THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br><br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 1-14-18

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LESSON TITLE: “THE 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>

      GOOD MORNING! THANKS FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU WITH US FOR THIS TIME OF OFFERING AND ENCOURAGEMENT, AS WE PARTICIPATE IN THE THINGS OF GOD. WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU HAVE JOINED US FOR THIS WORSHIP TO OUR SAVIOR. OUR COMMITMENT THIS MORNING IS TO GIVE GLORY TO THE CREATOR THROUGH THE SINGING OF SONGS OF PRAISE AND THROUGH THE STUDY OF HIS WORD. I HOPE AND PRAY THAT EACH OF US WILL DO OUR PART TO MAKE THIS SERVICE ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT. NOW WILL 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 MANY GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE; THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN, TO BE SERVANTS AND WORKERS IN YOUR KINGDOM. AND FATHER, WE THANK YOU BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ALL GOOD GIFTS COME FROM YOU NOT ONLY ALL GOOD PHYSICAL THINGS AND THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE BUT ALSO FATHER ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS. AND FATHER, WE KNOW THE GREATEST OF ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS WAS THE GIFT OF YOUR SON JESUS, HIS DEATH, BURIEL, AS WELL AS HIS RESURRECTION. MAY WE ALWAYS FOCUS ON THAT TO FIND STRENGTH TO GO ON EVERY DAY AND ULTIMATELY TO KNOW THEREFORE THAT IN A FAITHFUL LIFE WE'LL RECEIVE BLESSINGS TODAY AND BLESSINGS FOREVERMORE. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. 

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      THIS MORNING WE WANT TO BEGIN OUR SONGS OF PRAISE BY SINGING A SONG WHICH CONSIDERS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CHRISTIAN WALK WITH JESUS CHRIST. ISN’T IT WONDERFUL TO HAVE GOD BEFORE US AND EVER SHOWING US THE PROPER WAY? SO, AT THIS TIME, WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AS WE SING TOGETHER, “WALKING IN SUNLIGHT.”  <br><br>



DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br><br>

      “WALKING WITH CHRIST”, WHAT A WONDERFUL THOUGHT TO SING ABOUT THIS MORNING. IN FACT, ISN’T THAT WHAT OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE IS ALL ABOUT?  

      OF ALL THE BIBLE WRITERS, PAUL GIVES US SOME OF THE CLEAREST THOUGHTS ALONG THESE LINES. REMEMBER WHAT HE SAID IN ROMANS 12:1,2, “I BESEECH YOU THEREFORE, BRETHREN, BY THE MERCIES OF GOD, THAT YOU PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE. AND DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, THAT YOU MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD.” WE ARE COMMANDED TO BE A LIVING SACRIFICE. NOT LIKE THIS WORLD BUT DIFFERENT. THUS STRIVING TO BE CHRIST-LIKE!<br><br>

      I ALSO LOVE WHAT PAUL SAID IN 1 CORINTHIANS 11:1. THERE WE READ,  “IMITATE ME, JUST AS I ALSO IMITATE CHRIST.” YOU SEE, WE HAVE IT RIGHT WHEN WE ARE DOING THAT WHICH EXEMPLIFIES CHRIST.   <br><br>

      NOW THE ONLY PROBLEM IS WE MUST REALIZE THAT NO ONE EVER SAID IT WOULD BE EASY IN THE BIBLE! IN FACT, WE FIND QUITE THE OPPOSITE IN GOD’S WORD. JAMES SAID, “MY BRETHREN, COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN YOU FALL INTO VARIOUS TRIALS,” CHAPTER 1 AND VERSE 2 OF HIS BOOK! NOTICE HERE THAT HE DOESN’T SAY, “IF YOU SUFFER TRIALS,” HE SAID, “WHEN YOU SUFFER THEM!” WHEN WE ARE LIVING FOR CHRIST AND DOING THAT WHICH IS ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF “IF,” BUT OF “WHEN,” WE WILL SUFFER!<br><br>

      NOTICE WHAT PAUL FURTHER SAID IN 2 TIMOTHY 3:12. THERE WE READ, “YES, AND ALL WHO DESIRE TO LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS WILL SUFFER PERSECUTION.” AGAIN CONFIRMING THAT THOSE WHO FOLLOW GOD AND DO IT RIGHT, WILL SUFFER IN THIS LIFE!<br><br>

      THINK OF ALL THOSE IN THE BIBLE WHO SUFFERED WHEN DOING GOD’S WILL. OFTEN THEY WERE BEATEN, IMPRISONED, LAUGHED AT, SPIT ON, HUMILITATED! HOWEVER, THEY ALL STOOD STRONG AND DID IT FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST. <br><br> 

      BUT YOU MIGHT ASK, “HOW CAN WE BE HAPPY ABOUT THIS OR REJOICE IN SUFFERING?” THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION! THE ANSWER IS WHEN WE SUFFER FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST WE WILL BE BLESSED BY HIM. AND, ULTIMATELY, WE WILL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE IF WE HAVE BEEN PROVEN FAITHFUL TO THE END! READ WITH ME 1 PETER 3:14, “BUT EVEN IF YOU SHOULD SUFFER FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS' SAKE, YOU ARE BLESSED.” THOSE WHO ARE OBEDIENT TO CHRIST, WILL BE BLESSED.<br><br>

      FINALLY, HEAR GOD’S WORD IN JAMES 1:12. THERE HE SAYS, “BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO ENDURES TEMPTATION; FOR WHEN HE HAS BEEN APPROVED, HE WILL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE WHICH THE LORD HAS PROMISED TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” IF YOU REALLY LOVE GOD, “KEEP HIS COMMANDS.” AND ALTHOUGH WE KNOW WE WILL SUFFER FOR HIS SAKE, REMEMBER THAT ALL WILL BE WORTH IT WHEN HE GIVES US OUR FINAL REWARD.  <br><br>

      THIS MORNING, WE WILL CONTINUE OUR NEW SERIES OF STUDY ENTITLED, “IN THE BEGINNING!”  OUR SPECIFIC TOPIC TODAY IS, “THE LIFE!” SO, PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US THIS MORNING, AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER I WILL RETURN WITH THIS STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD. THE NAME OF OUR NEXT HYMN IS, “TRUST AND OBEY!”<br><br>



LESSON<br><br>

RAY SULLINS<br><br>

      THE RICH YOUNG RULER IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 19 AND VERSE 16 ASKS A QUESTION OF JESUS. AND HERE IS THAT QUESTION, “‘GOOD TEACHER, WHAT GOOD THING SHALL I DO THAT I MIGHT INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?’” CERTAINLY THAT'S A QUESTION THAT I BELIEVE IS ON THE MIND OF ALL MEN OF ALL AGES. WHAT IS IT THAT IS REQUIRED OF GOD THAT ONE MIGHT LIVE FOREVER? YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CERTAINLY IS OF CONCERN TO ALL OF US AS HUMANS ON THIS EARTH IS THE FACT THAT AS SURE AS ONE IS BORN WE KNOW THE REALITY IS THAT ONE DIES. AND MOST LIKELY ALL OF US EXPERIENCE DEATH ON A REGULAR BASIS. IN OUR FAMILIES, AMONGST OUR CONGREGATIONS OR CHURCHES, THERE AMONGST OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, WE SEE DEATH ALL AROUND US AND SO WE ARE EVER REMINDED OF THE FACT THAT LIFE IS NOT FOREVER AND THAT WE WILL NOT LIVE FOREVER. AND THEREFORE, IT CAUSES NOT ONLY A GREATER DESIRE TO SEEK OUT AN ETERNAL BEING OR GOD BUT IT CAUSES AN EVEN GREATER DESIRE TO GRAB HOLD OF THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD BECAUSE IT ANSWERS THIS VERY QUESTION. AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS YOUNG RULER WAS ASKING JESUS THE QUESTION KNOWING THAT HE WAS FROM GOD, AT LEAST A PROPHET OR EVEN THE MESSIAH HIMSELF, AND HE KNEW HE WOULD RECEIVE THE ANSWER. WHAT WILL I DO? WHAT SHALL I DO TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE? <br><br>

      NOW, WITH THAT IN MIND THEN THAT TAKES US TO OUR MAIN TEXT THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT NOW BEGINNING AS OF LAST WEEK. THERE IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN THE VERY FIRST CHAPTER WE HAVE INTRODUCED TO US JESUS CHRIST. CERTAINLY THE BOOK OF JOHN, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, PERHAPS DOES BETTER THAN ANY OTHER OF THE GOSPEL ACCOUNTS AT IDENTIFYING NOT ONLY JESUS AS THE MESSIAH BUT JESUS AS GOD. AND HE STARTS OFF RIGHT IN THE BEGINNING SAYING, “IN THE BEGINNING,” JUST LIKE THE VERY FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE GENESIS AND IT'S FIRST CHAPTER, CHAPTER 1 AND IT'S FIRST VERSE CHAPTER 1 AND VERSE ONE. AND IT SAYS, “IN THE BEGINNING, GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH.” AND THEN HOW INTERESTING AS WE TIE THAT CONCEPT TOGETHER THAT GOD WAS IN THE BEGINNING AND GOD WAS THE CREATOR IN THE BEGINNING THAT THEN JOHN SAYS, “IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD.” AND SO AS WE BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT THAT SAME TERMINOLOGY THAT IS BEING USED WHAT DOES THAT IMPLY? WELL, JESUS WAS THERE IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD. IN FACT, THAT'S WHAT THE TEXT SAYS. HE WAS WITH GOD AND HE WAS GOD. YOU KNOW, HE BROUGHT THAT MESSAGE OF GOD AND HE AS GOD BECOMING A MAN IN THE FLESH THAT HE MIGHT BRING THE WILL OF GOD HIMSELF TO THE WORLD WHO NEEDED TO FIND LIFE. CERTAINLY WHAT A BEAUTIFUL THOUGHT. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DESCRIPTION OF JESUS AS THE WORD HIMSELF. THE CREATOR VERSES TWO AND THREE SAY, “HE WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD. AND ALL THINGS WERE MADE THROUGH HIM.” WELL, WHO MADE ALL THINGS? JESUS. ACCORDING TO WHAT? THE WILL OF THE FATHER, FOR HE WAS THE WORD AS HE CAME TO THIS WORLD. BUT THEN HE EVEN CLARIFIES IT MORE IN VERSE THREE WHEN HE SAYS, “NOTHING WAS MADE THAT WAS MADE WITHOUT HIM.” NOTHING EXISTS THAT WASN'T CREATED BY WHO? THE WORD, JESUS. SO DOESN'T THAT TELL US THAT JESUS HAD TO BE THERE IN THE BEGINNING AS THE WORD? DOESN'T IT TELL US HE HAD TO BE THERE IN THE BEGINNING AS GOD AS EVEN THIS TEXT SAYS, AS THE GOD, NOT JUST A GOD, BUT THE GOD! CERTAINLY IT DOES. AS SO WE BEGIN TO LEARN THAT JESUS THEN IS THAT KEY, THAT ONLY CAME IN FLESH AS GOD IN THE FLESH TO REVEAL THE MESSAGE OF THE CREATOR BUT HE CAME TO BRING THAT MESSAGE FOR WHAT PURPOSE? THAT MEN MIGHT BE SAVED. THAT MEN MIGHT KNOW LIFE! AND WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK THERE IN JUST A MOMENT SO IF YOU WILL YOU MIGHT WANT TO MARK THE VERSE THERE WITH YOUR MARKER. <br><br>

      AND NOW LET'S TURN OVER TO JOHN LATER IN THE SAME GOSPEL THERE IN CHAPTER 20 AND VERSE 31. IN JOHN 20 AND VERSE 31, NOTICE NOW WHAT IT IS THAT HE SAYS HERE CONCERNING THE THINGS WRITTEN. JOHN SAYS THIS, “BUT THESE THINGS ARE WRITTEN,” (IN THE BOOK) “THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD AND THAT IN BELIEVING YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME.” SO WHAT'S THE THING THAT WE'RE DESIROUS OF? WHY DO WE SEEK GOD? WHY DO WE FOLLOW GOD? WHY DO WE OBEY GOD? BECAUSE WE WANT SOMETHING. HE'S PROMISED US THINGS. AND WHAT WE WANT IS LIFE. WE ALL FEAR DEATH. WE DON'T WANT TO DIE. SO WHAT GOD OFFERS IS LIFE. WELL, MAYBE IT'S NOT THAT PHYSICAL LIFE BECAUSE WE KNOW HEAVEN IS NOT MADE UP OF FLESH AND BLOOD (FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 15). WE KNOW THAT HEAVEN IS NOT OF A PHYSICAL NATURE BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS, BECAUSE MAN IS MADE UP OF FLESH AND SOUL OR THE SPIRIT OF MAN THAT THAT SPIRIT OF MAN, THAT ESSENCE, THAT MAN TRULY IS, IS ETERNAL IN THE FACT THAT IT WILL NEVER DIE. IT WILL GO AND EVER BE WITH GOD OR THE ALTERNATIVE EVER BE PUNISHED. AND SO WHAT WE BEGIN TO SEE IS THAT JOHN SAYS WHILE WE HAVE WRITTEN THESE THINGS, THE WORD CAME AND REVEALED THEM TO US AND WE LIVED WITH HIM AND WE LEARN FROM HIM AND HE DELIVERED THAT MESSAGE TO US AND NOW WE DELIVER THAT MESSAGE TO YOU THAT YOU MIGHT WHAT? BELIEVE THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD! AND IF YOU BELIEVE YOU WILL HAVE LIFE. NOT THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE LIFE BUT THE VERSE HERE SAYS YOU WILL HAVE LIFE THROUGH JESUS THE SON OF GOD. YOU WHO BELIEVE. NOW, WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO THAT IN JUST A MOMENT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THE GOSPEL OF JOHN COINCIDES BEAUTIFULLY WITH WHAT WE LEARN IN THE EPISTLE OF FIRST JOHN. <br><br>

      BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT LET'S GO BACK TO OUR MAIN TEXT BECAUSE NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS NOW IN VERSE FOUR AND FIVE OF OUR MAIN TEXT OF JOHN CHAPTER 1 AFTER HE SAYS, “IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD.” THE WORD WAS WHAT? WAS GOD AND WAS WITH GOD. HE'S THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS. NOTHING WAS MADE THAT WAS MADE WITHOUT HIM. VERSE FOUR SAYS THIS, “IN HIM WAS LIFE, AND THE LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN.” NOW WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE LIGHT NEXT WEEK. JESUS IS ALSO THE LIGHT AS GOD IS WHAT? THE LIGHT, BUT HE ALSO WAS LIFE. JESUS BECAME LIFE AND LIVED LIFE THAT HE MIGHT OFFER WHAT? LIFE. THERE'S AN INTERESTING THING THAT TAKES PLACE IN THE GREEK CONSTRUCTION HERE. THERE'S AN ARTICLE BEFORE THE WORDS ZOI, LIFE, AND IT SAYS A OR A ZOI AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE LIFE. NOT JUST A LIFE, NOT JUST SOME LIFE, BUT THIS IS REFERRING TO A VERY SPECIFIC BLESSING FROM GOD. SOMETHING THAT COULD COME FROM NO OTHER BUT GOD HIMSELF. JESUS, THE VERSE SAYS, WAS LIFE AND OFFERED LIFE. WHO IS JESUS? GOD. HOW DOES JESUS EXIST? HE WAS IN THE BEGINNING. HE IS ETERNAL. HE HAS NO BEGINNING. HE HAS NO END. JESUS IS ETERNAL WITH NO BEGINNING AND NO END. AND WHAT DOES THE ETERNAL GOD OFFER US? THAT WE WILL NEVER DIE! HE CREATED US SO WE HAVE A BEGINNING BUT WE WILL BE ETERNAL IN THE SENSE THAT WE WILL LIVE FOREVER. HE OFFERS US NOT JUST PHYSICAL LIFE BECAUSE WE KNOW THESE OLD BODIES ARE'NT GOING TO MAKE IT AND WE WAKE UP WITH ALL KINDS OF ACHES AND PAINS AND COUGHS AND SICKNESSES. ALL KINDS OF STUFF IN OUR LIVES. BUT WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT JESUS OFFERS US THE LIFE! THE LIFE THAT MATTERS! THE EXISTENCE THAT NEVER ENDS! THE PLACE WHERE WE NEVER SLEEP! THE PLACE WHERE WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE! <br><br>

      NOW, CERTAINLY BECAUSE OF TIME IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO REALLY SOMETIMES GET TO EVERYTHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO THIS MORNING, BUT BEFORE WE MOVE FURTHER INTO THE NEW TESTAMENT I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT JOHN CHAPTER 14 BECAUSE AGAIN WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION THERE IT'S AGAIN VERY BEAUTIFUL HOW THESE THINGS PLAY OUT AS JESUS MAKES THIS DECLARATION. HE SAYS, “I AM THE WAY, I AM THE TRUTH, AND I AM THE LIFE.” NOW THERE'S THE WORD WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT. EACH OCCASION HAS THAT SAME CONCEPT OF AN ARTICLE OR OF THE ACTUALLY IN THE ORIGINAL TEXT. NOT JUST A WAY, THE WAY. NOT JUST A TRUTH, THE TRUTH, THE ONE AND ONLY. AND NOT JUST A LIFE, THE LIFE. AND THEN HE SAYS NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH WHAT? EXCEPT THROUGH ME, THAT'S WHAT JESUS SAID. NO WONDER HE'S THE WAY! NO WONDER HE IS WHERE WE FIND THE TRUTH! NO WONDER HE OFFERS THE LIFE! HE ALONE, AS GOD IN THE FLESH, WAS ABLE TO MAKE SUCH A STATEMENT BECAUSE HE ALONE CAN HAVE AND OFFER ACCESS DIRECTLY THROUGH HIM TO THE FATHER. JESUS IS NOT ONLY THE ONE WHO IS THE LIFE FOR HE IS GOD BUT JESUS ALSO OFFERS THE LIFE. <br><br>

      NOW, THERE ARE MANY OTHER VERSES THAT WE COULD LOOK AT AS WE MOVE THROUGHOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT, BUT NOW WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TO GO TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME NEAT THINGS CONCERNING REALLY THE JUDGMENT, THE CONTINUOUS IMPENDING JUDGMENT OF GOD, BUT ALSO THE FINAL JUDGMENT OF GOD. AND THERE WITHIN THE BOOK YOU MIGHT RECALL WITH ME THAT EARLY ON IN CHAPTERS TWO AND THREE HE ACTUALLY ADDRESSES SEVEN DIFFERENT CHURCHES OF THAT TIME AND OF THAT DAY. AND AS HE ADDRESSES THOSE CHURCHES, HE CHALLENGES THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY MUST BE IN ORDER TO RECEIVE LIFE ETERNAL, IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT GREAT REWARD IN THE END. AND WITHIN THAT DISCUSSION YOU MIGHT RECALL WITH ME THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA. A POORER CHURCH OR CONGREGATION THAT DIDN'T HAVE MUCH BUT HE DOES NOT REBUKE THIS CONGREGATION AT ALL BUT RATHER AS HE WARNED THEM ABOUT THE TRIBULATION THAT IS COMING AND THAT EVEN SOME OF THEM WILL BE CAST INTO PRISON FOR A TIME. HE THEN WARNS THEM AS WELL IN THE SAME VERSE, VERSE 10 OF THIS, AND HE SAYS, “BE FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH, AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE CROWN OF THE LIFE.”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br><br>

      BUT THEN WE GO TO CHAPTER 22 THE VERY LAST CHAPTER IN THE LAST BOOK OF THE BIBLE. AND NOTICE WHAT HE BEGINS TO SAY HERE AGAIN AND CATCH THE CONCEPTS OF LIFE THAT ARE FOUND HERE. AND GUESS WHERE THIS IS? THIS IS THE THRONE ROOM NOW IN CHAPTER 22, THAT IN THE END WHEN THE SAVE COME HERE THEY ENTER THAT THRONE ROOM BEFORE GOD AND GUESS WHAT THEY SEE IN THAT THRONE ROOM? THE SAME DEPICTION THAT WE FIND EARLIER IN CHAPTER 4 BUT READ WITH ME IN VERSE ONE, “AND HE SHOWED ME A PURE RIVER OF WATER OF LIFE, CLEAR AS THE CRYSTAL, PROCEEDING FROM THE THRONE OF GOD AND OF THE LAMB.” THERE IN THE ORIGINAL AGAIN IS A PURE, A SPECIFIC RIVER, THE RIVER OF THE WATER OF THE LIFE, VERY SPECIFIC. IT IS REFERRING TO THINGS NOW THAT GIVE US THE ABILITY TO DO WHAT? TO LIVE FOREVER. NOW, WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE AS WE READ ON HE SAYS, “AND IN THE MIDDLE OF ITS STREETS, AND ON EITHER SIDE OF THE RIVER.” WHAT'S THE RIVER? THE RIVER OF LIFE THAT HAS THE WATER OF LIFE. NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS THERE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE RIVER WAS THE TREE. WHAT TREE? “THE TREE OF LIFE.” HERE IT IS AGAIN! THE RIVER, THE WATER, THE LIFE. AND THEY ARE WHAT? THE RIVER OF LIFE, THE WATER OF LIFE, THE TREE OF LIFE. AND THEN NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS, AND IT “BORE 12 FRUITS, EACH TREE YIELDING ITS FRUIT EVERY MONTH. THE LEAVES OF THE TREE WERE FOR THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS.” DO YOU SEE HERE AS HE GOES ON TO SAY THEN AND THERE SHALL BE NO MORE CURSE BUT THE THRONE OF GOD AND OF THE LAMB SHALL BE THERE AND HIS SERVANT SHALL SERVE HIM. HOW LONG? VERSE FIVE SAYS, “AND THEY SHALL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER.” WE GO TO BE THERE WITH GOD WHAT? AGE UPON AGES. THERE IS NO END TO THAT. AND WHAT DO WE HAVE ACCESS TO WHEN WE ARRIVE IN THAT PLACE? WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE WATER OF LIFE, THE WATER THAT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO LIVE FOREVER, THE TREE OF LIFE. <br><br>

      DO YOU REMEMBER IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN? WELL IT WAS A HOUSE, A PLACE MADE BY GOD FOR ADAM AND EVE. AND THERE WAS ACCESS IN THAT GARDEN TO WHAT? TO THE TREE OF LIFE AND WHEN THEY WERE CAST OUT BECAUSE OF SIN GUESS WHY THE ANGEL WAS PLACED AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE GARDEN? SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE TREE OF LIFE AND THEREFORE AS THE TEXT SAYS AND THUS LIVE FOREVER. YOU SEE GOD COULD'VE SAID, ‘WELL, MAN'S MESSED IT UP. HE IS NOT WORTHY OF ETERNAL LIFE. HE IS NOT WORTHY OF WHAT I HAVE CREATED HIM TO RECEIVE.’ BUT WHAT GOD DID THROUGH THE GIFT OF JESUS, THE ACTUAL SACRIFICE OF JESUS CHRIST, IS HE TOOK GOD IN THE FLESHLY FORM JESUS WHO WAS THE LIFE AND HE OFFERED THE LIFE. THE TRUE LIFE THAT MEANT THE ETERNAL LIFE THAT MATTERS, THE LIFE THAT IS THERE BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD IN HEAVEN SOMEDAY. THE WATER OF LIFE THAT FLOWS THROUGH THE RIVER OF LIFE THAT GIVES ACCESS ON EITHER SIDE BY THE TREE OF LIFE. <br><br>

      YOU SEE, THOSE ARE THE METAPHORS AND THE BEAUTIFUL CONCEPTS THAT GIVE US NOT ONLY STRENGTH BUT ENCOURAGE US TO KNOW THAT WE CAN LIVE FOREVER. DOESN'T THAT SOUND GREAT! DOESN'T THAT SOUND GREAT WHEN EVEN THIS PAST WEEK OR SO I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN A FUNERAL OF THOSE WHO HAVE PAST AND NO MATTER HOW GOOD OF CHRISTIANS THEY ARE OR THEY'RE NOT, STILL WE FEAR DEATH. BUT IN JESUS CHRIST, THE LIFE WE HAVE BEEN OFFERED THE LIFE. AND SO THE QUESTION IS WILL YOU TURN TO JESUS? WILL YOU OBEY HIS WILL? BECAUSE ONLY THROUGH OBEDIENCE DO WE SHOW TRUE LOVE TO JESUS AND WHEN WE'VE PROVEN OUR LOVE FOR HIM, THE LIFE HE WILL OFFER US LIFE ETERNAL.<br><br>



CLOSING COMMENTS<br><br>

      AGAIN, LET ME THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US THIS MORNING. I HOPE WE ALL HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED THROUGH OUR TIME SPENT TOGETHER. 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 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: <br><br> 



The Living Word

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      OUR SAVIOR CAME INTO THIS WORLD AS THE LIFE AND TO OFFER LIFE TO US ALL! WHAT A LOVING GOD WE SERVE WHO CARED ENOUGH TO GIVE HIS OWN SON TO DIE FOR OUR SINS AND TO GIVE A CHANCE AT LIFE AND LIFE ETERNAL. ARE YOU DOING WHAT IS REQUIRED BY GOD THAT YOU MAY RECEIVE LIFE ETERNAL?  

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