(#018) Colossians 1 - Christians: Do You Really Know Jesus Christ?Get ready for a smorgasbord of tasty facts about the firstborn of all creation.
Welcome To BARAH MINISTRIES a Christian Church
Rory Clark Pastor-Teacher
Good Morning!
Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with worldwide impact. My name is Pastor Rory Clark. Welcome to this Bible lesson!
Who is Jesus Christ?
At Barah Ministries we know this truth…that Jesus Christ is God. Here are just a few of the many things the Bible says about Him…First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 22…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:22 For just as all in union with Adam (at physical birth) die spiritually (and that’s all of us)…so shall all in union with Christ be made spiritually alive.
First Peter, Chapter 2, Verse 24…
FIRST PETER 2:24 …and Jesus…the Christ…Himself bore our sins in His own body on the Cross…so that we might die to the power of sin and so that we might live for righteousness…for by His wounds you were healed.
Hebrews, Chapter 1, Verse 3…
HEBREWS 1:3 And the Lord Jesus Christ is the radiance of God the Father’s glory and He is the exact representation of the Father’s essence (He is the exact same as God the Father…Deity)…and the Lord Jesus Christ upholds all things by the word of His power. When the Lord Jesus Christ had made purification of sins…He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty (God the Father) on high…
Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…
ACTS 16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”
Acts, Chapter 4, Verse 12…
ACTS 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else…for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved (except the name of the Lord Jesus Christ).”
These things are either the preposterous claims of a mad man…or they are the truth. Each of us get to decide. Is Jesus Christ God? Absolutely!
I know this…if I had a friend or a family member whose salvation was in question in my mind, I would sit them down and read these verses to them… introducing them to the Lord Jesus Christ. Then, I would give them a written copy of the verses…and then I would Email the verses…then I would leave them a voice mail with the verses. And every time I saw them, without saying another word, I would simply recite more salvation related verses to them…like John, Chapter 3, Verses 16 and 17…
JOHN 3:16 “For God the Father loved the world unconditionally…and He loved the world so much…that He gave His uniquely born Son (the God-man…the Lord Jesus Christ…to be crucified on a Cross) … so that WHOSOEVER believes in Him shall not perish…but has eternal life.”
JOHN 3:17 “For God the Father did not send God the Son (the Lord Jesus Christ) into the world to judge the world…but the Father sent the Son into the world that the world might be saved through Him.”
I guarantee this…God the Holy Spirit would honor your actions with His divine power, and your friend or family member would be defenseless against this onslaught of truth. You might ask, “Why would I do that?” Romans, Chapter 1, Verse 16 tells you why…as Paul said, I say…
ROMANS 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel of God…for the gospel of God is the divine power of God the Father for salvation to everyone who believes…to the Jew first (chronologically)…and then also to the Greek (Gentiles).
Amen?
This is crazy! Jesus has the power to make you spiritually alive…Jesus died to pay the penalty for your sins…Jesus holds the entire universe together with a Word…Jesus says when you believe in Him, He will save you…Jesus says He is the ONLY one who can save you…and Jesus says His offer is for everyone regardless of race, creed, color, or previous condition of servitude. In short, Jesus is amazing…Jesus Christ is God. Only God could make such claims. That’s the conclusion to which we are forced with just five Bible verse. Put THAT on your Christmas card.
Why does Barah Ministries exist?
At Barah Ministries, we introduce people to the Lord Jesus Christ. We make a difference by teaching the Word of God verse-by-verse from the Lord’s perspective and not from man’s perspective. Proverbs, Chapter 15, Verse 3 says…
PROVERBS 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are keeping watch in every place…seeing the evil and the good.
The wicked should be warned and the Lord’s believers should be comforted by this truth. God is omnipresent and He is watching out for you every moment.
Barah Ministries is provided by God for the benefit of unbelievers, to give them the gospel message, which introduces them to some very good news… Jesus Christ’s salvation offer. The Lord’s arms are wide open to unbelieving ones! First Timothy, Chapter 2, Verses 3 and 4 say…
FIRST TIMOTHY 2:3 This is what is good and acceptable in the sight of the God who is our Savior…the Lord Jesus Christ…
FIRST TIMOTHY 2:4a …who desires all men to be saved…
To unbelievers, the Lord says, “I WANT YOU!”
Barah Ministries is provided by God for the benefit of Christians as well, for those who want a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with the Lord through the study of His Word. First Timothy, Chapter 2, Verse 4…
FIRST TIMOTHY 2:4b …the Lord Jesus Christ wants all men to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The Bible is the truth! The Word of God is the Lord Jesus Christ's love letter to the human race. In His Word, the Lord says to believers in Christ, in very many ways, “I GOT YOU!”
Why study the Word of God?
We study the Word of God to allow God’s truth to shape our reality instead of letting the world’s lies shape our reality. Proverbs 4, Verses 1 and 2…
PROVERBS 4:1 Hear…O sons…the instruction of a father…and give attention that you may gain understanding…
PROVERBS 4:2 …for I give you sound teaching…do not abandon my instruction.
Proverbs 4, Verses 6 and 7…
PROVERBS 4:6 “Do not forsake wisdom (sound biblical teaching) … and she will guard you! Love her (sound biblical teaching)…and she will watch over you.”
PROVERBS 4:7 “The first step toward wisdom is to acquire wisdom…and with all your acquiring you gain understanding.”
We study to help us realize that the real reason we are here on the earth is to decide about having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and to learn the Word of God…spiritual things…not worldly things.
Who is God’s enemy?
God’s enemy is Satan, whom God made ‘the ruler of this world.’ In John, Chapter 12, Verse 31, the Lord says…
JOHN 12:31 “Now judgment is upon this world…now the ruler of this world (Satan) will be cast out (he will be dethroned at a future time).”
Because we live in Satan's kingdom, we know this undeniable fact, revealed in Revelation, Chapter 12, Verse 9…
REVELATION 12:9 And the great dragon was thrown down…the serpent of old…who is called the devil and Satan…the one who DECEIVES THE WHOLE WORLD…
Satan is a liar. How is Satan deceiving you?
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON Christians: Do You Really Know Jesus Christ?
LESSON INTRODUCTION
When most people go to a restaurant, especially if they go to the restaurant hungry, often they miss the most important part of the meal. They obsess about the hors d’oeuvres…or as my European friends call them…“starters.” They may even obsess about dessert…one friend of mine ate dessert first in case he died before he finished the meal…another friend is a “closet” dessert aficionado…pretending not to care much about dessert but devouring it when it comes.
The people who obsess about the hors d’oeuvres and the dessert often miss the centerpiece of the meal…the main course. So it is in the spiritual life. Many Christians miss the main course of Christianity…CHRIST. They obsess about all the things that are not Christ, and they know the Lord only on the surface. “Jesus died for my sins” … “Jesus is my personal Savior.”
The Lord wants us to know Him deeply. In today’s lesson, as we continue our study of Colossians, Chapter 1…we’ll delve into the main course…we’ll learn about the preeminent…sovereign…all-sufficient…and incomparable Christ… the most important Person in divine history.
SONG INTRODUCTION
The rock band Chumbawamba has a great song that says, “I get knocked down…but I get up again…think you’re ever going to keep me down?” Paul exhorts his protégé in First Timothy, Chapter 1, Verse 18. He tells Timothy that in the face of false teachers and false teaching we are to…
FIRST TIMOTHY 1:18 Keep on fighting the good fight of faith…
Here’s Unspoken to echo the same sentiment in their song…GOOD FIGHT.
MUSIC AND REFLECTION Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Enjoy the Singing of His Praises
GOOD FIGHT Unspoken
MUSIC AND REFLECTION Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Enjoy the Singing of His Praises
GOOD FIGHT Unspoken
OPENING PRAYER Let us pray...
We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…
Father, we are grateful because we know that You are a personal God who has us in Your mind at every moment…we are grateful because You have given us Your Son, who is a Person. He is not a thing…He is not a concept…He is not a “higher power” … He is a Person who died for us and who is ever present in our lives. He is the reason for our very existence as the Creator of all things…
Father, You know everything about our past, our present, and our future… we don’t...You know all the circumstances that have brought us to this point in our life journey…and whether we acknowledge it consciously or not, You are the one that has been ordering our steps…You are orchestrating our lives and our learning…equipping us for the things You want us to do…thank you so much, Father…
…focus our spiritual eyes on the prompting of God the Holy Spirit…make us aware of how to best serve You and others…show us how to enjoy this life amid its trials and tribulations…show us how to be our authentic selves…
…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ's name...Amen.
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON Christians: Do You Really Know Jesus Christ?
The problems in the Lycus River Valley of the first century…that place about one hundred miles east of Ephesus where Laodicea and Hierapolis and Colossae were located…were “isms” that infect every area of the world… two of them, pluralism…and intellectualism were looking for a home in the church at Colossae. False teachers sought to infiltrate the new church at Colossae with false teaching. Epaphras, the founder of the church went to Ephesus to seek help from the apostle Paul, who was in prison there…and Paul wrote this letter to the Colossian believers.
Pluralism is a philosophy…a doctrine of multiplicity…it’s the opposite of unity…it’s the position that there is not just one truth…rather, there are many truths. In other words, whatever you think is truth is “your” truth. And you thought the things going on in our world today are new…our deep desire for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Hardly! Solomon was clear in Ecclesiastes, Chapter 1, Verse 9...
ECCLESIASTES 1:9 That which has been…is that which will be…and that which has been done is that which will be done….so there is nothing new under the sun.
Intellectualism is a philosophy as well…the idea that all truth is derived from the mind…from reason…“I think, therefore I am” … and why wouldn’t this view be typical of the day…the Greeks espoused the same philosophy and sought to spread it throughout the world.
In the next passage of Colossians, Chapter 1, the apostle Paul turns our attention to the Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians, Chapter 1, Verses 15 to 20 reads this way…listen to the Lord’s biography!
COLOSSIANS 1:15 The Lord Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God and Father…He is the firstborn of all creation.
COLOSSIANS 1:16 For by the Lord (God the Son) all things were created…both in the heavens and on earth…visible and invisible…whether thrones or dominions… whether rulers or authorities—all things have been created through the Lord and for the Lord.
COLOSSIANS 1:17 The Lord is before all things…and in the Lord all things hold together.
COLOSSIANS 1:18 The Lord is also head of the body…the church…and He is the beginning… the firstborn from the dead…so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
COLOSSIANS 1:19 For it was God the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in the Christ…
COLOSSIANS 1:20 …and through the Lord to reconcile all things to God the Father…having made peace through the blood of the Lord’s Cross…through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
There is no other single place in the Bible that does as good a job at describing the One whom we worship, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The other night at dinner, my older son Zachary asked me a penetrating question…“What is your relationship like with the Lord Jesus Christ?” Immediately, tears of appreciation flooded my eyes. There was a tightness in my throat.
All I could muster was this, “There are no words to describe what my relationship with the Lord is like, nor what the relationship means to me…but I know this…I would not want to live if I didn’t have a relationship with Him. That’s troof…the absolute troof!
When we return from the break, we’ll take the offering, and then we’ll see what this passage has to say about the One all of us believers love.
FIVE MINUTE BREAK NOBODY Casting Crowns
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON Christians: Do You Really Know Jesus Christ?
Second Corinthians, Chapter 9, Verse 6 reminds us…
SECOND CORINTHIANS 9:6 …he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly…and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
God expects us to do everything with a mindset of abundance and to do nothing with a mindset of scarcity. Let your giving reflect abundance. Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with an insightful, powerful, and inspiring offering message.
THE OFFERING Deacon Denny Goodall
OFFERING VERSE
FIRST CORINTHIANS 8:9 But you mature believers need to take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to immature believers.
OFFERING SONG UNCONDITIONAL LOVE Donna Summer and the Musical Youth
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON Christians: Do You Really Know Jesus Christ?
What does the apostle Paul have to say about the Lord Jesus Christ? Colossians, Chapter 1, Verses 15 and 16…
COLOSSIANS 1:15 The Lord Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God and Father…He is the firstborn of all creation.
COLOSSIANS 1:16 For by the Lord (God the Son) all things were created…things in the heavens and things on earth…both visible and invisible…whether thrones or powers or (evil) rulers or authorities—all things have been created through the Lord and for the Lord.
Jesus Christ is God in human form. He is the visible manifestation of the entire Godhead. John, Chapter 1, Verse 18 says…
JOHN 1:18 No one has seen God the Father at any time…the only begotten One of God the Father who is in the bosom of God the Father…The Lord…He has explained God the Father.
In John, Chapter 10, Verse 30 the Lord says…
JOHN 10:30 “I (the Lord Jesus Christ) and God the Father are one (we are the same in essence).”
John, Chapter 1, Verse 1…
JOHN 1:1 In the beginning was the Word (the Lord…God the Son)…and the Word was with God the Father…and the Word (the Lord…God the Son) was God (Deity).
All three members of the Triune Godhead are in view in this verse including the silent member of the Godhead…God the Holy Spirit…who is content to do what Satan refused to do…to exist in the background rather than on center stage…to teach us all about Jesus Christ. John, Chapter 1, Verse 3…
JOHN 1:3 All things came into being through the Lord…God the Son…and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
The Lord is the “Maker” of all things. Colossians, Chapter 2, Verse 9…
COLOSSIANS 2:9 For in the Lord Jesus Christ…all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily (human) form…
The Bible describes this magnificent Person in so many ways. He is 100% God and 100% Man in one person forever…John, Chapter 1, Verse 14…
JOHN 1:14 And the Word (the Lord…God the Son)…became flesh (Jesus…the Christ)…and He lived among us…and we (apostles) saw His glory (with our own eyes)…glory as of the only begotten One from the source of God Father…full of grace and truth.
Colossians, Chapter 1, Verse 19…
COLOSSIANS 1:19 For it was God the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness (of Deity) to dwell (in human form) in the Christ…
Can you see how each verse in Colossians reaches into a plethora of other verses in the rest of Scripture?
The Lord became a man…Jesus…the Christ (the Jewish Messiah)…to die for us…so that we would be REDEEMED from sin and RECONCILED to God the Father. Christians…do you REALLY know who Jesus Christ is? Do you have a deep, intimate and personal relationship with Your Lord?
This Colossians passage describes Jesus Christ as the Preeminent One…what does it mean to be preeminent?
PREEMINENT Superior to all others
To put the Lord’s greatness into words scrambles human imagination. There is little we can do to describe our relationship with Him but to cry tears of appreciation and joy. John, Chapter 1, Verse 4…
JOHN 1:4 …in the Lord Jesus Christ was the resurrection life (the ZOE life)….and the resurrection life was the Light of men.
His humiliating death on a Cross gave us the chance for eternal life…for redemption…for purchase from the power of sin…and for reconciliation…a removal of the dividing wall between us and God.
Colossians, Chapter 1, Verse 17…
COLOSSIANS 1:17 The Lord is before all things…and in the Lord all things hold together.
Hebrews, Chapter 1, Verses 1 to 3…
HEBREWS 1:1 God the Father…after He revealed Himself long ago to the fathers through the prophets by various means and in various ways…
HEBREWS 1:2 …in these last days has spoken to us in His Son (the Lord…Jesus…the Christ)…whom God the Father appointed heir of all things…and through this Christ also, God the Father made the universe.
HEBREWS 1:3a And the Lord Jesus Christ is the radiance of God the Father’s glory…(the flashing forth)…and He is the exact representation of the Father’s nature, and the Lord Jesus Christ upholds ALL THINGS by the word of His power.
HEBREWS 1:3b When He had made purification of sins (at the Cross)…the Lord Jesus Christ sat down at the right hand of the Majesty (God the Father) on high…
Jesus is the name above all names…He is the Son of God and He is the Son of Man…Colossians, Chapter 1, Verses 18 and 19…
COLOSSIANS 1:18 The Lord is also head of the body…the church…and He is the beginning… the firstborn from the dead…so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
COLOSSIANS 1:19 For it was God the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness (of Deity) to dwell in the Christ (in bodily form)…
Hebrews, Chapter 2, Verse 7…
HEBREWS 2:7 “You (God the Father) have made him (Jesus Christ) for a little while lower than the angels…You have crowned him with glory and honor…and You have appointed him over the works of Your hands…
When He was in human form as the Christ the Lord was treated like dirt… you’re just a carpenter’s son…can anything good come out of Nazareth? … You’re just a man…you’re just a rabbi…you’re just a teacher…you’re just a prophet…anything but what He is…God in the flesh.
By taking on human form, God dumbed Himself down for us…and He suffered at the hands of the very men He created…all to make it possible for WHOSOEVER to have a relationship with His Father…to be saved.
Religions want us humans to do the suffering. False teachers with false teaching sell false gods who make us work to please them. And even when we do the work, it is not good enough. How appropriate. They’re not good enough either, nor is what they are proposing good enough. What they tell us can’t save us. Romans, Chapter 11, Verse 6 says…
ROMANS 11:6 But if salvation is by grace, and of course it is, it is no longer based on works…otherwise, grace is no longer grace.
What did God's grace do to the evil rulers and authorities? Colossians, Chapter 2, Verse 5…
COLOSSIANS 2:5 When God the Father had disarmed the rulers and authorities…He made a public display of them…having triumphed over them through Jesus (at the Cross).
We have a God who gives us grace upon grace. We have a God who knew we would sin…we have a God who knew we would fall…and He made us anyway. We have a God who suffered for us. We have a God who is a great friend…we have a God who laid down His life for us. We have a God who loves us unconditionally…who forgives us completely…and who makes us residents of His sphere of grace in every undertaking.
Christians…do you really know Jesus Christ?
Colossians, Chapter 1, Verse 20…
COLOSSIANS 1:20 …and through the Lord, God the Father reconciled ALL THINGS to Himself…having made peace through the blood of the Lord’s Cross…through Jesus, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
Christians…do you really know Jesus Christ?
I do!
He is first in all the things this passage mentions. More than that, He has made Himself first in my life and first in my heart. Without question, choosing Him to be my Lord and my Savior is the best decision I have ever made. It’s the best decision I ever will make. I hope you make the same decision. I hope you get to know your amazing Lord.
GOD WANTS YOU! Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life
Here are seven things for unbelievers to ponder as they consider a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
POINT 1 There is a God, and He is the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth
The first four words of the bible confirm His existence…Genesis, Chapter 1, Verse 1…
GENESIS 1:1a In the beginning, GOD…
The Lord isn’t shy about telling you who He is…Joel, Chapter 2, Verse 27…
JOEL 2:27b I am the Lord your God…and there is no other god…
In fact, the Lord is your Creator…John, Chapter 1, Verse 3…
JOHN 1:3 All things came into being through the Lord…God the Son…and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
POINT 2 The Creator Created YOU!
You are one of God’s creatures and He had a purpose in mind when He created you. Genesis, Chapter 1, Verse 26…
GENESIS 1:26 Then God the Father said, “Let Us (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit) make man in Our image…according to Our likeness…”
You are a spiritual being, and as such, you require a spiritual life.
POINT 3 God Has a Plan for All Mankind
God is organized…Acts, Chapter 2, Verse 23 tells us that the earth and the universe were created…
ACTS 2:23a …by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God the Father…
God made all of His decisions in eternity past and we watch them unfold every day.
POINT 4 God Has a PERSONAL Plan for YOU
Because God created you, God knows you intimately and He knows you by name. Matthew, Chapter 10, Verse 30 says…
MATTHEW 10:30 “…the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
God custom made you and He custom made a life designed specifically for you.
POINT 5 God Reveals Himself in Ways That Make Sense to Human Beings
God wants you to know Him. He is not hiding from you. He is not hard to get to know…Romans, Chapter 1, Verse 20…
ROMANS 1:20a For since the creation of the world the Lord's invisible attributes, His eternal power, and His DEITY, keep on being clearly seen by everyone…
ROMANS 1:20b …being understood even through what has been made (as reflected in the things of nature) … so that all mankind is without excuse (in the matter of knowing of the existence of the Lord).
God doesn’t work in mysterious ways…He is completely visible and totally predictable.
POINT 6 God’s Enemy, SATAN, Does Not Want You to Know God
Satan does everything he can to keep you ignorant about God. Second Corinthians, Chapter 4, Verse 4…
SECOND CORINTHIANS 4:4 …the god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel…so they might not see the glory of Christ…who is the exact same in essence as God the Father (Jesus Christ is Deity).
Are you aware of the ways Satan is lying to you about God?
POINT 7 You Owe God a Hearing
Since God created you, you at least owe him a hearing. He has placed a desire inside of you to know what is beyond yourself and what is beyond the life that is visible to you. He wants you to know Him. Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3, Verse 11…
ECCLESIASTES 3:11a The Lord has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set a desire for a knowledge of eternity in everyone’s heart…
Do you spend ANY of your time getting to know God? There is nothing more important for you in this life than a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. John, Chapter 1, Verse 12…
JOHN 1:12 But whosoever received Him, to them the Lord Jesus Christ gave the right to become children of God the Father, even to those who believe in Jesus Christ’s name…
Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…
ACTS 16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved…you and everyone in your household who also believes.”
John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…
JOHN 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life (right at that moment) … but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”
First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3 For I (Paul) delivered to you as of primary importance the gospel message I also received from God…that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Old Testament Scriptures…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4 …and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Old Testament Scriptures…
It is absolutely of primary importance that you get to know the Lord. Do it TODAY! Do it now! He welcomes you into a relationship with Him.
SONG INTRODUCTION
At the Cross, the Lord made a New Covenant with the human race. When we turn our backs on God, as many in The Jewish Race have, rejecting their Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ doesn’t bother remembering it. The Jewish Race has much to look forward to according to Hebrews, Chapter 8, Verse 12…
HEBREWS 8:12 “For I (the Lord Jesus Christ) will be merciful to their iniquities…and I will remember their sins no more.”
Gentiles are no better…we need His mercy as well. It’s always good to have June Murphy remind us of the thing we so easily forget…WE’RE FORGIVEN.
CLOSING SONG WE'RE FORGIVEN June Murphy
CLOSING SONG WE'RE FORGIVEN June Murphy
CLOSING DOXOLOGY
Words of Praise to Our God
Let’s acknowledge the magnificence of our Almighty God.
ROMANS 15:5 Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another (to think the exact same way…operating in harmony) according to your union with Christ Jesus…
ROMANS 15:6 …so that with one accord you believers in Christ may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
ROMANS 15:7 Therefore, keep on accepting one another…and keep on receiving one another…just as Christ also keeps on accepting us all (in unconditional love)…to the glory of God the Father.
CLOSING PRAYER Let us pray...
Thanks for coming! Thanks for watching! Thanks for listening!
Welcome To BARAH MINISTRIES a Christian Church
Rory Clark Pastor-Teacher
Good Morning!
Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with worldwide impact. My name is Pastor Rory Clark. Welcome to this Bible lesson!
Who is Jesus Christ?
At Barah Ministries we know this truth…that Jesus Christ is God. Here are just a few of the many things the Bible says about Him…First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 22…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:22 For just as all in union with Adam (at physical birth) die spiritually (and that’s all of us)…so shall all in union with Christ be made spiritually alive.
First Peter, Chapter 2, Verse 24…
FIRST PETER 2:24 …and Jesus…the Christ…Himself bore our sins in His own body on the Cross…so that we might die to the power of sin and so that we might live for righteousness…for by His wounds you were healed.
Hebrews, Chapter 1, Verse 3…
HEBREWS 1:3 And the Lord Jesus Christ is the radiance of God the Father’s glory and He is the exact representation of the Father’s essence (He is the exact same as God the Father…Deity)…and the Lord Jesus Christ upholds all things by the word of His power. When the Lord Jesus Christ had made purification of sins…He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty (God the Father) on high…
Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…
ACTS 16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”
Acts, Chapter 4, Verse 12…
ACTS 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else…for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved (except the name of the Lord Jesus Christ).”
These things are either the preposterous claims of a mad man…or they are the truth. Each of us get to decide. Is Jesus Christ God? Absolutely!
I know this…if I had a friend or a family member whose salvation was in question in my mind, I would sit them down and read these verses to them… introducing them to the Lord Jesus Christ. Then, I would give them a written copy of the verses…and then I would Email the verses…then I would leave them a voice mail with the verses. And every time I saw them, without saying another word, I would simply recite more salvation related verses to them…like John, Chapter 3, Verses 16 and 17…
JOHN 3:16 “For God the Father loved the world unconditionally…and He loved the world so much…that He gave His uniquely born Son (the God-man…the Lord Jesus Christ…to be crucified on a Cross) … so that WHOSOEVER believes in Him shall not perish…but has eternal life.”
JOHN 3:17 “For God the Father did not send God the Son (the Lord Jesus Christ) into the world to judge the world…but the Father sent the Son into the world that the world might be saved through Him.”
I guarantee this…God the Holy Spirit would honor your actions with His divine power, and your friend or family member would be defenseless against this onslaught of truth. You might ask, “Why would I do that?” Romans, Chapter 1, Verse 16 tells you why…as Paul said, I say…
ROMANS 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel of God…for the gospel of God is the divine power of God the Father for salvation to everyone who believes…to the Jew first (chronologically)…and then also to the Greek (Gentiles).
Amen?
This is crazy! Jesus has the power to make you spiritually alive…Jesus died to pay the penalty for your sins…Jesus holds the entire universe together with a Word…Jesus says when you believe in Him, He will save you…Jesus says He is the ONLY one who can save you…and Jesus says His offer is for everyone regardless of race, creed, color, or previous condition of servitude. In short, Jesus is amazing…Jesus Christ is God. Only God could make such claims. That’s the conclusion to which we are forced with just five Bible verse. Put THAT on your Christmas card.
Why does Barah Ministries exist?
At Barah Ministries, we introduce people to the Lord Jesus Christ. We make a difference by teaching the Word of God verse-by-verse from the Lord’s perspective and not from man’s perspective. Proverbs, Chapter 15, Verse 3 says…
PROVERBS 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are keeping watch in every place…seeing the evil and the good.
The wicked should be warned and the Lord’s believers should be comforted by this truth. God is omnipresent and He is watching out for you every moment.
Barah Ministries is provided by God for the benefit of unbelievers, to give them the gospel message, which introduces them to some very good news… Jesus Christ’s salvation offer. The Lord’s arms are wide open to unbelieving ones! First Timothy, Chapter 2, Verses 3 and 4 say…
FIRST TIMOTHY 2:3 This is what is good and acceptable in the sight of the God who is our Savior…the Lord Jesus Christ…
FIRST TIMOTHY 2:4a …who desires all men to be saved…
To unbelievers, the Lord says, “I WANT YOU!”
Barah Ministries is provided by God for the benefit of Christians as well, for those who want a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with the Lord through the study of His Word. First Timothy, Chapter 2, Verse 4…
FIRST TIMOTHY 2:4b …the Lord Jesus Christ wants all men to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The Bible is the truth! The Word of God is the Lord Jesus Christ's love letter to the human race. In His Word, the Lord says to believers in Christ, in very many ways, “I GOT YOU!”
Why study the Word of God?
We study the Word of God to allow God’s truth to shape our reality instead of letting the world’s lies shape our reality. Proverbs 4, Verses 1 and 2…
PROVERBS 4:1 Hear…O sons…the instruction of a father…and give attention that you may gain understanding…
PROVERBS 4:2 …for I give you sound teaching…do not abandon my instruction.
Proverbs 4, Verses 6 and 7…
PROVERBS 4:6 “Do not forsake wisdom (sound biblical teaching) … and she will guard you! Love her (sound biblical teaching)…and she will watch over you.”
PROVERBS 4:7 “The first step toward wisdom is to acquire wisdom…and with all your acquiring you gain understanding.”
We study to help us realize that the real reason we are here on the earth is to decide about having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and to learn the Word of God…spiritual things…not worldly things.
Who is God’s enemy?
God’s enemy is Satan, whom God made ‘the ruler of this world.’ In John, Chapter 12, Verse 31, the Lord says…
JOHN 12:31 “Now judgment is upon this world…now the ruler of this world (Satan) will be cast out (he will be dethroned at a future time).”
Because we live in Satan's kingdom, we know this undeniable fact, revealed in Revelation, Chapter 12, Verse 9…
REVELATION 12:9 And the great dragon was thrown down…the serpent of old…who is called the devil and Satan…the one who DECEIVES THE WHOLE WORLD…
Satan is a liar. How is Satan deceiving you?
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON Christians: Do You Really Know Jesus Christ?
LESSON INTRODUCTION
When most people go to a restaurant, especially if they go to the restaurant hungry, often they miss the most important part of the meal. They obsess about the hors d’oeuvres…or as my European friends call them…“starters.” They may even obsess about dessert…one friend of mine ate dessert first in case he died before he finished the meal…another friend is a “closet” dessert aficionado…pretending not to care much about dessert but devouring it when it comes.
The people who obsess about the hors d’oeuvres and the dessert often miss the centerpiece of the meal…the main course. So it is in the spiritual life. Many Christians miss the main course of Christianity…CHRIST. They obsess about all the things that are not Christ, and they know the Lord only on the surface. “Jesus died for my sins” … “Jesus is my personal Savior.”
The Lord wants us to know Him deeply. In today’s lesson, as we continue our study of Colossians, Chapter 1…we’ll delve into the main course…we’ll learn about the preeminent…sovereign…all-sufficient…and incomparable Christ… the most important Person in divine history.
SONG INTRODUCTION
The rock band Chumbawamba has a great song that says, “I get knocked down…but I get up again…think you’re ever going to keep me down?” Paul exhorts his protégé in First Timothy, Chapter 1, Verse 18. He tells Timothy that in the face of false teachers and false teaching we are to…
FIRST TIMOTHY 1:18 Keep on fighting the good fight of faith…
Here’s Unspoken to echo the same sentiment in their song…GOOD FIGHT.
MUSIC AND REFLECTION Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Enjoy the Singing of His Praises
GOOD FIGHT Unspoken
MUSIC AND REFLECTION Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Enjoy the Singing of His Praises
GOOD FIGHT Unspoken
OPENING PRAYER Let us pray...
We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…
Father, we are grateful because we know that You are a personal God who has us in Your mind at every moment…we are grateful because You have given us Your Son, who is a Person. He is not a thing…He is not a concept…He is not a “higher power” … He is a Person who die for us and who is ever present in our lives. He is the reason for our very existence as the Creator of all things…
Father, You know everything about our past, our present, and our future… we don’t...You know all the circumstances that have brought us to this point in our life journey…and whether we acknowledge it consciously or not, You are the one that has been ordering our steps…You are orchestrating our lives and our learning…equipping us for the things You want us to do…thank you so much, Father…
…focus our spiritual eyes on the prompting of God the Holy Spirit…make us aware of how to best serve You and others…show us how to enjoy this life amid its trials and tribulations…show us how to be our authentic selves…
…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ's name...Amen.
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON Christians: Do You Really Know Jesus Christ?
The problems in the Lycus River Valley of the first century…that place about one hundred miles east of Ephesus where Laodicea and Hierapolis and Colossae were located…were “isms” that infect every area of the world… two of them, pluralism…and intellectualism were looking for a home in the church at Colossae. False teachers sought to infiltrate the new church at Colossae with false teaching. Epaphras, the founder of the church went to Ephesus to seek help from the apostle Paul, who was in prison there…and Paul wrote this letter to the Colossian believers.
Pluralism is a philosophy…a doctrine of multiplicity…it’s the opposite of unity…it’s the position that there is not just one truth…rather, there are many truths. In other words, whatever you think is truth is “your” truth. And you thought the things going on in our world today are new…our deep desire for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Hardly! Solomon was clear in Ecclesiastes, Chapter 1, Verse 9...
ECCLESIASTES 1:9 That which has been…is that which will be…and that which has been done is that which will be done….so there is nothing new under the sun.
Intellectualism is a philosophy as well…the idea that all truth is derived from the mind…from reason…“I think, therefore I am” … and why wouldn’t this view be typical of the day…the Greeks espoused the same philosophy and sought to spread it throughout the world.
In the next passage of Colossians, Chapter 1, the apostle Paul turns our attention to the Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians, Chapter 1, Verses 15 to 20 reads this way…listen to the Lord’s biography!
COLOSSIANS 1:15 The Lord Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God and Father…He is the firstborn of all creation.
COLOSSIANS 1:16 For by the Lord (God the Son) all things were created…both in the heavens and on earth…visible and invisible…whether thrones or dominions… whether rulers or authorities—all things have been created through the Lord and for the Lord.
COLOSSIANS 1:17 The Lord is before all things…and in the Lord all things hold together.
COLOSSIANS 1:18 The Lord is also head of the body…the church…and He is the beginning… the firstborn from the dead…so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
COLOSSIANS 1:19 For it was God the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in the Christ…
COLOSSIANS 1:20 …and through the Lord to reconcile all things to God the Father…having made peace through the blood of the Lord’s Cross…through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
There is no other single place in the Bible that does as good a job at describing the One whom we worship, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The other night at dinner, my older son Zachary asked me a penetrating question…“What is your relationship like with the Lord Jesus Christ?” Immediately, teras of appreciation flooded my eyes. There was a tightness in my throat.
All I could muster was this, “There are no words to describe what my relationship with the Lord is like, nor what the relationship means to me…but I know this…I would not want to live if I didn’t have a relationship with Him. That’s t troof…the absolute troof!
When we return from the break, we’ll take the offering, and then we’ll see what this passage has to say about the One all of us believers love.
FIVE MINUTE BREAK NOBODY Casting Crowns
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON Christians: Do You Really Know Jesus Christ?
Second Corinthians, Chapter 9, Verse 6 reminds us…
SECOND CORINTHIANS 9:6 …he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly…and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
God expects us to do everything with a mindset of abundance and to do nothing with a mindset of scarcity. Let your giving reflect abundance. Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with an insightful, powerful, and inspiring offering message.
THE OFFERING Deacon Denny Goodall
OFFERING VERSE
FIRST CORINTHIANS 8:9 But you mature believers need to take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to immature believers.
OFFERING SONG UNCONDITIONAL LOVE Donna Summer and the Musical Youth
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON Christians: Do You Really Know Jesus Christ?
What does the apostle Paul have to say about the Lord Jesus Christ? Colossians, Chapter 1, Verses 15 and 16…
COLOSSIANS 1:15 The Lord Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God and Father…He is the firstborn of all creation.
COLOSSIANS 1:16 For by the Lord (God the Son) all things were created…things in the heavens and things on earth…both visible and invisible…whether thrones or powers or (evil) rulers or authorities—all things have been created through the Lord and for the Lord.
Jesus Christ is God in human form. He is the visible manifestation of the entire Godhead. John, Chapter 1, Verse 18 says…
JOHN 1:18 No one has seen God the Father at any time…the only begotten One of God the Father who is in the bosom of God the Father…The Lord…He has explained God the Father.
In John, Chapter 10, Verse 30 the Lord says…
JOHN 10:30 “I (the Lord Jesus Christ) and God the Father are one (we are the same in essence).”
John, Chapter 1, Verse 1…
JOHN 1:1 In the beginning was the Word (the Lord…God the Son)…and the Word was with God the Father…and the Word (the Lord…God the Son) was God (Deity).
All three members of the Triune Godhead are in view in this verse including the silent member of the Godhead…God the Holy Spirit…who is content to do what Satan refused to do…to exist in the background rather than on center stage…to teach us all about Jesus Christ. John, Chapter 1, Verse 3…
JOHN 1:3 All things came into being through the Lord…God the Son…and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
The Lord is the “Maker” of all things. Colossians, Chapter 2, Verse 9…
COLOSSIANS 2:9 For in the Lord Jesus Christ…all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily (human) form…
The Bible describes this magnificent Person in so many ways. He is 100% God and 100% Man in one person forever…John, Chapter 1, Verse 14…
JOHN 1:14 And the Word (the Lord…God the Son)…became flesh (Jesus…the Christ)…and He lived among us…and we (apostles) saw His glory (with our own eyes)…glory as of the only begotten One from the source of God Father…full of grace and truth.
Colossians, Chapter 1, Verse 19…
COLOSSIANS 1:19 For it was God the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness (of Deity) to dwell (in human form) in the Christ…
Can you see how each verse in Colossians reaches into a plethora of other verses in the rest of Scripture?
The Lord became a man…Jesus…the Christ (the Jewish Messiah)…to die for us…so that we would be REDEEMED from sin and RECONCILED to God the Father. Christians…do you REALLY know who Jesus Christ is? Do you have a deep, intimate and personal relationship with Your Lord?
This Colossians passage describes Jesus Christ as the Preeminent One…what does it mean to be preeminent?
PREEMINENT Superior to all others
To put the Lord’s greatness into words scrambles human imagination. There is little we can do to describe our relationship with Him but to cry tears of appreciation and joy. John, Chapter 1, Verse 4…
JOHN 1:4 …in the Lord Jesus Christ was the resurrection life (the ZOE life)….and the resurrection life was the Light of men.
His humiliating death on a Cross gave us the chance for eternal life…for redemption…for purchase from the power of sin…and for reconciliation…a removal of the dividing wall between us and God.
Colossians, Chapter 1, Verse 17…
COLOSSIANS 1:17 The Lord is before all things…and in the Lord all things hold together.
Hebrews, Chapter 1, Verses 1 to 3…
HEBREWS 1:1 God the Father…after He revealed Himself long ago to the fathers through the prophets by various means and in various ways…
HEBREWS 1:2 …in these last days has spoken to us in His Son (the Lord…Jesus…the Christ)…whom God the Father appointed heir of all things…and through this Christ also, God the Father made the universe.
HEBREWS 1:3a And the Lord Jesus Christ is the radiance of God the Father’s glory…(the flashing forth)…and He is the exact representation of the Father’s nature, and the Lord Jesus Christ upholds ALL THINGS by the word of His power.
HEBREWS 1:3b When He had made purification of sins (at the Cross)…the Lord Jesus Christ sat down at the right hand of the Majesty (God the Father) on high…
Jesus is the name above all names…He is the Son of God and He is the Son of Man…Colossians, Chapter 1, Verses 18 and 19…
COLOSSIANS 1:18 The Lord is also head of the body…the church…and He is the beginning… the firstborn from the dead…so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
COLOSSIANS 1:19 For it was God the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness (of Deity) to dwell in the Christ (in bodily form)…
Hebrews, Chapter 2, Verse 7…
HEBREWS 2:7 “You (God the Father) have made him (Jesus Christ) for a little while lower than the angels…You have crowned him with glory and honor…and You have appointed him over the works of Your hands…
When He was in human form as the Christ the Lord was treated like dirt… you’re just a carpenter’s son…can anything good come out of Nazareth? … You’re just a man…you’re just a rabbi…you’re just a teacher…you’re just a prophet…anything but what He is…God in the flesh.
By taking on human form, God dumbed Himself down for us…and He suffered at the hands of the very men He created…all to make it possible for WHOSOEVER to have a relationship with His Father…to be saved.
Religions want us humans to do the suffering. False teachers with false teaching sell false gods who make us work to please them. And even when we do the work, it is not good enough. How appropriate. They’re not good enough either, nor is what they are proposing good enough. What they tell us can’t save us. Romans, Chapter 11, Verse 6 says…
ROMANS 11:6 But if salvation is by grace, and of course it is, it is no longer based on works…otherwise, grace is no longer grace.
What did God's grace do to the evil rulers and authorities? Colossians, Chapter 2, Verse 5…
COLOSSIANS 2:5 When God the Father had disarmed the rulers and authorities…He made a public display of them…having triumphed over them through Jesus (at the Cross).
We have a God who gives us grace upon grace. We have a God who knew we would sin…we have a God who knew we would fall…and He made us anyway. We have a God who suffered for us. We have a God who is a great friend…we have a God who laid down His life for us. We have a God who loves us unconditionally…who forgives us completely…and who makes us residents of His sphere of grace in every undertaking.
Christians…do you really know Jesus Christ?
Colossians, Chapter 1, Verse 20…
COLOSSIANS 1:20 …and through the Lord, God the Father reconciled ALL THINGS to Himself…having made peace through the blood of the Lord’s Cross…through Jesus, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
Christians…do you really know Jesus Christ?
I do!
He is first in all the things this passage mentions. More than that, He has made Himself first in my life and first in my heart. Without question, choosing Him to be my Lord and my Savior is the best decision I have ever made. It’s the best decision I ever will make. I hope you make the same decision. I hope you get to know your amazing Lord.
GOD WANTS YOU! Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life
Here are seven things for unbelievers to ponder as they consider a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
POINT 1 There is a God, and He is the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth
The first four words of the bible confirm His existence…Genesis, Chapter 1, Verse 1…
GENESIS 1:1a In the beginning, GOD…
The Lord isn’t shy about telling you who He is…Joel, Chapter 2, Verse 27…
JOEL 2:27b I am the Lord your God…and there is no other god…
In fact, the Lord is your Creator…John, Chapter 1, Verse 3…
JOHN 1:3 All things came into being through the Lord…God the Son…and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
POINT 2 The Creator Created YOU!
You are one of God’s creatures and He had a purpose in mind when He created you. Genesis, Chapter 1, Verse 26…
GENESIS 1:26 Then God the Father said, “Let Us (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit) make man in Our image…according to Our likeness…”
You are a spiritual being, and as such, you require a spiritual life.
POINT 3 God Has a Plan for All Mankind
God is organized…Acts, Chapter 2, Verse 23 tells us that the earth and the universe were created…
ACTS 2:23a …by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God the Father…
God made all of His decisions in eternity past and we watch them unfold every day.
POINT 4 God Has a PERSONAL Plan for YOU
Because God created you, God knows you intimately and He knows you by name. Matthew, Chapter 10, Verse 30 says…
MATTHEW 10:30 “…the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
God custom made you and He custom made a life designed specifically for you.
POINT 5 God Reveals Himself in Ways That Make Sense to Human Beings
God wants you to know Him. He is not hiding from you. He is not hard to get to know…Romans, Chapter 1, Verse 20…
ROMANS 1:20a For since the creation of the world the Lord's invisible attributes, His eternal power, and His DEITY, keep on being clearly seen by everyone…
ROMANS 1:20b …being understood even through what has been made (as reflected in the things of nature) … so that all mankind is without excuse (in the matter of knowing of the existence of the Lord).
God doesn’t work in mysterious ways…He is completely visible and totally predictable.
POINT 6 God’s Enemy, SATAN, Does Not Want You to Know God
Satan does everything he can to keep you ignorant about God. Second Corinthians, Chapter 4, Verse 4…
SECOND CORINTHIANS 4:4 …the god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel…so they might not see the glory of Christ…who is the exact same in essence as God the Father (Jesus Christ is Deity).
Are you aware of the ways Satan is lying to you about God?
POINT 7 You Owe God a Hearing
Since God created you, you at least owe him a hearing. He has placed a desire inside of you to know what is beyond yourself and what is beyond the life that is visible to you. He wants you to know Him. Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3, Verse 11…
ECCLESIASTES 3:11a The Lord has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set a desire for a knowledge of eternity in everyone’s heart…
Do you spend ANY of your time getting to know God? There is nothing more important for you in this life than a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. John, Chapter 1, Verse 12…
JOHN 1:12 But whosoever received Him, to them the Lord Jesus Christ gave the right to become children of God the Father, even to those who believe in Jesus Christ’s name…
Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…
ACTS 16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved…you and everyone in your household who also believes.”
John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…
JOHN 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life (right at that moment) … but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”
First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3 For I (Paul) delivered to you as of primary importance the gospel message I also received from God…that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Old Testament Scriptures…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4 …and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Old Testament Scriptures…
It is absolutely of primary importance that you get to know the Lord. Do it TODAY! Do it now! He welcomes you into a relationship with Him.
SONG INTRODUCTION
At the Cross, the Lord made a New Covenant with the human race. When we turn our backs on God, as many in The Jewish Race have, rejecting their Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ doesn’t bother remembering it. The Jewish Race has much to look forward to according to Hebrews, Chapter 8, Verse 12…
HEBREWS 8:12 “For I (the Lord Jesus Christ) will be merciful to their iniquities…and I will remember their sins no more.”
Gentiles are no better…we need His mercy as well. It’s always good to have June Murphy remind us of the thing we so easily forget…WE’RE FORGIVEN.
CLOSING SONG WE'RE FORGIVEN June Murphy
CLOSING SONG WE'RE FORGIVEN June Murphy
CLOSING DOXOLOGY
Words of Praise to Our God
Let’s acknowledge the magnificence of our Almighty God.
ROMANS 15:5 Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another (to think the exact same way…operating in harmony) according to your union with Christ Jesus…
ROMANS 15:6 …so that with one accord you believers in Christ may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
ROMANS 15:7 Therefore, keep on accepting one another…and keep on receiving one another…just as Christ also keeps on accepting us all (in unconditional love)…to the glory of God the Father.
CLOSING PRAYER Let us pray...
Thanks for coming! Thanks for watching! Thanks for listening! |