Love Worth Finding | Audio Program

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Acts 8:5-24Contrary to popular belief, the devil is very much for religion; in fact, he uses religion to oppose the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the Book of Revelation, the Bible prophecies that in the Last Days, there will not be a lack of religion; there will be more than ever. Men will have religion without reality; they will not know God, and yet they will be very religious. It is vital that we recognize the warnings and refute the devil’s religion, lest we fall into its deception.-Beware of the devilish power of false religion.-Beware of the devilish pride of false religion.-Beware of the devilish pretense of false religion.-Beware of the devilish poison of false religion.In Acts 8, a man named Simon was practicing what the Bible calls “sorcery.” He had tapped into a devilish, unholy, supernatural power so great, it left his city in awe.We must remember that the devil is a deceiver, and he often uses miracles and signs to deceive even those who believe they are Christians.Acts 8:9 says, “But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one.”Simon was inflated with ego. The hallmark of false religion is pride. Remember: It was pride that made the devil, the devil.There are two kinds of believers described in Acts 8:12-13: possessors and pretenders.The difference is in the object of their belief. Simon the sorcerer was interested in power that he could get hold of. When he saw the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, laying their hands on people and giving healing and restoration, he wanted it.Adrian Rogers says, “Because false religion is egocentric, it is always rooted in what I can get and not in what I can give.”False religion poisons everything it touches. It can’t make a person free; you are ensnared and undelivered from sin and temptation, left unfulfilled and unsatisfied, bitter and in bondage.The only remedy to false religion is repentance of sins of the spirit. Receive the Holy Spirit through a relationship with Christ.Apply it to your lifeHave you been ensnared by the dangers of false religion? Do you need to repent of the sins of the spirit? Repent; stand on the word of God.

Sermon OverviewScripture Reference: Proverbs 14:34Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”If we want to know what is wrong with our great nation, we should first look in the mirror. By and large, nations receive the kind of government they deserve. What we expect out of our Constitution and government today is not something they were designed to do. At this crucial time in our nation, we need to understand the only hope for America is God.First, righteousness is the exaltation of a nation.Righteousness and liberty are inextricably woven; there is no true liberty without true righteousness.Adrian Rogers says, “Righteousness is living responsibly under God.”Righteousness is assuming our God-given responsibilities as a citizen of the kingdom of God, and this country. Our liberty directly correlates with our character; when we lose responsibility, we lose character, and then we lose righteousness. Adrian Rogers says, “People who cannot live responsibly from within will be governed from without.”The Word of God teaches responsibilities of the Church, to the government, and vice versa.Respectfully, we do not want the government infringing upon our religious affairs. Likewise, as Christian citizens, we have a civic duty to pray for our government leaders, pay our taxes and express patriotism.Second, reproach is the humiliation of a nation.The government’s purpose is not to meet our needs; it is to protect us from tyranny and punish evildoers. However, the erosion of character has led to a perverted nation. We as a people have become too dependent upon the government to provide, and therefore, control us. But the government only gives what it first takes away. The government’s influence grows larger as our nation’s character dwindles more and more.Finally, revival is the restoration of a nation.America needs a new birth of freedom, and God is our only hope of that. We, as His people, are called to be salt and light—to purify, heal, preserve; to illuminate, guide and expose. (See Matthew 5:13-16.) We are not to go out and make demands for our liberty; instead, we must assume our responsibility, and let our character permeate our society.Apply it to your lifeIt is not too late for America—liberty comes when God’s people assume their responsibility. Pray for a revival to break out across this nation today.

Sermon OverviewScripture Reference: Nehemiah 1:1-3The America of today is not the America that we once knew. This nation has been taken captive by the world, the flesh, and the devil.God has blessed America; but we have created greed out of abundance, turning freedom into license to sin. There is hope, as there was hope in the days of Nehemiah, but we must be committed to calling America back to God.In the days of the Old Testament, God’s people had been taken captive and carried away to a foreign land. In Nehemiah 1:1-3, Nehemiah, a cup-bearer to the king, heard about Jerusalem where a nation’s glory was now buried beneath despair.Nehemiah’s first response was to visualize the situation: he wanted to see the situation for what it was.City walls are for protection, and in this passage, Jerusalem’s walls had fallen. Spiritually, America’s walls of defense have fallen, and we are vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks.We must get an accurate picture of how our nation’s moral walls have decayed, and how our spiritual gates have burned; once we picture it in our minds, it should break our hearts.“So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven” (Nehemiah 1:4).Nehemiah agonized over Jerusalem; he wept and prayed over the ruins of his home.Adrian Rogers said, “The things that break the heart of Almighty God ought to break our hearts.”Nehemiah’s prayer was filled with contrition, confession, and confidence. He prayed the Word of God, reminding God of His own promises to gather and restore those who have been scattered for His own sake. (See Nehemiah 1:8-9.)Finally, after committing himself completely to God and fasting and praying for four months, Nehemiah organized. He risked his own life and livelihood when he sought the king’s permission, protection, and provision to go on mission to restore the walls of Jerusalem.God is primarily looking for our obedience, faith, and love. When we get serious about serving Him—when we have visualized, agonized, and organized—He will grant us permission to carry out His will, with His protection and provision.Apply it to your lifeWould you commit to fasting and praying for America? Visualize the ways this nation is in trouble. Agonize in prayer for our country—praying with contrition, confession, confidence, and commitment.

Sermon OverviewScripture Reference: Psalm 78America did not just happen; America was a gift from God. However, it seems as though the virtues and values upon which this nation was built have been trampled. What legacy are we going to leave for the generation to come? What is the America of tomorrow?It could look like Psalm 78. In this passage, God had blessed the nation Israel, delivered the people from the chains of slavery, and brought them into a good land. Yet, they defiled the land, denied the Lord, and disobeyed the new law.If we want to avoid the judgment given in Psalm 78, we must heed to this ancient truth in today's world, following three practical ways.First, we need to proclaim our history.As a country: America has a distinct spiritual heritage. We must teach our children America’s history of trusting in God.As a family: How did your family come to know Jesus? Do your children know the story of how the Gospel changed their heritage?As a church: It is crucial to remain rooted in the infallible Word of God our churches were built upon.As an individual: We must understand and acknowledge what God has done in our lives and tell the generation to come.Next, we need to retain our memory.As a nation, we have three evil principalities at work, trying to manipulate our perspectives. We see them exemplified in Psalm 78:The lust of the flesh: Rather than thanking God for blessings, Israel asked for more, testing His graciousness.The lure of the world: The people broke God’s heart by forgetting Him; they renovated the nation to exclude the One upon whom it was built.The lies of the devil: The one who steals, kills, and destroys was behind it all.Finally, we must reclaim our legacy.Adrian Rogers says, “Not only is God our greatest hope, but God is also our biggest threat. And the nation that was born in 1776 must be born again or we will join the graveyard of the nations.”The America of tomorrow depends on our decision to reclaim our legacy. We must do the best we can with what we’ve got, every chance we get.Apply it to your lifeOur only hope is to review our history, renew our memory, and reclaim our legacy. For the sake of the generation to come, repent and turn to God.

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 13:3Anyone can learn the facts and study history, but they cannot understand the deeper things of God unless they have a personal relationship with Him. To those who do not have the Holy Spirit within to illumine and interpret the Word of God, the Bible remains a mystery.In Matthew 13:11, Jesus says, “…it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.”Jesus’ parables in Matthew 13 reveal seven sacred secrets we can only know if we know God personally.Expect many to reject the Gospel. (See Matthew 13:18-23.)Jesus knew the hardness of human hearts. In the Parable of the Sower, He explains that there are only a faithful few. He expects to be rejected by many. As soul winners, we should expect the same thing, but not let it discourage us from continuing to share the Gospel.Expect many church members to be hypocrites. (See Matthew 13:24-30.)Every church has hypocrites, but hypocrisy does not mean the Gospel has failed. It is not our job to separate the hypocrites from the true believers. Our business is to preach the Gospel.Expect the rise of false cults. (See Matthew 13:31-32.)The Bible tells us there will be an increase of false religion in the Last Days.Expect corruption in the professing church. (See Matthew 13:33.)The devil is at work in the church; he infiltrates it with spiritual “leaven,” which works stealthily to puff up the whole body. Anywhere there is right fellowship with God, expect traces of corruption and arrogance.Expect God to keep His word to the nation Israel. (See Matthew 13:44.)If we are wise, we will keep our eyes on Israel; we will see for ourselves what God has promised to do through His chosen people.Expect Jesus to be building His Church. (See Matthew 13:45-46.)Despite the rise of false religion and cults, Jesus will continue to build His Church, making her undivided and beautiful.Expect God to bring it all to judgment. (See Matthew 13:47-50.)God sees it all; He will bring about judgment upon the righteous and the wicked.Apply it to your lifeAre you a soul winner? Remember: your job is to share the Gospel, despite discouragement or rejection.Adrian Rogers says, “God’s job is to sort the catch; our job is to draw the net.”

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 13:45Jesus taught us profound, heavenly lessons in the most practical parables. However, despite its simplicity, the strange mystery of the precious pearl is often misinterpreted by the most devoted believers.Jesus said in Matthew 13:45-46, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”Some may think the merchant of the story is the lost sinner seeking the Lord Jesus. But this isn’t so—a sinner cannot initiate the search for God unless God has first initiated that desire in him.Ever since the beginning of time, God has been seeking Man.Adrian Rogers says, “If you sought Him, it was because He first sought you.”The bankrupt sinner cannot buy Christ; even if he had anything to buy Him with, Jesus Christ is not for sale.Salvation cannot be bought or earned. Therefore, the pearl of great price is not Jesus.The pearl is the Church, and the merchant is the Lord Jesus, who purchased the Church with His own precious blood.Much like a pearl is formed in the deep—grown through impurity, dirt, grit, and irritation—the Church has gone from depth to height, from guilt to glory. To divide it is to destroy it. Christ’s Bride is one Church without spot, wrinkle, or any blemish whatsoever.The merchant sold everything He had to buy this pearl. He sought it out, and considered it beautiful; to him, it was worth every penny.Adrian Rogers says, “God doesn’t love us because we’re valuable; we’re valuable because He loves us.”Jesus Christ stepped out of glory and into time to pay the price for us. He suffered and died, purchasing us with His own blood. He knew the cost—at every turn of His life, He was reminded of the suffering He would face—yet He paid it anyway.God loves us and greatly desires us. We are sinners, and on our own, we are helpless to save ourselves. But Jesus Christ is the answer. He covered us with His own grace and made us something beautiful.Apply it to your lifeDo you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who paid a great price to have you and keep you? Thank Him for His sacrifice and praise Him for the salvation He’s freely given.

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 13:44Adrian Rogers says, “A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.”The Parable of the Hidden Treasure is a short, but often misinterpreted, teaching of Jesus. We often believe this is about a man finding the treasure of salvation and giving up everything to have it. But if we look closer at the strange mystery of the buried treasure, we’ll see this is not the correct way to read it.Jesus said in Matthew 13:44, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”First, the field is the world, meaning the treasure cannot be Jesus. We cannot buy the field or the treasure in the field because the Gospel is not for sale. Salvation is the free gift of God.Rather, the man represents Jesus, and the treasure hidden in the field is the nation Israel.Israel is a treasure sovereignly chosen by God. As Israel goes, so goes the world; the Bible is full of evidence that Israel is God’s treasured people.Israel is also a treasure sadly covered. When Jesus came into this world, Israel was lost unto her original plan and purpose. The kingdom God had promised to His people was languishing, as Israel suffered under the thumb of Rome.But Israel is also a treasure sovereignly claimed. When Jesus came, He uncovered Israel and claimed her as His own. As a shepherd seeks the lost sheep, Jesus came for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (See Matthew 15:24.)Remember, the man in the parable, Jesus, not only revealed the treasure—He covered it back up again and went to redeem it. He’s the one who paid the price to buy the field. This tells us that Jesus is coming back to reclaim Israel in the Last Days.Israel is buried in the field—suffering unspeakable atrocities and persecution. Yet God will keep His word to Israel, His treasure.What does this mean for us? It means everything is on schedule—God has sovereignly kept His word to Israel, so we know He will keep His word to us. And the signs of the times are telling us that our Lord is about to uncover the treasure He bought.Apply it to your lifePray for Israel, God’s chosen nation, as we live in the Last Days.

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 13:33The Parable of the Unleavened Bread is one of Jesus’ most misunderstood parables; if we read it incorrectly, we may find ourselves discouraged by it. This parable does not teach that the Gospel will permeate the whole world; in fact, Christians are considered a faithful few.Adrian Rogers says, “The Gospel was never given to save civilization from wreckage, the Gospel is given to save Man from the wreckage of civilization.”Rather, this parable warns us about the devil’s deception in the Last Days, and what we can do to protect the true Bride of Christ.Jesus said in Matthew 13:33, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”The mention of three measures of meal takes us back to the Old Testament, in the days of Abraham and Sarah (see Genesis 18:6) and Gideon (see Judges 6:19).This custom of baking bread for guests is something that satisfies the heart and mind of God because it speaks of communion and fellowship. We, the Church, are the bread—mingled together, being brought through the fire as one loaf.Leaven works quietly, undetected—yet it causes fermentation and corruption. In the Bible, unleavened bread stands for sincerity and truth, while leavened bread speaks of malice and wickedness.Jesus compares the legalism of the Pharisees and the liberalism of the Sadducees to leaven. He also compares Herod’s love of pleasure to leaven because he valued pleasure over God. (See Mark 8:15.)We must be sure to purge the leaven out of the Church because a little bit of it leavens the whole lump. The sneaky housewife in this passage represents devilish, deliberate, deception.If the Church is the Bride of Christ, this woman represents the bride of the devil, which is the false church. She represents Satan’s work in the Last Days, infiltrating the Church with legalism, liberalism, and love of self.Understanding the parable this way, we can combat false expectations and discouragement. God, who teaches us these things, has built the true Church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.Apply it to your lifeAre you aware of the leaven of legalism, liberalism, and love of self? Purge your own life of these things. Praise God for the true Church, and the fact that He will protect her in these last days.

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 13In Matthew 13, Jesus teaches us secrets of the kingdom of God through seven parables. In these prophetic stories, the Lord Jesus is beginning something new. Yet the enemy has many ways to sabotage His good work.In the Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32), Jesus is the one planting seeds of faith for a godly crop.The Godly CropThe mustard seed is small, emphasizing the faithful few of the kingdom of God. It is simple, bypassing grandiosity and fanfare, and boils down to Jesus’ love for us. Yet it is also strong; faith like a grain of mustard seed can move mountains (see Matthew 17:20).The secret of a seed is that it has the germ of life within it; it can reproduce itself over and over again. The seed begins to grow and becomes a shrub, which represents the growth of the Gospel in the lives of believers. It is not huge like a mighty oak, yet it bears whatever flowers, fruit, or seeds are within it. It doesn’t speak of prominence; rather, lowliness.Another CropBut we also see in this parable a strange shade—defying nature, the shrub develops into a tree. The spiritual meaning of this abnormality is rooted in Daniel 4. In a prophecy, Daniel typifies false religion as a monstrous tree—the final form of apostasy in the final days.The rise of false cults that deny the Bible are likened to this tree. The same devilish birds that come and steal the seed in the Parable of the Sower, come and lodge in the branches of apostasy.Adrian Rogers says, “Satan is not against religion; he uses religion to accomplish his purpose.”The birds in the branches of apostasy are not easily spotted, because the devil is a master of deception and camouflage.We can identify these birds by their messages, using five tests. As you evaluate the messages you hear, use these five tests:1. Source Test: Is the Bible the basis of his teaching?2. Savior Test: Does he believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?3. Subject Test: Is the primary focus of his teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ?4. Salvation Test: Does he teach salvation by grace alone?5. Sanctification Test: Does he teach and endeavor to live a holy life?Apply it to your lifeAre you on the lookout to identify the dirty birds who rest on the branches of false religion? Remember these five tests, and be careful regarding who you listen to.

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 13:24-30, 37-40Not everybody who claims to be a Christian is a genuine Christian. Hypocrisy is a confusing and bewildering thing. Through the parable of the wheat and tares, Jesus shows us how He deals with counterfeits.Matthew 13:24-30 is a word of comfort, warning, and instruction for those caught in the strange mystery of the counterfeit Christian.“Another parable He put forth to them, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared’” (Matthew 13:24-26).First, we see the sowing of the tares.The tares in the parable came from the chief counterfeiter himself, Satan. The devil wants worship and false believers. He has convinced hypocrites to follow a false Jesus and false spirit. (See 2 Corinthians 11:4.) He has false ministers to produce false brothers and proclaim a false gospel. (See 2 Corinthians 11:13-15.)We shouldn’t let hypocrites keep us from seeking true fellowship with God and with each other; counterfeits copy what is worthwhile.Adrian Rogers says, “Every false Christian that you see is a testimony to the good, the worth, and the reality of the real.”God is well aware of counterfeits; they may pass through the world with ease, but God cannot be fooled.Second, we see the growing of the tares.No matter how tempting it may be, we cannot uproot false religion; it’ll do more harm than good. God is the judge, not us. Every church must exercise discipline—not meant to root out and remove but rather to reclaim and restore.Finally, we see the knowing of the tares.The wheat and the tares will be discerned at the harvest. God tolerates the tares for the sake of the wheat; He waits until they are all ripe before He sends the reapers. He does not judge now, because it is too early. Our influence, whether for good or for evil, goes on and on after we die. God collects the evidence of our influence.Apply it to your lifeAdrian Rogers urges us to:1. Make certain of your salvation.2. If you are not saved, don’t let a counterfeit Christian keep you out of heaven.3. If you are a counterfeit Christian, repent and receive Christ as your Lord and Savior.