International Gospel Hour

Jeff Archey: A request to see Jesus at a feast allows us to feed upon his word today. So, let us partake here from the International Gospel Hour. Stay with us, friends.

Choir: (Singing)

J. Webb: It's time for our broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. I am Jay Webb and welcome to our study today as we embrace God's Word to help us meet the challenges of today. Let us open our Bibles and open our heart for this time of Bible study with our speaker Jeff Archey of International Gospel Hour, a broadcast of the Churches of Christ. Here's Jeff.

Jeff Archey: Well, thank you always to our Jay Webb for his kind words. Greetings and hello, everyone. Great having you with us once again for our studies here from the International Gospel Hour.

You know, we do a lot of things online with our website and a number of things, but allow me to share some contact info very quickly. You may want to write us, and that is PO Box 118, Fayetteville, Tennessee, 37334. That is PO Box 118, Fayetteville, Tennessee, 37334.

Of course, our website is internationalgospelhour.com, and feel free to send us a message there through our contact tab, or if you would like to give us a call toll-free at 855-444-6988. We would love to hear from you.

As a matter of fact, if it is convenient for you, please give us a call at 855-444-6988 and just let us know where you are listening to our broadcast from. We would love to hear from our listeners.

Let us begin our study with a reading from John the 12th chapter, verses 20 through 26.

"And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast. The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, 'Sir, we would see Jesus.' Philip comes and tells Andrew and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. And Jesus answered them, saying, 'The hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone, but if it die, it brings forth much fruit. He that loves his life shall lose it, and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am, there shall also my servant be. If any man serve me, him will my father honor.'"

My friends, there is so much meat that you can pull from this text. But I think about the request of those certain Greeks, "We would see Jesus."

Let us note something about those Greeks. They came to the feast, they came to worship, to assemble, to come together. And when you think about those certain Greeks, and some believe they were proselytes that came to the feast, but how Jesus attracted them, how they were attracted rather to Jesus to change their lives. They came to worship, to assemble, to come together. Their aim was to get the most out of this feast that they could, and they wanted to see Jesus.

You know, friends, today by choice, we find many each week gathering in various assemblies that are noted as churches. But friends, have you ever wondered about the multiplicity of churches? Why are there so many? And are they all right if they teach different things?

So, for our broadcast today, I would like to launch from our lesson text, and let us look at, "We would see Jesus in the church." Let us pick up with that study in a moment, but first, a few words from our Jay Webb. We have got a great online publication just for you.

J. Webb: Subscribe online free and receive the Gospel Gleaner each quarter. Available online, you will receive an exceptional publication for your reading and study. Just go to gospelgleaner.com, sign up, and let them know you heard about it from the International Gospel Hour. Again, that is gospelgleaner.com.

Jeff Archey: Friends, we would see Jesus in the church in the eternal purpose of the church. I take us to Ephesians 3:10 and 11, "to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church, the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him."

Friends, those two verses pack a lot, but we note how the church was purposed in Christ, the eternal purpose, before time even began. Within the wisdom of God, he knew he would bring forth the church within Christ.

In 1st Peter 1:18 through 21, "Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God."

The church, friends, think about it. Before time began, God knew the plan through the Christ to save man. That is the church of which you and I read of in Scripture.

Not only do we see Jesus in the eternal purpose, but we would see Jesus in the exact prophecy about the church. In Isaiah 2:1 through 3, "The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, and it shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills and all nations shall flow into it, and many people shall go and say, 'Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths, for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.'"

How this was prophesied some 700 to 750 years before. And then we see such exciting texts as Luke 24:44 through 47, as Jesus is granting the Great Commission through Luke's Gospel, and how remission of sins would be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

In Acts chapter 1:9 through 11, the apostles were told to return to Jerusalem and be endued with power from on high. And indeed, they preached repentance and remission of sins in Acts 2 and verse 38, and in Acts 2 and verse 47, we find where the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Oh friends, what a beautiful thought.

You see, we see Jesus in the eternal purpose and the exact prophecy, and what about the expressed promise? Are you staying with my ease, folks? In Matthew 16:16 through 18, Jesus promised to build his church. "I say unto you that you are Peter, and upon this rock, not Peter, but upon the rock, the solid foundation that Peter confessed Jesus is the Son of God, he would build his church, and the gates of hell would not prevail against it."

Then he said, "And I will give unto you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Oh no, friends, the kingdom is not something yet to come. My friends, I submit to you that the kingdom is in existence. For the King of kings and the Lord of lords, 1st Timothy 6:15, is reigning on the right hand of the Father, Hebrews 1:3. And how to be a king, he must have a kingdom. How there were those in the days of Colossians 1:13 who were translated into the kingdom of the Son of his love.

Jesus promised to build his church. The promise was expressed. Here's number four: the purchase price was expensive. We see Jesus in the promise, we see Jesus in the purchase. In Acts 20 and verse 28, when Paul is speaking to those elders at Ephesus, he tells them to take heed unto themselves and to do all the flock over the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, that you may feed the church of God which he purchased with his own blood. Friends, the blood of Christ purchased the church. What an expensive purpose.

And then, friends, we would see Jesus in the passage or the way that you enter. We will put all that together in a moment, but let us think for a moment, the entered passage. Did not Jesus teach the importance of believing in him? He did. John 8:24. And we also note Mark 16 and verse 16, "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved."

Jesus taught the importance of faith in John 3 and verse 16. We must believe in Christ. Jesus also taught the beauty of repentance from Luke 13, 3 and 5. As we noted moments ago, he commanded repentance to be preached in Luke 24:44 through 47.

And dear friends, repentance was proclaimed on the day of Pentecost in the name of Christ, that authority. Acts 2:38. Jesus taught of confessing him before men, Matthew 10:32 and 33. And also, Jesus taught the importance and necessity of baptism. We mentioned Mark 16:16 moments ago.

And Jesus taught that repentance and remission of sins would be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem, within the context of Luke 24:44 through 47. And on the day of Pentecost, what did Peter reply? In Acts 2 and verse 38, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

When we are baptized in water, immersed in water, buried with him in baptism, Romans 6:3 through 6. We are raised to walk in that newness of life.

Dear friends, we would see Jesus in the church. And today, we would like for you to study this a little more. Would you love to be a member of the church we read of in the New Testament, the pre-denominational, non-denominational body of Christ? You can, friends. That is why we like to offer our Bible studies by mail, and we would love to send one to you. And here is our Jay Webb with those details, and I will be back to wrap up our broadcast today.

J. Webb: Have you tried our long-time free Bible study course by mail? Give it a try by calling toll-free at 855-444-6988. And leave your name, address, and just say home study. 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 home study in the message box. Ask for your free Bible course by mail today from International Gospel Hour.

Jeff Archey: Indeed, friends, we see Jesus in his church, and we would love for you to be a part of his church this day. If we can be of help to you in further study concerning the Church of Christ, we would love to help you. We will continue these studies together at another time, but for now, thank you for joining me on the International Gospel Hour. I am Jeff Archey, and friends, as always, keep listening.

Choir: (Singing)

J. Webb: Thank you for listening today. To God be the glory, and we hope that our study today will draw you closer to his word to walk in his way. Feel free to listen to our other programs at our website at internationalgospelhour.com and join us next time.

Choir: (Singing)