Love Worth Finding | Audio Program

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Matthew 27:22

In Matthew 27, Jesus Christ stood on trial before Pilate. In this account, we come face-to-face with the most present, pressing, and pertinent question ever asked: Is Jesus God, as He claimed to be?

If He is not, He is a fraud, imposter, and deceiver. What we decide—or not decide—about Jesus will dictate our eternity.

Scripture gives us four reasons why we believe that Jesus is God.

First, all the attributes of God the Father are found in Jesus.

All throughout the Gospels, we find that Jesus was the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament. He is described as God is described in Psalms and Isaiah: the King of Glory, the first and the last, the Lord of Hosts.

He is also shown to be God by the adoration He received.

Scripture says God alone is to be worshiped (Luke 4:8).

Knowing this, Jesus allowed Himself to be worshiped (Matthew 28:9). For Him to allow this, Jesus was either guilty of ultimate arrogance and the sin of idolatry, or He is God.

Third, Jesus is shown to be God by His own admission.

In John 8:58, Jesus says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” By quoting Exodus 3:14, Jesus is admitting He is God.

Adrian Rogers says, “The Jehovah of the Old Testament is the Jesus of the New Testament.”

Finally, Jesus is shown to be God by His mighty abilities.

Because He is God, He is able to save (Hebrews 7:25); anyone who wants to be saved can be saved through Him.

He is able to subdue (Philippians 3:21); all things—every speck of dust, every mountain and celestial body must obey Him.

He is able to secure (2 Timothy 1:12); those who are saved are kept saved. He is able to supply every need we may have.

Each of us has the opportunity, like Pilate, to decide what we do with Jesus. We can either accept Him or reject Him, love or despise Him—but we cannot be neutral

Apply it to your life

What do you believe about Jesus Christ—will you crown Him or crucify Him?

Adrian Rogers says, “I love Him with all of my heart. To explain Him is impossible. To ignore Him is disastrous. To reject Him is fatal.”

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: 1 Peter 3:18

The cross is the most recognizable and beloved symbol by those who trust in Jesus. The cross reminds us of Jesus Christ our Savior, and the Good News of the Gospel; but why the cross?

1 Peter 3:18 says “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit…”

First, there is a substitutionary purpose for the cross.

We are sinful by birth, by nature, and by practice. God, who is infinite in love, has a holy hatred for sin; He is the exact opposite of sin. If God were to overlook sin, He would no longer be a holy God. God forgives, but someone must pay the penalty for sin.

Throughout Scripture, we see the examples of substitutionary deaths. But these stories are mere vignettes pointing to the need for the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ—Christ died for us, and instead of us.

Second, we remember the suffering passion of the cross.

Sin brings suffering, and no one has ever suffered like Jesus did when He became sin for us. He suffered emotionally in the Garden of Gethsemane, when He battled with His own humanity; He drank the metaphoric cup of suffering.

Adrian Rogers says, “Jesus knew that He—who had been in the bosom of the Father from all eternity—would now become the object of the Father’s wrath.”

Scripture also details His physical suffering: the scourgings, beatings, and mockery, and the weight of carrying His own cross. God did not mediate or dampen down the punishment; Jesus died the sins of the whole world.

He suffered spiritually, as the Father looked away, and He walked the valley of the shadow of death by Himself.

Through the cross, the righteousness of God is completely satisfied in Jesus.

“It is finished,” means “once and for all.” Christ’s death satisfied the payment for our sins; it purchased our salvation.

The reason for the cross is that we might be reconciled to God.

There is no other way to God except by way of the cross. The cross’s saving power is our only hope: by Jesus Christ’s death alone, we can come to God.

Apply it to your life

Are you unashamed of Jesus Christ—ready to give an answer for why you believe in the cross? Thank Him today for His sacrificial love; spend time with Him in prayer.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Jeremiah 18:3-6

Pottery is one of the oldest arts known to man, and one of the most poignant metaphors God uses to teach us about our relationship with Him. As a vessel of beauty emerges from an ugly lump of clay, we can experience a life made over in the hands of the Good Potter.

Jeremiah 18:3 says, “Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel...”

We must see the potential of a life that responds

In this passage, God is the potter and we are the clay; the wheel illustrates the circumstances of life. God is the one who turns the wheel, arranging our lives as He molds and shapes us.

Adrian Rogers says, “Many of us think there are incidents in our lives that are meaningless; but not a blade of grass moves without God’s permission.”

We must recognize the problem of a life that resists.

“And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make” (Jeremiah 18:4).

The problem of the clay is not found in the Potter; it is the result of hidden impurities. Its stiffness and unyieldingness keeps it from becoming what it ought to be. If we are resistant to His work, God will break us in order to reshape us.

We need to understand the promise of a life that repents.

“‘O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?’ says the Lord. ‘Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!’” (Jeremiah 18:6).

God is a God of second chances; He can still use us if we are still pliable and give Him all the pieces.

We must remember the peril of a life that rebels.

Jeremiah 19 warns us that if we remain hardened, we cannot be remolded. Those who have stopped listening to the conviction of their sins will become set in their stubbornness; then, it’s over for them.

We must come to Him in humble repentance, while the clay is still soft and pliable.

Apply it to your life

Do you trust God to mold you into a useful vessel? A life made over begins with repentance and yielding to His conviction in your life.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: 1 Peter 3:10-11

Communication is the way to joy, happiness and victory; without it, we are headed for ruin. Communication in marriage is the highest level of intimacy. If we cannot be completely honest with each other, we will drift apart.

Adrian Rogers says, “Fire is a wonderful servant but a poor master; words can warm a heart or burn down a home.”

1 Peter 3:10-11 says, “He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.”

Communication is the road on which words travel; that road has some blockades and potholes. Our intrinsic differences as men and women affect how we communicate.

Adrian Rogers says, “Incompatibility is grounds for a great marriage. God made us different so that He might make us one.”

Some couples may battle with insecurities and fears that their spouses will not accept them if they are totally open.

Self-centeredness and unresolved hurts also hinder healthy communication, as they close off the openness we are to strive for. So many issues could be solved if we focused on solving them rather than on winning arguments.

If we’re not careful, the distractions of life or overcrowded schedules will also keep us from the good communication needed for a happy home.

1 Peter 3:8 says, “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous…”

If we want to work on our communication in marriage, we must first be sensitive to each other and deal with our own self-centeredness. Once we do that, we can resolve hurts that may be in the way of our intimacy and create a spirit of oneness.

There is also so much power in the simplest ways we nurture our marriages. We must keep dating each other well after the wedding and learn to laugh.

Finally, praying together as husband and wife fills the potholes on the way to intimacy and creates safe passage for healthy communication.

Apply it to your life

Adrian Rogers says, “Marriage anointed by the Holy Spirit is the sweetest thing on Earth, the nearest and dearest and closest thing to Heaven. It’s really the only part of the Garden of Eden we have left. Work at your marriage. Determine that you will communicate with one another.”

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Matthew 19:3-6

We live in a fallen world of broken homes and throw-away marriages. Now more than ever, we must come back to the Word of God and seek family revival.

Matthew 19 explains what marriage is so we can build our marriages in the name and power of Jesus Christ.

“Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:4-6).

First, we must remember that God has designed the family.

Marriage is a divine institution made by God to meet the deepest needs of humankind. When we commit to another in marriage, we leave our mother and father and unite with our spouse, becoming one flesh. We are called to join together physically and multiply; we become one flesh psychologically and in spiritual communion.

Because God designed the family, Satan wants to destroy the family.

Adrian Rogers says, “It is not love that holds your marriage together; it is marriage that sustains your love.”

God has said in His Word He hates divorce. We are commanded to love continually; a marriage rooted in conditional love produced fear, guilt, and anger. There is no fear in perfect, unconditional love; only peace, security, and joy.

It is our duty to dispel the lies from Hell, vow to attack the problems rather than one another, and change the direction of a broken marriage. God has joined us together, and where there is God, there is always hope.

Finally, we must defend our family.

We do this by making Jesus Christ the center of our homes. Second, we continue to feed our love day by day, nurturing and caring for it so it will grow.

And if we ever find ourselves in a broken home, we must remember God’s forgiveness is always available for those who seek to honor Him in their relationships, we need only ask for it.

Apply it to your life

How are you defending your family today? Is Jesus Christ the head of the home? Are you feeding your love and asking for forgiveness? Seek the Lord today, and pray for a family revival; let it begin with you.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: None Given

Marriage is a serious commitment we should not take lightly. In order to grasp the nature of marriage, we must first grasp the nature of mankind.

We were made in the image of a triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In our nature, we are each composed of body, soul, and spirit.

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.”

Adrian Rogers says, “When your body is right, you’re healthy. When your soul is right, you’re happy. When your spirit is right, you’re holy.”

Marriage is only the real thing when the husband and wife are unified in their bodies, their souls, and their spirits. In marriage, we are one, physically, psychologically, and spiritually.

First, there is to be a union of our bodies.

Inside the bonds of matrimony, sex is a pure and wonderful thing. Being unified in physical intimacy is one of God’s sweetest gifts to us. But as we recognize its intrinsic value, misusing or abusing it is a terrible sin. We must give and receive selflessly, putting our partners’ needs above our own.

Second, there must be the union of our souls.

Even after the romance begins, we should prioritize friendship with our spouses. Creating that foundation of companionship is crucial to cultivating lasting marriages.

People often say opposites attract; they soon find that those differences cause the most friction in their marriage. We must accept the differences as tools God uses to help us grow.

Finally, there must be a union of our spirits.

Scripture reminds us that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. (Read Mark 3:24.) This is why it is so crucial that both spirits, husband and wife, have bowed to King Jesus. If Christ is on the throne of both lives, the man and woman will be one, spiritually.

Our marriages truly are a reflection of our relationship with God. When we take ourselves off the throne and enthrone Christ, we experience marriage as the real thing.

Apply it to your life

What does your relationship with your spouse say about your relationship with God? Have you dethroned yourself and enthroned Christ? Consider your marriage today, and commit yourself to your spouse in body, soul, and spirit.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: 1 Peter 3:1

Marriage is one of God’s greatest gifts to us; however, because we are imperfect people, we will face plenty of problems. 1 Peter 3 shares seven secrets of lasting love.

Fortify Faith

“For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves...” (1 Peter 3:5).

A threefold cord is not easily broken; likewise, a marriage made up of a man, a woman, and God is difficult to break.

Remember Roles

“Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands...” (1 Peter 3:1).

Man and woman are equal in worth before God, but they do not serve the same function. Each has God-given roles that must be adhered to in marriage.

Adrian Rogers says, “When you look at marriage as a contract, you think about your rights. When you look at marriage as a covenant, you think about your responsibilities.”

Cultivate Contentment

“Do not let your adornment be merely outward… rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit...” (1 Peter 3:3-4).

Like true character and beauty, contentment is inward; both husband and wife must find contentment within the home, but even more so, within themselves.

Banish Bitterness

“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous...” (1 Peter 3:8).

We must learn to forgive one another, releasing the grudges and the burden of bitterness.

Continue Communication

“He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit” (1 Peter 3:10).

Marriages function on the basis of communication. We must learn how to communicate because communication breeds intimacy.

Refresh Romance

“Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife…” (1 Peter 3:7a).

The physical part of our marriages cannot grow cold; we must show consistent honor to one another.

Practice Prayer

“...and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered” (1 Peter 3:7b).

Finally, when we pray together and for each other, it grants us great confidence and comfort in one another. In doing so, we acknowledge that Jesus is the key to a blessed home.

Apply it to your life

We are not perfect people, and we will not have perfect marriages. But if we build our homes upon these seven secrets, our love will last.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Hebrews 11:7; Genesis 6:1-22

The Bible emphasizes the importance of household salvation. One of the greatest examples of this is Noah, whose faith in God saved his family from the Great Flood. Hebrews 11:7 says, “by faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his house…”

In Genesis 6, God was brokenhearted over the sins of that generation. Their hearts were set against Him, and they were trying to pour society into their wicked mold. The same sins that produced the flood in Noah's day are being committed today.

But by following the demonstration of Noah’s faith in God in the midst of a rebellious generation, we can learn how to get our families into the ark of safety, which is a picture of Jesus Christ.

First, see the symbolism of the ship. The ark was an indestructible, rudderless ship that kept Noah and his family safe from the wrath of God. Once the door was sealed shut behind them, the only way to see out of it was through the window above them, Heavenward.

In the same way, when we enter a relationship with Christ, we obtain salvation from God’s wrath and dwell in the ark of safety. We are no longer to be worldly-minded; we must now be Heavenly-minded.

Next, think of the salvation of the ship. Genesis 6:8 says, "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." This is the first mention of grace in the Bible. How were Captain Noah and his kids saved? By grace!—through faith. Adrian Rogers says, “Faith is the gangplank that gets us on board the good ship grace.”

Finally, notice the security of the ship. God sealed Noah into the ark, just as we are sealed by Jesus Christ in our salvation. God was in the ark. If the ark had gone down, God would have gone down, too. God is still in the ark. May we enter in before His wrath is poured out once again.

Apply it to your life

If there is a family member that does not have a personal relationship with Christ, share your faith with them. If you are the head of your household, establish God as the Lord of your family. Pray for your family today.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Proverbs 22:6

Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way that he should go: and when he is old, he should not depart from it.”

There is a difference in teaching a child and training a child. Many of us only teach our children and find that they continue to go their own way. But the dictionary definition of to train is "To prepare for a contest; to form to a proper shape; to discipline for use.”

We are to train up our children to be champions for Jesus Christ. If you're going to raise a young champion, it commences with childhood.

Start out early. Begin praying fervently over them before they are born. Dedicate them to the Lord while they are still in the womb. Teach them Scripture before they can walk.

Secondly, it communicates with creativity. You will never force-feed a child God’s Word. Create in them a hunger for it by creatively teaching the Word of God. Find the lesson in everything, as Jesus did with His disciples. Raising children to know Scripture doesn't have to be dull. There can be Christian books, games, music, shows in your home. Surround your child with lessons that are exciting to learn.

Thirdly, it corrects with consistency. Every child needs to be given limits. These limits will be tested, because there is a predisposition in any child to push back against them. And if that limitation you've set up moves, the child will have no security. There must be consistent correction.

Adrian Rogers says, “If you withhold correction from your child, you’re making him a candidate for eternal punishment.”

Lastly, it consummates with conversion. The ultimate goal is to help your child have something that will last him all of his life: a relationship with Jesus. As soon as your child can comprehend the concept of sin, your child is ready to learn about Jesus Christ.

Guide little children that they might come to know Jesus Christ. That is the ultimate goal of raising young champions.

Apply it to your life

You want a champion for the Lord Jesus Christ? Bring him up with training that commences at childhood, communicates with creativity, corrects with consistency, and consummates in conversion. Pray for guidance from the Lord. Know the Word of God like the back of your hand, so that you might teach it well.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Proverbs 1:20, 22

Are you raising your child to be wise or otherwise?

Proverbs 1:22 says, “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And the scorners delight in their scorning? And fools hate knowledge?”

Adrian Rogers says, “A fool is not born a fool. A fool is self-made, but he has a lot of help from his parents.” It is difficult to raise children. But God tells us exactly how to raise a wise son or daughter in His word.

Step 1: begin early. 

In Proverbs 1:22, we see a path of progression: a simple-minded one (or a naive one) becomes a scorner (or a smart-aleck), and then a scorner becomes a fool (or a rebel).

Don’t wait until your child is a fool to correct him. Begin in his happy-go-lucky years of open-mindedness and naivety. It will only be more difficult to speak godly wisdom into your child’s life if he progresses into a scorner. Once he becomes a fool, there is very little hope for him.

Step 2: continue wisely. 

Read the Book of Proverbs often. Live biblically and guide your child to know biblical principles. Guard his company. Punish him when necessary. Let him see the serious side of sin; of what society has so-well convinced him to laugh about.

If your child becomes a scorner, back off. Repent and get your heart right with Jesus first. Then, ask God to open his heart, and wait for the right time to correct him and guide him back onto the path of righteousness.

What if you’ve raised a fool?

Step 3: Pray continually. 

This is your only hope. Here are three things to pray for your child:

-the repentance of the sinner.

-the revelation of the Spirit.

-the reliability of the Scripture.

Children can choose to go the wrong way if they want to. No matter how good you are or how much you do.

The good news is God loves your child as you love them. He will not force him to do right, but He wants for them even more than you want for them. Pray for them without ceasing. Your desire for your children is that they be godly children. Your goal is that you be a godly parent.

Apply it to your life

Begin early, continue wisely, and pray faithfully for the children that God has given you.