Highlights From Virgil Trout's Sermons, Oct. 2007


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HOW TO FIND TRUE RELIGION


LOOK TO JESUS FOR ANSWERS & STRENGTH
ON HOW TO FIND TRUE RELIGION IN A GLOBAL SOCIETY

CHRIST HAS FACED PROBLEMS,
JESUS UNDERSTANDS, HE CAN HELP
HE SUFFERED IN THE DESERT OF DESOLATION
HE ENDURED LONELINESS, HUNGER, HEAT AND COLD.
HE'S BEEN THERE, HE CAN HELP. Matt. 4:1-11

WHAT ARE THE REAL ANSWERS TO LIFE'S QUESTIONS?
THE EVIL ONE BROUGHT JESUS HALLUCINATIONS,
APPARENT SOLUTIONS THAT DON'T WORK AND
HE WILL TRAP US WITH HALLUCINATIONS,
IF WE CHOOSE TO LET HIM.

HERE ARE SEVERAL:

MONEY
CAN BE USED FOR GOOD OR EVIL,
BUT IS NOT THE SOLUTION TO OUR PROBLEMS

POLITICAL POWER
THE EVIL ONE OFFERED JESUS POWER TO RULE THE WORLD
POWER IS NOT THE SOLUTION TO OUR PROBLEMS.

PRIDE
THE EVIL ONE APPEALED TO JESUS PRIDE.
JUMP OFF THE TEMPLE AND SHOW WHAT YOU CAN DO.
SENSATIONALISM WON'T SOLVE ANYTHING EITHER.

THE SOLUTION
THE SOLUTION TO OUR PROBLEMS IS WHO WE ARE.
WE ARE GOD'S CHILDREN. WE WERE CREATED BY GOD.
WE NEED TO COME BACK TO HIM. WE CAN RETURN TO GOD
THROUGH CHRIST'S SACRIFICE, IT ENABLES US TO RETURN TO GOD.
ONCE WE RESTORE OUR LINK TO GOD, HIS HOLY SPIRIT WILL DWELL IN US.
HIS SPIRIT WILL GUIDE US AND PROTECT US.

IF WE ARE CHRISTIANS FIRST.
IF WE GET OUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT.
WE CAN USE WORLDLY THINGS FOR GOOD.

WHEN WE WALK WITH GOD,
HE WILL TEACH US THE WAY TO GO
AND HE WILL DIRECT OUR PATHS. Isa. 48:17
HE CHOOSES TO USE US TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT WORKS,
BY USING THE MONEY, POWER AND FAME HE GIVES US FOR GOOD.

WITH GOD'S HELP IT IS POSSIBLE TO BE A CHRISTIAN POLITICIAN.
WE ARE INDEBTED TO THOSE WHO MAKE THE SACRIFICE.
THEY SUFFER MUCH CRITICISM, OFTEN UNJUST
MOST PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND,
IT'S EASY TO CRITICIZE
THOSE IN POWER.


JESUS, HOW CAN I FIND TRUE RELIGION?

THERE'S A MAZE OF CONFUSING & CONFLICTING CLAIMS OUT THERE.
AND OUR GLOBAL SOCIETY SAYS THAT THERE IS NO TRUTH.

FIRST CENTURY CHRISTIANITY BEGAN IN JERUSALEM.
IT WAS A VERY SECULAR SOCIETY WITH LOTS OF RELIGIONS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF SIMILARITIES BETWEEN OUR SOCIETY AND THEIRS.
THE ROMANS BUILT A GLOBAL SOCIETY IN THE FIRST CENTURY TOO.
THET CONSTRUCTED GOOD ROADS TO CONNECT THEIR EMPIRE,
TRAVEL & TRADE WERE ALLOWED & WERE A BIG PART OF LIFE.
THE ROMANS ESTABLISHED A GLOBAL POSTAL SYSTEM
THERE WAS A UNIVERSAL LEGAL LANGUAGE, LATIN
AND THERE WAS A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE
FOR EXPRESSING IDEAS, GREEK.
NEW IDEAS WERE WIDELY CIRCULATED
PEOPLE WERE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN NEW ONES.

INTO THIS COMPLEX, YET SPIRITUALLY IGNORANT GLOBAL SOCIETY
JESUS CAME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE US BY DIEING IN OUR PLACE.
HE CAME WITH HIS REVOLUTIONARY TEACHING OF LOVE.
HE CAME TO SAVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.

JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO BUILD HIS CHURCH. Matt. 16:18
AND THE GATES OF HADES WOULD NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT.
LATER LUKE SPEAKS OF THE CHURCH IN Acts 20:28
BY THE TIME OF THE WRITING IT HAS BEEN BUILT.

THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST Eph. 5:23
CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH, HIS BODY Col. 1:18
IT IS COMPOSED OF ONE BODY, BUT MANY MEMBERS. Rom. 12:4-5
WHEN YOU ARE SAVED CHRIST ADDS YOU TO HIS CHURCH. Acts 2:47
THE WONDERFUL MYSTERY OF CHRIST & HIS CHURCH HAS BEEN DISCLOSED.
THIS MYSTERY GIVES THOSE OF US IN WHOM HE DWELLS GREAT HOPE. Col. 1:26-27

JESUS AND HIS TEACHINGS ARE THE ANSWER TO FINDING TRUE RELIGION
IN THE FIRST CENTURY, THE 21ST CENTURY, OR IN ANY CENTURY.

 JESUS SAYS: BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK
SIEZE THE OPPORTUNITY, DON'T LET IT SLIP AWAY.



JESUS WROTE LETTERS TO PARTS OF HIS BODY, THE CHURCH

HE WROTE THE LETTERS TO THE
SEVEN CONGREGATIONS IN REVELATION CHAPTERS 2 & 3
THE MAJESTY OF JESUS IS DESCRIBED IN REVELATION CHAPTER 1 WHERE
HE WALKS AMONG THE CHURCHES, HE IS AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON!
IN CHAPS. 2 & 3 JESUS TALKS TO INDIVIDUAL CONGREGATIONS
IF JESUS WERE TO WRITE SUCH A LETTER TO US TODAY,
WHAT WOULD HE SAY TO US, TO EACH OF US?
WHAT GUIDELINES WOULD HE GIVE US?

IN CHAPTER 1 JESUS "WALKS" AMONG THE CHURCHES,
HE KNOWS WHAT IS GOING ON.

JESUS BEGAN BY COMPLIMENTING THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS. Rev. 2:1-3
GOD ALWAYS SEARCHES FOR THE GOOD IN US
HE CREATED US TO RECEIVE HIS GRACE,
TO DO GOOD WORKS, Eph. 2:10
TO BE HIS REPRESENTATIVES. 2 Cor. 5:17-20
HE CORRECTS THOSE WHOM HE LOVES. Hebrews 12:5-7
THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS REALLY NEEDED TO REPENT. Rev 2:4-5

THE CHURCH IN SARDIS APPEARED TO BE ALIVE,
BUT THEY WERE DEAD INSIDE. Rev. 3:1-3
THEIR HEARTS WEREN'T RIGHT.

THE CHURCH IN LAODACEA THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE RICH,
THAT THOUGHT THEY HAD IT ALL TOGETHER, BUT
INSIDE THEY WERE LUKEWARM. Rev. 3:14-18

DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN ANY OF THESE CHURCHES?
WHY DID JESUS SAY THESE THINGS? HE LOVES US. John 15:13
HE WANTS TO GET US TO CHANGE AND TO SEEK GOD. Acts 17:26-27

PRAYERFULLY AND CAREFULLY LOOK AT JESUS AND AT WHAT HE TAUGHT.
CHOOSE TO ENJOY THE PRIVILEGE OF BECOMING A CHILD OF GOD
EXPERIENCE GOD'S BLESSINGS FOR HIS CHILDREN.
EYE HAS NOT SEEN WHAT GOD HAS
PREPARED FOR US. 1 Cor. 2:9

TURN TO JESUS WITH ALL YOUR TROUBLES. 1 Pet. 5:6-7
WORRY - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - HE CAN HELP.
FEARS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - HE CAN HELP.
PROBLEMS - - - - - - - - - - HE CAN HELP.
WEAKNESS - - - - - - - HE CAN HELP.

Scripture References

Matt. 4:1-11 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' " Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " `He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' " Jesus answered him, "It is also written: `Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' " Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' " Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. Back to Lesson

Matt. 16:18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. Back to Lesson

Acts 20:28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. Back to Lesson

Eph. 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Back to Lesson

Col. 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. Back to Lesson

Rom. 12:4-5 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Back to Lesson

Acts 2:47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Back to Lesson

Col. 1:26-27 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Back to Lesson

Rev. 2:1-3 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Back to Lesson

Eph. 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Back to Lesson

2 Cor. 5:17-20 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. Back to Lesson

Hebrews 12:5-7 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? Back to Lesson

Rev. 2:4-5 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. Back to Lesson

Rev. 3:1-3 "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. Back to Lesson

Rev. 3:14-18 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, `I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Back to Lesson

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. Back to Lesson

Acts 17:26-27 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. Back to Lesson

1 Cor. 2:9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, No mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" Back to Lesson

1 Pet. 5:6-7 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Back to Lesson