Love Worth Finding | Audio Program

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Luke 2:7-11

The Book of Luke describes the beautiful moment Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem.

Luke 2:7 says, “And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

How fitting that the Lamb of God was born in a stable, for the destiny of the world is wrapped up in Mary’s little lamb.

When we think about this Lamb, we should first think of Him in prophecy.
It is not incidental that Jesus was born near the fields where shepherds bred sacrificial Passover lambs. The Book of Exodus explains the origin of the Passover tradition, in which the Israelites sacrificed lambs and painted the doors of their homes in lambs’ blood. The lambs had to be spotless in order for the death angel to pass over their homes.

After the special lambs were slain, the families would share in a feast, celebrating their atonement.

The Passover is an historic portrayal of Jesus; John 1:29 confirms: “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”” Being born of a virgin, Jesus was sinless, free from the curse of Adam. On our behalf, He became the sacrificial and saving lamb. When we receive salvation in Jesus Christ, we are called to share the feast with others.

Jesus is also the victorious Lamb of Revelation 5.
In these passages, the Apostle John sees a prophetic vision of the Lamb of God, who was slain for us. He, who was resurrected, now stands strong and omniscient, and He reigns forever.

Lastly, Jesus is the majestic Lamb; He alone is worthy of our praise.
Adrian Rogers says, “Mary had a little Lamb, His fleece was white as snow. That little Lamb was crucified to pay the debt you owe. If you will receive Him as your Lord and Savior, His scarlet red blood will take away your scarlet red sin and make you whiter than snow.”



Apply it to your life
As we observe Christ’s birth, may we see Him as the Lamb in prophecy and history: the one the Old Testament prophesied long before His miraculous birth. Today, worship the victorious, majestic Lamb of God.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: John 1:1-4

Our eternal destiny hangs on one question, asked here three ways: Who is the baby born in Bethlehem? What Child is this? Who is Jesus Christ?

Some believe he was simply a great man, a moral teacher or a messenger of God. But as believers, we know the right answer: Jesus is the Son of God. We worship one God, who has revealed Himself in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We know that Jesus Christ is not only the Son of God, but He is also God the Son.

John 1:1-2 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”

The Trinity is a sacred mystery; it does not rise or fall on logic, but by divine revelation. Not understanding the Trinity shouldn’t bother us; instead, it should give us comfort.

Adrian Rogers says, “I wouldn’t have any confidence in a God that I could understand.”

We must recognize the sovereign majesty of the Trinity.

God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are equally sovereign.

“All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:3-4). The Trinity is evident in creation (Genesis 1:1) and in the greatest commandment (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). The Trinity is also evident in the Christmas story (Matthew 1:20-23) and in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).

Jesus Christ’s beginning was not in Bethlehem. The Son of God is spoken of throughout the Old Testament, in prophecy and physical presence. He has no beginning and He will never have an ending.

Once we accept this knowledge, we can receive the Trinity’s saving ministry.

Our destiny depends upon the work of the Trinity.

Ephesians 1:3-5 shares that we are selected by God the Father. He knew from all eternity that we would receive and trust him. Ephesians 1:6-7 reveals that we are saved by God the Son, who has redeemed us by His blood. And once we’ve trusted in Jesus Christ, God the Holy Spirit seals us in, becoming our eternal security

Apply it to your life

Praise God, that He is bigger than our understanding. Today, worship Jesus, the Son of God and God the Son. Lay down your intellectual pride and offer your heart to Him.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 21:12

We don’t know much about the wise men who came to worship Jesus after His miraculous birth; however, we do know they exemplify the supernatural wisdom of Christmas.

Matthew 2:1-2 says, “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’”

Adrian Rogers says, “The wisest thing you could do at Christmastime, or any other time, is to worship Jesus.”

In spite of difficulty, distance, discomfort, and danger, these wise men sought to worship Jesus Christ.

They received the ministry of the Spirit, who put it in their hearts to find Him. It is God who puts the desire in our hearts to seek Him, just like He put it in the hearts of the wise men.

They also had the message of the Scripture; these men were familiar with the prophetic place of Christ’s birth, because they knew the Word of God. Many people missed His First Coming because they simply did not read, believe, or obey the Scripture.

These men witnessed the miracle of the star; the shekinah glory of God led them step-by-step. Likewise, when we set our hearts to know God, no matter what it takes, He will guide us every step of the way.

We also see what these wise men brought to the Lord Christ: gold, frankincense and myrrh (see Matthew 2:11). Gold, the most precious metal they knew, speaks of His sovereign dominion as the King of kings. Frankincense, a sweet perfume used in the tabernacle to worship God, speaks of His sinless deity; it signifies that He is God. Myrrh, a bitter herb used to embalm the dead, speaks of His sacrificial death; He was born to die.

Adrian Rogers says, “From the time He was a child, He had the shadow of a cross.”

These gifts remind us that our wealth, worship, and witness belong to Him, the King of kings, Lord of lords and Savior of the world.


Apply it to your life
Do you want to be wise this Christmas? Consider these wise men: how they sought the Lord and what they brought Him. Your wealth, your worship, and your witness belong to Him.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Isaiah 53:1

Seven centuries before Christ’s birth, the prophet Isaiah wrote the biography of the King, the promised Messiah, and Savior of the world.

Isaiah 53 first prophesies the supernatural birth of the King: “For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground...” (Isaiah 53:2).

Jesus’ miracle Virgin Birth is essential to our faith.
Without the Virgin Birth, Jesus would have been under the curse of Adam, and couldn’t have been our atonement for sin.

Adrian Rogers says, “He was born of a virgin that we might be born again. He became the Son of Man that we might become sons and daughters of God.”

This passage also declares the simple life of the King.
“He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isaiah 53:2).

Many were looking for a dazzling hero, a political Messiah. Yet, the Son of God was born in a rather insignificant village; by all appearances, He was quite ordinary. Jesus laid aside His splendor and majesty so that we may know Him by His character, and have faith in Him accordingly.

Third, this passage describes the substitutionary death of the King.
“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

Jesus took our sins, shame, separation, and suffering. We owe everything to the Savior, who took our place and became the object of God’s wrath.

Fourth, we see the saving resurrection of the King.
“...When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days...” (Isaiah 53:10).

Three days after His crucifixion, Jesus rose from the dead and walked out of the grave; we serve a living, risen, victorious Savior.

Finally, this passage shares the sovereign reign of the King.
“He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:11).

We can know Him, receive justification, and be made alive to serve Him in His endless victory.


Apply it to your life
Have you been justified by the King—made alive by our living Savior? Consider the prophetic biography of Jesus Christ today.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Colossians 1:19

Out of the billions who have ever lived, only a handful of people have made a lasting imprint upon society. There is one who stands head and shoulders above all others: Jesus, the One and Only Son of God.

Adrian Rogers says, “To explain Jesus is impossible, to ignore Him is disastrous, and to deny Him is fatal.”

Words don’t come close to explaining the majesty of Jesus Christ, but there are three things we can learn about Him from Colossians 1.

First, Jesus alone reveals the Father.
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15).

Jesus has the monopoly on divine revelation; the only way we can know God the Father is through Jesus.

This verse also explains that He is the first-born, above all things, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Second, Jesus alone rules the Universe.
“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16).

Jesus is the power of creation. Adrian Rogers says, “That little baby in Matthew 1 is the Mighty God of Genesis 1.”

He is the preserver of creation, the one who holds it all together. By Jesus, all things consist; He’s the one who fuels the sun, who veils the moon with beauty, and keeps the stars on their courses.

He is the purpose of creation; it was all made by Him and for Him, and we are moving toward the day when He is crowned Lord of All.

Finally, Jesus alone reconciles the lost.
“...and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Colossians 1:20).

When we see Jesus’ deity, we can understand the greatness of His death. His deity makes His death meaningful, and His death makes His deity knowable. Jesus stepped down from glory and became like us in order to reconcile us to God the Father. He alone is worthy of our praise.

Apply it to your life
Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who reveals the Father, rules the Universe, and reconciles the lost? Serve Him today and share your faith in Him with others.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Revelation 1:3

Eternity 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, who became the death of Death, is the One we worship. The Jesus we see in Revelation requires our full submission, our reverence and our great assurance.
Apply it to your life
As you study Revelation 1 today, give Jesus your full submission and reverence, and receive His great assurance.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: John 4:23-24

Adrian 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 life
Have you discovered life’s greatest privilege of worshiping God? Remember these words from Adrian Rogers: “If you worship only in spirit, you’ll blow up. If you worship only in truth, you’ll dry up. If you worship in spirit and truth, you’ll grow up.”

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Exodus 33:1-4

In 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 life
When you practice the presence of God, remember this formula from Adrian Rogers: open the Bible and read it through, think it out, pray it in, live it out and finally, pass it on.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Malachi 1:6-14

Our 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 life
Have you lost the wonder in your worship? Recognize God’s nature as a Father and a Master, who deserves our love, labor, and loyalty. Do not profane His name or defile it with half-hearted worship; rather, respect His nobility as the King of kings.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Psalm 23:6

The devil’s deceitful and counterfeit thrills never last; in fact, Satan always gives his best first and the worst last. On the contrary, every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before, and even still, He saves the best for last.

Psalm 23:6 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

God has promised us a place beyond death, and we can anticipate it through Christ. By looking forward to our dwelling in Heaven, we can make the rest of our lives the best of our lives.

This passage reminds us, first, of the certainty of Heaven.

In John 14:3, Jesus says, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

Heaven is not a state of mind or a condition, it is a real and present place where Christians go after death. Heaven is also a perfect place. Revelation 21:4 says, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Adrian Rogers says, “Heaven is the presence of all that is good and the absence of all that is evil. It is all that the loving heart of God can conceive and the omnipotent hand of God can prepare.”

It is also a purposeful place; without the hindrance of our sinful nature, we’ll serve God like never before. We can also anticipate the company of Heaven: all those in the family of God. We will keep our personalities, having not been absorbed into nothingness. We will know brothers and sisters in Christ and reunite with loved ones.

Finally, we must remember the constancy of Heaven. For now, we are just pilgrims, sojourning on earth. But one day, we will settle in a place of constant joy, constant service, and constant praise.

Apply it to your life
Have you decided to follow Jesus, and make the rest of your days the best of your days? Considering the length of eternity, we can spend the rest of our lives in high anticipation for the place prepared for us.