April 17, 2011
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
LOCATION
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd Floor
150 Washington Street
Rocky Hill, New Jersey, 08553
Telephone: 615-513-4464
Schedule of Services
Sunday 10 AM Bible Class
Sunday 11 AM Morning Service
Thursday 7 PM Midweek Service
GRACE AND PEACE BE MULITPLIED
1 Peter 1: 2
Brethren, we live in a world of sin and sorrow. How we need grace and peace! Verse 2 is the assurance every believer has that grace and peace shall be multiplied unto us.
Of God the Father
Elect means chosen (1 Peter 2:9.) Foreknowledge does not mean that "God chose some because God looked down through time and saw that they would choose him.” The word does not mean the all-knowing attribute of God but the act of ordaining before. The same word translated “foreknowledge” here is translated “foreordained” in verse twenty (1 Peter 1: 20.) Christ was chosen of God before the world, not because God the Father foresaw Christ would obey him, but because God would glorify his Son in the salvation of those whom the Father blessed with all spiritual blessings when he choose them in Christ and predestinated them to the adoption of children (Isaiah 42: 1-9; Ephesians 1: 3-6.) Foreknowing and predestinating is by the grace of God the Father that the purpose of God might stand, that Christ his Son might be the Firstborn among many brethren (Romans 9: 11; 8: 29-31.) Dear sinner, if we would truly find sweet rest from our sinful wills and vain attempts at establishing a righteousness of our own then we will find grace and peace for our soul in this glorious truth that God has mercy on whom he will have mercy. (Romans 9: 15-16.) The peace is knowing that in the midst of all our failures we can fall back into his arms assured that because he chose us not based on anything in us, then nothing in us can change his grace and mercy toward us (Malachi 3: 6; Romans 11: 29.) Oh, amazing grace, how sweet the sound!
Of God the Holy Spirit
Every child of mercy shall know their election of God the Father because each shall be sanctified by the Spirit of God in regeneration and granted repentance from dead works and faith in Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14.) By this sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, we are made to know that we did not choose God, but he chose us. We did not put the finishing touches on Christ’s work or make his work having meaning for us or make his blood to have saving effect. Now we know we did not come to God by our will but God made us willing in the day of his power. We know that what we once boasted of was self-exaltation and worthless vanity. Our hearts are no longer set on the flesh but on Christ Jesus at God’s right hand that God might receive all the glory (Romans 8: 1; 2 Corinthians 5: 16; Colossians 3: 1-4.) This is the gracious setting apart--sanctification—wrought of God the Spirit in our hearts whereby we are made new creatures, old things pass away, and all things become new (2 Corinthians 5:17; Psalms 65:4.) Oh, sinner have you been made to behold that by his one offering Christ has perfected all them that are sanctified (Hebrews 10: 9-14.) Have you been sanctified from trying to clean the dirty floor of your flesh with the dirty mop of your flesh? (Galatians 3: 3; Philippians 3: 3.) Christ is the Sanctifier and the Sanctification of those sanctified of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 2: 11; 1 Corinthians 1: 30;
Of God the Son, Christ Jesus
The sinner who experiences the grace and peace of God is made obedient to submit all hope to the obedience of Christ. The obedience of Christ is holy and righteous obedience. His obedience is how his blood came to be shed for each of God's elect given to him (Philippians 2:8.) The fidelity of the spotless Lamb of God in submitting himself to bear the sins of his people in his own body on the tree that he might deliver us from the curse by being made a curse for us is the obedience wherein the righteousness of God is manifest (Romans 3: 20-21; 1 Peter 2: 24; Galatians 3: 13.) The best obedience of any sinner falls short of the glory of God (Romans 3: 23.) Christ’s obedience is the glory of God for he declared the righteousness of God that God might be just and the Justifier of all who believe in Jesus (Romans 3: 25-26.) The obedience of Christ belongs to those born of his Spirit, sprinkled by his blood and made the righteousness of God in him (Romans 5:19; 1 Peter 1:18-21; 2 Corinthians 5: 21.) Christ Jesus entered the holiest of holies not made with hands into the very presence of God now to appear in God’s presence for us (Hebrews 9:12, 24.)
Dear sinner, how much more shall the blood of Christ purge our conscious from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9: 14; 2 Corinthians 10: 5.) Oh, come to this living Stone, keep coming to this living Stone, do not stop coming to this living Stone for upon Christ our Altar all our spiritual sacrifices of praise are accepted of God by Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2: 4-5.)
Divine Assurance
Believer, we are chosen by grace, sanctified by grace, redeemed by grace, we stand by grace, we are kept by grace, we shall be brought home to be with Christ by grace and grace is all our peace with God. Meditate on this thought: peace between the believer and God is wrought and given freely by the triune God of all grace, even as peace between you and your brethren is the effect of the grace of the triune God working in each of you (John 14: 27.) This is Peace only God can give and for which only God shall receive the glory. Grace and peace is not only our desire for our fellow brethren, but that which we shall have multiplied unto us. Our divine assurance that it shall continue to be multiplied to each of us who are resting by his grace is because all things are ours in the King of Peace (1 Corinthians 3: 21-23.)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Brother Eric Lutter will be preaching in our mid-week service Thursday night.
SERMONS
After clicking on the following sermon links you will go to sermon notes where you will find an option at
the top of the page to access the audio.
Behold Your God!
Free Servants
ARTICLES
Good Fruit
Corrupt Fruit