Love Worth Finding | Audio Program

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: John 10:27

It is good for our spiritual health and productivity as Christians to know we are eternally secure. This is why we must have a Scriptural defense for our eternal security. Following are four passages to reflect on regarding eternal security.

1. 2 Peter 2:21: "For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”
Adrian Rogers says, “Reformation without transformation leads to greater degradation and final condemnation.” Reformation doesn't give us a new nature. Our sinful desires only hibernate and wake up stronger. Salvation, on the other hand, gives us a new nature and a desire to follow Jesus.

2. Matthew 24:11-13: "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."
Endurance is the mark of reality in the life of a human soul. We must endure in times of trial, so that our faith will not fail.

3. John 15:5: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
Those who abide in Him bear the fruit. Those who do not bear fruit, are not abiding in Him.

4. Hebrews 6:4-6: “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”
This passage refers to those who know the truth and turn from it, eyes wide open, having never repented to begin with. But we, who have accepted salvation and repented of our sins, are eternally secure.

Adrian Rogers says, “Eternal security is like a strong rubber band that God puts around you when you get saved. You may stray away, but He keeps drawing you back.”



Apply it to your life
Adrian Rogers says, “Those who live by truth get more and more freedom. Those who live by lies experience more and more bondage.” Consider this Scriptural Defense for your eternal security.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: John 10:27

When we, as Christians, are sure of our future, we can concentrate on the present. This is why John 10 is fundamental to the eternal security of the believer.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand” (John 10:27-29).
This passage reveals eight reasons we can be sure we are eternally secure.

1. Promise
God has promised us eternal security through His Word. Romans 8 claims that nothing can separate us from His love. (See Romans 8:38-39.)
2. Perseverance
God, who first began a good work in us, will complete what He has begun. The Holy Spirit of God is the Convictor, the Convertor, and the Completor. Adrian Rogers says, “The Holy Spirit has never started anything He’s not able to finish.”

3. Predestination
God has predetermined our destiny. Adrian Rogers says, “Your salvation did not begin with you. Your salvation began before this world was swung into space.” If you are called to a new birth in Christ, it is absolutely settled.

4. Perfection
Hebrews 10:14 says, "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” Being a Christian isn’t making monthly deposits to pay God back for His salvation. Jesus paid it all, therefore, we are made perfect forever in God’s sight. It is not a fresh start; it is a new nature.
5. Position
Adrian Rogers says, “Security is not a place; it is a person, and His name is Jesus Christ.” We are positioned with the Lord Jesus Christ, part of His body, sealed with the Holy Spirit.
6. Possession
If we are saved, we already have eternal life. Adrian Rogers says, “Everlasting life is not something you get when you die. Everlasting life is something you get when you believe.”
7. Prayer
Jesus is praying for us, not that we would escape tribulation, but that we will be kept from evil.

8. Power
Finally, we are kept by the power of God. This alone is enough proof that we are eternally secure.
Apply it to your life
Are you sure you are eternally secure? The same God who saved us will keep us if we believe in Him.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: 1 John 5:11

Every Christian ought to have the privilege of knowing, beyond any shadow of doubt, that he or she is saved. But having doubts doesn’t necessarily mean we are not saved.

Adrian Rogers says, “Doubt is to your spirit what pain is to your body; it doesn't mean you're dead, it means something's wrong.”

1 John 5 reveals how to be saved and know it, without hesitation.

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:11-13).

When doubts arise, we must remember, first, how we are saved: by grace, through faith (see Ephesians 2:8).

Adrian Rogers says, “Grace is the unmerited favor and love that God shows to us. It's what made God love us when we were unlovely. God doesn't love us because we're valuable… we're valuable because He loves us.”

Faith is not intellectual belief; it is trust and commitment to God. Think of grace as the hand of God reaching down to us, and faith is our hand reaching up to Him.

Understanding this, we can find our assurance through three basic tests:

-Lordship Test
Is Jesus Christ the Lord of my life?
If we claim to love God, we will keep His commandments.
-Fellowship Test
Do I love my brothers and sisters in Christ? Am I in fellowship with other believers?
Fellowship is the nature of both the Christian and the Church.
-Relationship Test
Do I have a vital relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ?
The assurance of our salvation is on-going; it is not a past event, stamped by a time and date and place. It is a present decision to trust in Jesus, right now. We can trust in Him, for He alone is the assurance of our salvation.

Apply it to your life
Do you have doubts about your faith? Consider the lordship, fellowship, and relationship tests. If you don’t know whether your doubt is the Holy Spirit’s conviction, or the devil’s tactic, believe in Jesus.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Ruth 2

After losing her husband in a pagan land, Ruth made the wise choice to stay with her mother-in-law and continue worshiping the one true God. God honored her choice and lavished His amazing grace upon her by way of Boaz.

Ruth 2:1 says, “There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz…”

The love story of Ruth and Boaz is a beautiful portrait of Jesus Christ’s love for the Church.

First, this story reminds us of God’s saving grace.
Because of her husband’s death, the law of the land claimed a curse upon Ruth. Boaz, a mighty man of great wealth, was a close kinsman of Ruth’s family. If willing, he could redeem her from financial bankruptcy and provide for Ruth in her weakened condition.

Adrian Rogers says, “The law excluded her, but grace included her.”

In the same way, Jesus is our near kinsman who willingly took on flesh and blood to be made like us in order to redeem us.

Second, this grace is sovereign: the unseen hand of God brought Ruth to Himself.
As a young, penniless widow, Ruth went to work in Boaz’s fields just in time for the barley harvest. Ruth showed up in the fields at the exact right time because God is sovereign, and He has a plan.

Third, this grace was a seeking grace; once he saw her in the fields, Boaz took the initiative.
God has taken the initiative with us, and continues to seek us through Scripture, our sufferings, and His servants.

This was also a satisfying grace; throughout Ruth 2, we see Boaz looking out for Ruth’s needs as she worked the fields.
This mimics how God satisfies our every need and provides for His children to further His kingdom.

Finally, this was a securing grace; Boaz charged the other men of the field not to touch her.
Ruth was now safe and secure under the watchful protection of her kinsman redeemer. And in Jesus Christ, we are not only saved and satisfied; we are forever secure.



Apply it to your life
Ruth was not placed in the fields of Boaz by accident. Likewise, you are not in your current circumstance by chance. Pray for God’s guidance and rest assured that He is with you, and He has a plan for your life.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 11
It is very human to take up offense at little things, but it’s a dangerous thing to hold a grudge against the God of the Universe.

There are four common scenarios many of us face and may be tempted to begrudge God. Scripture reveals how to change our perspectives before we harbor a grudge in our hearts.

First, people get offended by God when they are persecuted for doing what’s right.
In Matthew 11, John the Baptist had been arrested and faced the possibility of death. In a human moment, John honestly questioned Jesus, and he sent his question straight to Him. In response, Jesus was gentle, revealing to us that honest questions will receive sincere answers.

God has not promised to keep us out of the dungeons, furnaces, or lions’ dens; if we end up in a valley, we must remember that God is God—He is on time and He is in control.

Adrian Rogers says, “Christianity is not the subtraction of problems from life; Christianity is the addition of power to meet those problems.”

Second, people may begrudge God when they are rebuked for doing wrong.
In Matthew 15, Jesus expresses harsh rebuke to the Pharisees because of their self-righteousness.

Our goodness is not enough to be saved; it is God who cleanses us from the inside.

Third, people get offended by God because their expectations are not met.
Becoming Christians does not deliver us from the unpleasantness of this world. In this life, we are sure to face disappointments, especially when we expect things that God has not promised. If we come to Jesus for some political, material motivation, we will be disappointed.

Finally, people get offended by God because they envy other people’s blessings; they watch God bless other people, while they have not received the blessings they believe they’re due.
In our flesh, we often forget that others’ blessings are not our diminishment; we must remember that God is not fair—and praise Him for that! The only thing we deserve is judgment, and yet He extends us grace, and so much more. We should instead be grateful for the blessings we receive and celebrate what God pours out on others.



Apply it to your life
Is your heart pure and free of any grudges against God? Prayerfully and carefully work through your relationship with Him; bring your honest questions to God and don’t come with false expectations.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: 2 Peter 3:6
It seems the more we try to put it in proper order, the messier the world becomes. As prophesied in Scripture, we will not know ultimate order and peace until Christ’s return.

2 Peter 3 gives insight into what this world is coming to, and how we are to conduct ourselves as we near the Last Days.

“Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior…” (2 Peter 3:1-2).

First, we’re warned about those who will deny Jesus’ Second Coming: “...knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts…” (2 Peter 3:3).

Ridicule and mockery have always been the enemy’s chief tools. When Jesus was first here, He was mocked; we can expect to be mocked for believing He will come again. Scoffers will inflict emotional and intellectual opposition to discredit, diminish, or distract from the importance of his Second Coming.

But as Believers, we have the scriptural declaration of His coming. God has promised it in His Word, and His power declares that He is able. All of creation, including the cataclysm of the flood (See 2 Peter 3:6.) and the promise of fire (See 2 Peter 3:10-11.) reveals how God will intervene.

Though He can, He has not intervened yet because of His tremendous patience. He keeps the door of mercy open, so we may enter while we still have time.

Adrian Rogers says, “Even now, the raging waters of God’s wrath are furiously pounding against the dam of His mercy.”

Finally, this passage reminds us of the sovereign demands of His coming.

“Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness…” (2 Peter 3:11).

It is God’s desire that all come to repentance. We have a duty to share the saving message of Jesus Christ with others, and we have more opportunities now than ever before.



Apply it to your life
The souls of men are more important than anything else in our lives. As this world succumbs to more and more chaos, are you committed to sharing the Gospel with others?

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Hebrews 12:1-2

Living the Christian life is much like running in a race, and Hebrews 12 shows us how to run like a champion.

First, we must remember there is a purpose to pursue.
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…” (Hebrews 12:1). We are in this race until our very last breath. There is no retiring or quitting from this race against ourselves.

There is a person to prepare.
“...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us…” (Hebrews 12:1).

Many of us lag behind because we are weighed down by excess baggage. Remember: we are free to enjoy our hobbies, treasures, and friendships until they keep us from running our race.

Adrian Rogers says, “Good things become bad things when they keep you from the best things.”

If we’re not careful, our baggage will cause us to stumble completely. When we find ourselves tripped up by sin, we must confess and repent so we can get back on track.

Third, there is a price to pay.
“...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…” (Hebrews 12:1). No one strolls over the finish line; endurance is necessary in order to run a race well. We must get our hearts and minds right and finish the course.

Fourth, there’s a promise to plead.
“...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:2). The One who first calls us to the race will enable us to finish the race. We must keep our eyes on God, who gives us faith, because He is the One we are running toward.

Finally, there is a prize to possess.
“...who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). As we run this race, living by faith, we know we are headed toward eternal victory. Because Jesus finished the race on Calvary, He has become our reward. The race will have been worth it when we see Him face-to-face.



Apply it to your life
Are you running with endurance today – setting aside the things that weigh you down and cause you to sin? Are you living a life of faith well, sharing the Gospel with others, so that they may enter the race toward Jesus?

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Hebrews 11:30-34

In this life, we will experience situations in which we’ve tried to trust in God and our faith seems to fail. What do we do when we face trials, tribulations, or heartaches, and faith doesn’t seem to remove them?

Hebrews 11 gives us insight for those who struggle to endure when times get tough.

First, this passage reminds us that mature faith believes in the supernatural power of God.

“...who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong...” (Hebrews 11:33-34).

Mature believers know that God can do anything but fail.
Anyone who has walked with Jesus for a long time has had an experience that can’t be explained apart from His power.

When reminded of the numerous miracles of God, we can be comforted to know that if God does not do something, it is not because He cannot.

Second, mature faith bows to the sovereign purposes of God.
“Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection” (Hebrews 11:35).

Sometimes, God’s ways are mysterious, but that doesn’t mean they’re weak. Many of the early Christians were martyred for their faith; many Christians around the world still are.

God has not promised a life without difficulty. He has simply promised Himself. He will never leave or forsake us, especially when we face difficulty. We must hold onto the promise that, through Him, we have the ultimate victory over death.

Finally, mature faith is based on the settled promises of God.
“And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us” (Hebrews 11:39-40).

When faith seems to fail, it may be that we are asking for something that God never intended for us. We must remember that God has a wonderful plan, and He will bring it to pass. We can depend on His steadfast, eternal promises from Scripture.

Adrian Rogers says, “Real faith is to center your life on Almighty God.”



Apply it to your life
Do you have the faith to endure trials and heartaches? Are you willing to let God be God, and to trust Him even when things don’t make sense?

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Hebrews 11:32-34

Hebrews 11:32-34 lists several champions of faith, who exemplify tremendous character all throughout Scripture. One figure mentioned is Barak, a military leader, whose faith in God helped deliver Israel from a 20-year oppression of Canaan.

Judges 5:20 explains, “They fought from the heavens; the stars from their courses fought against Sisera.”

These passages reveal four reasons why the heavenlies sided with Barak and fought to bring him the victory.

First, we identify the woman that God chose: Deborah.

Deborah was a judge and prophetess in Israel. She was a godly woman who used her gifting and wisdom to minister to Barak. God still chooses women like Deborah to use their gifts and talents in ministry.

Second, we see the warrior that God called: Barak.

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 warfare that God conducted.

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. 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, “The God who created the Universe and flung those stars out into space, programmed everything against Sisera.” When we love and serve God, God is on our side and programs us for victory.

Finally, we notice the wickedness that God cursed.

Judges 5:23 says, “‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the Lord, ‘Curse its inhabitants bitterly, because they did not come to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.’”

In a time of crisis, the city of Meroz did not join the fight against the Canaanites. This is a crucial reminder to stand up for what is right and to fight alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Apply it to your life

Every day, we face battles even more real than the one on Mount Tabor. As we face spiritual warfare and principalities and powers of darkness, we must act as men and women of faith.

Adrian Rogers says, “God will bring the stars behind the man who’s behind God.”

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Hebrews 11:32-34

The champions of faith listed in Hebrews 11 give us an idea of the kind of people God uses to accomplish His mighty plans.

Hebrews 11:32-34 says, “...For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon… who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle...”

This passage reminds us of Gideon’s story in Judges 6-7 and shows five characteristics of people that God uses.

First, God uses common people.
By His Spirit, God turned Gideon, a once fearful farmer, into a valiant warrior.

God does not rely on our abilities, but on our availability to Him to work through us in extraordinary ways.

Second, God uses cleansed people.
Before God could send Gideon to battle, Gideon had to do away with the idols in His life and surrender in worship.

Adrian Rogers says, “An idol is anything you love, fear, serve or value more than God.” God will not use us if there is unconfessed sin in our lives. We must crush our idols, repent, and be cleansed from the inside out.

Third, God uses courageous people.
In Judges 7, God gives Gideon the command to send away soldiers who are afraid. This shows us that God can better use a smaller number of brave souls than a larger group of fearful ones.

As children of God, we have been given a spirit of power and love. This does not mean we become naturally courageous—it means we are filled with His Spirit.

Fourth, God uses cautious people.
We are called to be on guard at all times, ready to fight against the temptation to sin.

Adrian Rogers says, “Sin is a combination of an unexpected opportunity, an unprotected life and an undetected weakness.”

Finally, God uses confident people.
Gideon led the charge with confidence because He knew God was with Him.

God gave them victory that day, and when we are confident that God is with us, we can be used in victorious ways.

Apply it to your life
God has mighty plans and He wants to use us to accomplish them. Make certain that your heart is clean. He may not use you the way you expect, but if you make yourself available to Him, He will use you.