Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Psalm 119:9
It seems as though the chaos of this world is ever-increasing, day after day; when taking a closer look, the primary problem is the thoughts of man.
We’ve seen this before in Scripture. Just before the Great Flood in Genesis, the thoughts of men’s hearts were shockingly wicked before the Lord. This is not a new problem, although it does seem to push new boundaries every day.
We are constantly being exposed to narratives of violence, promiscuity, perversion and greed. No wonder our thoughts are out of control!
Satan is very sinister, very clever and diabolically wicked. He wants to capture the hearts and minds of an entire generation; why? When Satan has your mind, he has you!
Though it seems daunting, it is possible and imperative to control your thought life.
First, there must be the purification of the mind. Your mind must be clean to begin with, and the Word of God is the cleansing agent. Jesus says in John 15:3, “Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” The Word of God points us toward confession and repentance (the Greek word for “repentance” translates to mean “changing of the mind”).
After your mind is clean, you must be determined to keep it clean. There is a battle for your mind. If you’re half-hearted, you will lose it. You must be serious about taking every thought captive and comparing it the truth of Scripture, before it captivates you. You must fiercely guard your heart with the Word of God. Psalm 119:11 says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” It is the Word of God hidden in your heart that is the antidote to future temptation. Therefore, you must saturate yourself with the Word of God.
When Scripture gets in your mind, it changes your attitude; your attitude determines your actions.
Adrian Rogers says, “When you begin to meditate on God’s Word, then you become a second-nature Christian, which is your true nature, the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Apply it to your life
Do you carefully consider the influences you allow to pollute your thoughts? Deep clean your mind today. Choose to meditate on Scripture. Memorize it, personalize it, verbalize it, vitalize it, and internalize it.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Titus 2:14-15
Every Christian is in need of a passionate love for the Lord Jesus Christ that overflows into service and worship. However, the cause of Christ has been deeply hurt by extremists and their misguided zeal. We must understand the dangers of extremism and the beauty of God’s grace.
Titus 2:14 speaks of Jesus: “...who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”
First, zeal can affirm the grace of God.
When we truly love the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we will become zealous about truth and excited to do good works for the kingdom of God. This is a good and godly thing because we are called to go “all in” with our love for Jesus; however, when taken to the extreme, good things can become bad things.
While affirming zeal, grace avoids extremism.
Adrian Rogers says, “Zeal and moderation go together, properly understood; they are not enemies, they’re friends. But extremism is the enemy of both zeal and moderation.”
Zeal that is divisive and destructive can be deadly to our churches, homes, and communities. Principles are great when used as tools to live by, rather than as weapons to hurt others.
We do not need to compromise on holy living, but we need to learn to live by grace.
When we obsess and debate over incidental things, we lose sight of what is fundamental. This kind of zeal is foolish, profitless, fruitless, and divisive. When we have zeal for the wrong things, we’ll often fight the wrong enemy with the wrong weapons and wrong energy.
Compromise is not the answer to extremism: grace is.
Titus 2:15 says, “Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.”
Grace is not an excuse to sin or an encouragement to laziness, it is an invitation to give everything we are to the cause of Christ.
We must be zealous of good works, with an attitude of sweet reasonableness. We may not always agree with everyone on everything, but we must prioritize what is important.
Apply it to your life
Each and every one of us must be filled with a passionate love for Jesus Christ, but what we do with that love is crucial. Affirm zeal, avoid extremism, and remember that we will achieve more together than divided.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 15:9-10
Many of us believe the lie that God will only accept us on the basis of our performance. But this idea is the opposite of grace and faith in Jesus. Scripture reveals how grace grants us freedom from the performance trap.
1 Corinthians 15:10 says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
First, we must acknowledge the ruin of perfectionism.
Perfectionism is the disease of judging ourselves by our achievements. Perfectionism is a thief; it promises rewards but steals our joy and satisfaction. Because it is an unattainable goal, we’ll never truly feel accepted—in fact, we may even become angry at God.
Perfectionism is harmful to others; perfectionists judge others for not reaching the high standards they themselves cannot reach.
Adrian Rogers says, “One of the finest things you could do would be to let others know you are not perfect. They’ll relax a little bit—not because they learn it (that you’re not perfect), but because they learn that you’ve learned it.”
Perfectionism can also ruin a church. A church is a fellowship of sinners saved by grace, all in different stages of progression; we are works in progress, not yet perfect.
God does not look for perfection from His children; He wants excellence.
If we ever want to be free from the performance trap, we must recognize the marks of perfectionism in our own lives.
1. Are you an idealist or a realist?
2. Do you set impossible goals for yourself and others, failing to fulfill them?
3. Do you try to be the best, or to do your best?
4. Are you project-minded or process-minded?
5. Do you dwell on failure or do you learn from it?
God does not keep score or make lists of our accomplishments and failures.
By His own grace, God has already accepted us—not because of anything we can do, but because of what Christ has done. Through faith, we can accept that acceptance, and learn to accept others.
Apply it to your life
Are you caught up in the trap of performance? Recognize the marks of perfectionism in your own life, and remember that you can be freed from it. Accept the acceptance God has already given to you.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Romans 6:6-7
Nothing liberates us from lives of sin like the wonderful grace of God. God’s plan for us today, tomorrow, and the rest of our lives is abounding victory through His amazing grace.
Romans 6:6-7 says, “...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. For he who has died has been freed from sin.”
We must know our identification with Jesus, who gave Himself for us.
Jesus 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 in us the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
Adrian Rogers says, “We have become one with Jesus Christ because He became one with us. He took of our nature that we might take of His nature.”
We must reckon our appropriation of Jesus.
Romans 6:11 says, “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Reckoning is acting on what we know to be true, which is that we are dead to our sins and alive in Christ. This is a continual practice: every day, we must reckon with our faith and believe that we are free from the penalty of sin.
We must yield our emancipation to Christ.
Our submission to Christ is what completes our faith. 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. No longer will our eyes be tools for sin, nor our ears be sin’s instruments, nor will our hands do its bidding. We must make Jesus Lord of our lives, enslaving ourselves to Him.
Then we must enthrone the Savior.
Romans 6:13 says, “...but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”
When temptation comes, we must yield to Jesus. Once we do, His amazing grace will come into our lives, and in that grace, we will see abounding victory.
Apply it to your life
Do you identify with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection? Have you reckoned your life to what you believe? Have you yielded to Him and enthroned Him as Savior?
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Galatians 5:1
We live in a world that speaks much about freedom but knows little about it. Jesus came to set the captives free, to break the power of sin.
Galatians 5:1 says, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” When we understand the dimensions and dynamics of freedom in Christ, we can live liberated lives.
In Jesus Christ, we are free from the bondage of legalism.
In Galatians 1:6, Paul questions why some deserted the Gospel of Jesus Christ and followed a “different gospel”. The specific “gospel” these believers bought into had to do with self-effort and good works. But the true Gospel reminds us of God’s unconditional love. We cannot earn salvation on our own; it is the grace of God alone that saves us from our sins.
Adrian Rogers says, “God’s love is an action toward us, not a reaction to us. It is not based on what we are but on who He is.” The true Gospel of grace speaks of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; anything else is false.
We’re also free from the bondage of criticism.
There are some who entangle fellow believers with their own preferences and subject them to criticism. But we must stand fast in the liberty in which Christ has made us free. Though we must be conscious of our weaker brothers, we cannot be in bondage to them. Every demand of the law has been paid in full by the blood of Jesus Christ. We must remember who we are in Him and that He loves us.
Finally, we’re saved from the bondage of fatalism, or the elemental forces of nature.
In Galatians 4, Paul discusses the Galatian church’s fascination with astrology. In their obsession, some of these believers had enslaved themselves to the idea of fate. But Christ has set us free from the slavery of circumstance. We were in the heart and mind of God before the foundations of the world were established.
The cross of Jesus Christ reminds us that when we die to ourselves, we find liberated living.
Apply it to your life
Are you living the executed, energized life in Christ? Don’t stay in bondage today; you’ve been set free from legalism, criticism, and fatalism. Praise God for all He’s done in your life and walk with Him.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Titus 3:3-7
As Believers, this world is not our home; but while we’re on our way to glory, we are to demonstrate God’s grace to those around us. Titus 3 reveals the life we could have if we choose to live grace-filled lives.
This passage recognizes our past guilt.
We are sinners by birth, nature, and choice. Titus 3:3 says, “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.”
This passage also describes our present grace.
Grace is absolutely contrary to human nature. All the wisdom of this world could never explain it. But having experienced God’s grace for ourselves, we understand what we were once foolish.
By His grace, we are freed from a life of sin and the hateful spirit that plagues this messy world.
Scripture says, “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit…” (Titus 3:4-5).
Grace is rooted in God’s love; there is nothing we can do or stop doing that will save us; it is the grace of God alone that atones our sin. The Holy Spirit supernaturally regenerates us and cleanses us from the inside out. It is a continual work; day by day, the Spirit keeps us, renews, restores, and refreshes us.
Adrian Rogers says, “God doesn’t love us because we’re valuable; we’re valuable because God loves us.”
This present grace is rooted in the saving death of Jesus Christ. (See Titus 3:6.)
Jesus Christ provided himself as an innocent sacrifice; He bore our sins and died the death we deserved.
This grace is also for our future glory.
Titus 3:7 says, “...that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Because of God’s grace, we are joint heirs of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is a token of our future inheritance. We are simply passing through this world as pilgrims on our way to greater things; the best is yet to come.
Apply it to your life
Have you been forgiven of your past guilt, renewed by God’s present grace, and received the promise of future glory? Let your life be a testament of God’s wonderful grace.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Titus 2:11-15
Grace is God’s love, which He gives at a great cost to Himself. Salvation is something we could never obtain ourselves; it is only by His grace that we can be saved.
There is not one spiritual thing to earn, but there is so much to learn; it is so important that we are not a disgrace to God's grace.
Titus 2:11-12 says, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age…”
We live in this physical world, but as Christians, we are meant to live differently from this world’s systems and orders. We are called to love people, but we cannot love this world’s system. (See 1 John 2:15.)
Adrian Rogers said, “A Christian ought to stand out in this world’s system like a diamond in a coal mine; like a gardenia in a garbage can.”
This world has a prince, the devil, who is the mastermind behind this world system. This world has an evil philosophy made up of skillfully woven ideals and values that seem beautiful but are dangerous.
This world is hostile to the things of God because Jesus exposes sin and evil. The world’s purpose is to draw us away from Him.
Genesis 13 tells the story of Lot, a classic example of a “worldly Christian,” or a man who was a disgrace to grace.
Lot was Abraham’s nephew who, rather than seeking God, followed the world’s enticing attractions to an unspeakably wicked land called Sodom.
Recognizing Lot’s mistakes, we learn that we must:
1. Resist the pull of the world
2. Refuse the persuasion of the world
3. Realize the pollution of the world
4. Remember the price of the world
Lot’s story shows us what it costs to serve the world—it costs our potential, influence, family, and reputation. The same forces that worked on Lot are working on us today. We must remember the amazing grace of God, and decide every day to honor that grace by living godly lives.
Apply it to your life
There is a world system working on us today; be aware of the world’s prince, its philosophy, its power, and purpose. Don’t be a disgrace to grace: live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present time, because the Lord is coming soon.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Titus 2
The amazing grace of God is what writes our spiritual biographies. Titus 2:11-15 explains how God saved us, and brought us from grace to glory.
First, this passage reminds us what grace brought: salvation.
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men…” (Titus 2:11).
Without Jesus, we are spiritually dead, separated from God. We are considered devilish, disobedient to God, and depraved in our humanity. We cannot redeem our depravity and earn salvation; however, God brought salvation to us, because of His grace.
Adrian Rogers says, “You’re not saved by the merit of man, but by the mercy of God; not by the goodness of man, but by the grace of God. Salvation is not a reward for the righteous; it is a gift for the guilty.”
Secondly, Titus 2 reveals what grace taught: sanctification.
“...teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age…” (Titus 2:12).
Though saved by grace, we cannot continue to live in sin. There is nothing to earn, yet there is so much to learn. We must engage in discipleship and study God’s Word.
Third, Titus 2 explains what grace sought: service.
“...who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:14).
Grace is a gift at the cost of the giver, and we have been purchased by the blood of Jesus. We are also purified from the inside out; we don’t work for God’s love, but our good works are a sign that we love the Lord.
This passage also calls us peculiar; we are meant to be different, set apart, a trophy of grace used for the service of God.
Finally, this passage shows us what grace wrought: glorification.
“...looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ…” (Titus 2:13).
The story is not over yet; what began in grace will end in glory. As believers, we have a glorious hope that He will come again. And one day, we will see Him, the one who saved us by His grace.
Apply it to your life
Do you have the blessed hope of Christ’s return in you? Remember the amazing grace of God today, which brought salvation to you while you were dead in your sins.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Titus
Grace is God’s unmerited favor; it is the kindness of God shown to one who doesn’t deserve it and who can never earn it.
In his letter to Titus, the Apostle Paul claims him as his own son in the faith. He calls Titus a trophy of grace—his life being the evidence of a true believer.
This special title, a trophy of grace, reminds us that not only should we be witnesses of God’s grace, but our lives should also be evidence of that grace.
First, we must recognize the delight of grace, which is liberty.
God’s grace is sovereign; He has chosen us, sought us out, and brought us back to Himself. He is the one who took the initiative; our salvation began with Him.
It is a saving grace. The Gospel is good news because it says that salvation is a free gift. We couldn’t work for it, so we can’t lose it.
Grace is also long-suffering; it was the plan all along. Titus 1:2 says, “…in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began…”
Adrian Rogers says, “God planned your salvation before this planet was swung into space. Your salvation is not an ambulance brought to a wreck; it was in the heart and mind of God before anything ever happened.”
The securing and satisfying grace of God is what leads to peace. But we must also remember that denying grace leads to legalism.
We are not saved by keeping laws, performing rituals, or anything other than the grace of God. Rules do not make us more like Jesus—grace does.
Finally, we must recognize the enemy’s distortion of grace.
Grace is not a license to sin, and if we think it is, we need to reconsider our salvation. Though our works do not save us, we should want to keep God’s law, because we love Him.
We don’t work for our faith, we work because of our faith. As trophies of grace, we are God’s ambassadors, the evidence that His grace is the only thing that can save, cure, and satisfy us.
Apply it to your life
Does your life bear the evidence of God’s amazing grace? Do you delight in the liberty faith brings? Have you fallen into the trap of legalism, or used grace as a license to sin? Repent of your sins and receive God’s forgiveness.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Genesis 3:1
Satan is a liar and a murderer; he wants to bring death to our happiness, joy, and purity, and he accomplishes this through lies. He wants to destroy us, and he begins by deceiving us.
Genesis 3:1 says, “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field…”
Satan cleverly crafts subtle lies about the biggest truths. In the Garden of Eden, he tells Eve three lies concerning the nature and character of God. Recognizing his tactics helps us overcome satanic deception.
Severity
Satan’s first tactic was to convince Eve to think severely about God, so that she had negative feelings about him.
The devil wants us to think God is strait-laced and cruel, and that our relationship with Him would be filled with “don’t!” But Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” God is good and loving. He does not take away joy; He gives it.
Skepticism
The devil also wants us to think skeptically about God so that we will not trust Him or His Word.
When Satan removes the truth of God’s Word, then he slips in other ideas to replace them. Other religions, spiritual practices, and New Age thoughts are simply substitutes from the enemy to divert us from the fixed standard of truth. The devil is trying to make us think lightly of God; but God is holy, and He will punish sin.
Suspicion
Finally, Satan will try to convince us to think suspiciously of God. Many people think serving God cramps their style and robs them of reaching their fullest potential. Yet, the devil, who promises total freedom, keeps his victims in bondage.
Adrian Rogers says, “There’s nothing in the world more deceiving than sin itself; those who know the least about sin are those who are the deepest in it.”
All the problems in the world today are rooted in these three ancient lies, but we do not have to fall victim to the devil’s deception. Only when we commit ourselves to the written word of God, can we overcome the devil’s lies.
Apply it to your life
Do not let the devil deceive you. yourself in the truth of God’s Word today. God is a God of love and grace. His law stands, and a relationship with Him means abundant life.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Ephesians 4:27
Ephesians 4:30 says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
It is unthinkable that a child of God could give a place in his life to the devil and grieve the Holy Spirit of God.
However, there are many of us caught in Satan’s strongholds, and we cannot get out. There are three steps to break Satan’s strongholds in our lives.
Repentance
“...that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts…” (Ephesians 4:22)
Repentance means to be done with sin and deal with our old self; there is no other way around it.
Resistance
“Be angry, and do not sin… nor give place to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26-27)
Unconfessed sin is legal ground for the devil to take over; we resist by confessing and resisting the urge to sin.
Renewal
“...and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4: 23-24)
Renewing our minds means pursuing righteousness and holiness.
There is no way we can cease to grieve the Holy Spirit until we repent, resist, and renew our minds; this is why we must know exactly what sin is.
Ephesians 4:25-29 reveals that lying, thievery, gossip and filthy speech all make room for the devil.
But perhaps the most egregious stronghold we could fall into is bitterness.
Bitterness will take away our joy and our victory and sabotage our prayer life; it ruins relationships and churches. The slow burn of bitterness quickly ramps up to clamoring, hostility, and evil speech. This breaks the heart of God, grieves the Holy Spirit, and gives place to the devil.
Adrian Rogers says, “Repentance is not just being broken over your sin; it is being broken from your sin.”
The devil does not leave willingly; with the authority of the name of Jesus, we must chase him out. We do this by repenting of our sins, resisting the urge to sin again, and renewing our minds with the Spirit of God.
Adrian Rogers says, “When we are filled with the Spirit, there is no more room for Satan.”
Apply it to your life
How do we break Satan’s strongholds? Repent of all known sin, resist the temptation to sin again the moment you become aware of the temptation, and renew your mind with the Spirit of God.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Mark 1:21-28
Whether we realize it or not, there is a demonic world we cannot avoid. It is real, and we cannot be uninformed or uninterested. We do not fight against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness. We must be aware of the warfare in order to win the battle.
The Enemy comes against us in three basic ways:
Oppression. The devil knows how to harass you, and demon spirits will oppress you.
Obsession. The devil stirs an insatiable longing within people that drive them and mold them until they are caught up and swept along.
Possession. It is possible for the devil, through one of his demons, to possess a person. He takes control of his mind, his emotions and his will.
There's a battle. And Satan never gives up anybody or anything without a fight.
But there's no waiting to see who will win. Satan has been defeated. Jesus has authority over the enemy and all of the powers of darkness. The demons recognize Jesus’s authority. They must always yield to it.
No child of God should ever fear the demons. Never. We must be aware of them. Be vigilant, be sober. But do not be afraid. They are afraid of you when you recognize who you are in Jesus, and the authority He has given you.
Adrian Rogers tells us, “Unless you are living with God, filled with the Holy Spirit, claiming the power of Jesus Christ in your life, you don't understand the power of our enemy. But you do need to understand the greater power of Jesus Christ and the authority of Jesus rightly applied over the power of the enemy.”
Children of God are going to know conflict with the enemy. But God has given us authority over him. Satan has no threat, temptation has no allurement, sin has no hold that the child of God cannot break in the power of Jesus Christ.
Apply it to your life
If you are recognizing the reality of the spiritual warfare around you, it’s time to get fitted for battle. Get alone or get with some prayer warriors and take authority over the enemy in the name of Jesus. And in repentance, clean up your life. The Bible says, “resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Isaiah 5:20
Under the clever guise of “choice,” abortion is not only legal, but also societally acceptable in America.
Adrian Rogers reminds us of three sure things in regards to choice: “You are free to choose. You are not free not to choose and you are not free to choose the consequences of your choice.”
Ultimately, to say you are “pro-choice” means you are “pro-abortion.”
Pastor Rogers gives three reasons why he chooses to be pro-life, and why you should, too.
“I am pro-life because it is a matter of life.” The Bible does not distinguish between prenatal and postnatal life; it speaks of babies in the womb as persons. It is not a part of the mother’s body. It is a new life, with its own blood type and DNA. When a mother is pregnant, God Himself is forming a child within her. It is an object of God’s love and concern.
“I am pro-life because it is a matter of love.” Abortion transgresses the Golden Rule: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matthew 7:12). However you want people to treat you, treat them that way. The gruesome nature of abortion is something we would want to avoid happening to us. So, why would we allow it to be performed on a baby?
“I am pro-life because it is a matter of logic.” Many of the pro-choice arguments surrounding conception and the “beginning of life” disregard nature and negate drastic strides in today’s medicine. In regard to the arguments about rape, incest, or deformity, we must remember that we cannot play God in these cases.
Where do we draw the line? Does God not have a plan for every life He creates in a womb?
In conclusion, the fact that there are debates in favor of killing unborn lives should cause us to mourn and to respond in anguish. There is much to be done to protect unborn lives. It starts with knowing without doubt that every life matters in the eyes of God.
Apply it to your life
Be informed. Vote for life. Have compassion on the unwed mother and teach forgiveness to people who have had an abortion. Speak out clearly. Refuse to be swayed by the high-sounding arguments, pray for this nation to repent, and above all, preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: 1 Timothy 6:20
Christians believe in special creation, the fact that God created man in His own image, as evident in the Book of Genesis.
However, there is another school of thought that contradicts this belief: the theory of Evolution. It is the theory that we are simply creatures of accident; that men have evolved from a speck of protoplasm and green algae, first as a worm, then as a fish, an amphibian, a reptile, a bird, a mammal, and then finally we evolved into man.
The equation of evolution goes as follows: Nothing + Time + Chance = Everything. It’s a fairytale for adults, a philosophy that poses as a scientific fact.
There are three reasons to reject evolution:
Logic. Evolutionists have no explanation for the origin of life or fixity of species. They cannot explain how certain properties exist that have nothing to do with the survival of the fittest. Where does music come from? Love? The evolutionist has no answer.
Morality. If there is no God, if man is an accident, there can be no Ten Commandments, therefore no fixed standard of right and wrong. Adrian Rogers explains the danger of discrediting morality for the sake of evolution: “When we teach our children that they’ve come from animals, they will begin to live and act like animals.”
Theology. If evolution is true, there was no Garden of Eden, there was no original sin, no depravity. And then man, as Adrian Rogers says, “doesn’t need a birth from above; he just needs a boost from below.”
There’s something wicked behind this whole idea of evolution. Aldous Huxley, acclaimed evolutionist, states his own bias against creationism: “I had motives for not wanting the world to have a meaning…” This translates to: “I chose evolution to shut the mouths of those who believe in special creation.”
But you are not an accident. You are a special creation, made in the image of God. And you are precious to Him. May we become the people we were created to be.
Apply it to your life
Evolution is not a fact. It is a manmade philosophy to justify rebellion against the Creator of the Universe. Reject this ideology today, and chose instead to thank God that you have been beautifully and wonderfully made in His image.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: 2 Samuel 11
Children of God are just as capable of sinning as they were before they were saved. However, there is a much greater cost to their sin than before.
King David was a man above every other man—none more noble, gifted, or humble than David; yet he fell into a deep, dark sin. David committed the sin of adultery with a married woman, and she conceived his child. So, David then committed the sin of murder.
We need to know the tragic cause of David’s sin, so that we may know how to avoid the high cost of low living.
First, David committed the sin of idleness. 2 Samuel 11 reveals that David was home when he should have been with his compatriots in war. This is why we are called to the harvest field or the battlefield, to stay occupied, lest we commit a sin of omission.
Second, it was a sin of carelessness. David began to take his many victories for granted. He presumed God would keep blessing him. This teaches us that an unguarded strength is a double weakness.
It was a sin of impulsiveness: David wasn’t planning to sin that day.
Adrian Rogers explains, “Sin is a combination of undetected weakness, an unexpected opportunity, and an unprotected life.”
It was a sin of callousness. When his scheme to cover up his sin was compromised, David ordered for Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, to be killed in battle. He planned, connived, and orchestrated calloused, cold-blooded murder.
It was a sin of stubbornness. Despite the conviction he felt, David went a whole year without repenting. But God did not forget David’s sin, and He wouldn’t let David forget either. David’s sin weighted, wounded, and weakened him. David received words of rebuke, arrows of conviction, and hands of pressure from God.
David was finally confronted by the prophet, Nathan, and was convicted and chastised. He had to pay the consequences for his sin. But God was faithful to forgive him; He is faithful to forgive us, too.
Apply it to your life
Perhaps it’s time for you to be lovingly confronted, too. If you have muddled through or glossed over your sin, thinking God has forgotten, He has not. Repent of your sins and ask God for forgiveness.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Acts 19:21-32
If you take a stand for the truth, you are not always going to be popular. We see an example of this in Acts 19, when Paul visits Ephesus and sees that they are engaging in wicked ways of making money. The most vital nerve in the human body is the one that runs from the heart to the wealth, and what Paul does in Ephesus is put his finger directly on it.
There are four principles laid out in Scripture that confirm why it is wrong for Christians to gamble, and unwise for societies to endorse it.
Gambling transgresses the principle of Honesty. It is robbery by mutual consent. It is the transfer of wealth (not earned or given) without giving anything back in exchange. Somebody has said, “He who gambles and loses is a fool. He who gambles and wins is a thief.”
Gambling transgresses the principle of Love. Gambling is pleasure and profit at the cost of someone else's pain and loss. You cannot win unless someone else loses. If you win at gambling, you victimize your neighbor.
Gambling transgresses the principle of Work. The Bible does not teach getting wealth by gambling. The Bible teaches getting wealth through work. Gambling produces no real wealth. It merely redistributes it from the hands of the many into the hands of the few.
Gambling transgresses the principle of Providence. A gambler is depending upon chance. The Bible says that we're to rest upon providence. Matthew 6:33, "But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Adrian Rogers tells us: “There's less laughter and gaiety in a casino than any other public resort. The Christian doesn't need to get his thrill from covetousness and dishonesty.”
No matter how alluring it may look, gambling contributes nothing to the common good. It undermines values. It mocks work. It finances crime. It robs children. It enslaves people. And it poisons whatever it touches.
The wealth you obtain for yourself will pass away. Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Apply it to your life
Do you find yourself entangled by the allure of gambling? Flee from it! Pray for the strength to resist it. Christians don’t need to get their thrill from covetousness and dishonesty. What is good and true and honorable…cling to these things.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Genesis 10-11
There is coming a kingdom of Christ, as well as a kingdom of Satan. These two kingdoms have been at war since the Book of Genesis, and we are in the middle of it. If we want to recognize Satan’s kingdom to come and know how it will ultimately face its gruesome demise, we must look at one which was already strategically defeated.
In Genesis 10-11, we are introduced to a Babylonian man named Nimrod. He wanted to be king and to be worshiped like God. A few chapters prior, God gave the commandment to His people to be scattered and replenish the earth after the Great Flood. Rather than obey God, the Babylonians centralized their government under Nimrod’s authority and began building a tower to reach the heavens, all to make a name for themselves and to be equal with God. They directly disobeyed God and followed Nimrod in rebellion.
How did this tower of blunders end in Genesis? The Babylonians spoke one language at this time. But God confounded their speech, and they suddenly couldn’t understand each other. The construction of the Tower of Babel ended with Almighty God coming down to earth and sending confusion into the camps of His enemies.
We are not too far off from the blunder of Babylon.
Have we not substituted our own wit for God’s wisdom? Through new minds, machinery, and money, are we not trying to make a name for ourselves? Do New Age religions not bank their ideology on finding the power within ourselves, generating independence from Almighty God?
Dr. Adrian Rogers says: “What is the difference between manmade religion and the true salvation that comes from God? Man tries to build from earth to Heaven. True salvation reaches down from Heaven to man.”
The only hope for this world is the coming of Jesus Christ. And when He comes, He will destroy the kingdom of Satan, and any other kingdom that dares to make an enemy of God.
These are the days to get right with God. Let us not wait another second.
Apply it to your life
If you’re practicing any kind of new-age religion or dabbling with astrology or witchcraft, get out of it. Repent. The time is coming soon when our Lord is going to step down from glory to judge Babylon. Let us rejoice and give honor to Him today.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Genesis 1:26
In simplest terms, the belief behind the Animal Rights Movement is that there is no essential, intrinsic, or basic difference between man and animal. But God’s Word says otherwise.
According to the Book of Genesis, both man and animal were created by God separately, and neither evolved from the other. Though there are similarities, there is a stark contrast between man and animal as well.
For one, man has a longing in his heart to know God. Man is created in God’s likeness—not in His physical image, but in His moral and spiritual image. When God created animals, in His mercy, He gave them instincts. But when God made mankind in His image, He gave us spirits.
Adrian Rogers says, “The Holy Spirit is to man what instinct is to the animals. Now, if you were to take the instinct out of the beehive, what would happen? It'd be very much like our world today—men without the Holy Spirit.”
Man has a capability for dominion, but he also has a capacity for depravity…one that animals don't have. Animals can't sin because animals don't have any choice. The reason they don't have any choice is they don't have any moral basis.
But man does!
Man also has a concern for his destiny that animals do not have. Man is the only creature who knows he's going to die. Animals never think about death. But the Bible says that God has put eternity in the hearts of men.
Animals have a body and a soul (a soul being made up of a mind, emotions, and a will). But only man has a spirit. And the Holy Spirit molds us into what we're meant to be.
Adrian Rogers also adds, “With your body, you know the world beneath you. With your soul, you know the world around you. But with your spirit, you know the world above you! And God made man with a spiritual capacity to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him.”
Apply it to your life
What did God make you to do? God created you to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him. The Bible says, "It is in Him that we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28). Do you know Him, love Him, and serve Him with the spirit He gave you?
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Daniel 9:24-27
It is sometimes difficult to wrap our minds around the blueprints of God’s plan for the world. That is because we approach them from our individual “worlds.” However, God’s Word tells us that Israel is the ultimate epicenter of God’s covenant with His people.
Israel is the spiritual center of the world. We often refer to it as the “Holy Land,” because it is the city where the stories of the Scriptures took place. It is where Jesus was born, where He lived, and began His earthly ministry. It is where He died, rose again, and ascended into Heaven.
Israel is also the prophetic center of the world. It is the only nation whose history is minutely foretold in Scripture. When we add up the number of years recorded in the Bible concerning the nation of Israel’s commencement, construction, and the coming of Christ, we calculate 483 years of the 490 years prophesied in the Book of Daniel.
But when Jesus came, that clock stopped, and it has yet to resume. There are 7 more years of biblical prophecy yet to be fulfilled.
Israel is the storm center of the world. It will be the warzone of the battle of Armageddon. But just before this last great battle, according to the prophecies found in Revelation, the world will see its darkest days, and the nation of Israel will seem to be at its most vulnerable.
The Antichrist will come onto the scene as a charming leader, and he is going to make a treaty with Israel, offering false promises of peace and protection under his reign, yet he will bring more destruction to the nation than ever before, all within the strict confines of the 7-year timeframe known as the Great Tribulation. 7 years.
The 490 years prophesied will then see completion. In the end, Jesus will return. He will win the battle with a word, just a word. The tongue that spoke everything into existence will speak His enemies into oblivion!
And His church will be complete.
Adrian Rogers reminds us, “Jesus came on time, He died on time, He was buried on time, He rose on time, and He is coming on time. You can bank on it.”
Apply it to your life
As Believers, we cannot deny the significance of the nation of Israel. Today, make a commitment to pray for the Holy Land as the clock ticks on toward the End Times.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Acts 10:34-48
Jesus Christ is a historical fact. When combing through history, secular historians have proven His existence over and over again.
There is no disproving that there walked upon this earth a man known as Jesus Christ. But if He is only a man, then by account of what He said throughout His ministry on earth—that He is the Son of God—He is a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord…Deceiver, deceived, or Deity.
How are we to know that He is who He says He is? There are at least three ways.
There is the personal witness of the saints. Peter says in Acts 10:39, “And we are witnesses of all these things which He did.” The apostles each bore their own testimonies about Jesus’s virtuous life, vicarious death, and victorious resurrection.
There is a prophetic witness of the Scriptures. The Old Testament was written by a number of different authors over a period of about 1,500 years. Yet each page echoes the life of Christ before He ever roamed the earth, and serves as a symbol of His character and redemptive love before we ever knew His name.
There is a powerful witness of the Spirit. In the example seen in Scripture, when Peter preaches in Acts 10:44, God steps in to speak for Himself: “And while Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on them, on all them who heard the word. And they of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.”
The Spirit proves the legitimacy of Christ’s lordship and affirms the testimonies of the Scriptures and the Saints. Adrian Rogers says: “The Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and the word of the redeemed, and He says, ‘Amen. It’s truth.’”
Apply it to your life
Who do you say Jesus is? Liar, lunatic, or Lord? Do you know Him to be what He says He is? Do you live your life like you know He is Lord? Worship Him today. If you feel you are dwindling from this truth, saturate yourself in the testimonies of the saints and the Scriptures, and pray for the Spirit to affirm them in your life.