Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Matthew 5:1-9

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

In our world today, there is a stronger emphasis on what we have than on what we are. The world says, “Blessed are those with wealth, strength, power, knowledge, and popularity.” But in his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus puts an emphasis not primarily on what a man has, but on what a man is. The first of these character qualities is a poorness of spirit.

Matthew 5 reveals how bankruptcy can become a blessing. “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” In this passage, Jesus is not talking about financial poverty. Rather, He is identifying the spiritual poverty of a man.

In the spiritual realm, we are absolutely, totally bankrupt—beggars before God. We must discover this truth, and admit it; if we don't see it or refuse to acknowledge it, we will never receive the kingdom of heaven.

Adrian Rogers says, “This discovery comes when we see just who God is, and then we understand who we are.” Brokenness follows this discovery; we realize we cannot depend on the things we once believed we could. We cannot depend on our pedigrees, our education, or knowledge; these things cannot help us.

Those who are spiritually bankrupt cannot afford to be proud. All we can do is declare our dire condition. Because, as Matthew 5 reveals, spiritual beggars are blessed…“for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

This condition is a blessing because it is the only way we can get to heaven. Adrian Rogers says, “Until a man lays his pride in the dust, he cannot be saved. Even God cannot fill that which is already full. We'll never live spiritually until we admit we are dead spiritually.”

When we lay aside our pride and receive salvation from Jesus Christ, we are, in turn, received by God, just as we are. It is the only way we can come to the Father.

Apply it to your life

Discover your spiritual bankruptcy, depend on God’s promises, and declare it to others today. Adrian Rogers says, “Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar how to find bread.”

Sermon Overview

Scripture Reference: Isaiah 6:1-3

The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is one of the great distinctions of the Christian faith. It’s what makes Christianity stand out in a world of religions. It is the idea that we worship one God who has revealed Himself in three persons.

Isaiah 6:8 says, “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’”

In this passage, God, using the plural pronoun, “Us,” indicates His triune nature. This is not the same thing as polytheism; we do not worship three gods. There is one God, and He is triune: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

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. We can only understand by reading Scripture. If we try to understand it on our own, we will lose our minds; if we deny it, we may lose our souls.

Isaiah 40:18 says, “To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?”

Though it may be difficult to comprehend, we can see God’s triune nature reflected in everything He has created. Space is made up of height, width, and depth. Time is a culmination of past, present, and future. Man is at once body, soul, and spirit.

The idea of the Trinity was not created in the New Testament. God’s triune nature is evident in creation (Genesis 1:1) and in the greatest commandment (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). God is spoken of as a unity, or as a collective one.

The life of Jesus Christ did not begin at Bethlehem. Jesus says so Himself in John 8:58: “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

The Son of God is spoken of throughout the Old Testament, in prophecy (Isaiah 48:12) and physical presence (Daniel 3:25). He has no beginning and He will never have an ending.

The treasure of the trinity is that we have the Father above us, the Spirit within us, and the Son, who died for us.

Apply it to your life

Praise God that He is bigger than our understanding. Today, worship God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Lay down your intellectual pride and offer your heart to Him.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: John 7:37-39

Most of us have had all the religion we can stand; what we actually need is a personal, vital relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We need to stop enduring religion and start enjoying salvation.

John 7:37-38 says, “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”

There are four simple steps to deeply drinking in the satisfaction of Jesus Christ.

First, we must understand the subjects—those who thirst.

Jesus was not speaking to everybody, rather only to thirsty people. If we’ve been filling ourselves with shallow things like self-love and worldliness, we will not long for the living water of Jesus Christ.

Second, we must understand the source of this living water—Jesus Himself.

We don’t find living water in rituals or religion or rules, rather, we receive it through Jesus. We will never live “right” until we are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Adrian Rogers says, “Holiness is not the way to Christ; Christ is the way to holiness. We don’t work our way to the Way; He is the Way.”

Third, we must recognize the secret: “Come to Me and drink.”

This living water is free, but it costs everything within us. We must let it sink into our hearts so that we claim Him so deeply that we believe in Him and appropriate His promises.

Finally, we must remember the supply.

Ezekiel 47 prophecies what we, as believers, are to look like today: a mysterious river, flowing past the altar, which represents Christ crucified.

This river’s mighty force brings life where there was death and success where there was failure. This living water brings fruitfulness where there was barrenness and health where there was sickness.

When we are filled with the Spirit, our lives will overflow with joy, praise, and service. Not only will there be an income, but there will also be an outflow. We will become springs of revival and rivers of blessing.

Apply it to your life

Have you experienced the living water bubbling up from within? Have you experienced satisfaction in Jesus Christ? Don’t wait until you’re better or stronger; bring Him your failures and heartaches. Come to Jesus.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Reference: John 15:12-25

It is a privilege to call Jesus our friend—to know Him intimately as a close companion. John 15:12-25 highlights five things about our friendship with Jesus: what it means, and what it makes of us.

First, friendship with Jesus elevates us.

“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). Simply being His servant would be an honor. But friendship with Jesus lifts us to a level we could not reach without Him. We didn’t choose Him; He chose us (see John 15:16).

Adrian Rogers says, “A man is known by his friends; if you’re a friend of Jesus, you’re somebody.”

Friendship with Jesus also enlarges the company we keep.

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Friends of Jesus become friends with each other; He is our common bond. Because we love Him, we love one another, and the circle grows.

But we must also remember the cost of friendship with Jesus.

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). Real friendships are expensive, but they are worth it. The highest service is when we serve because we want to, not because we have to. Serving and obeying Jesus does not earn us His friendship; it proves our friendship.

However, friendship with Jesus still enriches us.

Healthy friendships with good people sharpen us and make us better. On the contrary, unhealthy friendships make us dull and drag us down. Friendship with Jesus, who is the Vine, makes us fruitful.

Finally, friendship with Jesus means entering inevitable conflict with the world.

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you” (John 15:18). Just as His friends become our friends, so do Christ’s enemies become our enemies. But it is an honor to be counted worthy of suffering as Jesus suffered.

Our deepest need is to have someone who understands us, and Jesus does; He is all we need.

Apply it to your life

Are you friends with Jesus? Have you made friends with His friends and seen His enemies rise against you? Consider your relationship with Jesus today.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Psalm 119:97

Psalm 119:97 says, “O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.” Because it is Jesus Christ Himself who makes us more like Him, it is crucial to spend quality time with Him and in His Word, and there are five factors that go into having a meaningful quiet time.

First, it must be early in the day, at our most optimal time, when we are preparing for the day.

We must:

-Be physically alert, so we can think clearly.

-Be morally pure and clean, so we can blamelessly bow before a holy God.

-Be mentally aware, so we can be receptive to what He has to say.

We should have our quiet time in an isolated place; somewhere we can shut the door on the world, to avoid distractions. Adrian Rogers says, “What you are when you’re alone is what you are. The mark of your prayer life is not how well you pray in public, but in private. Your Father who sees you in secret will reward you openly.”

We also need the right tools: a Bible we can read and understand, a journal to record your time with God, and a second journal to record prayers. Practically, it’s also good to have a notepad to write down your spiritual instructions for the day.

Having prepared for a meaningful quiet time, how should we proceed?

1. Get quiet; take a deep breath and focus your thoughts on the Lord.

2. Get into the Word of God; read the Bible before praying.

3. Meditate on it; reading for quality, not quantity.

4. Record what God has given you through His Word in your journal.

5. Record instructions, goals, and decisions revealed from your time with God.

6. Pray; pour out your soul to God with reverence and honesty. Tell Him everything; He already knows.

7. Share what you’ve learned. We ought to be in the habit of exhorting and encouraging one another.

8. Obey what God tells you. Our spiritual lives run on revelation and obedience. One does not run without the other.

Apply it to your life

Is your quiet time with God meaningful to you? Have you properly prepared and set yourself up for a fruitful time with the Lord? Consider these steps today, and talk to God.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Genesis 2:7

If you have “unction,” it means you have the power of God upon your life, energized and directed by the Holy Spirit of God. To understand how to function with unction, we must first understand how God designed us and why.

Genesis 2:7 says, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” When the Bible says “God formed man,” formed is a word used for a potter molding clay. God made the complex, intricately woven man out of dirt.

We have a body, made of the dust of the ground. God’s crowning creation. But we are not our bodies… we just live in our bodies.

We also have souls, which is what lives inside our bodies. Our souls are our real personality, our sense of humor, intelligence, likes and dislikes, idiosyncrasies —all of those things that make us the uniquely wonderful person that you are. Roughly speaking, our soul is mind, emotion, and will.

The human spirit is inextricably united with its soul, completely inseparable, but they are not the same thing. The difference between the soul and the spirit is the spirit’s uniqueness to the human design. The human spirit is the organ of spiritual knowledge. The spirit is evidence that God put Himself into man.

Proverbs 20:27 says, “The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD…” As a lamp is fed with oil, the Holy Spirit feeds our spirit, which is the innermost part of our nature that enables us to know and worship God.

Adrian Rogers says, “With your body, you know the world beneath you; with your soul, you know the world around you; with your spirit, you know the world above you.”

When the Holy Spirit speaks to the human spirit, it then speaks to the human soul. The soul speaks to the body through mind, emotion, and will. Then the body goes out and lives in the world, showing the life and love of the Lord Jesus.

Apply it to your life

How is a man to function with unction? Pray for the Holy Spirit to illuminate your spirit.

Adrian Rogers says, “When your body is right, you’re healthy. When your soul is right, you’re happy. When your spirit is right, you’re holy.”

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Romans 8:18-23

If we live long enough on this Earth, we will know sorrow, disappointment, and pain in a personal way. Suffering is inevitable, and if we aren’t careful, it can consume us.

If we want to make sense of our suffering, there are three words to consider from Romans 8:18-23: bondage, liberty, and hope.

We must first consider the bondage of yesterday’s curse.

Sin entered the perfect world God created because, in His love for us, God gave us free will to choose. Because mankind chose to sin, we are condemned according to the law of the Bible. God could not destroy evil without destroying freedom. Because there is evil, there is suffering. Though our suffering cannot be destroyed, God has defeated evil.

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.”

Liberty is tomorrow’s conquest.

Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we are liberated from the curse of sin. There is no more condemnation for our sin; and when Jesus comes again, He will restore everything. However, though we have been freed from the curse of sin, we can still feel the hurt of it.

Our hope is our comfort for today.

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.”

Adrian Rogers says, “The groans we endure are temporary, but the glory we expect is eternal.”

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 not yet been redeemed.

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.

Apply it to your life

Are you facing suffering that doesn’t make sense to you? Remember: 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: Ephesians 6:5-8

As Christians, we have the chance to put joy, zest, and dignity into the most mundane jobs. God can turn our Monday mornings into a thing of beauty and joy. There are three principles to draw from Ephesians 6:5-8 as we begin turning the rat race into a pilgrimage.

One, we need to see our jobs as an opportunity and be grateful.

There are three wrong ways to look at work: a necessary evil, a cruel master, or a god itself. But when we see our work for what it truly is, a gift from God, we will begin to feel grateful.

Two, we need to see our jobs as a responsibility and be helpful.

When we work, we join a partnership with God, even in the secular workforce. We can draw parallels from Jeremiah 29, where God instructs Israel, captives of Babylon, to get into the work world and seek the welfare of Babylon. (See v. 4.) Your job is a part of a greater plan; we must be helpful to others.

Three, we need to see our jobs as a ministry and be faithful. 

Our jobs are our greatest ministry opportunity. We serve God full-time wherever we work no matter how mundane the job might be. Ephesians 6:6-7 says to approach our work, “not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men.”

Adrian Rogers says, “We’ve been saved out of the world, sent back into the world to witness to the world, and that’s the only business in the world we have until we’re taken out of the world when Jesus comes. We’re in this world, but not of this world. And Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, ‘You are the light of the world’.”

Apply it to your life

Understanding that we are not called to a rat race, but a pilgrimage, there are four things to remember when you go to work tomorrow:

1. Don’t brag; do away with self-righteousness. Your light is to glow, not to glare.

2. Don't nag; no one has ever been talked down into a relationship with Jesus.

3. Don’t lag; carry your part of the load… in fact, work harder than anybody else.

4. Don’t sag; uphold your Christian faith in the workplace.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: 1 John 2:12-14

A growing Christian is a maturing Christian because spiritual maturity is becoming more like Jesus. Some Christians are saved but aren’t growing. We will never know true victory and joy unless we learn how to be growing Christians.

In 1 John 2, the Apostle John compares spiritual maturity to three stages in our physical lives.

“I write unto you, little children, because you have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known Him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one” (1 John 2:14).

New Christians experience the thrilling wonders of spiritual childhood. They are “all tomorrows; no yesterdays.” However, children live in the realm of their feelings. They can be selfish and self-centered; uncooperative.

We are only young once; but if we aren’t careful, we can be spiritually immature for a long time.

If we grow, we’ll experience the triumphant warfare of manhood.

Abiding in the Word of God strengthens us for warfare. Obeying God and serving others transforms us into workers and warriors, equipped to combat the enemy.

Next comes the tested wisdom of fatherhood.

Adrian Rogers says, “When we spend time with someone, we become like that someone.”

Because we view God as our Father, the goal of spiritual maturity is to become spiritual fathers (and mothers). Mature Christians reproduce through soul-winning and discipleship.

What are the means of maturity?

-There must be the miracle of life; we must be saved.

-It takes time. There is no instant maturity; we experience growth through time spent with Jesus Christ.

-Growth requires nourishment; we have to feed on the Word of God.

-Growth demands discipline and exercise; we serve God and others.

Remember: we don’t substitute fatherhood for young manhood, nor young manhood for childhood.

In a father, there ought to be the vision and zeal of a young man. In a young man, there ought to be the wonder of childhood. All three stages are legitimate; a mature Christian is a composite of them all.

Apply it to your life

It takes life, time, nourishment, and exercise to grow.

Adrian Rogers offers this advice: “Don’t worry about what you can’t do. Find out what you can do and begin to do it, and you will grow.”

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: John 11

The Book of John shares Jesus’ glorious miracles with great messages and spiritual truths. In John 11, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, revealing that He is God’s answer to Man’s death.

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die’” (John 11:25-26).

Many of us are alive but simply exist, fighting to live, while living to fight; but Jesus came, so that we may have life abundantly.

Therefore, the only way to live abundantly is to first experience life in Jesus.

In this passage, Lazarus had been physically dead for days; spiritually, he represents many of us who are dead in our sins. No amount of examples, encouragement, environment, or education can bring a spiritually dead man back to life. He is resurrected the same way Jesus resurrected Lazarus: by His Word. Those who know Jesus Christ never truly die; instead, they have everlasting life.

Second, living abundantly means exercising liberty through Jesus.

We can be saved, and still not live in victory, caught up somewhere between the powers of Calvary and Pentecost.

As Lazarus was taken out of his grave clothes, we must also discard our old lives and step into new lives of liberty. As the Church, we minister to each other by calling forth the spiritually dead and unwrapping the saints.

Abundant life also means enjoying our love for Jesus.

Lazarus dined with Jesus after he was resurrected, reminding us that fellowship with Jesus Christ is a reward in itself.

Finally, abundant life means expressing loyalty to Jesus.

After all he’d experienced, Lazarus was no longer afraid of death; He was loyal to Jesus, even when there was a threat made against him by the Pharisees.

Adrian Rogers says, “No man is ready to live until he is no longer afraid to die.”

When we experience life in Jesus, as well as liberty, love, and loyalty to Him, we begin to live the abundant life He promised us.

Apply it to your life

Do you have the abundant life Jesus promised those who live in Him? Consider your spiritual condition today, and step into a life of liberty, love, and loyalty to Christ.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: John 6:15

Trouble is what draws us closer to Jesus and strengthens us to face life’s storms.

In John 6, Jesus’ disciples were caught up in a treacherous storm, when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee. This passage reminds us that Jesus is God’s answer to Man’s despair.

When we find ourselves tossed about by the storms of life, there are six anchors for the soul we can hold onto.

“I am governed by His providence.”

The storm the disciples faced did not take Jesus by surprise; nor were the disciples there by mistake. When we face unexpected storms, we must remember that even though it seems contrary to us, we are exactly where God has placed us and His providence is there, too.

“I am growing by His plan.”

When we look back on our lives, we will see that we grew the most in times of trouble; God engineers problems for our development.

Adrian Rogers says, “Faith, like film, is developed best in the dark.”

“I am graced by His prayers.”

Before Jesus appeared to the disciples on the waves, He was alone on the mountain top, praying for them. From His vantage point, He could see the storm they were entering. Though the disciples did not see Him, He did not take His eyes off of them. Jesus sees us and prays for us, especially when we are in the midst of a storm.

“I am gladdened by His presence.”

John 6:20-21 says “But He said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.” More than miracles, we need Jesus. Many times, we are positioned to cry out to Him, so that we may know a deeper glory and grace when He arrives.

“I am guarded by His power.”

God’s will does not take us where His grace cannot keep us. Anything over our heads is already under His feet. He has overcome the world; the Great I AM will always be.

“I am guided by His purpose.”

We are predestined to be like Jesus; God has a purpose for every storm. He gets in the boat with us and sees us to the shore.

Apply it to your life

Are you going through a storm right now? Remember these six truths and trust in Jesus.