Devotionals by Adrian Rogers
April 21, 2025 – An Empty Pie Shell and the Runaway Boy
Luke 24:23-26
Sermon: 5780 The Week after Easter, Part 1
Pray Over This
“‘When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.’ Then He said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?’”
Luke 24:23-26
Ponder This
Once, when I was a little boy, I came into the kitchen and my mother was baking a pie. So I stood and waited until she took the pie shell out. I had never been as disappointed and angry in my life. I looked and there was no pie in the shell. I thought either my mother was extremely mean, or she had gone out of her mind. I literally ran away from home. I can remember that I went a whole half-block murmuring to myself. When I returned, I learned the rest of the story: She was not finished with what she was doing.
The disciples in today’s passage were very much like that. The work was only half done, and their sadness was rooted in misunderstanding and unbelief. Now they believed part of what the prophets had spoken, but they did not believe or understand it all. They had the discouragement of confused hearts. When we don’t understand the Word of God, that can lead to discouragement. I have met many Christians who get discouraged because they don’t understand the Scriptures. They miss the fulfillment of Jesus because He doesn’t work in the way we would expect.
- When was a time God worked differently than you expected?
- What are the areas where you struggle to believe? How do you deal with that?
Practice This
Talk to a trusted Christian friend about the parts of Scripture you have a tough time believing. Ask your friend to pray for you.
For more from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers, please visit www.lwf.org.
You can also listen to Adrian Rogers at OnePlace.com.
About 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
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
lwfinfo@lwf.org
http://www.lwf.org/
Love Worth Finding Ministries
P.O. Box 38300
(901) 382-7900