The Chemistry of the Cross | Part 1

From love were fighting studios in Memphis, Tennessee Byron Tyler. Paul, the CEO of love refining. Today Adrian Rogers part one in a message called the chemistry of the cross.

This is part of our continued series here in January. Back to the basics. It is, it is one of my favorite snow. Bottom line my first realization Byron was that he is God and I am not and so I think when we trust him in when we yield knowing that God is working behind the scenes. He's working all things together for good writing. We look at Romans eight, which by the way, was Dr. Rogers favorite chapter in Romans 828 was his favorite verse eight I heard them sing when time if I was stranded on an island. You have one book you read the Bible. If there was one chapter would be Romans 81 verse Romans 828 think, does God love us enough to work together all things for good absolutely.

Well, the chemistry of the cross.

The title itself, a little peculiar but let's hear what Adrian Rogers had to say about it that you know if you go to the pharmacist. Maybe the doctor will write a prescription and words, you can't read and looks like and scratches but you take it to the pharmacist and the pharmacist gets back then as the cubicle and be asked.

Take things off the shelf and mix them up together put them in the crucible and grind them up with his pets: and that makes medicine out of and some of the things that he may take off the shelf may be in and of themselves, noxious or even poisonous, but together compounded. Together they become medicine and that that's the way God does with what I want to call the chemistry of the cross, God takes things that in and of themselves might seem horrible, painful, hurtful, but God causes all things to work together for good to those who love him.

While the cold, according to his purpose. We call that Providence of God. You know nobody likes going to the fire but we do we come out more refined and I think it comes back to let the potter have his way a man he meant.

Let let let the potter have his way as he forms the clay and is he molds us and makes us and moves us in a way that he can use us. We always enjoy getting letters from our listeners, and if you haven't written before, please do. We love to hear from you how the program is encouraging your walk with Christ is one I think God for using Adrian Rogers to help me know him more, I can express the impact it has been in my walk with Christ and my everyday life. I understand that as a young 23-year-old man walked into the worship center one day and when I heard Adrian preaching was like somebody had turned the light on for the first time in my life.

I made it unsafe.

This way, Adrian Rogers taught me the word of God, and I think when we hear these testimonies. That's exactly what they're saying what that's what were so excited to bring the series and month of January. Back to the basics because we need to be there when you get those fundamentals into her life and be refreshed, sharpen, sharpen those tools as we walk in our relationship with Christ and there is a great resource available right now based in the series called what every Christian ought to know it's on our website.

It's free to give us some more insight to the guy I think is one of the best things we have, but it's 50 years of ministry in one package and so you know, tear your coworkers through your neighbors. Your Bible Fellowship class is wonderful. It's what we call the marks of maturity will is free@ourwebsitelwf.org what every Christian ought to know well for today's message. The chemistry of the cross part one. Here's Adrian Rogers. What time I took an old high school friend at breakfast. After we had been apart for many many years. We were in another city. I look forward to being at breakfast with Richard after breakfast I said I'll get the tab. I picked it up and I met to sign my room number on the tab often someone will asked me to inscribe a Bible and when I inscribe the Bible I just describe the Bible. Many times Adrian Rogers and then put a verse of Scripture under sometimes it Psalm 34. Sometimes it's Romans 828 sometimes. Romans 116 but often I'll sign Romans 828 which is our text for today and so I said I'll sign the ticket and I'm meant to put my room number, but rather than putting my room number I put a Scripture verse Romans 828 and I went up and handed it to the cashier and she looked at it. She said Mr. we don't have a roommate hundred and 28 so I'm sorry that's a verse out of the Bible. That's not the room I'm staying in but that's a verse from the Bible but come to think of it, it's a wonderful room to live in, and here's what it says I want you to see what it says right here. Romans eight and verse 20. And we know that that all things work together for good to them that love God and them that are the call according to his purpose.

What an incredible verse that is I want to talk to you today about the chemistry of the cross.

If you go to the pharmacy. You need some medicine that pharmacist will take bottles from a shelf sometimes and powders and other things that may be by themselves. Noxious poison, but he mixes them together and makes medicine forests and so many times God does the same thing. He takes situations and problems and things that in themselves look like the bad and hurtful and harmful and then God mixes these together in the crucible of his love, and the crucible of his wisdom, and the result is medicine fire sold something good and something wonderful this morning when I had my oatmeal and that oatmeal. There was some salt. Salt is what sodium chloride, sodium, deadly poison, chlorine, deadly poison, but put together they make salt necessary for life.

And so I want you to see how God takes this situation of your life circumstances and God by the chemistry of the cross makes these things work together for your good and for his glory.

Having said that, I want to look at our text very carefully because we just going to camp right here in Romans chapter 8 and verse 28, and as we think of the chemistry of the cross. The very first thing I want to think about is certainty. Do you have that the certainty of how does that first began look at it says and we know that all things work together for good. We will that all things work together for good know is and send butts about it.

This is a promise of God. It is ironclad. It is rock rib, no snow, no stammer, you can say I don't care what happens. I don't get out and it may seem. I know that I know that I know that this is going to work together for God's glory and for my good.

Meyer was a preacher of another generation. But he said something so wonderful. I copied it down and this is what he said.

He said if any promise of God should fail.

The happens would clothe themselves with sackcloth, the sun, moon and stars would review from their courses, the universe would rock and a hollow wind would mold you are really creation the awful message that can law the print he can't lie cannot lie, and he says that all things work together for good to those who love God and so the very first thing I want you to get in your heart and in your soul today is certainty the certainty of the certainty in the second thing, not only the certainty of but I want you to see the completeness.

Look at that verse again and we know that all things work together for good, not most things about some things, not even almost all things, but that little word I thank God that it is that we know that all things all things work together for good. Now let's just think about those all things. Now we know that the sweet things work together for good. All the many sweet things that happen in our lives today. Today my wife takes me an extra special breakfast. I looked over at her and I thought, you know, she's such a wonderful woman she so sweet and so good to me. I'm grateful for every blessing I've been thanking God all this morning for the blessings of God and they just make me want to be a better Christian now to make you want to be a better Christian for the Bible says in Romans chapter 2 and verse four goodness of God leads us to repentance. Goodness of God. God is so good capture many blessings name them one by one price you what the Lord has done the sweet things you say yes I can understand that but now wait a minute not only the sweet things but the sorrowful thing.

You have a broken heart. Today we say is that good. No, I don't think a broken heart is good but I'll tell you this work for good work for your good. I was looking at some scriptures this morning and I want to share them with you as to how sorrowful things work for good, for example, think about how God dealt with the people of Judah and God carried the people of Judah away the strange land. It would be as if the Russians had subjugated the United States and took us and put us in Siberia. Would we say that's good could say no that's not good, but putting your margin. Jeremiah chapter 24 in verse five where God is speaking about how he carried his people away.

And God says I knowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out this place into the land of the child begins to listen for their good. Matthew and I would wake up this morning Siberia we would say this is terrible but it may be that God would've done it fired as a matter fact I think God is getting ready to do some terrible things to America by arguing we have been cursed with blessings. I think we're about to be blessed with persons. We don't know how to handle our blessings and it seems like the more that God blesses us, the more arrogant and more sinful that we get, and maybe that God will have to do something to America but our good, just like he did to Judah for their good.

I was thinking about David also.

David was a man after God's own heart, but David had a tendency to strike from God to get away from God and what God did for David God afflicted David and God made David say and I want you to see what David wrote in Psalm 119 verse 71 Psalm 119 verse 71. He said it is good for me that I have been afflicted said that God, thank you for this sickness.

Thank you for the suffering. Thank you for this adversity. Thank you for this problem. Thank you for this heartache. Thank you for this this thing I'm going through takes a lot of faith to say it is good for me that I've been afflicted. And David said it is good for me that I've been afflicted that I might learn by statute did you know that affliction is sometimes the best teacher and we never see as clearly as when we see through eyes that have been washed through tears and when we get on our back.

It's then that we began to look up into the face of God and a sickbed can often teach more than a sermon, and then look at Joseph. I was thinking about Joseph. What a wonderful man was Joseph supposedly love God with all of his heart, but you know what happened to Joseph. Joseph was put in the pit by his brothers. He was sold as a slave, he was cast into prison and languished in prison for two years and had not done anything wrong but his basement made him ready for his advancement and he became the Prime Minister of Egypt, and this is what he said to his brothers in Genesis chapter 50 in verse 20. Listen, but as for you, you thought evil against me. You have somebody who's doing you wrong you have an enemy just keep on loving God because, listen. But as for you, you thought evil against me, but God meant it to good is all things work together for good. Your enemy trying to do you harm, and here's Joseph Castillo to advise brothers sold as a slave languishing in prison suffering being blamed for assault and rape and all these terrible things to say what I'm doing but God was saying you just don't understand the chemistry of the cross you meant it for evil. Joseph said, but God meant it for good.

That was a king whose name was Manasseh and Manasseh had difficulty serving God.

God just couldn't get Manasseh's attention. If you're taking notes right this down because this is a blessing. Second Chronicles chapter 33 verses 11 through 13 now listen to it carefully. Wherefore the Lord brought upon them. The captains of the host of the king of Assyria. Now the Assyrians were cruel and wicked people. Now Manasseh is the King Ellison which took Manasseh among the thorns bounding with debtors and carried him the babbling and when he was in affliction.

He besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his father when when he was in affliction and he prayed under him and he was intrigued about him that is God hurting and heard a supplication and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God. Listen his iron chains getting more good than his golden crown, and I want to tell you friend that was a greater blessing to him and God may sometime after pull you from your throne, just like he did Manasseh. God may have to put you in a prison that you will seek God by saying I'm saying the sweet things work together for good. The sorrowful things work together for good. Another thing this panic things work together for good.

When you say why doesn't God just killed the devil. Did you know that God uses the devil let may be a surprise to you but Paul had affliction that affliction was called a thorn in the flesh, and then Paul called it a messenger of Satan. But he says that was given to me, a messenger of Satan who gave it to him. God gave it to. I don't understand this. What you see all things work together for good. And God rules in the heavens and even Satan unwittingly becomes the servant of God. I think I have an illustration that fits perfectly here.

Years and years and years ago I heard of a woman who lived in a threadbare apartment and she loved God with all of her heart. She had a landlord, the landlord didn't love God it all as a matter fact keep took great joy in ridiculing her because of her faith in her trust in the Lord and this poor woman. This widow was living from hand to mouth, and the time came that she had no food in the house and she prayed to God and she said God I don't have any food.

I don't have any groceries who God promise to meet my need Lord I ask you give me some groceries.

The old landlord was listening to the paper thin walls. He heard her pray he thought he would cure her from her religious superstition so you know what he did. He went out and bought a bountiful basket of groceries and while she was away.

He went in with his passkey unlocked the door to her apartment. Put this basket of groceries there on her table and backed out and waited. He was listening when she came in there was a square call Jesus, thank you, thank you for an answered prayer. She rejoiced and danced in the room and then she was knocking at his door.

You you say there is no God. You say that God doesn't answer prayer. You see that basket full of groceries. Let me tell you about that basketful groceries.

I didn't have anything. I was down to nothing and I prayed and asked God sorry what God has given me his lips twisted in a cynical smile and he said you cool old deluded religious fanatic and flew, I heard you pray for those groceries. I heard you asked God I bought those groceries I put them there on your table receipt for those groceries that you would say that God God didn't give you those groceries I gave you those groceries you Christians always ready to give God the glory and the credit.

I am the one that bought those groceries.

What a fool you are. She said no, you're the one who's wrong, I'm the one who is right and you listen to me, sir, I asked God for groceries and I got groceries. Even if God did send it by the devil you think about that you think about that is God who rules in the affairs of this world and God is overall the Setanta things work together for good. But not only the satiety things. Now listen, this will be hard to believe but simple things work together for good now. No Christian should willingly deliberately sin, because if you're bound to say and you're bound to suffer, but even that suffering will work together for your good. The Bible says that God makes the wrath of man to praise him and the Bible says where sin abounds grace that much more about the illustration I think about is Simon Peter before the crucifixion of Jesus, Simon Peter boasted that he would go with Christ, both the prison and the dead. And Jesus prophesied said Simon before the clock rose you thrice deny that you know me, but he said Peter I prayed for you that your faith fail not. And then he said, and Peter when you're converted, strengthen your brethren and Peter denied Jesus and Jesus was betrayed by that denial. Peter Kirsten school terrible thing. But God arched the rainbow of Romans 828 over what Peter did and did you know that his bitter weeping. The Bible says he went out and wept bitterly. But Jesus forgave Jesus restored him and in a very sensitive strange way, even that disobedience was used to strengthen Adrian Rogers when you're converted, strengthen your brethren and that amazing how God could take even that sin and use that sin to help strengthen me and to strengthen Simon Peter.

You know the Bible says no chastening for the present time seems to be joyous, but great Peter wept bitterly.

But afterward, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that exercise, thereby that's what the Bible tells us in Hebrews chapter 12 and what am I saying friend listen to this. The Bible means that when it says that all things work together sweet things the sorrowful things the Setanta things the sinful things the simple, the smallest things work together for good.

It's amazing how God set set master control Pharaoh has decided that all Jewish babies are going to be put to bed. God takes a little baby puts that little baby in the bulrushes and Pharaoh's daughter comes by decide she wants to bathe in the Nile. Can you imagine this princess and could bathing her marble tubs. Maybe she remember the little swimming hole where she used to play as a kid she decides she's going to go down to the Nile and then the Bible says this and the baby low baby when they heard a baby crying baby. I God cry baby and brought Pharaoh's mighty king rushing in part to the chemistry of the cross coming up tomorrow. In the meantime maybe you have a prayer request that you'd like to share and liberate finding is one of our greatest honors to come alongside you, and pray with you and for you are prayer team is committed to praying for each request we receive.

If you can go to our website homepage@lwf.org/radio and scroll down to find a prayer wall. This resource is one of our favorite ways to keep the ministry in the community praying continually for one another's needs. Thank you for joining us in praying for one another. We can't wait to hear from you today again go to LWF.org/radio and scroll down to our prayer. Thanks for studying God's word with us today. Remember the chemistry process.

God can work bad situations for our in his more is a God who rules in the cares of this world is over, they should get to the powerful conclusion of this message tomorrow