THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 1-8-17

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LESSON TITLE: “SALVATION”

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WELCOME<br> <br>

      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.<br> <br>

      LET ME WELCOME EACH OF YOU TO OUR PROGRAM THIS MORNING!  HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO HAVE YOU WITH US THIS LORD’S DAY, AS WE COMMIT THIS TIME TO OUR MASTER.  IT WILL BE OUR PRIVILEGE THIS MORNING TO AGAIN PARTICIPATE IN THE THINGS OF GOD AS WE SING PRAISES TO HIS NAME AND AS WE STUDY FROM HIS MATCHLESS WORD.  NOW LET’S APPROACH THE FATHERS THRONE TOGETHER IN PRAYER.<br> <br>

      PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY - THE GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE, THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN AND TO SERVE YOU ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL. HELP US EVERY DAY TO BE LIGHTS IN THIS WORLD THAT THE WORLD MIGHT KNOW YOU THROUGH US AND THAT WE MIGHT, NOT ONLY BE FOUND FAITHFUL IN THE END, BUT THAT WE MIGHT HELP OTHERS TO OBEY AND FIND THAT FAITHFUL LIFE AS WELL. FATHER, WE KNOW OF THE GREAT REWARD - THE PROMISES OF HEAVEN THAT ARE ONLY FOUND THOUGH JESUS CHRIST AND WE THANK YOU FOR THESE GIFTS. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. <br> <br><br> <br>



      ONE OF THE GREAT PRIVILEGES WE HAVE IN LIFE ARE OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS.  IT IS SO NICE TO HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO ARE SO DEAR TO US.   HOWEVER, THE BIBLE TALKS OF ANOTHER FRIEND AND RELATIONSHIP THAT IS FAR GREATER THAN ANY THINGS OF THIS WORLD.  OUR FIRST SONG OF THE MORNING WILL HELP US TO SEE WHO IS OUR GREATEST FRIEND OF ALL.  SO, WON’T YOU RAISE YOUR VOICE TO GOD AT THIS TIME AS WE TOGETHER SING, “WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.” 

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DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

      ONE OF THE HARDEST LESSONS THAT WE HAVE TO LEARN AS CHRISTIANS IS TO PUT OTHERS FIRST. ONE REASON THAT IT IS SO HARD TO LEARN AND PRACTICE THIS CHARACTERISTIC IS BECAUSE OUR SOCIETY SAYS JUST THE OPPOSITE.  WHEN WE TURN ON THE T. V., RADIO, OR READ THE PAPER, WE FIND PLENTY OF THINGS TO KEEP US FROM THINKING ABOUT OTHERS AND, RATHER, KEEPING OUR ATTENTION ON SELF.  EVEN THE EXAMPLES AND STORIES THAT WE READ ALWAYS PROMOTE AND SHOW THE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE OF THOSE WHO “TOOK CARE OF THEMSELVES.”  THE OLD IDEA OF “DOG EAT DOG!” <br> <br> 

      I REMEMBER A SONG THAT WAS VERY POPULAR SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT SPOKE OF THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL. THE SINGER CLARIFIED OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL WAS IN SELF. THAT’S NOT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS.  GOD SAID THAT THE GREATEST LOVE IS THAT WHICH IS FOUND IN THE FIRST COMMANDMENT, “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND,” MATTHEW 22:37.  THE GREATEST LOVE WE CAN HAVE IS THE LOVE WE RETURN TO OUR GOD, BECAUSE OF ALL THAT HE IS DOING AND HAS DONE FOR US.  THE SECOND GREAT COMMANDMENT IS MENTIONED IN VERSE 39, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”  AGAIN THE GREATEST LOVE WE CAN HAVE IS FIRST FOR GOD, SECOND FOR OTHERS, AND THEN WE CAN CONSIDER OUR LOVE FOR SELF. <br> <br>

      ALL OF US HAVE PROBABLY SEEN THE ACROSTIC BEFORE WHICH IS MADE FROM THE WORD JOY.  THE “J” STANDS FOR JESUS FIRST, THE “O” FOR OTHERS SECOND, AND THE “Y” STAND FOR YOURSELF LAST.  IF WE WANT TRUE JOY AS CHRISTIANS WE MUST FOLLOW GOD’S PLAN.  FURTHERMORE, THE ONLY WAY GOD WILL BE HAPPY WITH US, IS WHEN WE LEARN TO PUT HIM AND OTHERS FIRST.  <br> <br>

      ALSO NOTICE WHAT THIS SCRIPTURE TELLS US, “LET NO ONE SEEK HIS OWN, BUT EACH ONE THE OTHER'S WELL-BEING,” 1 CORINTHIANS 10:24.  AGAIN, IN PAUL’S LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS, WE READ, “LET EACH OF YOU LOOK OUT NOT ONLY FOR HIS OWN INTEREST, BUT ALSO FOR THE INTEREST OF OTHERS,”  (2:4).  WE ARE NOT TO ONLY LOOK OUT FOR OUR OWN GOOD IN A SELFISH WAY, BUT WE ARE TO PUT THE GOOD OF OTHERS EVEN BEFORE SELF.  HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU MADE DECISIONS IN LIFE THAT BENEFIT YOU, BUT REALLY THEY ARE NOT HELPFUL TO OTHERS OR EVEN HARM OTHERS?  LET’S ALL TRY TO LEARN THE LESSON FROM GOD, THAT WE NEED TO PUT HIM FIRST, OTHERS SECOND, AND THEN OURSELVES LAST. <br> <br>     

      THIS MORNING, WE ARE STILL COVERING OUR MAIN THEME ON THE BRIDE OF CHRIST. TODAY OUR SPECIFIC LESSON WILL DEAL WITH, “SALVATION.”  AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER, I WILL BE BACK TO LEAD THIS STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD.  NOW, WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AS WE SING, “WE PRAISE THEE OH GOD.” <br> <br>



LESSON<br> <br>

BY RAY SULLINS <br> <br>

      WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONTINUING WITH US THIS MORNING AS WE NOW GO TO GOD'S WORD AND HAVE THE GREAT PRIVILEGE OF STUDYING THOSE THINGS CONCERNING THE BRIDE OF CHRIST.  MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT NOW FOR SEVERAL MONTHS WE'VE BEEN LOOKING TOGETHER AT THE BRIDE OF CHRIST, OR THE CHURCH, AND HOPEFULLY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE TOGETHER WHAT REALLY IS INCLUDED WITHIN THAT BRIDE. CERTAINLY HOW CHRIST, AS HE LOOKS TO THE CHURCH; AS HIS PEOPLE - AS HIS FOLLOWERS, WOULD INSTRUCT THEM TO DO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS INCLUDING HOW TO WORSHIP, HOW TO WORK, HOW TO LIVE ACCORDING TO HIS PERFECT WILL. AND TODAY WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO BASICALLY WITHIN CONCLUDING OUR DISCUSSION ON THE BRIDE OF CHRIST IS TO LOOK SPECIFICALLY AT SALVATION. AND SALVATION IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. THAT'S WHY WE JOIN IN THE PROGRAM THIS MORNING. WE KNOW THAT GOD NOT ONLY SENT HIS SON TO THE EARTH THAT HE MIGHT DIE AND RESURRECT ON THE THIRD DAY, BUT HE GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE GOOD NEWS - THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. ROMANS CHAPTER 1 VERSE 16 SAYS THAT THE GOSPEL IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION. SO WHAT MUST HAPPEN? WELL, ONE MUST DEVELOP A FAITH BY HEARING THE GOSPEL. ISN'T THAT WHAT WE READ ACTUALLY IN ROMANS CHAPTER 10 VERSE 17? FAITH COMES BY HEARING. HEARING WHAT? HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD. AND SO WHEN WE HEAR THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST CERTAINLY THEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THAT GOOD NEWS AND THEREFORE, BECOME A WHAT? A SAVED INDIVIDUAL. <br> <br>

      WE MIGHT ALSO THINK ABOUT THE IDEA OF WHAT JESUS PRESENTED TO HIS CHOSEN DISCIPLES, EVEN THE APOSTLES, BEFORE HE LEFT THE EARTH IN MARK 16. IN VERSE 16 HE SAID, “GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL.” WHY? BECAUSE THE GOSPEL WAS THE METHOD OF SALVATION. IT WAS THE OPPORTUNITY OF GETTING GOOD NEWS TO THE LOST AND DYING OF THIS EARTH THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED. BUT THEN IN VERSE 16 OF MARK 16 HE SAYS, “HE THAT BELIEVES AND IS BAPTIZED SHALL BE SAVED.” WOW! THERE IT IS - SALVATION. THROUGH WHAT? THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL. TO WHOM? THE WORLD - SO THAT WHEN THEY WHAT? HEAR THE WORD OF GOD AND BELIEVE UPON IT - THEY SHALL BE SAVED. AND WE KNOW THAT THIS IDEA OF BELIEF HAS TO BE MORE THAN JUST SAYING, “OH YES, I BELIEVE THERE'S A GOD,” AND THEN JUST FORGETTING ALL ABOUT IT AND THEN DOING NOTHING. IT HAS TO BE MUCH MORE THAN SAYING, “OH WELL YEAH, JESUS MIGHT BE THE SON OF GOD,” AND THEN DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. BELIEF MEANS THAT WE ACT UPON THAT BELIEF. THAT WE RESPOND IN SOME WAY. WE RECEIVED AND PUT INTO OUR HEARTS AND DO WHAT GOD SAYS. THAT'S WHY FAITH IS DESCRIBED TO US SO CLEARLY AS BEING A REQUIREMENT IF WE ARE TO BE PLEASING TO GOD, THERE IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 11 VERSE SIX. WE ALSO KNOW THAT FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD - JAMES CHAPTER 2. SO SALVATION IS REALLY ABOUT THE GIFT OF GOD. HE, BY HIS GRACE, HAS OFFERED US SALVATION. BUT WHAT MUST WE DO? WELL, WE'VE GOT TO RECEIVE THE GIFT. JUST RECENTLY WE WENT THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS AND WE GAVE AND RECEIVED GIFTS. WELL, THAT GIFT THAT I BOUGHT WASN'T RECEIVED AND REACTED TO AND ENJOYED UNTIL I GAVE IT AND THEY OPENED IT AND THEY DID THEIR PART TO RECEIVE IT. WELL, YOU SEE WE'VE GOT TO DO THE SAME WITH THAT PERFECT SAVING MESSAGE - THAT GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION WHEN I RECEIVE IT AND I OPEN IT UP AND I ACT UPON IT ACCORDING TO WHAT GOD HAS SAID - HE THAT BELIEVES AND IS BAPTIZED SHALL BE SAVED. <br> <br>

      WE ALSO CERTAINLY KNOW ABOUT THE IDEA OF REPENTANCE. REPENTANCE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT MOST RELIGIONS, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE PROTESTANT GROUPS OF RELIGION, THAT THEY BELIEVE IS REQUIRED. EVEN JESUS SAID: REPENT OR PERISH. EVEN JESUS, RECORDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AS IS GIVEN BY LUKE AND ACTS CHAPTER 2, WHEN THEY SAID - WHAT MUST WE DO? PETER TOLD THEM TO REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED. YOU SEE REPENTANCE IS ESSENTIAL. FOR WE BELIEVE WITH THE HEART UNTO SALVATION IF WE REPENT OF OUR SINS - MEANING THAT WE TURN ALL THE WAY AWAY FROM SIN AND NO LONGER CHOOSE TO PRACTICE SIN AND THEN WE CONFESS WITH THE MOUTH. CONFESSION IS AN ACTION - REPENT IS AN ACTION. SOMETHING THAT WE MUST DO. CONFESSION IS SOMETHING WE MUST SAY, ROMANS 10: 9 AND 10. WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO WHAT? SALVATION ONCE AGAIN. WHAT IS THAT CONFESSION? NO DOUBT THE CONFESSION OF MATTHEW 16 THAT WAS MADE EVEN BEFORE THE CHURCH WHEN PETER SAID, “YOU ARE THE CHRIST THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.” BUT EVEN BETTER THERE, AS ONE WHO BECAME A CHRISTIAN THAT DAY, THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH IN ACTS CHAPTER 8 WAS TOLD BY PHILIP - IF YOU BELIEVE YOU MAYBE SAVED. AND THE EUNUCH SAID - I BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED? PHILIP TOOK HIM DOWN INTO THE WATER AND BAPTIZED HIM. EVEN THE EUNUCH HAD SAID, “HERE IS WATER. WHAT HINDERS ME FROM BEING BAPTIZED?” SO WE BEGIN TO SEE HERE THE NECESSITY OF UNDERSTANDING BAPTISM. SO MANY OF THE RELIGIOUS WORLD TODAY DISCOUNT BAPTISM. OR THEY'LL SAY, “WELL, BAPTISM IS REALLY JUST TO JOIN THE CHURCH,” OR, “BAPTISM IS REALLY JUST ABOUT A SYMBOLIC ACT THAT REALLY DOESN'T MEAN A WHOLE LOT. AND SO, ONCE YOU HAVE CONFESSED THE NAME OF JESUS AND YOU DECIDE TO REPENT AND YOU DECIDED TO ACCEPT JESUS IN YOUR HEART,” BY THE WAY WHICH IS NEVER REALLY GIVEN IN CONNECTION TO THE FINAL STEPS OF SALVATION ALTHOUGH CERTAINLY WE NEED TO HAVE JESUS IN US AND IN OUR HEARTS, BUT “ACCEPT HIM IN YOUR HEART AND THEN YOU'RE SAVED AND I WILL PUT YOU ON THE SCHEDULE. AND MAYBE NEXT MONTH OR NEXT YEAR THEN WE'LL GET AROUND AT THIS CERTAIN HOLIDAY TO BAPTIZING YOU.” HOW SAD BECAUSE WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND BAPTISM. IN THE BIBLE, WE SEE BAPTISM WAS SIGNIFICANT EVEN BEFORE THE CHURCH BEGAN. IN FACT, YOU MIGHT RECALL WITH ME THAT JOHN CAME WHAT? BAPTIZING. IN FACT, JOHN THERE WE'RE TOLD IN THE BOOK OF JOHN CHAPTER 3 BAPTIZED NEAR A RIVER BECAUSE THERE WAS MUCH WATER. AND THEN EVEN JESUS CAME IN JOHN CHAPTER 4 BAPTIZING. IN FACT, IT SAYS JESUS BAPTIZED IN WATER MORE DISCIPLES THAN EVEN JOHN THE BAPTIZER DID. AND SO BAPTISM WAS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF WHAT JOHN AND JESUS WERE PREACHING. REPENT, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND. SO THEY WERE COMING OUT TO JOHN AT THE JORDAN RIVER TO BE WHAT? BAPTIZED. BAPTIZED OF WHAT? WATER - OF WATER. YOU SEE, THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BAPTISM THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF. THERE IS A WATER BAPTISM THAT IS THE SIMILAR BAPTISM FOR THE BAPTISM OF JOHN. THERE IS A SPIRIT BAPTISM OR THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT. AND THEN THERE IS ALSO THE CONCEPT OF WHAT SOME REFER TO AS A FIRE BAPTISM THAT WAS FROM LIKE THE DAY OF PENTECOST. BY THE WAY, WHICH ONLY HAPPENS SPECIFICALLY THAT DAY TO THE APOSTLES AND MAYBE TWO OTHER TIMES IN SCRIPTURE. NOT ALL FOLLOWERS, NOT ALL BELIEVERS RECEIVED A HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM. IT WAS ONLY DONE DIRECTLY FROM GOD IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS - AND BY THE WAY, THE WORD BAPTISMO IS REALLY NOT SPECIFICALLY USED IN CONNECTION TO THE IDEA OF A HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM. THERE'S THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. THAT IS MORE THE COMMON USAGE WITHIN THE NEW TESTAMENT. BUT WE BEGIN TO ASK THE QUESTION - SO WHAT ARE WE TO BE SAVED IN? SO WHEN WE BACKUP EVEN BEFORE JESUS ESTABLISHED THE CHURCH IN JOHN CHAPTER 3 WE SEE THAT HE TOLD NICODEMUS THAT A MAN MUST BE BORN OF THE WATER AND THE SPIRIT. WHAT WAS JESUS PREACHING? REPENT, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND. BE BAPTISED FOR FORGIVENESS OF SINS. HE WAS ALREADY PREACHING THAT. SO THE WATER BAPTISM WAS AT A BAPTISM OR BURIAL WITHIN WATER. LITERAL WATER, BUT THE SPIRIT BAPTISM WAS, AGAIN AN IDEA THAT HE IS SPEAKING OF, THAT WOULD COME WHEN JESUS ESTABLISHED HIS CHURCH AND THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BEGAN IN EARNEST AT THAT POINT. WE ALSO KNOW THAT FOR SEVERAL OTHER REASONS. WHEN YOU GO INTO ACTS CHAPTER 2 ISN'T IT SIGNIFICANT THAT HE TOLD THEM TO REPENT - ACTS 2:38 - AND LET EVERYONE OF YOU BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. BAPTIZED IN JESUS' NAME NOT JOHN'S NAME, JESUS NAME AND YOU WILL RECEIVE REMISSION OF SINS AND THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. WELL, THAT SEEMS FAMILIAR. WATER BAPTISM AND THE SPIRIT BAPTISM - THE GIFT OF THE SPIRIT. <br> <br>

      NOW CERTAINLY THE PROBLEM HERE IS WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT BAPTISM, WATER BAPTISM, IS SOMETHING SIMPLE TO COMPREHEND. WHAT ABOUT THE SPIRIT BAPTISM? IS THIS TALKING ABOUT THE MIRACULOUS? WELL, CERTAINLY NOT. IT'S NOT TALKING ABOUT THE MIRACULOUS BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE SEVERAL EXAMPLES IN THE BOOK OF ACTS WHERE THERE WERE THOSE WHO HAD ALREADY PREVIOUSLY BEEN BAPTISED AND THEY HAD NOT YET RECEIVED THE MIRACULOUS ELEMENTS OF THE SPIRIT. THEY HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN THE MIRACULOUS GIFTS. ONE SUCH EXAMPLE IS IN ACTS CHAPTER 8 ONCE AGAIN. SIMON THE SORCERER THERE - IT SAYS THAT SIMON AND SOME OF THE OTHERS RESPONDED TO THE PREACHING OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD - VERSE 12 - AND THEY WERE BAPTIZED. NOW, WHEN THEY SAW THE MIRACLES AND THEY WERE BAPTIZED, WHAT IS IT THAT SIMON THE SORCERER HAD A DESIRE OF? IT SAID THAT HE HAD A DESIRE TO RECEIVE THAT POWER. HE WANTED THE POWER. LOOK AT VERSE 16. VERSE 16 OF ACTS CHAPTER 8 SAYS, “FOR AS YET HE, THE HOLY SPIRIT, HAD NOT FALLEN UPON ANY OF THEM. THEY HAD ONLY BEEN BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST.” BUT THEN LOOK AT VERSE 17, “THEN THEY LAID HANDS ON THEM AND THEY RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT.” WHO LAID HANDS ON THEM? THE APOSTLES. HOW WAS THE TRANSFER OF THE MIRACULOUS GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVEN? THROUGH THE LAYING ON OF HANDS OF THE APOSTLES. BUT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE SOMETHING HERE. THOSE WHO HAD RECEIVED THE BAPTISM OF WATER HAD TO HAVE RECEIVED THE PROMISE THAT IS GIVEN IN ACTS 2:38 - THAT EVERYONE OF YOU - WHAT? BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE THE REMISSION OF SINS AND CONJUNCTION, EQUALLY, AS YOU RECEIVE REMISSION OF SINS YOU RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. YOU DON'T WAIT FOR IT. YOU GET IT. YOU RECEIVE IT. THAT'S A PROMISE TO, NOT ONLY THAT GENERATION, BUT ALL GENERATIONS THAT WOULD FOLLOW AND COME TO GOD AS WELL. <br> <br>

      NOW TO UNDERSTAND THIS FURTHER I'D ASK YOU TO GO WITH ME OVER TO ACTS 19. THERE'S AN INTERESTING STORY THAT TAKES PLACE HERE IN CONNECTION TO PAUL AS HE IS ACTUALLY PASSING THROUGH A CERTAIN REGION. AND HE'S DEALING WITH SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED WHO BELIEVE THEY'RE FOLLOWING GOD BUT THEY ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE BAPTISM OF JESUS NOR THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. IN VERSE TWO OF ACTS 19 HERE'S WHAT WE READ. THE QUESTION IS ASKED, “’DID YOU RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT WHEN YOU BELIEVED?’ SO THEY SAID TO HIM, ‘WE HAVE NOT SO MUCH AS HEARD OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.’ AND HE SAID TO THEM, ‘INTO WHAT THEN WERE YOU BAPTIZED?’ AND THEY SAID, ‘INTO JOHN'S BAPTISM.’” NOW NOTICE THE RESPONSE OF PAUL: THEY HAD BEEN BAPTISED IN JOHN'S BAPTISM. THEY ARE NOT EVEN AWARE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM. WHAT BAPTISM DO THEY NEED? WELL, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE WATER BAPTISM THAT IS IN THE NAME OF JESUS. AND PAUL SAID TO THEM, “’JOHN INDEED BAPTIZED WITH THE BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE, SAYING TO THE PEOPLE THAT THEY SHOULD BELIEVE ON HIM WHO WOULD COME AFTER HIM THAT IS ON THE CHRIST. WHEN THEY HEARD THIS THEY WERE THEN BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS.’” THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN BAPTISED IN JOHN'S BAPTISM. BUT NOW THAT JESUS HAD DIED AND ESTABLISHED THE CHURCH THAT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH. THEY HAD TO BE BAPTISED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. AND SO WHAT DID THEY DO? THE SAME THING THE EUNICH DID. WHEN THEY SAW WATER THEY SAID HERE'S WATER. WHAT HINDERS ME TO BE BAPTISED? AND THEY WERE TAKEN DOWN INTO THE WATER AND THEY WERE BAPTISED IN THE NAME OF JESUS BECAUSE THE CHURCH IS NOT JOHN'S CHURCH - IT'S JESUS' CHURCH. BAPTISM IS NOT JOHN'S BAPTISM, IT'S JESUS' BAPTISM BECAUSE AFTER JESUS ESTABLISHED THE CHURCH HE ALONE WAS THE HEAD FOR HE SHED HIS BLOOD FOR THE CHURCH NOT JOHN. SO WE KNOW THAT WATER BAPTISM IS ESSENTIAL. BUT THEN I WANT YOU TO NOTICE SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS SAID HERE. AFTER IT SAYS THAT THEY UNDERSTAND IN THIS AND WERE BAPTISED IN THE NAME OF JESUS, VERSE SIX SAYS, “AND WHEN PAUL HAD LAID HANDS ON THEM THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME UPON THEM AND THEY SPOKE WITH TONGUES AND PROPHESIED.” THEY HAD RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE ALL RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT AS WE ARE BAPTISED. THAT'S THE PROMISE OF GOD! THAT'S THE GIFT! BUT THEY DID NOT YET RECEIVE THE GIFTS - THE MIRACULOUS ELEMENTS - UNTIL WHAT? PAUL AS AN APOSTLE LAID HANDS ON THEM. <br> <br>

      SO THE QUESTION IS - HOW DO I RESPOND TO THE OBEDIENT CALL OF THE GOSPEL THAT I MIGHT BE SAVED AND BECOME THE BRIDE OF CHRIST? WELL I OBVIOUSLY MUST CONFESS THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST BASED ON MY BELIEF THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD. I OBVIOUSLY MUST REPENT AND I MUST BE BAPTISED. FOR BAPTISM IN WATER IS HOW I RESPOND TO RECEIVE THAT FORGIVENESS OF SINS THAT I MIGHT BE ADDED BY THE LORD TO HIS CHURCH ALSO RECEIVING THE GIFT OF THE SPIRIT - THE GUIDANCE OF THE SPIRIT. BUT THE MIRACULOUS ELEMENT WAS SOMETHING ONLY GIVEN BY THE TRANSFERRING OF THAT POWER THROUGH THE HANDS OF THE APOSTLES. THEREFORE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS THE WATER AND THE SPIRIT THAT WE SHOULD STRIVE FOR TODAY. AS THE SAVED, AS CHRISTIANS, AS THOSE WHO WORK IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. IF YOU'LL CONSIDER WITH ME, CERTAINLY THIS IS WHAT WE FIND THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF ACTS. EVERY CONVERSION IN THE BOOK OF ACTS ALWAYS INDICATES TO US THAT THE HEARERS WERE BAPTISED IN WATER. AND NO DOUBT THAT'S WHY IN ROMANS CHAPTER 6 WE LEARN THAT WHEN WE'RE BAPTISED, WE'RE BAPTISED INTO THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST - BURIED AS HE WAS BURIED - RISEN AGAIN ON THE THIRD DAY AS HE WAS RISEN ON THAT DAY. YOU SEE, WE ARE BLESSED TO BE GOD'S CHILDREN! TO BE HIS BRIDE! BUT MAKE SURE TODAY YOU SERVE GOD AND HIS WILL TO BE A TRUE BRIDE OF CHRIST. 

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CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

      WHAT A BLESSING IT HAS BEEN THIS MORNING, TO GIVE THIS TIME TO GOD.  IT IS OUR HOPE AND PRAYER THAT YOU WILL JOIN US EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO DOING THE THINGS OF GOD ACCORDING TO HIS WORD!  <br> <br>

      NOW, LET ME ASK YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON?  MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR 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:  

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      SALVATION IS A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD.  HOWEVER, MAY WE ALWAYS REALIZE THAT WE HAVE A PART TO PLAY IN OUR OWN SALVATION AS WELL.  WILL YOU PUT GOD FIRST AND OBEY ALL OF HIS WILL IN ORDER TO BE SAVED?<br> <br>