THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT   <br><br>   

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 4-1-18   <br><br>   

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LESSON TITLE: “PARTAKERS OF THE HEAVENLY CALLING”   <br><br>   

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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>   

      GOOD MORNING! THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING IN THIS SERVICE OF GOD. THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM IS COMMITTED TO PROCLAIMING THE SIMPLE TRUTH OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST WHICH IS CONFIRMED FOR US IN THE BIBLE. I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE YOUR BIBLE’S HANDY AND I HOPE YOU ARE READY TO WORSHIP GOD TOGETHER AS WE SING PRAISES TO HIS NAME AND STUDY FROM HIS WONDROUS WORD. NOW LET’S BEGIN BY TALKING TO OUR FATHER 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 BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN, AND TO BE SERVANTS IN YOUR KINGDOM. AND WE THANK YOU FATHER BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ALL GOOD THINGS COME FROM YOU, PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL, AND THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED IN THIS LIFE AS WE WORK TOWARD AN ETERNAL LIFE AND THAT LIFE TO COME. FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR JESUS AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THESE THINGS ARE ONLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US AND WHAT HE DID AND DIED ON THE CROSS AND RISING ON THE THIRD DAY. FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE AVENUE OF PRAYER AND HELP US TO DO EVERYTHING IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH AT THIS TIME AS YOU COMMAND. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.    <br><br>   

      IT’S NOW TIME TO JOIN IN OUR SONGS OF PRAISE AS WE TOGETHER SING THE FIRST HYMN OF THE MORNING. WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING, “THIS IS MY FATHERS WORLD.”   <br><br>   

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DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS   <br><br>   

      PERSEVERANCE IS A DIFFICULT THING FOR ALL OF US, ESPECIALLY IN THE DAY AND TIME IN WHICH WE LIVE. WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES AROUND US TO HAVE THINGS, WE OFTEN FALL VICTIM TO OUR OWN DESIRES AND FORGET TO PUT GOD FIRST. EVERY TIME WE GO TO THE MALL OR INTO A STORE WE SEE SOMETHING WE LIKE AND WANT. IT DOESN’T MATTER THAT WE ALREADY HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR, WE WANT THE LATEST OR THE NEWEST VERSIONS. EVERY TIME WE DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD WE SEE A CAR OR A HOUSE WE LIKE BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAVE.    <br><br>    

      IT IS BECAUSE OF ALL OF THESE EARTHLY THINGS THAT I SAY WE HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME TODAY PERSEVERING AND ACCOMPLISHING WHAT WE WANT TO FOR GOD. HOW EASY IT MUST BE FOR THE DEVIL TO PUT STUMBLING BLOCKS IN OUR WAY WHEN SO MANY THINGS ARE MADE TODAY TO APPEAL TO OUR FLESHLY DESIRES. PERSEVERANCE IS ALSO A BIBLICAL TOPIC. IN FACT, IN 2 PETER 1:5-7, WE SEE THAT PETER INCLUDES PERSEVERANCE AMONG THE CHRISTIAN VIRTUES ONE MUST HAVE TO BE PLEASING TO GOD. HOW CAN WE THEN KNOW THAT PERSEVERANCE IS SOMETHING WE ARE COMMANDED TO DO?    <br><br>   

      LET’S LOOK AT WHAT PETER GOES ON TO SAY IN VERSES 8 AND 9 OF THE SAME PASSAGE, “FOR IF THESE THINGS ARE YOURS AND ABOUND, YOU WILL BE NEITHER BARREN NOR UNFRUITFUL IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. FOR HE WHO LACKS THESE THINGS IS SHORTSIGHTED, EVEN TO BLINDNESS, AND HAS FORGOTTEN THAT HE WAS CLEANSED FROM HIS OLD SINS.” PAUL ALSO CONFIRMS THE NEED FOR PERSEVERANCE WHEN HE SAID, “…WE ALSO GLORY IN TRIBULATIONS, KNOWING THAT TRIBULATION PRODUCES PERSEVERANCE; AND PERSEVERANCE, CHARACTER; AND CHARACTER, HOPE,” ROMANS 5:3-4. I HOPE WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE THAT PERSEVERANCE IS A BIBLE SUBJECT.    <br><br>   

      IN JAMES 5:11, WE ARE AGAIN REMINDED OF OUR DISCUSSION THIS MORNING, AS WE READ OF AN EXAMPLE WHICH JAMES USES TO HELP IN UNDERSTANDING PERSEVERANCE. THE VERSE SAYS, “INDEED WE COUNT THEM BLESSED WHO ENDURE. YOU HAVE HEARD OF THE PERSEVERANCE OF JOB AND SEEN THE END INTENDED BY THE LORD; THAT THE LORD IS VERY COMPASSIONATE AND MERCIFUL.”    <br><br>   

      WHO HAD GREATER PERSEVERANCE THAN JOB? HE WAS A GREATLY BLESSED SERVANT OF GOD WHO LOST EVERYTHING AT THE HANDS OF THE DEVIL. HOWEVER, JOB WAS ABLE TO PERSEVERE AND REMAIN FAITHFUL THROUGH THE ENTIRE ORDEAL.    <br><br>   

      ARE WE ABLE TO DO THE SAME? OR, WHEN THINGS START GETTING TOUGH, DO WE JUST GIVE IN AND FALL AWAY? WHEN TEMPTATIONS SEEM TOO ATTRACTIVE TO US, DO WE ACCEPT THEM AND WORRY ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES LATER? WE NEED TO BE MORE LIKE CHRIST, LEARNING TO ENDURE, AND PERSEVERE NO MATTER WHAT MAY COME.    <br><br>   

      THIS MORNING, WE WILL CONTINUE WITH OUR SERIES CALLED, “WE HAVE BECOME PARTAKERS OF…!” OUR SPECIFIC TOPIC TODAY DEALS WITH “THE HEAVENLY CALLING.” SO, PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US THIS MORNING, AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER WE WILL RETURN WITH OUR STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD. AS FAR AS OUR GUEST SPEAKER TODAY, WE ARE HAPPY TO AGAIN HAVE BROTHER JERRY SULLINS. BROTHER JERRY IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF MISSOURI, HERE IN SPRINGFIELD. WE THANK HIM FOR BEING WITH US AND LOOK FORWARD TO HIM LEADING OUR THOUGHTS FROM GOD’S WORD. THE NAME OF OUR NEXT HYMN IS, “THERE’S NOT A FRIEND LIKE THE LOWLY JESUS!”   <br><br>   



LESSON   <br><br>   

JERRY SULLINS   <br><br>   

      GOOD MORNING AGAIN AND WE WELCOME YOU AGAIN TO THE LIVING WORD BROADCAST. WE'RE SO THANKFUL THAT YOU'RE IN OUR VIEWING AUDIENCE THIS MORNING AND WE PRAY THAT, AS WE EXAMINE THE LORD'S WORD, THAT YOU WILL LEARN MANY THINGS TODAY AND AS YOU STUDY WITH US, CONCERNING WHAT GOD HAS SAID TO US THROUGH HIS WORD, AND MAKE APPLICATION OF IT IN YOUR LIVES. THAT IS OUR HOPE AND PRAYER. WE'RE IN A SERIES THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE CONCEPT OF UNDERSTANDING HOW GOD HAS GIVEN US A HEAVENLY CALLING. THAT IS AS THE SCRIPTURE SAYS WE ARE MADE PARTAKERS OF THAT HEAVENLY CALLING BECAUSE OF WHAT THE FATHER HAS DONE FOR US. SO BEFORE WE GET INTO THE ACTUAL STUDY BEGINNING IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 3 VERSE ONE, I'D LIKE TO, FIRST OF ALL, MAKE MENTION OF JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND MATERIAL CONCERNING THE BOOK OF HEBREWS ITSELF.    <br><br>   

      WE DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHO THE AUTHOR IS. WE BELIEVE IT'S THE APOSTLE PAUL BECAUSE OF THE LANGUAGE THAT IS USED IN THE BOOK. WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S MORE THAN LIKELY HIM, BUT AS FAR AS THE INSPIRATION OF THE TEXT, IT'S BEEN NOTICED THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES IT IS INSPIRED OF GOD AND WE CERTAINLY ACCEPT IT AS SUCH. AND SO AS WE LOOK AT THE BOOK OF HEBREWS WE SEE THAT THE AUTHOR HIMSELF, OF BEING GOD, SPEAKING THROUGH THE PERSON WHO WROTE THIS DOWN, HAS SAID TO BASICALLY THE JEWISH CHRISTIANS, THOSE WHO HAD OBEYED CHRIST AND BECOME CHRISTIANS, WERE IN THE PROCESS OF FALLING AWAY FROM THE FAITH. AND AS WE LOOK AT THE BOOK ITSELF, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT GOD IS TRYING TO DO IS TO EMPHASIZE TO THESE PEOPLE THE IMPORTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST ABOVE MANY, MANY THINGS. IN FACT, AS YOU LOOK THROUGH HEBREWS BEGINNING IN CHAPTER 1 AND GOING THROUGHOUT THE BOOK, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S POINTED OUT THAT CHRIST IS GREATER THAN THE ANGELS, HE IS GREATER THAN MOSES, AND, WE WILL DISCUSS THIS MORNING, HE HAD A GREATER PRIESTHOOD THAN MOSES. HE HAD A GREATER COVENANT. HE WAS A MUCH A GREATER SACRIFICE THAN THE SACRIFICES THAT MOSES MADE EVEN ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. HE IS A GREATER PROPHET THAN ANY PROPHET THAT HAS EVER LIVED INCLUDING MOSES. AND, ALSO, AS WE LOOK AT HIM, HE WAS A GREATER PRIEST THAN EVEN THE PERSON IN THE BIBLE THAT WE READ OF IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, MELCHIZEDEK HIMSELF, KING OF SALEM. AND SO THROUGHOUT THIS BOOK WE SEE SOME VERY INTERESTING POINTS THAT ARE MADE CONCERNING CHRIST TO BUILD UP PEOPLE'S FAITH AND TO KEEP THEM FROM FALLING AWAY FROM A BELIEF THAT JESUS CHRIST IS TRULY THE SON OF GOD AND THAT HE HAS COME TO THIS EARTH TO DIE UPON THE CROSS FOR EVERY PERSON.    <br><br>   

      NOW, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT IN THIS DAY AND TIME BECAUSE WE SEE AND WE UNDERSTAND AND WE EXPERIENCE MANY FRIENDS AND OTHERS WHOM WE KNOW WHO ONCE WERE BELIEVERS IN CHRIST AND WHO ARE STRIVING TO DO HIS WILL AND WHO HAVE LOOKED INTO THE PAGES OF GOD'S WORD AND UNDERSTAND THAT SALVATION WOULD BE FOUND IN CHRIST, THAT THEY HAVE FALLEN AWAY AFTER OTHER GODS. THEY HAVE FALLEN AWAY FROM THEIR FAITH TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT EVEN SOME ARE WILLING TO DENY CHRIST! SO IT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS LESSON THIS MORNING, AS WELL AS OTHER LESSONS IN THIS SERIES, TO POINT OUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HOW GOD HAS MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO BE PARTAKERS AND, AS WE RELATE TO HEBREWS 3 VERSE ONE THIS MORNING, PARTAKERS OF  HEAVENLY CALLING.    <br><br>   

      NOW, AS WE LOOK INTO THE PAGES OF THE BIBLE LET'S FIRST OF ALL READ HEBREWS CHAPTER 3 VERSE ONE. AND BASICALLY WE'LL BE STUDYING THROUGH VERSE SIX IF TIME PERMITS THIS MORNING. “THEREFORE, HOLY BRETHREN, PARTAKERS OF THE HEAVENLY CALLING, CONSIDER THE APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST OF OUR CONFESSION…” AND THAT IS, OF COURSE, “…JESUS CHRIST.” WE ARE WHAT? WE ARE, IT IS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE BY GOD HIMSELF FOR US TO BE PARTAKERS OF THE HEAVENLY CALLING. NOW, THE HEAVENLY CALLING BASICALLY IS AN INVITATION. IT IS SOMETHING THAT GOD HAS, IN HIS MIND, OFFERED TO US. IT ALSO COULD BE A SUMMONS, THAT IS, IF YOU WANT SOMETHING, HERE IS WHAT YOU MUST DO. AND THIS COMES FROM HEAVEN, SO WE HAVE RECEIVED THAT HEAVENLY CALLING. THAT HEAVENLY CALLING IS WHAT WE ANSWER WHEN WE OBEY CHRIST. FOR INSTANCE, AS YOU TURN TO GALATIANS 3 VERSES 26 AND 27 IT SAYS, “FOR WE ARE ALL THE SONS OF GOD THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS. FOR AS MANY OF US AS HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST HAVE PUT ON CHRIST.” AND SO THERE IS A CALLING. GOD HAS INVITED US AND MADE POSSIBLE OUR SALVATION. AND, OF COURSE, IT IS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. PAUL THE APOSTLE SAID THAT THERE IS NONE OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN WHEREBY WE MUST BE SAVED. AND WHO WAS HE SPEAKING OF THERE TO THE CORINTHIAN BRETHREN? HE WAS SPEAKING OF JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF GOD. JESUS EVEN SAID IN JOHN 14, HE SAID THIS, “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. NO MAN COMES INTO THE FATHER BUT BY ME.” THERE ARE SO MANY VERSES IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES THAT WE COULD TURN TO TO POINT OUT THE EMPHASIS THAT IT IS ONLY THROUGH CHRIST THAT WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE SALVATION! SO WE MUST ANSWER THAT HEAVENLY CALLING. AND THAT CALLING WAS GIVEN BY AND WAS CONCERNING THE APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST OF OUR PROFESSION.    <br><br>   

      YOU MIGHT SEE THERE IN THAT VERY SAME VERSE CONSIDER THE APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST OF OUR CONFESSION. WHO WAS THAT? JESUS CHRIST. HE WAS THE APOSTLE. THAT MEANS HE WAS ONE WHO WAS SENT. THE APOSTLES OF JESUS CHRIST WERE SENT BY JESUS CHRIST TO EVANGELIZE THE WORLD. JESUS CHRIST WAS THE APOSTLE, THAT IS ONE SENT BY THE FATHER. NOW, ONE OF THE MOST FAMILIAR VERSES IN ALL THE BIBLE, AND I'M GOING TO ALSO MENTION VERSE 17 OF JOHN CHAPTER 3, AFTER WE FIRST OF ALL THINK AGAIN OF JOHN THREE VERSE 16, “‘FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVTH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.’” NOW VERSE 17, “‘FOR GOD SENT NOT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE.....MIGHT BE SAVED.’” AND SO IT WAS GOD'S CALLING THROUGH THE APOSTLE, THAT IS JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD. THAT'S WHY JESUS SAID WHEN HE WAS UPON THE FACE OF THE EARTH, JOHN 10 VERSE 10, “‘I HAVE COME THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE LIFE, AND THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY.’” NOW WHO ELSE WAS EVER SPOKEN OF IN THAT WAY? DID GOD EVER DESIGNATE SOMEONE ELSE FOR WHOM SALVATION WOULD COME? CERTAINLY NOT! THAT'S WHY JESUS IS GREATER THAN MOSES. THERE'S NO PROBLEM IN UNDERSTANDING THAT. EVEN THE SIMPLEST OF MINDS CAN UNDERSTAND THAT GREAT ETERNAL TRUTH. HE IS THE HIGH PRIEST OF OUR PROFESSION. WHAT WE HAVE CHOSEN TO DO, WHAT WE HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, HE IS THE HIGH PRIEST. COMPARISON TO WHO? THAT IS TO MOSES AND TO AARON.    <br><br>   

      NOW MOSES IS THE ONE WHO RECEIVED, AS YOU WELL KNOW AS YOU GO BACK TO THE BOOK OF NUMBERS, YOU SEE HOW MOSES RECEIVED THE LAW ON MOUNT SINAI. HE STAYED UP THERE A VERY LONG TIME. AND WHEN HE CAME DOWN HE WAS CARRYING IN HIS ARMS THE 10 COMMANDMENTS. AND HE HAD RECEIVED OTHER TEACHINGS THAT WE SEE REVEALED IN NOT ONLY NUMBERS BUT ALSO LEVITICUS AND SOME EVEN IN DEUTERONOMY ARE RESTATED. IN THE SECOND, AS THEY SAY THE SECOND GIVING OF THE LAW. VERY LONG BOOKS AND VERY INTRICATE BUT IT WAS GOD'S LAW FAR WHO? THAT IS THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. NOW IT IS THIS SAME GROUP OF PEOPLE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND I CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO ACTS CHAPTER 3, THAT PETER AND JOHN WERE SPEAKING TO THEM. MAINLY PETER WAS SPEAKING TO THE JEWS AFTER THEY HAD HEALED THE MAN AT THE GATE CALLED BEAUTIFUL. THAT IS THE LAME MAN, REMEMBER, THAT CAUSED A GREAT DISTURBANCE IN THE CITY OF JERUSALEM BECAUSE NOT MANY DAYS BEFORE THESE SAME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN WHAT? CRUCIFYING JESUS. AND NOW PETER AND JOHN AND OTHERS I'M SURE, OTHERS OF THE APOSTLES, WERE OUT THERE PREACHING THE GOSPEL. BUT IN A SPECIFIC WAY WE SEE THIS. LOOK AT ACTS CHAPTER 3 VERSE 14. LET'S READ VERSE 13 AND 14 SO WE CAN SORT OF PUT IT IN IT'S CONTEXT HERE. AND THIS IS PETER PREACHING TO THEM. “‘THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB, THE GOD OF OUR FATHERS, GLORIFIED HIS SERVANT JESUS, WHOM YOU DELIVERED UP AND DENIED IN THE PRESENCE OF PILATE, WHEN HE WAS DETERMINED TO LET HIM GO. BUT YOU DENIED THE HOLY ONE AND THE JUST, AND ASKED FOR A MURDER TO BE GRANTED TO YOU.’” AND WE KNOW THAT HE GOES ON TO SAY DOWN THERE FURTHER IN THOSE VERSES THAT JESUS IS MUCH GREATER THAN MOSES AND MOSES WAS A PROPHET WHO SAID THERE'S ANOTHER PROPHET WHO IS COMING. THIS PROPHET WOULD BE THE ONE WHO WOULD BECOME THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD. AND SO, AS WE LOOK INTO THE SCRIPTURE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS HIGH PRIEST, THAT IS JESUS THE SON OF GOD, IS IN SOME WAYS LIKENED TO MOSES. BUT ONE THING FOR SURE WE KNOW THIS. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE SOME PRIESTS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THIS COULD'VE INCLUDED AARON AT TIMES, THE HIGH PRIEST, WHO COULD FEEL THE INFIRMITIES, THAT IS THE PROBLEMS OF HIS PEOPLE, THERE WAS NON-LIKE JESUS CHRIST WHO EVER WALKED THE FACE OF THIS EARTH WHO COULD REALLY FEEL THE INFIRMITIES, THE PROBLEMS, THE DEPRESSIONS, AND EVERYTHING ABOUT THE HUMANKIND THAT HE HAD CREATED HIMSELF.    <br><br>   

      I CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO HEBREWS CHAPTER 4 AND I WANT TO READ IN VERSES 14 AND 15, “SEEING THEN THAT WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST WHO PASSED THROUGH THE HEAVENS, JESUS THE SON OF GOD, LET US HOLD FAST OUR CONFESSION. FOR WE DO NOT HAVE A HIGH PRIEST WHO CANNOT SYMPATHIZE WITH OUR WEAKNESSES, BUT WAS IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED LIKE AS WE ARE, YET WITHOUT SIN.” SO, “LET US (COME) THEREFORE COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE, THAT WE MAY OBTAIN MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED.” THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE UNDER THE LAW OF MOSES. AND MY FRIENDS, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE LISTENING TODAY THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE UNDER ANYONE OTHER THAN JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF GOD. HE IS OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST. AS MOSES WAS FAITHFUL IN HIS HOUSE, SO IS GOD FAITHFUL IN HIS HOUSE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF GOD.    <br><br>   

      WHAT IS THE HOUSE OF GOD TODAY? IT'S THE CHURCH. HE GAVE JESUS TO BE HEAD OVER ALL THINGS TO THE CHURCH AND HE IS THE SAVIOR OF THE BODY, EPHESIANS 1:22 AND 23. IN EVERY WAY, AS WE LOOK AT OURSELVES TODAY WHO HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST FOR THE REMISSION OF OUR SINS AND WE BEEN ADDED TO THE CHURCH JUST LIKE THOSE ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST WHERE WHEN THEY CONFESSED BASICALLY THAT THEY HAD CRUCIFIED THE SON OF GOD AND THEY REPENTED OF THAT SIN AND THEY WERE BAPTIZED ON THE REMISSION OF THEIR SINS, ACTS 2:38, IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT AS JESUS  INSTRUCTED IN HIS GREAT COMMISSION THAT HIS APOSTLES SHOULD GO INTO TO ALL THE WORLD AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND HOLY SPIRIT. IN ACTS 2, THE LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH DAILY SUCH AS WERE BEING SAVED.    <br><br>   

      SO WHAT HAS HE DONE? HE HAS GIVEN US A HEAVENLY CALLING THROUGH JESUS CHRIST HIS SON. I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER PRECIOUS GIFT THAT WE COULD EVER BE GIVEN THAT WOULD BE AS PRECIOUS AS THAT GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE THAT WE HAVE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. THERE'S NO QUESTION OR WOULD THERE BE ANY QUESTION IN THE MINDS OF ANY PERSON THAT JESUS CHRIST IS GREATER THAN ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU COULD THINK OF IN THIS LIFE TODAY AS IT RELATES TO GOD'S DEALINGS WITH US AND THE SALVATION OF OUR SOULS. LET'S LOOK AT VERSE SIX THEN OF CHAPTER 3 OF THE BOOK OF HEBREWS, “BUT CHRIST AS A SON OVER HIS OWN HOUSE,” (THAT'S THE CHURCH) “WHOSE HOUSE WE ARE IF WE,” WHAT? “HOLD FAST THE CONFIDENCE AND REJOICING OF THE HOPE FIRM TO THE END.” AS JESUS SAID IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION 2 VERSE 10, “‘AND BE FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH, AND I WILL GIVE THEE A CROWN OF LIFE.’” HE SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES HE THAT ENDURETH TO THE END SHALL BE SAVED. AND MY FRIEND AND LOVED ONES UNDERSTAND THIS ONE THING! AND NO GREATER GIFT COULD BEEN GIVEN TO US THAN THE GIFT THAT GOD SAID AS WICKED AS WE ARE AND AS SINFUL AS WE MIGHT BE THAT THERE IS NO GREATER GIFT THAT GOD COULD'VE GIVEN US THEN TO CALL US TO INVITE US THROUGH THE GOSPEL AND THROUGH OUR OBEDIENCE TO THE GOSPEL WE WOULD HAVE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE. AND WE DO HAVE THAT BLESSED HOPE OF BEING ABLE TO GO AND SOMEDAY LIVE WITH THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THAT SPIRITUAL PLACE THAT IS CALLED HEAVEN. WHAT GREATER BLESSING COULD THERE BE? WHAT MORE COULD WE WANT? WHAT GREATER DESIRE COULD WE HAVE THEN TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH JESUS HAS LOVED US? AND LET'S BE BUSY AS MUCH AS WE CAN IN OBEYING HIS WILL AND SOMEDAY WE WILL REAP SALVATION.   <br><br>   

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      CLOSING COMMENTS   <br><br>   

      WHAT A WONDROUS TIME WE HAVE HAD TOGETHER IN PARTICIPATING IN THE THINGS OF GOD. 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>   

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      AS THE FAITHFUL, ISN’T IT WONDERFUL TO KNOW ABOUT GOD’S PROMISES AND REWARDS. THANKS BE TO GOD FOR THE HEAVENLY CALLING AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW AND OBEY GOD, THAT WE MAY HAVE ETERNAL LIFE WITH OUR CREATOR, WHEN THIS LIFE IS OVER!     <br><br>