THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT

Program Air Date – 7-11-10

LESSON TITLE: “THE GLORIOUS CHURCH: JESUS IS THE SAVIOR OF THE CHURCH”

WELCOME

In Genesis 1:1 we read, “In the beginning - God - created the heavens and the earth!” This morning, it is before this awesome, great and mighty God which we assemble - to praise, laud and magnify His wondrous name! We are so glad that you have joined us this Lord’s Day for the Living Word Program. Won’t you do your part to see that this time of offering is completely focused on God and according to His Perfect Will. As we begin our homage to Him this morning, will you bow with me and approach His Almighty throne in prayer!

(PRAYER)

Well, it’s already time to praise our God through song. Won’t you join in with the congregation at this time as we sing together, “Higher Ground?”

(SONG # 1)

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

Throughout the Bible, we find that in every period and every age there were those who rejected God. Many rejected God because they were pagans and believed in and followed other god’s. However, what is really amazing to me is that with all of the proof and evidences which we have concerning God’s Word today that many in our world still believe in a different god, or gods! How sad this reality is for those who want everyone to be saved!

Oh, that we would open the hearts and minds of those who reject Him. How wonderful it would be to see that all men turn to the truth. But the problem has never been with God, it has always been with man. Because of man’s wickedness and desire to do what they want - they have chosen to reject God and to do things their own way.

So what does the Bible say about God, being the only true God? Moses proclaimed these words of God in Deuteronomy 4:39. There we read, “Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.” Truly God alone is God and there is no other! Isaiah said, “Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one,” (44:8). Again in Isaiah 46:9, we hear God proclaim, “For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me.”

In the New Testament, we see that the Spirit confirms the same thing. In 1 Corinthians 8:4, we read, “there is no other God but one.” Paul also told the Ephesian brethren that there was, “one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all,” this is found in chapter 4! Also, James declared the truth of only one God in chapter 2, verse 19 of his book.

So we can see that God is strongly confirmed to be the one and only true and living God. The only Creator and giver of all. Oh, what a wondrous and loving God we serve! So what about you, have you proclaimed this precious truth before God and the world? Have you shown forth that God alone is God, that He is the one and only God? The true and the living God? Choose today to confess your belief in this God and to do those things required to be added to His foal. Will you become obedient to the things commanded by this true God which we must serve?

This morning, we will be continuing our series of discussion which is entitled, “The Glorious Church.” Our specific message of the morning will confirm, “Jesus Is The Savior Of The Church!” So please stay with us this morning and after our next song together, I will lead us in our main thoughts of the day. But for now let’s join together in our second song of the morning. The name of this hymn, “Does Jesus Care.”

(SONG # 2)

LESSON

By Ray Sullins

Thank you so much for continuing with us today as we now return to God’s Word and as we look at another discussion in our series entitled: “The Glorious Church.” Our intent over the last several weeks has been to introduce the concept of the church, why it is so glorious, as well as Jesus being the builder and the founder of the church.

Today we want to focus on the concept of Christ as our Savior. It certainly is a very important idea because we can go back all the way to the very early points and ages of the Bible. We begin to see the need man has for salvation. Why? Because of sin. Isaiah explains to us that, “Sin is a separator between God and man.” Therefore we need something to reconcile us or to save us.

Perhaps one of the first stories that demonstrate this better than any other is the story of Noah. There in Genesis chapter 6 we find “the wickedness of man had grown exceedingly in all the thoughts and intents of man’s heart were evil continually or always.” Because of this God destroys the earth. But there was a righteous man named Noah, and guess what God did for Noah. Well we learn there in 1 Peter chapter 3 and verse 21 the concept of they were saved by water. Verse 20 actually tells us that Noah and his wife and their sons and their wives were saved by God. You see there was a need that man had to be saved. And God has been a God who has been the Savior of man from the very beginning of creation.

We also see this in the Israelite nation. We find that Moses was sent as the what? We find that Moses was sent as the deliverer, or the savior of the people. On whose behalf? God’s behalf!

But not only there but we continue to see even after the kingdom of Israel was established and even through periods that the kingdom was divided that God was continually referenced as the Savior of the people. A few verses that might stand out to help us with that thought, first found in Isaiah chapter 43 and verse 3. The Bible says, “For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” You see God declaring Himself as the Savior of the people.

Not only was God the Savior, but there is another element to Him being the Savior in that day that also would be the same as we have already seen in this day in the church that we are a part of. In verse 11 of the same text, God says, “I, even I, am the Lord and besides Me, there is no savior.” Perhaps that begins to open our eyes to understand there is only one place to turn for salvation. If God says, “I am the Savior and the Savior of all men of all ages,” and if God says, “there is no other savior but Me,” where must we turn for salvation? To God! Certainly that is exactly what we learn in Acts chapter 4 and verse 12 that there was but one name by which man can be saved, and what was that name? Jesus Christ.

We’ll come back there in just a moment but I would also like to consider what Jeremiah had to say in Jeremiah chapter 14 and verse 8. There again we read that during this period, this concept about God being the Savior. Here is stated, “Oh the hope of Israel, the Savior, in time of trouble.” What was God? A hope to Israel, a Savior even in time of trouble. What about today? Is God our Savior even as Christians in times of trouble? Certainly God has promised to be that Savior or that deliverer.

And look at Hosea and we find the same thing. In fact, in Hosea chapter 13 and verse 4 the Bible again declares through this prophet that “there is no other Savior but our God.”

So if this Savior is God and if there is no other Savior but God, today we need to understand who this Savior is and therefore as we begin to move in to the New Testament, we quickly begin to find out that God reveals Himself in a specific way in order that He will be able, guess what, to save the world.

Perhaps one other text that will help us most with that is found over in Luke chapter 1. If you’ll turn there we begin to see in Luke chapter 1 references to the coming and the birth of Christ. I want you to notice what Mary says here about Jesus, the birth of Christ, her son there in Luke chapter 1 and verse 47. Here is the song of Mary. It says, “And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” Who did Mary look to, the mother of Jesus, as the Savior of all? God! And who was it that Mary learned would be God in the flesh? Her own son!

We’ll look at that in just a moment in Matthew chapter 1, but before we leave this text I would like us to look there at Luke chapter 2 and verse 11 as we see here Christ again being born to Mary. There’s a great declaration that is made there in verse 11. This declaration is made there by the angel of the Lord, and he says, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who was Christ the Lord.” Last week, we talked about the ideas of a Messiah, Emmanuel, Christ and Lord. Well here we have the same idea being added to with this concept of the Savior, the One who can deliver and save us and bring us out of damnation for those things again that would keep us from our God.

So who was this Savior? Well we again back up to Matthew chapter 1 as I mentioned a moment ago and we begin to quickly learn that the Holy Spirit comes to Joseph in verse 19 and tells him specifically in verse 20 that “that which Mary has conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” So who was the Father of Jesus? The literal Father was the Holy Spirit, God. Then I want you to notice also what is clarified in verse 23. It says, “Behold, as prophecy confirms the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son and they shall call His name Emmanuel which is translated God with us.” So you see, God the Savior of all times revealed in the Old Testament as God is now brought to fruition or fullness in the birth of Jesus Christ who was God also in the flesh from God the Father and was sent to do what? As we well know to save the world.

Isn’t it John 3:16 that says, “God loved the world so much that He sent (what??) His only begotten Son.” His one of a kind, His unique Son, that He might do what? Save whoever believed. The Jews believed this, at least many of them.

We find in John chapter 1 and verse 41 that, “Many Jews hearing of Christ and seeing the miracles of Christ believed that He was the Savior sent by the Father, the very promised One, the Christ and the Messiah.”

We also see the Samaritans believing the same thing. You might remember with me in John chapter 4 Jesus there at the well with what we refer to as the Samaritan woman. Later after we look at that situation, as she learns that Jesus is this Savior that she has been waiting for, we actually learn there in verse 42 the reaction of all who heard and saw these things. Verse 42 says, “Then they said to the woman, ‘Now we believe. Not because what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that indeed He is the Christ.’” But they don’t stop there. “He is the Savior of the world.” “Indeed, this man we have heard and seen is the Christ and the Savior of the world.”

Was it not also His own disciples that declared Him as the Savior? Do you remember what it was that Peter said in Matthew 16:16? He said, “There that thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Even Jesus Himself in Luke 19 and verse 10 said, “I have come to seek and to save the lost.” What was Jesus purpose as God in the flesh? The Hebrew writer confirming for us there in Hebrews chapter 1 that even God called His Son, God. What it is confirming for us is that Jesus is worthy of being the Savior, is capable of being the Savior because He is God and therefore found it proper to be equal with God.

That’s what Paul said to the Philippians church. He did not consider it as robbery to be considered as equal with God for He was God. Therefore rather making Himself, verses 2 and following, of no reputation that He might do what? Become one of us to dwell among us, to save us, that ultimately as we learn in that text that He might take us home to live eternally on High in Heaven.

There’s one other reason that I think we should focus on that should help us to really understand why Jesus was so fitting, as if we haven’t already learned enough, I mean being God and the Son of God, and being sent by God, and being proclaimed the Savior, and proving it through miracles and all these signs and wonders. His words themselves. All of these things. But there in Ephesians chapter 5, I wish you would notice with me what it said about Christ in relationship to the church, the glorious church. The text that also later actually indicates that He presents the church as a glorious church. This is actually the text that our main theme is from. But there in verse 23 it says, “Christ is head of the church.” But it doesn’t stop there. It also adds, “And He is the Savior of the body.” Why? Well for all the reasons we’ve seen. But now I want you to notice with me in verse 25. Verse 25 says, “The husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the church and also gave Himself for her.” Why is Jesus our worthy Savior? Why is He alone the God that we should look to, the name by which we can be saved? He is the only One that paid the ultimate price for our salvation. He gave His life for us. He shed His blood for us. He was put in the tomb for us leaving a perfect, complete world in Heaven to be a mere man, to suffer and die for our sakes that we might live and that we might have eternal life. What a beautiful concept and what a wonderful encouragement this should be to us as we understand that truly our Lord has declared Himself as One who has come, John 12:47, “to save the world.” In fact, He said, “I didn’t come to judge. I came to save.” But then in verse 48 He says, “There’s something that will judge you, the Word of the Father. The Word that I have proclaimed as the Word of the Father. I have come to save you if you obey My words, which are the words of the Father.”

So the question might begin to be: Should we, as those who are followers of God, recognize, proclaim and live for Christ as the Savior? Yes! So that others might see Him, that they might want to know Him and believe and obey in Him as well.

I also like the way that John later puts it in one of His epistles. In fact, if you’ll turn in your Bibles if you have them to 1 John chapter 4. He declares something that he actually mentions in chapter 1 as well, the fact that he is an eyewitness. But now I want you to notice with me how he words it in verses 14-15 of John 4. Here we read, “And we have seen and testified that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him and he is in God?” What do we learn here? John says, “We, those eyewitnesses, we who are with Christ, we have seen, we testify that Jesus was sent by the Father, He is the Savior.” And therefore what should we do? Abide in Him.

Later in the same chapter as well as in the first part of chapter 5 in 1 John, he also says, “If you love Him, you’re going to keep His commandments.”

So have you submitted to Christ, the Messiah as the Savior of the world? Have you given yourself fully to Him? If not, why not choose today to be the day of salvation and follow your Lord?

(SONG # 3 - “The Great Physician!”)

CLOSING COMMENTS

Let me thank you again for choosing to be with us today, in this offering to God. I hope our time together has been an encouragement and blessing to all of us. We invite you back every Sunday morning at 7:30, as we commit ourselves to this worship to God!

But for now let me ask if you have any questions or comments about today’s lesson? Maybe, you would like a free transcript or a cassette tape of this program? Possibly, we could assist you with free Bible materials or correspondence courses? No matter what your need is, please contact us at the following address:

The Living Word 2540 N. Kansas Expressway Springfield, Mo. 65803

Many of these items are also available on our website, that address: www.thelivingwordprogram.com

Or if you prefer, you may call us at: (417)869-2284

Praise God for His Son Jesus who was sent as Savior of the World. Furthermore, praise Jesus for His willingness to come, live and die for our sins. What a loving God we truly serve!



(Program closing)