- ♪ Give me the Bible ♪

>>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 men's questions in need." This morning, your area churches of Christ welcome you to a program committed to that perfect law of liberty. ♪ Holy message shining ♪ ♪ Thy light shall guide me in the narrow way ♪

>>As we present the living Word. ♪ Precept and promise, law and love combining ♪ ♪ Till night shall vanish in eternal day ♪

>>Now here is your host, Ray Sullens. ♪ Give me the Bible ♪

>>Today we awoke to another wondrous and beautiful Lord's day morning and we thank you for joining us as we approach our father in heaven. And how exciting it is to gather as children of God this day to worship and praise our creator on this the first Lord's Day morning of 2023. So let me welcome you to the study of God's living Word in this new year. And on his special day as we gather for this new year and let me say happy New Year. We are certainly glad that you have put God first this day and that you're giving this time to him. As you know, we will have the privilege this morning to sing songs of praise and to study from his precious Word as well as to approach our father's throne in prayer. So at this time as we begin our praise to God, will you bow with me before his throne in prayer? Our God and Father in heaven, we are so thankful for this another Lord's day and the great privilege of life. Father, if we know that all things come from you and that you bless us physically and spiritually with all that we have need of. And Father we know the greatest of all gifts was found in your Son Jesus and we thank you for that sacrifice that he made as well as his death barrel and resurrection. And help us Father to live every day that we might meet the standard that you have set of faithfulness that we might be found pleasing in your sight and ultimately through your grace, love, and mercy receive salvation and eternal life in the end. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Now it's time to join in our first song to God this morning. Our first hymn of the day focuses on the road that is ahead of all those who are faithful to God even when we come to the end. So at this time, won't you join in with the congregation as we sing together the last mile of the way. ♪ If I walk in the pathway of duty ♪ ♪ If I work till the close of the day ♪ ♪ I shall see the great King in His beauty ♪ ♪ When I've gone the last mile of the way ♪ ♪ When I've gone the last mile of the way ♪ ♪ Last mile of the way ♪ ♪ I will rest at the close of the day ♪ ♪ Close of the day ♪ ♪ And I know there are joys that await me ♪ ♪ When I've gone the last mile of the way ♪ ♪ If for Christ I proclaim the glad story ♪ ♪ If I seek for His sheep gone astray ♪ ♪ I am sure He will show me His glory ♪ ♪ When I've gone the last mile of the way ♪ ♪ When I've gone the last mile of the way ♪ ♪ Last mile of the way ♪ ♪ I will rest at the close of the day ♪ ♪ Close of the day ♪ ♪ And I know there are joys that await me ♪ ♪ When I've gone the last mile of the way ♪ ♪ And if here, I have earnestly striven ♪ ♪ And have tried all His will to obey ♪ ♪ 'Twill enhance all the rapture of heaven ♪ ♪ When I've gone the last mile of the way ♪ ♪ When I've gone the last mile of the way ♪ ♪ Last mile of the way ♪ ♪ I will rest at the close of the day ♪ ♪ Close of the day ♪ ♪ And I know there are joys that await me ♪ ♪ When I've gone the last mile of the way ♪

>>Do you ever have struggles in this life or maybe to be more accurate, I would say how many struggles do you have and deal with in life every day? The reality is many things that happen in life can bring us down and even discourage us. However, as children of God, we have some promises and hopes that others without God do not have. For example, in Galatians 6, we read that we are there to help one another even in times of need. This means that when I have a problem my brethren are there to help me. Do we turn to our brothers and sisters when we have need of help in this life? Another verse which helps us to know that we are not alone in dealing with the issues of life is found in 1 Corinthians 10:13. There we read, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man. But God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able. But with the temptation, will also make a way of escape that you may be able to bury it. So we not only have our brethren to help us in this life, but obviously, we also have God. And in this text, we learned that God will help us to be able to endure all things and even to not be overburdened when those trials and troubles come our way. The question now is do we turn then to God in times of need, and we have those issues that really we can't bear alone. Finally, notice what the Hebrew writer said in Hebrews 13:5. There we read: "For he himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you." Wow, what a comforting and encouraging statement this is. For our God is there always, and he will never leave us alone. No wonder the same writer went on to say in verse six of the same opening, "The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?" You see, we truly serve a great and mighty God and the question this morning is have you placed your trust and confidence in him today knowing that if you have done such that he's always with you? He'll never leave you and you will make it until the end of time when in the judgment, you'll receive the crown of life. In just a few minutes it'll be time to begin our main study of the day. As far as our lesson topic of the morning, we will again consider our series entitled "In The Beginning Was The Word," The specific lesson of the day will focus on the Word of God as the Son of God and the Son of Man. So please stay with us this morning and in just a few minutes, we will be led in this study from God's Word. As far as our guest speaker this morning, we're happy to have Brother Cory Orr with us. Brother Cory is the minister for the Bona Church of Christ in Bona, Missouri and he is also a part-time instructor at the Bible Institute of Missouri, and we thank him for joining us this day and look forward to him leading our thoughts from God's Word at the appropriate time. For now, it's time to join in that second song in the morning, the name of the hymn, "Do All In The Name Of The Lord". ♪ Whate'er you do in word or deed ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Do naught in name of man or creed ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Yes, the Lord ♪ ♪ Do all in His name ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ In word or deed, as God decreed ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Yes, the Lord ♪ ♪ Be not deceived by worldly greed ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ The Spirit says in word or deed ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Yes, the Lord ♪ ♪ Do all in His name ♪ ♪ Of the Lord ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ In word or deed, as God decreed ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Yes, the Lord ♪ ♪ Till toils and labors here are done ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Dear Christian friends if you'd be one ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Yes, the Lord ♪ ♪ Do all in the name ♪ ♪ Of the Lord ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ In word or deed, as God decreed ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Yes, the Lord ♪

>>Well, good morning and welcome back. We are so thankful that you have joined us today, thankful for the congregation that meets here at Kansas Expressway and for Brother Ray and for allowing me to be able to preach this morning. As we look at one of the greatest topics that we possibly can, we get to look at Jesus, and specifically as the series has been going on, we look at the Word. In the beginning was the Word. John 1:1, there "The word was with God and the Word was God." And today our topic, we get to look at the Word being the Son of God. You know, often we think about the Son of God and perhaps immediately our minds go to John 3 and verse number 16, if you look with me there John 3 and verse number 16. "For God so love the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He who believes in him is not condemned but he who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Here we see the Son of God and as we think about the Son of God and and you can go back to John 1 is where we're going to be going for the majority of our lesson today. But as we think about the Son of God, this shows the fact that he is divine and we think about that divinity as he left the glory of heaven and he came to the earth below that God is the one who gave up his only begotten Son to allow him to be treated the way that he did. You know, when we think about Jesus as the Son of God, the fact that that glory that he gave up for mankind that he would be willing to come to this earth. One of the things that really strikes me is in John 1 beginning here in verse number 29. What we read is: "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said after me comes a man who is preferred before me for he was before me. I did not know him but that he should be revealed to Israel. Therefore, I came baptizing with water and John bore witness saying, I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove and he remained upon him. I did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the spirit descending and remaining on him, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, and I have seen and testified that this is the son of God.'" I've seen and testified this is the son of God. This is what John was able to see and the thing that really strikes me when we really look at these verses for just a moment. Here in verse number 29, when John sees Jesus and he watches him as he is walking upon the face of the earth and he says here that behold, this is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. What we get is this sense of just awe that John has, that he is awe inspired, that he is able to look at Jesus walking upon the earth. He sees the Son of God as he walks upon the earth. You know, I don't know that we oftentimes really think about how truly incredible it is that God sent his only begotten son to the earth and that he was on the earth just as you and I are today, that he was here upon the earth that he walked upon the face of the earth, that he came to take away the sins of all mankind and we think about men like John the Baptizer here who as he watched him, and again, I don't know that you get goosebumps the way that I do. I hope that you do, but when you think about how incredible this was for him to be able to witness the Son of God walking upon the face of the earth, that he watched him as he walked, you get that sense of his job being on the ground so to speak because that's how incredible sight it was for him to be able to look at Jesus as he walked upon the face of the earth. This is the son of God and this is what he testifies of. He says, I've seen him for myself. I've been able to watch him as he walks upon the face of the earth. What an incredible sight to be able to behold. I have seen him and I testify to you. I'm telling you because I've seen with my own eyes this truly is the son of God. And we have then someone else who gives us the same type of testimony beginning in verse number 43 here of John 1, John 1 beginning in verse 43. "The following day, Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and he found Philip and said to him, 'Follow me.' Now, Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathaniel and said to him, 'We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph.' And Nathaniel said to him 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Phillip said to him, 'Come and see.' Jesus saw Nathaniel coming toward him and said of him, 'Behold, an Israelite indeed in whom is no deceit.' Nathaniel said to him, 'How do you know me?' Jesus answered and said to him, 'Before Philip called you when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.' Nathaniel answered and said to him, 'Rabbi you are the son of God. You are the king of Israel.'" Nathaniel says to him, you are the son of God and all Jesus had to do was tell him something so simple. Before Philip came and saw you or talked to you, I saw you sitting under the fig tree. Something so small we think of is that Jesus' able to see him sitting there under the fig tree. Here, Nathaniel so big to him was that that testimony that Jesus gives, he says you are the son of God, the king of Israel. You see so many times when we look at the gospel account especially here like we get to this morning of John, what an incredible thing to be able to look at and to study together as we think about Jesus being the son of God, the son of God who is going to face everything that you and I are going to face. If you would look with me at for a moment at Hebrews 4 for just a moment, Hebrews 4. Notice here as we think about Jesus being the Son of God, as he comes to this earth and he lives a life that is perfect. We see that perfection as the Hebrew writer says here in Hebrews 4, beginning in verse 14 seeing then that we have a great high priest to us 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 within all points tempted as we are yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. If you look at Colossians 3:17, we see that it is through Jesus that we give thanks to the Father. He is truly the son of God as the Hebrew writer writes here. And he is going to face everything that you and I are faced with as we go through our lives all these temptations and things that come upon us, the things that we run into and the things that we have that try to trip us up as we do our best to live a life according to the standard of God's Word. Notice Jesus here faces everything somebody could possibly be tempted with. There may perhaps be things that you're tempted with that I am not. There may be things that I am tempted with that you are not tempted with. Let us understand that Jesus was tempted with everything you and I have ever will ever and could ever possibly be tempted with. And he came through it without sin, the son of God. He is the one and the reason we can come boldly before the throne of grace. You know, Ray has already let us in prayer today and we think about the fact that in Ray's prayer as he prays he prays to the Father and he prays with confidence. He prays with boldness knowing that God hears his prayer and understanding that God is listening to him. We can have that same boldness and the reason that we can have that same boldness is because of Jesus, the son of God.' Because of him, we can come boldly before the throne of grace. I want to think about for a moment, if you look at 1 John 1, the men that walked with Jesus not just Philip and Nathaniel, but let us think about the fact that we read there that Philip was from Bethsaida, the same as Andrew and Simon, that same town. We think about Simon Peter and Andrew his brother along with James and John they were the first four apostles that were disciples that were called to follow after Jesus. We think about those men and think about what they have to say. Here in 1 John 1 beginning in verse number one, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon in our hands, have handled concerning the Word of life," and there's our topic, the Word of life. "The life was manifested and we have seen and bear witness and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us that which we have seen and heard, we declare to you that you also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his son, Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full." What we see there is again Jesus, the son of God. The fact that they were able to hold him, the fact that they were able to touch and behold him just as John was, John the Baptizer there in John 1. Let us think about for a moment as we have time remaining, Jesus is also the Son of Man. You see, while we look at God, the Son of God being his divinity and his divineness, we also look at the Son of Man being his humanity. The fact that Jesus was 100% human as you and I, the fact that as we've read there with the Hebrew writer in Hebrews 4 there in verse 15, the fact that he was tempted in all points as we are yet without sin. What we see is that Jesus is completely and totally also the Son of Man. John 1, if you would turn back there with me and look at verse number 51, John 1:51 and he said to him, this is Jesus speaking. Most assuredly I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. Again, this shows his humanity. In Luke 19, we see the purpose that Jesus came to this earth, the purpose that he had in giving up the glory of heaven and coming to be 100% human as you and I. He was born of a virgin. Matthew 1:21 talks about the fact that she would bring forth a son and they would call his name Jesus, son, a man just like you and I. He is flesh and blood just like us. And in Luke 19:10, we see his purpose. "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." Again, there is the Son of Man mentioned this is his humanity, the fact that as a man he is in the home here of a man of a very short stature not that you can tell on TV. I am not six feet tall, okay? I'm not a tall guy. I'm short in stature. Zacchaeus was as well. When we think about here, Jesus went to his home and he tells him, "The Son of Man has come." He comes in the flesh, he came, he shared a meal with him and we see in Luke 24 that Jesus is going to give his life. Jesus is going to die for all mankind for the sins of all mankind, and here he has risen from the grave and there are two angels who speak to the women who have come to the tomb and he says in verse number six, "He is not here but has risen." Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee saying, the son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified in the third day, rise again, the son of man again his humanity here as his life, his physical life was taken. He died upon the cross. He was delivered. He was betrayed by one of his own and they betrayed him. His name was Judas Iscariot. He betrayed him and Jesus was delivered into the hands of sinful men. He was delivered up to be crucified. They took his very life. Jesus went to the cross for the sins of all mankind. You see, it was necessary for him to come to this earth, the Son of God. Also, as we look at the Son of Man to be 100% human, we see his humanity in so many places as we look at the life of Jesus that he wept that he was tired, that he slept, that he was hungry. You see all of these things that you and I face, Jesus faced the same. All the humanity that we have, he was just as human as you and I, and that's what we see here in the Son of Man. Do you know what Jesus has done for you? Do you think about the things that he did for you in giving up the glory of heaven to come to this earth to suffer in the manner in which he did, to give his very life for the sins of all mankind so that we don't have to face the consequences of death but instead, what we get to face is the fact that we have an opportunity for eternal life that would not be possible without Jesus coming and giving his life upon the earth. It's what makes him the Son of Man. When we think about his humanity, the life that he lived the temptations that he faced, all without sin all without giving in to those temptations as you and I have done in our lives. Do we realize that it is because of him that you and I have the opportunity for eternal life? You see, he gave that life on the cross for you and I. Let's not allow that sacrifice to have been made in vain on our behalf. Let's take advantage and follow after him. ♪ The steadfast love ♪ ♪ Of the Lord never ceases ♪ ♪ The steadfast love ♪ ♪ Of the Lord never ceases ♪ ♪ His mercies never come ♪ ♪ To an end ♪ ♪ His mercies never come ♪ ♪ To an end ♪ ♪ They are new every morning ♪ ♪ Great is Thy faithfulness ♪ ♪ The Lord is my portion says my soul ♪ ♪ Therefore I will hope in him ♪ ♪ The steadfast love ♪ ♪ Of the Lord never ceases ♪ ♪ The steadfast love ♪ ♪ Of the Lord never ceases ♪ ♪ His mercies never come ♪ ♪ To an end ♪ ♪ His mercies never come ♪ ♪ To an end ♪ ♪ They are new every morning ♪ ♪ Great is Thy faithfulness ♪ ♪ The Lord is my portion says my soul ♪ ♪ Therefore I will hope in him ♪ ♪ Therefore I will hope ♪ ♪ Therefore I will hope ♪ ♪ In Him ♪ ♪ In Him ♪

>>May I again take this opportunity to thank you for joining us this day. I hope our time together has been an encouragement and been uplifting to us all. And please remember that you're invited to join us every first day of the week at 7:30 as we commit ourselves to this time of worship before God's throne itself. But for now, let me ask if you have any questions or comments about today's lesson. Maybe like a free transcript or free CD or DVD of the program, or possibly we could assist you with free Bible materials or free Bible correspondent courses. No matter what your need is, please feel free to contact us at the following address: "The Living Word, 2540 North Kansas Expressway, Springfield, Missouri, 65803. Many of these items are also available on our website. That address, TheLivingWordProgram.com or if you prefer, you may call us at 417-869-2284. Praise be to God for his Son who came into this world to save all of mankind. May we therefore strive each and every day to live according to his precepts, that we might be found faithful in the end and given the eternal reward of heaven.

>>Our prayer is to help the world know more about God through this television program. The Living Word has been brought to you under the oversight of the Elders of Kansas Expressway Church of Christ in Springfield, Missouri, with the assistance of the following area churches of Christ. ♪ Since Jesus came to seek and save the lost ♪ ♪ Give me the Bible, Holy message shining ♪ ♪ Thy light shall guide me in the narrow way ♪ ♪ Precept and promise, law and love combining ♪ ♪ Till night shall vanish ♪