Join us today on the International Gospel Hour as we delve into the marvelous works of God. Our discussion centers around the timeless lessons in both the Old and New Testaments, offering insightful perspectives on faith and obedience. With engaging scripture readings and thoughtful reflections, this episode is great spiritual nourishment.
The blessed hymn says, Oh, how marvelous! Oh, how wonderful! Let’s talk about the wonderful works of God today from the International Gospel Hour. Stay tuned.
SPEAKER 01 :
Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. For almost 90 years, churches of Christ have proclaimed God’s Word through International Gospel Hour. You are about to listen to another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour starting now.
SPEAKER 02 :
As always, dear friends, a thank you to our J. Webb for his kind remarks, and greetings to all of you. How good it is to have you join us today for our broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. As of this recording, for almost 90 years we have been on the air. We are blessed to be the longest-running radio broadcast within Churches of Christ, And we hope that our study of the Word of God is of great encouragement to you and dear friends to help you with direction in your life. We have many of you that request study material from our broadcast or reading material. Please know that everything we offer to you is absolutely free. And we love to hear from our listeners. And so if you have a moment and it is convenient, our toll-free number is 1-855-IGH-6988 or 855-444-6988. And please give us a call. We would love to hear where you are hearing our broadcast, where you’re hearing it from. And also, if we can be of help to you and to keep you in prayer or whatever the case might be, know this. We’re interested in the things that be of God as you are, or you would not join us today. Now for our broadcast today, we’re going to consider the theme, The Wonderful Works of God. And I want to do something a little different in the broadcast, our weekly broadcast, if you will. We’re going to spend a few moments in the reading of the scripture. Now there may be a various amount of scriptures we will read, or maybe one certain text. And then I’m going to break down our broadcast into two study segments. That way, if you only hear the scripture reading and you can no longer listen, or you’re driving and you’re getting out of your car, well, you’ll get a complete mini-broadcast, if you will. If you’re able to hear the first and the second part, or maybe you’ve just gotten in your car and you’re going to be driving for a while and can hear the whole broadcast. I want to try this and see how this works. That way we can look at three different areas or three different things of which we can study each time. So I’m going to give this a try for a while and see how it goes. I mentioned our Jay Webb moments ago. Jay will be back momentarily. He will be talking with you about our free booklet that we have called Something is Wrong, But the Bible is Right. You’ll hear a little bit more about our broadcast and a little bit of the history. And then our friends at the World Bible School have a wonderful online Bible study available. And Jay will tell you about that later in the broadcast. But for now, let’s give attention to certain scriptures that speak of the wonderful works of God. How about Psalm 40 and verse 5? Many, O Lord my God, are your wonderful works, which you have done, and your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to you in order. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. In Psalm 78 and verse 4, We will not hide them from their children. telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. In Psalm 107, verse 8, as well as verses 15, 21, and 31, we read, O that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men. Now to bring in a thought there, dear friends, Consider that the psalmist, through inspiration, penned that same verse four times. Do you think there is emphasis there? And let men give thanks to the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men. You know, we may be at our highest moment and feel like we’re doing pretty well. Let’s give thanks to the Lord that we are there. Or we may be in one of the lowest moments of our lives. Let’s give thanks to the Lord for His goodness to help us come up from there. Because His wonderful works are available to the children of men. Psalm 119.27 Make me understand the way of your precepts, so shall I meditate on your wonderful works. Let’s add these together and let’s sum it up. His wonderful works more than can be numbered. worthy for every generation. And we can understand His wonderful works through the precepts, His word, His commands. We can see His wonderful works and the things therein. So today, friends, we’re going to come back in a few moments and discuss the wonderful works of God. But first, we’re going to do so with His precepts, the word of God. And speaking of the Word of God, we have a special free booklet that is quite popular among our listeners. We’d love to send it to you. Jay Webb will tell you a little bit more about it. Here is our Jay Webb.
SPEAKER 01 :
Good folks, please allow us to send a special free booklet called Something is Wrong, but the Bible is Right. This is a study that clears away a lot of the confusion in the religious world and allows us to see that the Bible is always right. Just call toll-free at 1-855-IGH-6988 and leave your name, address, and just say, Bible Tract. That’s it. You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the Contact tab, and leave us the same information, name, address, and type Bible Tract in the message box. Now, back to our study.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes, friends, we think you’ll find the track, Something is Wrong, But the Bible is Right. It’s a small booklet, and it was put together by our friends of the White Oak Church of Christ in Chattanooga, Tennessee, at this recording well over 70 years ago. And they’ve done a wonderful job with that booklet and have reprinted it through the years. We think you’ll find it profitable, and it doesn’t cost a thing. So we look forward to hearing from you. And now, friends, for our segment, consider with me 1 Chronicles 16, 8-12. Let’s go back to the Old Testament. As the Apostle Paul said in Romans 15, 4, that these are the things written for our learning that through patience and comfort of the Scriptures we might have hope. Through that patience and that comfort, we are able to learn from the characters of the Old Testament. We know from Adam and Eve that we need to be obedient unto God and not listen to Satan. We know that through Moses we’re able to learn of faithfulness and endurance and to press onward, carrying and watching God’s promises every step of the way. and what we learn from Abraham as he is called the father of the faithful, and how the teaching of Abraham in Romans 4 and Genesis, or rather Galatians 3, teach and comfort us that through Abraham all seed should be blessed, and through the seed of Jesus Christ, Galatians 3, 16 and 19. Oh, the thrilling reading of the Psalms, if you will, and also, too, to learn of the kings, the evil kings, the good kings in the days of Israel and in the divined kingdom of Israel and Judah. Oh, to read the prophets who would write of the things that be of God and who would tell of those things that would come that we are able to see in the New Testament. Dear friends, the things are written aforetime were indeed written for our learning. So let’s learn from 1 Chronicles 16, 8-12. O give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him. Sing psalms to Him. Talk of all His, watch it, wondrous works. Glory in His holy name. Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and His strength. Seek His face evermore. Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth. Oh, my friends, what a prayer! And what praise in that prayer. And you know, to begin a prayer by giving thanks to the Lord, it’s a beautiful way to begin a prayer. I want to tell you about a friend who has passed on and who is now resting in the bosom of Abraham, if you will. I want to tell you about a beloved friend by the name of Ernie. Ernie was a good encouragement to me, and I’m grateful for his friendship, and he’s been gone a number of years. But I remember in a Bible class we were discussing prayer, and he raised his hand and he commented, That as he begins a prayer, he has to take the time to thank God for all he has given him before he would ask of God anything. I thought, wow. And you know, friends, that has stayed with me through the years. That has been one of those comments that’s engraved in your heart that you just hold on to. To begin a prayer of thanking God for all that he has done. My wife and I, we pray together each morning. And I read an article. Let me make it that way. I read an article once about what to pray for daily. And it would match up the request with the day of the week, for example. On Monday, we pray about the message, the gospel. On Tuesday, we pray about teaching the people that are used to do so. On Wednesday, we pray for Washington or for our government, our state, national, and local leaders in the United States. And also, I pray on Thursday, we call that Thanksgiving Day. And to just spend a little more time in thanking and praising God for what he’s given us. On Friday we pray for family. On Saturday we pray for saints and shut-ins. As we prepare for Sunday when we assemble with the saints to worship. Hope that little thought will help you think about your prayer life. But going back to being thankful, what a way to begin a prayer. And then in the prayer, to seek the Lord and His strength. To seek the things that will help you and I. When one prays to God, how we can reach out to Him, knowing He is the Almighty. And the wondrous works, or the marvelous works, the wonderful works of God. What a wonderful thought. Now, let’s move from the Old Testament to the New Testament in Acts chapter 2. We come to Acts 2 when the Jews and the proselytes have assembled for the Feast of Pentecost. And we learn in Acts 2, 9-11, a number of people, the Parthians and the Medes and the Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phyregera and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs, we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God. The Holy Spirit had come upon the apostles, and they’re preaching the wonderful works of God. Well, when we go back to Luke 24, beginning with verse 44, Luke’s account of the Great Commission, Jesus said unto his apostles, These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms concerning me. O friends, the things are written aforetime, shall we say? And he opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then he said to them, Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you. But tarry or remain in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high. Well, we know they went back to Jerusalem in Acts 1 and verse 12. And here in Acts chapter 2, the power had come upon these apostles, the power of the Holy Spirit. And so here they are preaching in the tongues, the languages that those that assembled could hear. And when the preaching of Christ pricked their hearts or struck them in the heart, in Acts 2 verse 37, they asked, Men and brethren, what shall we do? You know, Peter had told them, you have crucified this same Jesus, both Lord and Christ. Here’s what you did. And they said, what shall we do? And Acts 2 and verse 38, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Dear friends, that answer in verse 38 parallels beautifully with what Jesus said in Luke 24, 47. That repentance and remission of sin should be preached in his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. And it happened that very day. What a wonderful fulfillment. So in Acts 2 in verse 41, what happened? Then those who gladly received his word, the word of Peter, the word of the preaching of the apostles… were baptized, and that day about 3,000 souls were added to them. Friends, they were added by obedience to God. They were not chosen or voted on by man. Then at the end, please note Acts 2 and verse 47, where we see the word church. People who were praising God and having favor with all the people, and the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Do you suppose they were grateful for the wonderful works of God? Dear friends, we are grateful how one can be added to the church we read of in the New Testament. You see, friends, when we look in the Bible, the New Testament, and we see the church as that Jesus promised to build in Matthew 16, 18, and the church of which he purchased with his own blood, Acts 20 and verse 28. And we see there were those added to that church daily. Friends, would it be safe to say that you and I can be added to the church that we read of in the New Testament? The pre-denominational body of Christ. Now that term, sometimes I’ll say that and people, whoa, wait a minute. You ever think about this, that the church we read of in the New Testament existed before any denomination existed? And how the word denomination is not found in the New Testament? The word de- is a prefix which means down from the whole or the first. The word nominate means to name it. So a denomination is to name something down from the first or the whole. But the New Testament presents the church as the whole, the body of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1, 22 and 23, where God put all things under the feet of Jesus and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all. How grateful to see through the wonderful works of God, the church, that day, how there were those added, and those that continue to be added daily. Let’s talk a little bit more about the church when we come back from our break. But now, give it about 30 seconds or so. Hear these good words from our J-Web about our work at International Gospel Hour. And we’ll come back with our third and final segment.
SPEAKER 01 :
Since 1934, the International Gospel Hour has been heard over the radio, and to God be the glory. We are blessed to remain on the air through gracious giving of congregations of Churches of Christ, faithful Christians, and devoted friends. That’s why you will never hear us asking for money from you, our listeners. Our offers of material and study aids are absolutely free. We want you to grow in the knowledge of the Word of God. Thank you always for listening.
SPEAKER 02 :
And now, friends, let’s go back to Acts 2 and verse 47 for our third segment that says, Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Now, dear friends, might we ask what church are we speaking of? Which church? Friends, it would have to be the one of which Jesus promised in Matthew 16, 18. Would it interest you to know that this church of which we are speaking is not a denomination? That Jesus died to save man, but he did not die to purchase every denomination. he did die to purchase his church of which he promised. In Matthew 16, verse 13, the Bible says, When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? So they said, Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. He said to them, but who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood is not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Now, friends, if I take the Bible and the Bible only and do what it says, and if I do what they did on Pentecost that we studied in our first segment, can I be added to the same church? Yes, indeed, without a doubt. Can I be added to the church that Jesus promised to build? Yes. Now, friends, if I am a member of that church, can I be certain of the blessings and the salvation and the redemption that is in Christ? Absolutely. You know, when we look on the day of Pentecost, we can simply see that they heard what was preached. I mean, they had to hear it in order to believe it. We know that they believed in God because they were assembling together at a feast that God had commanded. We have no doubt there was faith on the day of Pentecost, and without faith, well, it is impossible to please God, according to Hebrews 11, 6. For he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Now, I understand that when I believe in God, Friends, that belief by itself is simply not enough. True biblical faith moves us toward obedience. And when Peter said, repent, if they would have failed to repent, their faith would not have done them any good. Because they believed in God. They were embracing the teaching of God. And as Jesus taught that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name, that’s a clear command. And also Jesus taught repentance in Luke 13.3 and Luke 13.5. And when we repent of our sins and confess Him as Jesus commanded in Matthew 10.32, we find Peter making the confession, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And we even find later in Acts 8 verse 37, the eunuch making that confession of his faith. And then, friends, on the day of Pentecost, they were baptized into Christ. They were baptized for the remission of sins. Was water used here? Yes. We learn later that water was used in baptism with the eunuch in Acts 8. Why, even John the Baptizer, John the Baptist, used water to immerse. And studies and research of geologists, is that the word I’m looking for? Those that are searching for the earth. Those involved in geology. Let me be a little more accurate there. Words are not coming to me at the moment. But how they have found around Jerusalem water. deep-rooted or deeply built-by-stone baptistries for immersion. That’s rather interesting. They were baptized for the remission of sins, for their sins to be washed away, Acts 22.16, and added to the church. Friends, it’s that simple. And then one that is baptized is raised to walk in a newness of life. Romans 6, 4 through 6. One is placed in Christ when one is baptized. Galatians 3, 27. Added to the church based upon one’s faith, repentance, confession, and baptism. Yes, friends, it’s that simple. It’s the wonderful works of God and how grateful we are. that they have come to us, that we may be obedient unto him. We’re going to pause one more time as our J-Web will come back. And we’d like to encourage you, between broadcast, to engage in personal Bible study. And our friends at the World Bible School have a great online course that you may find of interest. We’d like for you to try it. And here are the details from our J-Web.
SPEAKER 01 :
That’s the free online study at worldbibleschool.org.
SPEAKER 02 :
And dear friends, we hope that that online study will be of interest to you, that you can go online at your convenience and register at worldbibleschool.org. It’s been a good broadcast today, and we hope that you’ll contact us for the free booklet, Something is Wrong, But the Bible is Right. Again, that’s 855-IGH-6988. Or you can go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com through our contact tab and leave us the same information, whichever works best for you. We’re grateful to come to you once again with our studies today, and we hope that the breakdown of our studies has been of interest to you. And we’re going to do this for a while, and let’s see how things work. Again, we would love to hear from you, so feel free to reach out to us. but how thankful we are to talk about the wonderful works of God and to see the salvation that is in Jesus Christ. Only in Christ and in His church will we have the salvation, the redemption, and the spiritual blessings that are only available in Christ, Ephesians 1.3. Let’s continue our studies together another time, shall we? Thanks for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour radio broadcast. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you for listening to our broadcast today. To God goes all the glory, and we hope that our study today will draw you closer to His Word to walk in His way. To listen to it again, or other broadcasts, please visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com.
