THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT <br> <br>        

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 7-16-17

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LESSON TITLE: “SALVATION IN NO OTHER NAME”

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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 THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM THIS MORNING. WE ARE HONORED THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO BE WITH US TODAY FOR THIS TIME OF OFFERING TO GOD. IT IS ALWAYS OUR PRIVILEGE, EACH LORD’S DAY, TO COME TOGETHER ON THIS PROGRAM AND TO COMMIT THIS TIME TO OUR ALMIGHTY GOD. AS WE STUDY HIS WORD AND SING PRAISES TO HIS NAME, LET’S ALL DO OUR PART TO MAKE THIS SACRIFICE ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT. NOW, WILL YOU BOW WITH ME IN PRAYER.

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      PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY OF LIFE - THE MANY GREAT BLESSINGS THAT WE HAVE FATHER KNOWING THAT ALL THINGS COME FROM YOU; WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PHYSICAL OR SPIRITUAL THINGS. AND FATHER, WE THANK YOU THE GREATEST AND MOST FOR THAT GIFT OF YOUR SON JESUS, THE SACRIFICE THAT HE MADE ON THE CROSS, WHICH ALLOWS US TO BE FOUND JUSTIFIED IN YOUR SIGHT THAT SOMEDAY WE MIGHT RECEIVE THAT GREAT REWARD OF ETERNAL LIFE WITH YOU IN HEAVEN FOREVER. FATHER, WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU'LL HELP US THIS DAY TO GROW IN ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD THAT WE MIGHT DO THOSE THINGS IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH WHICH GIVE YOU PRAISE AND GLORY. IN THE NAME OF JESUS WE PRAY, AMEN. <br> <br>

      WE WANT TO BEGIN OUR SINGING THIS MORNING WITH A BEAUTIFUL OLD SONG THAT REMINDS US OF THE GREAT POWER WE HAVE THROUGH OUR GOD.  IN FACT, THE SPECIFIC AREA OF STRENGTH WHICH IS MENTIONED IN THE SONG IS THE GIFT OF JESUS AND HIS PRECIOUS BLOOD SHED FOR ALL MEN.  SO, AT THIS TIME, WON’T YOU ALL JOIN IN AND FOLLOW ALONG WITH THE WORDS, AS WE SING TOGETHER, “WE PRAISE THEE O GOD.” 

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DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

      HOW MANY OF US ARE MAKING THE MOST OF THIS LIFE THAT WE ARE LIVING. IF YOU ARE LIKE ME, I THINK WE ALL COULD DO BETTER AND ACCOMPLISH MORE FOR GOD, OTHERS, SOCIETY, AND SELF. PROBABLY ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PROBLEMS AS AMERICANS IS BEING CAUGHT UP IN THIS “RAT RACE,” THAT SEEMS TO NEVER SLOW DOWN OR END.<br> <br>  

      THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE WE ARE REMINDED OF THE BREVITY OF LIFE.  JAMES PUT IT IN VERY SIMPLE TERMS WHEN HE SAID, “WHEREAS YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN TOMORROW. FOR WHAT IS YOUR LIFE? IT IS EVEN A VAPOR THAT APPEARS FOR A LITTLE TIME AND THEN VANISHES AWAY,” JAMES 4:14. EVEN THE PSALMIST HAD THESE SAME IDEAS IN MIND WHEN HE SAID, “INDEED, YOU HAVE MADE MY DAYS AS HANDBREADTHS, AND MY AGE IS AS NOTHING BEFORE YOU; CERTAINLY EVERY MAN AT HIS BEST STATE IS BUT VAPOR. SURELY EVERY MAN WALKS ABOUT LIKE A SHADOW; SURELY THEY BUSY THEMSELVES IN VAIN; HE HEAPS UP RICHES, AND DOES NOT KNOW WHO WILL GATHER THEM,” PSALM 39:5-6. SO WE CAN SEE FROM THESE VERSES THAT WE DON’T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN LIFE OR WHAT WILL BECOME OF US IN THE FUTURE.<br> <br>

      SO, WHAT WILL WE CHOOSE TO DO WITH OUR LIVES. CONTINUE BEING CAUGHT UP IN A NEVER ENDING CIRCLE. OR WILL WE DECIDE TO SLOW DOWN A LITTLE, FOCUS MORE ON GOD AND OTHERS, AND REALLY DEAL WITH THE IMPORTANT THINGS OF LIFE.  ONE WRITER MADE THIS STATEMENT ABOUT OUR PRESENT DAY SOCIETY, SHE SAID, “THE TROUBLE WITH THE RAT RACE IS THAT EVEN IF YOU WIN, YOU ARE STILL A RAT.”<br> <br>

      WHEN WILL WE EVER BELIEVE WHAT GOD TOLD US ABOUT THIS WORLD.  JESUS SAID, WE CAN’T TAKE IT WITH US, WE GAIN NOTHING BY PUTTING IT FIRST, AND THAT WE WILL NEVER BE PLEASING TO HIM BY SERVING OUR OWN SELFISHNESS, RATHER THAN DOING HIS WILL. THE INSPIRED JOHN SAID, “DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD OR THE THINGS IN THE WORLD. IF ANYONE LOVES THE WORLD, THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IS NOT IN HIM,” 1 JOHN 2:15.  <br> <br>

      WHAT IS JOHN SAYING HERE, IS IT WRONG TO HAVE THINGS IN THIS WORLD OR TO FIND PLEASURE IN THE WONDROUS CREATIONS ON IT?  CERTAINLY NOT! THE POINT HERE IS THAT WE CANNOT LOVE OR PUT THE WORLD, OR ANYTHING ELSE FOR THAT MATTER - BEFORE OUR GOD!  BUT WHY DOES ALL THIS MATTER?  BECAUSE WE MUST REMEMBER THAT JOHN FURTHER SAID IN VERSE 17, “AND THE WORLD IS PASSING AWAY, AND THE LUST OF IT; BUT HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF GOD ABIDES FOREVER,” IN THE LONG RUN, THE WORLD WILL NOT PROFIT US ANYTHING, BUT GOD WILL GIVE US ETERNAL LIFE IF WE HAVE BEEN FOUND FAITHFUL IN HIS SIGHT. ARE YOU WILLING TO DO MORE AND GIVE MORE TO GOD OF YOUR DAILY LIFE? OR ARE YOU SATISFIED BEING JUST ANOTHER RAT?     <br> <br>

      WE HAVE A GUEST SPEAKER WITH US THIS MORNING WHO IS NO STRANGER TO YOU ALL, HE IS THE MINISTER FOR THE HWY 13 CHURCH OF CHRIST IN BOLIVAR, MISSOURI. WE THANK BROTHER BRENT GREEN FOR JOINING US AGAIN TODAY TO GUIDE OUR THOUGHTS FROM GOD’S WORD.   TODAY, WE ARE STILL FOCUSING ON PREACHING JESUS.  OUR SPECIFIC TOPIC THIS MORNING IS, “SALVATION IN NO OTHER NAME!” AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER, BROTHER GREEN WILL RETURN WITH THIS STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD. NOW IT’S TIME TO JOIN IN OUR SECOND HYMN OF THE DAY, THE NAME OF THE SONG, “WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS.” <br> <br>



LESSON<br> <br>

BRENT GREEN<br> <br>

      WHAT A GREAT PRIVILEGE IT IS AS ALWAYS TO BE ABLE TO OPEN THE WORD OF GOD AND STUDY IT. JESUS SAID IN JOHN CHAPTER 14 VERSE SIX, “I'M THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIGHT. NO MAN COMES THROUGH THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME.” WHAT JESUS SAID THERE WAS HE WAS THE WAY. NOW THERE ARE MANY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TODAY WHO OFTEN LOOK TO OTHERS AS BEING A WAY TO SALVATION OR WAY TO ENLIGHTENMENT OR A WAY TO SOMETHING BEYOND THIS LIFE. MANY FOLLOW BUDDHA OR MANY FOLLOW MOHAMMED. MANY FOLLOW CONFUCIUS AND HIS TEACHINGS. ALL THESE TEACH A WAY BUT WHAT JESUS SAYS HERE IS THAT HE IS THE WAY. EVEN ALL THOSE DIFFERENT RELIGIONS IN THE WORLD, MUCH LIKE THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA, HE TAUGHT A MIDDLE PATH...TEACHING A WAY IN WHICH HIS FOLLOWERS SUPPOSEDLY COULD ATTAIN SOME SORT OF ENLIGHTENMENT. BUT IS THAT THE CORRECT WAY? OR ARE ANY OF THESE OTHER PATHWAYS THE RIGHT WAY TO SALVATION? WELL, JESUS IS VERY CLEAR IN HIS STATEMENT. HE WAS THE WAY. AND SO AS WE THINK ABOUT THAT I WANT US TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO SALVATION AS WE FIND IN SCRIPTURE AND THAT IS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. <br> <br>

      AS WE THINK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT JUST HOW VALUABLE THIS WAY OF CHRIST IS. YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE SOME WHO SAY, “WELL, THERE'S VALUE IN OTHER PATHWAYS. THERE'S VALUE IN TAKING SOME OTHER WAY.” BUT ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURE THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY AND ACCORDING TO THAT WAY, IT'S THE MOST VIABLE WAY THAT WE CAN EVER TAKE. I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT A FEW OF THE VERSES WITH ME. ONE OF THEM IS THERE IN ACTS CHAPTER 4. ACTS CHAPTER 4 VERSE 12, AS THE CHURCH HAD ALREADY BEGUN HERE AND AS THOSE WHO ARE STARTING THAT AS THEY WOULD TAKE OUT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. THE APOSTLES AND OTHERS OFTEN ENCOUNTERED THOSE WHO WERE OPPOSED TO THE TEACHING OF CHRIST. THEY OFTEN ENCOUNTERED THOSE WHO OBJECTED TO WHAT THEY WERE PREACHING AS THEY PREACHED JESUS CHRIST: THE WAY. THAT SUCH IS THE CASE HERE IN ACTS CHAPTER 4 IN VERSE 12 WHEN PETER AND JOHN WERE ARRESTED. THEY SAID THIS, “’NOR IS THERE SALVATION IN ANY OTHER FOR THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED.’” WHAT PETER AND JOHN UNDERSTOOD WAS A VERY KEY PRINCIPLE THAT JESUS TAUGHT. PETER AND JOHN HAD HEARD JESUS MAKE THAT STATEMENT THEMSELVES THERE IN JOHN 14:6 THAT WE READ. AND WHAT THEY DECLARED HERE TO THOSE WHO STOOD IN OPPOSITION, THOSE WHO DIDN'T LIKE THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, THOSE WHO THE STILL SOUGHT ANOTHER WAY. THEY SAID THERE IS NO OTHER NAME, THERE'S NO OTHER MAN, THERE IS NO OTHER TEACHING THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW THAT CAN BRING YOU SALVATION. IT'S ONLY THROUGH THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. WHAT THAT MEANS IS JESUS CHRIST IS THE WAY OF SALVATION. THINK ABOUT ALSO WHAT JESUS CHRIST WAY IS AND THAT IS A WAY OF TRUTH. <br> <br>

      AGAIN, IF YOU'LL OPEN YOUR BIBLES WITH ME TO THE BOOK OF JOHN JOHN CHAPTER 1. AS WE BEGIN READING HERE, WE READ IN VERSE ONE AS IT SAYS, “IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD AND THE WORD WAS GOD.” WELL, WHO WAS THAT WORD? WELL, DOWN IN VERSE 14 IT TELLS US THAT THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US. AND WE BEHELD HIS GLORY; THE GLORY'S OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH. WE UNDERSTAND FROM THE SCRIPTURES THAT THE WORD HERE IS JESUS CHRIST. WHAT AGAIN DID HE SAY THERE IN VERSE 14? THAT HE WAS FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH. WELL, WE COUPLE THAT WITH WHAT JOHN SAYS THERE WITH WHAT WE ALSO FIND IN JOHN CHAPTER 8. THAT JESUS' STATEMENT THERE, JOHN CHAPTER 8 IN VERSE 32, HE SAID THIS, “YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE.” JESUS IS THE ONE WHO BROUGHT THE TRUTH. THE TRUTH THAT WILL INDEED SET US FREE IF WE FOLLOW IT. JESUS' WAY IS A WAY OF TRUTH. UNLIKE THE OTHER WAYS THAT YOU CAN TAKE IN THIS WORLD, THE WAYS OF MEN, THE WAYS OF SOME OTHER TEACHER GONE BY. JESUS CHRIST’S WAY IS THE WAY OF TRUTH! <br> <br>

      FURTHERMORE, THE WAY OF JESUS IS ALSO A WAY OF LIFE. THERE AGAIN LET'S LOOK AT THE SCRIPTURES AND SEE THIS FOR OURSELVES FROM THE WORD OF GOD. THERE IN THE BOOK OF FIRST JOHN, JOHN'S ADDITIONAL WRITINGS THERE NEAR THE END OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, JOHN SAYS IN FIRST JOHN CHAPTER 5 IN VERSE 12 THE FOLLOWING. HE SAYS, “HE WHO HAS THE SON HAS LIFE; AND HE WHO DOES NOT HAVE THE SON OF GOD DOES NOT HAVE LIFE.” WE SEE VERY CLEARLY THERE THE CONTRAST: THOSE WHO HAVE LIFE AND THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE LIFE. AND WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? THOSE WHO HAVE THE SON HAVE LIFE. TO FOLLOW THE WAY OF JESUS IS TO FOLLOW THE WAY OF SALVATION, IS TO FOLLOWING THE WAY OF TRUTH IS TO FOLLOW THE WAY THAT BRINGS LIFE. YOU SEE, WHAT WE FIND IN THE SCRIPTURE IS TO UNDERSTAND CLEARLY FROM THIS INSPIRED BOOK: IS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE WAY! WELL, UNDERSTANDING THAT IS ONE THING BUT WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO WITH THAT INFORMATION? WELL, WHAT IS KEY IS TO FOLLOW THIS WAY. IT'S ONE THING TO KNOW THAT THIS IS THE WAY, THAT THERE IS NO OTHER WAY, THAT THIS IS THE ONE PATHWAY TO LEAD YOU TO SALVATION. BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING ACTUALLY TO TAKE THAT PATHWAY. IMAGINE STANDING AT A CROSSROADS WHERE THERE MIGHT BE MANY ROADS BRANCHING OUT IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS; NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST. AND YOU SAY WELL, I WONDER WHICH WAY I SHOULD GO? AND HERE THE SIGN POINTS TO DESTRUCTION. ANOTHER SIGN POINTS TO DEATH. ANOTHER SIGN POINTS TO DARKNESS. BUT THEN ANOTHER SIGN SAYS THIS IS THE LIGHT, THIS IS THE WAY OF SALVATION, THE WAY OF TRUTH, THE WAY OF LIFE. WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR CHOICE, ARE ALL THOSE PATHWAYS GOING TO LEAD TO THE SAME THING? YOU SEE, IT'S ONE THING TO KNOW THE RIGHT WAY BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING TO GO DOWN THAT PATHWAY, TO MAKE THE CHOICE AND TO FOLLOW DOWN WHERE THE SAVIOR LEADS. THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND ONCE AGAIN FROM THE SCRIPTURE, IS THAT IF WE UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS IS THE WAY THEN WE NEED TO FOLLOW THAT WAY. AND WHY SHOULD WE FOLLOW IT? I THINK IT GOES BACK TO SOME VERY SIMPLE WORDS THAT WERE GIVEN BY DAVID THERE IN PSALM 23. SPEAKING OF THE LORD DAVID SAID THAT THE LORD WILL LEAD US IN PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. YOU KNOW JESUS IS NOT GOING TO TAKE US DOWN A PATHWAY  OF DESTRUCTION. HE'S NOT GOING TO TAKE YOU DOWN A PATHWAY OF DARKNESS, HE'S NOT GOING TO TAKE US DOWN A PATHWAY OF DESPAIR. HE WILL LEAD US INTO RIGHTEOUSNESS! AND AS HE LEADS US WE WILL KNOW THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING DOWN THE RIGHT PATHWAY AND THE RIGHT WAY BECAUSE IT'S HIS WAY. <br> <br>

      I WANT YOU TO AGAIN SEE THE SCRIPTURE CONCERNING JESUS THIS TIME OF WHAT HE IS AS THE ONE WHO WILL LEAD US. THERE IN JOHN CHAPTER 10 THERE ARE MANY “I AM” STATEMENTS. WE FIND HERE THE WRITINGS OF JOHN BUT THE ONE THAT STANDS OUT HERE IN JOHN CHAPTER 10 IS THIS ONE: JOHN CHAPTER 10 VERSE 14 WHERE JESUS SAID, “I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD; AND I KNOW MY SHEEP, AND AM KNOWN BY MY OWN.” WELL, YOU NEED SOMEONE TO LEAD YOU DOWN THAT PATHWAY. AND WHO'S GOING TO LEAD US IN THE WAY? WELL, IT'S JESUS' WAY AND IT SAYS THERE THAT HE IS THE SHEPHERD AND WE BECOME HIS SHEEP AND HE WILL LEAD US DOWN THAT PATHWAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. HE'S GOING TO KNOW UIS BY NAME. AND HE KNOWS HIS SHEEP AND HE WILL KNOW US AS WE FOLLOW HIM ON THAT PATHWAY. IT'S WHAT WE FIND ALSO THERE IN THE WRITINGS OF JOHN ONCE AGAIN. IN THIRD JOHN VERSE FOUR. WHAT BROUGHT JOHN JOY WAS TO FIND HIS FELLOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST WALKING IN TRUTH. WELL, WHAT PATHWAY WERE THEY WALKING IN? THE SAME PATHWAY HE WAS WALKING IN. THE SAME PATHWAY HIS FELLOW APOSTLES LIKE PETER WALKED IN. THE SAME PATHWAY THAT WE MUST WALK IN IF WE'RE GOING TO BE WALKING ACCORDING TO JESUS' WAY. AGAIN, THE PATHWAY OF SALVATION, THE PATHWAY OF TRUTH, THE PATHWAY OF LIGHT AS WE FOLLOW THAT PATHWAY AND FOLLOW THAT GOOD SHEPHERD JESUS. IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BRING OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST'S JOY, IT'S GONNA BRING OUR HEAVENLY FATHER JOY TO KNOW THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING DOWN THAT PATHWAY. SO WE UNDERSTAND FROM THE SCRIPTURE THAT THERE IS ONE WAY. AND THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE THE CHOICE, EACH OF US IN OUR LIVES, TO FOLLOW THAT WAY. <br> <br>

      YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING, “WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO HAVE SALVATION? HOW CAN I BECOME ONE OF THE SHEEP OF JESUS? TO FOLLOW THIS GOOD SHEPHERD? HOW CAN I FIND SALVATION ONLY IN JESUS IF I CAN FIND IT IN ANY OTHER NAME HERE ON EARTH?” WE HAVE TO FOLLOW WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES. THERE ARE SOME BASIC THINGS YOU NEED UNDERSTAND. FOR ONE, THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH. MUCH LIKE THE LAW OF THE LAND GOD HAS GIVEN HIS LAW, THE NEW TESTAMENT. AND WE'RE ALL BOUND BY THAT TODAY AND UNDER THAT LAW BUT IF WE TRANSGRESS THAT LAW IT'S CALLED SIN. AND AS WE SIN, WE SEPARATE OURSELVES FROM GOD. WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD DOESN'T WANT US TO PERISH. THERE IN SECOND PETER CHAPTER 3 AND VERSE NINE THAT GOD IS LONG-SUFFERING NOT WANTING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE. IT'S WHY WE CONTINUE WAITING FOR JESUS CHRIST TO RETURN. IT IS THE LONG-SUFFERING OF GOD SO THAT MORE MIGHT COME BACK TO HIM. UNDERSTANDING THOSE BASIC POINTS AND FACTS BRINGS US BACK TO WHERE WE STARTED. JOHN 14:6 JESUS SAID, “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. NO MAN COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME.” SO WE SEE IF WE WANT SALVATION, WE WANT TO BE WITH THE FATHER SOMEDAY IN HEAVEN, WE'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE WAY OF JESUS. <br> <br>

      WELL, AS WE UNDERSTAND THE BASIC FACTS THEN WE'RE LEFT WITH UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE NEED TO DO FROM THE SCRIPTURE. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T BE SAVED AND FIND SALVATION THAT JESUS HAS TO OFFER UNLESS YOU FIRST OPEN YOUR EARS. YOU HAVE TO OPEN THEM TO HIS WORD. THERE IN MATTHEW 7:24 JESUS SAID, “WHOEVER HEARS THESE SAYINGS OF MINE; AND DOES THEM, I WILL LIKEN THEM TO A WISE MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE UPON THE ROCK.” YOU WANT TO BE WISE MAN? WELL SURELY WE ALL DO, AND TO BE WISE WE'VE GOT TO FOLLOW WHAT JESUS HAS TO SAY. FOLLOW HIS TEACHINGS UNTO SALVATION. FURTHERMORE, THERE IN ROMANS CHAPTER 10 IN VERSE 17 SAYS, “SO THEN FAITH COMES BY HEARING AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD.” YOU KNOW, AS WE READ THIS WORD, THAT'S WHAT PRODUCES WITH US ON OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL FAITH THAT IS DERIVED FROM THE WORD OF GOD, THE OBJECTIVE SYSTEM OF FAITH. WE CAN'T HAVE FAITH UNLESS WE FIRST READ AND HEAR WHAT GOD'S WORD SAYS. BUT IT CAN'T SIMPLY STOP THERE. WELL, AT LEAST NOT ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURE. WE ALSO FIND A VERY IMPORTANT VERSE THERE IN THE BOOK OF MARK, MARK CHAPTER 16 AND VERSE 16, AND NO DOUBT A VERSE THAT IS FAMILIAR TO MANY. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT AGAIN TO READ THE WORDS OF JESUS AND SEE WHAT HE SAYS HERE AGAIN AS WE GO THROUGH THE STEPS TO FOLLOW JESUS’ WAY UNTO SALVATION. MARK 16:16 JESUS SAYS THERE, “HE WHO BELIEVES AND IS BAPTIZED WILL BE SAVED; BUT HE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE WILL BE CONDEMNED.” YOU'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING AFTER HEARING GOD'S WORD. YOU'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST HEAR IT. YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE, BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, BELIEVE THAT HE LIVED A LIFE HERE FOR YOU, THAT HE DIED ON THE CROSS FOR YOUR SINS, THAT HE WAS BURIED IN THE TOMB, BUT ROSE AGAIN THE THIRD DAY OVERCOMING AND CONQUERING DEATH, SO THAT WE MIGHT ALL BE ABLE TO DO THE SAME. BELIEVE IN THE TEACHINGS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. BELIEVE ALL THAT WAS WRITTEN ABOUT JESUS, HIS MIRACLES, AND HIS LIFE, AND ALL THE WORKS HE DID. BELIEF IS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO HAVE SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. BUT ONCE AGAIN IT DOESN'T STOP THERE. TURN WITH ME ALSO OVER TO SECOND CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 7 AS WE CONTINUE THROUGH THE STEPS THAT JESUS AND HIS APOSTLES HE GAVE FOR SALVATION THROUGH HIM. THERE IN SECOND CORINTHIANS 7 AND VERSE 10 WE READ THIS, “FOR GODLY SORROW PRODUCES REPENTANCE LEADING TO SALVATION, NOT TO BE REGRETTED; BUT THE SORROW OF THE WORLD PRODUCES DEATH.” AS YOU HEAR AND AS YOU BELIEVE THAT SHOULD PRODUCE WITHIN YOU A SORROW. NOT A SORROW OF GETTING CAUGHT OR SORROW LIKE I WILL NOT DO IT AGAIN, BUT A SORROW OF REAL GODLY SORROW, THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT I'M DOING IS HURTING JESUS AND PUTTING HIM ON THE CROSS AGAIN, THAT WHAT I'M DOING IS NOT RIGHT AND I NEED TO BEGIN TO MAKE A CHANGE IN MY LIFE. IT IS THAT GODLY SORROW THAT PRODUCES THE REPENTANCE THAT LEADS TO SALVATION. AND THERE THE NEXT STEP IS GIVEN ALREADY IN THE SCRIPTURE. IN ACTS CHAPTER 3 IN VERSE 19 WE READ, “”THEREFORE REPENT AND BE CONVERTED, THAT YOUR SINS MAY BE BLOTTED OUT.’” FURTHERMORE IN ORDER TO OR TO GET RID OF OUR SINS TO HAVE SALVATION WE MUST REPENT. THAT IS MAKING THAT DECISION IN OUR MIND THAT WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE THE LIFESTYLE OF SIN BEHIND, THAT WE'RE GOING TO NOW FOLLOW JESUS AND HIS WILL. THAT REPENTANCE AGAIN NECESSARY TO HAVE SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. BUT YET IT CONTINUES ALSO THERE IN ROMANS CHAPTER 10 IN VERSE 10. WE READ THERE, “WITH THE MOUTH THAT CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION.” YOU NOTICE, SO FAR, THAT ALL THESE STEPS ARE UNTO SALVATION EVEN HERE WITH THAT CONFESSION. BUT YOU'VE GOT TO BE WILLING WITH YOUR MOUTH AND WITH YOUR LIFE TO MAKE THAT CONFESSION THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD. THAT'S WHAT THE EUNUCH SHOWED US BY EXAMPLE IN ACTS CHAPTER 8 IN VERSE 37. STILL YOU HAVE THE PROBLEM OF SIN. SO HOW DO YOU GET RID OF THAT. WELL AGAIN, WE APPEAL TO THE SCRIPTURE. WE LOOK AT THIS TIME IN ACTS CHAPTER 2 AND VERSE 38. WHAT WE FIND THERE IS THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION THAT THEY ASKED ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST. BECAUSE OF THEIR SIN THEY CRIED OUT, “’WHAT SHALL WE DO?’” AND HERE IS THE RESPONSE, ACTS TWO IN VERSE 38 PETER SAID TO THEM, “’REPENT AND LET EVERYONE OF YOU BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.’” IT IS BAPTISM THAT IS NECESSARY TO WASH AWAY OUR SINS. AND THERE JESUS CHRIST HAVING DIED FOR US IN HIS BLOOD SHED FOR US WILL WASH AWAY OUR SINS AND WE'LL BE CLEAN. IF YOU FOLLOW THE STEPS AND BE FAITHFUL UNTIL DEATH, REVELATION 2:10, YOU WILL HAVE SALVATION. BUT NOTICE ONCE AGAIN IT'S ONLY IN JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR. FOR THERE IS NO OTHER NAME BY WHICH WE CAN BE SAVED.<br> <br>



CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

      IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY. THANKS AGAIN FOR BEING WITH US. LET ME INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY LORD’S DAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS WORSHIP TO 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 FREE CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM? POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR FREE BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSES? NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:  

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The Living Word

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Springfield, Mo.  65803<br> <br>



Many of these materials are also available on our website:  

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Or if you prefer, you may call us at:

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      PRAISE BE TO GOD FOR HIS PERFECT PLAN UNTO SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE. MAY WE ALL DO EXACTLY WHAT GOD REQUIRES IN ORDER TO RECEIVE HIS GREAT REWARDS AND PROMISES. THANK GOD FOR HIS WONDROUS LOVE AND CARE!



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