THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT     <br><br>     

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 7-29-18     <br><br>     

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LESSON TITLE: “THE KINGDOM PREPARED”     <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>     

      THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM ON THIS WONDROUS LORD’S DAY MORNING. IT IS ALWAYS A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE YOU WITH US FOR THIS TIME OF OFFERING TO GOD. WE WELCOME YOU TO THIS SERVICE FOR OUR CREATOR. TODAY, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TOGETHER TO WORSHIP AND PRAISE OUR GOD. THIS MORNING WE WILL GLORIFY OUR LORD THROUGH SONGS OF PRAISE AND THROUGH THE STUDY OF HIS PERFECT WORD. WON’T YOU DO YOUR PART TO MAKE THIS TIME TOGETHER ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT. NOW, LET’S BEGIN OUR PRAISE TO GOD IN PRAYER.      <br><br>     

      PRAYER: OUR WONDROUS GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE'RE SO THANKFUL BECAUSE YOU ARE A GREAT AND A WONDERFUL AND A MAGNIFICENT GOD. FATHER, WE KNOW THAT YOU DO ALL THINGS AND THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US EVERYTHING SPIRITUALLY AND PHYSICALLY THAT WE NEED. WE ALSO KNOW THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US THAT GREATEST OF ALL SACRIFICES, YOUR SON JESUS AND THE DEATH THAT HE GAVE ON THE CROSS AND THE SHEDDING OF HIS BLOOD THAT WE MIGHT HAVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AS WELL AS HIS RESURRECTION THAT REMINDS US ALL THAT SOMEDAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO BE RESURRECTED AS WELL. AND FATHER WE ASK THIS DAY THAT YOU WILL HELP US TO WORSHIP YOU IN SUCH A WAY THAT WILL GIVE YOU HONOR AND GLORY AND THAT WE WILL DO ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO YOUR PERFECT WILL. THESE THINGS WE PRAY IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.      <br><br>     

      THERE IS NO GREATER LOVE IN THIS WORLD THAN THE LOVE WHICH WE HAVE FROM JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. THIS MORNING WE WANT TO BEGIN OUR SONGS OF PRAISE WHICH REMINDS US THAT WE HAVE SUCH A LOVING AND WONDROUS REDEEMER! SO, WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE BRETHREN AT THIS TIME AS WE SING TOGETHER, “BLESSED REDEEMER.”      <br><br>     

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DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS     <br><br>     

      WE OFTEN HEAR THE WORD CONTENTMENT USED, IN RELATIONSHIP TO RELIGIOUS THINGS! IN FACT, THE BIBLE OFTEN TALKS ABOUT CONTENTMENT AS A REQUIREMENT OF A FAITHFUL CHILD OF GOD. HOWEVER, I THINK WE SOMETIMES GET PHYSICAL CONTENTMENT CONFUSED WITH SPIRITUAL. YES, IN THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS, PAUL SAID THAT WE SHOULD LEARN TO BE CONTENT IN WHATEVER STATE WE ARE, BUT HE WAS REFERRING TO THE PHYSICAL. SO, CAN WE EVER BECOME TOO CONTENT SPIRITUALLY? IF WE LOOK AROUND IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD TODAY WE FIND THAT MANY HAVE CONFUSED THIS CONCEPT OF CONTENTMENT WITH THE SPIRITUAL. MANY TRY TO CONVINCE US THAT THERE IS NO REASON TO GROW OR IMPROVE BECAUSE WE MUST BE CONTENT WITH WHO WE ARE AND WHERE WE ARE SPIRITUALLY. ACTUALLY, JUST THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE WHEN IT COMES TO RELIGIOUS THINGS.      <br><br>     

      IN PHILIPPIANS 3:12-14 WE READ, “NOT THAT I HAVE ALREADY ATTAINED, OR AM ALREADY PERFECTED; BUT I PRESS ON, THAT I MAY LAY HOLD OF THAT FOR WHICH CHRIST JESUS HAS ALSO LAID HOLD OF ME. BRETHREN, I DO NOT COUNT MYSELF TO HAVE APPREHENDED; BUT ONE THING I DO, FORGETTING THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE BEHIND AND REACHING FORWARD TO THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE AHEAD, I PRESS TOWARD THE GOAL FOR THE PRIZE OF THE UPWARD CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS.” NOTICE WHAT PAUL SAYS HERE! HE SAYS HE HAD NOT YET LAID HOLD ON PERFECTION AND NONE OF US HAVE EITHER.      <br><br>     

      HOW MANY TODAY WOULD HOLD THEMSELVES EQUALLY UP TO THE FAITH OF PAUL? WHAT A GREAT MAN OF GOD HE WAS. HOWEVER, IT IS THIS GREAT MAN OF GOD WHICH SAID HE WAS STILL REACHING FOR THAT GOAL, THAT PERFECTION. AS CHRISTIANS, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER THAT BEING A GOOD FOLLOWER OF GOD IS A DAILY PROCESS THAT WE MUST WORK AT. SATAN IS AROUND TEMPTING US AND TRYING TO GET US TO FALL FROM THE GRACE OF GOD, BUT IF WE ARE CONTINUALLY GROWING WE WILL BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE EVILS OF THIS WORLD BETTER.      <br><br>     

      YOU SEE, WHEN WE GROW AND MATURE IN THE FAITH, WE ALSO GROW CLOSER TO GOD AND WHEN HE IS ON OUR SIDE, WHO CAN BE SUCCESSFUL AGAINST US, ROMANS 8:31. IN FACT, ISN’T EVERYTHING IN LIFE A GROWING PROCESS? WHEN WE LEARN TO WALK, AND TALK, DOESN’T IT TAKE TIME? OR WHEN WE LEARN TO RIDE A BIKE OR PLAY SPORTS, AGAIN, IT DOESN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT? THINK ABOUT THAT FIRST TIME YOU WENT TO AN AMUSEMENT PARK? YOU START OUT ON THE KIDDY RIDES BUT EVENTUALLY YOU MOVE UP TO THE BIG ONES LIKE THE ROLLER COASTERS. EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS A PROCESS TO IMPROVE OURSELVES, TO HELP US BETTER ACCEPT AND DEAL WITH THE THINGS OF TOMORROW.      <br><br>     

      HOWEVER, WE MUST ALSO REALIZE THAT TRUE PERFECTION WAS ONLY FOUND IN ONE MAN, JESUS CHRIST, BUT WE ALL CAN STRIVE FOR IT, AND GIVE HIM OUR BEST! AS PAUL ALSO SAID, YESTERDAY IS A FOUNDATION THAT WE ARE BUILDING ON, BUT WE MUST MOVE FORWARD TOWARD TOMORROW, FORGETTING THE PAST TO PUT ALL OUR ENERGIES ON MAKING TODAY AND TOMORROW THE BEST THEY CAN BE.      <br><br>     

      THIS MORNING WE WILL AGAIN CONSIDER A LESSON FROM OUR SERIES ENTITLED, “AND TRANSFERRED US INTO THE KINGDOM.” OUR SPECIFIC TOPIC OF STUDY TODAY WILL DEAL WITH “THE KINGDOM PREPARED!” SO PLEASE STAY WITH US THROUGH OUR NEXT SONG AND AFTER THAT I WILL RETURN WITH THIS STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD. NOW IT’S TIME TO JOIN IN OUR SECOND HYMN OF THE MORNING, THE NAME OF THE SONG, “SING HALLELUJAH TO THE LORD.”     <br><br>     

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LESSON     <br><br>     

RAY SULLINS     <br><br>     

      WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU'VE CONTINUED WITH US THIS DAY AS WE NOW GO TO GOD'S WORD AND LOOK AT ANOTHER LESSON IN OUR NEW SERIES THAT REALLY IS FOCUSING ON THE KINGDOM OF GOD. AND YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THAT WE ARE REALLY FOCUSING FROM A PASSAGE OR THEME OF COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 1 AND VERSE 13 WHERE THE BIBLE SAYS THAT HE HAS DELIVERED US FROM THE POWER OF DARKNESS AND CONVEYED US INTO THE KINGDOM OF THE SON OF HIS LOVE. AND SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN CONSIDERING TOGETHER IS THE FACT IN THIS NEW SERIES THAT THERE IS A KINGDOM. THERE IS SOMETHING THAT MAN HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT OF, WHICH IS SIN OR THE WORLD OF SIN, AND THERE IS SOMETHING HE'S BEEN PUT INTO THAT IS CALLED A KINGDOM. SO IF THAT IS THE CASE BECAUSE THIS TEXT IS TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE, IT'S PAST TENSE, SOMETHING THEY HAVE RECEIVED, THEN WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND SO WHAT IS THAT KINGDOM? AND THEN WHAT MUST WE DO AS WELL TO GET INTO THAT KINGDOM? AND SO LAST WEEK TOGETHER WE BEGAN TO TALK ABOUT THE KINGDOM AND PROPHECY AND LOOK AT THE IDEA OF HOW THAT, EVEN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF TIME, EVEN WHEN GOD MADE MAN AND PLACED HIM IN THE GARDEN AND AS HE BEGAN TO MAKE THERE PROMISES TO MEN LIKE ABRAHAM, HE CONTINUED TO SPEAK OF THE SEED OF MAN, THE SEED OF WOMAN, THE IDEA OF THE ONE THAT WOULD COME, THE MESSIAH, THE SAVIOR, AND THAT SAVIOR WOULD COME AND ESTABLISH A SPIRITUAL KINGDOM. AND CERTAINLY THAT'S WHY TODAY WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE PROPHETIC IDEAS AS WE MOVE TOWARD THE ACTUAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH WHICH WE'LL DISCUSS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS.      <br><br>     

      BUT WE WANT TO NOW LOOK WITHIN THE GOSPEL ACCOUNTS. ISN'T IT INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT IN OUR NEW TESTAMENT THE FIRST FOUR BOOKS ARE WRITTEN BY FOUR DIFFERENT MEN AND THEY ARE CONSIDERED THE GOSPEL ACCOUNTS OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST. AND THEY TELL US MORE ABOUT JESUS AND THE LIFE THAT HE LIVED ON THE EARTH THAN ANY OTHER PLACE THERE OF BOOKS ON THE EARTH OR ANY OTHER PLACE WITHIN SCRIPTURE. AND SO WE GO THERE AND WE LEARN ABOUT THE LIFE ITSELF AND THE THINGS THAT HE SAID IN THE PARABLES THAT HE TOLD AND WE LEARN SO MANY WONDERFUL TRUTHS ABOUT WHO HE WAS AND WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO AND WHY HE CAME AND WHAT HE WAS GOING TO ACCOMPLISH AND THEREFORE WHAT IT WAS GOING TO MEAN TO US. AND THAT HE CAME TO SEEK AND SAVE THE LOST. AND SO HOW INTERESTING THAT AS SOON AS WE GET IN TO THE NEW TESTAMENT AND WE BEGIN TO SEE THAT MARY CONCEIVES BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, THERE IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 1, AND IS WITH CHILD. NOT JOSEPH'S CHILD BUT THE CHILD OF GOD. AND WE EVENTUALLY SEE THAT CHILD BEING BORN AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT WE ALSO SEE THAT ANOTHER COUPLE THERE HAVE A CHILD AND THE CHILD OF THAT WOMAN ELIZABETH IS A COUSIN OF JESUS. AND WHAT IS IT THAT HE COMES FOR? THE ONE THAT IS TO BE CALLED WHAT? THAT IS TO BE CALLED JESUS. HE COMES TO PREPARE THE WAY. AND SO THERE IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 3 WE ARE INTRODUCED TO JOHN THE BAPTIST AS HE OFTEN IS REFERRED TO. AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE JOHN WAS OFTEN BAPTIZING THAT WHAT HE CAME PREACHING. THAT SOMEONE NEEDED TO REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED, A LITERAL IMMERSION IN WATER. AND WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE JOHN DID HIS WORK BY THE JORDAN AND ALWAYS AROUND MUCH WATER BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE COMING OUT TO HIM TO BE WHAT? BAPTIZED. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN PLENTY OF WATER IN THE CITIES TO SPRINKLE OR TO POUR ON SOMEONE'S HEAD. BAPTISM IS FROM THE GREEK WORD BAPTISAT WHICH MEANS IMMERSION. AND THAT WORD INDICATES A LITERAL DEATH OR A BURIAL OF ONESELF IN WATER AND A RISING OUT OF THAT WATER TO A NEWNESS OF LIFE. THE VERY THING THAT PHILIP AND THE EUNICH IN CHAPTER 8 WHEN THEY BOTH WENT DOWN INTO THE WATER AND IT SAYS HE IMMERSED HIM. SO JOHN HERE THE BAPTIST BUT REALLY JOHN THE IMMERSSER, JOHN THE BURIER IN WATER IS ONE WHO CAME IN THE PLACE OF GOD'S WORK TO DO WHAT? TO PREPARE FOR JESUS COMING.      <br><br>     

      AND I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THERE WHAT IT SAYS BEGINNING IN VERSE ONE OF CHAPTER 3. “IN THOSE DAYS JOHN THE BAPTIST CAME PREACHING IN THE WILDERNESS OF JUDEA, AND HE WAS SAYING, ‘REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND!’ FOR THIS IS HE WHO WAS SPOKEN OF BY THE PROPHET ISAIAH SAYING: ‘THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS: PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD; MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.’” YOU SEE, WE LEARN ABOUT JOHN AND JOHN FULFILLING PROPHECY AND BEING CHOSEN BY GOD TO COME AND TO SPEAK OUT THAT WHAT? THAT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND, IS COMING, IT IS SOON GOING TO BE. THEREFORE WHAT SHOULD THEY DO? REPENT. AND WE READ ON AND NOTICE WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT JOHN HIMSELF, THE MAN HIMSELF, A VERY SIMPLE MAN. VERSE FOUR CONTINUES, “NOW JOHN HIMSELF WAS CLOTHED IN CAMEL'S HAIR, WITH A LEATHER BELT AROUND HIS WAIST; AND HIS FOOD WAS LOCUSTS AND WILD HONEY. THEN JERUSALEM, AND ALL OF JUDEA, AND ALL THE REGION AROUND THE JORDAN WENT OUT TO HIM.” WHY? THEY WENT OUT TO BE BAPTIZED BY HIM IN THE JORDAN CONFESSING THEIR SINS. WHAT WERE THEY DOING? EXACTLY WHAT JOHN SAID THAT THEY NEEDED TO DO. HE WAS PREACHING REPENT! REPENTENCE MEANS AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF SIN, A CONFESSING THEN OF THAT SIN AND A WATER BAPTISM AS A REMOVAL OF SIN. AND THAT'S THE CONTINUAL CONCEPT THAT WE SEE BECAUSE BAPTISM IS WHAT WE DO EVEN IN A PHYSICAL SENSE TO CLEANSE OURSELVES. IF WE'RE DIRTY AND WE HAVE BEEN OUT SWEATING ALL DAY OR IF WE HAVE BEEN MESSING AROUND AND WE GET MUDDY, OR WE GET FILTHY - MAYBE WORKING OUT IN THE YARD OR ON THE FARM OR WHEREVER WE MIGHT BE. WHAT WE DO? WE COME IN AND WE TAKE A BATH, WE WASH OURSELVES AND THAT REMOVAL OF THE DIRT IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THAT WE MIGHT ACTUALLY SMELL DECENT TO BE ABLE TO BE AROUND PEOPLE. WELL, THAT IS WHAT A BAPTISM IS, A CLEANSING. IN FACT, PETER SPEAKS ABOUT THAT EVEN IN FIRST PETER CHAPTER 3 AND VERSE 21 THAT IT'S REALLY NOT JUST THE REMOVAL OF THE FILTH OF THE FLESH, IT'S A SPIRITUAL THING. AND THAT'S WHY IT IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL THING THAT JOHN CAME PREACHING REPENTANCE AND THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND AND BAPTISM.      <br><br>     

      IN FACT, IF WE'LL NOTICE HERE IN THE SAME CONTEXT WE SEE THAT EVENTUALLY IN CHAPTER 3 EVEN JESUS COMES TO JOHN ACCORDING AGAIN TO THE PROPHECY THAT JOHN WOULD BAPTIZE HIM AND WE REMEMBER THAT BEAUTIFUL STORY AS WELL. BUT LATER IN THE SAME TEXT OVER IN CHAPTER 4, HOW SIGNIFICANT IT IS THAT AS JESUS NOW ABOUT THE SAME AGE AS JOHN AS JESUS NOW WAS ONE WHO COMES TO THE EARYH YET HAS NOT STARTED HIS MINISTRY THAT JOHN IS POINTING THE WAY TO JESUS. AND AS JESUS BEGINS HIS MINISTRY GUESS WHAT JESUS IS PREACHING? WELL, AS HE GOES ABOUT PREACHING VERSE 17 OF CHAPTER 4 SAYS, “FROM THAT TIME JESUS BEGAN TO PREACH AND TO SAY, ‘REPENT! FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND.’” KIND OF SOUNDS FAMILIAR DOESN'T IT? THE SAME THING THAT THE PREPARER WAS PREACHING, JOHN THE IMERSSER AND JESUS PREACHED IT BECAUSE WHAT? JESUS WAS ABOUT TO DIE AND SHED HIS BLOOD PURCHASE THE CHURCH OR KINGDOM AND THEN PEOPLE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE WHAT? BE PUT IN THE CHURCH, BE CONVEYED INTO THE KINGDOM AS COLOSSIANS 1 AND VERSE 13 SAYS.      <br><br>     

      ANOTHER REALLY INTERESTING FACT ABOUT CHAPTER 4 THERE IS AS WE SAID JOHN IS SPOKEN OF AS A FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY, FOUND THERE IN ISAIAH, AS WE GO TO CHAPTER 4 AND VERSE 17 JUST BEFORE THAT AS JESUS BEGINS WHAT IS CALLED HIS GALILEAN MINISTRY. GUESS WHAT HAPPENS? IN VERSE 15 AGAIN ISAIAH IS QUOTED AND IT ACTUALLY SPEAKS OF JESUS FULFILLING PROPHECY AND COMING TO BEGIN HIS MINISTRY TO PREACH THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND THEREFORE REPENT! THE SAME WAY JOHN WAS FULFILLING THAT. SO ALL OF THIS WAS A PART OF THAT PROPHESIED WORK OF GOD, THOSE THINGS THAT HE INTENDED TO ACCOMPLISH THROUGH JOHN AND ULTIMATELY THROUGH JESUS COMING AND ULTIMATELY THEN DYING FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD.      <br><br>     

      WE ALSO WANT TO TURN OVER TO JOHN'S ACCOUNT. ALL OF THE GOSPEL ACCOUNTS GIVE US AN INTERESTING LOOK AT THE EARLY DAYS OF JESUS AND JOHN THE IMERSSER AND THEN ALSO JESUS' LIFE. JOHN DOES A GREAT JOB IN GIVING US A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION IN THE CONTEXT OF REALLY THE DISCIPLES OF JOHN AND THOSE WHO WERE FOLLOWING JOHN. AND AS THEY CAME TO HIM, I FIND ONE INTERESTING FACT IS THERE IN CHAPTER 3 OF THAT TEXT. AND THERE IN CHAPTER 3 WE FIND THAT THE DISCIPLES OF JOHN COME TO HIM AND THEY ACTUALLY ASK HIM A QUESTION. IF YOU WILL LOOK WITH ME THERE IN CHAPTER 3 OF JOHN LOOK AT VERSE 26, “AND THEY CAME TO JOHN AND SAID TO HIM, ‘RABBI, HE WHO WAS WITH YOU BEYOND THE JORDAN, TO WHOM YOU HAVE TESTIFIED – BEHOLD, HE IS BAPTIZING, AND ALL ARE COMING TO HIM!’” YOU SEE, THE DISCIPLES OF JOHN COME TO HIM IN A RESPECTFUL WAY WHEN THEY SAY THIS MAN'S ALSO BAPTIZING. HE IS SAYING THE SAME THING YOU ARE AND MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING TO HIM. AND AS THIS TAKES PLACE WHAT DOES JOHN RESPOND WITH? LOOK THERE AT VERSE 27, “AND JOHN ANSWERED AND SAID, ‘A MAN CAN RECEIVE NOTHING UNLESS IT IS BEEN GIVEN TO HIM FROM HEAVEN. YOU YOURSELVES BEAR ME WITNESS THAT I SAID, “I AM NOT THE CHRIST,” BUT, “I HAVE BEEN SENT BEFORE HIM.”’” YOU SEE, JOHN....WHAT A HUMBLE MAN. WHAT A HUMBLE MAN OF GOD WITH THE BLESSINGS OF GOD, THE POWER OF GOD, WHO IS WILLING TO ACCEPT HIS PLACE AND UNDERSTAND THAT I CAME TO PREPARE THE WAY. AND NOW WHAT DOES HE TELL HIS OWN FOLLOWERS? THAT'S THE MAN YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW. THAT'S THE CHRIST. THAT IS THAT MESSIAH. HE IS THE ONE THAT I SPOKE OF. HE IS NOT THE ONE WHO PREPARES FOR THE KINGDOM. HE IS THE ONE WHO WILL PURCHASE THE KINGDOM. HE IS THE ONE WHO WILL ESTABLISH THE KINGDOM. HE IS THE ONE THAT WILL SHED HIS BLOOD THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE THAT YOU MIGHT OVERCOME SIN COMPLETELY! OH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL THING THAT JOHN SAYS HERE ABOUT THE CHRIST, ABOUT THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD! AND AGAIN, WHAT A WONDERFUL AND ENCOURAGING THING THAT SHOULD BE TO US AS WE UNDERSTAND THEN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ROLE THEY BOTH PLAYED BEFORE THE CHURCH WAS ESTABLISHED.      <br><br>     

      AND THAT'S WHY WE READ THERE, EVEN IN CHAPTER 4 OF JOHN, IT TELLS US THIS, “THEREFORE, WHEN THE LORD KNEW THAT THE PHARISEES HAD HEARD THAT JESUS HAD MADE AND BAPTIZED MORE DISCIPLES THAN JOHN…” YOU SEE, JESUS WHEN HE BEGAN PREACHING TO PROCLAIM THAT THE MESSIAH WAS EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE AND THERE WERE MORE FOLLOWERS, MORE DISCIPLES THAT WERE BEING BAPTIZED THAN EVEN JOHN HAD ACCOMPLISHED. WHAT WERE ALL THESE PEOPLE BEING BAPTIZED WITH KNOWLEDGE OF? REPENTANCE AND THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND. AND SO THAT'S WHY JESUS BEGAN THEN TO SPEAK TO THEM ABOUT THIS KINGDOM.      <br><br>     

      THAT'S WHY HE BEGAN TO SPEAK TO THEM FOR INSTANCE IN MARK CHAPTER 9 ABOUT THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM WHEN HE TOLD THEM THERE IN VERSE ONE OF CHAPTER 9, “‘ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU THAT THERE ARE SOME WHO ARE STANDING HERE WHO WILL NOT TASTE OF DEATH UNTIL THEY SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD COME WITH POWER.’” HE SAYS THESE THINGS ARE GONNA HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFETIME BEFORE YOU TASTE DEATH. SOME OF YOU WILL EXPERIENCE THAT KINGDOM AND THE COMING OF THAT KINGDOM. WE GO TO THE END OF LUKE AND WHAT IS HE TELLING SPECIFICALLY HIS DISCIPLES? HE TELLING THEM THERE IN VERSE 49 TO GO AND TO WAIT WHERE? IN JERUSALEM UNTIL THE POWER COMES FROM ON HIGH. READ THAT VERSE WITH ME, “‘BEHOLD, I SEND THE PROMISE OF MY FATHER UPON YOU; BUT TARRY IN THE CITY OF JERUSALEM UNTIL YOU ARE ENDUED WITH POWER FROM ON HIGH.’” EXACTLY ACCORDING TO PROPHECY AND EXACTLY WHAT WE READ HAPPENED IN ACTS CHAPTER 1 AND IN ACTS CHAPTER 2.      <br><br>     

      AND SO WHAT WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND TODAY IS THAT AS WAS PROPHESIED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, AS WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN THE COMING IN LIVES OF JOHN THE IMMERSER AND JESUS, REPENTANCE AND THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND AND THE REALIZATION THAT THESE THINGS WOULD TRANSPIRE IN THE LIFE OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVED AND THAT THEY WOULD SEE IT AND EXPERIENCE IT INCLUDING THE CHOSEN DISCIPLES OF THE APOSTLES WHO WERE TOLD TO GO ON WAITING IN JERUSALEM WHO WAITED THERE FOR THE POWER, WHO DID RECEIVE THE POWER IN ACTS CHAPTER 2 AND THAT ALL THESE THINGS HAPPENED EXACTLY AS GOD PLANNED, THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD WOULD BE ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. THAT BY PURCHASING THE KINGDOM OR THE CHURCH MAN WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO OVERCOME THE WICKEDNESS OF THIS WORLD, THE SIN OF LIFE, AND TO BE ABLE TO LIVE FOR THEIR CREATOR. THE QUESTION FOR YOU TODAY IS HAVE YOU RESPONDED TO THE PLAN THAT GOD HAS GIVEN? AND KNOWING IF YOU DO SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE BLESSED TODAY AND FOREVERMORE!     <br><br>     

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CLOSING COMMENTS   <br><br>   

      LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. I HOPE AND TRUST, THAT TOGETHER WE HAVE ALL BENEFITED FROM THIS SERVICE TO OUR LORD. LET ME ALSO INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY LORD’S DAY MORNING AT 7:30 AS WE GIVE THIS TIME TO OUR CREATOR.    <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 CD 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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      HOW EXCITING IT IS TO SEE JOHN, JESUS AND OTHERS PREPARING THE PEOPLE TO BE READY FOR THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM. HOWEVER, HOW MUCH MORE EXCITING TO SEE WHAT JESUS DID TO PURCHASE IT AND BRING IT INTO EXISTENCE. PRAISE BE TO GOD FOR SUCH A LOVING, GIVING AND CARING SAVIOR!