- ♪ 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 and need. This morning, your area Churches of Christ welcome you to a program committed to that perfect law of liberty. ♪ Thy light shall guide me in the narrow way ♪

>>As we present "The Living Word." ♪ Precept and promise, love and love combining ♪ ♪ 'Till night shall vanish in eternal day ♪

>>Now here is your host, Ray Sullins.

>>How wonderful it is to gather this Lord's Day morning before the throne of God and worship our Creator. And let me welcome you to our program on this day. It is great to have you with us as we again have the pleasure to strive to learn more from the very Word of God, and I hope you're ready to participate this morning, for God requires each of us to offer our own sacrifices before His throne. Let me also encourage you to sing with us and pray with us and to study God's Word, and do all those things that you can, that we might collectively commune together before the throne of God, and then as well, give Him our very best. So as we begin this time of service before our God and Creator, will you bow with me before His mighty throne in prayer? Our God and Father in Heaven, we thank you for this, another Lord's Day morning. We are privileged as Your children to be able to wear Your name and to know that we reflect for You the very truth and the light that we need to, in order that You will be able to affect the souls and the hearts and minds of people around us. And Father, help us to live every day for You and to be evangelistic and to strive to be those who always show You our love by being obedient to Your commandments. And Father, we thank You because of the gift of Your Son, knowing that in the end, through Your grace, love, and mercy, we will receive the ultimate promise and reward of heaven. And Father, help us to live with this in sight each and every day of our lives. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. One of the greatest blessings that we have each and every week is to join together in songs of praise before God. So won't you do your part and glorify God this morning, as we join in our first hymn of the day. The name of the song, "Do You Know My Jesus?" ♪ Have you a heart that's weary ♪ ♪ Tending a load of care ♪ ♪ Are you a soul that's seeking ♪ ♪ Rest from the burden you bear ♪ ♪ Do you know, do you know my Jesus ♪ ♪ Do you know, do you know my friend ♪ ♪ Have you heard, have you heard He loves you ♪ ♪ And that He will abide til the end ♪ ♪ Where is your heart, O Pilgrim ♪ ♪ What does your light reveal ♪ ♪ Who hears your call for comfort ♪ ♪ When naught but sorrow you feel ♪ ♪ Do you know, do you know my Jesus ♪ ♪ Do you know, do you know my friend ♪ ♪ Have you heard, have you heard He loves you ♪ ♪ And that He will abide til the end ♪ ♪ Who knows your disappointments ♪ ♪ Who hears each time you cry ♪ ♪ Who understands your heartaches ♪ ♪ Who dries the tears from your eyes ♪ ♪ Do you know, do you know my Jesus ♪ ♪ Do you know, do you know my friend ♪ ♪ Have you heard, have you heard He loves you ♪ ♪ And that He will abide til the end ♪ ♪ Til the end ♪

>>What if you lived in a hut in Africa? What's a hut? Well, it's a very primitive type of dwelling with a dirt floor, usually mud walls, and a thatch roof. And then someone visits your village who is from another country halfway around the world. You hear their message, and you see that it's actually from God and found in the Bible, and then you respond to it. Then in a few days, that person leaves with all of his or her knowledge, and there you are, maybe with others who also have believed, alone with no one to guide you or to help you to learn further the teachings of Jesus Christ. How good of a Christian do you think you could be under these types of circumstances without that help and without that needed direction? I think many times, we are eager to get people to respond to the Word of God, but we forget the second half of the Great Commission. Look at what Jesus told His disciples in Matthew chapter 28, verses 19 through 20. "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Notice this. "Teaching them to observe all things that I've commanded you. And lo, I'm with you always, even until the end of the age." Amen. As I read these words of Jesus, we see that He was commanding His disciples to make more disciples who were well aware of truth. In fact, Jesus told them to make more disciples of all nations. This is the part, and certainly generally what we think of as Christians within the Great Commission, that we want to accomplish and we strive to accomplish. However, what did He say in verse 20? To teach them to observe all things, not some, but all. Are we doing that? Jesus even clarifies this when He is talking about the things that are spoken in this passage as He says the things that they must obey or follow are His commandments. Again, how can one follow the commandments if they are not taught or if they have not learned those commandments? You see, it is our God-given responsibility to help Christians, especially new Christians and children of God to mature in the faith. One part without the other often is worthless. In fact, we are really not accomplishing what God wanted us to when we simply help someone to believe and obey, but then we don't help them to understand the teachings that actually keep them in the grace of God and help them to continue to be pleasing in His sight. In fact, this may have been the problem that Peter was dealing with in his book. In fact, in 2 Peter chapter two and verse 21, it says, "For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandments delivered to them." We know that Peter was talking about those who had already responded and believed and obeyed, because in verse 20, he said that those he was referring to had escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Do you think this happened often in the day and time of the apostles? Certainly people did respond and obey, but many did fall away, according to what we read. So the question we ask is why? Maybe it's because they were not doing sometimes what we also are commanded to do, to teach people to continue in the things of God by observing all things. Would you agree? So let's start doing all we can this day to fulfill the full commission of God given to all the faithful, that we might challenge others not only to believe and obey, but also to continue to obey the commandments of God, that people having done so and remain faithful will ultimately recede the crown of life in the end. As far as our lesson this morning, we would like to think about that series that we've been engaged in for several weeks now. That name is "In the Beginning Was the Word." In our specific lesson of the morning, we'll focus on the Word as Rabbi. So please continue with us, and at the appropriate time, I will be returning to lead these thoughts from God's Word. However, before we focus on our main study of the day, let's sing another song together to be encouraged in the teachings of God. The name of the hymn, "I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord." ♪ I love Thy kingdom, Lord ♪ ♪ The House of Thine abode ♪ ♪ The church our blessed Redeemer saved ♪ ♪ With His own precious blood ♪ ♪ I love Thy church, O God ♪ ♪ Her walls before Thee stand ♪ ♪ Dear as the apple of Thine eye ♪ ♪ And written on Thy hand ♪ ♪ For her my tears shall fall ♪ ♪ For her my prayers ascend ♪ ♪ To her my cares and toils be given ♪ ♪ Till toils and cares shall end ♪ ♪ Beyond my highest joy ♪ ♪ I prize her heavenly ways ♪ ♪ Her sweet communion, solemn vows ♪ ♪ Her hymns of love and praise ♪ ♪ Jesus, thou friend divine ♪ ♪ Our Savior and our King ♪ ♪ Thy hand from every snare and foe ♪ ♪ Shall great deliverance bring ♪ ♪ Sure as Thy truth shall last ♪ ♪ To Zion shall be given ♪ ♪ The brightest glories earth can yield ♪ ♪ And brighter bliss of Heaven ♪

>>We're so glad you've continued with us this day as we now go to God's Word and have the privilege of looking at another lesson in relationship to our overall series on Jesus. What we've been trying to consider together is from the book of John chapter one, the many different descriptive terms that are spoken of in relationship to our Savior. And now for several months, we've had a great study together and today we continue to look at yet another term that is used in the first chapter to really identify something, a trait or characteristic, something that is really unique to Jesus, because He was not only the Son of God but He also was the one who was the God or Creator Himself, as the first four verses of that chapter indicate. So our text this morning is taken again from John chapter one, but in verse 38. So if you'll turn with me and look there in your Bibles, I think you'll find it interesting that within the discussion that is taking place here between John and two of his disciples about Jesus, in fact, one of the things that we have looked at is the Lamb of God, verse 36, but then as he is describing and speaking concerning Christ, notice verse 38. He says, "Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?" So those are the words of Jesus, and here's their response to Him. "They then said to Him, "Rabbi." Now it's unique, because in many of the translations including for instance my New King James here, the text actually goes on to clarify what the word rabbi is making a reference to or what it is referring to. So in the text it actually says, "Rabbi, which is to say or translated teacher." And then they said, "Where are you staying?" So what we find here is that these disciples of John now who have been following John and who are looking forward to the coming of the Messiah, are told by John, "This is the one. He is the very Lamb of God, and therefore recognize Him," and they then interact with Jesus, and Jesus is someone then who begins to speak to them concerning the things of life, really, and ultimately proving to them not only by His knowledge or His awareness of what we'll see in just a moment, that He is God. He's not only from God, but that He is God. And so here, they refer to Him as Rabbi. Now the word rabbi is unique, and that's the word we're going to focus on. It's unique in the fact that it can be translated teacher, but it's also unique in the fact that it's really referring to a scholarly one or someone who has been trained or knowledgeable in something. Obviously we're talking about spiritual things here, but this is the one who is knowledgeable or has been trained. Some translations even say the great one. Some can even say that not only my teacher, but my great individual or individual who guides, or individual who leads me. And another idea that I thought was interesting is the concept of master. And if you are to think about the word lord or kurios, that concept also comes with that idea of the master or the lord over another. Well, this is another word that actually is a unique word that can be translated master or teacher, in the sense of a learned individual. Now, to understand more about that, we need to understand that the concept of teaching or to say a teacher really comes from a noun that is more along the lines of didasko, the verb, or the idea of one who teaches. And so just trying to show you that this is a unique word that is being used here, and in fact, within the text, we can even find that uniqueness being presented and we'll bring that forward in just a moment. If you'll notice with me here, though, there's something else that is said concerning rabbi. We know that two of the disciples that are being called here or that are being dealt with ultimately lead us to Peter and Andrew, who actually refers to Him as the Christ, something that we'll look at next week, the Messiah Himself. But if you drop down to the discussion around verse 43, we see the calling of who are called the disciples Philip and Nathaniel. And so Philip goes and calls Nathaniel and says, "We have found that Jesus of Nazareth," verse 45. And then the idea said, "But how can a good thing come out of Nazareth?" But really all I want you to focus on in relationship to what is being said here, is that after they have that discussion, Jesus then is approached by Nathaniel and then He tells Nathaniel something that really Nathaniel is unable to really ignore, and we find that there in verse 48. It says Nathaniel said to him, "How do you know me?" Because He calls him by name. "Before Philip called you when you were under the fig tree." He says, "I saw you." Well, Nathaniel knew you weren't with me. You weren't anywhere around me. In fact, I just now have heard about you from that location, and I came to where you are. So then notice the response of Nathaniel, verse 49. Nathaniel answered and said to him, "Rabbi, Rabbi." Now if you'll think about that, he goes on to say, "You are the Son of God," which was also a reference made in last week's lesson. "You are the King of Israel." So, so many identifying concepts about Jesus there, it is almost overwhelming really to cover all of them that are found in this chapter. We tried to pick out those that are highlights, but notice that he first says, "Rabbi." Why does he say Rabbi? Because from a Jewish standpoint, the word rabbi was an honorary term of, again, master or teacher. It wasn't just referring to someone who teaches, or a teacher. It was referring to a religious scholar, again, one who was master, or in the sense of a master, a teacher of the people as really called by God, therefore the great one or the unique or special one. And so this term is significant. Let me give you another example there. If you'll think about only a few chapters over, there's the story of Nicodemus, and you might remember with me in chapter three, where Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, actually comes to Jesus, and I want you to notice what he says in verse three to Jesus. It says, "This man came to Jesus by night." And notice how Nicodemus, a Jew, a Jewish rabbi, a Jewish rather scholar, notice how he addresses Jesus. This tells you a lot. He says, "Rabbi." He calls Him Rabbi. He wouldn't have called Him Rabbi, except by the fact as a Jew, he did it out of the highest respect for His rank or His knowledge as a master in understanding. And then I want you to notice what he goes on to say. He says, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God, for no one can do the these signs that You do unless God be with him." Notice that he doesn't say, "I know that You're from God," or, "I know because of the signs and wonders You're from God." He says, "We know." He says, "Well, in the discussions we've been having as scholars, as rulers, as those of the synagogue, we know." So it wasn't just Nicodemus. There were many who were already beginning to believe. And notice he doesn't come to Him and says, "Well, who are you?" or, "I know You claim to be the Messiah." He doesn't just come up to Him and and say, "You good one," or, "You seem to be a good man," or, "You're doing good deeds." He comes up and he says, "Rabbi." He's referencing Him as a high-ranking Jewish scholarly great one, which is of the highest really standard of understanding. And so what we know then is Nicodemus clearly referred to him as Rabbi. We also know His disciples did, not only those as they were being called here in this text, such as Nathaniel, but if you'll turn back with me to Mark chapter nine, it's quite interesting, in chapter nine, that in verse five we read this. Peter then answered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi," and this was in the Mount of Transfiguration when they were saying, "Well, should we build an altar for Elijah and for Moses and for You?" And then notice how he addresses Jesus. He says, "Rabbi, O my Master, our scholarly teacher, the one not only of God, but from God." And so again, we understand the beauty of that concept and the significance of that concept. But now I want you to go with me in our last few minutes to the book of Matthew, and there's something that's interesting that is seen in the book of Matthew because there's a discussion about how that really in a spiritual sense, we don't call someone rabbi or teacher, and in a spiritual sense we don't call someone father, because there's really one who is our Father spiritually. That is God the Father, not some man on the earth or men in a religion who claim to be earthly fathers. But there's but one spiritual Father, and so Jesus says, "Call no other man father. There's but one Father." And then He says, "Call no other man in that spiritual sense a teacher." So He uses the word rabbi, but then when He continues on there in that text, and right after He says, "Call no man rabbi," I want you to know what He says in verse eight. He says, "But you, do not be called rabbi." You leaders, don't be called rabbi as if you are something, because without God, we are nothing. But then He says, "One is your teacher." Now what's interesting about that is that's those two different words I was speaking about in the Greek. One refers to rabbi or a master, one who is great in the understanding of scripture, and the other is simply a teacher, but here in the original language, it says the teacher, the one and only, the main teacher. So He says, don't call anybody spiritually, don't be called rabbi as if you're something spiritually, or some official spiritually, but rather call one, Jesus, the Teacher, the Teacher. We might many of us be teachers of the things God says, but there's one who is the Word and the Teacher. There's one, but one who is the Rabbi, one who is worthy of such things. And how interesting, that within this text and within the text that we are considering this morning, that what we find is that very thing, that this concept is such a beautiful concept that Jesus Himself was referred to, to where he was even telling the Jews that no longer, no longer, you call yourselves rabbis, or those who as of spiritual authority have power or control over all the people, because guess what? There's but one who really meets that standard, and that's God Almighty. So within our main text, then, backing up once again to John chapter one, how beautiful it is then to see that within the descriptive concepts of who Jesus was, that not only John the Baptist, not only individuals like the called disciples, Peter and others, not only individuals like Nathaniel and also Philip, not only individuals like Jewish leaders such as Nicodemus, but others called Jesus Rabbi because they knew He was different. They knew He was unique, and then when using the word Rabbi to show its uniqueness to Jesus, they also called Him beautiful, other descriptive concepts, as we saw there in the text, like the Son of God, like the King of Israel, like the Savior of all. Is Jesus your Savior today? If not, make sure that he alone is your Rabbi and Friend. ♪ He is my everything, He is my all ♪ ♪ He is my everything, both great and small ♪ ♪ He gave His life for me, made everything new ♪ ♪ He is my everything, now how about you ♪ ♪ Some folks may ask me, some folks may say ♪ ♪ Who is this Jesus you talk about ev'ry day ♪ ♪ He is my Savior, He set me free ♪ ♪ Now listen while I tell you what He means to me ♪ ♪ He is my everything, He is my all ♪ ♪ He is my everything, both great and small ♪ ♪ He gave His life for me, made everything new ♪ ♪ He is my everything, now how about you ♪

>>We thank you again for putting God first and choosing to give this time to Him. It is always a pleasure to have you with us, and we invite you to join us every Lord's Day morning at 7:30 as we commit ourselves to this worship before God's throne. But now, let me ask you if you have any questions or comments about today's lesson. Maybe you would like a free transcript or a free CD or DVD of the program, or possibly we can assist you with free Bible materials or free Bible correspondence 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. How wonderful it is to have a true spiritual Father and Teacher in our God and Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May we therefore never replace this specific position with mere men of the earth, knowing that only God is our Teacher and our Father spiritually, and therefore is able to help us to know what to do, how to live, and how to save souls. So let me ask you today who is your spiritual Father before God?

>>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. ♪ 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 ♪