November 13, 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
TOTAL RUIN
Romans 5: 12
We must be made to know how ruined we became in Adam. We did not become partially ruined; we became totally ruined (Rom 5: 12; Ps 51:5; 58:3Jer 13: 23; 14: 4; 17:9: 13:23; 1 Co 2:14; John 3:3, 6; Eph 2:1-3.) When Adam disobeyed God we died in Adam (Gen 2: 15-17.) All who are born of Adam (each one of us) are generated (conceived) in sin. Death passed upon all men (Ro 5: 12.)
Fruit of Ruin
The fruit of spiritual death was that Adam tried to cover up what he was. He hid from God. And he justified himself for running away from God (Gen 3: 7-20.) Are we trying to cover up what we are? Are we trying to hide from God? Are we running away and trying to shift the blame onto someone else while we do so? (Jo 3: 19-21.) We need for depravity to become more than a doctrine. We need to know we are the depravity.
Saved From Ruin
In like manner as Adam’s disobedience brought death upon all whom Adam represented so by the obedience of Christ justification of life came upon all whom Christ represented (Ro 5: 18.) Jesus Christ reigns to bring this gift to each one for whom he died through the gospel through the regenerating power (new conception) of the Holy Spirit (Ro 5: 19-21; 8: 30.) The work Christ finished was accomplished by God to declare the righteousness of God. Therefore, without a doubt, life and faith and all things that pertain to godliness shall be freely given to all whom Christ redeemed in righteousness and truth so that none shall be lost or ever fall away (1 Co 15: 22; 45-48; Gal 2: 16.) We do not worship the God of lies but the LORD our Righteousness. Christ will never leave us and the believer will never leave Christ.
FOR YOUR SAKE
Isaiah 43: 14-21
The LORD, our Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says that he sends for the enemy. And he says to every believer whom he has chosen and redeemed that he does this, “For your sake.” Even when he brings us into captivity by the enemy? For his children, God says, “I do this for your sake.”
To Remind Us Who He Is (Isaiah 43: 15.)
The LORD says that man’s problem is that we rejected the LORD from reigning over us, forsook him and served other gods even as the children did Samuel (1 Sa 8: 6-8.) How prone every believer is to look to the hosts instead of to the LORD of hosts, to look to some imagined holiness in our flesh rather than to the HOLY One, to look to works of our hands rather than the Creator of Israel, to try to reign in our wisdom instead of submitting to Christ our King. Nevertheless, FOR YOUR SAKE—to bring us into remembrance of his name—the LORD sends to Babylon and brings down the enemy. It was the LORD who allowed Babylon, the harlot of all falsehood, to capture his people as he allowed Satan to enter the garden, allowed Adam to fall and plunge the whole human race into sin. But the LORD did it for the sake of his people that the LORD might make his name and his power known to his people in the sovereign salvation that our King Jesus accomplishes by his Wisdom and Power alone. In doing so the LORD reminds us that before there was an earth, and right now on his throne of grace, his name is the LORD, the Holy One, the Creator of Israel, our King (Hebrews 7: 1-3.)
To Remind Us the Victory is Accomplished (Is 43: 16-17)
The LORD who delivers us through the way in the sea and the path in the mighty waters is the Lord which brings forth the enemies chariot and horse, army and power from whom we must be delivered. But as the LORD declared to his people beforehand at the Red Sea: they shall lie down together, they shall not rise, they ARE extinct, they ARE quenched as tow. The children only had to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. The Victory has been our LORD’s before as yet he brought forth the enemy. What peace! To know the moment the trial begins—the moment the enemy points, accuses, and rages against us—the victory is already won by our LORD. And the LORD has brought the accuser up against us to remind us of this very glorious truth.
To Turn us From the Past to the Future (Is 43: 18-20)
We are so prone to look in the wrong direction. The LORD says, “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold I will do a new thing…” (Jer 31: 22; Is 7: 14) Before we can behold the Seed of Woman all the so-called “new things” that we love to hear and tell have to be made old. We have to be turned from the bitter root we are to Christ who Springs forth (Isa 11: 1-3; 53:2.) We have to be turned from the waste howling wilderness we are to Christ the Way in the wilderness who takes us into God’s presence (Jn 14: 6; Ps 85:10; Ro 7: 18.) Everything about us has to become a dry desert to make us behold the GodMan who is the Rivers of Water (Is 32: 1-2; Jn 7: 37-38.) Only when we are the beast of the field will we turn from honoring ourselves and honor Christ.
To Remind Us of the Reason for our Salvation (Is 43: 20-21)
The cause for God doing this for his people is not in us, but God’s free grace: “because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen” (v20; 1 Jn 5: 11; Jn 15: 16.) The whole purpose and certain accomplishment of this work of the LORD for our sakes is this: “This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise” (v21.) Let us never cease giving our LORD and Savior the praise in all that he has freely done and continues to do for our sake for his glory.
Remember
November 22 mid-week service Tuesday night at 7 pm—no service Thanksgiving Day.