Feed The Church Of God, Which He Hath Purchased With His Own Blood - Part 1780

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which HE HATH PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore, watch, and remember, that by the space of three years, I ceased not to warn everyone night and day with tears. And now brethren, I commend you unto God, and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all men, which are sanctified ..." (Acts 20:28-32)

We see what happened when certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks encountered the apostle Paul. At that moment in time, some asked concerning Paul, "What will this babbler say?" Others said, "He seems to be a setter forth of strange gods" because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. But as did all the disciples when they entered into the villages and towns, their words -- the Word which they preached -- divided the people.

Still, while some mocked the apostolic doctrine, there were those who desired more of Jesus in their hearts. One such example is Areopagus, who inquired of Paul, "May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest [is]? For thou brings strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean." (Acts 17:16-19; Acts 2:36-47)

As we know also from this scriptural account, Paul not wanting them to be superstitious and/or ignorantly worshiping an "unknown god" tells them about the One and Only God who made the world and all things therein, "seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands; neither is worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything" seeing He gives to all life, and breath, and all things, and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation, that they should seek the Lord, if haply, they might feel after Him and find Him -- though He be not far from every one of us. (Acts 17:24-26)

The Lord, as described by Peter on the day of Pentecost, as "both Lord and Christ" is JESUS in this current dispensation of grace. (Acts 2:36) His Name is the Name above every other name, and the ONLY Name whereby we must be saved in these latter days -- the fullness of time. (Acts 4:12; Philippians 2:9)

And His Name shall be called JESUS, for He shall save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:18-23) The only Name which causes offence in our current day society, and within the traditions of men circles, who have long ago stopped glorifying Him as God. (Romans 1:21-23)

Nevertheless, JESUS -- He is the Author and Finisher of our faith, Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending. (Revelation 1:8, 11; Revelation 22:13; Revelation 21:6-7)

JESUS -- He is King of kings and Lord of lords.

This is why we are instructed to worship God -- "for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy." (Revelation 19:10; Revelation 22:8; Acts 10:26; Hebrews 1:14; I John 5:10; Luke 24:27)

"And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His Name is called the Word of God ... and He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a Name written -- King of kings and Lord of lords." (Revelation 19:13, 16; Isaiah 63:2-3; Revelation 2:17; Revelation 19:12) The Word made flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:1-18)

"He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:10-11)

It is for this reason that John said whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. (I John 5:1) Because so many today want to sup with God, without ever kneeling and believing in their heart that Jesus is God manifest in the flesh, and confessing (as Peter standing with the eleven did on the day of Pentecost) that He -- this same Jesus whom ye have crucified -- is both Lord and Christ. (I Timothy 3:16; Acts 2:36)

Yes, He Himself purchased us -- the body of Christ church -- with His own precious blood. (Acts 20:28)

He became the perfect sacrifice, tearing the vail from top to bottom -- heaven to earth, so that we might come to Him, and know Him -- our Lord God and Saviour who after His kindness and love toward man appeared. (Titus 3:4-7)

"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life AND THIS LIFE IS IN HIS SON; he that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us, and if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him ..." (I John 5:11-15; Romans 8:16; John 3:18-33; I John 2:28; II John 1:9)

Hear ye Him!

The commandment -- that we should believe on the "Name" of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment. "And he that keeps His commandments dwells in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abides in us, BY THE SPIRIT WHICH HE HATH GIVEN US." (I John 2:19-24; I Corinthians 4:4-5; I John 2:28; I John 5:14; Psalm 34:15; John 8:29; Matthew 22:39; John 14:21-23; Romans 8:9-16)

Why is this so important to understand? That God purchased the body of Christ church with His own blood, redeeming us, and sanctifying us with Thy Word? (Acts 20:28; John 17:17)

So "that ye [we] may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the Word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain ..." (John 18:37; I Corinthians 2:15) Don't let those certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God -- our Lord Jesus Christ -- lead you astray from the truth that can only be found in Him.

Stand in the offering plate.