THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 6-15-14

LESSON TITLE: “CREATED IN HIS PERFECTION.”

WELCOME

TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY. AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST RAY SULLINS.

WELCOME TO THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM ON THIS WONDROUS LORD’S DAY. WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY, AS WE TOGETHER GIVE THIS TIME TO GOD. I KNOW THAT WE WILL ALL BE ENCOURAGED AND UPLIFTED BY OUR TIME TOGETHER THIS MORNING. SO, LET’S GIVE OUR BEST TO GOD SO THAT HE MAY BE PLEASED WITH OUR OFFERING. FURTHERMORE, LET’S DO ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO HIS WILL - SO THAT OUR WORSHIP WILL BE RECEIVED BY HIM IN A GOOD AND PERFECT WAY. NOW, LET’S APPROACH HIS THRONE IN PRAYER!

PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY AND FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS OF LIFE AND THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN AND TO SERVE YOU EACH AND EVERY DAY OF LIFE. AND FATHER, WE KNOW THAT ONLY THE THINGS OF LIFE COME FROM YOU. EVERY GOOD BLESSING IS FROM YOU AND WE THANK YOU FATHER FOR THESE THINGS. AND FATHER, WE ALSO THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE WE HAVE TO KNOW THAT SOMEDAY WHEN THIS LIFE IS OVER IF WERE FOUND FAITHFUL WE'LL RECEIVE THE GREATEST PROMISE AND REWARD OF ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN WITH YOU. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.

THERE IS A LOT OF WORK TO DO AS A CHRISTIAN, IF WE ARE TO BE FOUND PLEASING IN THE SIGHT OF OUR CREATOR. OUR FIRST SONG OF THE MORNING REMINDS US OF THE GREAT TASK AT HAND. SO, WONT YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING A SONG WHICH CHALLENGES US TO GET BUSY IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD. THE NAME OF THE SONG, “TO THE WORK!”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

HOW OFTEN DO WE FIND OURSELVES IN THE “GETTING BACK AT OTHERS” BUSINESS? I KNOW THIS IS TOUGH AND IT IS SOMETHING WE ARE ALL FACED WITH, BUT THE REALITY IS WE OFTEN ARE NOT GOOD AT TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK OR IN DOING GOOD TO THOSE WHO DO BACK AGAINST US.

HOWEVER, AS CHRISTIANS WE HAVE GOT TO LEARN TO LEAVE THE FINAL JUDGING AND VENGEANCE TO THE LORD. IN FACT, THE BIBLE HAS ALWAYS MADE THIS CLEAR TO THE FOLLOWERS OF GOD. IN ISAIAH 35:4-5, THIS GREAT PROPHET RECORDS, “SAY TO THOSE WHO ARE FEARFUL-HEARTED, ‘BE STRONG, DO NOT FEAR! BEHOLD, YOUR GOD WILL COME WITH VENGEANCE, WITH THE RECOMPENSE OF GOD; HE WILL COME AND SAVE YOU.’ THEN THE EYES OF THE BLIND SHALL BE OPENED, AND THE EARS OF THE DEAF SHALL BE UNSTOPPED.” YOU SEE THE JUDGING AND VENGEANCE IS TO BE LEFT UP TO GOD WHO KNOWS ALL THINGS AND WHO HAS ALL POWER.

ON THE OTHER HAND HE MENTIONS SOME BLESSINGS WE HAVE WHEN WE LET GOD DO THE CONDEMNING. THE VERSE SAID “HE WILL SAVE US.” YOU SEE, WHEN WE OBEY GOD HE WILL NOT ONLY BE THERE FOR US AND HELP US BUT HE WILL REWARD US IN THE END. GOD CAME TO DO GOOD AND TO HELP THOSE WHO NEED HELP. THIS IS FURTHER EVIDENCED IN VERSE 5 WHICH WE READ, WHERE HE SAID, “THE BLIND SHALL SEE AND THE DEAF SHALL HEAR!” GOD TRULY IS A LOVER OF MANKIND AND WANTS TO HELP THOSE WHO WILL HEAR AND OBEY HIS WILL.

FINALLY, LOOK AT WHAT THE HEBREW WRITER SAID IN CHAPTER 10, VERSE 30 OF THAT BOOK. THERE GOD IS RECORDED AS SAYING, “ ‘VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,’ SAYS THE LORD. AND AGAIN, ‘THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.’” AGAIN THIS NEW TESTAMENT WRITER CONFIRMS FOR US THE FACT THAT GOD WILL HANDLE THOSE WHO DISOBEY HIM AND DO EVIL TOWARDS OTHERS ON THIS EARTH. NOW LET ME ASK YOU, “DO YOU THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE AFRAID OF WHAT YOU CAN DO OR WHAT GOD CAN DO TO THEM?” WELL, THAT IS EXACTLY WHY THE WRITER GOES ON TO SAY IN VERSE 31 OF THE SAME PASSAGE. THERE WE READ, “IT IS A FEARFUL THING TO FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE LIVING GOD.” SO LET’S LEAVE THE ULTIMATE CORRECTION AND DISCIPLINE IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT TO GOD, THE ONE WHO TRULY CAN MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS AND EXECUTE THE BEST PUNISHMENTS AND REWARDS. ARE YOU LETTING GOD HANDLE THE VENGEANCE SURROUNDING YOUR LIFE?

AS FAR AS OUR DISCUSSION OF THE DAY, WE WILL BE CONSIDERING THE NEXT LESSON IN OUR SERIES ENTITLED, “CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD.” OUR SPECIFIC LESSON OF THE DAY WILL DEAL WITH, “CREATED IN HIS PERFECTION?” SO, PLEASE STAY WITH US FOR THIS IMPORTANT STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD AND IN JUST A FEW MINUTES I WILL RETURN WITH THIS STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD. NOW IT’S TIME TO JOIN IN OUR SECOND SONG OF THE MORNING, THE NAME OF THE HYMN, “WALKING IN SUNLIGHT.”

LESSON

BY RAY SULLINS

THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING WITH US THIS MORNING AS WE NOW AGAIN GO TO GOD'S WORD AND CONSIDER ANOTHER LESSON IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE OPPORTUNITY AND PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE AS CHRISTIANS TO BE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, HIS VERY LIKENESS AS IT SAYS IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS. AND FOR SEVERAL WEEKS NOW WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THE CHARACTER OF GOD. WE HAVE SEEN THE THINGS WHICH STAND OUT CONCERNING HIS CHARACTER, THE WONDER, THE GLORY, AND THE MAJESTY OF IT. THEN HOPEFULLY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BEGIN SEEING TOGETHER THE IMPORTANCE THAT WE HAVE OF STRIVING TO IMITATE THAT CHARACTER. AND BY BEING CREATED IN HIS SPIRITUAL LIKENESS AND IMAGE HOW THAT WE THEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO ALSO IMITATE HIS CHARACTER, HIS ACTIONS, WE ARE ABLE TO IMITATE THE WORDS THAT HE LAID DOWN IN THE SCRIPTURE. WE'RE ABLE TO IMITATE ACTIONS IN OUR DAILY LIVES, OR THE WORK THAT WE DO AS COMMANDED BY HIM.

SO THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM OUR GOD, AND NOT JUST FROM OUR GOD AS A WHOLE, BUT EVEN FROM THE VERY LIFE THAT JESUS LED. EVEN AS THE APOSTLE PETER INDICATED TO US THAT JESUS HAD LEFT US AN EXAMPLE THAT WE MIGHT FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS. AND SO CERTAINLY THAT'S WHAT BEING A CHRISTIAN IS ALL ABOUT. HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY KNOW GOD, TO KNOW HIS WILL, AND THEN TO OBEY AND BELIEVE IT. BUT ALSO TO BE STRIVING TO IMITATE, AS A CHILD WOULD IMITATE EVEN HIS PARENTS WHOM HE LOVED. SEEING THE GOOD IN HIS PARENTS, HOPEFULLY THE CHILD WILL IMITATE THE GOOD. SEEING BAD IN A PARENT, HOPEFULLY THE CHILD WILL NOT WANT TO IMITATE THAT WHICH IS BAD. BUT, WE SERVE A PERFECT GOD, AND THAT'S WHERE WE START IN OUR DISCUSSION TODAY.

GOD IS PERFECT AND SO WE ARE CREATED IN HIS PERFECTION. THE FACT THAT GOD IS PERFECT AND WE ARE MADE IN HIS PERFECTION TELLS US A LOT ABOUT OUR MAKEUP AND OUR CHARACTER BEING MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. THE VERSE WE'LL START WITH THIS MORNING IS FOUND IN 2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 5:21 WHERE THERE THE INSPIRED PAUL SAYS THIS, “FOR HE MADE HIM. THE FATHER MADE THE SON WHO KNEW NO SIN TO BE SIN FOR US.” AND WHAT DID THE FATHER DO? HE SENT HIS SON, WHO WAS PERFECT, WHO WAS GOD IN THE FLESH AS WE LEARN IN JOHN CHAPTER 1 AND WHO KNEW NO SIN, WHO NEVER SINNED WHILE ON THE EARTH. THAT'S THE JESUS THAT WE KNOW. THE JESUS THAT WE FOLLOW, THE JESUS, THEREFORE, WHICH WAS A WORTHY SACRIFICE. YOU SEE, HE WAS MADE TO SUFFER FOR OUR SINS, THOUGH HE HAD NEVER KNOWN SIN. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? HE WAS PERFECT. HE WAS SINLESS. HE WAS COMPLETELY RIGHTEOUS, COMPLETELY HOLY, AND COMPLETELY GOD. WELL, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL IDEA. WHAT A GLORIOUS THOUGHT BECAUSE THEN HE SAYS AFTER THAT. THIS WAS DONE THAT WE, YOU AND I, MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN AND THROUGH HIM. THROUGH JESUS. YOU SEE WHAT THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS, THE PERFECT SACRIFICE, THE PERFECT SHEDDING OF BLOOD, DOES FOR YOU AND I? IT GIVES US THE HOPE THEN OF IN SPIRIT AND PERFECTION HAVING THE CHARACTER OF GOD. MADE IN HIS IMAGE. AND SO WHAT A BEAUTIFUL IDEA THAT WE FIND PRESENTED HERE AND WE MIGHT AS WELL SAY WHAT A CHALLENGING IDEA.

NOW, WHERE WOULD THIS ALL OF COME FROM? WELL, OBVIOUSLY GOD. IT'S FOUND IN HIS WORD, BUT I THINK IT'S QUITE INTERESTING THAT EVEN JESUS MAKES A SIMILAR STATEMENT BEFORE PAUL IS INSPIRED TO WRITE THE THINGS THERE OF 2 CORINTHIANS 5 AND IF YOU'LL BACK UP WITH ME TO THE GREAT SERMON ON THE MOUNT THERE IN MATTHEW 5 AND YOU'LL LOOK WITH ME AROUND VERSE 48. YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE DISCUSSION IS UNDERWAY IN THAT PART OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, THAT WE ARE TO LOVE OUR ENEMIES, EVEN THOSE WHO DO EVIL AND WICKED THINGS AGAINST US. AND WE ARE TO LOVE ALL, NOT JUST OUR BRETHREN, BUT EVEN OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR NEIGHBOR IS ANYONE AGAIN INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST US AND THOSE WHO ARE ENEMIES. THAT'S WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT. THE WORLD LOVES ITS OWN, THE WORLD LOVES ITS CHILDREN, THE WORLD LOVES THOSE WHOM IT LIKES. WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT AS CHRISTIANS IS THAT WE LOVE ALL MEN, EVEN OUR ENEMIES, EVEN THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST US. BUT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS HERE IN VERSE 48 OF THAT TEXT, MATTHEW 5:48, “THEREFORE, YOU SHALL BE PERFECT,” BUT THEN HE SAYS, “JUST AS YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN IS PERFECT.” WELL, GOD IS PERFECT. YES, GOD DOES NOT SIN. 1JOHN 1:5 SAYS, “GOD IS LIGHT AND IN HIM THERE IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL.” NO SIN. GOD IS PERFECT. GOD'S COMPLETE AND THEREFORE, IT SAYS AS GOD IS PERFECT AND COMPLETE, WE ALSO SHALL STRIVE FOR PERFECTION.

NOW, IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT HERE ABOUT THIS WORD OF PERFECTION AND THE IDEA OF THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE. IT OFTEN IS TRANSLATED EITHER PERFECT OR COMPLETE, BUT IT HAS THE IDEA OF A MATURING TO IT AND THAT IDEA IS CLEAR WITHIN THE GROWTH OF AN INDIVIDUAL. FOR INSTANCE, YOU HAVE MAYBE A BABY AND YOU FEED THAT BABY AND THE BABY EXERCISES AND WHAT? IT GROWS UP AND IT EVENTUALLY BECOMES FULL-GROWN. THAT'S THE IDEA. MOVING ON TO, NOT JUST A MATURITY, BUT A FULL GROWTH. A COMPLETED GROWTH AND SO THAT MEANS WHEN I LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE CHILD OF GOD IN RELATIONSHIP TO PERFECTION, I WANT TO NOT ONLY LOVE BUT I WANT TO STRIVE FOR A PERFECT LOVE. TO NOT ONLY LOVE EVERYONE, BUT AS WE READ A MOMENT AGO IN THE SAME TEXT, I EVEN LOVE MY ENEMIES. YOU SEE, IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO WORK ON ISN'T IT? I HAVE TO HAVE FAITH, BUT NOT JUST SOME FAITH, I WANT MY FAITH TO GROW TILL IT'S FULL-GROWN AND UNTIL IT'S PERFECT IN THAT SENSE OR COMPLETE. COMPLETELY FULL-GROWN AND SO THAT'S WHAT IS BEING SAID HERE. GOD IS PERFECT IN THE FACT THAT HE IS FULLY COMPLETE AND GROWN IN ALL THINGS AND THAT'S WHAT WE STRIVE FOR.

NOW, THE FACT IS WITHIN THAT KNOWLEDGE, WE ALSO REALIZE THAT AS AGAIN WE READ IN 1JOHN CHAPTER 1, THAT WE CANNOT CERTAINLY SAY WE HAVE NO SIN, IT WOULD MAKE US A LIAR. ALL HAVE SINNED, ROMANS 3:23, ALL MEN SIN. EVEN THOSE WHO FOLLOW GOD AT TIMES DO WRONG AND SIN. THEY DO THAT WHICH IS CONTRARY TO THE WILL OF GOD. ALTHOUGH WE MAY NOT CHOOSE SIN FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE STILL STUMBLE. WE STILL FALL. WE STILL MAKE MISTAKES. WE STILL HAVE TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS. WE SHALL HAVE TO REPENT AND SO IT'S WITHIN THAT MINDSET THAT WE SAY BUT I AM STRIVING FOR PERFECTION. I AM STRIVING TO GROW UP. THINK ABOUT THE YEARS AS YOU GREW UP, THE TEEN YEARS AND ABOUT ALL THE MISTAKES YOU MADE. WE'VE ALL MADE MISTAKES, HAVEN'T WE, BUT WE WERE TRYING TO GROW UP. TO BECOME FULL-GROWN AND HOPEFULLY AFTER WE MAKE A MISTAKE WE DON'T REPEAT THAT MISTAKE BECAUSE WE LEARN AND WE GROW UP. WE MATURE TO THE POINT WHERE WE SAY WELL, I DON'T WANT TO SUFFER THAT CONSEQUENCE AGAIN. YOU SEE THE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO BE COMPLETE? TO BE FULLY GROWN, COMPLETE, TO BE PERFECT OR STRIVING FOR PERFECTION AS GOD WOULD HAVE US.

NO WONDER IT'S THE SAME IDEA THAT WAS APPLIED TO NOAH IN GENESIS 6. THERE IN VERSE 9 IT SAYS THAT NOAH WAS A MAN WHO WALKED WITH GOD. AND WHY? BECAUSE HE WAS PERFECT IN HIS GENERATION. HE WAS FULLY GROWN. HE WAS COMPLETE. DOES THAT MEAN HE NEVER MADE ANY MISTAKES? WELL, CERTAINLY. HE WAS A MAN. CERTAINLY HE MADE MISTAKES. CERTAINLY HE SINNED FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT HIS HEART, HIS FOCUS, HIS DESIRE WAS ON GOD CONTINUALLY AND HIS WANT WAS TO DO THE WILL OF GOD, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE FLESH SOMETIMES GOT THE BETTER OF HIM. YOU SEE, IT'S THE MINDSET. IT'S A FOCUS OF THE HEART IF WE'RE STRIVING TO BE FIRST AND FOREMOST HAVING OUR EYES ON GOD OR ON THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD. SO ARE WE STRIVING FOR THAT PERFECTION? ARE WE GROWING UP IN SUCH PERFECT WAYS?

NOW I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT SOME SPECIFIC VERSUS THAT HELP US TO SEE. MAYBE THE APPLICATION PART AS WE ARE STRIVING TO BE FULLY GROWN. HOW DO WE APPLY THIS CONCEPT LITERALLY IN KNOWING WHAT I DO TO GROW UP AS GOD WOULD HAVE? I THINK ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO START IS A PLACE AGAIN THAT THE HEBREW WRITER ACTUALLY DISCUSSES THE CONCEPT OF MOVING ON TOWARD AND HE USES THIS WORD AGAIN PERFECTION OR A FULL-GROWN COMPLETENESS. IT SAYS HERE, BEGINNING ACTUALLY IN CHAPTER 5:12, THAT THERE WERE REALLY SOME WHO WERE STILL STUCK IN THE MILK OF THE WORD. IN FACT, HE ACTUALLY GIVES THEM QUITE THE REBUKE. HE SAYS IT'S ACTUALLY TIME THAT YOU OUGHT TO BE TEACHING BUT A LOT OF YOU HE SAYS STILL ARE IN NEED OF THE MILK. YOU'RE STILL LIKE A LITTLE BABY NEEDING THE MILK AND YOU CAN'T HANDLE THAT MEAT OR THE SOLID FOOD AND HE SAYS YOU NEED TO MOVE ON. YOU NEED TO GROW. HOW DO THEY GROW? VERSE 12 SAYS BY THE ORCACLES OF GOD. SO WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO? WE HAVE TO GO TO GOD'S WORD. WE HAVE TO LEARN AND STUDY AND PLACE IT INTO OUR HEARTS AND MINDS AND THAT HELPS US TO BEGIN TO WHAT? MATURE AS WE ACT UPON THAT WORD. AS WE LEARN IT AND OBEY THAT WORD AND THEREFORE WE BEGIN TO LEAVE THE MILK MATTERS, MAYBE AS A BABY, AND WE BEGAN TO BECOME AN ADULT OR STRIVING TO BE FULL-GROWN. HE EVEN SAYS THAT THEY WERE UNSKILLED IN THE WORD. THAT'S WHY THEY NEEDED TO GET BACK TO THE ORACLES OF GOD.

BUT THEN IN VERSE 14 HE SAYS SOLID FOOD BELONGS TO THOSE WHO WERE OF FULL AGE AND THERE IS THAT IDEA AGAIN THAT'S GONNA BE PRESENTED IN VERSE 1 OF CHAPTER 6. THAT'S THE CONCEPT OF PERFECTION, SOMEBODY THAT IS FULLY GROWN UP IN RELATIONSHIP TO THEIR SPIRITUAL THINGS. THAT MAY NOT ALL HAPPEN AT ONCE AGAIN. WE MIGHT GROW MORE IN LOVE IN THIS PERIOD OR THIS YEAR AND GROW MORE IN FAITH ONE PERIOD. THERE MIGHT BE DIFFERENT POINTS THAT WE ARRIVE AT COMPLETENESS IN THESE DIFFERENT AREAS BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING TO GROW IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS OF A SPIRITUAL NATURE. BUT ULTIMATELY WE STILL HAVE THAT SAME NEED AS HE SAYS HERE THROUGH THE ORACLES OF GOD TO DISCERN BETWEEN WHAT? GOOD AND EVIL. THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. KNOWING THE WILL OF GOD AND APPLYING IT BY WISDOM SO THAT WE MIGHT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL.

SO NOW GO WITH ME TO HEBREWS CHAPTER 6:1. RIGHT AFTER HE GIVES THEM THIS REBUKE THAT THEY HAVE NOT GROWN AND THEY SHOULD BE AT FULL AGE BUT THEY ARE NOT, THEY SHOULD BE TEACHING BUT THERE ARE UNABLE YET. HE SAYS SO, “THEREFORE, LEAVING THE DISCUSSION OF THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF CHRIST, LET US GO ON TO PERFECTION.” SO WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE? STOP BEING BABES. STOP BEING KIDS. GROW UP. YOU KNOW, PAUL SAID THERE IN CORINTHIANS ONE TIME, 1CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 13, HE SAID WHEN I WAS A CHILD I DID THINGS AS A CHILD, I THOUGHT AS A CHILD. BRETHREN, WE ARE NO LONGER CHILDREN IF WE ARE SERVANTS OF GOD AND HAVE BEEN FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. WE'VE GOT TO MATURE. WE'VE GOT TO GROW UP TO COMPLETENESS AND PERFECTION. STRIVING TO BE THOSE WHO IMITATE, NOT JUST IN SOME WAYS BUT IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE, GODS GLORY IN AND THROUGH US THAT WE MIGHT SHOW HIM JUST HOW MUCH WE LOVE HIM. AND WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT AGAIN? YOU MAY NOTICE WITHIN THIS CONTEXT THAT HE HAS MENTIONED NOW THE ORACLES OF GOD, HE'S MENTIONED THE ABILITY THROUGH THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO DETERMINE GOOD AND EVIL. HE SAYS GO ON TO PERFECTION AND THEN IN VERSE 4 HE SAYS THAT WE WILL DO WHAT GOD'S WILL IS. WHAT GOD PERMITS. WHAT IS ACCORDING TO HIS DESIRE. THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT. IF WE ARE TO PLEASE GOD, IT'S ABOUT FINDING OUT ABOUT WHAT HE WANTS AND DOING IT.

THERE'S ANOTHER CONCEPT THAT SPECIFICALLY. WE HAVE MADE A BRIEF MENTION OF AND THAT IS LOVE IN AND OF ITSELF. BUT IN COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 3:14, WE SEE THAT THE CAUSE SO OF THIS PERFECTION IS TIED TO LOVE AS WELL. THAT VERSE SAYS, “BUT ABOVE ALL THESE PUT ON LOVE, WHICH IS THE BOND OF PERFECTION.” THE GLUE IF YOU WILL. WELL, WHY? BECAUSE LOVE IS THE GREATEST OF ALL THINGS. AGAIN, 1CORINTHIANS 13. IT'S GREATER THAN FAITH AND HOPE. LOVE IS THAT GLUE. IT'S THAT BOND BECAUSE WHAT LOVE DOES WHEN WE WIPE IT ON AND WE PUT OURSELVES TOGETHER, GUESS WHAT IT DOES? IT GIVES ME THE ABILITY TO BE TIED TO YOU. THAT YOU ARE TIED TO ME. TO BE TIED TO GOD AND THAT HE IS TIED. AND SO WHAT THAT ALSO DOES IS IT CHALLENGES ME TO OFFER MORE COMPASSION AND MERCY AND GRACE AND LOVE TO YOU AS YOU ALSO DO TO ME. ISN'T THAT WHAT HAPPENS WITH FAMILY? THINK ABOUT HOW FORGIVING WE ARE SOMETIMES WITH FAMILY BUT THEN A FRIEND MIGHT DO THE SAME THING AND WE'RE NOT WILLING TO FORGIVE THEM. WELL YOU SEE WHAT LOVE CAN DO, THE BOND OF LOVE? AND WHAT'S KIND OF REALLY NEAT ABOUT THIS IDEA IS THAT THE SAME WORDS IN ENGLISH THAT SOMETIMES ARE TRANSLATED PERFECTION OR COMPLETENESS FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT GREEK. FOR INSTANCE, 2CORINTHIANS 13 AND VERSE 11. IT'S NEAT THERE BECAUSE THAT WORD IS TRANSLATED COMPLETENESS WHICH ALSO MEANS PERFECTION. IT'S A DIFFERENT GREEK WORD. BUT GUESS WHAT IT'S APPLIED TO? IT'S APPLIED TO THIS KNITTED TOGETHER. THIS JOINT JOINING TOGETHER OF INDIVIDUALS. SO NOW IT'S NOT JUST THE IDEA OF BEING COMPLETE OR PERFECT AND THE THINGS WE GREW UP TO SUCH AS LOVE. BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS THAT BOND. THAT BOND, THAT GLUE THAT HOLDS US.

DO YOU SEE WHAT MATURITY CAN DO? DO YOU SEE HOW MUCH MORE IT CAN MAKE ME STRONG AND FAVORABLE OF ACCOMPLISHING WHAT IT IS THAT MY GOD DESIRES OF ME? JAMES CHAPTER 3 ADDS ANOTHER ELEMENT THERE AS HE SAYS IF WE'RE ABLE TO CONTROL THESE TONGUES IN OUR MOUTHS, GUESS WHAT THAT MAKES US? WELL, THERE IN VERSE 2 OF JAMES 3 THE BIBLE SAYS, “FOR WE ALL STUMBLE IN MANY THINGS BUT IF ONE DOES NOT STUMBLE IN WORD HE IS,” GUESS WHAT? “A PERFECT MAN.” YOU WANT TO BE SEEN AS PERFECT IN THE EYES OF GOD? CONTROL YOUR TONGUE, CONTROL YOUR ACTION AND HOW DO YOU DO THAT? YOU DO THAT BY LOOKING TO HIS WORD AND GROWING UP IN ALL THINGS TO A COMPLETENESS OR PERFECTION TO IMITATE THE STEPS OF JESUS AND TO FOLLOW THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD, WHICH YOU AND I WERE CREATED IN. DOESN'T THAT SOUND JUST GLORIOUS? DOESN'T THAT SOUND ENCOURAGING? DOESN'T THAT SOUND LIKE SOMETHING THAT WE ALL WANT TO BE A PART OF BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WITH GOD WE ARE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING. WE ARE ABLE TO, NOT ONLY MAKE IT THROUGH THIS LIFE, BUT WE KNOW THAT WE WILL ALSO HAVE THE REWARDS OF THAT LIFE TO COME.

OUR LAST VERSE THIS MORNING COMES FROM 1PETER CHAPTER 5. AND WHAT'S SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THIS IS IT TELLS US THE ONLY PLACE WE CAN FIND PERFECTION. WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THAT IN SOME OF OUR VERSES SUCH AS THE ORACLES OF GOD OR THE WORD OF GOD, OR THAT WHICH CODES FOR GOD, JESUS HIMSELF. ALL SUCH THINGS, AND CERTAINLY THESE ALL ARE TRUE, BUT I DO LIKE THE WAY THAT PETER PUTS IT HERE TO ALSO ADD APPLICATION AS HE SAYS THIS IN RELATIONSHIP TO OUR NEED TO IMITATE GOD. VERSE 10 OF CHAPTER 5, THE BIBLE SAYS, “BUT MAY THE GOD OF ALL GRACE, WHO CALLED US IN HIS ETERNAL GLORY BY CHRIST JESUS, AFTER YOU HAVE SUFFERED A WHILE, PERFECT, ESTABLISH, STRENGTHEN, AND SETTLE YOU.” THERE ARE SEVERAL WORDS THERE THAT WE COULD LOOK AT, BUT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THE WORD PERFECT IS USED AGAIN BUT IT IS USED IN THE CONTEXT THAT SAYS IT IS GOD BY OR THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, WHO ALONE IS ABLE TO PERFECT YOU. MAN CANNOT PERFECT YOU OR COMPLETE YOU. A RELIGION CANNOT PERFECT YOU OR COMPLETE YOU. GOD AND GOD ALONE CAN GIVE YOU THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO GROW UP, TO BE COMPLETE AND PERFECT IN HIS WILL UNTO OBEDIENCE. THEREFORE ARE YOU DOING WHAT IS REQUIRED BY THE IMAGE OF GOD AS YOU WERE MADE IN THE LIKENESS OF GOD WHICH YOU ARE ALSO FOUND IN? AND THEN IN ALL THINGS BEING FOUND FAITHFUL, SO THAT IN THE END YOU’LL RECEIVE THAT GIFT AND THAT REWARD OF ETERNAL LIFE?

CLOSING COMMENTS

THANKS FOR PUTTING GOD FIRST AND CHOOSING TO BE WITH US THIS MORNING. I HOPE YOU HAVE BENEFITED FROM OUR TIME TOGETHER. PLEASE REMEMBER, YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS OFFERING FOR GOD.

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 materials are also available on our website: That address is: www.thelivingwordprogram.com

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

HOW BLESSED WE ARE TO HAVE GOD’S PERFECT WORD WHICH TEACHES US ALL THINGS CONCERNING LIVING COMPLETE AND PERFECT LIVES BEFORE OUR CREATOR. MAY WE ALWAYS STRIVE TO BE FOUND RIGHTEOUS IN THE SIGHT OF GOD THAT WE MAY RECEIVE HIS GREATEST REWARD IN THE END.

OUR PRAYER IS TO HELP THE WORLD KNOW ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS TELEVISION PROGRAM. THE LIVING WORD HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU UNDER THE OVERSIGHT OF THE ELDERS OF THE KANSAS EXPRESSWAY CHURCH OF CHRIST IN SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE FOLLOWING AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST: