Afleveringen
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Luke 22:39-47
In Luke 22, Jesus told His disciples about His coming crucifixion at the Last Supper. When He later came to the garden of Gethsemane, He prayed three times: Lord, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.
This wasn’t a literal cup; rather, a symbolic cup, meaning to experience something fully. Was He afraid of His coming crucifixion? Did the cup symbolize the physical pain He would soon feel? What was it that caused Jesus to dread the drinking of that cup? It was sin; every sin through all the ages polluted the cup, as well as the punishment of that sin. It was not the physical pain He would feel that caused Him to plead for another way. No; it was the vileness and filth of sin He would soon take on that caused Him agony. And the silence from heaven said, there is no other way.
God will never overlook sin, for He is holy. By His holiness, He has sworn that sin will be punished. So, when Jesus took on our sins, God the Father, in holy justice, treated Jesus as if He were a sinner, and punished Him as such. Jesus knew this, yet He consumed the contents of the cup anyway. He chose it.
In His holy humanity, Jesus shrank back. But in His divine love, He said, “Thy will be done.”
Jesus wrestled between His holy humanity and His divine love. His love won. Adrian Rogers says, “The cross is God’s way to punish sin and forgive the sinner at the same time.”
There is one more cup, one that we drink. Just before Jesus went into Gethsemane, Jesus was at last supper with his disciples. He told them: this is the New Testament in my blood. Drink it.
This is the cup of communion, and it is ours to drink.
He drank the cup of sin that we might have the cup of redemption.
Apply it to your life
Have you accepted the cup of communion? Have you wrestled with submitting your will to the Father? Can you truly say, “Not my will, but Yours be done?”
Adrian Rogers says, “As I look at dark Gethsemane, there are two things it tells me. Number one, I want to hate sin. Number two, I want to love Jesus Christ.”
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 14:19
The Book of Romans offers a sure word for an unsure age and calls for unity in a divided world. Jesus wants unity in His Church because togetherness is to our great advantage as believers and the thing our enemy dreads most.
When we are anointed by the Holy Spirit as one body, pursuing the things that make for peace among us, the Church is unstoppable.
Romans 14:19 says, “Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.”
Unity is a matter of lordship.
Earlier in Romans 14, Paul addresses disputes within the Roman church over diets and holy days. Paul urges believers not to divide over incidentals, but to devote themselves to one another. Paul tells them to receive their weaker brothers or sisters because their salvation is from God. Their service, security, and stewardship are found in Him alone. Rather than judging one another, Paul reminds them that we all answer to God, and only He is able to make us stand.
Unity is also a matter of liberty.
As Romans 14:17 says, “...for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Liberty has its rights, but it also bears its responsibilities.
Adrian Rogers says, “It is wrong for people in church to take their liberties and try to make such rights out of them that they wound the fellowship.” Many things we consider fundamental in church are in fact incidental. We must recognize them as such and choose to love each other over our own preferences.
Finally, unity is a matter of love.
Unity ignites love within the Church, and love will do many things for our fellowship. Love keeps our brothers from stumbling; it does not give reason for sorrow or separation. Love maintains unity in the Church and dispels reason for suspicion.
Romans 14:22 says, “Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.”
Love covers all offenses, and helps the fellowship grow in knowledge and grace together.
Apply it to your life
If you belong to a church, seek the things that make for peace; don’t divide over incidentals, opinions, or offenses. Exercise your rights in love, receiving one another and bearing your responsibility as a believer.
-
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 13:11-14
In Romans 13:11-14, the Apostle Paul sounds the alarm to let us know that the enemy is near.
As we see anarchy in this world, apostasy in the church and apathy in our pews, this wake-up call for the Church is as urgent today as it was when Paul first wrote it.
“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:11-12).
It’s later in this age than we may think. We only have so many more days and hours yet to serve Jesus. There are unparalleled opportunities to preach the Gospel today that we will not get back. We cannot roll over and yawn in the face of God; it's time to wake up.
It’s also time to clean up. Romans 13:13 says, “Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.”
This passage tells us to put off carousing, sexual immorality, shamelessness, and covetousness. In an un-blushable generation that boasts in its sin, we are called to a higher standard of clean living.
Finally, it’s time to dress up: “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Romans 13:14).
Lord means Master: when we put Him on, He will give us direction in the way we should go.
Jesus means Savior: in this vile world, Jesus is the only one who can deliver us from evil.
Christ means King: He rules over us, and when we wear Him, He teaches us how to rule in this life.
In this world, we must wear Jesus like a robe of righteousness, making no provision for the flesh. If we let Him, He will cover our sorrows and tears, our failures and shame.
Apply it to your life
The hour is late; don’t pull the cover over your head and press snooze; it’s time to wake up, clean up, and dress up.
Adrian Rogers says, “Life is too short, eternity is too long, souls are too precious, and the Gospel is too wonderful for us to sleep through it all.”
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 13:1-7
What does the Bible say about Christian citizenship? What are our responsibilities, duties, and rights? What are Christians to do, to think, and how are we instructed to behave?
Many Christian citizens shy away from political involvement for various reasons. Some are discouraged, and others are intimidated or annoyed. But Romans 13:1-7 encourages us first to look at the reasons for human government.
The Bible tells us that human government is ordained by God. Daniel 2:21 says, “He [the Lord] removes kings and raises up kings." God ordains human government for two reasons: to restrain evil and to reward good.
Romans 13 also outlines the requirements for human government. And in Matthew 22, Jesus tells the people, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21).
As Christians, our responsibility is, first and foremost, to God; but we do have a responsibility to human government. Adrian Rogers says, “Separation of church and state does not mean the separation of God and government.” The government is here to restrain evil. The church is here to preach the Gospel. The state is not the master of the church, and the church is not the master of the state. The church is the conscience of the state. We are here to hold up a standard of truth.
There are six duties Christian citizens have concerning our government.
Pay our government: Jesus paid His taxes; we ought to do likewise.
Pray for our government: Adrian Rogers says, “The greatest responsibility in America is not in the White House but in the church house.”
Praise our government: We are to give honor to whom honor is due.
Preach to our country: Adrian Rogers says, “We dare not identify the Christian faith with the Democrat or the Republican Party. We need to be free to tell both parties to repent and get right with God.”
Participate in our government: Christians are to participate, not on the basis of parties, but principles. We are to be informed.
Persuade our government: Our hope for America is to change public opinion. The Great Commission remains the same: we are instructed to win souls for Jesus Christ.
Apply it to your life
Have you been a good steward of your Christian citizenship? Are you involved? Get informed and pray for our government.
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: James 1:19
Adrian Rogers says, “We’re in the business of serving the Lord, and God has given to every one of us a ministry.”
As we mature in our faith, we are called to find our place of service. The days we’re living are desperate; it’s time we discover our individual ministry to serve the Body of Christ.
Romans 12 offers four principles to remember when discovering our ministry.
The first principle is lordship.
Romans 12:1 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
Before we ask God for answers about our ministry, we must present ourselves for His service. We must remember that He has shown tremendous mercy, that when we were rebels, God saved and secured us. We are required to present ourselves to Him as living sacrifices. As a result, we will be transformed. When we present ourselves as living sacrifices, our inner nature, which is Jesus, comes to the surface and people see Him through us. With our minds renewed to look like Christ’s, we are able to make assessments that we could never make before. We are able to think, not with human rationality, nor human intellect or intuition, but with divine guidance.
The second principle is membership.
“…so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another…” (Romans 12:5).
Many of us don’t know our ministry, because we’ve looked for it outside of the Body of Christ. We need each other, and to say otherwise is sheer pride and arrogance.
The third principle is stewardship.
“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them…” (Romans 12:6).
We are stewards over the gifts God has given us; we must use them wherever and however God guides us.
The final principle is fellowship.
“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another...” (Romans 12:10).
If we abide by these four principles, God will use us so deeply for one another to prove what is good and acceptable; we will be examples of the perfect will of God.
Apply it to your life
Have you discovered your ministry? Abide by the principles of lordship, membership, and stewardship; continue in fellowship with other believers.
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 11:36
Everything begins with God. He is the source of all things, and everything leads back to Him. Everywhere we look, we see that Jesus is the power, preserver, and purpose of creation. Romans 11:36 says, “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”
When we understand that prayer is a cycle—that, like everything else in this world, it revolves around Jesus—we will learn the secret of effectual prayer.
The origin of prayer is rooted in the purposes of God.
God has given us the privilege of working with Him. Prayer creates a special bond with our Creator, who designed us to depend upon Him.
Prayer is also God’s way of disciplining us; any prayer that is not rooted in God’s will does not come to fruition.
Adrian Rogers says, “Prayer does not bend God’s will to fit our will; prayer finds the will of God and gets in on it.”
The operation of prayer relies on the power of God.
God gives us the desire to pray; as sinful creatures, we have a natural inclination not to pray. Once we are saved, God puts His Spirit in our hearts which stirs up the desire to pray.
He also gives us direction in our prayers: guiding us in what we should ask for and leading us to know the will of God.
We can’t conjure up faith, or make ourselves believe by our own strength. The dynamic of faith comes by hearing the Word of God; when He speaks in our alone time with Him, our faith grows.
Finally, the objective of prayer is the praise of God.
The purpose of prayer is to glorify God. When we become interested in His glory over our own personal glory, we’ll see our prayers answered.
Adrian Rogers says, “Prayer goes into God’s presence to carry something away. Praise goes into God’s presence just to stay there forever and ever.”
Apply it to your life
The secret of effectual prayer is that it happens by God, through God, and to God. Spend some time in prayer today and ask God to direct your prayers, so that you may know His Will. Spend some time praising Him today, as well; stay in His presence and seek His glory.
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 11:1
Because Israel is God’s chosen nation, it is the center of prophecy, of the approaching storm, of peace and glory.
No matter how bleak it may seem for Israel in these gloriously dark days, God does not break His promises or alter His Word. He has not forgotten His covenant with Israel.
In Romans 11, Paul recognizes five reasons God is not through with the Jews.
First, there is coming a day when Israel will see Jesus as Paul did on His way to Damascus. As Paul became a witness to the nations of the world, so will the Jews.
Adrian Rogers says, “If you don’t think that Israel can come to Christ, you don’t understand the power of God. The same power that convicted the apostle Paul is the power that will bring the Jews to Jesus.”
Second, God always has a remnant according to His grace; He is the One who preserves Israel, nationally and personally. Because of God’s promises, the Jewish faith is indestructible.
Third, God has a magnificent plan to bring back Israel, which has fallen away. By providing their salvation and allowing them to live godly lives, God uses the Gentiles to show the Jews the joy, love, faith, and victory we have in Christ.
Romans 11:11 says, “I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.”
Israel is not simply a reservoir into which God pours His blessings; Israel is His pipeline through which God dispersed His blessings.
Fourth, God will continue to keep His promises to Abraham, in whom the Jewish race is rooted. Romans 11:16 says, “For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.”
Finally, God will consummate His purpose with the Jews in His time, through His Son, and according to His Word. His plan will be enacted by His grace, for His glory. Jews who trust in God are the true Israel and they will be saved.
Apply it to your life
These are exciting days, as God is dramatically appearing in the life of His beloved nation and land. His prophetic promises are becoming a reality. There’s never been a better time to trust in the Lord Jesus and pray for Israel as the days become gloriously dark.
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 10:17-21
Adrian Rogers says, “Faith makes God’s grace available and real to us. Grace is God’s ability, and faith is man’s responsibility.”
In the Kingdom of God, our faith is the measure of our victory and success. Our belief is our greatest spiritual asset and richest currency. Conversely, unbelief is our greatest stumbling block. This is why there is an immediate urgency to receive what grace provides through faith in God.
Romans 10 reveals the intricacies of faith, what it is, and how to have it.
First, we must consider the object of our faith in order for it to be real.
When we rely on the wrong things, it can be dangerous to our spiritual health. We do not rely on positive thinking, or even on faith itself. True biblical faith is placed in Jesus Christ, alone.
Adrian Rogers says, “If the object of your faith is God, then the ambition of your heart ought to be to know Him.”
Once we confirm the object of faith, we see it originates from the Word of God.
Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
In order to grow spiritually, we must hear from God; we cannot know the will of God by guessing at it. Faith cannot be generated; it is given, as Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
When God speaks to us through His Word and Jesus Christ, we will see the result of our faith, which is the Will of God.
The objective of our faith is to get God’s will done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
God is sovereign; He remains in control at all times. What He says He will do, He will accomplish. We have the beautiful opportunity to take part in His Will, through faith.
Finally, we must know the operation of faith, which is the work of God.
We do not work for our salvation, but our obedience to Him is proof that we believe in Him.
Apply it to your life
True faith does more than merely believe; it translates into action. When you pray and ask God what to do, and how to accomplish His Will for your life today, trust and obey Him.
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 10:1-13
Some may think being saved is an old-fashioned concept, but salvation continues to be man’s greatest need. Romans 10 describes the necessity and timelessness of salvation.
First, this passage reveals the freeness of salvation.
“For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:2-4).
Adrian Rogers says, “Some people think salvation roots in the merit of man. They think salvation is a reward for the righteous, but really it is a gift for the guilty.”
Many remain unsaved, not because they think they’re sinners but because they think they've never sinned. The worst form of badness is human goodness if human goodness is what keeps you from salvation.
Second, in Romans 10:6, we see the nearness of salvation.
“But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?”’”
We don’t have to go on a pilgrimage to find salvation, because Jesus Christ stepped out of Heaven to find us. He already paid the price with His life, already bore the weight of our sins on the cross, and rose to life to give us hope. We only need to be bold and unashamed as we confess Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Salvation is not an intellectual belief that we tack on along with other ideas; it is trusting and committing everything to Jesus, claiming Him as Savior and Lord.
Finally, we see the richness of salvation in Romans 10:12.
“For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.”
Adrian Rogers says, “Nobody is so good they don’t need to be saved, and nobody is so bad that they cannot be saved.”
God wants everybody to be saved; anyone who calls upon Him will be saved. We may fail Him, but He has never failed us. Salvation is by grace through faith, trusting the Lord Jesus.
Apply it to your life
Are you sure and solid in your salvation? Consider the freeness, the nearness, and the richness of salvation today.
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 9
As followers of Jesus, our greatest mission in this life is the pursuit of lost souls. Adrian Rogers says, “We are to evangelize or we will fossilize.”
In the Book of Romans, the Apostle Paul expresses sincere, steadfast, and sacrificial concern for lost souls. In Romans 9:1-2, he says, “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.”
Are some predestined for Hell? Absolutely not! There are three things we need to know about the character and nature of God that will bring our theology into sharp focus.
We first need to recognize God’s sovereign choices. In this passage, Paul uses the Jewish nation to explain the concept of God’s sovereignty. Jews are God’s chosen people; they have been given a name of honor, adoption, glory, covenants, law, service, promises, and the coming Messiah. The purpose of God’s choice is not for salvation, but for service. His choice also deals with preference. God has preferences for nations, but He does not predestine individuals for Hell.
Second, we need to know God’s spotless character: “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!” (Romans 9:14) Despite what we may feel about His sovereign choices, God answers to no one and He owes us nothing but judgment.
Yet, God pardons according to His sovereign will; He has decided to show us mercy when we don’t deserve it. It is not rooted in our merit but in His mercy. Punishment is according to man’s stubborn wickedness.
God has every right to punish sin because He is God. But God does not create people in order to destroy them. If we want mercy, God will give us mercy. But if we harden our hearts, God will further harden our hearts.
Finally, we need to be certain of God’s steadfast concern. He wants us to have salvation. If we want to be saved, He will save us, and keep us and present us spotless before His throne.
Apply it to your life
As you meditate on Romans 9 today, ask God to reveal His heart to you. Let the Holy Spirit affirm in your heart God’s sovereign choice, spotless character, and steadfast concern.
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 8:28-39
The Bible says there is no good person, not one. (See Romans 3:10.) Every good thing we have is due to the grace of God, in spite of our sins. Romans 8 explains why good things happen to bad people, to sinners like us.
First, we are graced by His purpose.
Romans 8:28-29 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” God’s eternal purpose is to make us more like Jesus, and we can rest assured that His purpose will be fulfilled. God will complete the work He begins.
Second, we are guided by His providence.
God does not will evil, but even when man does evil, God is still in control and will use it for good.
Third, we are guarded by His power.
Romans 8:31-35 shows that because God is for us, the enemy cannot intimidate us. And because God loved us so much that He sacrificed His own Son, He will not deprive us of anything we need.
Adrian Rogers says, “If He would give the great gift of Jesus while we were sinners, what’s He going to do for us now that we’re His children? If He gave the greatest gift when we didn’t even ask, what will He give for asking? If He gave Jesus, would He withhold anything else?”
The devil will try to incriminate and condemn us for our sins, but God has already paid our debt in full; now, we can never be separated from His love.
Finally, we are gladdened by His presence.
Romans 8:38-39 says, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Because of God’s purposes, providence, power, and presence, good things can happen to bad people like us.
Apply it to your life
As you study Romans 8:28-39 today, remember: nothing can separate us from God’s love. Adrian Rogers says, “We don’t live by appearances or explanations; we live by promises.”
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 8:28-31
Salvation, from start to finish, is of the Lord. It is only by the grace of God that we can be sure of our salvation.
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
There are five foundational facts on which our faith rests.
The first fact is God’s foreknowledge of our salvation. God knew we were going to be saved before we did. When God foreknows something, it is not an educational guess; He sees the beginning, middle, and end of everything, all at once.
Second, we can be sure of our predestination to be like Jesus. “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29).
Adrian Rogers says, “God doesn’t predestine some people to go to Hell, and God doesn’t predestine some people to go to Heaven. God predestines every child of God, everyone who is born again, to be like Jesus.” God wants everyone to be saved, but in order for love to be love, it cannot be forced. So God gave us free will; whether we want to be saved or not is up to us.
Third, we are sure that God foreknew we would be saved: “Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called…” (Romans 8:30). Whenever the Gospel is preached, God is calling people to salvation. Through His Word and His Spirit, God can make the spiritually blind see things they’ve never seen before.
Fourth and fifth, we can be sure of our settled justification, and finally, our eternal glorification.
“...whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:30).
The basis of our justification is the blood of Jesus Christ; it becomes effective when we trust in Him. As a result, God no longer deals with us as sinners, but as servants. As servants, God already sees us in Heaven, in His heart and mind, settled and glorified. And what has been settled in Heaven cannot be annulled or undone in time.
Apply it to your life
Are you sure of your salvation?
Adrian Rogers says, “If you’ll put your faith where God has put your sins, on the Lord Jesus Christ, you can be absolutely sure.”
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 8:26-28
As Christians, prayer is our greatest privilege and service, yet it can be our greatest failure. Too often, we don’t have the desire to pray, nor do we know what to pray for. Other times, the enemy interferes to keep us from praying.
Adrian Rogers says, “The devil laughs at our organization and mocks our schemes. He ridicules our good intentions, but he fears our prayers.”
Knowing this, God has given us an ally, an asset and a great Helper: the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:26-27 says, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
The Spirit activates our will to pray. Our flesh resists prayer, but the Holy Spirit in us recognizes God for who He is and reignites our will to pray.
The Spirit animates our bodies to pray. When our minds wander and grow weary, we must yield to the Holy Spirit and receive His energy and power.
The Spirit adapts our requests. Sometimes we’re not sure how to pray; but, glory to God, the Holy Spirit is the ultimate transformer. Simply pray with a clean heart, and He will adapt our prayers.
The Spirit administrates our access to God. God has given us the royal invitation to pray, and the Holy Spirit is our guide into the throne room.
The Spirit articulates our words. The Holy Spirit understands our groans and wordless heartache. Even when we don’t have the vocabulary to express our thoughts, God knows our hearts. And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him. (See Romans 8:28.) His plans are for our holiness, not our happiness.
The Spirit amplifies our victory. When we pray in the flesh, we are no match for Satan; but when we pray in the Spirit, we remember: if God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31b)
Apply it to your life
Prayer is warfare. As you go to the Lord in prayer today, remember that you have a Helper who intercedes for you.
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 8:11, 18
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is what turns every hurt into a hallelujah. And that same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now dwells in us.
Adrian Rogers says, “It is Easter that turns every tear to a pearl. It is Easter that turns every midnight to a sunrise. It is Easter that turns every Calvary to a resurrection.”
If we want to turn our hurts into hallelujahs, we must first consider our guilt. In His love for us, God gave us free will. Because we choose to sin, we are condemned according to the law of the Bible.
But through Christ’s death and resurrection, we experience grace instead. Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Jesus has freed us from the law of sin and death. There is no more condemnation for our sin, nor can it control us.
However, though we have been freed from the curse of sin, we can still feel the hurt of it.
Romans 8:18 says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
All of creation groans as a symptom that there is something wrong with this fallen world. Christians groan, for we are not immune to suffering, and there is a lot of it in our world today. We live in a cursed world with other sinners, in bodies that have the curse of sin upon them. And even though we have been saved, we still choose to do wrong and God must chastise us in love.
But there is comfort in knowing the Comforter groans, too. God sees our pain, and the Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we hurt so badly, we don’t know what to pray for.
Finally, we must remember that we’ve been prepared, predestined, and preserved for glory—that is the Gospel.
Because of Easter, no foe or fault can condemn us, and no fear can conquer us.
Apply it to your life
Are you facing suffering of any kind, or a hurt you want to turn into a hallelujah? Remember: because of Easter, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in our pain. Spend time with God, and ask for His victory over your life.
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 8:9
The distinguishing mark of a Christian is the Holy Spirit in him. We can know a person has been saved if the Holy Spirit dwells in him. Romans 8:9 says, “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”
This passage describes the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of life, of Christ, and of adoption. And if we want to get to know our best friend, the Holy Spirit, we must understand the ways He ministers to us.
As the Spirit of life, He gives us life. The people who are truly saved live by the impartation of life, while the unsaved live a mere imitation of life. Our spirit is the part of our nature that enables us to know God. We are spiritual corpses until God breathes His Spirit into us. From that moment on, God’s Spirit bears witness to ours that we are children of God.
Second, the Holy Spirit in us glorifies the Lord. His Spirit is called the Spirit of Christ. It is Jesus in us who is the Holy Spirit; His presence in us glorifies God.
Adrian Rogers says, “If you want to know whether a person has the Holy Spirit, don’t ask him to speak with tongues, ask if he is like Jesus.”
Third, He is called the Spirit of adoption. When we get saved, we are spiritually adopted into the family of God. Romans 8:15 says, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
The Holy Spirit guarantees our legacy as children of God. He is there to attest to and make real what legally transpired when we became sons and daughters of God. By law, a man could disinherit a natural son, but he could not legally disinherit an adopted son.
By adopting us into His family, God has locked himself into this new relationship with us. We not only have a new relationship, but we also have a new assurance and a new certainty of our riches as co-heirs with Christ.
Apply it to your life
Do you have the distinguishing mark of a Christian, which is the Holy Spirit? Remember this Good News: the Spirit gives us life, glorifies the Lord, and guarantees our inheritance.
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 7:1-4
There seems to be a gap between what the Bible says we are in Christ and what we are in reality. We are called to be victors, yet so many of us live as victims.
Adrian Rogers says, “We need not to make the Bible match our lives but to make our lives match the Bible.” We must appropriate what God has already provided for us and learn to possess our possessions.
Romans 7:4 says, “Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.”
By nature, we're married to the law, and it makes demands upon us that we cannot meet, no matter how hard we try. But when Jesus Christ died, we died with Him and became dead to the law. His death, burial, and resurrection had our name on it, and now we have a new life as the Bride of Christ.
The first step is to learn how to die and start living. We will never possess our possessions until we come to the end of ourselves.
Adrian Rogers says, “The reason that so many of us are not filled with the Spirit is we're so stuffed full of ourselves, there's not room for the Spirit.” We must go through something to get to something; we must go through death to ourselves to get to the victorious life.
The second step is to stop trying and start trusting. Even after we are saved, we cannot keep the law of God in our own strength. We will fail over and over again, because it is in our nature to sin. But because we are the Bride of Christ, every demand upon our life is a demand upon Jesus, who lives in us. He is able to cover the multitude of our sins and deliver us from the law of sin and death. We can quit crying and start praising, for now in Jesus, we have the law of the Spirit.
Apply it to your life
What would your life look like if you learned to possess your possessions—to appropriate what God has already provided? Learn dying and begin to live; stop trying and start trusting; quit crying and start praising!
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 6:1-2
The grace of God enables us to live godly lives in Christ Jesus and empowers us to live in victory. Romans 6 reveals how to live in victory.
First, we must know our identification with Jesus, who gave Himself for us.
“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin” (Romans 6:5-6).
Jesus has acted on our behalf; when He died for us, we died with Him. When He was buried, we were buried with Him. And now, we have that same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead, in us.
Adrian Rogers explains, “When Jesus came out of the grave, we came out with Him and we’ve been raised to walk in a new life.”
Second, we must reckon our appropriation of Jesus.
“Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:11). Reckoning is acting by faith, on what we know to be true, which is that we are dead to our sins and alive in Christ.
Third, we must yield our emancipation to Christ.
The victorious life is God’s work in us; we cannot do it without Him, and He will not do it without us. Yielding begins when we dethrone sin. We must choose against our old master. No longer will our eyes be a tool for sin, nor our ears be sin’s instruments, nor will our hands do its bidding.
We must also enthrone the Savior: “...but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Romans 6:13). We must make Jesus Lord of our lives, enslaving ourselves to Him, as Romans 6:18 explains: “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”
When we become slaves of Christ, we receive new freedom, faithfulness, and fruitfulness. God will begin to live His life in us, claiming victory every step of the way.
Apply it to your life
Do you know that you identify with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection? Have you reckoned your life to what you believe? Have you yielded to Him?
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 5:6-9
This modern world is trying to obliterate the word “sin” from our language. Everything is excused by psychology, evolution, human studies, and behavioral science, yet the real root of the problem is sin.
If we don’t understand the bad news of sin, we’re not ready for the Good News of the Gospel—that there is so much more that we’ve gained through Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:6 says, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”
Presently, there are two kingdoms: one is of death and destruction, and the other is of love and life. Adam is the head of that old kingdom, and Jesus is the head of that new kingdom.
Adam is the head of the old kingdom. Being the first man created by God, Adam was given dominion over the earth. But when Adam sinned, he forfeited his dominion to sin. And because we are his offspring, we are identified with Adam in this slavery to sin.
Romans 5:8-9 explains, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”
When we join the kingdom of light, we gain so much more through Jesus than we ever lost through Adam.
Through Adam, we received weakness rather than power, and we gained ungodliness rather than godliness. We also received wrath rather than approval and war instead of peace. We inherited our ability to sin from Adam: not only when we do as we shouldn’t, but also in failing to do as we should.
Yet in Jesus Christ, we receive much more in His redeeming blood. Because of His sacrifice, we are justified and reconciled with the Father. We have the fellowship with God that was severed when Adam sinned.
In Christ, we are also renewed and made righteous to reign with Him in the kingdom of life.
Finally, we receive His restoring grace, as Romans 5:20 says, “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more…”
Apply it to your life
Each one of us is either with Adam in the kingdom of death, or we are with Christ reigning in the kingdom of life. Choose Jesus today; there is so much more!
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 7:24-27
Life, in its very nature, is tragic; sooner or later, we all must weather the storms of life. The difference between a life built on the Word of God, and one that isn’t, lies underground.
Before the bottom falls out of life, we must examine the foundation.
In Matthew 7, Jesus describes two houses: one built on a rock, and the other built on sand. We do not see the differences between the houses until the storm comes. The results remind us why we must build our lives on the solid rock of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 7:24 says, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock…”
This passage reminds us to make sure our spiritual house is a sturdy building.
There are two things necessary to have a firm foundation: hearing and heeding to the Word of God.
The grace of God alone is what saves us; but someone who truly believes that will obey the Word of God. If they do not, their faith is a profitless profession and a barren belief.
Adrian Rogers says, “While we are saved by faith alone, the faith that saves is never alone.”
Once we hear the Word, we must do what it says, otherwise, our faith is dead. (See James 1:22.) Living by the Word of God is what sets the rock-builders apart from the sand-builders.
After we’ve established a sturdy building, we must expect a stormy blast.
Matthew 7:25 says, “...and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.”
Storms come to every life, saved or lost. But we must remember that God has not abandoned us in the storm. Remember Peter and Judas, two of Jesus’ disciples? Both were entrusted with responsibilities in Jesus’ ministry—but their differences run deep.
When the storm came, both disciples caved in different ways. However, Peter—despite his failings—had a foundation that Judas did not have. Peter experienced the steadfast blessing of a solid foundation: he was able to stand again.
Apply it to your life
People cave in during life’s storms when they don’t have anything solid to stand on. Make certain that you have a rock-solid foundation for your faith.
-
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 7:15-23
Wolves are the most dreaded and hated enemy of the shepherd because of their danger and deception.
Matthew 7:15-16a says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits…”
It is wise to heed to the Lord’s warning about false prophets and to beware of wolves that come to us in sheep’s clothing.
First, we must remember the fleece they wear.
Wolves come disguised in sheep’s clothing, appearing to be part of the flock. Jude 11 mentions three wolves found in Scripture: Cain, Balaam, and Korah.
Cain represents those who pervert the Gospel.
In Genesis 4, Cain murdered his brother Abel out of jealousy. Abel, who understood the things of God, pleased Him with a blood sacrifice. Cain did not understand the things of God, and instead, brought the fruit of the ground (his own efforts).
Balaam represents those who prostitute the Gospel.
In Numbers 22-25, the very gifted prophet Balaam exploited the message of God for his personal advantage. This story isn’t about paying vocational ministers; rather it is a warning to those who will do anything for personal gain.
Korah represents those who protest the Gospel.
In Numbers 1, Korah did not respect the authority of God’s appointed prophet and priest. He rallied others to defy the prophetic message and priestly mediator. False prophets seek to replace the truth with false religion, but like Korah, they stand on shaky ground; God is not pleased and will not be replaced.
We must also identify false prophets by the fruit they bear.
No matter how beautiful the tree is, there is no hiding bad fruit. Likewise, a false prophet can only deceive for so long before the fruits of his life reveal what’s inside.
Adrian Rogers says, “It is the root that determines the fruit, but it’s the fruit that reveals the root.”
Finally, a wolf can be revealed by the faith he shares.
Miraculous performances and good works do not replace scriptural truth. If a teacher does not teach from Scripture, he is teaching in vain. We must get in God’s Word and stand on it, so we will not be deceived.
Apply it to your life
Adrian Rogers gives us five things to remember, to make ourselves aware of wolves:
-Study the faith
-Show the faith
-Stand for the faith
-Support the faith
-Share the faith
- Laat meer zien
