THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 5-21-17

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LESSON TITLE: “JESUS’ LIFE”<br> <br>



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 YOU TO OUR PROGRAM ON THIS WONDROUS LORD’S DAY MORNING. I HOPE ALL OF YOU ARE WELL AND THAT YOU ARE PROSPERING GREATLY IN YOUR PHYSICAL LIVES ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU ARE GIVING TO GOD SPIRITUALLY. IT IS WONDERFUL TO BE A PART OF GOD’S FAMILY AND TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS THIS TO COME BEFORE HIM AND LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT HE WANTS OF US, AS WELL AS PRAISING HIS NAME THROUGH SONG. AS WE BEGIN OUR HOMAGE TO GOD THIS MORNING, WON’T YOU BOW WITH ME IN PRAYER? <br> <br>

      PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY AND THE GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE, THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO SERVE YOU AND TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN. AND FATHER, HELP US THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY TO GIVE YOU OUR VERY BEST THAT WE MIGHT ALWAYS SHOW YOU THAT WE LOVE YOU BY OUR OBEDIENCE. AND FATHER, WHEN THIS LIFE IS OVER GIVE US THAT REWARD OF HEAVEN THAT WE MIGHT BE THOSE WHO ARE RECIPIENTS ETERNALLY WITH YOU IN THAT PERFECT PARADISE. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. <br> <br>

 	WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY AND WORLD THAT WILL GO ALONG WITH JUST ABOUT ANYTHING IN OUR DAY. BECAUSE OF THIS, FEW PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY WILLING TO STAND FOR ANYTHING OF REAL VALUE. THIS MORNING WE WANT TO START WITH A SONG THAT REMIND US OF OUR NEED TO STAND FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE OF ALL! SO WONT YOU JOIN IN WITH THE BRETHREN AS WE BEGIN OUR SONGS OF PRAISE TO GOD. PLEASE PARTICIPATE WITH THE CONGREGATION AS WE SING TOGETHER, “STAND UP FOR JESUS!”

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DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

      WHAT A CRAZY, FAST PASSED SOCIETY WE LIVE IN TODAY.  EVERY DAY WE SEE PEOPLE DRIVING BY IN A HURRY OR RUSHING TO GET THROUGH A STORE.  IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE LOST OUR ABILITY TO SLOW DOWN, REALLY ENJOY LIFE, OR TO STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES.  IN FACT, I THINK MOST OF US HAVE ALLOWED OURSELVES TO BE TAKEN OVER BY LIFE AND CONTROLLED BY IT, RATHER THAN US BEING IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT.  <br> <br>

      I READ AN ARTICLE THE OTHER DAY THAT REMINDED ME OF THE FACT THAT JESUS ALWAYS HAD TIME TO STOP AND HELP THOSE WHO NEEDED IT.  EVEN THOUGH HE HAD THE GREATEST TASK EVER KNOWN TO MAN, HE STILL HAD TIME TO STOP AND GIVE TIME TO OTHERS, AS WELL AS TO GIVE TIME TO GOD. THINK ABOUT THE MANY TIMES WE READ ABOUT JESUS STOPPING TO HEAL THE SICK OR TO CARE FOR THE NEEDY. THINK ABOUT THE TIMES HE WAS WILLING TO STOP AND LISTEN, AND FURTHERMORE, WILLING TO GIVE HIS TIME IN ANSWERING QUESTIONS WHEN HE WAS ASKED.  <br> <br>

      HIS TYPE OF LIVING BROUGHT JOY, PEACE AND A CALMNESS TO LIFE.  NOT THE HECTIC AND FRENZY LIVING OF TODAY. WE NEED TO ALL TAKE A DEEP BREATH, REEVALUATE, REMEMBER THAT THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS WORLD WORTH LOOSING OUR SOUL OVER. JESUS SAID, “FOR WHAT WILL IT PROFIT A MAN IF HE GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD, AND LOSES HIS OWN SOUL,”  MARK 8:36? THE NEXT VERSE GOES ON TO SAY, “OR WHAT WILL A MAN GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL?”  <br> <br>

      I FEAR MANY OF US HAVE BEEN WILLING TO JEOPARDIZE OUR OWN SOULS FOR THE SAKE OF THE THINGS OF THIS LIFE. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WILLING TO SACRIFICE YOUR SOUL FOR? CHOOSE TODAY, TO PUT GOD FIRST, GET YOUR PRIORITIES IN ORDER.  LET’S ALL SLOW DOWN ENOUGH TO STUDY GOD’S WILL, TO REALIZE WHAT HE WANTS AND TO LIVE LIVES THAT ARE PLEASING TO HIM. ALWAYS REMEMBERING, THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS LIFE WORTH LOSING OUR SOULS OVER! <br> <br>

      I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME OUR GUEST SPEAKER OF THE DAY, BROTHER BRENT GREEN. IT IS GREAT TO HAVE HIM WITH US AGAIN TODAY TO LEAD US IN THE WORD OF GOD.  BROTHER BRENT IS THE MINISTER FOR THE HWY 13 CHURCH OF CHRIST IN BOLIVAR, MISSOURI. AS FAR AS OUR STUDY OF THE DAY, WE WILL CONTINUE OUR SERIES ENTITLED, “HE PREACHED TO THEM JESUS.”  OUR SPECIFIC TOPIC TODAY WILL BE ON “JESUS LIFE.”  <br> <br>

      SO STAY WITH US AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG WE WILL BE LED IN THIS STUDY OF THE MORNING. NOW LET’S AGAIN JOIN IN SONG TOGETHER.  THE NAME OF THIS HYMN, “SWEETER THAN ALL.” <br> <br>



LESSON<br> <br>

BY BRENT GREEN<br> <br>

      WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS AS ALWAYS TO STUDY THE WORD OF GOD. WE HAVE IN THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK OF MARK - MARK CHAPTER 1 IN VERSE ONE, THIS VERSE. IT SAYS, “THE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD.” OF ALL THE LIVES THAT HAVE EVER BEEN LIVED, WHAT GREATER LIFE WAS EVER LIVED THEN THE LIFE OF JESUS? AND OF ALL THE ACCOUNTS EVER WRITTEN, WHAT ACCOUNT IS GREATER THAN THE ACCOUNT OF JESUS CHRIST? LET US THINK ABOUT THE LIFE OF JESUS; THE MAJOR EVENTS, THE HAPPENINGS IN HIS LIFE, AND SERMONS HE PREACHED, IT ALL ENCOMPASSES DAYS HERE ON THIS EARTH. AND THINK ABOUT AND UNDERSTAND THE LIFE THAT HE DID LIVE AND LEARN THE LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM IT BECAUSE IT TRULY WAS NO GREATER LIFE THAT WAS EVER LIVED ON THE FACE OF THIS EARTH. <br> <br>

      IN THE LIFE OF JESUS, AS WE BEGIN THERE WITH HIS CHILDHOOD, THINK ABOUT THAT ACCOUNT AS WE FIND THERE IN LUKE CHAPTER 2 OF THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS AS HIS PARENTS TRAVELED THERE TO JERUSALEM. JESUS, OF COURSE, GREW UP IN NAZARETH BUT AT THE AGE OF 12 HIS PARENTS TOOK HIM AND TRAVELED WITH HIM THERE TO JERUSALEM TO THE TEMPLE. AND AS THEY WERE THERE TO KEEP THE APPROPRIATE FEES, THEY LEFT HIM THERE AT THE TEMPLE. AND AS HE WAS THERE HE WAS ASTONISHING THOSE MEN IN THE TEMPLE WITH HIS QUESTIONS WITH AND HIS ANSWERS AND WHEN HIS PARENTS DECIDED TO RETURN HOME THEY DIDN'T HAVE JESUS IN THEIR COMPANY. AND WHEN THEY WERE AWARE OF IT THEY RETURNED TO JERUSALEM TO FIND HIM AND THEY FOUND HIM IN THE TEMPLE. BUT IT'S IN LUKE CHAPTER 2, IN THOSE VERSES, THAT WE FIND A COUPLE THINGS THAT STAND OUT HERE IN THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS AT THE AGE OF 12. THERE IN LUKE CHAPTER 2 IN VERSE 49, WHEN HIS PARENTS ASKED HIM, “WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO US?” “WHY WEREN'T YOU WITH US?” AND “WHY DID WE HAVE TO COME BACK AND LOOK FOR YOU, YOU WEREN'T AMONG THE COMPANY?” HIS RESPONSE TO THEM, THIS IN LUKE CHAPTER 2 AND VERSE 49, IT SAYS HE SAID TO THEM, “WHY DID YOU SEEK ME? DID YOU NOT KNOW THAT I MUST BE ABOUT MY FATHER'S BUSINESS?” JESUS IS POINTING OUT THERE SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT: THAT THE FATHER'S BUSINESS, THAT IS THE WORK OF GOD AND HIS COMMANDMENTS, HAVE TO COME FIRST. AND THAT'S WHAT JESUS SAID HE WAS DOING THERE EVEN AT THE AGE OF 12 WHILE HE REMAINED IN THE TEMPLE. AND WE LEARN FROM HIS LIFE THAT GREAT LESSON BUT ALSO, AS HE WOULD CONTINUE TO GROW FROM THE AGE OF 12 FORWARD, WE LEARN THAT HE ALSO GREW NOT ONLY IN FAVOR WITH MEN BUT ALSO IN FAVOR WITH GOD. THERE IN VERSE 51 OF LUKE TWO IT SAYS, “HE WENT DOWN WITH THEM AND CAME TO NAZARETH, AND WAS SUBJECT TO THEM, BUT HIS MOTHER KEPT ALL THESE THINGS IN HER HEART. AND JESUS INCREASED IN WISDOM AND STATURE IN FAVOR WITH GOD AND MEN.” <br> <br>

      WHAT WE LEARN FROM THE LIFE OF JESUS, SPECIFICALLY FROM HIS CHILDHOOD, THAT HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE PROPER PRIORITIES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN LIFE. HE PUT HIS FATHER'S BUSINESS FIRST BUT ALSO THAT HE GREW. WE WOULD EXPECT ALL TO GROW IN STATURE PHYSICALLY, BUT JESUS ALSO GREW IN WISDOM AND IN FAVOR BOTH WITH GOD AND MEN. LET US UNDERSTAND HIS LIFE AS A CHILD AND LEARN THOSE LESSONS FROM HIM. BUT AS JESUS' LIFE WILL CONTINUE, IT'S NOT MARKED BY MANY DETAILS FROM THE AGE OF 12 UNTIL HIS MINISTRY BEGINS. BUT THE AGE OF 30, THAT'S REALLY WHERE HIS FORMAL MINISTRY BEGINS AT HIS BAPTISM. AND WE FIND THERE IN THE BOOK OF MATTHEW - MATTHEW CHAPTER 3 - A RECORD OF SUCH. AND JESUS WOULD TRAVEL THERE FROM HIS HOMETOWN OF NAZARETH TO GO TO THE PLACE OF THE JORDAN RIVER. AND WHY WOULD HE GO THERE? WELL, THAT'S WERE JOHN THE BAPTIZER, HIS COUSIN, WAS BAPTIZING THERE AT THE JORDAN RIVER. AND JESUS COMES TO JOHN AND JESUS ASKED JOHN TO BAPTIZE HIM. AND OF COURSE JOHN'S RESPONSE WAS, “WELL, WHY SHOULD I BAPTIZE YOU? YOU PROBABLY GOT IT THE WRONG WAY AROUND JESUS. YOU SHOULD BE BAPTIZING ME!” BUT I WANT YOU TO SEE THE RESPONSE OF JESUS HERE AT THIS POINT IN HIS LIFE. THERE IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 3 AND VERSE 14, IT SAYS JOHN TRIED TO PREVENT HIM SAYING I NEED TO BE BAPTIZED BY YOU. AND ARE YOU COMING TO ME? BUT JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO HIM, “PERMIT IT TO BE SO NOW, FOR THUS IT IS FITTING FOR US TO FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS.” THEN HE ALLOWED HIM. JESUS IS MAKING A STATEMENT THERE THAT IT MUST BE DONE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS SAKE. IT WASN'T AN ACTION ON JESUS' PART OF NEEDING TO BE BAPTIZED FOR THE REMISSION OF HIS SINS. BECAUSE WE KNOW JESUS WAS PERFECT! HE WAS TEMPTED IN ALL POINTS AS WE ARE YET WITHOUT SIN. AND SO IT WASN'T AN ACT THERE TO TAKE AWAY SIN BUT WAS ACT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE THE SIGHT OF GOD. AND AS THIS EVENT UNFOLDED IN HIS LIFE AND AS JESUS WAS BAPTIZED, WE LEARN THERE IN MATTHEW THREE THAT THE SPIRIT DESCENDED UPON JESUS IN THE FORM OF THE DOVE. AND ALSO THERE THE COMMENDING VOICE OF THE FATHER WAS HEARD WHEN GOD HIMSELF FROM HEAVEN SAID, “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.” IT'S AT THIS TIME IN HIS LIFE THAT JESUS BEGAN HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY ABOUT THE AGE OF 30 AFTER THIS POINT OF HIS BAPTISM.  WE LEARN THAT THERE IN LUKE CHAPTER 3 AND VERSE 23. BUT AS WE AGAIN REFLECT UPON THE LIFE OF JESUS ANDTHIS EVENT; THAT IS THE EVENT OF HIS BAPTISM, WHAT LESSONS DO WE LEARN FROM JESUS' LIFE HERE? WELL, ONCE AGAIN WE LEARN FROM JESUS THAT THIS IS AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE AND ALSO AN ACT OF SUBMISSION,THAT IS SUBMISSION TO GOD. WHAT WE READ THERE IN VERSE 15 OF MATTHEW THREE TEACHES US THAT VERY THING. HE SAYS I'M BEING BAPTIZED TO FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS.<br> <br> WELL, JESUS WAS WILLING TO SUBMIT TO THE WILL OF GOD AND OBEY THE PRECEPTS THAT GOD HAD GIVEN. WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE LEARN AS WELL THAT WE SHOULD DO. THERE IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 5 IN VERSE NINE IT TEACHES US THAT JESUS IS THE AUTHOR OF ETERNAL SALVATION TO ALL WHO OBEY HIM. THAT SALVATION FOR ALL OF US STILL TODAY IS GRANTED TO THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO SUBMIT TO THE WILL OF GOD AND OBEY WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES. JESUS HIMSELF SHOWING SUCH A WILLINGNESS TO SUBMIT TO GOD AND TO PROVE HIMSELF TO BE RIGHTEOUS BY DOING WHAT WAS RIGHT AND WHAT GOD REQUIRED. SO LET US LEARN THAT LESSON AND LET US ALSO LEARN THE LESSON FROM JESUS THAT IT IS OBEDIENCE THAT PLEASES THE FATHER. THERE AGAIN THOSE COMMENDING WORDS OF THE FATHER'S VOICE, “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.” THE FATHER WAS PLEASED IN THE SON OR OF THE SON BECAUSE HE PERFORMED THAT ACT OF OBEDIENCE BY SUBMITTING AGAIN TO THE ACTION OF BAPTISM. AND ISN'T THAT WHAT GOD OUR FATHER IS STILL PLEASED WITH TODAY? LET US LEARN THAT LESSON AND ALSO AS THOSE IDEAS ARE PRESENTED THERE IN FIRST THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 4 IN VERSE ONE. THERE PAUL AS HE WRITES,  “FINALLY THEN, BRETHREN, WE URGE AND EXHORT IN THE LORD JESUS THAT YOU SHOULD ABOUND MORE AND MORE, JUST AS YOU RECEIVED FROM US HOW YOU OUGHT TO WALK AND TO PLEASE GOD…” AS PAUL WOULD WRITE LETTERS AND OTHER NEW TESTAMENT WRITERS WOULD PEN LETTERS BY INSPIRATION ENCOURAGING CHRISTIANS, WHAT WAS THE ADMONITION HERE? YOU OUGHT TO WALK IN ORDER TO PLEASE GOD. LET US LEARN THAT LESSON FROM THE LIFE OF JESUS THERE IN HIS BAPTISM AND LET US A WALK TODAY TO PLEASE GOD JUST AS JESUS PLEASED HIM IN HIS LIFE. <br> <br>

      AS WE CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT THE MAJOR EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF JESUS, NOW WE MIGHT THINK ABOUT HIS TEMPTATION. SUCH AN EVENT IS RECORDED THERE IN SEVERAL OF THE BOOKS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT; THAT IS THE GOSPEL ACCOUNT IS RECORDED IN MATTHEW BUT IT'S ALSO RECORDED IN THE BOOK OF LUKE, IN LUKE CHAPTER 4, THAT THE DEVIL CAME AND TEMPTED JESUS AFTER 40 DAYS OF JESUS THERE FASTING IN THE WILDERNESS. AS WE THINK ABOUT THAT TEMPTATION OF JESUS, HE WAS TEMPTED THREE TIMES IN ALL THREE FORMS OR ASPECTS OF TEMPTATION WERE UTILIZED BY THE DEVIL IN THIS TEMPTATION OF OUR SAVIOR. FIRST THERE IN LUKE FOUR, VERSES ONE THROUGH FOUR, JESUS WAS TEMPTED BY THE LUST OF THE FLESH. SATAN SAID HERE'S A STONE TURNED INTO BREAD. THAT WAS A REAL TEMPTATION, ESPECIALLY JESUS HAVING FASTED FOR 40 DAYS PRIOR TO THIS POINT. BUT JESUS OVERCAME THAT TEMPTATION. NEXT, SATAN THREW AT JESUS THE LUST OF THE EYES. THERE IN LUKE CHAPTER 4 CONTINUING, HE TOOK JESUS UPON A HIGH MOUNTAIN AND SHOWED HIM ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD AND SAID TO JESUS IF YOU'LL JUST BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP ME I'LL GIVE YOU ALL THESE KINGDOMS. JESUS COULD SEE THE KINGDOMS WITH HIS EYES AND THUS THE LUST OF THE EYES BECAME THAT TEMPTATION BEFORE HIM BUT JESUS OVERCAME THAT TEMPTATION AS WELL. BUT CONTINUING, SATAN THERE ALSO TEMPTED HIM A THIRD TIME IN LUKE CHAPTER FOUR AND HE TEMPTED HIM WITH THE PRIDE OF LIFE WHEN HE TOOK HIM THERE UPON THE PINNACLE OF THE TEMPLE AND SAID CAST YOURSELF DOWN. I KNOW JESUS, YOU HAVE ANGELS AT YOUR DISPOSAL. YOU HAVE THE POWER OF GOD, THROW YOURSELF OFF THIS PINNACLE AND CALL FOR THEM TO SAVE YOU! THAT VERY MUCH WAS A TEMPTATION OF THE PRIDE OF LIFE, A TEMPTATION TO USE HIS POWER AND USE THAT WHICH WAS AT HIS DISPOSAL FOR SOMETHING IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE USED FOR. JESUS, SHOW ME THAT YOU'RE REALLY THE SON OF GOD! JESUS HAD NOTHING TO PROVE TO SATAN. HE KNEW HE WAS THE SON OF GOD AND HE WAS UNWILLING TO USE THAT POWER IN A WAY THAT WASN'T RIGHT. AND SO ONCE AGAIN, JESUS OVERCAME HIS TEMPTATION AND REFUSED TO DO WHAT SATAN HAD ASKED. IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, EVERY SINGLE TIME AS JESUS WAS TEMPTED BY SATAN, WHAT DID HE DO? HE OVERCAME IT. BUT HE OVERCAME IN A SPECIFIC WAY. EVERY TIME HE WOULD GO BACK TO THE SCRIPTURE AND SAY, “IT IS WRITTEN.” JESUS OVERCAME TEMPTATION IN HIS LIFE AT A VERY VULNERABLE AND A VERY WEAK POINT, AGAIN HAVING FASTED FOR 40 DAYS, AND HAVING OVERCOME THOSE TEMPTATIONS. FINALLY THE DEVIL LEFT AND THE ANGELS DID COME AND MINISTER TO HIM. AND LET US THINK ABOUT THOSE LESSONS ONCE AGAIN THAT WE LEARN FROM THE LIFE OF JESUS FROM HIS TEMPTATION. WE LEARN AGAIN THAT SATAN IS THE ADVERSARY. PETER WROTE THERE IN FIRST PETER FIVE IN VERSE EIGHT THAT THE DEVIL IS LIKE A ROARING LION SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR. EVEN THE SON OF GOD, JESUS HIMSELF, WAS NOT OFF-LIMITS. SATAN TRIED, AS A LION, TO DEVOUR HIM BUT SUCH WAS NOT THE CASE ON THAT DAY. WHAT WE ALSO LEARN FROM JESUS' TEMPTATION IS THAT TEMPTATION CAN BE OVERCOME! AND NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE PERFECT AS JESUS WAS PERFECT BUT WE KNOW FROM HIM THAT WE CAN OVERCOME TEMPTATION. HEBREWS CHAPTER 4 VERSE 15 TEACHES US THAT HE WAS TEMPTED IN ALL POINTS AS WE ARE, YET WITHOUT SIN. AS JESUS OVERCAME WE TOO CAN OVERCOME TEMPTATION. SO LET'S LOOK AT HIS LIFE. LET'S REMEMBER HOW HE OVERCAME TEMPTATION AND LET US STRIVE TO DO SUCH IN OUR LIVES AS WELL. <br> <br>

      AS WE CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT THE LIFE OF JESUS THERE'S SOMETHING THAT STANDS OUT IN HIS LIFE AND THAT IS THE PREACHING OF THE SERMONS THAT HE DID AND ALSO THE SPEAKING OF THE PARABLES THAT HE GAVE TO THE PEOPLE. THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF JESUS' LIFE, HOW COULD WE SUMMARIZE IN JUST A FEW WORDS ALL THE DIFFERENT SERMONS THAT HE PREACHED? HE PREACHED THAT GREAT SERMON ON THE MOUNT IN MATTHEW FIVE THROUGH MATTHEW CHAPTER 7. HE ALSO PREACHED ABOUT THE NEW BIRTH IN JOHN CHAPTER 3 WHEN HE HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH NICODEMUS. THERE ALSO IN JOHN THREE, HE PREACHED A SERMON ABOUT LOVE.  PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST FAMILIAR VERSES TO MANY IS THERE IN JOHN 3:16, “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.” JESUS PREACHED THAT SERMON WITH THAT VERSE AT ITS CORE. JESUS PREACHED ABOUT LIVING WATER IN JOHN FOUR. HE PREACHED ABOUT WORSHIP THERE IN THAT SAME CHAPTER. AND HE PREACHED ABOUT THE HARVEST. THERE'S SO MANY GREAT TOPICS THAT JESUS HIT ON IN HIS SERMONS WHEN HE DELIVERED THEM TO THE PEOPLE. BUT JESUS ALSO SPOKE IN PARABLES. IT WASN'T JUST STANDING AND DELIVERING THESE GREAT ORATIONS AND DELIVERING THESE WONDERFUL SERMONS. JESUS SPOKE TO THE PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT THEY COULD UNDERSTAND, IN A SIMPLE SENSE OF PARABLES OF AN EARTHLY STORY WITH A HEAVENLY MEANING. IN OTHER WORDS, SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE COULD UNDERSTAND BUT SOMETHING THAT HAD SUCH A PROFOUND IMPACT BECAUSE OF ITS SPIRITUAL LESSON. THINK ABOUT ALL THE PARABLES JESUS TAUGHT MATTHEW IN HIS ACCOUNT THERE IN MATTHEW 13. HE WOULD RECORD FOR US NINE OF THOSE PARABLES AND MANY OTHERS WERE SPOKEN. BUT THINK OF THOSE PARABLES THERE. SOME OF THEM SURELY STAND OUT TO YOUR MIND'S. THERE IN MATTHEW 13 WE FIND THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER. WE ALSO FIND THE PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND TARES, OR THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED. JESUS WOULD TEACH ABOUT HOW SMALL THAT MUSTARD SEED IS, BUT IF ONLY WE COULD HAVE FAITH AS A MUSTARD SEED WE COULD MOVE MOUNTAINS IN OUR LIVES. WHAT A GREAT LESSON THAT HE TAUGHT THERE IN PARABLE FORM. OR THE PARABLE OF THE LEAVEN OR THE PARABLE OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE OR THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE. OR OF THE DRAGNET OR OF THE HOUSEHOLDER. PARABLES TEACHING OF JUST HOW GREAT OF VALUE THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS OR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS. THE DIFFERENT LANGUAGE THERE SPEAKING OF THE KINGDOM IN DIFFERENT WAYS. BUT JESUS WOULD TEACH THINGS THAT PEOPLE COULD UNDERSTAND AS HE TAUGHT THEM IN THE FORM OF PARABLES. BUT HIS SERMONS THERE WEREN'T JUST ABOUT TOPICS THAT WE MIGHT SAY ARE POSITIVE OR FAVORABLE, HE ALSO HAD SERMONS THAT WOULD ALSO BRING TO LIGHT THE THINGS THAT WEREN'T RIGHT IN THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS. HE SPENT A WHOLE CHAPTER THERE IN MATTHEW 23 CALLING OUT THE PHARISEES: ALL THE WOES DELIVERED UNTO THEM. AND EVEN IN HIS DISCOURSES, THEY WOULD INCLUDE A DISCOURSE THERE IN MATTHEW 24 ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION THAT WAS COMING UPON JERUSALEM; IN 87 AND 70 AND ALSO ABOUT HIS SECOND COMING WHEN HE WOULD COME BACK SOMEDAY WHICH WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR. BUT WHEN JESUS PREACHED, HE PREACHED AND DELIVERED UNTO US THE VERY WORD OF GOD! WHAT A GREAT ASPECT OF HIS LIFE TO CONSIDER ONCE AGAIN. AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO LEARN FROM THAT HOW WE SHOULD REMEMBER THE WORDS OF JESUS. THERE IN THE BOOK OF ACTS IN CHAPTER 20 VERSE 35, ON ONE SUCH OCCASION THAT WAS DONE. WHERE THE PREFACE IS MADE, REMEMBER THE WORDS OF JESUS WHEN HE SAID, “IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE.” WELL, LET US REMEMBER THOSE WORDS BUT LET US REMEMBER ALL THE SERMONS AND PARABLES THAT JESUS TAUGHT AND LEARN THOSE GREAT LESSONS. AND LIKE HIM, FOLLOWING THE WORDS OF PAUL IN SECOND TIMOTHY IN CHAPTER 4 VERSE TWO, “BE WILLING TO PREACH THE WORD IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON.” THAT'S WHAT JESUS DID IN HIS LIFE. LET US LEARN THAT LESSON AND FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE. <br> <br>

      AS WE CONTINUE SURVEYING THE LIFE OF JESUS, LET US ALSO THINK ABOUT THE GREAT MIRACLES THAT HE PERFORMED. A MIRACLE ONCE AGAIN BEING A SUPERNATURAL ACT OF GOD THAT GOES ABOVE THE LAWS OF NATURE. WE OFTEN CALL THINGS LIKE CHILDBIRTH A MIRACLE. IT'S AN AMAZING THING BUT THAT'S HOW GOD SET INTO MOTION THE LAWS OF NATURE. BUT THESE MIRACLES GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE LAWS OF NATURE. THESE ARE ACTIONS THAT SHOW THAT GOD, GOD AND HIS POWER, THE POWER OF JESUS OVER THINGS LIKE DEMONS AND DISEASE, OVER DEATH, OVER NATURE, EVEN OVER MATERIAL ITEMS. THINK AGAIN ABOUT SOME OF THE GREAT MIRACLES OF JESUS. SEVEN OF THEM RECORDED THERE IN THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. WHERE JESUS TURNED WATER INTO WINE, WHERE HE HEALED THE NOBLEMAN'S SON, WHERE HE HEALED THE LAME MAN, WHERE HE HEALED OR RATHER FED THE 5000 PEOPLE THAT WERE GATHERED BEFORE HIM ON ONE OCCASION, WHERE HE WALKED ON WATER. THERE IN JOHN CHAPTER 6, WHERE HE HEALED A MAN WHO WAS BORN BLIND IN JOHN NINE. AND THERE ALSO IN JOHN 11 WHERE HE RAISED LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD. THESE THINGS WOULD PROVE THAT JESUS CHRIST WAS DEITY! THAT HE WAS AND STILL IS THE SON OF GOD! BUT FURTHERMORE THEY WOULD SHOW THAT HIS MESSAGE CAME FROM GOD ALSO. AND WHAT THEY TAUGHT US, OR WHAT THEY TAUGHT THEN, IS THE SAME THING THEY TEACH US TODAY. THAT JESUS, LIKE IN ACTS 2:22, WAS A MAN ATTESTED TO BY THE VERY MIRACLES THAT HE PERFORMED. THAT HE WAS THE SON OF GOD! AND AS WE READ ABOUT HIS MIRACLES, AS WE STUDY HIS LIFE, THEY SHOULD PRODUCE WITHIN US A GREAT BELIEF IN THAT VERY FACT. JOHN SAID THERE IN JOHN CHAPTER 20 THAT THERE WERE MANY OTHER THINGS WRITTEN BUT OF THESE MIRACLES RECORDED THAT THE READERS HERE MIGHT BELIEVE AND BY BELIEVING WOULD HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME, JOHN CHAPTER 20 VERSES 30 AND 31. ALL THE GREAT ASPECTS OF JESUS' LIFE TEACH US SUCH A WONDERFUL LESSON ABOUT WHO HE WAS AND THE LIFE THAT HE LIVED. AND WHILE THERE ARE OTHER GREAT EVENTS THAT ARE TALKED ABOUT CONCERNING HIS LIFE: IT WAS IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT HIS BIRTH, IT'S  IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT HIS DEATH AND BURIAL AND RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION. DON'T FORGET ABOUT ALL THAT COMES BETWEEN THE BEGINNING AND THE END OF HIS LIFE. CONSIDER HIS LIFE, HOW GREAT IT WAS, AGAIN FROM THE TIME HE WAS A BOY IN THE TEMPLE AT THE AGE OF 12, TO HIS BAPTISM, TO HIS TEMPTATION, TO HIS TEACHINGS, TO THE MIRACLES HE PERFORMED. REMEMBER THE LIFE OF JESUS AND REMEMBER THE EXAMPLES ANDTHE LESSONS THAT HE TAUGHT AND LIVE YOUR LIFE ACCORDINGLY BEFORE GOD. <br> <br>

CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

      I HOPE OUR TIME TOGETHER THIS MORNING, HAS BEEN AN ENCOURAGEMENT AND BLESSING TO ALL. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US IN GIVING THIS TIME TO GOD. PLEASE REMEMBER, YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS SERVICE OF GOD!  <br> <br>

      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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THANKS BE TO GOD THAT JESUS CHRIST CAME TO THIS EARTH AND LIVED THAT WE MIGHT HAVE HOPE OF THE PROMISES OF GOD. MAY WE FOLLOW JESUS AND PREACH JESUS THAT ALL MEN MAY BE SAVED!<br> <br>