The Cross
April 9, 2020
The Cross (1779)
The cross of Jesus Christ is the cure for sin. 1 Peter 3:18 points out three truths about how God forgives and deals with sin through the cross.
The very first truth is the vicarious suffering of the cross. The word vicarious means “in the place of another”. 1 Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust....” Jesus, who is the just, sinless Son of God, died for the unjust, us. He became our substitute. He faced emotional and bodily suffering unlike anything we could possibly imagine.
In the Old Testament, God instituted the ritual of the Passover Lamb. There was judgment upon the land because of sin, but God told His people to kill a perfect, spotless lamb. They were to take the blood of that lamb and put it upon the doorpost of their houses. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says, “For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot...” Jesus' crucifixion bears symbolism of that of a Passover Lamb. Even then, God was using the Passover Lamb as a prophecy and a picture of the cross of Jesus Christ.
Notice also the vital satisfaction of the cross. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sin....” Once; once for all. The debt has been paid in full. To say that there needs to be another sacrifice for sin is blasphemy. It is finished.
We see also the victorious salvation of the cross. “He hath suffered for sin, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” Sin separates us from a Holy God. The cross reconciles us a Holy God. Adrian Rogers says, “On that cross, Jesus took Holy God with one hand, sinful man with the other hand and by the blood of His cross, He hath reconciled God and man.”
God has a way of bringing us back.
“Oh, the love that thought it; oh the grace that brought it.”
Apply it to your life
Do you believe in the cross of Jesus Christ? The vicarious suffering, the vital satisfaction, the victorious salvation? Thank God for the sacrifice He made through Jesus Christ to bring us back to Him.
Featured Offer
Spiritual Steel for Building Believers Series
Just as a building is only as good as its foundation when threatening weather comes, your faith needs a solid foundation when the skeptic confronts you. This eight-message series by Adrian Rogers equips you with solid, yet easy-to-understand answers for your friends who have questions about the Christian faith. We must be equipped and ready to defend the truth and share the Good News. We need some spiritual steel!
Past Episodes
The Crown (1777)Before Jesus was crucified, a crown of thorns was placed on his head. Though done by the hands of wicked men, this crown part of the magnificent plan of a sovereign God, who would use it as a message for all humanity. Matthew 27 sets the scene for the sacred mystery of that crown. In one sense, this was an act of mockery. Yet, there was a mystery here, known only by God: thorns symbolizes the curse that is upon humanity because of sin.When God created man and put him in the Garden of Eden, there were no thorns. It wasn’t until after sin infiltrated the garden that God cursed it with thorns. When He was crucified, Jesus wore this crown of thorns because He bore the curse. The crown also speaks of suffering, pain and brutality inflicted on Jesus during His crucifixion.Why were the Roman soldiers beating and mocking Him? Because of their rebellion; they were ridiculing His right to rule. Adrian Rogers says, “The root of all sin is refusing to bow the knee to your rightful king.”We must also recognize the saving ministry of that crown. Through these thorns, God was teaching a lesson that Jesus, who knew no sin became sin for us. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Because of His holiness, God never has, never can and never will let one sin go unpunished. There’s only one question...who will bear that punishment: us or Jesus? Adrian Rogers says, “Sin will be pardoned in Christ or punished in hell, but sin will never be overlooked.”Finally, we must remember: crowns have always been a symbol of authority. When Jesus wore this crown of thorns, He was the sovereign majesty, not a helpless victim. Even when it seemed out of His control, He was in perfect control.Jesus, in His glory, wears a crown. A crown of peace, righteousness and glory. But on our behalf, He wore one of thorns, bearing our curse, our sin, our shame to save us from ourselves once and for all.Thank God for the crown.Apply it to your lifeAll sin is due to be punished. Who will bear the punishment… you or Jesus?Today, ask God for His forgiveness of your sins. Thank Jesus today for wearing the crown of thorns. Bow the knee to the rightful King.
April 8, 2020
The Cup (1776)In Luke 22, Jesus told His disciples about His coming crucifixion at the Last Supper. When He later came to the garden of Gethsemane, He prayed three times: Lord, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.This wasn’t a literal cup; rather, a symbolic cup, meaning to experience something fully. Was He afraid of His coming crucifixion? Did the cup symbolize the physical pain He would soon feel? What was it that caused Jesus to dread the drinking of that cup? It was sin; every sin through all the ages polluted the cup, as well as the punishment of that sin. It was not the physical pain He would feel that caused Him to plead for another way. No; it was the vileness and filth of sin He would soon take on that caused Him agony. And the silence from heaven said, there is no other way.God will never overlook sin, for He is holy. By His holiness, He has sworn that sin will be punished. So, when Jesus took on our sins, God the Father, in holy justice, treated Jesus as if He were a sinner, and punished Him as such. Jesus knew this, yet He consumed the contents of the cup anyway. He chose it.In His holy humanity, Jesus shrank back. But in His divine love, He said, “Thy will be done.”Jesus wrestled between His holy humanity and His divine love. His love won. Adrian Rogers says, “The cross is God’s way to punish sin and forgive the sinner at the same time.”There is one more cup, one that we drink. Just before Jesus went into Gethsemane, Jesus was at last supper with his disciples. He told them: this is the New Testament in my blood. Drink it.This is the cup of communion, and it is ours to drink.He drank the cup of sin that we might have the cup of redemption.Apply it to your lifeHave you accepted the cup of communion? Have you wrestled with submitting your will to the Father? Can you truly say, “Not my will, but Yours be done?” Adrian Rogers says, “As I look at dark Gethsemane, there are two things it tells me. Number one, I want to hate sin. Number two, I want to love Jesus Christ.”
April 7, 2020
The Keys to a Beautiful Life (1235)Acts 3 tells the story of Peter and John healing the crippled man at the gate of the temple in Jesus’ name. As a result, perhaps twenty thousand people came to know and follow Jesus Christ. In this passage, we can identify three keys to a beautiful life.These twenty thousand people who were saved were first confronted with a miracle. The man who would be healed by Jesus’ disciples had been crippled since birth. He resides at the gate of the temple (actually called ‘Beautiful’). Day after day, he lived on the outside of a beautiful life. Until one day, Peter and John approached him, offering him the healing power of Jesus Christ. The man was healed, free to leap, dance and praise God. He entered through gate called Beautiful, into the temple of God. This was a miracle that could not be reasonably denied or humanly explained; and it comes with a message for us all. This man represents those of us who are spiritually and morally crippled by birth. When Jesus—through the apostles—healed this man, His actions said this: “A touch from God leads to a beautiful life of serving, worshiping and walking with God.”Secondly, Peter tells the crowd of the murder that condemned them. More than likely, the people in Act chapter 3 didn’t literally nail Jesus to the cross, but Peter said, “If you’re not with Him, you’re against Him. If you don’t crown Him, you crucify Him.” We learn from Peter’s accusations that it was our sin that nailed Jesus Christ to the cross. We’re implicated in His murder.Thirdly, there was a message that converted them. After the miracle grabbed the crowd’s attention, the stage was set for one of the greatest evangelistic messages ever preached.Peter’s message was, “Jesus is the risen Lord. We are witnesses. He is alive and He is present, even today. He redeems those who repent.”This message still rings true today, for us. Adrian Rogers says, “When you repent, Christ comes in and He gives you the power to live the life that you could not live.”Apply it to your lifeDo you want a beautiful life? Do you want to be spiritually healed? Repent! Change your mind about yourself, about sin and about the Savior. And watch Him make something beautiful out of your life.
April 6, 2020
The Ingredients of a Church Aflame (1234)In Acts 2, nearly a million Jews were in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. However, 120 disciples of Jesus Christ were at the center of attention as they received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They were a church aflame; an early Christian church that made an impact on their community in a mighty way. What are the ingredients of a church aflame?The first is Supernatural Power. God demonstrated the power He had promised the disciples in Acts 1:8. This power was visualized by wind and fire. John 3:8 explains that the wind symbolizes the Holy Spirit because it “bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth.” The sight of fire over each of the disciples’ heads also symbolizes the Holy Spirit, as fire spreads and consumes, just like our Lord wants to consume our lives for His glory. This power was vocalized by the speaking of tongues and vitalized by the Holy Spirit. When we become Christians, we are baptized by the Holy Ghost, indwelled by the Holy Spirit and sealed into Christ. From there, we can choose to be filled with the Holy Spirit through surrender and faith. Then, there’s the anointing of the Spirit: the special touch for a specific task.The second ingredient of a church aflame is the spiritual preaching. Peter preached the Word of God to the disciples with boldness.The third ingredient of a church aflame is a saved people; those who understand what salvation truly is. Adrian Rogers says, “Real salvation is not merely a crisis act that you look back to, it is a present experience.”The last ingredient of a church aflame is the spiritual program. The church must study the Bible together in fellowship and worship as one Body. Each member must participate as they should.When each member is active in the church, the church will grow and catch the flame of the Spirit.Apply it to your lifeAre you an active member of a church aflame? Remember, as Adrian Rogers said, “God doesn’t want us to do anything for Him, He wants to do something through us.” Let Him use you in your local church.
April 2, 2020
The Pathway to Power (1233)The Book of Acts is the success story of a small group of uncultured people—with no seminaries, radio, television, internet, newspapers, and very little resources—who told the world about Jesus. They went out against great obstacles and turned that world inside out and upside down for Jesus Christ. They did so much with so little! And we need to understand today what they did and how they did it, so that we can walk on the pathway to power, making much use of the resources God has given us.First, we must recognize the presence of Jesus in our lives. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus was here in His physical body. In the Book of Acts (also written by Luke), He is here in His mystical body. Jesus is still alive and active through us. Adrian Rogers says, “Jesus doesn’t want us to do anything for Him. He wants to do something through us.” The reason this early church did what they did with such power is because it really wasn’t them doing it. It was Jesus doing it through them.Second, we must receive His promise of power. God made a promise; and that promise to us is the spiritual power through the Holy Spirit to accomplish far more than we believe could be done. When we are filled with the Spirit of God, we’re filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enlightens us toward the path we should take. He enables us to take it because we can’t do it on our own. And the Spirit encourages us in our moments of hardship.Finally, we must respond to His program through us. We are to be witnesses. Adrian Rogers tells us, “We must get our heads out of the clouds of prophecy and got our feet on the sidewalks of soul winning to tell others.” When we make ourselves available to His program through us, we become witnesses of the Gospel.And seeing what He accomplished through His early witnesses, there is no estimation for how powerful our witness to Jesus’ transformational love can be.Apply it to your lifeYou don’t know what you may do when you bring a soul to Jesus Christ. Recognize His presence in you. Receive His promise to you. And respond to His program through you.
April 1, 2020
Think of someone who has done you wrong, disappointed, failed , or perhaps abused, misused, or betrayed you. Dr. Rogers opens God's Word and shows you how to deal with that individual—how to follow God's command to “love one another even as I have loved you.”
March 30, 2020
If nothing’s too hard for God, if God can do anything, keep every promise, hear every prayer, solve every problem, save every person, then why doesn’t it happen? Men limit God through unwillingness, unconcern, unreasonableness, uncleanness, and unbelief. Faith is the key that releases God’s hand.
March 26, 2020
Join Adrian Rogers as he looks at some of the last words in the last chapter of the last book of the Bible. Then you will glimpse the Bible's last prophecy--what happens upon the Savior's sudden return.
March 24, 2020
If you’ve ever wondered what heaven will really be like, don’t miss this message as Adrian Rogers take you on a tour as revealed in Revelation chapter 21. Heaven is not a mist of smoke and mirrors, but a REAL place.
March 20, 2020
The final judgment will come. The unsaved dead will be raised from their graves to stand before Almighty God and be judged. One day you are going to meet Jesus Christ. He is inescapable. If you don’t meet Him as Savior, you will meet Him as Judge.
March 18, 2020
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Spiritual Steel for Building Believers Series
Just as a building is only as good as its foundation when threatening weather comes, your faith needs a solid foundation when the skeptic confronts you. This eight-message series by Adrian Rogers equips you with solid, yet easy-to-understand answers for your friends who have questions about the Christian faith. We must be equipped and ready to defend the truth and share the Good News. We need some spiritual steel!
About Love Worth Finding
Love Worth Finding's purpose is to bring people to Christ and mature them in the faith. This happens primarily through efforts in publishing and broadcasting biblical truth.
Love Worth Finding began in 1987, as a response to several requests for tapes of messages by pastor and Bible teacher Adrian Rogers. He relates that "soon the requests began to grow to the point that we knew God was leading us into a wider ministry." As an extension of Dr. Rogers' pulpit ministry Love Worth Finding provided that role and continues today.
Dr. Rogers stated, "I believe God wants us to proclaim the message of salvation in the power of the Holy Spirit by every means possible. That’s our commitment at Love Worth Finding."
In response to many who are asking,has that purpose changed since the home-going of Dr. Rogers? No, God wants us to continue to proclaim the message of salvation. The messenger may be gone, but the message must continue. Millions still have not heard the precious name of Jesus or know His redeeming grace.
So our race is not over. We must still run—until Jesus comes. If you believe in what God has called LWF to do,we invite you to help us proclaim God's truth.
Our prayer is that you will join with us in running the race and in broadcasting the Good News that Jesus Christ is truly the greatest Love worth finding.
Love Worth Finding began in 1987, as a response to several requests for tapes of messages by pastor and Bible teacher Adrian Rogers. He relates that "soon the requests began to grow to the point that we knew God was leading us into a wider ministry." As an extension of Dr. Rogers' pulpit ministry Love Worth Finding provided that role and continues today.
Dr. Rogers stated, "I believe God wants us to proclaim the message of salvation in the power of the Holy Spirit by every means possible. That’s our commitment at Love Worth Finding."
In response to many who are asking,has that purpose changed since the home-going of Dr. Rogers? No, God wants us to continue to proclaim the message of salvation. The messenger may be gone, but the message must continue. Millions still have not heard the precious name of Jesus or know His redeeming grace.
So our race is not over. We must still run—until Jesus comes. If you believe in what God has called LWF to do,we invite you to help us proclaim God's truth.
Our prayer is that you will join with us in running the race and in broadcasting the Good News that Jesus Christ is truly the greatest Love worth finding.
About Adrian Rogers
Known for his evangelistic zeal and uncompromising commitment to the Word of God, Adrian Rogers was one of the greatest preachers, respected Bible teachers, and Christian leaders of our time. For over fifty years, he consistently presented the Good News of Jesus Christ with strong conviction, compassion,and integrity.
He was a devoted family man — husband to his childhood sweetheart Joyce, father to four children, grandfather to nine, and great-grandfather to six. Of all his accomplishments, Dr. Rogers often said his greatest joy centered in his relationship to Jesus Christ, his wife and family, and the church he pastored. The recipient of many honors and awards, the trophy he treasured most was one presented to him by his children one Father’s Day in which he was proclaimed The World’s Greatest Dad.
Under his pastoral leadership, Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, grew from 9,000 members in 1972 to more than 29,000 at his retirement in 2005. And Adrian Rogers was a leader in his denomination, serving three terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention.
God’s blessing on Dr. Rogers’ ministry became even more evident with the birth of Love Worth Finding Ministries in 1987. Dr. Rogers was the founder and Bible teacher of Love Worth Finding, an internationally syndicated television and radio ministry. The sun never sets on this ministry which is broadcast on radio, television, and the Internet. You can find LWF declaring the Gospel and changing lives in more than 150 countries around the world. In 2003, Dr. Rogers was honored to be inducted into the prestigious Hall of Fame by the National Religious Broadcasters.
Dr. Rogers was active in national leadership and personally consulted and prayed with five presidents of the United States. He visited and had the privilege of sharing the platform with President George W. Bush in the White House on the National Day of Prayer for America.
Dr. Rogers preached overseas crusades in Taiwan, South Korea, Israel, Russia, Romania, and in Central and South America.
Even though the Lord called him home in 2005, his messages of "Come To Jesus" are still reaching around the world. In fact, every country in the world except for one has visited LWF.org.
Please join us in praying that God's messages will continue to penetrate the hearts of young and old ... and near and far!
He was a devoted family man — husband to his childhood sweetheart Joyce, father to four children, grandfather to nine, and great-grandfather to six. Of all his accomplishments, Dr. Rogers often said his greatest joy centered in his relationship to Jesus Christ, his wife and family, and the church he pastored. The recipient of many honors and awards, the trophy he treasured most was one presented to him by his children one Father’s Day in which he was proclaimed The World’s Greatest Dad.
Under his pastoral leadership, Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, grew from 9,000 members in 1972 to more than 29,000 at his retirement in 2005. And Adrian Rogers was a leader in his denomination, serving three terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention.
God’s blessing on Dr. Rogers’ ministry became even more evident with the birth of Love Worth Finding Ministries in 1987. Dr. Rogers was the founder and Bible teacher of Love Worth Finding, an internationally syndicated television and radio ministry. The sun never sets on this ministry which is broadcast on radio, television, and the Internet. You can find LWF declaring the Gospel and changing lives in more than 150 countries around the world. In 2003, Dr. Rogers was honored to be inducted into the prestigious Hall of Fame by the National Religious Broadcasters.
Dr. Rogers was active in national leadership and personally consulted and prayed with five presidents of the United States. He visited and had the privilege of sharing the platform with President George W. Bush in the White House on the National Day of Prayer for America.
Dr. Rogers preached overseas crusades in Taiwan, South Korea, Israel, Russia, Romania, and in Central and South America.
Even though the Lord called him home in 2005, his messages of "Come To Jesus" are still reaching around the world. In fact, every country in the world except for one has visited LWF.org.
Please join us in praying that God's messages will continue to penetrate the hearts of young and old ... and near and far!
Contact Love Worth Finding with Adrian Rogers
E-mail
lwfinfo@lwf.org
lwfinfo@lwf.org
Website
http://www.lwf.org/
http://www.lwf.org/
Love Worth Finding Ministries
P.O. Box 38300
Memphis, TN 38183-0300
(901) 382-7900