Love Worth Finding | Audio Program

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Jude 1:12-13
An apostate is someone who rejects and ridicules the truth of the Gospel—he also tries to replace it in order to lead others astray. As believers, we must be firm in our understanding of biblical doctrine and beware of those who would deface it.

Jude 12-13 paints a gruesome portrait of an apostate so that we can recognize those who bring harm to the Church.

First, an apostate is dangerous like a sunken rock:
"These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves” (Jude 12). The devil hates the unity we have in Christ. So, a devilish apostate will act as a rock in the river of love, dividing in order to destroy our godly fellowship.

Second, an apostate is deceptive like a waterless cloud:
“They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds…” (Jude 12). An apostate promises much, but produces little; his listeners walk away still thirsty for truth.

Third, he is dead like a fruitless tree:
“...late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots…” (Jude 12). There is no use pruning a dead tree; it will never produce fruit. Likewise, there is no fixing apostasy; it is rooted in a dead, unbiblical doctrine.

Adrian Rogers says, “An apostate can imitate Christianity, but he cannot bear the fruit of the Spirit.”

Fourth, he is disturbed like the raging sea:
“...raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame…” (Jude 13). No matter what he portrays outwardly, an apostate has no inner peace in his heart. In turning from the truth of the Gospel, his moral discernment is destroyed.

Finally, he is doomed like a wandering star:
“...wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever” (Jude 13). An apostate has knocked himself out of orbit; never again will he feel the warmth of the Son. He is destined for aimless, everlasting darkness.

Knowing their destiny, we should be heartbroken for apostates; nevertheless, we must contend for the faith. If we dare compromise the truth, we are in danger of becoming like them.

Apply it to your life
The tragic reality is that apostasy will only increase in the Last Days. Remember: Be firm in biblical doctrine, beware of those who would deface it, and contend for your faith.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Jude 1:11
False doctrine is poisonous to the Church of Jesus Christ; it is the devil’s preferred way of infiltrating the Church and destroying it from within.

The Book of Jude reveals the marks of apostasy. Apostates are like snakes in the garden, hiding in the grass, preparing to strike.

An apostate is someone who has received the truth and rejected it—and has begun ridiculing it.

Jude 11 says, “Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.”

This verse mentions three men who illustrate the marks of an apostate: Cain, Balaam, and Korah.

The first snake in the garden is Cain, who represents those who pervert the Gospel.
In Genesis 4, Cain murdered his brother Abel out of jealousy. Abel, who understood the things of God, had offered to the Lord a blood sacrifice, which pleased Him. Cain, who did not understand the things of God, brought the fruit of the ground, which represented his own efforts.

Adrian Rogers says, “There are only two religions: the true and the false—one is the way of Cain, and the other is the way of the cross.”

The second snake in the garden is Balaam, who represents those who prostitute the Gospel.

In Numbers 22-25, the very clever and gifted prophet Balaam, exploited the message of God for his personal advantage. This story is not arguing against paying those in ministry positions. Rather, it condemns those who will do anything for personal gain, including prostituting the Gospel.

The final snake in the garden is Korah, representing those who protested the Gospel.
In Numbers 1, Korah protested Moses and Aaron, God’s appointed prophet and priest. Korah did not respect their authority, so he rallied others to defy the prophetic message and priestly mediator God had established.

Apostates seek to replace the truth with false religion, but like Korah, they stand on shaky ground; God is not pleased and will not be replaced.

This is why we must know the truth of Scripture and live accordingly, lest we find ourselves struck by the snakes in the garden—or worse, become one.

Apply it to your life
We must know the marks of an apostate to recognize the snakes in the garden. Learn the truth and abide by it, living accordingly.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Jude 1:8
The Book of Jude warns us of the dangers of apostasy, which is when someone falls away from the faith. An apostate is someone who has been given the opportunity to receive the truth but has rejected it. Apostates cause great harm to the Church.

In verse 8, Jude describes apostates as “filthy dreamers,” people with imaginations that are not rooted in truth. But the church is called to contend for our faith and truth, and make sure apostates’ dreams never come true.

First, we must recognize that these dreamers defile the flesh.
Because they ridicule the truth, apostates are more prone to sexual immorality than unbelievers.

As people get away from the Word of God, they give way to their imaginations and dreams—as night follows day, they give way to their sensual sins. We see this so often with young people who have been raised in church but have never been saved. Once they enter adulthood and experience a new environment without the Holy Spirit’s restraint, they fall into ungodly lifestyles.

Apostates are also marked by how they despise the Father.
With rebellious hearts, they reject authority and despise dominion within the church. They don’t want to believe that the Word of God is truth.

The final mark of apostates is that they disgrace the faithful, or, “speak evil of dignitaries” (Jude 8).
Having rejected the truth, apostates will speak blasphemously against Almighty God and His Word.

Adrian Rogers says, “There is nothing too glorious, nothing too holy that they will not defame.”

Our world is full of these filthy dreamers, and unfortunately, apostates don’t ridicule from outside the Church—they do it from within.

With a broken heart, Jude urges us to contend for the faith, to understand it, and know how to defend it, so that we may stop these filthy dreamers in their tracks and fill our churches with people who fear God.

Apply it to your life
Are you part of a church that believes that the Bible is the Word of God? Are you equipped and encouraged to contend for your faith—to understand it and know how to defend it? Recognize these marks of an apostate so that you may stand as others fall away.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Jude 1:1-7

The Book of Jude warns us of something very sinister that will happen to the Church in the Last Days. Children of God cannot afford to be ignorant or neutral; Jude 1-19 sounds the alarm, calling us to the fight for the faith and do battle for the Bible.

These verses first reveal the danger of apostasy.
“For certain men have crept in unnoticed… ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 4).

Apostasy, or turning back on the faith, is a very deceptive and destructive heresy. Jude warns of apostates, who have crept into the Church and deteriorated the integrity of God’s Word.

This passage also gives a description of the apostates.
Jude 17-19 claims that because they lack reverence for God, apostates freely mock holy things. They act without restraint, claiming the grace of God as a license to sin. And because they deny God as Lord of their lives, they exercise no rule or regulation.

Adrian Rogers says, “The basic ingredient missing in the life of an apostate is a fear of God.”

Third, this passage reveals the destruction of apostates.
Verse 5 reminds us of the children of Israel, who were delivered from Egypt, yet perished at the hand of God in the wilderness. Despite their experiences, they were never truly devoted to God.

There are people today who think they are saved, but they are not true believers. They have come to the borderline of truth but have never entered into that truth. Jude 6 says they will face destruction despite their profession, position, or possessions.

Finally, Jude reveals our defense against apostates.
If we want to contend for our faith, we must submit to the truth of the Gospel. We need to study what the Bible says. We must be familiar with its inerrancy, understand the deity of Christ, and know our salvation comes by grace through faith.

Our defense against apostasy is to live out our faith with boldness, together, in churches rooted in biblical doctrine. We must share our faith with others, giving it away freely.

Apply it to your life
We have been called to contend for our faith and fight for the integrity of Scripture. Study the Word of God and be ready to give an account for why you believe what you believe. Share your faith with others today.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Jude 1:1-4

The Book of Jude warns us of the apostasy that will take place in the Last Days, in which many will turn away from the faith. But we do not have to live in fear of losing our salvation.

This book can be seen as a believer’s security blanket in dark days.

Jude 4 says, “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

In the face of apostasy, Jude urges us to remember the completeness of our faith. There are no additions or corrections to be made to the Gospel.

We must also remember the correctness of our faith. Sometimes, we can be certain of something, but still be wrong. This is why we must continually study God’s Word for direction.

This faith has been committed to us. We are stewards of it, expected to speak up and contend for it.

If we want to know we are secure in our faith as we watch others fall away, we must remember God’s sovereign purpose. We are called: summoned by the King of kings to be saved.

Adrian Rogers says, “Our salvation did not begin with us; it began with God. If it began with you, you might lose it; but since it began with God, you can never lose it.”

God foreknows, therefore He calls and justifies; those He justifies, He glorifies. If you have truly been called, this work He has done cannot be undone.

We are God’s special people; God loves the lost, but the saved are His beloved. We are secure in God’s perfect love.

Adrian Rogers says, “There is nothing that can separate you from the Love of God. Nothing you can do to make Him love you more, nothing you can do to make Him love you less.”

Finally, we must remember God’s strong power, which preserves us. We cannot be lost by God; we are in good hands. Our Father keeps our salvation and preserves us by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Apply it to your life

If you are a believer, you do not have to live in fear that God will let you go. You are called, beloved, and preserved by Jesus. Tell someone about your security in Jesus Christ today.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Luke 22:31-34

Adrian Rogers says, “Failure doesn’t need to be a hitching post to tie us to the past. Failure can be a guidepost to lead us into the future.”

God is not finished with us in the dark nights of failure; His mercies are new every morning. Simon Peter’s denial of Jesus Christ in Luke 22 reminds us that failure is not final.

In times of failure, we must first remember that Jesus is sovereign.
“And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times’” (Luke 22:61).

Peter remembered that Jesus, who knew long before he did, that he’d deny Him, told him this would happen. This revealed that God was still in control, even when it doesn’t seem so.

We can find comfort knowing the Lord sees our failures. These missteps do not come without His permission.

In his failure, Peter also learned the sympathy of Jesus.
In the midst of His own agony, Jesus turned to look at His backslidden disciple. Christ’s sympathetic love is what convicts and changes us.

In our times of failure, we need to see our security in Jesus.
“And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren’” (Luke 22:31-32).

As the enemy sifted Peter to find out his sins, he also wants to find our flaws to use against us and condemn us. Jesus wants us to be sifted, too—not to exploit our impurities, but to cleanse us.

Jesus prayed for Peter as he was sifted. Jesus prays for His believers, even to this day. He convicts us of our sins so that we will not wander for long. And when we return to Him, He is faithful to forgive.

Adrian Rogers says, “The same Jesus who prayed for Simon Peter… is now in the glory praying for you.”

Apply it to your life
We will all fail at some point, but even in the darkest nights, a new day is dawning. God’s mercies are new every morning. Know that Jesus Christ intercedes for you, even now. Ask God for forgiveness and come back to Him.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: 2 Samuel 11

Children 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 life
Perhaps it’s time for you to be lovingly confronted, too. If you have muddled through or glossed over your sin, thinking God has forgotten, He has not. Repent of your sins and ask God for forgiveness.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Malachi 3:7-11

By definition, stewardship is our relationship with money: how we obtain, save, invest, spend, and give our wealth.

God is interested in this relationship—in how we care for the things He places in our hands. Satan, who is also very interested, would love to keep us in financial bondage.

Malachi 3 shows us how to open the windows of Heaven and receive the blessing of financial freedom.

“Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of hosts. “But you said, ‘In what way shall we return?’” (Malachi 3:7).

If we want freedom, we must first recognize our failure; financial bondage is not just debt. If money increases our worries, or if we have plenty in the bank, but no treasure in Heaven, we are in financial bondage.

Second, we need to renew our fellowship; God isn’t interested in our money, just our hearts.

When we remember tithing is God’s way of revealing our priorities to ourselves, we will see tithing as a great blessing. It is our privilege to show God that He is first in our lives and everything else is second.

After we return to our fellowship with God, we need to release our finances to Him.

Adrian Rogers says, “If you can’t trust God with your finances, how is God going to trust you with true spiritual riches?”

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10).

According to Scripture, tithing is ten percent given to the temple of God (church), for the work of the temple. Giving to charities or ministries is good, but it is not a replacement for our tithes.

When we learn to give back to God freely, we’ll see a spiritual renewal. God will renew our faith, rebuke our foes, and restore our fruitfulness.



Apply it to your life
Are you seeking freedom from an indebted spirit? Recognize your failure and renew your fellowship with God. Understand that He wants you, first and foremost. Then, show your faithfulness through tithing.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Ephesians 6:10-20

Whether we realize it or not, we are part of a war between light and darkness, good and evil, Heaven and Hell, Jesus Christ and Satan. We cannot afford to be ignorant and we cannot possibly be neutral.

Adrian Rogers says, “When you were born again, you were born from above. And you, being Heaven-born are Heaven-bound. You were born for the battle and you were born to win.”

We’re not wrestling against flesh and blood. We’re wrestling against principalities and powers of darkness.

Ephesians 6:10-20 shows us how to prepare ourselves for this Christian Warfare.

In preparing for the battle, we must first remember our adversary. Satan is a decided fact; never underestimate him or count him out. He is a destructive force; systematic, spiritual, strong, and sinister. Yet, he is our defeated foe.

Adrian Rogers says, “Satan had his back crushed and broken at Calvary; soon his head is going to be crushed when Jesus comes again.”

We must remember our armor, which is specifically outlined in Ephesians 6:

-The Belt of Truth
-The Breastplate of Righteousness
-Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace, knowing nothing stands between our souls and the Savior
-The Shield of Faith
-The Helmet of Salvation

God wants us to enter the battlefield armed with integrity, purity, tranquility, certainty, and sanity. Don’t leave off any piece of the armor of God in this battle. Christian warriors must understand their point of attack. We have the victory. God has equipped us with three things:

The first is our stance. We are called to be strong, to stand against these dark forces of evil with the blessed assurance of victory in Jesus.

Second, we recognize the power of our sword, which is the sword of the Spirit and the Word of God. We must also remember the power of our prayers when prayed in the Spirit.

Finally, the Christian warrior must remember his allies.
“...praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…” (Ephesians 6:18).

We don’t fight alone; we need to pray for each other.

Apply it to your life
As you prepare for this spiritual battle, remember your adversary, your armor, your attack, and your allies.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: John 6:16-21

John 6:16-21 tells the story of Jesus walking on the water to His disciples’ boat in the midst of a treacherous storm. Sooner or later, you are going to find yourself in a storm—not like the storm depicted in this passage; rather, one far more terrifying.

Things could be going fine, then suddenly you could get a life-changing phone call, or face a shocking diagnosis. How can we find peace in the midst of the storm?

We remember what God has promised to us now, in the stillness.

Peace is not the subtraction of problems from life. Peace is the addition of power to meet those problems; the power being the promises of God.

“I am governed by His providence.” In this story, the storm did not take Jesus by surprise. When difficulty comes, remember God’s providence is over it all.

“I am growing by His plan.” God’s plan is not to indulge you; it is to enlarge you. If you are in a storm, it is your privilege to grow and become more like Jesus Christ.

“I am graced by His prayers.” Did you know that He sees you right now? He is not far away. He sees right through the dark, sees you in the storm, and He prays for you.

“I am gladdened by His presence.” Sometimes, God waits upon you to wait on Him; but just know… He is coming.

“I am guarded by His power.” Adrian Rogers says, “The will of God will never take you where the grace of God cannot keep you.”

“I am guided by His purpose.” God has not promised smooth sailing, but He has promised you a safe landing. Your destiny is already determined. He will see you to the shore.

South African minister Andrew Murray once said, “God is willing to assume full responsibility for the life that is totally yielded to Him.” Jesus said, “In this world, you’ll have tribulation. But take heart! I’ve overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

In the midst of your storm, see Jesus, the great I AM, walking on the water, straight to you.

Apply it to your life
Are you in the midst of a storm? Remember the promises of God! Take heart; He has overcome the world, and He is walking on the water, headed straight for you.