>>  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,
law and love combining 

 Till night shall vanish
in eternal day 

>> Now, here is your host,
Ray Sullins.

>> Paul once said,

"For whatever a man sows
that he will also reap,

for he who sows to the flesh,

will of the flesh
reap corruption.

But he who sows to the spirit

will of the Spirit
reap everlasting life."

How wonderful it is to have
and to know the promises of God

and even the true end result,
which is everlasting life.

Good morning to you all,
and thank you for joining us

this morning
for this service to God.

And we welcome you
to "The Living Word" program,

a program committed
to proclaiming the simple truth

of our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ,

which is confirmed for us
in his word, the Bible.

I hope you all have
your Bibles handy,

and I hope you're ready
to worship God together

as we sing praises
to his name and study

from his wondrous word.

As we begin our offering
to God at this time,

will you bow with me as we talk
to our Father in prayer?

Our God and Father in heaven,

we are thankful for yet
another day of life

and the great blessings of it,

Father, for we know
that all spiritual blessings

and all physical blessings
come from you.

And Father, we know
the greatest of all blessings

came through your son, Jesus,

as he died on the cross
and gave his life

that we might be able
to have forgiveness of sins.

And as he rose again,

that we might also
be able to rise

and to be new creations
in your sight.

And Father, help us
to live every day,

to be found pleasing
before you,

that we might be blessed now
and blessed eternally.

Father, we thank you
for the avenue of prayer

that we might communicate with
you as often as we need to.

And we thank you
for all the great blessings

again of life,
spiritual and physical.

These things, Father,
we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

It's time to begin our songs
of praise this day.

Our first song of the morning
helps us to reflect

on all the things
that God has done for us.

Therefore, certainly
we should understand

what is required of us
as the faithful.

Are you willing to fully
give yourself to God

and be faithful
in His sight today?

So why don't you join in with
the congregation at this time

as we sing together,
"Have You Counted the Cost"?

>>  There's a line
that is drawn 

 By rejecting our Lord 

 Where the call
of His Spirit is lost 

 And you hurry along 

 With the pleasure mad throng 

 Have you counted,
have you counted the cost? 

 Have you counted the cost 

 If your soul should be lost 

 Though you gain
the whole world for your own? 

 Even now it may be 

 That the line
you have crossed 

 Have you counted,
have you counted the cost? 

 You may barter your hope
of eternity's morn 

 For a moment of joy
at the most 

 For the glitter of sin 

 And the things it will win 

 Have you counted,
have you counted the cost? 

 Have you counted the cost 

 If your soul should be lost 

 Though you gain
the whole world for your own? 

 Even now it may be 

 That the line
you have crossed 

 Have you counted,
have you counted the cost? 

 While the door of His mercy
is open to you 

 E'er the depth of His love
you exhaust 

 Won't you come and be healed 

 Won't you whisper "I yield" 

 Have you counted,
have you counted the cost? 

 Have you counted the cost 

 If your soul should be lost 

 Though you gain
the whole world of your own? 

 Even now it may be 

 That the line
you have crossed 

 Have you counted,
have you counted the cost? 

>> We all have trials
and problems

that we face from time
to time in this life.

And have you ever asked yourself
the question or wondered why me?

I'm sure we've all wondered
these things

when different types of issues
come before us in life,

and we might even
ask the question

and consider was it our fault,

or why do things happen like
this only to me in this life?

Well, think for a moment
about the idea of suffering.

Is it really our fault?

Is it God's fault
that we suffer?

The Bible teaches clearly this
doctrine of understanding

that we do reap what we sow.

Thus, the reality can be
from time to time that we suffer

because of our own sins
and mistakes --

those things that certainly
we are guilty of

or that we are guilty
of doing in life.

James even tells us
to count it all joy

when we fall
into various trials

there in chapter one
and verse two of his book.

But why on earth would James
make such a confusing statement?

Well, if we read on down
in verse 12,

the same passage
goes on to say,

"Blessed is the man
who endures temptation

for when he has been approved

he will receive
the crown of life,

which the Lord has promised
to those who love him."

You see,
we will face temptations.

And therefore the key is
if we endure temptation,

that we will be those
who are blessed by God.

But again, we ask,
what type of temptations

are we talking about here?

Peter clarifies this point
for us there

in First Peter
in chapter four.

Beginning in verse 12,
we read, "Beloved,

do not think it strange
concerning the fiery trials

which try us as though

some strange thing
has happened to us,

but rejoice to the extent
that you are partakers

in Christ's sufferings,
that when his glory is revealed,

you may also be glad
with exceeding joy."

It is clear in this passage that
we should rejoice in sufferings

that are present because
of our faith in Jesus Christ.

And this also shows us that
sometimes suffering might be

because of things that we do,
but sometimes suffering comes

because even that
we have faith in Christ

or even the actions
of others around us.

In the beginning of our
comments, we really understood

and began to understand
the idea that we do need

to realize
that sufferings do come,

but when they come, we should
not really question God

and we should strive
in all of these things

rather to be faithful
to him always.

It also tells us here
throughout the Scriptures

that every step of the way,

if we live according
to the Word of God,

we will be blessed.

And furthermore, God is going
to be with us there to help us.

Even in Romans chapter eight
in verse 38, Paul said,

"And we know that all things
work together for good

to those who love God,

to those who are called
according to his purpose."

You see,
God is going to be with us.

James said, "Every good and every perfect gift

comes from above

and comes down
from the Father of lights,"

again in chapter one
and verse 17 of his book.

So the Bible clearly states
that if we love God

and if we serve God,
we will be cared for by him

and he will help us
even in times of need.

So when we begin to wonder
why do these things happen to us

or why do we suffer or why me,

we really should be
asking the question,

"Are we really serving
God and doing what

He has commanded in our lives?"

Because if so, God is with us.
We will be able to endure,

and ultimately
we will always overcome.

This morning, as far
as our discussion of the day,

we will be continuing
our new series entitled

"The Better Things
from the Book of Hebrews."

Our specific topic today
is "A Better Salvation."

So please continue with us
this morning,

and after our next song
together,

I will be returning
with this study from God's Word.

The name of the next hymn
at this time is

"The Steadfast Love
of the Lord."

>>  The steadfast love
of the Lord never ceases 

 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 

 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 

>> Thank you so much
for continuing with us now

as we go to God's Word
and look at our next lesson

in our new series
concerning the book of Hebrews,

as we've been trying
to look together

at those things
in the Book of Hebrews,

which really are related
as better in

and through
Jesus Christ our Lord.

And so we've been
taking something

from a chapter each week.

And so today we will glean
something from chapter two

to be able to find
a great challenge

as those who desire
to be saved.

And the statement that is
made there in chapter two,

verse three, is about
a great salvation.

In fact, the statement is

"How shall we escape if we
neglect so great a salvation?"

The fact is,
is that God has always desired

that man follow and obey him

and ultimately
that they be saved.

But here it's interesting
that in relationship

to mentioning
the reward itself or salvation,

he emphasizes it with
an additional adjective

by saying it is
a great salvation,

great in the sense
of the context

that there is something now
that has been done in

and by this point that makes it
even more real or better.

And that is the concept, again,
of the very gift of Jesus,

our Lord.
But within that context,

what we would like
to begin to understand

are those things
that pertain to salvation.

We've already made mention
that man from the beginning

has had to make a choice.

And so if you'll notice
the first part of verse

three, he says,

"How shall we escape
if we neglect?"

Unfortunately, many in the world
choose to neglect salvation.

And this is despite the reality
that there is great proof

in and around the world
for the fact that not only

Jesus did come,
but that he did die

and shed his blood in order
that we might have life eternal

and receive the great salvation
that is mentioned here.

You might notice with me
several of those things

that are involved here
in the same text of showing us

why we can have
such a confidence

and why we can know that Jesus
is true and real and dependable,

and also why then
we should not try

to escape or missed
the great salvation.

Verse three, for instance,
goes on to say,

"Which at the first began
to be spoken by our Lord

and was confirmed
by those who heard him."

So how did they know in this day
as the book was being written,

that certainly there was
a great salvation in

and through Jesus Christ

available to those
who were faithful?

The first thing is,
is that because it was given

or spoken by the Lord.

Even Jesus himself
came as the Word

and declared the reality
of the will of the Father

that salvation was being offered
to all men.

He came, as he himself said,

"to seek and to save those
which were lost."

But then he secondly says
in verse three,

"And it was confirmed for us
by those who heard him."

There were many eyewitnesses,

including the disciples
who followed Jesus.

But even the apostles,
as we call them,

who were eyewitnesses,
who saw and who heard

and who knew
that Jesus declared himself

to be the Messiah
and the Christ.

And also they declared
that he was the one

that they should all follow
in order to be saved

or to be recipients
of the great salvation.

So in verse three, we have those
two things that are declared --

that it was spoken by the Lord

and it was confirmed
by those eyewitnesses.

Then the fourth verse
goes on to say,

"God also bore witness
in this way,

both with signs and wonders,
with various miracles and gifts

of the Holy Spirit
according to his will."

So the third thing that we find,

besides the declaration
of God himself

in the fact that he was
the Messiah and God

and the witnesses,
the eyewitnesses,

is that there were signs
and wonders and miracles

performed by the power
of the Holy Spirit.

And all three of these evidences
include the fact

that one could not neglect,
could not claim ignorance,

could not say that they did
not believe or know

that Jesus was the Christ

because of the power
that demonstrated that

He was such,

that power that confirmed

he was exactly
who he said that he was.

And so then the question
found there in verse three

in a rhetorical way
is how then can we escape?

How can we miss out
on the great reward

and end up losing
our souls eternally in hell

when we have had
such a promise and proof

and confirmation
of the great salvation

that is offered through
Jesus Christ our Lord?

The second thing that we find in
the text is found in verse two,

because in verse two,
we begin to find that

there are plenty of examples
in relationship to the fact

that God was going to send
prophetically a messiah

to save the world.

You might remember with me there
in verse two, the Bible says,

"For if the word spoken through
the angels proved steadfast

and every transgression
and disobedience

received a just reward."

What we learn here in verse two
is that the word declared

and spoken by messengers
of every age of all ages,

back in the days,
even of Adam and Eve

and Moses and Elijah and Isaiah
and so on and so forth,

all of them
pointing toward the day

when there would be
a new covenant

and a new individual,
a new messiah, a new savior.

And then how all of these things
were fully

and completely fulfilled in
and through Jesus Christ.

You see, again now, not only
should we in some way understand

the great reward,
the great promise,

the salvation, the great
salvation that is offered,

but we know that we have full confirmation from the Lord,

through the witnesses,

and as well through the signs
and wonders.

But then secondly,
what we have seen

is that we are those who have
the proof of even God's Word

and all of the promises
that were fulfilled in

and through Jesus Christ
when He came to the world

and he lived according
to the will of the Father

and declared the truce
of salvation to man.

And then you might even notice
the choice that is found

at the end of verse two
when he says those who are what?

Transgressors or disobedient,

that they would receive
their just reward.

On one hand, the righteous
who will receive what?

Eternal life.
On the other hand,

those wicked who will be
punished by the wrath of God.

So how can we then,
verse three says, escape?

How can we escape that wrath?

And how are we going to get away
from the transgressions

and the disobedience
if we reject God when we know

there is such a great salvation
and that God has proven Himself

and through witnesses
and miracles

and the word and prophecy and
in relationship to all things,

that Jesus is that Son of God,
God in the flesh,

the Messiah who came to
save all of mankind.

The final thing that we notice

there is also
in the similar text,

and we find there in the text
the great challenge in verse 10

and 11 to understand why Jesus
is that only qualified one.

In verse 10, the Bible says,
"For it was fitting for him,"

that is Jesus,
"for whom all things

and by whom are all things
in bringing many sons to glory

to make the captain
of their salvation perfect

through sufferings."

You see, Jesus is that captain
of the salvation,

the great salvation, and
He did so or accomplished

that goal
or task through suffering.

Now you and I know exactly
what it's talking about,

for he as the Messiah
came even as God in the flesh

and lived, suffered
and even died

the cruel death of Calvary,
was buried,

and then resurrected
on the third day.

And it was that sacrifice,
that sacrifice for you and me

that we could overcome
transgression and disobedience

and therefore be recipients
of the great salvation.

And in fact, we even see
that there in verse 11 --

"For both he who sanctifies

and those who are being
sanctified are all one,

for which reason he is not
ashamed to call them brethren."

So what is that mode,
that method of sanctification?

Well, if you'll drop down
in verse 14,

it is once again clear.

"Inasmuch then as children

we have partaken
of flesh and blood.

He himself likewise shared
the same, that through death

he might destroy
him who had the power of death,

that is the devil."

How have we overcome bondage?

How have we overcome Satan?

How have we overcome sin and
transgression and disobedience

and therefore being
the recipients of the gra--

the wrath of God?

And how rather have
we been recipients

of the great salvation,
such a great salvation

that through
the blood of Jesus Christ,

we have overcome sin

and have been able to be found
as righteous in His sight?

The Bible here says
that by death,

through the shedding of blood,

through the purchase price
that he gave as a propitiation,

he became for my sin
the redemptive price necessary

that I might not only be alive
today, but alive eternally.

And so what, then,
is the challenge for you and me?

Well, in verse
one of chapter two,

we go back and we read this:

"Therefore, we must
give more earnest heed

to the things that we have heard
lest we drift away."

I know you and I want
to remain faithful to God.

We want to be recipients
of that great salvation.

Therefore, having the proofs
and evidences

that have been
revealed to us today

and the opportunity of salvation
in and through the blood

that Jesus Christ Himself shed,

may we be those recipients
of the mansion

that has been prepared
for the faithful

and therefore overcome Satan
and the death

that Satan would offer us
in relationship

to transgression
and disobedience.

You see, today,
as God's children,

we have life and blessings.

But tomorrow and the day after,
we are offered life eternal

because we will be found
faithful in his sight.

>>  There is a habitation 

 Built by the living God 

 For all of ev'ry nation 

 Who seek that grand abode 

 O Zion, Zion 

 I long thy gates to see 
>>  O Zion, lovely Zion 

>>  O Zion, Zion 

 When shall I dwell in thee? 

 A city with foundations 

 Firm as th'eternal throne 

 Nor wars, nor desolation 

 Shall ever move a stone 

 O Zion, Zion 

 I long thy gates to see 
>>  O Zion, lovely Zion 

>>  O Zion, Zion 

 When shall I dwell in thee? 

 Within its pearly portals 

 Angelic armies sing 

 With glorified immortals 

 The praises of its King 

 O Zion, Zion 

 I long thy gates to see 
>>  O Zion, lovely Zion 

>>  O Zion, Zion 

 When shall I dwell in thee? 

>> What a wondrous time
we've had together

to participate
in the things of God.

And I hope all that
we have been engaged

in has been
an encouragement to us.

But ultimately
my hope and prayer

is that we have uplifted
the name of our God

and given him proper
praise and devotion.

But please remember
that you are invited to join us

every Sunday morning
at 7:30

as we gather to give
this time to our Creator.

But for now, let me ask if you
have any questions or comments

about today's lesson, maybe you'd like a free transcript

or a free CD
or DVD of the program,

or possibly we could 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 N. 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.

Thanks be to God
that we have salvation

through Jesus Christ the Son.

What a wondrous gift our Savior
is for all of mankind.

So may we always realize
just how blessed we are to have

and to serve such a loving God
who has provided for us

so many things
that are so much better.

>> 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 the Kansas

Expressway Church of Christ
in Springfield, Missouri,

with the assistance
of the following area

Churches of Christ.

>>  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...