January 12, 2014
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST
CHURCH
LOCATION
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd
Floor
150 Washington Street
Rocky Hill, New Jersey, 08553
Clay Curtis, pastor
Telephone: 615-513-4464
Schedule of Services
Sunday 10: 15 AM Bible Class
Sunday 11:00 AM Morning Service
Thursday 7: 30 PM Midweek Service
Order of service, announcements, nursery schedule, etc.,
are in attachment. All articles in the
bulletin are by the pastor unless otherwise noted.
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FAITHFULNESS
Someone ask me recently what my goals were
for our church. I told them, 'To remain faithful to the gospel’. I don't
think they understood, but I trust you will. Our Lord said, 'It is required of
a steward that he be found faithful'. It is not up to the servant to decide or
try to determine what the Master will be pleased to do with his faithful
service. Now, you know that the hope of our salvation rest wholly on the
faithfulness of Christ. He is the only One that pleased the Father with perfect
faithfulness. Oh, but what a high calling it is, for a follower of Christ
to be found faithful. Not only is it all we CAN do, it is all we should set our
goals TO do. And, it will require all we can find in our Lord's merciful grace
to achieve. There is no greater success to set our ambitions toward.
I challenge you to make it your goal. Be the
most faithful member of your church you can be. Be faithful in worship
services. Be faithful in prayer. Be faithful to encourage your
brethren. Be faithful to bear one another's burdens. Be faithful in
giving. Be faithful in witnessing. I pray it could be said of us what Paul
said of the house of Stephenos, 'they have addicted themselves to the ministry
of the saints'. I Cor.16:15 What greater reward is there, than to
hear Christ say,'well done good and faithful servant'? Greg Elmquist
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CHRIST IS THE GOSPEL!
The Lord Jesus
Christ commissioned His ministers to “preach the gospel” or good news (Mark 16:15). However, in the New Testament we generally
find them preaching Christ (e.g.,
Acts 5:42; 8:5; 9:20; 1 Corinthians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 1:19;
4:5). Is there a disagreement here
between preaching the gospel and
preaching Christ?
There is absolutely no disagreement
here.
A faithful gospel preacher declares
to those converted under his ministry that “the gospel which I preached to you” is the good news “that Christ died for our sins according to
the Scriptures, and that Christ was
buried, and that Christ rose again
the third day according to the Scriptures, and that Christ was seen” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
The Holy Spirit says the “gospel of
God” is “concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord”, and equates it with the
“gospel of Christ, the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes”
(Romans 1:1-4, 16). This is good news
indeed! Christ is the gospel or good
news! The good news is Christ!
Accordingly: We preach the “glorious
gospel” (1 Timothy 1:11) by preaching the glorious Christ. We preach the “gospel of the grace of God”
(Acts 20:24) by preaching Christ, who is Himself the “the grace of God that
brings salvation” (Titus 2:11). We
preach the “gospel of peace” (Isaiah 52:7 /Romans 10:15; Ephesians 6:15) by
preaching Christ, who is Himself our Peace (Micah 5:5; Ephesians 2:14-16;
Judges 6:24; Isaiah 9:6). We preach the
“gospel of your salvation” (Ephesians 1:13) by preaching Christ, who is Himself
our salvation (Luke 2:25-30; Psalm 27:1).
We preach the “everlasting gospel” (Revelation 14:6) by preaching the
good news of the eternal Christ and the eternal salvation found in Him.
If a preacher does not preach
Christ, he thereby indicates that he either has no good news for you or that
what he preaches instead of Christ is better news than Christ.
As for me, I confess “Woe is me if I
do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16) – and CHRIST IS THE
GOSPEL! Daniel E. Parks
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Psalm 76:10: Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath
shalt thou restrain.
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THREE CERTAINTIES
Hebrews 9: 27: And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after
this the judgment: 28: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and
unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto
salvation.
There are three certainties in this passage: the first is certain for
everyone if the Lord Jesus does not return first; the second is certain for
everyone who meets God outside of Christ; the third is certain for all who
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Death
First, death is certain for all men
if Christ does not return first. Death
is not by accident or chance but by the appointment of God—“it is appointed
unto men once to die.” The fact that
we must die shows us we are sin and in need of God’s mercy. (Gen 2:17; 3:19; Rom 5:12, 17, 21; 6:23; Ecc 7: 2; Job
14:1-2) Today is the day to prepare to die. (Ja 4: 14) “Remember now thy
Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years
draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.” (Ecc 12: 1)
Judgment
Secondly, judgment is certain—“after this the judgment.” If
you had an appointment to stand before an earthly judge then you would pay attention
to your lawyer, your advocate. All shall
stand before God. The gospel is the word
from Christ, the Advocate who will speak for his people in that day. He alone is able to save you from your sins
and Christ, himself, will be the Judge before whom all shall stand. (Acts 10:42; 17: 30-31; Jn 5:22-23) Do
not harden your heart. (Rom 2: 15-16) Believe on Christ today. (Jn 3: 18-21)
Salvation
Thirdly, all who rest in Christ through faith shall certainly be saved—“So
Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for
him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” The judgment of “the many” is settled by
Christ’s finished work on the cross. They shall not be judged a second time. Look to Christ and you shall be saved; look
away and you shall perish forever. (Jn 11: 25-26; 5:24) Sinner, are you looking
for him?