Wednesday Night Bible Study

well praise the lord everyone praise the lord everyone good to see you in the house of the lord tonight and i do greet you in the precious name of jesus lord bless you you can be seated it's good to see you folks here let me give you explanation first of all bishop mccool is not here tonight he is uh conducting a funeral here in the city uh one of the old old original people who he and mother he talked to me just a little bit about it he he picked the family up and brought them to church some of the original members of first apostolic church and they called him and asked him to come and help with that funeral so he is preaching the funeral tonight so we're praying for him and then we're praying for a host of young folks i had the privilege of driving silver eagle bus full of young folks and uh chaperones uh and a couple of vehicles following me and more meeting them up there there's just a whole host that's at camp strong tower this week youth camp that's part of our tri-state district and i know they've been having a great time already i know there's already one of our young folks that received the baptism the holy ghost we got that report and i think we'd give the lord a great big hand for that so pastor anthony and sister kelly have our young folks there at strong tower camp and we're praying for them that god will continue to bless them and reward them for the great time they're having in service and i would repeat one more time i want to keep reminding us pastor whitley already announced it in pre-service news but i want to remind you again that we are hosting camp meeting july 14 15 and 16 wednesday thursday and friday and it is incumbent up on us as the hosts to be here for a special time uh when we're inviting folks to our house and uh i want us to be here in full force welcoming all the guests who'll be joining us from the tri-state district and i know brother and sister ball will be here and i understand there may be some more saints even from the carmel church that's uh going to be here in the camp meeting going to be a great time so i encourage everyone to make your plans we'll be having service of course wednesday night thursday night friday night also thursday and friday beginning at 10 o'clock there will be day services and if you're not working i encourage you you'll hear some wonderful preaching and we'll experience a great time in the lord and those day services as well so you please remember that well it's my honor and privilege uh for to bring bible study tonight here at first apostolic church and i never count this as anything but a high honor to uh teach bible at the greatest church that i know of and that's first apostolic church of knoxville i can brag on you and it would all be true you are known as a giving church a loving church a worshiping church a praising church a church that supports missions both world missions and missions america uh but most of all you are known as a church that loves the word of the lord and i have the privilege of bringing our bible study tonight so i want us to take that take us there right now with the understanding our bishop is uh the greatest bible teacher also that i know and so i i never would think i could fill his shoes but i hope to walk in his footsteps so i want us to get into the study of the word of the lord tonight our lesson is a one word titled lesson tonight and that title is simply saved everybody say saved our lesson text and key verse comes from titus the third chapter beginning at verse number four titus three beginning at verse number four we read but after that the kindness and love of god our savior toward all man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy ghost which he shed on us abundantly through jesus christ our savior that being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life this is a faithful saying and these things i will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in god might be careful to maintain good works these things are good and profitable unto men this past sunday night at the end of the service the praise team started singing a song that we've been singing here for a while but as i begin studying our lesson the words of the verse or the verses of that song struck me once again and i want to use that as foundation to talk about what it means to be saved for the song they sang was entitled say so and you who have been in service many times you've heard that statement let the redeemed of the lord say so but here's the words of the verse because the words of the first verse asks a couple of questions it said what does it mean to be saved we want to claim salvation what does that mean what does it mean to be saved and then it asks another question a question i feel that has an agenda the writer is trying to get a message across for the writer says isn't it more than just a prayer to pray that you know there's a lot of folks would answer that by saying no that's all it is for to many salvation is a little more than praying a sinner's prayer and making the proclamation that i believe on the lord jesus christ therefore i'm saved now that's what the writer asked in the song what does it really mean to be saved isn't it more than just a prayer to pray more than just a way to heaven what does he mean or what does the writer mean by more than just a way to heaven you see there are many who were wanting minimal commitment and minimal requirements they want to do just as little as they possibly can and still feel comfortable that they're going to heaven isn't it more than just a prayer isn't it more than just a way to heaven am i only looking to just say i'm saved so i can get to heaven isn't there more to it than that our bible lesson is entitled saved it goes on to say what does it mean to be his to be formed in his likeness and know that we have a purpose i submit this writer's asking questions that he already knows the answer to i say yes it's more than just a prayer we pray it's more than just a means to get in heaven i want to be saved just to get to heaven oh i guarantee you that's primary in my life i want to make it to heaven but i want to proclaim that i'm saved so i can do his purpose here on earth it's more than just trying to get to heaven i want to see other folks go to heaven too i've got more of a purpose than just to try to get to heaven what does it mean to be his we sing another song that says i belong to god from the top of my head to the soul of my feet i belong to god i'm here to proclaim tonight that salvation is more than praying a sinner's prayer and more than looking for a minimal way to get to heaven there's purpose in salvation there's an idea of knowing we're in his likeness we're like him we have a purpose because the song goes on to say to be salt and light in the world hallelujah i want to be i don't want to go back and preach the end of my message from sunday night but i do want to be the salt in this earth i want to be that seasoning agent that helps the other folks who haven't yet found salvation to know who jesus is i i want to be salty i want to be an influencer not the influence i want to be the light of the world that's what jesus said we would be we would be the salt and the light you see salvation should bring about purpose in our life now yeah i want to get to heaven but i want to have purpose now that i can win others i can lead others to christ so let's look at the subject of our bible study i promise that song wasn't in the text of the bible study but it goes along with what we're studying tonight you see in humanity the will to live and the struggle for survival are central to our human condition and we consequently in our flesh we act upon every challenge of life's circumstances in times of danger and times of loss our hearts are moved and inspired and mankind makes courageous decisions and commits selfless acts to protect others to on other men and women's behalf be a savior from a certain situation the countless examples i could give of heroic acts by men and women who actually have given their life every year when memorial day rolls around when we recognize those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms all of those folks have done courageous things helping in the struggle of life for other they have demonstrated laying down their lives but i've got news for you we cannot talk about salvation until we first talk about the love of god for if we don't preface the salvation message with god's love we will never fully understand what it's like to be formed in his likeness and to have his purpose in our mind god's love is all-powerful it's manifested to all through the one god robin himself in flesh namely jesus christ being manifested as man who are texts and titus called god our savior verse 4. it's that's what he said but after that the kindness and the love of god our savior toward all men god is our savior it's his love for mankind that brings salvation when he robed himself in flesh when he became the son of god in flesh and on the cross he died he suffered all the indignities of being beaten suspended by nails on the cross all of that time he was demonstrating his love for us now i know we hear this message we as christians we've heard this so much we as apostolics but sometimes i wonder if we all don't get a big a bit calloused to understanding the all-encompassing love of god his love was not just for one of us it was not just for an elite few but his love was for all mankind for the world to be saved his love appeared so the whole world could be saved paul told titus and verse 5 of our text he talked about salvation which is that escape from the plight or the bondage of sin that's kind of the definition that we're looking for right now what gives us the escape from sin the sacrificial death of christ delivers us from bondage it gives us relief or release from sin from the original transgression of adam god's love is the sole antidote to sin hear me there's no other answer to find salvation except through the love of god and what it has given us god loves sinners with a love that is so overwhelming and so powerful it is capable of delivering all mankind if mankind will accept the salvation message god's kindness and love are revealed to all men through jesus christ the precious blood of jesus that was shed it symbolizes the sacrifice understand and again reviewing what many of us know but understand reminding us again old testament law sins were passed on from year to year through the sacrifice of animals there were blood sacrifices that pushed the sins ahead and carried the sins ahead ahead but when a new testament dispensation came christ would become the supreme sacrifice for all sin and for all sinners it wasn't pushing sin ahead but it was a purging of sin for the whole world first john said it this way first john 2 1 my little children these things right eye unto you that you sin not but if any man sin we have an advocate with the father comma jesus christ the righteous that's not speaking of two individuals that's speaking of one god in two different manifestations notice what that says again it does not say if any man sin we have an adequate advocate with the father and jesus christ the righteous it says we have an advocate with the father comma jesus christ the righteous and he is the propitiation he is the appeasement he is the price paid for our sins think about that now we're talking about what does it mean to be saved and not for ours only look at the words not for ours only we sometimes can get real selfish and think we have such great enlightenment because he died for me and i thankfully died for me but we've got to realize the all-encompassing act that took place jesus died for everybody's sins not just we folks here at first apostolic church not just the folks in knoxville not just the folks in in our echo our economic area not just the folks in our nation but everywhere around the world jesus died for our sins this is why we've got to have the heart of christ to tell folks about it there's folks that don't know it and he died for them let that hit you let that get you what does it mean to be saved isn't it more than just a prayer to pray more than just a way to heaven listen we're selling our salvation so short if we're looking for a minimalistic relationship oh god let me have your mind let me have your heart i can't die for the sins of the world but i can try to tell everybody in my world about who did die for your sins i've got that opportunity that's my purpose and he is the propitiation for our sin and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world and hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments i've got a responsibility i've got a salvation responsibility to keep his commandments luke declared that god himself purchased the church with his own blood you can read in acts 20 28 i won't go there but he said that god purchased it with his own blood this is not a violation of scripture this again is reaffirming that there was a dispensation when god himself robed himself in flesh he wasn't a third of god he wasn't a part of god he was god manifest in flesh hallelujah romans 5 and 8 god commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners christ died for us he paid the debt while we were yet sinners the word commandeth or command means that he proved his love that god proved his love toward us that while we were yet sinners he died for us and his love is emphatic meaning it is god's own love that is demonstrated not another's the amazing aspect of his demonstration of kindness toward all people is that his death became substitutionary it is on our behalf he died he took our place the guiltless for the guilty christ died for us which in greek preposition means he died on our behalf isaiah said it this way in isaiah 53 4 surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of god and afflicted what does that mean that means even in death there were parts of humanity that thought christ was dying because he was forsaken he was not forsaken he was freely laying his life down but he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our it was for jesus suffered that for me can it get that real to you can you think about that more than just an easter story and a good drama can you let it come down into your heart to say he died for me it was for me personally he he went to the cross for me i didn't deserve it i was so undeserving i was so unlovable i was so filled with sin but he still died for me he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we were healed there was even a bonus there we have the opportunity for healing within his will he took stripes on his back that that healing could take place in our lives all we like sheep have gone astray we have turned everyone to his own way and the lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all you see here's the amazing thing in all of it the free will that he gave us allows us to live apart from the gospel and the love of our creator but he still loves us he loves the sinners and he extends his hand to the lost don't ever get the feeling like you're so holy that you can figure out who god loves and who god doesn't love he loves everybody and he has salvation for everyone who will receive it the power of his gospel can reach and transform any soul god's goodness can work within the conscience and the minds of the vile is sinner and yet remain pure think about that think about how strong that love is i've seen folks that by man's definition that done so much they'd commended so many violations of the word they were just mean or nasty if you looked in the dictionary for mean henry and nasty their picture was beside it you know yet the prayers and the witness of someone wanting to follow god's purpose gets into their mind and gets into that vile thinking mind that mind that has been feasting on some horrible things that mind who has caused that person to do some unthinkable things it's someone who with purpose tells them about jesus conviction can move even in that mind and stay pure remember jesus wasn't born in a palace he didn't come to this earth among the elite when he walked on this earth in human form he touched the lepers who were shunned by most he raised the dead he ministered the poorest of the poor and he intends us to be able to reach and have the opportunity to reach all parts of society wherever you are there's somebody you can reach that i can't reach there's somebody i can reach that you can't reach but we have to have his purpose first john 4 10 said herein is love not that we loved god but that he loved us i'm thankful he loved me long before i was capable of loving like them and then he saved us you see the nature of the bondage of sin is to understand we cannot save ourselves we cannot save ourselves and from a if you want to call it a judicial point of view we're guilty we all have the sin nature we're all guilty from the standpoint of sin we were already in prison because that imprisoning of sin comes from the inside out but god's salvation provides a substitution and the acceptable punishment for our guilt while offering complete deliverance from the sentence of the bondage of sin on our lives this is why you see so many folks who follow the salvation plan talk about how free they feel the the freedom that comes they i've heard folks describe i i've seen folks come and repent of their sins and be baptized in the name of jesus and be filled with the power of the holy ghost and and i've heard them described i i feel free i feel like a load has been lifted off of me it has the load of sin the debt of sin has been it's it's such a carnal example you hesitate to even compare but some of you folks that's been living in your home for 25 and 30 years and you're seeing the end of that last mortgage payment some of you've already made that mortgage payment some of you've had the mortgage burning and you know how tough it was paying all those years but can you imagine what it would be like to purchase a new home you're struggling trying to pay that thing off and all of a sudden it the notification comes through the mail it's paid off some of us would shout and dance more than we do over somebody getting the holy ghost such a minimal example compared to what it's like to have sins debt totally taken off of our record to have that that debt paid what a relief what a wonderful wonderful experience he became the acceptable substitution for the punishment of sin the solution was not that we provided anything toward our salvation but that god's love was all-encompassing and all-powerful understanding obedience to the gospel gave us access let me underline that italicize it use a yellow highlighter put it in bold face print obedience to the gospel gave us access to what god's love provided for us all now what does that mean that means if we're disobedient to his word we don't have access yet oh you computer folks you got these passwords and if you don't get your password right it'll say access denied i've got news for you when you become obedient to the word of god it says access granted access granted hey that's your password i'm going to obey the word i'm going to do what the word says you see we're not saved by our righteous deeds we can't live good enough and the fact that we cannot be saved by our righteous deeds does not lessen the importance of righteousness itself in this world that's so dark there's a crucial distinction that must be made here followers of christ walk in his righteous footsteps it's not our righteousness but we try to live like jesus we try to walk in his footsteps we try to grow and be like christ we try to become like him god's favor always accompanying righteousness just as in the days of noah noah had a relationship with his creator which then resulted in him becoming a preacher of righteousness second peter two and five you can see that noah preached righteousness it is crucial for us to recognize that self-righteousness of good deeds and all the rest are inadequate to save anyone because we are sinners by nature and we're under the curse of sin and we are saved because of his love and by his mercy it's only a merciful god that affords us the saving grace it's bestowed on the undeserving so preacher where are you going from your text what are you trying to get to well jeremiah 31 3 says i have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness i have i drawn thee let's understand when we start obeying the word of god now i can give you all kind of of even more definitive scriptures that the importance of coming to the house of god forsaking not the assembling of ourselves together all of those things that come to the house of god but there's something there's there's terms that we have kind of developed that we understand but sometimes a lost world coming from the outside don't always know these things and it's good for us to re-examine and understand uh we talk about someone coming to church and getting under conviction we've used that term you church going we know what that that's like what does it mean to get under conviction well jeremiah this is a definition of getting under conviction jeremiah 31 3 i have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have i drawn thee sometimes in our understanding the lost will come in someone so sick of sin their life's a mess i could give all types of scenarios that many of us have suffered through they come into a church service and someone with purpose met them at the door and shook their hands say welcome we're glad to have you at first apostolic church someone showed them a face of kindness why because somebody had a purpose we got a game plan here we're we're working together everything we do every individual no matter what we do what we volunteer to do what we give of ourselves to do we have a collective purpose we're wanting to win the lost and we're wanting them to have that same release of the load of sin that we've had so somebody greets them at the doors and says oh we're so glad to have you here someone shakes their hands someone says hey i don't want to see you sitting alone uh can i sit near you what's your name i'm oh preacher you're just talking about building a congregation oh no we're talking about a sin-sick world that's looking for something different they've already had their hands shook while somebody had the other hand in their pocket they've already been through the deceits and the disappointments of this world but they come into the house of god and someone else with purpose starts leading in praise and worship there's an atmosphere of praise and worship starts taking place you've been through it many of you know what i'm talking about suddenly i don't know what it is but there's something drawing me i i feel something i've never felt before there's a drawing oh it's not the talent of a musician or a singer oh it's not any of the the uh graphics or the lights or the carpet or the building those were human elements that might have got somebody's attention but there's a drawing that takes place why because the love of god the loving kindness it said i draw thee there's a drawing john said for god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son so our text then beautifully refers to the obedient plan that we should follow it's just simple as this he said not by works of righteousness but according his mercy he saved us how did he save us by the washing of regeneration by the washing of regeneration that's the first step this has to do with you guessed it being baptized he spoke similarly in acts when he commanded baptism in the name of jesus acts 22 16 said arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins baptism is a step of obedience that leads to salvation this is not a self-righteous act but it's obedience to the word there's a parallel reference when jesus himself compared spiritual and new birth with natural birth in john 3 3. he said except a man be born of water and of spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven this is the regeneration first we were born in the natural now we are being born and reborn in the spiritual when you repent of your sins and then you take on the name of jesus in water baptism that's the washing away now again let me pause here for you veteran saints who've heard this preached and taught for many years you understand this but you don't know who this might be hearing this for the first time you don't know him who may be joining us online and i want us to make it clear it's just that easy repentance is saying i'm sorry for my sinning and i'm going to stop sinning lord i'm sorry i i can't i can't fix this i baptism in the name of jesus is a necessary physical act with spiritual significance again i've told you before the water up there in that baptismal pool is kub water by chance it flowed through the pipes that's not holy water we don't sprinkle that on we're wolves and vampires no such animals but when you by faith are obedient to the word of god and you go into that water and you are buried in the light fashion of his death burial and resurrection there is a supernatural thing hallelujah that takes place it's a symbolic act with spiritual significance it's the washing away of sin there's not sins floating up there in that water there's a spiritual thing that has taken place you've been cleansed you've been washed clean oh hallelujah what a beautiful beautiful thing just in obedience to the word of the lord now what did titus go on to say that salvation comes by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the holy ghost which he shed on us abundantly through jesus christ our savior hallelujah now now who did the saving verse 4 he said god saved us verse 6 he said jesus saved us who saved us they're one and the same it's good to know when when you get salvation you have been obedient to the word of god and suddenly that regeneration has taken place mark 16 16 most of you could quote it jesus said emphatically he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved sadly there's a bunch of folks got that wrong there's a lot of folks that think that he that is saved will believeth and be baptized he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved this is part of obedience to the word of the lord this is that new birth experience so this is why we have a responsibility when they said in acts 2 37 what must we do they asked peter the question the simple question what must we do peter gave them the concise plan of salvation for obedience repent be baptized every one of you every one of you it's not an optional thing and please this is not taking a shot at anybody else but this please understand why pastor says this there's a reason that brother steve blevins has clothes back there in that room that at any service if somebody wants to get baptized we'll baptize them jesus name the countless souls i i was so blessed took a peek at social media and there's a picture brother blevins this week baptizing another one in jesus name there's a reason we don't say all right well we're going to plan baptism here in six months and we'll get we're gonna have a big baptizing listen when someone sees their need when someone has repented of their sins it's time to get them in the water and get them baptized in jesus name this is a spiritually significant and necessary act that must take place he said repent be baptized every one of you in the name of jesus christ for the remission for the washing away of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the holy ghost that's what titus was talking about but then he goes on and reminds us for the promises unto you and to your children and to all that are far off even as many as the lord our god shall call let me finish tonight by quoting the second verse of the song that the praise team let out on say so it says oh that the church would arise oh that we would see with jesus eyes we praise them so let me have the heart of jesus do i have the eyes of jesus what what am i seeing am i seeing a lost world or am i seeing an opportunity for personal gain am i seeing a lost world or are am i seeing numbers to sit in the pews am i seeing a lost world or am i seeing people that can build our reputation as a church in the community oh that the church would arise oh that we could see with jesus eyes we could show the world heaven that tells us we who are thinking like jesus we need to be showing the world what heaven's like we need to be showing the world the path to heaven show what it means to be his i hate to tell you but that's another bible study and i won't start on it tonight when we're out in the world are we showing the world what it means to be his i can come in here and shout and hook a bunk and dance and speak with tongues but if i go out in this everyday world and i'm a jerk who that strong language preacher it's all right i've seen folks a lot of strong personalities i'm claiming to be holy ghost filled and i'm going out here in the world and i'm not exemplifying christ i need to show the world long before i can tell them the salvation message the world needs to see it in me the world needs to see it in an example that i'm being it doesn't matter somebody hear me tonight hallelujah it doesn't matter if i'm a boss or if i'm an employee it matters not what my my vocation is am i showing the world heaven show what it means to be his i'm not my own i belong to jesus to be formed in his likeness and the last line of that verse says to show them they have a purpose first verse said show that we have a purpose now to show them that they have a purpose there's a lot of folks walking around out in this world that feel that there's no purpose in life they feel like they have no true purpose oh god give me the voice lord give me the means lord give me the desire to show a lost world oh don't give up you have a purpose you have a purpose in christ salvation is yours salvation is yours what to be salt and light in the world that's what i want to be i want to be that influencer would you stand with me i want to make sure that i'm influenced in a lost world with everything that i have every resource first apostolic church has because he let us know one other thing the last verse of our text said that being justified by his grace we should be made heirs heirs according to the hope of eternal life what does it mean to be an heir it means i've got an inheritance i've got an inheritance it doesn't matter if i'm a pauper it doesn't matter if i don't have enough nickels to make change for a dime i'm an heir to heaven galatians 4 6 said it this way and because ye are sons god had sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying abba father wherefore thou are no more a servant i'm not a servant to sin anymore that ought to excite you i'm not a servant to sin but a son and if a son then an heir of god through christ i've got an inheritance heaven is my home their salvation that's what i'm claiming could we give jesus praise in this house savior i love you lord jesus i thank you for your salvation plan lord when i was unlovable you loved me lord when i didn't deserve it you cared about me lord let me once again in my mind revisit and be thankful lord for your salvation plan lord i pray if there's one person in this house tonight that has not yet repented of their sin lord if there's one who has not been buried in your name if there's one who's not filled with the holy ghost lord i pray that you would touch them move them draw them to repentance draw them to take your name on in baptism lord fill them with your spirit oh hallelujah savior we believe it savior we claim it in jesus name hallelujah hallelujah could you give a clap off into praise unto the lord hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah first apostolic church i love you i thank you for being a outreach church continue praying for all of our kids and the young folks that are at camp i'm praying we'll get more reports of holy ghost fill services and then don't forget to be back here sunday morning 10 o'clock expecting a great move of god sunday night 6 30. lord bless you you're dismissed in jesus name greet each other as your personal protocols would afford you to do so lord bless you