Love Worth Finding | Audio Program

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Ruth 4

The story of Ruth begins with a funeral and ends with a wedding; it begins with weeping but ends with joy. Ruth and Boaz’s story is a beautiful picture of Jesus Christ’s redeeming love for the Church. Ruth 4 shares a picture of our salvation in Jesus Christ, our kinsman Redeemer.

First, this passage gives an illustration of our redeeming Lord.

Ruth 4:4 explains the law in the land: Following her first husband’s death, Ruth’s estate had been sold and she was left in a dire circumstance. As a near relative of her deceased husband, Boaz assumed Ruth as his wife and bought back the estate that was sold, becoming what’s called a “kinsman redeemer.”

Jesus Christ became our near kinsman when He stepped out of eternity and into our world to assume responsibility over us. Legally worthy, He bought back what was lost when sin entered the world. A man of wealth, Boaz was able to sufficiently buy back the estate. Jesus paid an even greater price for us than Boaz paid for Ruth: His own life.

Boaz also displays a loving willingness to redeem Ruth, as Jesus was willing to redeem us.

Adrian Rogers says, “He does not love us because we’re valuable; we’re valuable because He loves us.”

This passage also gives a picture of our renewed life.

Ruth was a woman from a pagan land, hopelessly stuck in a terrible circumstance; she is a picture of us all, plagued by sin, sorrow, and death.

Boaz’s willingness to redeem her changed everything; even more so, Jesus took on our sin and shame and changed everything for us.

Finally, the passage reminds us of our restored legacy.

Ruth received a new family, great fortune, and fame in the land of Bethlehem. She was fruitful, noted as the grandmother of King David, becoming part of the ancestry of Jesus Christ.

Without Jesus, we are strangers to the covenants of promise, without hope. But because Jesus has redeemed us, we have a new family, fortune, and fame.

With the Holy Spirit, we are fruitful and have a bright future ahead, leaving a legacy of faith and redeeming love.

Apply it to your life

Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, our kinsman Redeemer? As you read through Ruth 4, remember the love of Jesus Christ, perfectly illustrated in the story of Ruth and Boaz.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Ruth 3

In the Book of Ruth, Ruth and Boaz’s love story is an illustration of Jesus Christ and the Church, His Bride. The advice Ruth received from her mother-in-law in chapter 3 reveals five ways to draw closer to Jesus.

“Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor…” (Ruth 3:3).

First, if we want to draw near to God, we must be freshly cleansed.

We’re cleansed by the Word of God, which shows us what we are and reveals the defilement and dirt within us. We’re also cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ, who is faithful to forgive us of our sins when we confess them.

Second, we must be fragrantly consecrated.

Ruth’s anointing was a sweet perfume; our anointing is the Holy Spirit, who makes our lives like incense to God.

Third, we must be fitly clothed.

Ruth was instructed to wear her best garments. Likewise, we are instructed to put on garments of salvation we’ve received through Christ.

Fourth, we must be fully committed.

“Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do” (Ruth 3:4).

By placing herself at Boaz’s feet, Ruth told Boaz that if he is willing, she will accept him as her Redeemer husband. In the same way, we must sit at the feet of Jesus and fully commit our lives to Him.

Finally, we must be faithfully compliant.

As Naomi told Ruth to obey Boaz, we are called to not only hear the Word of God but obey it. Boaz received Ruth, reassured her, and replenished her with more barley than she could carry.

When we draw near to our Redeemer, we’ll find ourselves received and reassured by His love, and see that He will replenish us with abundantly more than we could ask for.

Apply it to your life

If you want to draw near to Jesus, be cleansed and surrender to the Holy Spirit. Clothe yourself in salvation, commit and comply with whatever He tells you to do.

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: Ruth 1

In the midst of some of the darkest days recorded in Scripture, we are given a love story: Ruth’s love story, one which counts for all of eternity. The Book of Ruth is a beautiful example of how decisions determine destiny.

First, this story reveals the principle of willing choice.
Ruth 1:1-2 states that in the midst of a famine in Bethlehem, Elimelech led his family (including Ruth) into the pagan land Moab, which proved to be a deadly decision. We are the sum total of our decisions: we are free to choose, but we are not free not to choose; nor are we free to choose the consequences of our choices.

Adrian Rogers says, “First you make your choice, and then your choice chooses for you.”

Second, this story reveals the problems of a wrong choice.
Elimelech made the wrong choice because he had the wrong motive. He was physically motivated rather than spiritually motivated: seeking refuge from famine in a cursed land.

He also chose the wrong method: walking by sight and not by faith. And to his demise, he served the wrong master by dwelling in enemy territory. This wrong choice resulted in tragic consequences, as Elimelech and his two sons died, leaving Naomi, Orpha, and Ruth as vulnerable widows.

But this story also reveals the power of a wise choice.
After Naomi urged her daughters-in-law to return to their homelands, Ruth’s decision changed the entire trajectory of her life.

“But Ruth said: ‘Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God’” (Ruth 1:16).

Ruth was a cursed, crushed, and condemned woman. But she was given a new hope because she decided to hold onto the God of her late husband’s family—even in their disobedience and their doubt. She was given new direction, dependence, and desires. Her wise choice brought on new devotion to God, a new dedication to Naomi, and a new destiny.

As a result, the maid of Moab married the bachelor of Bethlehem and became an ancestress of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Apply it to your life
There is life and death in every decision we make; choose to hold onto Him, live by faith, and make wise decisions.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: John 13:34

The greatest need of mankind is to love and to be loved. Yet, it’s getting harder to do so than ever before. As Christians, we have been instructed to love as Jesus loved.

John 13:34 says, "A new commandment I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another." This commandment is easy to consider for those who are easy to love… but what about the ones who have hurt us, misused us or wronged us?

Not only was Jesus the great teacher, He was the great example.

As Jesus gave this commandment, He washed His disciples’ feet: a timely custom performed by slaves. He washed Judas’s feet, who would later betray Him. He washed Peter’s feet, the disciple who would later deny Him. And He washed Thomas’s feet, who would later doubt Him.

Here is the Lord of glory doing slave labor… unto the very people who would let Him down.

By doing this, He exemplified selfless love. He exemplified humility. Adrian Rogers says, “Real humility is not thinking lowly of yourself; it is not thinking of yourself.” God the Father had put everything into Jesus’ hands, yet he laid aside his garments, took a towel and washed fishermen’s feet.

Jesus also exemplified steadfast love; He loves unto the end. If you want to love as Jesus loves, you’ll never stop. We love sometimes, but we only do so when everything is just right. Under pressure, we excuse ourselves from it. But even the unsaved can love that way! Adrian Rogers says, “Your character that cannot stand up under pressure and under testing is not real.”

Jesus exemplified serving love. He met injury with service. Love does not give people what they deserve; it gives people what they need. Love is willing to serve at the lowest of tasks.

Jesus exemplified sanctifying love.

Those of us who are saved walk in a dirty world. Sometimes, we need to let Jesus wash our feet, to remind us of His love. Then, we may go and wash the feet of others.

Apply it to your life

Are you willing to love others with a selfless, steadfast, serving, and sanctifying love?

As Adrian Rogers says, “Find somebody that needs that love, and give it to them.”

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Acts 2:1-4

The Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 marked the birth of the Church, and the burst of the Holy Flame that is the Holy Spirit. One of the most important things we can do is learn how to keep our spiritual fire burning.

Acts 2:1-4 says, “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

In this passage, the Holy Spirit was symbolized by sound, fire, and the speaking of tongues. These miracles illustrated the mighty power and the filling of the Spirit of God.

Adrian Rogers says, “Bethlehem is God with us, Calvary is God for us, Pentecost is God in us.”

Pentecost teaches us that as children of God, we are baptized and sealed into the Body of Christ as the Spirit dwells in us. And when we are filled with the Spirit, it acts as a Holy Flame: it illumines, consumes, transforms, empowers, and attracts us.

There are four ways to keep this fire burning.

First, don’t lie to the Spirit; the example of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 shows that lying to Him is like playing with fire: we will get burned.

Second, don’t grieve the Spirit. The Holy Spirit loves us so much that His heart is broken by our unconfessed sin. We grieve Him when we allow unrepented sin to remain in our lives.

Third, don’t quench the Spirit; we must be sensitive to this guiding, God-sent Spirit because it is so easily quenched when we aren’t obedient. When God’s Spirit speaks to us, we should be quick to answer Him.

Finally, we must be completely committed to Him. We must give Him continual control, constantly claiming Him as Lord.

Adrian Rogers says, “Where the Spirit is Lord, there’s liberty.”

Apply it to your life

Do you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Resist lying to, grieving, and quenching the Spirit, and be totally committed to Him. Give Him continual control and constantly claim Him as Lord.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Genesis 12:1

Faith is the distinguishing mark of the Christian. The way to live the Christian life is by faith. In fact, before followers of Jesus were ever called “Christians,” they were called “Believers.” It is our chief duty to exercise our belief in Jesus.

But it is not enough to simply believe. Faith is believing the word of God and acting on it.

We are reminded of this through the faith of Abraham. Abraham received a word from God and acted upon it. He left his home and followed God to a new land.

So when our faith seems to be broken, how do we repair it? It begins with Repentance.

Adrian Rogers said, “You cannot live in your old way of life and think at the same time you can live by faith.”

Is there something you are still holding onto from your life before Jesus? Something you idolize? Anything you love more, serve more, fear more, trust more than God is an idol. Repent. Crush the idols in your life. Turn your hearts back to God.

After repentance comes remembrance, remembering…

-the One who brought you to the new land

-the One who saves you is powerful enough to keep you

-the One who meets every spiritual need will meet every material need

-the One who holds eternity, holds next week, too.

The God of the big things is the God of the small details, too.

Finally, there is restoration. Once Abraham repented, God did not remember Abraham’s sin. God remembered his faith. When we live in faith, God will not remember our iniquities.

Following the restoration of our faith comes the opportunity to be a blessing to others. We cannot abhor the blessings in our lives, we are meant to pour them out.

Adrian Rogers said, “God wants you to be a river of revival, not a reservoir of blessings.”

We should pray to be used as a blessing in other people’s lives. That’s the reward of faith.

Apply it to your life

Faith isn’t just believing. It is acting on your belief. So, if you want to be blessed in your faith, pray today for an opportunity to be a blessing in someone else’s life. It’s then you are praying for an opportunity to act on your belief, and faith will flow through you as it was meant to.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Daniel 3:1-30

As these days grow gloriously dim, we must stand on the principles of God’s Word—for things that are true and righteous, which last throughout time and eternity.

Daniel 3 tells the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who refused to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar’s idol. This story reminds us that we will face immense pressure to bow down, yet we must stand alone, even when our faith is in the fire.

First, see the fury they faced: there was emotional enticement and a social obligation to bow to the idol. Everyone was doing it; the government was even enforcing it. The devil is behind all of this defiling spirituality, seeking out converts.

But Daniel 3 also reminds us of the faith that followed. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego exhibited a settled, strong faith, having already made up their minds beforehand to remain devoted to God. They knew God could deliver them, and even if He didn’t, they would never bow to anyone else (see Daniel 3:16-18).

Adrian Rogers says, “It is one thing to have faith to escape. It's another thing to have faith to endure.”

So, the three were thrown into the furnace as they were warned. And we see the fellowship they found in the fire: “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” (Daniel 3:25).

“...they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them” (Daniel 3:27).

Rather than being consumed by the fire, God used it to cleanse them. Rather than sparing them from the furnace, He joined them in it.

As a result of this miracle, Nebuchadnezzar had to admit: there is no God like our God.

Adrian Rogers says, “Do you know when this world is going to start having respect for the Lord Jesus Christ, the God of the Bible? When you and I, by the grace of God, stand alone.”

Apply it to your life

Understanding the fury to conform to this world, do you have the faith to stand alone? Take courage today—know that whatever fire you face today, the Lord is with you.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Hebrews 11:1-2

If there is ever a time that we need faith in Almighty God, it is now. However, we don’t just need to possess faith, we need faith to possess us.

Adrian Rogers said, “The law says run, but it gives us no legs; faith says fly, and it gives us wings.

Hebrews 11 and 12 are great faith chapters.

Hebrews 11:1-2 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.”

This passage first explains the demands of faith.

Faith is not positive thinking or a feeling of optimism. It is an agreement with God that becomes an attitude of trust, which leads to action. It is the substance of things hoped for, and evidence of things not seen.

Adrian Rogers said, “Faith is your ability to make present substance out of future reality. Faith reaches out into the future and brings the future into the present. It takes the unseen and makes it real in your heart and life.”

This passage also reveals the dynamics of our faith.

“By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Hebrews 11:3).

Only after we accept God through faith will we receive the spiritual wisdom to understand His works. Faith is necessary for our ability to worship; the heart will respond to the character of God when it is made right by faith.

Faith is also the source of our spiritual wealth; it is the medium of exchange in the kingdom of God—not fame or fortune.

Finally, this passage reveals how to develop our faith.

It cannot be manufactured or worked up; rather, it must be imparted.

Hebrews 12:1-2 explains that we must be saturated with Scripture, reading the Bible daily, because God gave it to us to build our faith.

We must also get rid of the things that ensnare us and repent of our unconfessed sins, completely dedicating ourselves to Jesus Christ.

Finally, as we run the spiritual race set before us, we must be activated by the Spirit, who enables us to believe in God and grow our faith.

Apply it to your life

Is your faith real, growing and developing through wisdom and worship? Are you saturated in Scripture, repentant of your sins, and looking to your Savior?

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Romans 15-16

We are saved to serve the Body of Christ; each of us is called to be ministers and servants of the Lord Jesus. Romans 15-16 reveals six ministries each believer is called to undertake.

The first ministry is encouragement.

“Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:5-6).

We are instructed to encourage one another, to patiently lift each other up. We must fix our eyes on God and begin to love and serve one another.

We’ve also been called to evangelism.

Jesus came to seek and save what was lost. Romans 15:16, reiterates, “that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God...”

We’re called to the ministry of giving.

We’re called to invest in things that count, which are the souls of men. We are debtors to the Apostles, to the martyrs of the faith, to the blood of Jesus Christ. It should bring us joy to give back to the Church that has lavished spiritual blessings upon us.

We’re called to the ministry of prayer.

In Romans 15:30, Paul asked the believers to pray for his protection, because he knew how crucial prayer is to anything we do.

Adrian Rogers says, “You can do more than pray after you’ve prayed, but you can’t do much more than pray until you’ve prayed.”

We’re called to the ministry of fellowship.

Romans 16 shows how Believers minister by receiving and greeting people. We minister by loving, helping, and honoring people.

We guard the fellowship against false doctrine to keep it pure. How sweet it is when brothers and sisters dwell together in fellowship.

Finally, we are each called to the ministry of worship.

“...to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen” (Romans 16:27).

We rejoice knowing there’s never been a better day to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Think of what could happen if we began to minister to each other in this way.

Apply it to your life

You have been saved to serve and called to a ministry of encouragement, evangelism, giving, prayer, fellowship, and worship. Are you actively building up your church community with your service?