THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>    

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 1-3-16

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LESSON TITLE:  “WHAT MUST I DO TO BE THE ELECT OF GOD?”

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WELCOME<br> <br>

      HEAR THE WORDS OF GOD IN JOSHUA 1:9, “BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE; DO NOT BE AFRAID, NOR BE DISMAYED, FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.”  HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO KNOW THAT WE CAN COUNT ON GOD AND THAT HE IS WITH US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY IN THIS LIFE. <br> <br>

      THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS LORD’S DAY FOR THE STUDY OF GOD’S LIVING WORD.  HOW BLESSED WE ARE TODAY TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY SUCH OPPORTUNITIES AND FREEDOMS, THAT ALLOW ALL TO OFFER SUCH TIMES OF SACRIFICE BEFORE HIS WONDROUS THRONE.  I HOPE WE ALL DO OUR PART THIS LORD’S DAY, IN PARTICIPATING IN THIS WORSHIP TOWARD GOD AND IN DOING ALL THINGS IN ACCORDANCE TO HIS PERFECT WILL! SO, AT THIS TIME, AS WE TURN OUR FULL ATTENTION TO THE REASON WE HAVE COME TOGETHER, LET’S APPROACH OUR FATHER’S THRONE IN PRAYER: <br> <br>

      PRAYER:  OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT DAY - THE LORD'S DAY, AND WE LIFT UP YOUR NAME AND PRAISE YOU FOR YOU ARE WORTHY ON THIS DAY AND EACH AND EVERY DAY OF LIFE. AND WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THE GREAT PROMISES THAT YOU GIVE US AS YOUR CHILDREN. WE THANK YOU FATHER BECAUSE THOSE PROMISES HELP US NOT ONLY TO HAVE WHAT WE NEED PHYSICALLY BUT SPIRITUALLY IN OUR DAILY LIVES. AND FATHER, HELP US TO ALWAYS LOOK TO CHRIST AND THE SACRIFICE HE MADE AS WELL AS HIS RESURRECTION TO FIND THAT STRENGTH THAT WE NEED TO GO ON EVERYDAY AS WE LOOK TO YOUR WORD AND AS WE OBEY THOSE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE ASKED OF THE FAITHFUL. AND FATHER, IN THE END GIVE US THAT GREAT REWARD OF HEAVEN WHERE A MANSION HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US. THANK YOU FOR THIS PROMISE OUR FATHER - AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT BLESSINGS AND GIFTS. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. 

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      NOW LET’S BEGIN PRAISING OUR GOD THROUGH SONG.  WON’T YOU JOIN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING TOGETHER A HYMN THAT REMINDS US OF THE VICTORY WHICH GOD’S FOLLOWERS SHARE IN.  THE NAME OF THE SONG, “VICTORY IN JESUS!” <br> <br>



DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

      WE LEARNED EARLIER THIS DAY THAT GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US EACH MOMENT OF EVERY DAY, NO MATTER WHERE WE GO, OUR GOD IS WITH US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.  ISN’T THAT A WONDERFUL PROMISE FOR US IN THIS LIFE, TO KNOW THAT WE ARE NEVER ALONE OR BY OURSELVES - BECAUSE GOD IS ALWAYS BY THE SIDE OF THE FAITHFUL.  <br> <br>

      I REMEMBER THIS SAME IDEA BEING PRESENTED SEVERAL OTHER TIMES THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE. FOR EXAMPLE, DO YOU RECALL WHAT THE HEBREW WRITER SAID IN HEBREWS 13:5, “…I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU.”  AND IN MATTHEW 28:20, EVEN OUR LORD CONFIRMS SUCH TRUTH.  THERE JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES, “AND LO I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN UNTIL THE END OF THE AGE.”  WOW, ISN’T THIS A GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT TO KNOW?   THANKS BE TO GOD FOR SUCH GLORIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL TRUTHS.  <br> <br>

      HOWEVER, IN SIMILAR PASSAGES THERE IS A FURTHER PROMISE WHICH GOD CONNECTED TO THIS ONE WHICH IS EQUALLY ENCOURAGING.  THIS IDEA IS FOUND IN DEUTERONOMY 31:6.  THERE WE READ, “BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE, DO NOT FEAR NOR BE AFRAID OF THEM; FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD, HE IS THE ONE WHO GOES WITH YOU. HE WILL NOT LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.”  SOUND FAMILIAR?  IT PROBABLY DOES BECAUSE IT’S WHAT WE READ EARLIER, AS BEING QUOTED BY THE HEBREW WRITER. AGAIN, PRAISE GOD FOR THIS WONDROUS TRUTH!  HOWEVER, NOTICE THAT HE DOES NOT STOP THERE.  NOW LET’S READ VERSE SIX TOGETHER, “SO WE MAY BOLDLY SAY: ‘THE LORD IS MY HELPER; I WILL NOT FEAR. WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME?’”  NOW THERE IS A REAL QUESTION FOR CONSIDERATION!  IF GOD TRULY IS GOD AND CAN DO WHAT HE SAYS, WHAT ARE WE WORRIED ABOUT, WHY DO WE FEAR.  THE FACT IS MAN AND THIS WORLD CAN DO NOTHING TO US THAT REALLY MATTERS AS LONG AS GOD IS ON OUR SIDE. SO LET ME ASK, DO YOU HAVE THIS KIND OF FAITH AND TRUST IN YOUR GOD?  JUST HOW MUCH ARE YOU FOCUSED ON GOD IN YOUR EVERY DAY LIFE?   CHOOSE TODAY TO CAST ALL YOUR CARES UPON YOUR CREATOR, FOR HE IS ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU AND READY TO HELP! <br> <br>

      IN JUST A FEW MINUTES IT WILL BE TIME TO BEGIN OUR MAIN STUDY OF THE DAY. OUR TOPIC OF STUDY WILL AGAIN FOCUS ON, “THE ELECT OF GOD.”  OUR SPECIFIC LESSON OF THE MORNING IS ENTITLED, “WHAT MUST I DO TO BE THE ELECT OF GOD?” SO PLEASE STAY WITH US THIS DAY AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER, I WILL RETURN AND LEAD US IN THE MAIN STUDY OF THE DAY.<br> <br>

      BUT NOW IT’S TIME TO JOIN TOGETHER IN OUR NEXT SONG OF THE MORNING.  THE NAME OF THIS HYMN, “WE HAVE HEARD THE JOYFUL SOUND.” 

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LESSON<br> <br>

BY RAY SULLINS<br> <br>

      LET ME AGAIN SAY HAPPY NEW YEAR! IT'S SO GREAT TO BE NOW IN 2016 AND WE ARE BLESSED BY GOD TO EVEN ASSEMBLE THIS DAY. NOT ONLY HERE AS WE GATHER ON THIS PROGRAM, BUT HOPEFULLY TO BE ABLE TO GO AND TO GATHER AS GOD'S PEOPLE AND TO WORSHIP WITH HIS CHURCH. WHAT A GREAT AND WONDROUS WAY TO BEGIN A NEW YEAR, AS WE HAVE PLANNED AND MADE OUR COMMITMENTS TO GOD TO BEGIN RIGHT OFF THE BAT GIVING HIM OUR VERY BEST AND BEING FAITHFUL IN ATTENDANCE TO SHOW HIM JUST HOW MUCH WE LOVE HIM AND JUST HOW MUCH HE MEANS. WELL YOU MIGHT SAY - WE'LL, BROTHER RAY I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE IT. I DON'T FEEL GOOD. HEY BROTHERS, BRETHREN, FRIENDS - THERE ARE MANY DAYS I WAKE UP AT MY AGE AND I DON'T FEEL GOOD AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I'LL ENCOURAGE YOU TO UNDERSTAND? IF YOU PUT GOD FIRST YOU'LL FEEL BETTER. IF YOU GO AND YOU WORSHIP WITH YOUR BRETHREN YOU'RE GOING TO FEEL BETTER. YOU'RE GOING TO FEEL GOOD BECAUSE YOU KNOW NOT ONLY THAT YOU'VE BEEN FAITHFUL TO GOD BUT YOU ALSO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SHARE SUCH A TIME WITH THOSE WHO ARE OF LIKE PRECIOUS FAITH. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE FAITHFUL TO GOD TODAY AND TO WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH. AND AS WE THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS WE'LL BE CONCLUDING OUR SERIES THIS WEEK CONCERNING THE ELECT OF GOD.<br> <br> 

      WE NOW HAVE LOOKED FOR QUITE A FEW WEEKS AT SO MANY OF THE DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS CONCERNING THE ELECT OF GOD AND EVEN THE GREAT CHALLENGES LAST WEEK OF BEING PREPARED FOR A NEW YEAR - THAT WE MIGHT BE THE GREATEST OF GOD'S ELECT IN 2016. BUT AS WE STAND HERE IN A NEW YEAR - REALIZING AGAIN HOW HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE JUST HAD A WHOLE OTHER YEAR FLY BY, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE STILL NEED TO ACCOMPLISH CERTAIN THINGS AS CHRISTIANS. BUT THEN WE ALSO MUST UNDERSTAND THAT PERHAPS SOME ARE STILL NOT YET CHRISTIANS. SOME HAVE NOT YET OBEYED THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. WELL, MAYBE THEY'VE DONE SOMETHING TO FEEL LIKE THEY ARE MAYBE IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. MAYBE THEY HAVE FOLLOWED WHAT SOME MAN HAS TOLD THEM. MAYBE THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THE MOTION THAT A DENOMINATION HAS ENCOURAGED THEM TO DO. BUT WHAT ABOUT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS? WHAT ABOUT WHAT GOD'S WORD SAYS? <br> <br>

      TODAY WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE IS THE IDEA OF - HOW DO I BECOME THE ELECT OF GOD? IT'S NOT JUST BY HAPPENSTANCE OR CHANCE. EVERYONE'S CREATED BY GOD. EVERYONE, INCLUDING ALL THE EVIL OF THE WORLD, AS WE CAN LOOK BACK IN HISTORY. BUT CERTAINLY THEY WERE NOT THE FAITHFUL OF GOD. AS JAMES SAID THE DEVILS BELIEVE BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE CONSIDERED AS FAITHFUL BECAUSE THEY KNOW THERE'S A GOD AND YET THEY DON'T SUBMIT TO HIS WILL. THERE ARE SO MANY IN OUR DAY WHO DON'T SUBMIT TO THE WILL OF GOD. JUST BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BELIEVE THERE'S A GOD DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY ARE SAVED. THERE ARE MANY IN THIS WORLD WHO ACTUALLY REJECT GOD. CERTAINLY THEY ARE NOT SAVED ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD. AND SO WE HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION - WHAT MUST ONE DO TO BE SAVED? IF WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT BASED ON WHAT GOD SAYS WE CAN'T BE SURE AS TO WHETHER WE HAVE OBEYED GOD OR MAN OR OUR OWN DESIRES OR EVEN SELF. <br> <br>

      SO I WOULD LIKE YOU LOOK WITH ME BEGINNING THERE IN ACTS CHAPTER 16 - BECAUSE PERHAPS THERE BETTER THAN ANY OTHER PLACE THE EXACT PHRASE IS USED WHEN THE PHILIPPIAN JAILER ASKED PAUL - SIRS, WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? WE READ THAT THERE IN CHAPTER 16 AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE TEXT IN RELATIONSHIP TO, WHAT NOT ONLY HE SHOULD DO, BUT WHAT HE WOULD HAVE TO ACCOMPLISH THERE IN VERSE 30 BEGINNING. AND AS WE THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT QUESTION IS REALLY RESOUNDED THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF ACTS. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE, MANY TIMES SUCH AS CORNELIUS AND OTHERS, WHO ASKED THAT VERY SAME QUESTION: WHAT MUST I DO? WHAT SHOULD I ACCOMPLISH? WHAT IS REALLY REQUIRED IN THE FACT THAT I REALIZE THAT I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO BECOME A CHILD OF GOD, THE FAITHFUL OF GOD. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE ELECT. OBVIOUSLY THE ELECT ARE CALLED THE CHOSEN OR THE ELECT BECAUSE THERE'S A REASON. CERTAINLY YOU WOULD SAY THE ELECT OF GOD ARE CHILDREN OF GOD, THE FAITHFUL OF GOD. <br> <br>

      SO AGAIN WE HAVE TO SAY - WHAT IS THAT THAT MAKES ME TO BE AN ELECT? TO BE A CHILD? WELL, WHEN WE GO HERE INTO THE TEXT WHAT DO WE AGAIN FIND? WE FIND THAT THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF ACTS THIS QUESTION CONTINUES TO BE ASKED. IN FACT EVEN THE DAY THE CHURCH BEGAN IN ACTS CHAPTER 2, AFTER PETER AND THE OTHERS HAVE PROCLAIMED THE FIRST GOSPEL SERMON AFTER THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST AT LEAST IN THIS GREAT PUBLIC ASSEMBLY DURING THE PENTECOST, WE KNOW HERE THAT HE TOLD THEM - YOU HAVE JUST KILLED THE MESSIAH. THE SAME ONE YOU CRUCIFIED WAS BOTH LORD AND SAVIOR. AND WHAT DOES IT SAY THERE IN VERSE 37? OH MY! THEY WERE CUT TO THE HEART. THEY WERE TORE UP BECAUSE THEY REALIZED WE (THEY) HAVE SINNED AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT SIN SEPARATES THEM FROM WHAT? FROM GOD. YOU CAN'T BE A SINNER, SOMEONE COMMITTED TO SIN AND FOLLOWING SIN BY CHOICE, AND BE UNIFIED WITH GOD. YOU HAVE TO SEPARATE YOURSELF FROM SIN. THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT. AND THEN THEY ASKED THE QUESTION IN VERSE 38: WHAT MUST WE DO? OR RATHER VERSE 37: WHAT SHALL WE DO OR WHAT MUST WE DO? AND THEN IN VERSE 38 PETER GIVES THE ANSWER. AND HE SAYS REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED. REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED. <br> <br>

      ISN'T IT SIGNIFICANT THAT AS WE LOOK TO THE BOOK OF ACTS WE FIND CONVERSION AFTER CONVERSION AFTER CONVERSION? AND IN EVERY CASE IT WAS ALWAYS SOMEONE OF THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY, SOMEONE WHO COULD REASON AND UNDERSTAND. WE HAVE NO EXAMPLE IN THE BOOK OF ACTS, NOR IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, NOR IN THE BIBLE OF ANYONE WHO WAS BAPTIZED AS AN INFANT OR WHO WAS BAPTIZED IN A DIFFERENT SORT OR STAGE OTHER THAN ADULTHOOD OR ONE WHO HAD REASON. WHY? BECAUSE ONLY THOSE WHO CAN KNOW BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, ONLY THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO REASON THAT I'M IN SIN, NEED THE REDEEMER IN THE SAME SENSE NEED TO BE FORGIVEN OF SIN. <br> <br>

      AND SO NOTICE HERE THAT THE PHILIPPIAN JAILER AND THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH - THESE WERE ALL ADULTS. AND ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST THESE PEOPLE WERE ASSEMBLED AND THEIR HEARTS WERE PRICKED. WHY? THEY HEARD AND THEY UNDERSTOOD -THEY WERE OLD ENOUGH TO DO BOTH. AND WHEN THEY ASKED THE QUESTION THERE IN VERSE 37: WHAT SHALL WE DO? THEY WERE TOLD TO REPENT. REPENT OF WHAT? SIN. WELL YOU SEE, THEY'VE ALREADY SHOWN THEY BELIEVED. WE BELIEVE IN JESUS! WE BELIEVE! IF YOU SAY HE WAS THE CHRIST, HE WAS THAT MESSIAH. WE NOW BELIEVE. WE BELIEVE SO MUCH THAT WE'RE AFRAID. WE'RE TREMBLING IN OUR HEARTS. WE'RE CUT TO THE HEART SO WHAT SHALL WE DO TO OVERCOME THE SIN WE'VE JUST COMMITTED? AND HE SAID, REPENT. THAT MEANS THE IDEA OF ACKNOWLEDGING SIN AND TURNING AWAY FROM SIN. NOT JUST TURNING A LITTLE BIT - WELL, I'M GONNA DABBLE IN THAT SIN ONLY A LITTLE BIT NOW. NO...IT MEANS THAT I ACKNOWLEDGE SIN AND IT SAYS I TURN A COMPLETE DIFFERENT DIRECTION AND LEAVE THAT SIN. WHY? DARKNESS HAS NO PLACE WITH GOD, WHO IS THE LIGHT. SIN HAS NO PLACE WITH GOD BECAUSE SIN IS ACTUALLY THE SEPARATOR, REMEMBER? WE CAN'T PARTAKE IN SIN, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE PERFECT ENOUGH TO NEVER SIN. BUT WHAT IT DOES MEAN IS THAT WE MUST STRIVE FOR THAT COMPLETENESS OR PERFECTION. AND THAT EVEN WHEN WE SIN WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO DO? REPENT. THERE IT IS AGAIN. NOT ONLY DO WE REPENT WHEN WE BECOME A CHRISTIAN, WE CONTINUE TO NEED TO REPENT OF SIN AND MAKE SURE WE'RE RIGHT WITH GOD, AS CERTAINLY AS INDICATED IN MANY OTHER PASSAGES THROUGHOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT.<br> <br> 

      AND MOST PEOPLE IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD - CERTAINLY WOULD ADMIT THE FACT - YES, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST AND CONFESS HIS NAME. YOU HAVE TO REPENT OF YOUR SINS. YOU HAVE TO DO THESE THINGS. AND YOU CAN'T CONTINUE IN SIN, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM SIN. AS WE AGAIN WOULD SAY, IN ROMANS CHAPTER 10:9-10 - THAT CONFESSION IS MADE WITH THE MOUTH. WELL, WHAT IS IT THOUGH THAT THEY ALSO DID? THEY WERE BAPTIZED. I WANT YOU TO GO WITH ME TO ANOTHER EXAMPLE THAT IS ALWAYS TO ME A VERY, VERY, CLEAR ONE. AND BY THE WAY, NOT ONLY WAS THE PHILIPPIAN JAILER BAPTIZED, NOT ONLY WAS THE EUNICH THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT BAPTIZED, BUT IT SAYS THERE IN ACTS CHAPTER 2 IN VERSE 42 THAT 3000 SOULS WERE BAPTIZED THAT DAY. JESUS SAID WE'VE GOT TO BE BORN OF THE WATER AND THE SPIRIT.  AND PAUL SAID IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 4 THAT THERE IS ONE BAPTISM. WHAT IS THAT BAPTISM? WHAT WERE THEY DOING? WELL, IT'S THE SAME BAPTISM THAT JOHN, AT LEAST IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE PHYSICAL ACT, WAS DOING WHEN IT SAYS THERE IN JOHN CHAPTER 3 THAT HE NEEDED MUCH WATER. THE SAME THING IN JOHN CHAPTER 4, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN CHAPTER 4:1-2 WHEN IT SAYS THAT JESUS BAPTIZED MORE DISCIPLES THAN JOHN DID, ALTHOUGH HE HIMSELF IS NOT PHYSICALLY DOING THE BAPTIZING. YOU SEE, IT WAS THE WATER CONCEPT, THE BAPTISM OF WATER, AND ON THAT DAY 3000 SOULS WERE BAPTIZED. <br> <br>

      YOU SAY OH NO, BROTHER RAY - THAT WAS THE HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM. OH MY, NONE OF US ARE APOSTLES. NONE OF US HAVE WHAT THEY HAD. WE WEREN'T PROMISED WHAT THEY WE'RE PROMISED. AND WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH. THERE IN ACTS CHAPTER 8, IF YOU'LL RECALL WITH ME WITHIN THAT STORY, PHILIP WAS HIMSELF LED BY THE SPIRIT. HE HAD THE SPIRIT OF GOD BECAUSE HE WAS ALREADY A CHRISTIAN.  AND WHEN HE WENT TO THE EUNICH, GUESS WHAT IT IS THAT HE DID? HE HEARD HIM READING FROM THE PROPHET ISAIAH. HE GOT INTO THE CHARIOT WITH HIM. HE TAUGHT HIM, AS THE TEXT, SAYS CONCERNING JESUS IN VERSE 35 OF CHAPTER 8 THERE AGAIN STILL IN THE BOOK OF ACTS. <br> <br>

      AND AS HE TAUGHT HIM ABOUT JESUS AND THINGS CONCERNING THE KINGDOM, I WANT YOU NOTICE WHAT IT IS THAT HAPPENS, ( VERSE 36 ) “NOW AS THEY WENT DOWN THE ROAD, THEY CAME TO SOME WATER. AND THE EUNUCH SAID, ‘SEE, HERE IS WATER. WHAT HINDERS ME FROM BEING BAPTIZED?’” WELL, IF YOU ARE TALKING HERE ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM AND THAT'S THE ONE BAPTISM, WHY DID THEY NEED WATER? YOU SEE THE IDEA? THE EUNUCH SAID HERE IS WATER. AND WHAT DO WE FIND NEXT? PHILIP SAYS IF YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN BE BAPTIZED - AND THEN HE MAKES THE CONFESSION. LOOK IN VERSE 37, “I BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD.” THERE'S WHAT THEY WERE WILLING TO CONFESS ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST. THERE IS WHAT THEY WERE WILLING TO CONFESS IN PHILIPPI, THE JAILER AND HIS FAMILY WHEN THEY WERE ALL IMMEDIATELY BAPTIZED, THEY HAD CONFESSED THE NAME OF JESUS. THEY HAD ACKNOWLEDGE SIN AND WERE WILLING TO REPENT OF THAT SIN, BUT THEN THEY WERE WHAT? BAPTIZED. <br> <br>

      AND HOW DO WE KNOW THAT? WE KNOW THAT AGAIN BECAUSE IN VERSE 38 OF ACTS EIGHT, THE EUNUCH NOW COMMANDED THAT THE CHARIOT WOULD STAND STILL AND BOTH PHILIP AND THE EUNUCH WENT DOWN INTO THE WATER AND HE BAPTIZED HIM. WHY DID THEY HAVE TO GET WET IF IT WAS A HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM? WELL, THEY HAD TO GET WET MY FRIEND BECAUSE BAPTISM IS A WATER IMMERSION. AND AS ACTS CHAPTER 2 SAYS, “REPENT AND LET EVERYONE OF YOU BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS,” AND THEN WHAT, “YOU SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.” THEY ARE SEPARATED THERE AND THE CONCEPT OF REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM IS THE ACT THAT ALLOWS WHAT? THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BE RECEIVED. THE WATER BAPTISM THAT WE MIGHT BE BORN OF WHAT? AS JESUS SAID TO NICODEMUS IN JOHN 3, BORN OF THE WATER AND THE SPIRIT. <br> <br>

      IN FACT, I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU MY FRIEND TO CONSIDER THIS - IF YOU GO INTO THE BOOK OF ACTS AND YOU LOOK AT EVERY EXAMPLE OF CONVERSION AND THERE ARE OVER TEN, EVERY EXAMPLE OF CONVERSION GUESS WHAT ACT IS ALWAYS INCLUDED IN EVERY EXAMPLE? REPENTANCE? NO, REPENTANCE IS NOT ALWAYS MENTIONED. IN FACT, WE JUST SAW THROUGH THE EUNUCH REPENTANCE WASN'T MENTIONED ALTHOUGH WE KNOW HE HAD TO REPENT BECAUSE EVEN JESUS SAID IF YOU DON'T REPENT YOU'LL PERISH (LUKE 13:3). YOU THINK EVERYONE MENTIONS THE CONFESSION WITH THE MOUTH? NO, EVEN IN ACTS CHAPTER 2 WE DIDN'T SEE THAT CONFESSION WAS DONE WITH THE MOUTH BUT DO WE NOT BELIEVE THAT ONE MUST CONFESS AND REPENT? YES,SO WE HAVE TO TAKE THE CULMINATION. BUT IN ACTS, GUESS WHAT ACT IS REFERRED TO IN EVERY EXAMPLE OF CONVERSION? WATER BAPTISM. EVERY TIME. NOW HOW SIGNIFICANT, DOES THAT TELL YOU MY FRIEND? HOW SIGNIFICANT, DOES THAT TELL YOU THAT NOT ONLY CONFESSION WITH THE MOUTH IS THAT WE BELIEVE JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD,  REPENTANCE WHICH IS OF THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF SIN AND TURNING AWAY FROM SIN, BUT ALSO BAPTISM. <br> <br>

      AS PAUL INDICATED IN ROMANS CHAPTER 6, WHEN WE ARE BAPTIZED WE DIE AND WE ARE BURIED INTO THE WHAT? THE WATERY GRAVE OF BAPTISM. IN FACT, HE EVEN SAYS WE ARE BURIED IN BAPTISM IN THE LIKENESS OF THE BURIAL OF CHRIST. AS CHRIST DIED WE DIE. WHAT DO WE DIE TO? HELLO! SIN. SIN. WE PUT AWAY, WE REPENT, WE DIE TO SIN, AND THEN WHAT DO WE DO IN THE LIKENESS OF HIS RESURRECTION? ROMANS CHAPTER 6:1-6 INDICATES THAT WE ALSO RISE TO BE WHAT? A NEW CREATURE. WE RISE TO BE A NEW MAN. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IN COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 3, WE RISE TO BE THE ELECT OF GOD ADDED BY GOD TO HIS CHURCH. ONLY GOD HAS THE POWER TO SAVE! ONLY GOD HAS THE POWER AND THE WISDOM IN HIS COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE TO GIVE US A PLAN THAT WE CAN FOLLOW AND SHOULD FOLLOW! AND ONLY GOD IS THE ONE WHO CAN SAVE, AND CAN ADD US TO THE CHURCH. WHY WOULD WE WANT TO LISTEN OR FOLLOW ANYONE ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE? ANY OTHER RELIGION? ANY OTHER IDEA? ANY OTHER MAN? WHY NOT CHOOSE TODAY TO PUT ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AS IS COMMANDED IN THE WORD, BY CONFESSING WITH YOUR MOUTH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, REPENTING OF YOUR SINS, AND BEING BAPTIZED BY DOING SUCH AND LIVING A FAITHFUL LIFE YOU WILL RECEIVE THE GREAT REWARD. 

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CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

      LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY.  NO DOUBT OUR TIME SPENT TOGETHER HAS BEEN UPLIFTING TO US AND ACCEPTABLE TO OUR GOD.  WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS TIME OF OFFERING BEFORE GOD!  <br> <br>

      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: <br> <br>

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      ARE YOU ONE OF GOD’S ELECT?  HAVE YOU DONE WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES IN ORDER THAT GOD MAY ADD YOU TO HIS CHURCH?  IF NOT, WHY NOT OBEY GOD TODAY AND CHOOSE TO SERVE HIM FULLY, ACCORDING TO HIS PERFECT WILL.