of all sin is refusing to bow the knee to your rightful king.”We must also recognize the saving ministry of that crown. Through these thorns, God was teaching a lesson that Jesus, who knew no sin became sin for us. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Because of His holiness, God never has, never can, and never will let one sin go unpunished. There’s only one question...who will bear that punishment: us or Jesus? Adrian Rogers says, “Sin will be pardoned in Christ or punished in hell, but sin will never be overlooked.”Finally, we must remember: crowns have always been a symbol of authority. When Jesus wore this crown of thorns, He was the sovereign majesty, not a helpless victim. Even when it seemed out of His control, He was in perfect control.Jesus, in His glory, wears a crown. A crown of peace, righteousness and glory. But on our behalf, He wore one of thorns, bearing our curse, our sin, our shame to save us from ourselves once and for all.Thank God for the crown.Apply it to your lifeAll sin is due to be punished. Who wi