Join us in an enriching exploration of the International Gospel Hour as we discuss the enduring authority of Christ and its implication on modern faith. Through an in-depth review of scripture, we uncover the pivotal elements of Christ’s mission — from the foundation of His church to the authoritative nature of His word. This episode underscores the necessity of baptism and the powerful message of redemption, offering believers timeless knowledge to guide their spiritual journey.
There is a name I love to hear, I love to sing its worth. It sounds like music in mine ear, the sweetest name on earth. That’s about Jesus from that special hymn, Oh, How I Love Jesus. Today, we see what happened when folks heard about Jesus. That’s coming up on the International Gospel Hour. You’ve got to stay with us.
SPEAKER 01 :
Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. We’re so glad you’ve decided to listen to our program today. In a world of challenges, we need God’s Word to help us face those challenges. Thank you for joining us in this period of Bible study with our speaker, Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, a broadcast of the Churches of Christ. So let’s listen today. Here’s Jeff.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, thank you to our J-Web for his kind words. And greetings to everyone. It is so good to have you with us once again here for our broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. Hey, as I begin, I want to mention a free online tool that you may find interesting. It is GospelGazette.com. That’s GospelGazette.com. That’s one Z and two T’s in Gazette, all one word, GospelGazette.com. When you get to GospelGazette.com, click on the Archive tab and you’ll see access to over 25 years of articles by Christian men and women. Please check them out today at gospelgazette.com for your reading and study pleasure. And here is a little more about us before we begin our study today.
SPEAKER 01 :
Did you know since 1934 the IGH has been heard over the radio? We are one of the longest running weekly religious programs in the history of American radio. 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 study material is free, always has been, always will be. Thank you for listening.
SPEAKER 02 :
Consider with me Acts the 8th chapter, beginning with verse 5, and we’re going to read through verse 12. The Bible says, Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city. But there was a certain man called Simon who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, to whom they all gave heed from the least of the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Now, friends, Philip preached Christ. That’s verse 5 of Acts 8. The people heeded and heard, verse 6. And they believed Philip when he preached Christ, verse 12. And in preaching Christ, we see three things that he preached about Christ from verse 12. That is, he preached the things concerning the kingdom God and the name of Jesus Christ, and men and women were baptized. So let us heed and hear and believe as they did. Well, when one preaches Jesus Christ, one must preach about his church. When he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God, friends, we note from the scriptures that the kingdom and the church are one and the same. In Matthew 16, verses 18 and 19, Jesus, speaking unto Peter, said, Upon this rock, that is, the confession that Peter made that he is the Christ, the Son of the living God, Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. In Colossians 1, verses 13 and 14, writing to the church at Colossae, he said, He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the Son of His love, or into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. the word conveyed there like a conveyor. Later translations have the word transferred. And one would find himself in the kingdom of Christ if he is in the church of Christ. He has been conveyed into the kingdom, not later, but now, a place where there is redemption and the forgiveness of sins. In Hebrews 12, 28, Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Friends, you know, one cannot preach Jesus without preaching His church. Someone says, well, don’t give me the church. Give me Jesus. You can’t do it, friends. The Bible will not allow you to do that. When we look at Romans 16 and verse 16, greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you. The church bears the name of Christ. He promised to build His church. Again, Matthew 16, 18. When we look at Acts 20 and verse 28, we see that He shed His blood and purchased the church. And in Ephesians 1, 22 and 23, and Colossians 1 and verse 18, the church is called His body. And friends, Ephesians chapter 4, verses 4 through 6, all of the ones there speak of one body. Jesus only intended for there to be one church, His church. And friends, when we see that church in the New Testament, that is the church of which we are to be a part, and that is the church of which these Samaritans, these in Samaria, rather, were added. But second, when one preaches Jesus Christ, one must preach His authority. I mean, when we take a look back at verse 12, He preached the things concerning the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ. His authority. I think of Jesus taking Peter, James, and John to the mountain of transfiguration. and how the word of God said in verse 5, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am pleased. Hear ye him. I think of Moses in Acts chapter 3, 22 and 23, when Peter was preaching what Moses said to the fathers. The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren. Him shall you hear in all things whatever he says to you, and it shall be that every soul who will not hear that prophet shall shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. When we preach the authority of Christ, we must preach that he is the head of his church. Again, Ephesians 1, 22 and 23 and Colossians 1, 18. Friends, if you are part of a church that has a human head or a human committee, a synod or some type of earthly headquarters, that is not the church that Jesus Christ promised to build. In John 12, verse 48, Jesus said, He that rejects me and receives not my words has one that will judge him. The word that I have spoken, the same will judge him in the last day. Do you suppose the authority of Christ is important? Without a doubt. It must be of Christ. Third, when one preaches Jesus Christ, well, one must preach about baptism. I mean, after all, when Philip preached the things concerning the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, they believed him. They were baptized. Friends, does that not work perfectly with what Jesus said in Mark 16, 16? He that believes and is baptized shall be saved. And we understand from Acts 2 and verse 47 that the saved are added to the church, which is his kingdom. I think about those on that day of Pentecost. That they said, Men and brethren, what shall we do? And Peter said in Acts 2, 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. Later in verse 41, they that gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Baptism is part of the command of Jesus in the preaching of the gospel of Christ, as we noted in Mark 16, verses 15 and 16, and Matthew 28, 18 through 20. And I think about that dear eunuch, to when Philip preached unto him Jesus Christ, later in Acts chapter 8, from the book of Isaiah. And the Bible says that as they went on their way, they came to a certain water, and the eunuch said, See, here is water. What hinders me to be baptized? And Philip told him, if he believed with all his heart, that he may. And he said, I believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the chariot stopped, and he baptized him into water. Friends, when one preaches Jesus Christ, one must preach about baptism into Christ. It is amazing how we can look at what Philip did in Samaria, And yet, friends, we see the same example for you and I today in what we should do. I mean, the essentiality of baptism in one’s salvation is there. And, friends, when we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus said, Except you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins. If we believe in Him, will we not believe in His teaching? Will we not believe in His words and what He brings forth? And then when he taught us the importance of repentance in Luke 13, 3 and 5, that we can change our decision and change our direction through Jesus Christ, through the preaching of Christ, just like on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father which is in heaven, Matthew 10, 32, the words of Jesus. And then as we noted in Mark 16, verse 16, as well as Matthew 28, 18 through 20, That we are baptized into Christ because He commands it. And we’re raised to walk in that newness of life, Romans 6, 4-6. To God be the glory. You see, friends, when we preach Jesus, we must preach about baptism. We must preach His authority and preach about His church. Friends, before I depart with you today, I’d like to share with you some good information that you can view on your television and get this, friends, Absolutely free. Here is our J-Web with some good words about our friends at the World Video Bible School.
SPEAKER 01 :
Between listening to us here at International Gospel Hour, check out over 2,400 videos and get this, enroll in their online school and work at your own pace absolutely free. That’s wvbs.org. Again, that’s wvbs.org.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, my friends, today we have given you a number of good tools to use. GospelGazette.com for reading, World Video Bible School for watching. We hope it will be of help to you in your studies. When we preach Jesus, we’re going to preach the church, His authority, and His baptism that He commanded. And to God be the glory. And we’ll continue our studies together at another time. But for now, thank you for joining me on the International Gospel Hour today. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
SPEAKER 01 :
May this study prompt your search of God’s word for his will in your life. To assist you in your study or to listen to our other programs, please visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com. To God be the glory.
