Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Luke 1:35
Many who don’t believe in Jesus will call Him a great moral teacher. But when we look closely at His teachings, we find that He left no room for interpretation. Jesus Christ is the Son of God,
and the story of Christmas is a tribute to the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:35 says, “And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.’”
The doctrine of the Trinity is what makes our faith different from all other faiths.
First, we must recognize the sublime mystery of the Trinity.
We will never understand the Holy Trinity by human investigation, logic, or science. The only way we can know about the Holy Trinity is by divine revelation.
There is one God, and He is a triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If we try to understand it on our own, we will lose our minds; if we deny it, we may lose our souls.
Adrian Rogers says, “I wouldn’t have any confidence in a God that I could understand.”
Second, we recognize the sacred history of the Trinity.
John 1:1-3 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
There is no contradiction between the three, because they are One. The Trinity, together, created the world, composed the Scriptures, conceived the Christ, and commissioned the Church.
Finally, we recognize the saving ministry of the Trinity.
Through the Holy Trinity, we have our salvation. Salvation has been in the heart and mind of God before we were ever born. The Father thought it, the Son bought it, and the Holy Spirit wrought it.
Adrian Rogers says, “You have been selected by the Father, saved by the Son, and sealed by the Spirit.”
Because of the mystery of the manger, the blessing of Bethlehem, and the treasures of the Trinity, we can never lose our salvation.
Apply it to your life
It’s not enough to simply accept the intellectual premise of the Holy Trinity. Give your heart to Jesus, the Son of God.
Christmas in the Old Testament
December 8, 2024 • Adrian Rogers • Micah 5:2
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Micah 5:2
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but His existence did not begin in Bethlehem; He has been from everlasting. The Book of Micah offers us a clear picture of Christmas to come in the Old Testament.
Micah 5:2 says, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.”
Adrian Rogers says, “Without the Lord Jesus, the Old Testament is simply a bundle of unfulfilled prophecies, of unexplained ceremonies, of unattainable laws. But when you bring Jesus into it, it unlocks the whole thing.”
First, there are portraits of Jesus in the Old Testament.
In Luke 24:44, Jesus says, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”
Jesus is who all the Old Testament prophets have given witness to. He is portrayed as the Prophet, Priest and King of every story from Genesis to Malachi. He is in every ceremony, and even in the design of biblical architecture such as the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. When we read the New Testament, we find the fulfillment of each law and prophecy.
Second, there are prophecies of Jesus in the Old Testament.
There are more than 300 prophecies concerning the Messiah in the Old Testament. Throughout the Books of Law and Prophecy, God narrows the focus to a specific man from the nation of Israel.
He would come from the Tribe of Judah, specifically the family of Jesse, and the household of David. He would be born of a virgin in Bethlehem, betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, crucified, and then raised from the dead.
Jesus fulfilled each of these prophecies and many more. Mathematically, when we speak of the laws of probability, there is no doubt He is the Messiah.
Finally, Jesus is presented in the Old Testament
We must decide how we will respond. Do we crown Him or crucify Him—accept or reject Him?
As we study Scripture, we’ll find that we can believe the Bible and trust Him as our Savior.
Apply it to your life
Jesus has been presented to us in the Old and New Testaments. How will you respond? Do you believe in Him? Do you accept Him as your Lord and Savior?
Miracle Births
December 1, 2024 • Adrian Rogers • John 3
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: John 3
Birth is, perhaps, the greatest miracle each of us has ever experienced. But John 3 mentions an even greater second birth for those who are born again in Jesus Christ.
In John 3, the Pharisee Nicodemus represents the problem of the sinner’s birth.
“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God’” (John 3:3).
Because Nicodemus was born into the natural world, he was bound to the sinful world. Those of us once-born have a sinful nature. There is no “cleaning up” our nature before we get saved.
Our sinful nature also blinds us to the spiritual world. Adrian Rogers says, “I can preach truth, but only the Holy Spirit can impart truth. They may get the words, but they’ll never get the music unless the Holy Spirit of God turns the light on in their soul.”
But this passage also reveals the purpose of the Savior’s birth.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Jesus came, being born of a virgin, to redeem us, to reveal the truth of God to us, and to restore us to be what God made us to be.
Then, we experience the second birth.
God breathes new life into us, and we become completely new creations. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit are the “parents” of our new birth. As a result, our new character mimics that of our spiritual parents. (See John 3:5.)
We love the Lord Jesus Christ and have the witness of the Spirit. We have the nature of our Father and desire to share Jesus with others.
Just like there is a finality in our natural birth, once we are saved, we are always saved; we receive a fresh start and begin to grow with the certainty of our miraculous rebirth.
Adrian Rogers says, “A newborn child has no yesterdays; he’s all tomorrows. So it is with the new birth: we receive a brand new future; our past is in the grave of God’s forgetfulness.”
Apply it to your life
Do you have the markers of a twice-born believer? Do you love Jesus, have the inner witness of the Spirit? Do you have the nature of your Heavenly Father, and a desire to share the Gospel with others?
Revival is When God Shows Up
November 24, 2024 • Adrian Rogers • Isaiah 64
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Isaiah 64
No military power, economic upturn, or presidential election can bring the revival we so desperately need. Transformation happens when, by holy boldness, one person seeks the face of God; revival can happen in one person, in a family, in a church, in a country.
Isaiah 64 shows us what happens when God shows up and revival breaks out.
First, this passage tells us about the presence that produces revival.
“Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence—as fire burns brushwood, as fire causes water to boil—to make Your name known to Your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Your presence!” (Isaiah 64:1-2). When God comes down, mountains melt and sinners shake. His presence cannot be explained away or mocked. His presence makes the righteous rejoice (see Isaiah 64:4-5) because we know that God wants to meet with us.
To experience His presence in this way, we must recognize the problems that prevent revival.
“But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6).
We are corrupted by our sins; our self-righteousness is like filthy rags. We try to cover ourselves with the thing that defiles and condemns us.
We can also be complacent in our sins (see Isaiah 64:7). We need to stir up our hearts—shake up and shake off the comfort of habitual sin.
We cannot let sin consume us; it cannot eat us alive. If we are serious about revival, we must get right with God and put ourselves at His disposal.
Lastly, prayer precedes revival; seeking His face means fervent prayer.
This type of prayer recognizes God’s sovereignty, remembers God’s mercy, and respects God’s glory (see Isaiah 64:8-9).
Adrian Rogers says, “The problem with so many of our prayers is we’re not willing to repent. We want God’s mercy, but seek no repentance; and prayer without repentance is a religious farce—a smokescreen
Apply it to your life
Do you want God’s presence to come down and begin a revival in you? Do you want His presence to bring unspeakable joy?
Pray with sincere repentance. It is not your tears or emotions that save you—it is God who saves you. He saves us instantly, stays with us continually, and keeps us eternally.
Let the Fire Fall
November 17, 2024 • Adrian Rogers • 1 Kings 18:1–39
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: 1 Kings 18:1-39
In 1 Kings 18, there were dark days of apostasy in Israel. The people had forgotten God and begun worshiping a false god named Baal in obscene and immoral ways. Then God sent the prophet Elijah to challenge them.
1 King 18:24 says, “Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.
In our own troublesome days, this story offers hope for those of us waiting for fire to fall again and ignite a church revival.
First, there are some enemies of revival we must be aware of.
There are the compromisers, represented by a man named Obadiah. (See 1 Kings 18:5-6) Like Obadiah, there are believers who have compromised and backslidden in their beliefs. In an attempt to befriend the world, they have become salt that’s lost its savor, and stumbling blocks to the saved.
There are the corrupt, represented by Ahab and Jezebel. King Ahab was deeply religious, praying to idols and gods that fed his own pride and lust. But praise God—no king, court, or president can hold back revival.
There are the confused, who are on the fence, represented by the crowd in 1 Kings 18: 19-21. The crowd will be swept into the Kingdom of God if there’s true revival in the Church.
And there is the competition, the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. But as we see, the competition was not even close. No amount of praying and praising from Baal’s prophets could make fire rain down.
This passage also reveals the elements of revival:
-The solidarity of God’s people, coming together in unity for an altar fellowship.
-The separation of God’s people from the world.
-The sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose powerful blood is our only hope.
-The supernatural power of God, which shines even brighter through odds stacked against Him.
-The strength of believing prayer.
-The evidence of revival was immediate.
Once Elijah called upon the Lord in prayer, God answered by fire. The worshipful response from the crowds reveals that revival fire from Heaven is all-consuming, convicting, and converting.
Apply it to your life
Adrian Rogers asks, “How much of your prayer life is consumed for the glory of God?” Pray for revival today—that God would send fire from Heaven through a Church revival; pray that God’s people will climb off the fence and serve Him.
Family Revival
November 10, 2024 • Adrian Rogers • Matthew 19:3–6
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Matthew 19:3-6
We live in a fallen world of broken homes and throw-away marriages. Now more than ever, we must come back to the Word of God and seek family revival.
Matthew 19 explains what marriage is so we can build our marriages in the name and power of Jesus Christ.
“Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:4-6).
First, we must remember that God has designed the family.
Marriage is a divine institution made by God to meet the deepest needs of humankind. When we commit to another in marriage, we leave our mother and father and unite with our spouse, becoming one flesh. We are called to join together physically and multiply; we become one flesh psychologically and in spiritual communion.
Because God designed the family, Satan wants to destroy the family.
Adrian Rogers says, “It is not love that holds your marriage together; it is marriage that sustains your love.”
God has said in His Word He hates divorce. We are commanded to love continually; a marriage rooted in conditional love produced fear, guilt, and anger. There is no fear in perfect, unconditional love; only peace, security, and joy.
It is our duty to dispel the lies from Hell, vow to attack the problems rather than one another, and change the direction of a broken marriage. God has joined us together, and where there is God, there is always hope.
Finally, we must defend our family.
We do this by making Jesus Christ the center of our homes. Second, we continue to feed our love day by day, nurturing and caring for it so it will grow.
And if we ever find ourselves in a broken home, we must remember God’s forgiveness is always available for those who seek to honor Him in their relationships, we need only ask for it.
Apply it to your life
How are you defending your family today? Is Jesus Christ the head of the home? Are you feeding your love and asking for forgiveness? Seek the Lord today, and pray for a family revival; let it begin with you.
Rivers of Revival
November 3, 2024 • Adrian Rogers • Ezekiel 47:1–12
Sermon Overview
Scripture Reference: Ezekiel 47:1-12
John 7:38 says, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
As we ask God to do something supernatural in our desperate world, we must pray to become like the rivers of revival pictured in Ezekiel 47.
“Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar.” (v. 1)
The Mysterious Source of the River
It is a humble source; it flows from under the threshold. Adrian Rogers says, “Revival never begins without God’s people humbling themselves.” It is a holy source; it flows past the altar, the holiest of holy places. It is a heated source; it flows out towards the east, where the sun rises.
The Marked Course of the River
It flows into the depressed, deserted, and deadly places. There are people who are fearful and perplexed, unsatisfied, and spiritually dead. They don’t know the joy that we know or have the answers to life that we have. They need the rivers of revival to flow out of us.
Ezekiel explains the mighty force of this river, declaring that where the water flows:
Trees will grow: “When I had returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other” (v. 7).
Ezekiel is talking about Christians who have strength and life, becoming trees that will not wither. (See Psalm 1:2-3.)
Fish will go: In Matthew 4:19, Jesus said that we’re to be fishers of men. Evangelism is a by-product of revival; when the church gets right with God, others will come to Jesus.
Fruit will show: Galatians 5:22-23 reveals the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
Health will glow: When the rivers of revival flow through, the result is spiritual health: for us those around us.
Apply it to your life
Are you thirsty for revival? Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Pray for a river of revival to flow through you today.
Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Acts 1:1-3
Our greatest need in this world is Jesus; as believers, it is our greatest privilege to make Jesus known to our neighbors and nation.
If we want to make Jesus known, we must first recognize His presence in us.
Acts 1:1-2 says, “The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen…” The Book of Acts takes place after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into Heaven. Yet, His work had only just begun, as He continued it through His disciples.
Adrian Rogers says, “In the Gospel, Jesus began; in Acts, Jesus continues. In the Gospel, He did that through His literal body, in the Book of Acts, He does that through His mystical body.”
We are now His Body; He wants to live and work through His Church, supernaturally, not superficially.
Secondly, we need to rely upon His promise to us, which is the Holy Spirit.
Jesus has commanded us to make disciples through evangelism, mark them through baptism, and mature them in ministry. (See Acts 1:8.) Yet, in Acts 1:4-5, Jesus instructs His disciples to wait in the city until they have received the Spirit to begin. The promise was fulfilled at Pentecost, and the disciples carried out this impossible mission. We are not waiting for the Spirit anymore. If we are saved, He has equipped and anointed us with the Holy Spirit to accomplish His work.
Third, we need to respond to His program through us.
As Believers, we are witnesses of Jesus, having seen and heard His power in our lives; we don’t have to know all the answers in order to share the Gospel with others.
If we only recognize His presence in us, remember His promise to us, and rely upon His program for us to make disciples, we will see Jesus do something wonderful through us.
Apply it to your life
There are no barriers: no matter our age, education, or social status, God can use you right now, with what you have. God will supply all that you need to make Jesus known.
Adrian Rogers says, “It’ll be a great day when we learn that Jesus doesn’t want us to do anything for Him; He wants to do something through us.”
The Soul Winner's Six Mighty Motivations
October 13, 2024 • Adrian Rogers • 2 Corinthians 5
Sermon Overview
Scripture Reference: 2 Corinthians 5
Our achievements in life are impelled by the drive behind them. If we want to be soul winners for the cause of Christ, the apostle Paul offers six mighty motivations in 2 Corinthians 5.
First, we see the soul winner’s compulsion: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him…” (2 Corinthians 5:9). Our goal is to please God; if we are not bringing souls to Christ, we are not acceptable to God.
We also recognize our compensation: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). We will be compensated for our soul-winning work at the judgment seat of Christ. And whatever reward He gives us will never see corruption.
Third, remember the soul winner’s conviction: “Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men...” (2 Corinthians 5:11). Paul reminds us of what it means for a soul to die unredeemed, destined for Hell; he understood the terror of the Lord.
We are also motivated by our compassion: “For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you...” (2 Corinthians 5:13).
Adrian Rogers says, “What motivates me is not my love for people; it is my love for Jesus. Yes, I love people, but the chief motivation of my life is His love for me and, therefore, His love through me.”
We remember our confidence: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). As Christians, we are confident that when we lead a soul to Christ, he will become a new creature. Every person is a potential brother or sister in the faith.
Finally, we read of the soul winner’s commission: “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation…” (2 Corinthians 5:18). We are saved to bring others to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We are ambassadors of the King of kings, appointed and anointed by God Himself.
Apply it to your life
Are you motivated, today, to win souls for Jesus Christ? Remember these six mighty motivations as you prayerfully and boldly share your faith.
The Value of a Human Soul
October 6, 2024 • Adrian Rogers • Mark 8:34
Sermon Overview
Scripture Reference: Mark 8:34
Our souls are of infinite worth. When God made the human soul, He made it in His own image, therefore, our souls are endless, timeless, dateless, and measureless. The soul is the most valuable part of each of us, and so often, the first thing we sacrifice for the things of this world.
Mark 8:35-36 says, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”
No one ever gains the whole world, and whatever part of the world you would gain, you cannot keep forever. The world cannot satisfy our deepest longings—neither pleasure, possession, nor philosophy could ever satisfy because God made us for Himself.
Our souls are priceless treasures of tremendous worth; each one was formed with incredible creativity. Every soul has the potential to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. Our souls are also valuable because of their durability; they last for all eternity.
Adrian Rogers says, “God never makes duplicates. You are the handiwork, the crafting, of Almighty God.”
Our souls are also extremely rare; each is unique. Our souls are of inestimable worth. Jesus died upon the cross, paying the price with His blood and agony to show how much He desired our souls. Therefore, we must be extremely careful with our souls. Any one soul not given to the Lord is a waste of a soul. It is a foolish transaction.
Adrian Rogers says, “Your soul was made for God and until your soul finds its rest in God, your soul will never find satisfaction. You’re His poem—His masterpiece.”
To lose your soul would be a tragic, immeasurable loss—all the wealth of this world cannot compare to the value of a soul. It is an irreplaceable and irreversible loss—after death, we don’t get a second chance.
It’s an inexcusable loss—completely avoidable. Because of Jesus Christ, our sin has been atoned for. And if we belong to Christ and confess our sins, those sins are forgiven.
We can be saved, through conviction, conversion, and confession.
Apply it to your life
Are you playing games, gambling with your soul? To lose it to this world would be a foolish, fatal tragedy. Give it to Jesus, who saves it and keeps it for all of eternity.
A Conquering Church
September 29, 2024 • Adrian Rogers • Genesis 1, Ephesians 1
Sermon Overview
Scripture Reference: Genesis 1; Ephesians 1
God made man and woman to have dominion, victory, and mastery; it is the very reason we were created. Once we understand this, we can come together as a conquering church and take back what was lost by Adam and was restored by Jesus Christ, the Second Adam.
According to Genesis 1:26, God gave dominion on earth to Adam.
But Satan, a fallen angel who became the father of the night, lost the battle in Heaven and hopes to win the battle on Earth.
He came to the Garden of Eden as a serpent and tempted Adam and Eve to sin; therefore, they turned dominion over to him and became his slaves.
But this dominion, legally lost by Adam, was righteously regained by Jesus Christ!
Adrian Rogers says, “God owes Satan nothing, but God owes everything to His own justice. Jesus Christ came to this Earth as the second Adam, to gain back what the first Adam lost.”
It was lost by a man, and it was legally restored by a man: “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22).
Satan tried to tempt Jesus to sin as he had tempted Adam (Luke 4), but Jesus defeated Him by the Word of God. At Calvary, when Jesus died and was buried, the devil believed he had won. But three days later, Jesus walked out of the grave and brought back dominion that had been lost.
Finally, this dominion has been gloriously given to the Church.
Ephesians 1:22-23 says, “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
When God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, He raised us up as well. The devil wants to keep us in the dark so that we never see the incredible power we’ve been given. But when we finally recognize it, all Heaven will break loose.
Apply it to your life
Adrian Rogers says, “The same weapons that belonged to Adam in the Garden of Eden were the weapons that Jesus Christ used in the wilderness.” Spend some time in Scripture, dwell on the Word of God, exercising your dominion, rightfully restored by Jesus Christ.
A Worshipping Church
September 22, 2024 • Adrian Rogers • John 4:23–24
Sermon Overview
Scripture Reference: John 4:23-24
We were created to worship God; it is life’s greatest privilege and supreme duty to worship Him. It is the act of worship, and coming together as a worshipping Church that transforms our lives from monotonous to momentous.
First, we must understand the meaning of true worship.
John 4:23-24 says, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
In this passage, Jesus explained to a Samaritan woman what worship is, and how it differs from the religion she was accustomed to.
Adrian Rogers says, “We don’t have to have enthusiastic heresy, or lifeless orthodoxy. …It’ll be a great day in any church when you stop enduring religion and start enjoying true worship.”
Worship is a response of gratitude to all that God has revealed Himself to be, through Jesus Christ.
Second, we must understand the motive of true worship, and why God is seeking worshippers.
We become like what we worship. This is why it’s important to know exactly who we are worshipping because if we do not worship Almighty God, we will be susceptible to worship anything else.
Not only does God seek worshippers for what it does for us, but also for what it does for Him. Our praise gives Him pleasure as our Father; He yearns for our devotion and our honor.
Finally, we must understand the method of true worship: both in spirit and truth.
When Jesus says to worship God in spirit, He is referring to our innermost being. If our spirit is dead or warped, we can’t truly worship. Our praise must come from an honest place.
But we must also remember to worship in truth; our emotions cannot dictate our praise—there must be an intelligent worship.
Adrian Rogers says, “Your worship will never rise higher than your knowledge of God.”
Spirit and truth go together; we honor God by actively praising with our spirit and seeking truth in His Word.
Apply it to your life
The ultimate privilege is to love God and worship Him in spirit and truth. Today, love Him passionately with all your heart, selflessly with all of your soul, and thoughtfully with your mind.
A Praying Church
September 15, 2024 • Adrian Rogers • Matthew 7:7–8
Sermon Overview
Scripture Reference: Matthew 7:7-8
There is no substitute for prayer, and a church is only as useful as her prayer life. The devil cannot keep God from answering our prayers, so he tries to keep us from asking. But our Lord has commanded us to pray.
Adrian Rogers says, “The greatest problem that you have in your life is not unanswered prayer; the greatest problem is unasked prayer.”
Matthew 7:7-8 says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
These are the words of Jesus—an undeniable, impeccable promise to a praying church.
God already knows our needs before we ask. We pray, not to impress or inform Him, but to invite Him into our circumstances. God wants us to abide in Him, and prayer teaches us to depend on Him.
This passage reminds us first to ask and express our desires to God.
There is no division between spiritual things we should ask for and secular things we shouldn’t. We can’t consider some things too big or too small for God to answer. Whatever our desires may be, if they are something we can ask God’s help for, we should give them to God. Sometimes the answer is direct.
Secondly, we’re reminded to seek and expect direction from God.
Sometimes, God’s ways are unknown to us, so His answers are different from what we expect. What we ask for is not what God wants us to have. As we seek God, He will direct our prayers over time so that we will ask for the right things.
Finally, this passage tells us to knock and exercise determination with God.
We cannot give up too easily; we must remember that sometimes, God’s answers are delayed and we must be persistent. We should only stop knocking after we have an answer in hand or in our hearts, or if God says “no.” Until then, we must ask, seek, and continue knocking, inviting God into our lives, one prayer at a time.
Apply it to your life
Is there something in your heart and mind that you’ve been afraid to pray for? Freely ask God, seek Him, and continue knocking. He is faithful to answer, whether directly, differently, or delayed.
A Spirit-Filled Church
September 8, 2024 • Adrian Rogers • John 14:12
Sermon Overview
Scripture Reference: John 14:12
A Spirit-filled Church does not just organize and process members—it empowers and equips believers to be transformed by Scripture.
John 14:12 says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”
The Exciting Program
This passage reveals that as a Church, we are not only to do the works of Jesus, but also to exceed the works of Jesus. We won’t walk on water, but we will multiply the kingdom by leading people to Jesus.
Adrian Rogers says, “Bringing a soul to Jesus Christ is greater than raising a man from the dead.” There is no substitute for evangelism; the Church is to share the Gospel with others.
The Explicit Promise
We also remember our explicit promise: that God will answer our prayers. Prayer is not preliminary to our work; it is the work. To do the greater works that Jesus commands us to do, we must labor in prayer. This requires the right people praying, with the right power, for the right purpose.
The Expected Practice
Third, this passage reminds us that we’re expected to keep God’s commandments. (See John 14:15.) We are expected to obey the Lord if we love Him. We are all called to be witnesses to what God has done for us; it is simple, but there is no cheap or easy way to do it.
The Exceeding Power
To do all of this, we need the exceeding power of the Holy Spirit.
John 14:16 says, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever…”
Adrian Rogers says, “The Holy Spirit is Christ in the Christian.” In the Holy Spirit, we have a Great Comforter who empowers and strengthens us. We are never left to do these greater works alone; He is with us and within us.
Each Christian life is a culmination of three miracles: salvation through Jesus, the hope of His Second Coming, and the Holy Spirit’s empowerment for daily living.
Apply it to your life
To be a Spirit-filled Church, each one of us must be filled with the Holy Spirit; are you being obedient to the Lord? Are you seeking to multiply the Kingdom by winning souls to Jesus?
