THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT
PROGRAM AIR DATE: 8-19-18
LESSON TITLE: “THE KINGDOM PRACTICED”
WELCOME
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.
WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. WHAT A GLORIOUS LORD’S DAY MORNING IT IS. AS ALWAYS IT IS AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO HAVE YOU WITH US. WE ARE THANKFUL YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO JOIN US AS WE COMMIT THIS TIME TO THE THINGS OF GOD. IT IS OUR HOPE AND PRAYER THIS MORNING THAT WE MAY EACH PARTICIPATE AND DO OUR PART TO MAKE THIS TIME ACCEPTABLE BEFORE HIM AND ACCORDING TO HIS WORD. NOW LET’S BEGIN BY TALKING TO GOD THROUGH PRAYER!
PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY AND THE GREAT BLESSING OF LIFE. WE THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN AND FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WORSHIP YOUR PERFECT NAME. AND FATHER, HELP US TO ALWAYS GIVE YOU OUR VERY BEST THAT WE MIGHT BE FOUND PLEASING, KNOWING THAT THOSE WHO PLEASE YOU RECEIVE GREAT BLESSINGS TODAY AND GREAT BLESSINGS ETERNALLY. THESE THINGS WE PRAY IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.
AS FOLLOWERS OF GOD IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE REALIZE THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS LIFE. IN FACT, GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US TO SHOW US THE WAY AND TO LIGHT THE PATH THAT IS BEFORE US. THIS MORNING WE WANT TO BEGIN WITH A SONG THAT TELLS US THAT AS LONG AS WE HAVE GOD, WE’LL ALWAYS KNOW WHICH DIRECTION TO GOD. SO, WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AND DO YOUR PART AS WE SING TOGETHER, “I KNOW THE LORD WILL FIND A WAY FOR ME.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
I KNOW YOU HAVE HEARD IT A HUNDRED TIMES BEFORE, BUT NOW YOU’RE GOING TO HEAR IT AGAIN. WE ARE SO BLESSED IN THIS COUNTRY TO HAVE THE MANY PHYSICAL BLESSINGS WHICH WE DO. I AM REMINDED OF THIS FACT YEARLY, TO MANY AFRICAN NATIONS TO VISIT OUR BRETHREN THERE. MOST WHO ARE LIVING IN EXTREME POVERTY SITUATIONS, AT LEAST IN COMPARISON TO WHAT WE HAVE. WHEN YOU FIRST ARRIVE AND BEGIN SEEING THE SITUATION, YOUR FIRST RESPONSE IS HOW CAN I HELP THESE PEOPLE GET OUT OF THIS SITUATION? HOWEVER, AS YOU REASON THROUGH THE SITUATION YOU SOON REALIZE THAT THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN REALLY DO TO HELP MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS IMPROVE THEIR SOCIAL STANDARD OF LIFE. THE TASK WOULD JUST BE TO ENORMOUS AND UNACHIEVABLE. THEN YOU REALIZE THE MOST IMPORTANT NEED WHICH ALL PEOPLE HAVE, WHICH YOU CAN HELP WITH, THAT IS, KNOWING JESUS CHRIST. IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO BRING THE MILLIONS I PASSED ON MY JOURNEY, UP TO THE SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL STANDARD THAT WE LIVE AT, BUT I HAVE SOMETHING BETTER FOR THEM, THAT WILL INSURE THEM OF ETERNAL LIFE! AGAIN, THAT IS JESUS CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED.
THINK ABOUT MY LAST STATEMENT FOR JUST A MOMENT, “KNOWING JESUS CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED,” DOES THIS STATEMENT SOUND FAMILIAR? REMEMBER WHAT PAUL SAID IN 1 CORINTHIANS 2:1-2, “AND I, BRETHREN, WHEN I CAME TO YOU, DID NOT COME WITH EXCELLENCE OF SPEECH OR OF WISDOM DECLARING TO YOU THE TESTIMONY OF GOD. FOR I DETERMINED NOT TO KNOW ANYTHING AMONG YOU EXCEPT JESUS CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED.” HERE WE FIND THE GREATEST POSSESSION THAT WE CAN GIVE TO OTHERS IN THIS WORLD, THAT IS, THE KNOWLEDGE THAT JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR ALL, THAT WE MIGHT BE SAVED.
YOU SEE HELPING THOSE OF THIS WORLD IN A PHYSICAL WAY WILL ONLY SATISFY THE PHYSICAL FOR A SHORT TIME. THE PROBLEM IS THE PHYSICAL VANISHES AWAY OR WILL END! HOWEVER, THE SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST AND OBEDIENCE TO HIS WILL MAKES ONE IMMORTAL. HOW ABOUT THAT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE FOREVER? PAUL TOLD TIMOTHY, “BUT HAS NOW BEEN REVEALED BY THE APPEARING OF OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, WHO HAS ABOLISHED DEATH AND BROUGHT LIFE AND IMMORTALITY TO LIGHT THROUGH THE GOSPEL,” 2 TIMOTHY 1:10. JESUS CHRIST AND HIS WILL FOUND IN THE GOSPEL, GIVES LIFE AND IMMORTALITY!
ONE FINAL VERSE BY PAUL REALLY BRINGS OUR THOUGHTS HOME THIS MORNING. IN 1 CORINTHIANS 2:9, NOTICE WHAT HE TOLD THE BRETHREN AT CORINTH, “EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” YOU AND I AS HUMANS CANNOT EVEN FATHOM THE GREAT THINGS GOD HAS PREPARED FOR US, AS WE STRIVE TO BE HIS FAITHFUL CHILDREN. THE PROMISES AND BLESSINGS ARE HARD FOR US TO EVEN COMPREHEND, BUT THE FACT IS GOD IS THERE, HE DOES LOVE US, AND WE WILL RECEIVE THAT WHICH HE HAS PROMISED. YOU SEE, THIS KNOWLEDGE IS THE GREATEST GIFT OR BLESSING I COULD GIVE ANYONE IN THIS LIFE, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR PHYSICAL CONDITION IS. GOD LOVES THEM, HE IS THERE FOR THEM, AND HE WILL REWARD THEM IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO HIS WILL.
THIS LORD’S DAY, WE WILL CONTINUE OUR SERIES ENTITLED, “AND TRANSFERRED US INTO THE KINGDOM…!” OUR SPECIFIC LESSON TODAY WILL DEAL WITH, “THE KINGDOM PRACTICED.” SO, PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US THIS MORNING AND IN A FEW MINUTES, I WILL RETURN WITH THIS STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD. NOW LET’S JOIN IN OUR SECOND SONG OF THE DAY. THE NAME OF THE HYMN IS, “HAVE YOU COUNTED THE COST.”
LESSON
RAY SULLINS
WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONTINUING WITH US THIS DAY AS NOW WE GO TO GOD'S WORD AND CONSIDER TOGETHER THE GREAT TRUTHS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED CONCERNING THE CHURCH. AND YOU MIGHT RECALL WITH ME THAT NOW FOR ABOUT A MONTH WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE CHURCH AND REALLY PROPHECY AND IN RELATIONSHIP TO IT'S PREPARATION IN THE GOSPEL ACCOUNTS AND ALSO IT'S REALLY ACCOMPLISHING OF COMING TO FRUITION THROUGH THE GREAT GIFT OF JESUS AND THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD AND THEN ACTUALLY THE ESTABLISHMENT IN ACTS CHAPTER 2. AND SO TOGETHER WE'VE BEEN SEEING THAT NOT ONLY DID GOD SPEAK ABOUT THE KINGDOM TO COME, THEN THE NEW TESTAMENT HAS CLARIFIED FOR US THAT KINGDOM HAS COME AND THAT IT IS ONE IN THE SAME WITH THE CHURCH IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE WAY THAT THOSE WORDS ARE USED INTERCHANGEABLY IN SO MANY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES BY NOT ONLY JESUS HIMSELF BUT ALSO BY THOSE LED OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THEN TODAY WHAT WE WOULD BEGIN TO LOOK AT IS THAT AFTER THE CHURCH WAS ESTABLISHED IN ACTS CHAPTER 2, WE SEE THAT THEY CONTINUED STEADFASTLY IN THE APOSTLES DOCTRINE. THEY WERE PRACTICING WHAT IT WAS THAT THEY HAD LEARNED ACCORDING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT THE CHURCH SHOULD DO OR THE KINGDOM AND HOW IT SHOULD FUNCTION. AS SO WE BEGAN TO SEE THAT REALLY ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST WHEN REALLY THERE AS THE CHURCH WAS ESTABLISHED ON THAT DAY AND THE LORD WAS ADDING TO THE CHURCH THE SAVED.
IF YOU'LL NOTICE WITH ME THERE IN THAT TEXT IT SAYS IN VERSE 42 OF ACTS CHAPTER 2, “AND THEY CONTINUED STEADFASTLY IN THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE.” WHO? THOSE IN VERSE 41 WHO HAD GLADLY RECEIVED THE WORD AND WERE BAPTIZED. THOSE IN VERSE 47 WHO HAD BEEN ADDED TO THE CHURCH BY THE LORD HIMSELF WHO HAD RESPONDED TO THE ANSWER OF PETER, REPENT! AND LET EVERYONE OF YOU BE BAPTIZED. THOSE INDIVIDUALS DID WHAT? CONTINUED STEADFASTLY IN THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE. WHY THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE? HAD THE HOLY SPIRIT NOT BEEN GIVEN TO THEM IN A FULL MEASURE BACK IN ACTS CHAPTER 1 AND EVEN THE EARLY PART OF ACTS CHAPTER 2? WAS IT NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT WAS GOING TO GUIDE THEM IN ALL TRUTH ACCORDING TO JOHN CHAPTER 16? CERTAINLY. WAS IT NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT THEY WERE TO WAIT IN JERUSALEM TO COME THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THAT POWER? THAT ABILITY NOT ONLY TO DO MIRACLES BUT TO HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY COULD HELP PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT THE TRUTH WAS? IS IT NOT THE SAME HOLY SPIRIT THAT EVEN JESUS WAS MAKING REFERENCE TO WHEN HE SAID TO PETER I'LL GIVE YOU THE KEYS. THOSE KEYS AND YOU WILL HOLD THOSE KEYS AND WHATEVER YOU BIND ON EARTH WILL BE BOUND IN HEAVEN AND VICE VERSA BECAUSE WHAT HE WOULD RECEIVE WAS FROM THAT HELPER, THAT COMFORTER HIMSELF, GOD, WHO DWELT IN PETER AND HE DWELLS IN ALL OF US. AND SO THEREFORE, AS WE LOOK AT THE GREAT TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD WE SEE THEY CONTINUED IN THE TRUTH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND THEY CONTINUED IN THE PATTERN SUCH AS NOT JUST DOCTRINE, WHICH ARE THE TEACHINGS OF THE APOSTLES, BUT ALSO FELLOWSHIP AND IN BREAKING OF BREAD AND PRAYERS. AS WE BEGIN TO SEE THAT THEN WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THEY WERE NOT ONLY INTERACTING AND IN UNITY OR ONE OR A COMMON GROUP BECAUSE THEY WERE FOUNDED EQUALLY IN JESUS CHRIST AND PURCHASED WITH HIS BLOOD. THEY HAD THAT FELLOWSHIP AS FIRST JOHN CHAPTER 1 SAYS THAT THOSE WHO ARE IN THE LIGHT OF FELLOWSHIP WITH THE LIGHT OR GOD IS WHAT? GOD IS THAT LIGHT. SO THEY HAD THAT FELLOWSHIP CONTINUALLY AND THEY CONTINUED IN THE TEACHINGS OF THE APOSTLES AS THEY WERE GIVING WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT REVEALED. AND IN BREAKING OF BREAD AND PRAYERS, WHICH NEXT WEEK WE WILL LOOK AT, REALLY ARE DEALING WITH THE CONCEPTS OF ASPECTS OF WORSHIP, SUCH AS PARTAKING OF THE LORD'S SUPPER AND IN RELATIONSHIP TO OFFERING PRAYER OR SPEAKING TO GOD THROUGH PRAYER.
BUT AS WE SEE ALL OF THESE THINGS COME TOGETHER WHAT IS PARAMOUNT IS THAT THEY CONTINUED IN THESE THINGS AND THEN THEY EVEN HAD ALL THINGS IN COMMON. THEY WERE INTERESTED IN EACH OTHER, THEY WERE SHOWING LOVE TO EACH OTHER, AND THEREFORE ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS FROM ACTS CHAPTER 2 BEGINNING THERE IN VERSE NINE WHO HAD COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, PROSELYTES WHO HAD BECOME JEWS WHO NOW MANY HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, THEY RETURNED TO THEIR HOMES AND WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY BEGAN TO PROPAGATE? THE GOSPEL OF JESUS! NOT ONLY THE WILL OF GOD ACCORDING TO JUDAISM BUT THE FULFILLMENT OF THAT LAW AS JESUS CHRIST NOW HAS ESTABLISHED THE CHURCH OR THE KINGDOM. AND SO THEY WOULD'VE GONE BACK TO THEIR HOMES. AND BY THE WAY, IS IT NOT PAUL ON HIS MISSIONARY JOURNEYS THAT ACTUALLY COMES AND MEETS UP WITH A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE AND FINDS PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS MOST LIKELY WHO HAD BEEN AT PENTECOST AND HAD BELIEVED AND OBEYED AND BECOME NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANS? SO IT'S AN EXCITING THING TO SEE UNWRAPPED OR UNVEILED BECAUSE THEN, AS WE MOVE ON THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS, WHAT DO WE SEE? THEY CONTINUED TO PROPAGATE THE GOSPEL. THEY CONTINUED TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL EVEN IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION, AND EVEN WHEN STEPHEN WAS KILLED THERE IN ACTS CHAPTER 7 AT THE END AND WE MOVE INTO CHAPTER 8 WE SEE THAT SAUL IS REVEALED TO US AND HOW HE IS DOING WICKED THINGS AND HOW IN VERSE THREE IT SAYS HE'S WREAKING HAVOC ON THE CHURCH AND HE'S ENTERING HOUSES IS HE IS DRAGGING MEN AND WOMEN OFF THROWING THEM IN PRISON. THAT'S THE SAME SAUL THAT WE LATER KNOW TO BE PAUL. WELL, WHAT DOES THAT CAUSE? READ VERSE FOUR OF ACTS EIGHT. IT SAYS, “THEREFORE THOSE WHO WERE SCATTERED WENT EVERYWHERE PREACHING THE WORD.” AS THIS PERSECUTION CAME, IT DID NOT SHUT PEOPLE UP. IT DID NOT STOP THE WORK OF THE CHURCH. IT ACTUALLY CAUSED THEM TO WHAT? CONTINUE STEADFASTLY IN THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE AND TO GO ABOUT AND TELL OTHERS ABOUT JESUS. IF YOU ARE BEING PERSECUTED IN SUCH A WAY, YOU MUST BE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. IF YOU'RE TEACHING SOMETHING IN SUCH A WAY THAT IS TRUE ACCORDING TO GOD, THEN SOMETHING AGAIN MUST BE RIGHT!
NOW WITH THAT IN MIND THOUGH WE MOVE OVER AND WE COULD PICK ANY NUMBER OF EXAMPLES BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TURN OVER TO ACTS CHAPTER 18 WHERE WE SEE ON THE SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY THAT PAUL WENT TO CORINTH AND THERE IN CHAPTER 18 WE SEE HE ACTUALLY ARRIVES IN CORINTH AND HE BEGINS TO DO THE WORK THAT IS BEFORE HIM. AND THE WORK THAT IS BEFORE HIM IS TO, AGAIN, TEACH. AND HE FINDS PEOPLE NO DOUBT IMMEDIATELY WHO ARE INTERESTED AND HE GOES TO THE SYNAGOGUE AND EVEN FINDS THE RULER WHO LIVES NEXT DOOR. AND HE SPEAKS AND HE PREACHES TO HIM AND THERE BEGAN TO BE MANY INDIVIDUALS ACCORDING TO WHAT THIS TEXT SAYS WHO HEAR AND BELIEVE. IN FACT, LOOK AT VERSE EIGHT WITH ME IN CHAPTER 18, AND “THE RULER OF THE SYNAGOGUE, BELIEVED ON THE LORD WITH ALL HIS HOUSEHOLD. AND MANY OF THE CORINTHIANS, HEARING, BELIEVED AND WERE BAPTIZED.” NOW THIS STIRRED UP SUCH A SITUATION THAT PAUL SAYS, ‘WOW, THIS IS EFFECTIVE.’ THERE WERE SOME AGAINST HIM. SOME JEWS AND OTHERS AGAINST HIM AND GOD CAME TO HIM IN A VISION IN VERSES NINE AND 10 AND SAID DON'T WORRY. I'M GOING TO PROTECT YOU. YOU GO AHEAD AND STAY. YOU GO AHEAD AND PREACH. AND WHAT WAS NEAT ABOUT THAT IS IN VERSE 11 IT SAYS THAT PAUL “CONTINUED THERE (IN CORINTH) A YEAR AND SIX MONTHS, TEACHING THE WORD OF GOD AMONG THEM.” AND PEOPLE WERE RESPONDING AND BELIEVING AND SEEING THE POWER OF GOD. AND WHAT WERE THEY DOING AS THE CHURCH IN CORINTH? THEY WERE DOING THE WORK. THEY WERE CONTINUING STEADFASTLY IN THE APOSTLE'S DOCTRINE. THEY WERE FELLOWSHIPPING AND THEY WERE WORSHIPING AND THEY WERE ACCOMPLISHING ALL THAT GOD REQUIRED.
NOW WHAT'S NEAT ABOUT THAT IS NOW WE CAN TURN OVER TO THE BOOK OF CORINTHIANS ITSELF. AND AS YOU LOOK AT CORINTHIANS WHEN PAUL LATER WRITES TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH AND TRIES TO HELP THEM, GUESS WHO HE'S WRITING TO? MANY THAT HE KNOWS. MANY THAT HE IS ENGAGED IN. MANY THAT HE HAS BEEN A PART OF BRINGING TO CHRIST AND HE LOVES THESE BRETHREN. AND THEY ARE DEAR TO HIM, AND HE IDENTIFIES WHO HE IS AS AN APOSTLE. BUT THEN IN VERSE TWO OF FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 1 NOTICE WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. PAUL SAYS I WRITE “TO THE CHURCH OF GOD WHICH IS AT CORINTH.” WHAT WAS AT CORINTH? A CHURCH, A CONGREGATION, ONE CONTINUING STEADFASTLY. YOU SEE, THEY WERE PRACTICING. THEY WERE GOING OUT AND CONTINUING STEADFASTLY. THEY WERE ACCOMPLISHING THE VERY HEART OF THE GREAT COMMISSION: TO TEACH THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD, THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD TO KNOW JESUS AND TO BE BAPTIZED AND TO BE SAVED. AND THEY WERE FULFILLING THAT TASK. THEY HAD BEEN SCATTERED ABROAD AND THEY WERE PREACHING JESUS AND THE CHURCH WAS GROWING. AND THE CHURCH WAS ESTABLISHED IN MANY PLACES BUT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE SOMETHING ELSE HERE. HE NOT ONLY REFERS TO THAT CHURCH THAT HE HAD BEEN A PART OF ESTABLISHING THAT REALLY FOR ALL THESE YEARS AND IN HIS ABSENCE HAVE BEEN PRACTICING THE TEACHINGS OF THE APOSTLES OR THE TEACHINGS OF GOD. HE SAYS, “THOSE WHO ARE SANCTIFIED IN CHRIST JESUS.” THEY WERE ALREADY SAVED. THEY HAVE BEEN SANCTIFIED. THEY HAVE BEEN WASHED IN THE BLOOD CALLED TO BE SAINTS OF GOD WITH ALL WHO IN EVERY PLACE CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD BOTH THEIRS AND OURS. SO WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT IS THAT THEY WERE THE CHURCH OF GOD. FELLOW BRETHREN WITH ALL CHURCHES, ALL FAITHFUL CHURCHES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
AND THAT IMMEDIATELY AGAIN WOULD MAKE ME THEN IN MY MIND GO TO THE BOOK OF GALATIANS. BECAUSE UNLIKE SOME OF THE OTHER EPISTLES THAT WE HAVE THE BOOK OF GALATIANS WAS WRITTEN THERE, GALATIANS CHAPTER 1 VERSE TWO, TO THE BRETHREN WHO ARE IN THE CHURCHES OF GALATIA. SO IT BEGINS TO SHOW US THE SIZE AS THE CHURCH GROWS WITHIN A 20 OR 30 YEAR PERIOD. CHURCHES IN CORINTH AND CHURCHES IN ROME AND CHURCHES THROUGHOUT GALATIA AND CHURCHES AT EPHESUS AND CHURCHES THERE IN MAYBE THE REGION OF COLOSSAE AND CONGREGATIONS THAT WERE ALL OVER OF WHICH PAUL SAID YOU ARE ALL SAINTS. YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WASHED IN THE BLOOD. YOU ARE ALL FELLOW LABORERS AS YOU WHAT? HERE IT IS AGAIN. CONTINUED STEADFASTLY IN THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE.
AND EVEN IF WE MOVE WITHIN SCRIPTURE OUT TO MAYBE THE FARTHEST EXAMPLES THAT WE HAVE WHICH COULD BE AS LATE AS THE 90S A.D. WHICH IS FOUND FOR US IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION CHAPTER 1. GUESS WHO JESUS IS ADDRESSING THROUGH JOHN THE REVELATOR? WE SEE THAT HE IS ADDRESSING IN CHAPTER 1 VERSE 11 THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS, THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA, THE CHURCH OF PERGAMOS, THE CHURCH AT THIATYRA, THE CHURCH AT SARDIS, THE CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA, AND THE CHURCH AT LAODICEA. CONGREGATIONS ESTABLISHED BY GOD'S PEOPLE THAT WERE DOING WHAT? CONTINUING STEADFASTLY IN THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE. THOSE WHO HAD BEEN SAVED ACCORDING TO THE PLAN WE SEE IN ACTS CHAPTER 2 AND THOSE WHO WERE CONTINUING IN THE THINGS OF GOD TO SEE THAT OTHERS COULD BE SAVED AND ESCAPE THE CRUEL DEATH AND REALITIES OF SIN. SO THE GREAT BLESSING THAT WE HAVE TODAY AS GOD'S PEOPLE IS THAT SAME PRIVILEGE! TO BE A PART OF THE LORD'S CHURCH WHICH IS ESTABLISHED. AND TO BE A PART OF THE CHURCH THAT NOT ONLY IS INTERESTED IN OURSELVES BUT INTERESTED IN THE SOULS OF MEN THAT WE MIGHT NOT ONLY FIND OUR PLACE IN HEAVEN BUT THAT OTHERS IN THIS WORLD MIGHT BELIEVE IN GOD AND DO SO AS WELL!
CLOSING COMMENTS
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.
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AS CHRISTIANS WE ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE THE PATTERN IN SCRIPTURE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH. THE QUESTION FOR US ALL IS, “WHO ARE WE STRIVING TO PLEASE IN THIS LIFE, GOD OR MAN?” BRETHREN AND FRIENDS IF WE WANT TO BE FULLY PLEASING TO GOD WE BETTER MAKE SURE WE PRACTICE WHAT HE DEMANDS!