Episoder
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 7:7-11
Adrian Rogers says, âThere is no substitute for prayer.â The key to the vault of all of Godâs treasure is prayer. The power of prevailing prayer is the greatest unused and untapped resource on Earth.
In Matthew 7:7-8, Jesus says, âAsk, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.â
First, there is a promise to claim.
Our Heavenly Father knows our needs before we can even ask. We do not pray to impress God, or inform Him of anything He does not already know. We pray to invite God to work in our hearts and in our lives. God can do anything He wants without us, but we canât do anything without Him. He wants our participation, and enjoys it when we delight in working and abiding in Him as well. (See John 15:4-5.)
Prayer also develops us and causes growth.
When we pray and it doesnât seem to come, we turn to Scripture and seek the face of God like never before. God doesnât want us to live independently of Him. Dependence on God leads to intimacy and a stronger bond than ever before.
This passage shows us the process to follow in prayer: Ask, seek, knock.
Our responsibility is the asking; Godâs responsibility is the giving. Any desire that concerns us can be brought to God in prayer. When praying, we are on a quest to discover what the Lord wants for us. We must seek the purposes of God and discern whether we are asking for the right things.
We must be determined: prayer is knocking on closed doors. Godâs answers are direct, different, or denied; but they could also be delayed for our own growth and good. If that is the case, we have to keep knocking. We cannot stop until we have the answer, and God has given us that assurance.
So, we can enjoy His provision. We are assured that God will answer our prayers, because God is good, He is wise, and He is able.
Apply it to your life
Are you waiting for God to answer a prayer today? Remember: Ask, seek, and knock. Voice your desire to God, seek His Word to be sure it is according to His will, and keep knocking.
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 7:1-6
It is in our nature to judge others and see how we measure up. We all have our tape measures and yardsticks, but in Matthew 7:1-6, Jesus says that a yardstick will become a boomerang.
âJudge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to youâ (Matthew 7:1-2).
How you judge someone else is how you will be judgedâit will all come back around. How do we avoid unhealthy judgment?
We must apply wise discrimination between right and wrong.
Before it became such a heated word, at its core, discrimination simply means evaluation. It is not unloving to call out sin. The Bible urges us to wisely discern what is good and bad. Judgment based on Scripture is considered righteous, but unloving, unmerciful judgment measured out of our own hearts and minds is wrong.
We must avoid condemning others.
When we are tempted to play prosecuting attorney toward a fellow believer, we must remember: we donât have the power to redeem anyone, so we donât have the authority to condemn anyone either.
Often, our own iniquity will act as a filter through which we see everyone else. Our own self-righteousness makes us feel justified when we see someone elseâs sin. But this will do more damage to our spiritual lives than we realize.
Adrian Rogers says, âIt is the hypocritical that are hyper-critical.â
Our own insecurity will also cause us to judge others harshly, because we believe that if we can get others to look more like us, it will make us feel better.
We also judge out of ignorance, assuming we know enough about others to hold them to a certain standard. None of us is wise enough to judge another person; only God is all-knowing, so He alone is the Judge.
Where we judge others with insensitivity, our Lord is full of compassion. While we must know the difference between right and wrong and uphold that standard in our lives, we must choose to show mercy to those who fall short, because that is what we would want, ourselves.
If we show mercy to others, it will be shown to us.
Apply it to your life
Do you find yourself judging others harshly? Remember: how you measure others will be how you, yourself, are measured. Choose mercy today.
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 5:38-42
There is nothing more destabilizing than worry, yet all of us worry more than we should. In Matthew 6:31-32, Jesus says, âTherefore do not worry⊠For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.â
Itâs important to recognize the cause of our worry.
Matthew 6 addresses things we all tend to worry about: food and fashion (v. 25), fitness (v. 27), and the future (v. 34).
We must also understand the cost of worry.
Worrying never solves the problem or lifts the burden. But perhaps most importantly, our worry is a wound in the heart of God; we insult Him if we do not consider Him to be trustworthy.
Adrian Rogers says, âWeâre not to reach out into tomorrow and borrow trouble. Weâre not to pull tomorrowâs clouds over todayâs sunshine.â
We can win the war with worry, if we learn to fully trust in God.
God is a Good Father, and He provides for His children; He does not bring a child into this world that He is not prepared to care for.
We must resolve to focus on the will of God.
âBut seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to youâ (Matthew 6:33).
Worry can be a signal to us that we are not focusing on what we ought to. God will not work in second place to our other concerns. He knows what we need and He can take care of the things in our lives better than we can; we must put Him first and put our trust in Him.
We must surrender our concerns about the future.
âTherefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own troubleâ (Matthew 6:34).
God is in complete control over our lives. He has engineered difficulty for each dayâenough trouble to cause us to turn to Him and receive His grace. But if we borrow tomorrowâs trouble by worrying, weâll find that it buries our blessings, steals our strength, and produces problems.
God knows our frame, and He promises strength for what we will carry today.
Apply it to your life
If you begin to worry today, remember your Father in Heaven, who knows your needs. Focus on seeking the Kingdom of God, and leave the future in Godâs hands.
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 6:19-24
In this plastic world we live in, many of us sell out too cheaply and end up with the wrong thing. Many people think they are wealthy and are not, because they do not have what truly matters. Jesus warns us to make sure we get the real thing, for that is where true satisfaction lies.
Matthew 6:19-20 says, âDo not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heavenâŠâ
First, we must understand what true riches are, so we can possess real wealth.
A man is poor, no matter how much he has, when he seeks satisfaction in his money. Our lives are not a sum of our possessions; when we act as if they are, weâll be empty.
A man is also poor when his money increases his trouble; there comes a point when all that we think we need is actually a burden rather than a blessing.
A man is poor when the goal of his life is making money; this consuming drive will control his character and distort his values.
A man is poor when he has no treasure in Heaven; we will not bring our earthly riches with us into Heaven. Anything of real value is of lasting value; the more we give of it, the more we have of it.
Second, we must perceive real wisdom, which is not intelligence or knowledge; it is seeing things in the correct light.
âThe lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is [a]good, your whole body will be full of lightâ (Matthew 6:22).
Wisdom is found in focusing, single-mindedly, on Jesus and living in the light of that knowledge.
Adrian Rogers says, âYou can go deeper into Christ, but youâll never go beyond Christ.â
Finally, we must make sure we practice real worship.
Worship is not just for church on Sundaysâit is an entire heart posture. It is bowing to the Lord every day. No one can serve two masters; we serve God alone, or not at all. He is Lord of allâthere is no rival, refusal or rebuttalâand He is worthy of all of our worship.
Apply it to your life
Are you certain you have the real thing? Do you possess true wealth, perceive true wisdom, and practice true worship? Consider where your devotion lies today, and pray that you would have a single-minded focus on the Lord.
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Revelation 22
Make-believe is not new to our day and age. Some of the biggest actors in the world are not in Hollywood, but in our churches. The Bible calls them hypocrites, people who pander to a phony world.
Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus has compassion and forgiveness for the sinners, thieves, and prostitutes. However, Matthew 6 shows us He saves His most severe words for the hypocrites.
First, Matthew 6:1-2 illustrates the shameful display of hypocrisy:
âTake heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by themâŠâ (Matthew 6:1).
We are most susceptible to hypocrisy in our areas of deed, devotion, and discipline. When helping others, we must always examine our manner and motive, being careful not to do things for our own glory and praise.
This same principle is true for prayer. The length or the language of our prayers donât impress God (see Matthew 6:7); we are not informing Him of anything He doesnât already know. Rather, prayer invites God into our lives and grants us the privilege of fellowship with Him.
Adrian Rogers says, âPrayer is one of the greatest acts of love and kindness God could ever extend to you. God allows and enables you to join with Him in the administration of the Universe and the affairs of men.â
We must also be sure to fast for the right reasons, without posing (see Matthew 6:16). Our goal in fasting is not to draw attention; it is to get a word from God.
This passage also addresses the sinister danger of hypocrisy.
Hypocrites deceive themselves and others; they are blind leading the blind.
Hypocrites defraud themselves and others; in receiving glory here on Earth, they rob themselves of glory in eternity.
Hypocrisy destroys; it takes the form of godliness but denies the power of it.
We must evaluate our own lives with serious discernment. Hypocrites donât realize they are hypocrites. Knowing this, we must check our motives, live rightly before the Lord, and serve Him out of our love for Him.
Apply it to your life
Take some time to ask yourself, âIs there a little Pharisee in me? Have I been playing a role without realizing it?â
Hypocrites are not always vile, wicked people; they just havenât lived in the reality of knowing God. Be sure to check your motives and serve God with your whole heart.
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 5:38-42
We live in a very self-centered worldâa society tightly wrapped up in itself. But there is joy waiting for those who step outside of themselves, go the miraculous mile, and find selfless, Christ-filled living.
Matthew 5:41-42 says, âAnd whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.â
In Jesusâ day, a Roman soldier could, by law, force a Jew to carry his burdens one mile for him. This was a very humiliating act, and though this law is no longer in effect, the practice of the second mile transcends time and place.
Jesus commands us to do more than what is required by law. There are times when our dignity is degraded, but we are called to go a second mile.
When someone has and expresses a need to us, we are expected to help. While we are not called to enable lawlessness or fraudulence, we are called to act out of love, not just out of obedience.
Adrian Rogers says, âWe do not simply pay what we owe; we look beyond what we owe to see what they need and what we can do with that which God has put in our hand.â
When we begin to live this way, it transforms us and gives us joy weâd never have any other way. It changes our attitude; we go from thinking âI have toâ to âI want to, because my Lord has taught me to.â
Adrian Rogers says, âThe first mile is the slave mile; the second mile is the smile mile. The first mile, you are the victim, but in the second mile, you are the victor.â
Second-mile living also breeds ground for success. The bare minimum has never made anyone happy or wealthy; understanding this transforms our work ethic.
Going the second mile routinely is the key to better relationships and it strengthens our witness. People can see the difference. Living this way will open doors to conversations we wouldnât otherwise have.
Apply it to your life
What does the miracle mile look like in your daily life? Are you willing to put in some extra effort at work? Will you show love to people in a way that makes them see the difference in you?
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 5:31-32; 7:24
We are living in a time of national tragedy, rooted in homes built on throw-away marriages. The American way has created a vicious cycle: divorce produces broken children, and broken children produce broken homes.
Marriage is made in Heaven and is to be worked out here on Earth. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us how important a foundation for the family is.
Matthew 7:24 says, âTherefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rockâŠâ
First, we must remember Godâs designed plan for marriage.
Marriage is a divine institution made by God to meet the deepest needs of humankind. Second to our relationship with God, it is our highest priority. When we commit to another in marriage, we leave our mother and father and unite with our spouse, becoming one fleshâphysically, psychologically, and spiritually.
Together, as husband and wife, we are to raise children to the best of our abilities, so they can be independent followers of Christ.
Adrian Rogers says, âYour job (as a parent) is to work yourself out of a job. A parent is successful when children no longer need them. But you donât work yourself out of a relationship.â
We also see Godâs desire for permanent marriages.
God has said in His Word He hates divorce; He has permitted divorce for the specific occasion of adultery, but He doesnât command it. Instead, we are commanded to love continually.
Adrian Rogers says, âIt is not love that sustains your marriage; it is your marriage that sustains your love.â We must vow to attack the problems rather than one another and steer a broken marriage in the right direction.
Finally, this passage shares that God has declared a pardon for failed marriages.
If youâve experienced divorce and remarriage, thereâs no going backwardâbut this is not an unpardonable sin. Godâs forgiveness is always available; we need only ask for it.
We must be sure, going forward, that we are seeking to honor Him in our relationships, dedicating the home to Him, and making sure He is the foundation of the family weâve created.
Apply it to your life
Is Jesus Christ the foundation of your family? Are you committed to steering your marriage in the right direction? Change what you can change, accept what you cannot change, and commit your marriage to God.
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 5:27-28
The great pollution problem is not in the airâit is in our own hearts and minds. To be happy and useful in the kingdom of God, we must be clean and pure in heart, and that comes from developing a clean thought life.
In Matthew 5:28, Jesus says, âBut I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.â There is a battle for the mind; isolation and insulation can only keep us from the enemyâs pollution for so long. Purity comes from Jesus Christ alone.
Psalm 119:9 asks and answers, âHow can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.â
There are three steps to developing a clean thought life.
Admit your problem and get clean.
We canât fix a problem we donât acknowledge. We must examine our hearts and own up to what unconfessed sins weâve accumulated.
Adrian Rogers says, âGod will never cleanse an excuse or an alibi, but God will always cleanse a sin.â Through Jesus Christ, we can be totally and perfectly clean. If we confess our sins, He will forgive us. (See 1 John 1:9.)
Affirm your purpose to stay clean.
This is too important to be half-hearted about it. We have to prioritize purity and commit to cleanliness; no one else can make the decision for us.
Apply your protection to keep clean.
Our protection is the Word of God. It is the antidote against lust, because Jesus sanctifies us through it. We must commit Scripture to memory and personalize it, realizing He wants to teach us something through it. We must also verbalize it and use it in our praise and testimony. As we give it away, weâll find that it sticks to us and comes to life.
A pure mind is one that is satisfied in the Word of God; it belongs to someone who has found joy and fulfillment in the Lord. When we internalize Scriptureâmeditate on it and ruminate over it with time, quiet, and concentrationâit takes us over from the inside out.
Apply it to your life
Do you struggle with your thought life? Do you want the joy and fulfillment of a clean and pure mind? Admit your problem and get clean, affirm your purpose to stay clean, and apply your protection to keep clean.
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 5:27-28
The home is the fabric of our society, and we are at a crisis point. It is a matter of moral purity and the sanctity of the home. Our enemy knows that if he can destroy the home, he can dominate our society.
Proverbs 5 identifies five factors for the maintenance of sexual purity and building a strong family, so we can win the battle for the home.
The Instruction Factor
Proverbs 5:1-2 says, âMy son, pay attention to my wisdom; lend your ear to my understanding, that you may preserve discretion, and your lips may keep knowledge.â Families often fail due to a lack of wisdom, discretion, and understanding. Our only hope for true wisdom is turning our ears to Godâs instruction. He has given us a bookâHis Word.
The Deception Factor
We must beware of Satanâs snares. Proverbs 5:3-4 says, âFor the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.â In the moment, immorality seems so good, but itâs mere frivolity, flattery, and vitality.
Adrian Rogers says, âSin fascinates and then it assassinates; it thrills and then it kills.â
The Protection Factor
Proverbs 5:8 says, âRemove your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her houseâŠâ
We arenât told to fight off sexual immorality⊠weâre told to flee and stay away from it. We must be careful with what we put in our minds and what comes out of our mouths.
The Destruction Factor
There are deadly consequences of immorality: dissipating our reputations, bodily disease, and disappointment in what we actually get from it. We could also face public disgrace, and sin having dominion over us. If we donât break the chains of sin and repent, it can lead to moral, spiritual, and eternal death.
The Intention Factor
God wants us to enjoy lasting and loving marriages, but the only way to have that is if we do it His way. It is crucial that we pursue purity and win the battle for our homes.
Apply it to your life
Are you living a life of immorality? Understand that God loves you and wants whatâs best for you. He has the power to deliver you from your sin if you will repent from it and flee from immorality.
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 5:20-22
There is no fooling anyone. The golden facades and outer appearances we put on cannot hide a decaying spiritual life. Itâs whatâs inside that counts.
The Pharisees had an outward, external, and superficial form of religion that was ultimately hypocritical. They were careful with how they looked to others, careful to live straight-edge lives, but their hearts were still crooked.
Matthew 5:20 says, âFor I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heavenâŠâ
Jesus ripped away the facade of self-righteousness and showed the Pharisees what was truly deep down in their hearts.
Jesus first addressed the malice of murder.
ââYou have heard that it was said to those of old, âYou shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.â But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, âRaca!â shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, âYou fool!â shall be in danger of hell fireââ (Matthew 5:21:22).
Godâs law states we shall not murder (see Exodus 20:13). But to have hate in your heart toward another person is considered murder in Godâs eyes, because God goes beyond the act and looks at the attitude behind it, and anger is behind murder.
Second, Jesus addressed the acid of anger.
This passage in Matthew explores different kinds of anger. Caustic is the natural feeling of being wronged by a brother. But when undealt with, caustic anger can turn quickly into contemptuous anger. Treating someone with contempt means you feel you are better than others.
Contemptuous anger then turns into condemning anger, which is always harmful for everyone involved.
Ephesians 4:31 says, âLet all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.â
Adrian Rogers says, âBitterness is a feeling of resentment that settles down in your heart when you feel somebody has done you wrong.â
Bitterness leads to wrath, a word that means âslow burnââlike smoldering rags in a closet. But then someone opens the closet door and everything erupts into flames of anger.
But the anger doesnât stop there. Next comes clamoringâraising your voice, shouting and crying. And once youâve lost control of your tone, any sort of evil can come out, leading to expressing yourself in unbecoming ways.
Jesus reminds us of the requirement of righteousness. Self-righteousness is impossible. Real righteousness is imputed by Jesusâ blood and implanted by our new nature.
Apply it to your life
The only answer to the problem of our hearts is the righteousness of Godâimputed and implanted when we are saved. Trust in Jesus and let Him give you a new nature and new attitude today.
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 5:17-18
The Lord Jesus Christ is the One our hearts long for, the One who can fulfill our deepest need. He did not come to destroyârather, He came to fulfill. Jesus is the secret of fulfillment.
Adrian Rogers says, âJesus is the One who can take the pain out of parting, the sorrow out of suffering, the sting out of death, the gloom out of the grave, and can give you a hope that is steadfast and sure.â
In Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus says, âDo not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.â
First, Jesus prophetically fulfills the Word of God.
Jesus appears in every book of the Old Testament, one way or another.
Adrian Rogers says, â(If you) read the prophecies and try to find the meaning⊠and donât see Jesus, youâve missed it all.â
Old Testament Scripture also identifies the Savior as the Son of a mother from a specific family, belonging to a certain tribe, of a designated nation, of a specific section of the human race. Jesus meets the exact criteria; He is the fulfillment of every prophecy. He is in all of the Bible, cover to cover.
Second, Jesus practically fulfills the Word of God.
God has no plan or purpose that does not ultimately center on Jesus Christ. Jesus kept every moral, ceremonial, and judicial law laid out in the Word of God, because He, Himself, was the Word.
Finally, Jesus perfectly fulfills the Word of God.
Through the law, God demands perfection. Jesus Christ met every standard and requirement.
Jesus believed and affirmed the inerrancy, infallibility, and immutability of the Word of God. Jesus and the Scriptures rise and fall together, inextricably woven together for all of time.
Apply it to your life
Jesus came to save sinners; He suffered, bled, and died to pay every debt we owe, to fulfill the law, prophetically, practically, and perfectly. Have you put your trust in Jesus, the fulfillment of the law? Repent, confess, and pray for His grace to fulfill the law in you.
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 5:14; 16
In Matthew 5, Jesus calls us the salt and light of the world. When salt is applied, it goes inward; but light comes from within, and appears outwardly. Salt speaks of character while light speaks of testimony.
This means that, as bright lights in a dark world, we are meant to be people of character and confession.
Matthew 5:14-16 says, âYou are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.â
Who is the light of the world? You.
Adrian Rogers says, âGodâs plan is to take ordinary people and do extraordinary things.â
This world is the darkest itâs ever beenâdeepest in difficulty and lowest in enlightenment. We have substituted intelligence for wisdom. But we, as children of God, have the wisdom of His Word. Though the world considers us foolish, we have learned the mysteries of life and death, through Jesus Christ.
What is the light of the world for? It is meant to shine.
We cannot hide our testimonies or be ashamed of our faithâhiding our light is foolish. We need to tell others what Jesus Christ has done for us. When we are courageous enough to share our faith, we are proving ourselves faithful to God. And when we as Christians come together, our collective light becomes a force of nature, ever more powerful togetherâa city on a hill. (See Matthew 5:14,)
How are we going to be the light of the world?
We let the light of Christ shine, and we keep feeding the flame that burns within us. Education, science, culture, and the worldâs religions cannot save us. It is Christ alone. The life we live is Jesus within us; we have to let the world see it.
Apply it to your life
If we donât shine, who is going to? It is our privilege, our duty, and our responsibility to shine for the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 5:13
Salt is necessary for both physical and spiritual life. Only God could design the chemical makeup of salt: sodium (deadly and explosive) combined with chlorine (noxious and also deadly) make something necessary for life, preservation, and purity.
Likewise, by Godâs divine chemistry of the cross, we as Christians have become new creatures with significant importance to the world around us.
Matthew 5:13 says, âYou are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.â
In this passage, Jesus calls His followers âsalt of the earth.â Once we understand the importance of salt in Jesusâ time and in our own, weâll better understand our role as salt and light to this desperate world.
This passage first clarifies the dynamics of pure salt.
Salt seasons, preserves, and heals; likewise, we are called to preserve truth and to have a zest about our lives that heals this sick world.
But salt also burns and penetrates; it is an irritant that permeates everything it touches. We cannot fear our nature to irritate this corrupt world and permeate Jesus Christ with everything we touch.
This passage also warns us about the dissipation of polluted salt.
Salt that is filled with impurities is worthless and harmful. It kills crops and poisons water. The only safe place for polluted salt is the roadwayâit makes for good cement and nothing more.
Finally, there is a demand for preserving salt.
If there were ever a need, a time, and age for salt to work, it is now. Things once considered sin are now considered sickness, and socially acceptable practice. Banning prayer in public schools, legalizing abortion, an increase in suicide rates and drug use in teens⊠this worldâspecifically our countryâis in desperate need of some salt.
Adrian Rogers says, âNot only is God Americaâs biggest, and only, hope. God is Americaâs biggest threat.â
The only hope to keep this country from moral decay is the salt of the earthâGodâs people. Itâs not too late for a revival to sweep this nation, if only we will repent of our sins and become salt with savor.
Apply it to your life
This world needs some salt. Do you bear the salt and light in which we have been called to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Proverbs 3:5-6
Man is a clever creature, but he has lost his way in the darkness. We live in a day of guided missiles and misguided men, which is a shame because God has cultivated wonderful plans for each of our lives.
Proverbs 3:5-6 explains, âTrust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.â
In order to shed some light on the future, we must first let God choose the way. Every step we take is to be in His plan and for His purpose.
It is difficult to trust in someone we donât know; we must know and love the Lord in order to trust and obey Him. We must receive Godâs wisdom rather than lean on our own understanding. When we search for Godâs wisdom and get serious about knowing His will, He promises that we will find it. When we have complete confidence in God, we will faithfully comply with His plans. Only then will we receive His faithful direction.
Second, we must let God confirm the way. God has promised to direct our paths, and He will do it through the Word of God.
Psalm 119:105 confirms, âYour word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.â The Word of God reveals Godâs will concerning our salvation, the Holy Spirit, and sanctification. God often directs us through prayer; He speaks to our hearts directly as we pray to Him. He also guides through wisdom and directs us by His providence; He is the one who closes and opens doors.
Finally, we must let God clear the way. After we receive faithful direction from God, the Lord clears the path for us.
Adrian Rogers says, âGod will go before you like a bulldozer, He will clear the way. God will open and no man will shut, and God will shut and no man will open. And God Himself will take away the obstacles that keep you from His will for your life.â
Apply it to your life
Are you serious about knowing Godâs will for your life? Express your full dependence on Him and receive His faithful direction. Begin by knowing and trusting Him; then obey Him.
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Isaiah 9:6
The greatest event in human history is when Almighty God stepped out of Heaven, put His feet upon this Earth, and saved us from our sins. Seven centuries before the first Christmas, the prophet Isaiah wrote about the coming Savior, and expressed how His name is wonderful.
Isaiah 9:6 says, âFor unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulderâŠâ
We must understand His supernatural nature.
The baby of Bethlehem was not an ordinary child. He is not part-God, part-man; He is fully God in human flesh and there has never been another like Him. The Bible clearly and plainly states that He was born of a virgin, but His beginning was not at Bethlehem. There was never a time when Jesus was not, and there will never be a time when Jesus is not. He is everlasting, forever God.
This passage also reveals Jesusâ sovereign nobility.
Isaiah 9:7 says, âOf the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever.â God has already declared that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords.
Adrian Rogers says, âYou have to take the cradle and the cross and the crown and put them together, or you donât have the true story of Christmas.â
Finally, this passage shares with us the meaning of Jesusâ saving name.
âAnd His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peaceâ (Isaiah 9:6).
-Wonderful: There is wonder in His name, if only our spiritual eyes can begin to see it.
-Counselor: There is wisdom in His name, the One we rely on to guide and advise us.
-Mighty God: There is wealth in His name, the One to whom everything belongs.
-Everlasting Father: There is worship in His name, for He alone is worthy of worship.
-Prince of Peace: There is welfare in His name; He is the only One who can satisfy the yearning for peace in our hearts.
Apply it to your life
Do you know Jesus Christ as your Wonderful Counselor? Is our Mighty God your Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace? As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, remember His supernatural nature, sovereign nobility and saving name.
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Luke 1:35
Many who donât believe in Jesus will call Him a great moral teacher. But when we look closely at His teachings, we find that He left no room for interpretation. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and the story of Christmas is a tribute to the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:35 says, âAnd the angel answered and said to her, âThe Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.ââ
The doctrine of the Trinity is what makes our faith different from all other faiths.
First, we must recognize the sublime mystery of the Trinity.
We will never understand the Holy Trinity by human investigation, logic, or science. The only way we can know about the Holy Trinity is by divine revelation.
There is one God, and He is a triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If we try to understand it on our own, we will lose our minds; if we deny it, we may lose our souls.
Adrian Rogers says, âI wouldnât have any confidence in a God that I could understand.â
Second, we recognize the sacred history of the Trinity.
John 1:1-3 says, âIn the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.â
There is no contradiction between the three, because they are One. The Trinity, together, created the world, composed the Scriptures, conceived the Christ, and commissioned the Church.
Finally, we recognize the saving ministry of the Trinity.
Through the Holy Trinity, we have our salvation. Salvation has been in the heart and mind of God before we were ever born. The Father thought it, the Son bought it, and the Holy Spirit wrought it.
Adrian Rogers says, âYou have been selected by the Father, saved by the Son, and sealed by the Spirit.â
Because of the mystery of the manger, the blessing of Bethlehem, and the treasures of the Trinity, we can never lose our salvation.
Apply it to your life
Itâs not enough to simply accept the intellectual premise of the Holy Trinity. Give your heart to Jesus, the Son of God.
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Micah 5:2
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but His existence did not begin in Bethlehem; He has been from everlasting. The Book of Micah offers us a clear picture of Christmas to come in the Old Testament.
Micah 5:2 says, âBut you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.â
Adrian Rogers says, âWithout the Lord Jesus, the Old Testament is simply a bundle of unfulfilled prophecies, of unexplained ceremonies, of unattainable laws. But when you bring Jesus into it, it unlocks the whole thing.â
First, there are portraits of Jesus in the Old Testament.
In Luke 24:44, Jesus says, âThese are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.â
Jesus is who all the Old Testament prophets have given witness to. He is portrayed as the Prophet, Priest, and King of every story from Genesis to Malachi. He is in every ceremony, and even in the design of biblical architecture such as the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. When we read the New Testament, we find the fulfillment of each law and prophecy.
Second, there are prophecies of Jesus in the Old Testament.
There are more than 300 prophecies concerning the Messiah in the Old Testament. Throughout the Books of Law and Prophecy, God narrows the focus to a specific man from the nation of Israel.
He would come from the Tribe of Judah, specifically the family of Jesse, and the household of David. He would be born of a virgin in Bethlehem, betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, crucified, and then raised from the dead.
Jesus fulfilled each of these prophecies, and many more. Mathematically, when we speak of the laws of probability, there is no doubt He is the Messiah.
Finally, Jesus is presented in the Old Testament.
We must decide how we will respond. Do we crown Him or crucify Himâaccept or reject Him?
As we study Scripture, weâll find that we can believe the Bible and trust Him as our Savior.
Apply it to your life
Jesus has been presented to us in the Old and New Testaments. How will you respond? Do you believe in Him? Do you accept Him as your Lord and Savior?
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: John 3
Birth is, perhaps, the greatest miracle each of us has ever experienced. But John 3 mentions an even greater second birth for those who are born again in Jesus Christ.
In John 3, the Pharisee Nicodemus represents the problem of the sinnerâs birth.
âJesus answered and said to him, âMost assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of Godââ (John 3:3).
Because Nicodemus was born into the natural world, he was bound to the sinful world. Those of us once-born have a sinful nature. There is no âcleaning upâ our nature before we get saved.
Our sinful nature also blinds us to the spiritual world. Adrian Rogers says, âI can preach truth, but only the Holy Spirit can impart truth. They may get the words, but theyâll never get the music unless the Holy Spirit of God turns the light on in their soul.â
But this passage also reveals the purpose of the Saviorâs birth.
âFor God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting lifeâ (John 3:16).
Jesus came, being born of a virgin, to redeem us, to reveal the truth of God to us, and to restore us to be what God made us to be.
Then, we experience the second birth.
God breathes new life into us, and we become completely new creations. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit are the âparentsâ of our new birth. As a result, our new character mimics that of our spiritual parents. (See John 3:5.)
We love the Lord Jesus Christ and have the witness of the Spirit. We have the nature of our Father and desire to share Jesus with others.
Just like there is a finality in our natural birth, once we are saved, we are always saved; we receive a fresh start and begin to grow with the certainty of our miraculous rebirth.
Adrian Rogers says, âA newborn child has no yesterdays; heâs all tomorrows. So it is with the new birth: we receive a brand new future; our past is in the grave of Godâs forgetfulness.â
Apply it to your life
Do you have the markers of a twice-born believer? Do you love Jesus, have the inner witness of the Spirit? Do you have the nature of your Heavenly Father, and a desire to share the Gospel with others?
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Acts 10:43
In Acts 10, Simon Peter testifies to the household of Cornelius, and reveals that Jesus is the Christ of the Old Testament. âTo Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sinsâ (Acts 10:43).
Adrian Rogers says, âJesus is the master key that unlocks the mysteries of the Old Testament.â
First, the Old Testament is a portrait of Jesus, who was to come.
In Luke 24:44, Jesus says, âThese are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.â
Jesus is who all the Old Testament prophets have given witness to. He is portrayed as the Prophet, Priest and King of every story, from Genesis to Malachi. And when we read the New Testament, we find the fulfillment of each law and prophecy.
Adrian Roger says, âThe Old Testament, without the Lord Jesus Christ, would be a dead-end road leading to nowhere, and yet, as you look at the Bible and back off and see it, you see Jesus everywhereâProphet, Priest, and King.â
Second, the Old Testament reveals the prophecies of Jesus Christ, who has come.
There are more than 300 prophecies concerning the Messiah in the Old Testament. Throughout the Books of Law and Prophecy, God narrows the focus on a specific man from Godâs chosen race, the nation of Israel. He was to come from the tribe of Judah, specifically from the family of Jesse and the household of David. The Messiah would be born of a virgin in Bethlehem, betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, crucified by the piercing of His hands, and then raised from the dead.
Jesus fulfilled each of these prophecies, and many more. According to the law of mathematical probability, there is no doubt He is the Messiah. And according to the Book of Revelation, He will come again.
Apply it to your life
Do you trust in the Word of God, and the God of that Word? You donât have to understand how God runs the mighty Universe to put your faith and trust in Him.
Adrian Rogers says, âTrue faith is rooted in evidence, true faith goes beyond evidence, and true faith becomes its own best evidence.â
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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Acts 10:34
Would you be prepared to share your faith the moment someone asks about it?
Adrian Rogers says, âWe tell people to keep the faith; not only should you keep it, but you ought also to give it away.â Winning souls is not only a command of God but also a great privilege. God doesnât send angels to win souls, He sends us.
In Acts 10, Simon Peter is invited into the home of Cornelius, a Roman officer, to share his faith with him and his household.
In response, Peter gives a three-fold testimony that reveals how we can share our faith.
Acts 10:34-35 says, âThen Peter opened his mouth and said: âIn truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.ââ Peter, a Jew, preached the message of salvation to the first Gentile, claiming that the door of salvation is wide: anyone who wants to enter may come. But the way is very narrow: Jesus is the only way to Heaven. If we are not saved by Jesus alone, we are not saved at all.
First, Peter has a personal confidence as a soul-winner.
Having walked with Jesus and witnessed Him firsthand, Peter has unmatched confidence in the virtuous life, vicarious death, and victorious resurrection of Christ. Likewise, despite our differences in opinions, what holds us together as believers is our united confidence in Jesus Christ.
Second, Peter has the powerful confirmation of the Scriptures.
The Old Testament bears witness that every prophecy is fulfilled by Jesus Christ.
Finally, Peter bears the persuasive conviction of the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit of God anoints Peter, so that his words may convince and convict Cornelius and his family.
Peterâs confidence, Scriptureâs confirmation, and the Spiritâs conviction form a three-fold cord that is not easily broken.
Remember, as believers, we are not waiting on the Holy Spirit. God has already sent Him to strengthen and empower us to witness to others.
Apply it to your life
Are you confident in Jesus Christ? Do you know enough Scripture to use it to convince someone about the Lord? Have you asked God, through the Holy Spirit, to use your testimony to convict others? Learn to share your faith!
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