>>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. As we present "the Living Word". Now here is your host, Ray Sullins.

>>"the son of man did not come to be served "but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28. Welcome to our program on this wondrous Lord's Day morning. And as always, it is a privilege to have you with us for the living word of God. And thank you for choosing to be with us as we give this time of offering to our creator. Today we have the opportunity together to worship and praise our God and to glorify our creator through songs of praise and through the study of His perfect word. What better activity could we be engaged in this morning for the sake of God than to worshiping Him and to give Him glory? And so I hope we all will do our own part to make this time acceptable in His sight and according to His perfect will. As we approach our Father at this time, will you bow with me in prayer? Our God and Father in Heaven, we are so thankful for this, another day of life. We're thankful for the blessings that we have from you, Father, for we know that all physical blessings and all spiritual blessings come from you. And Father, we know especially that you have given us the greatest of all blessings in your son Jesus. And we thank you for the sacrifice that He made on the cross, the shedding of blood, as well as His resurrection, that allow us to be found justified today before you, according to your will, and ultimately justified eternally. And Father, in the end, through your grace, love, and mercy, may we be found presentable in your sight that we might live with you eternally in Heaven. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. this morning we want to begin a song of praise that helps us to understand just how blessed we are as children of God in the fact that someday we will have a place or a home in Heaven. So won't you join in with the congregation at this time as we sing together Zion's call. ♪ Zion's call sweetly rings ♪ ♪ Over land and sea ♪ ♪ Bidding us look to realms above ♪ ♪ While the light from the throne ♪ ♪ Shines for you and me ♪ ♪ Let us list to the call of love ♪ ♪ Zion's call is ringing ♪ ♪ Coming from the throne above ♪ ♪ While we Hear it ringing ♪ ♪ Let us Heed the call of love ♪ ♪ On the road to the goal ♪ ♪ Burdens we must bear ♪ ♪ But we have Help from realms above ♪ ♪ We receive courage new when we kneel in prayer ♪ ♪ Let us list to the call of love ♪ ♪ Zion's call is ringing ♪ ♪ Coming from throne above ♪ ♪ While we hear it ringing ♪ ♪ Let us heed the call of love ♪ ♪ While we tarry below ♪ ♪ there is work to do ♪ ♪ And our strength cometh from above ♪ ♪ As we labor and wait we must all be true ♪ ♪ Let us list to the call of love ♪ ♪ Zion's call is ringing ♪ ♪ Coming from throne above ♪ ♪ While we hear it ringing ♪ ♪ Let us heed the call of love ♪

>>when we talk about faith or having faith in God, we all know this means that we must follow His will. when I think of following God's will, I think of many things that God asked us to do as faithful servants in His kingdom. For we all know that Jesus Christ was also a servant of God and willing to do the will of the Father. One attribute that really stands out in my mind this morning is found in Ephesians 4:32, when Paul said, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another just as God in Christ forgave you. Oh, what a beautiful verse this is as we learn that we are to be those who are forgivers as God Himself has forgiven. But you might wonder, what should motivate me to forgive others? Well, the same verse actually answers that question for us. when the writer said, just as God in Christ forgave you, you see, we forgive because we are forgiven. I'm sure that Paul got this information directly from God through the Holy Spirit because we see the same idea was even spoken by Jesus Himself in the Lord's Prayer where we find in Matthew 6:12 that Jesus Himself said, and forgive us of our deaths as we forgive our debtors. Again, that same idea is that God forgave us. therefore we should learn to forgive others to practice that which God has practiced toward us. A final verse, which also might drive this point home, is found in that same opening just a few verses down verses 14 and 15. there again, we read this: for if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses. Again, listen to our savior's words. they are so clear, forgive and be forgiven. But verse 15 is really the key of it all when it is said, if you don't forgive, you will not be forgiven. As followers of God then, we must realize the importance of forgiving because the only way that we will be those who are forgiven by God Himself from sin, is when we are those who also learn to forgive others. And why shouldn't this be a requirement? Because even God Himself was willing to do the same, and even Jesus was willing to say that He forgave others. I'm always reminded of that beautiful moment on the cross when Jesus said, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. And at that point they'd not even asked for forgiveness. So are you a forgiving person in your life as Christ has also shown the lesson or the example of forgiveness in His? Our topic today will again focus on the works of the flesh. And today our specific focus will be on the word sorcery. So please stay with us this morning and in just a few minutes, I'll return to lead these thoughts from God's Word. As far as our second song in the morning, the name of the hymn, 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 ♪ ♪ I will rest at the 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 ♪ ♪ I will rest at the 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 I here 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 ♪ ♪ I will rest at the close of the day ♪ ♪ And I know there are joys that await me ♪ ♪ when I've gone the last mile of the way ♪

>>We're so glad you've continued with us this day now as we go to God's word, and as we look at another lesson in relationship to the works of the flesh, appreciate so far those who have been enjoying our series here and looking at those things that certainly have been a plague on man from the very beginning as far as sin, and how here Paul in Galatians 5 actually list what He refers to as the works of the flesh, those actions that we choose to take in the flesh and that are against are contrary to the will of God or what we would need to bear as proper Christians in the fruit of the spirit, which obviously also has dealt with in this passage and which we have also covered in previous lessons before as well. But today what we would like to look at is also found there in verse 20. And really it ties in well with what we looked at last week because we have two words here that are discussed, that really somewhat work together in their understanding. And if you look there in verse 20 of Galatians Chapter 5, it says their idolatry and then sorcery. And so when we put these two ideas together, generally what we think about is that which is not only contrary to God, as all of these sins would be separating us from God or making us contrary to the things of God. But really what we're looking at here is the idea of a Godlessness. We often use the word to be one who is un-Godly, but Godless means someone who doesn't even believe or follow God or the true God. And so idolatry then would be something that really is about man or man's difficulty in being able to follow or believe in God. Now, the problem sometimes is that when we look at the word idolatry as we've studied last week, we wanna consider it from the standpoint that maybe it is a very specific word only in connection to maybe an idol or worshiping of other Gods or Gods of some sort. But really what the Bible deals with in connection to idolatry is not only the worship of a God or many other Gods, but the idea of even putting something before God and making it an aspect of what we follow or that we worship in the stead of God. And that's really again, another important part, of understanding how we let God down. Within the 10 Commandments, you might recall they were told not to worship graven images and to have no other Gods. You see, that is encompassing the idea of not to turn to an idol, something fashioned as a God or a man that is worshiped as God or to, again, claim that anything was your God or to be put above the true God. And so that's why when we looked in at our word today, which is sorcery, that really the word sorcery has to be understood in connection to this un-Godlessness. We think about the idea that certainly when we consider power, that God is all powerful, God is perfect, and pure and righteous. And so we know there is what we might refer to as a power that is good, or wholesome, or perfect, God power. And then certainly throughout History and it, excuse me, even Biblical History, what we find is that there are also those powers of maybe that witcHes of the world are evil. So on one hand we have a good righteous, perfect power. On the other hand, we have wicked or evil power or those things that might pertain even to witchcraft and sorcery. And so these ideas from the word here that can be translated sorcery or witchcraft, certainly then would be a part of that which is contrary to God, because it is the idea of again, practicing or looking to a power that is beside or beyond God, or not the true, righteous, pure all power that God has. Now with that in mind, then we look at specifically the word, the word itself that is used here in Galatians 5, is only found two times in the New Testament. the Greek word is, as we see here, translated as sorcery. Some versions used the word witchcraft, but it really is related to the idea of a drug or a spell, even to the point, of someone being poisoned to lose their understanding or their faculties because of a spell or because of drugs or medication or some sort, maybe smoke or aroma. And certainly when you think about witchcraft and things like this or sorcery, even that you might see on movies, modern movies today, you generally see types of smoke or smells, or scents, or enchantments or different types of elements that are used that that again will affect or alter people or actions, and things such as that. And so they're getting that from this same concept of what this word would be used for. Now in translating this word, most commentators believe that you have to look at it in conjunction with idolatry. And so just not looking at the idea of one who, again, is a sorcerer or a witchcraft, but someone who is serving another power. See, that's why we began there, serving a different power, another power, evil, wickedness, worldliness. You see they've sat something else up as their God, and therefore they have given themselves to witchcraft, or sorcery, or that which is contrary to God. I thought to understand the word, it might be good then to go to revelation. the only other place this form of this word is used and is translated, is found there in Revelation 18. You might remember with me in Revelation 18 is talking about the fall of Babylon or what is described here obviously as the Roman Empire, and how that God certainly is going to be dominant and able to destroy them, again speaking of them in relationship to the days of old. But there around verse 23 as it describes the idea of the finality of the destruction of Babylon or Roman that day. Notice that verse 23 says this: the light of the lamp shall not shine in you anymore. That's the idea of Rome, and the voice of the bride groom and the bride shall not be Heard in you anymore, for your merchants were the great men of the earth, but for by your sorcery, all nations were deceived. And if you studied the book of Revelation, what you'll find is that because of the wickedness such of as in olden times of Babylon, and then Rome and then the other nations and empires that served her or were under her, that the wickedness spread through the empire. And that's not uncommon when we think of how things work in the world. And so here what is being said what is being said is that the sorcery, the enchantments, the desire to set Rome up and to follow Rome and to look to her, her sorcery, were able to really entice individuals and they followed her as a God. And if you remember, that's why within the text, she is described as a beast with a harslet that is sitting upon her and all the nations are following and worshiping the beast and the harslet. And so that is the description that is given in connection to again here, the use of this word, the sorcery, the enchantments, that individuals would look to. Now again, to understand the word, although it's a different Hebrew word that is used, you can go all the way back to Egypt. Do you remember when Moses went there and he began to perform some of the things that God gave him to prove that he was from, the Almighty God, and the rod became a snake, and the water turned to blood, and many of those things, do you remember that the text there around Chapter 7, and so, in Exodus talks about the fact that the sorcerers, or that Pharaoh called his magicians and his sorcerer, and they were able to use their enchantments and their sorcerers, their witchcraft to, in some ways, to imitate the things that Moses had done, although that Moses snakes swallowed all of their snakes and although they might have done a little bit of a bowl of water and turned it to blood, but Moses did all of the waters in Egypt, so to speak. So, now again we see a a great distinction, but we understand that the power of sorcery and witchcraft comes from what we might refer to and even understand today as a dark magic, a world magic, a magic that is not of God. And so that's why it is described here as something that is not what Christians are interested in as far as really practicing or following in this life, because the only good, again, the only pure, the only right, the only acceptable power is the power that is from God for God is and all powerful and a God of perfect power once again. Other things that we might learn about the concept of sorcery is for instance found back in 2 Chronicles 33. It is described here in relationship to the people of God and the effect that it had on the people of God as being something that was evil. In fact, you might recall with me that there were many kings in the days of the people of God, Israel, including also Judah who were evil, who did things contrary to the will of God. But in chapter 33 of second Chronicles, we read there about the one called Manasseh. If you read there within some of the things it says that He actually rebuilt verse three, the high places that have been broken down. And it actually says that He was engaging in many of the things that were contrary to God. So we have a a description here about how he, verse six of 2 Chronicles 33, returned to witchcraft, and sorcery, and soothsaying, and what do we find? these things were abominations, as were considered here by God. And also, we could find there verse familiar to us in Revelation 21, in verse 8 at the very end of the Bible, where we usually say that liars are described and cowards are described and it says those who are engaged in such will not inherit the kingdom of God and will find their place in the lake of fire. Do you know what other word is used, they're among the evils and wick, sorcerers. It says Sorcerers will find themselves in the lake of fire. So that's what I was hoping to Help you to understand in our discussion today, that sorcery has no part in the life of the faithful as far as that of reality and practicing of such of the faithful, because it is of power or related to power that is not of God or according to the perfection and goodness of God, but rather we have all the power we need in God. Isaiah said there in Isaiah 8:19-20, that we should rather turn to God, consult God and find power in God. And if we can do that, what would that mean to us, something so great? One final example is found there in Acts 8, and you might recall with me someone called Simon the sorcerer, and it says Simon the sorcerer was someone who was really doing things and creating sorcery and witchcraft, that people were amazed at His abilities. But do you remember Simon's reaction when He saw the actual power that God's apostles had? Do you remember what Simon said? He says, I wanna buy that power. I wanna buy the ability to give that power even to others, because it says he saw buying through the land of hands, what does that tell you? Simon is a sorcerer didn't have real power. He'd never seen true power like the power the apostles had. And so what did He want? He wanted to buy that power. You see, my brethren, you see my friend, why would we turn to powers of darkness, the world, things that are contrary to God, when you and I understand and know that we serve a God who is all powerful, so powerful, that He made the universe itself and created each of us, so that we might not only know Him, but that we might be able to understand His will through the Bible and follow Him, that ultimately, we might not only have life today, but also have life eternally with Him in Heaven. Why not live today and every day so that in the end, such is the case? ♪ Blue skies and rainbows ♪ ♪ And sunbeams from Heaven ♪ ♪ Are what I can see when my Lord is living ♪ ♪ In me, I know that ♪ ♪ Jesus is well, and alive today ♪ ♪ He makes His home in my Heart ♪ ♪ Never more will I be all alone ♪ ♪ Since He promised me that we never would part ♪ ♪ Green grass and flowers all blooming in springtime ♪ ♪ Are works of the master I live for each day ♪ ♪ I know that Jesus is well ♪ ♪ And alive today ♪ ♪ He makes His home in my Heart ♪ ♪ Never more will I be all alone ♪ ♪ Since He promised that we never would part ♪ ♪ Tall mountains, green valleys ♪ ♪ the beauty that surrounds me ♪ ♪ All make me aware of the one who made it all ♪ ♪ I know that ♪ ♪ Jesus is well and alive today ♪ ♪ He makes His home in my Heart ♪ ♪ Never more will I be alone ♪ ♪ Since He promised me that we would never part ♪

>>Let me thank you again for choosing to be with us today for the Living Word program. I hope and trusted together we've all been benefited from this service to our Lord. And let me invite you to join us every Lord's today morning at 7:30 as we give this time to our creator. 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, our 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 869-2284. May we never allow the mystical and magical things presented by man in this world to lead us astray from the only true power and Creator of all things, our God in Heaven. For there's only one absolute power that is based on goodness and perfection, and that is God's power. the question is, are you focused on and are you submitting to God's power today?

>>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.