Love Worth Finding | Audio Program

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Psalm 119:89

In order to have spiritual power, we need to be molded, motivated, and managed by the Word of God. Yet for many, the Bible remains a closed book. There’s no magical way to understand the Bible. It takes work—joyful, thrilling work—to understand the Word of God.

Psalm 119 shows us how to make the Bible come alive.

First, we must appreciate its virtues: “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). The Bible is a timeless book, ultimate and indestructible; it is full of God-breathed truth. If we don’t treasure it, we won’t have any desire to understand it.

Next, we must assimilate the Word of God; we begin by praying that our eyes will be opened, our hearts stirred, and our minds enlightened. Then, with a pen in hand, we read and ponder it, ready to write down whatever the Lord reveals through it. When reading the Bible, we should use our sanctified common sense. We need a plan. Try not to jump into the middle of a chapter, the middle of a book somewhere, with no plan, no rhyme, no reason.

Third, we must preserve it and practice it, as Psalm 119:16-17 says, “I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word.” If we want to learn more of the Word of God, we should obey the parts of it we do know.

Next, we must proclaim it: “My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness” (Psalm 119:172).

Finally, we must appropriate the values of the Word of God. It’s a source of victory, growth, joy, power, and guidance.

Adrian Rogers says, “The Bible addresses one problem, and that problem is sin. The Bible has one villain, and that villain is the devil. The Bible has one hero, and His name is Jesus. The Bible has one purpose, and that is the glory of God."

Apply it to your life
As you read Scripture today, dwell on these six questions:

-Is there a promise to claim?
-Is there a lesson to learn?
-Is there a blessing to enjoy?
-Is there a command to obey?
-Is there a sin to avoid?
-Is there a new thought to carry with me?

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: 2 Timothy 3:16

There is an ongoing war over the Word of God. There are those who despise, dissect, and disregard it. But perhaps the greatest enemy of the Word of God is the one who believes in it but doesn’t know it.

We will never be settled until we are settled over the Word of God. Our salvation and sanctification depend on it.

Revelation 22:18 says, “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book…”

There are five reasons to consider in becoming certain that the Bible is the Word of God.

First, consider the Bible’s scientific accuracy. There have been many occasions on which scientific theories have gone against the Word of God but have crumbled over time. Science changes direction, improves, and builds upon itself. But the Word of God remains unchanged and unmovable.

Second, consider the Bible’s historical accuracy. Though it’s not primarily a history book, the Bible records many notable events verified by historians.

And we also believe in the Bible because of its wonderful unity. It is penned by people from all kinds of backgrounds: shepherds, kings, soldiers, princes, priests, and fishermen. Yet, from Genesis to Revelation, it reads as one book because of its divine inspiration.

Another reason we believe in the Bible is its fulfilled prophecy. The Old Testament contains more than 300 prophecies that deal with Jesus Christ, which He fulfilled in the New Testament.

We believe in the Bible because of its ever-living qualities. The Bible has faced much opposition, yet it has survived; it still applies today.

Adrian Rogers says, “The Bible is not the book of the month; it is the book of the ages.”

But ultimately, we believe in this book because of its life-changing power.

Adrian Rogers says, “The Gospel of Christ is the dynamite of God that saves.” It saves the sinners, sanctifies the saints, sustains the suffering, and satisfies the scholar. The Bible, in all its wonder and majesty, is summed up in this: “Jesus loves me, this I know; for the Bible tells me so!”

Apply it to your life

Are you certain that the Bible is the Word of God? Consider these reasons and come to a faithful understanding of Scripture—knowing that once you begin studying it, you are never finished with it!

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Luke 10:21

Luke 10:21 says that God has "hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes."

We are neither too intelligent nor unintelligent to believe in God and know Him personally!

Psalm 19 gives us three ways in which God speaks to us, and in return, we can know God personally, intimately, and assuredly.

First, God has confirmed His words in the heavens: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork…” (Psalm 19:1). The heavens also declare God’s greatness. The vastness of the Universe, along with its small intricacies, demonstrates God’s power.

Adrian Rogers says, “There are no laws of nature; they are God’s laws that nature obeys. Science only discovers what God had already put there.”

The heavens declare the goodness of God: “Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals 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.)

God also speaks to us by placing His converting Word in our hands. We have access to Scripture, which is His very word. We ought to marvel at the Bible and celebrate its many virtues. It is inerrant, infallible, foundational, and full of God’s promises.

Adrian Rogers says, “Every sentence, every jot, every tittle, every syllable is put in Scripture by the mind and purpose of God.”

The value of the Scriptures is precious, “more desirable than fine 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).

Finally, we can know God through His convicting Word in our hearts. By the Holy Spirit in our hearts, the Scriptures we read can become real.

Psalm 19:12 says, “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.”
The Holy Spirit cleanses our wicked and deceitful hearts. When we hand our control over to the Spirit, He brings us into communion with the Father. This is the only way we can know Him personally, intimately, and assuredly.

Apply it to your life
Do you feel distant from God? Remember, by the Word of God in the heavens, in our hands, and in our hearts, we can know God personally.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: John 4:46-54

In the kingdom of Heaven, faith is the medium of exchange. Whatever we receive from God is according to our faith.

Adrian Rogers says, “The greater your faith, the greater glory God gets; by faith man gives God pleasure and by faith God gives man treasure.”

John 4 tells the story of a man whose superficial, superstitious faith was transformed into a strong, saving faith.

“So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe’” (John 4:46-48).

First, we must see the problem of superficial faith. In this passage, the nobleman had heard about Jesus’ first miracle, turning water into wine, and was blown away. But Jesus knew that signs and wonders do not truly help in developing a strong faith.

We must also consider the problem of superstitious faith. God performed miracles through Jesus to authenticate His ministry. It is dishonoring to demand a sign from God in order to believe in Him.

It is also self-deceiving; signs and wonders can easily deceive; it is how our enemy leads others astray.

This passage also shows the progression of strong faith. There are steps in developing this sort of saving faith, the first being that he heard the Word of God, and then that he believed it. What we believe is not contrary to reason; it goes beyond reason. We must obey the Word of God, and then rest in it.

Adrian Rogers says, “Faith is not seeing signs and wonders, rather, it is a response to the character of God.”

Finally, this passage shows the provision of saving faith. After the nobleman’s son was healed, he not only believed in a miracle worker but in a Messiah. All of Jesus’ miracles point to the greater miracle, which is the new life in Him.

Apply it to your life
If you want to strengthen your faith, get a good grip on the Word of God. Don’t look to the miracles, but to the Messiah; do not follow the signs, but the Savior.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: James 1:22

The Bible is so full of rich, variegated splendor that there are many emblems and symbols for the Word of God. The Book of James identifies God’s Word as a mirror.

James 1:22-23 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror…”

In this passage, James has in his mind two imaginary people in front of a mirror. The first person takes a casual glance: “for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was” (James 1:24).

There are some who casually scan the Bible, but God doesn’t reveal much truth to the people who just glance at His Word.

On the contrary, the other person noted in this passage takes a concentrated gaze: “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25).

We need to absorb the Word of God, look into it as a mirror that reveals who we truly are. When we study Scripture, it can reveal in us any sin we’re harboring, or have yet to confess, so that we can do something about it.

Adrian Rogers says, “When you read the Bible, the Bible reads you. When the Word reveals something, whatever it is, take heed to it. Don’t just read it and forget it; if you do, you’re deceiving yourselves.”

The first purpose Scripture serves is to show us what we are by nature, but it also shows us what we ought to be by grace. And the ultimate reason why we read Scripture is to become more like Jesus.

This means we never stop growing: we simply go from one stage of glory to another stage of glory. (See 2 Corinthians 3:18.)

Apply it to your life
Adrian Rogers says, “Do you want to be a great Christian? God’s given you a mirror. Each morning, look in there and see what you look like. If you’ve got a dirty face, get clean and then continue to read: not only see yourself but see your Savior.”

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: 1 John 3:1-3
Adrian Rogers says, “A rich man is poor without Jesus, a strong man is weak without Jesus, and an educated man is ignorant until he comes to know the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Without Jesus, man is ignorant of his past and afraid of his future; he lives somewhere in between mystery and misery. But when we know the Lord Jesus Christ, we experience the sweetest fellowship on Earth and can anticipate joy beyond comprehension when we all get to Heaven.

1 John 3:1 says: “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!”

First, this passage identifies what we are; it describes our Christian dignity.

We are children of God; He loves us as He loves Jesus, and nothing we do can make Him love us any less. Because of this love, we have our Father’s care; we can rest assured that we are provided for. We have His correction as well; He will lovingly chastise us that we may be sanctified and holy in His sight. We have our Father’s compassion; His heart is broken when ours is broken. We have his companionship, and we will never be alone ever again.

This passage also reveals what we will be, it outlines our Christian destiny.

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). Christ is going to appear; He is coming back to this Earth, and we will see Him as He is, in all of His glory. And this verse confirms that we are going to be like Him.

Finally, this passage confirms what we should be; it challenges us to our Christian duty: “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). The biblical definition of “hope” is absolute certainty mingled with anticipation. We should live with the hope of His return, looking and longing for His coming. And we should be living for His coming, striving for purity and holiness as we wait with expectancy.

Apply it to your life
Are you living in anticipation of the fellowship we’ll have when we all get to Heaven? Remember your dignity, your destiny, and your duty today.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: 1 John 2:18-19

As children of God, we cannot afford to be ignorant of the dynamic days in which we’re living.

The sands of time are running low for this generation, and history as we know it is headed for a climax. 1 John 2 gives clear instruction for those living in the last days.

First, we need to be awake. 1 John 2:18 says, “Little children, it is the last hour…”

We’re not just moving toward the last days, we’re living on the edge of them. We are not waiting for any sign, no event must take place—the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is imminent.

Adrian Rogers says, “All of the Bible teaches that we’re on the very edge, on the very brink, and therefore we should be yearning and not yawning.”

Second, the antichrist is coming and we need to be aware: “...and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour” (1 John 2:18).

The time is ripe for the appearance of a person the Bible calls the antichrist. He’s the beast of a man lurking in the shadows of history, ready to step from the wings to center stage. The antichrist is devilish and divisive; he is the diabolical substitute who opposes God and exalts himself. He is deceptive and, as a result, he is destructive. Being a master liar, he constantly attacks our understanding of who Jesus is.

Finally, this passage reminds us of our triumph: our Lord is on His way and we need to be abiding.

“Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.” (1 John 2:24-25)

If we are not anchored in Scripture, we will be blown away. And if we have the Holy Spirit in our hearts, the Lord Jesus Christ will be revealed in our lives.

Apply it to your life
Because we are living in the last days, we must:
Be awake: the antichrist is coming.
Be aware: our Lord is on His way.
Be abiding: abide in the Word, the Spirit, and the Son of God.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Colossians 3:1-5, 11

As Christians, we don’t just receive knowledge of Jesus Christ; our life is knowing Jesus Christ.

Adrian Rogers says, “You can get to know Jesus better, but you can never know anything better than Jesus. You can go deeper into Jesus, but you can never go beyond Jesus.”

Colossians 3:11 says, “...where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.”

There are three things that will happen when Christ is all, when He is everything to us, when He consumes our entire life.

First, Jesus captivates our ambitions.

Colossians 3:1 says, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.”

When Christ is our all, our ambition is to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

But when our ambition is to seek righteousness, we must beware of the world’s reasonings. The world will try to distract us with ritual, religion, and regulations so that we will remain captive to those things. We must remember, these are shadows of the substance we have in Christ; Christ is the priority.

Adrian Rogers says, “You’re not going to be any more like Jesus with a list of dos and don’ts. They’re not going to make you one speck like Jesus. It may look good, it may have a show of wisdom and humility; but if you let all of the air out of it, it is will-worship and not God worship.”

Second, Jesus dominates our attention.

Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

There are many things pulling at our minds, at any given moment. But we are instructed to set our minds on Jesus. As our ambitions come to a burning focus, we’ll find that Jesus takes the center stage of our affections.

Finally, when Christ is all, Jesus regulates our actions.

Colossians 3:5 says, “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” If Christ is our life, we are to live like Him, loving the things He loves and hating what He hates, which is sin.

Apply it to your life
Is Christ your life, your everything, your all? Has Jesus captivated your ambition, dominated your attention, and regulated your action?

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Proverbs 23:23
In this day, it is not values that we desperately need, but virtue. We must be able to differentiate truth and fact: we acquire facts, but learn truth. Facts deal with knowledge, and knowledge can double, but truth never changes and is settled for eternity. We must make a habit of treasuring truth.

Proverbs 23:23 says, “Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding.”

We must prize the truth, for it is indispensable, absolute, and attainable through the Word of God. It is not enough just to know it; knowledge without transformation avails nothing. We must see the transforming power behind it, through the Holy Spirit.

We must also purchase the truth. Adrian Rogers says, “Salvation is free, but truth is costly; you pay a price to have truth.”

John 8:31-32 says, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'”

Believing in Jesus is the first step in attaining truth; we must also abide in His Word through discipleship. Discipleship is costly—it costs time, discipline, and obedience; but ignorance is far more costly. We must study the Bible for enlightenment. If we know in knowledge but not in grace, we will be dangerous to ourselves and to others.

Adrian Rogers says, “Truth is to your spirit what good is to your body, what light is to your eyes, what melody is to your ears.”

We also study Scripture for our enjoyment; reading the Bible should not be perceived as a punishment but as a privilege. We read for our personal enrichment, to sharpen our minds and strengthen our wills. We read Scripture for our enablement, to grow in our faith and fellowship with others.

Finally, we must preserve the truth; guarding it against those who will deny, distort, dilute and defile the Bible.

We do this by proclaiming the Gospel truth: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Apply it to your life
Do you treasure truth—prize, purchase, preserve, and proclaim it? Do you read Scripture for your enlightenment, enjoyment, enrichment, and enablement?

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: 1 Peter 2

One of the chief weapons that God has given us is the principle of submission; it is the thing that closes the mouths of those who oppose us and allows us to exercise our kingdom authority.

However, what if we experience the problem of unworthy authorities? 1 Peter 2-3 reveals how to submit to godless authority figures.

Submission is simply getting under the authority that God has established, not for that authority’s sake, but for God’s sake. Being submissive does not demean us, it exalts us; it makes us like Jesus Christ.

This passage recognizes three places in which our submission is needed: the government, the job, and the home.

“Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake...” (1 Peter 2:13).

We are called to demonstrate a spirit of submission in our social lives, in our churches, and in our politics, for 1 Peter 2:17 confirms, “Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”

We are also instructed to submit in the workforce. Anyone can gripe and rebel against a bad boss, but Christians are held to a higher standard.

Adrian Rogers says, “There is no better place for you to demonstrate the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ if you have an unfair or an ungodly boss.”

Third, we’re to submit in the home: “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands…” (1 Peter 3:1). Women are not inferior to men; however, when a wife voluntarily places herself under her husband, who is her equal, God is glorified.

But we must understand that submission doesn’t always mean obedience. All human authority is limited because our ultimate loyalty belongs to God. If there comes a time when someone commands us to do something antithetical to the Word of God, we must obey God rather than men.

Adrian Roger says, “Submission does not embolden tyranny, it destroys it. It was the spirit of these early Christians that brought the Roman Empire crashing down. They turned that world upside down because they learned the strength of submission.”

Apply it to your life

Do you have the spirit of submission? Remember: We will never be over those things that God has put under us, until we get under those things that God has put over us. Submit to the Lordship of Christ, the Word of God, and the institutions that God has put in place.