Bright Lights in Dark World | Part 2

The love of Christ shines brightest dark days listen to Adrian Rogers.

This is the day this is the age where the church demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ, we would be bright lights in a dark world. We need to be known, not merely for what we are against the one with the newspaper delights, take a stand against sin as bold headlines print what we need is an explosion of random acts love, and they can see the love of Jesus Christ welcome to love and worth finding truth never changes found in the messages, a beloved pastor and Bible teacher Adrian Rogers in the first century Christians were accused of subversion of being an economic threat of condemning others as Christians in the 21st century.

Their accounts are a clear warning of the days ahead of us. There are six things we need to remember if we want to shine in these dark days. If you have your Bible turn to first Peter chapter 3 will begin in verse 13 as Adrian Rogers discusses how to be bright lights in the dark world. Peter wrote this scripture and I want you to read it now. First Peter chapter 3, beginning in verse 13 passes question who is he that will harm you if you be followers of that which is good. The word followers is the word we cut our words a lot from you. Be zealous of that which is good but if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye, and be not afraid of their terror is_that be not afraid of their terror made of the problem is God's word for you this morning but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask if you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. Having a good conscience that, whereas they speak evil of you as evildoers, they may be a shame that falsely choose your good conversation in Christ. I would mention six things that Peter mentions right here things that we need to be in this dark day number one we must enthrone Christ as Lord.

Look in verse 15, but sanctify the Lord God in your heart. The word sanctify means to set him aside as special above all as a reigning Lord masculine personal question, don't say yes because I'm on ask it anyway is Jesus Christ Lord in your life, and I didn't say do you admit that he is Lord. In the generic sense, have you ever bowed the knee to him and never taken the crown off your head and put it upon his head that often we are peeps that well you need to accept Christ as your Savior will friend you cannot have what he gives unless you accept who he is and he is more is loyal. Now I'm not asking you back.I'm not asking you do you know the plan of salvation you're not saved by the plan of salvation is saved by the Mama salvation. His name is Jesus is the Lord of your life number two. Not only must you sanctify the Lord but number two, we must be ready with an answer look in verse 15, but sanctify the Lord in your hearts be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask you of the reason the hope that is in you. Are you ready for an answer. I mean, suppose somebody came to you and said what is the reason for your home and they will come to you.

If you have a changed life back on ask you as they did on the day of Pentecost.

Let me know if this one means this now. The problem is that the and then asked what must we do the reason many people don't ask what must we do, they haven't seen anything that is different, but they can say what means this on the day of Pentecost. It was something that was, not explainable. Is this something about you that is not explainable.

Can you explain my life apart from Jesus Christ friend has anybody ever ask you a question.

What is the reason for your hope. Suppose somebody today. Maybe in an automobile accident when ask you what is the reason for your hope, helping you to just stay right there.

Don't die on the go get past Rogers know you are the sanctify the Lord in your heart and you are to be read the word to given answers the word that that that we get our apologetics from doesn't mean that we sing along so sorry. It's a word that is used in the courtroom apologia it means to give a defense of your faith, just as a lawyer would defend that a client can you defend your faith. I want to do something friend the people out there have some big questions right now world is swimming in questions and somebody said how can you have faith in God. Are you ready to give an answer. The person asking will is an answer. The word of God means in Scripture Matthew chapter 22 beginning in verse 36 there was a lawyer asked Jesus master. What is the great commandment in the law. Jesus said, thou shalt love_this, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all my soul and with all thy mind bring. That is it. That's the bottom line. By the way, the faith of Jesus Christ is built on love not hate life not death, thou shalt love the Lord thy God will be. This is the first commandment. This sums up all now when God made man God made man a free creature.

Why did God make man a free creature because God wanted man to love, to love him and to love one another forced love is a contradiction in turn for a person to be able to love. He has to be able not to love. If we were created where we could only love and do nothing else, it would beloved all we would be automatons. We would just simply be bought machines God gave man the freedom of choice. We cannot choose to be disloyal unless we can choose to be loyal. We cannot choose to live in less we can choose not to love and what is love. Love is the highest good hand for God to take away choice would be for God to destroy the highest good, and if he did that if God were to destroy evil that is to give Mama choice than that act itself would be no God allows evil in this world.

God does not destroy evil God defeats evil by putting his son upon the cross and taking that sin into his own heart, his own life and that I answers to these things. The Bible says in John chapter 15 verse 13.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man laid down his life for his friends now. Thirdly, listen friend if we would be a bright light in the dark world. We must practice genuine humility. This is no time distraught and arrogant. Notice again. What about Peter says in first Peter chapter 3 verse 15 but sanctify the Lord God in your heart. Be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask you a reason of the hope that is a new not notice this with meekness and fear with meekness and fear. Meekness is not weakness into strength under control. Fear is not being trembling at what is happening around us. It speaks of a holy reverence for Almighty God.

Now you can have the reasons but America is not going to be one by arguments alone, not by the ballot box, not by organization and and so many people think of those of us were Bible believers as people of arrogance that say that about us that think of us as hatemongers.

They will think of us as intolerant and we must be very careful that we do not use angry rhetoric when we respond to them. Listen to the Scripture put it into Marge and James one verses 19 through 20. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath for the wrath of man work is not the righteousness of God. During your wrath does not bring about God's righteousness.

Now Jesus showed anger against those who were persecuting helpless people. He showed anger toward the religious hypocrites of his day, but to those who were victims of sin, the prostitutes, the thieves, the tax gatherers and that they were guilty of extortion, he show them love.

He was a friend of sinners. That's why they crucified him. All we need in this day in this age we dear friend made a full heart and a bright hearing both together. Be ready to give an answer, but also show love in genuine humility. Now, when Nero when this was written, Nero was the you say well I had it easy in those days. I know that it Nero wanted to remodel Rome so I had the sums burned the people rose up because the homes were destroyed. He had to have a scapegoat. Somebody said want to blame it all is Christian there was talk about setting world on fire, and so they blamed it on the Christians, and again it was as I said was open season on the Christians they would take Christians in that day may Olympic crosses cover them with boiling oil and set them on fire to light the gardens for the benefits you imagine such think these are people. These are people who love the Lord Jesus Christ. They read in the mouths of lions with their own blood. They had to fight with gladiators in the Colosseum.

Many of them would not fight, they would just simply give their lives.

What would happen to some of us if we had make those kind of choices these early Christians friend. They had to make those kinds of choices and I want to say that they had meekness and fear, and their humility, their humility, their ability to suffer for Christ brought that Roman Empire crashing down was an uprising in China. A Chinese student wrote these words lies written in any cannot obscure truth written in blood now focus is possible for us to be so arrogant they will win the argument and lose the audience. I'm calling upon you that genuine meekness genuine reverence in this day and in this age. This is not the time to go pointing fingers at everybody else. The Bible says the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God, and I tell you folks all this happen in America today is happened on our watch and we need to confess the sins of the church. We need to confess our indolence, laziness, our selfishness, our pride, our refusal to live a separated life and to share the gospel the glorious gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Number four. We must live if we would be a bright light in the dark world.

We must live a superior lifestyle a superior lifestyle. Notice the next verse we been in verse 15 look in verse 16. Having a good conscience. Where's David speak evil of you as evildoers. Maybe Shane that falsely accuse your conversation in Christ dignity falsely accused, but is going to become evident is going to be to their shame because your lifestyle will be superior.

You will be blameless. I didn't say sinless, but you will be blameless to see. Verse 15 says they're going to be asking us questions of the hope that Dennis why because they can see something different about us go back to the chapter before this first Peter chapter 2 in verse 12. Listen what he says having your conversation word conversation in the old King James Scripture always means behavior. Having your behavior honest among the Gentiles, that where as they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold glorify God in the day of visitation. That is when Jesus comes again when the DayStar rises they going to have to say those Christians were living a superior lifestyle. God forbid that you any of us to be a part of any scandal people ought to see this church and made a seal life at skill in the neighborhood on the job, you should stand out like a diamond in the coal mine like a gardenia in a garbage can. You should be different. We need to outlaw about live out give out pray out witness the people of this world. Amen. Are you willing to do it we have to sacrifice them you want them to believe in us what we believe and if you won't respect we going to have to get it the old-fashioned way. We must learn let them see your good works. When they lit when we began to live this way, others will begin to ask us what makes you tick. What is the reason for the hope that is in you.

What happened to Paul and Silas when they were in that prison that flipping jail at midnight. Other people around them were cursing, moaning, screaming.

Paul and Silas were praying they were singing praise to God giving God thanks everybody in the prison saw there was a difference. What you think made that flipping jail or come in after that earthquake and say sirens. What must I do to be say he would never rest of my question they'd been cursing and complaining know they were praising God. There was something different about their lifestyle in the midst of tribulation. I've told you before, the Bible doesn't say that if you say do not have tribulation are you may get cast in prison. I make a test of the prison and in prison, we need to be a bright light in a dark place is what Paul and Silas were doing. That's the reason that man said Sarah's what must I do to be saved and they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be say remember what Nietzsche said if you want me to believe in your Redeemer, even after little more reading number five number five. We must display genuine love look in first Peter chapter 4 now verses eight and nine and above all things have fervent charity again. James says charted means love among yourselves for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging we are against abortion because we believe that abortion is the shedding of innocent blood. But what are we doing for the team age girl or the person who is caught in a situation with the baby and they need help, we turn our backs on these people I would show them love we turn our backs on them and shove them into the arms of the abortionist is looking for a few more hundred dollars for performing an abortion.

We believe in the permanency of marriage. We believe that one man is to be married to one woman, till death do them part but that many people whose homes of been broken by divorce severed by divorce.

What we do do we wrap our robes of self-righteousness about them and turn them away and say your second class, no good. You made a mistake is no hope for you and no help. You know the name of Jesus with open arms and so you're welcome here. We have a message for you in the name of the Lord Jesus. Where against pornography. It's terrible is horrible. It's a vice vial filled it is. It is antithetical to true love is based on lust, lust wants to get levels to give brother. So many today and especially with the tidal wave of slime. It's coming in through the Internet were caught up in pornography. What we do to these people. We step on.

We offer help the people who are driven by such a compulsion and we say to them in love. We love you and there's an answer to the Lord Jesus Christ. Where against the homosexual agenda.

We believe it is contrary to the word of God and contrary to human health and welfare.

What we do to those of caught up in this lifestyle we merely criticize them, put them down frame.

This is the day this is the age where the church needs to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ, we would be bright lights in a dark world. We need to be known, not merely for what we against the one with full newspaper delights in printing in time we take a stand against sin as bold headlines frame what we need is an explosion of random acts love, and they can see the love of Jesus Christ. Number six.

We must always hold on to hope. We must always hold on to hope.

Look again in verse 15, but sanctify the Lord God in your heart and be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask if you of a reason of the that is in the that is in you. Now the word hope here does not mean mere wish fond design, but it means rock rib truth based on the word of God and divine certain date based on the word of God and friend listen to me. I don't care how dark the day is… Will the winning side. Sin can win.

Faith cannot fail. Have faith in God.

Augustine was one of the early church fathers lived many many years ago, Augustine was told that Rome had been sent. I guess that modern America is the closest counterpart to ancient Rome ancient Rome's most powerful force or and that the Vandals came and sacked Rome destroyed role, Augustine is reported to have said this, listen to what ever man Bill man will destroy let's get on with building the kingdom of God. Whatever Manville man will destroy if you put all of your eggs in brick and stone and mortar and computers and technological advance friend, the only living for the moment.

I don't want you to think that I'm an American, because you looking at a red-blooded American patriot. But our job is not to ultimately save America. Our job is not to preserve our lifestyle or our freedom so we must do that, God helping us, we will do that. But our main responsibility is to stand for Jesus Christ here and around the world and put our home, our faith in our prayers and something that cannot fail a kingdom that cannot be shaken. That friend is our hope that is the hope that is in me now you say. Well, Adrian. Evidently then the your little discouraged by the way things are going great and I'm not discouraged all we don't need to hunker down in the corner. We need to go out with the banner unfurled in March under the bloodstained banner, Prince Emmanuel, our Savior are King Lord God is our source of supply. Holy Spirit is our outline. Jesus is our commander-in-chief. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. In this mighty army of love and may God help us in this day and in this age to be bright lights in a dark world.

Amen and amen. Print. Remember I told you about God's amazing grace. God wants to save you. Why should souls around the world becoming the Jesus and you be left out when Jesus died for you.

You like to be saying I'm telling you, you can be safe today. If you receive Jesus Christ.

Would you pray prayer like this old God, thank you for loving me.

Thank you Lord for loving me in spite of my sin. Jesus, thank you for paying for my sin with your blood oath. Thank you for doing that. I believe you are the son of God. I believe you walked out of that grave. I believe you paid my sin debt with your blood. Now, Lord Jesus. I receive you into my IU my life over to you.

I acknowledges Lord trust to as my Redeemer. Forgive my sin cleanse me, cleanse me will save take control of my life and begin now to make me what you want me to be on so we floor which are strong Lord I'm going to give my heart to you and you will have to start working on the because Lord I'm willing Lord, you, I just trust I give you my save me, Lord Jesus, do it right now in your name I pray, amen. And if you prayed to receive Jesus Christ just now we want to celebrate with you and invite you to our discover Jesus page there at the website you'll find answers, you may need about your newfound faith.

We have a response section as well share your testimony with us, or how this message is made a difference in your life go to LWF.org/radio and click the tab that says discover Jesus welcome to God's forever family. We can't wait to hear from you today. Now if you'd like a copy of this message: 1877 love God and mentioned the title bright lights in a dark world. You can also order online. If you'd like go to LWF.org/radio or you can write us at love worth finding box 38, 600 Memphis, TN 38183 and again the title of the message is bright lights in a dark world of these are the greatest days of evangelism in the history of the church in light of the current climate in our world we should go out with banners unfurled and the bright lights in our dark glad you tuned in for today study God's word join us next time. For more from writing unless the listener reached out on Facebook and wrote this Encouraging Word pastor Rogers continues to inspire, encourage, and point toward the only one brings us hope he's in a hopeless piece was. We are honored to share hope and truth and peace some very dark days and were grateful for the prayers and the generous gifts that make this mission possible is way to say thank you for your support right now we want to send you our struggles booklet collection featuring messages from Adrian Rogers like turning problems and possibility that the battle of the bottle's bundle is a source of hope and direction. She faced stressful circumstances in your request the struggles booklet collection when you call the gift of 1877 love God and again thank you for your generous support of love worth finding