Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

October 9, 2022

Weekly Schedule of Services

Proverbs 19:9: A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.

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Atonement and Intercession

John 17:9

You cannot separate the atonement of Christ from the intercession of Christ. In Hebrews 7 we read that Christ, our High Priest in heaven, is always interceding for us. But our Savior tells us in John 17, that he only makes intercession for his elect. There he says, “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine” (v. 9).

     That’s pretty clear, isn’t it? The intercessory work of Christ is based upon his atonement, just as the intercession of the Old Testament priest was based upon the sacrifice (Numbers 6:24-26).

     That means that if the Lord Jesus Christ does not pray for the world, the world can never be saved. If he prays for you, you cannot not be saved. If he died for you, you cannot not be saved!  

–Don Fortner

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“I pray for them…” Jn 17:9

It is a privilege of God’s grace that we can approach holy God in prayer through our great High Priest.  It is a privilege that brethren can pray for one another and a blessing to know our brethren pray for us.  But what sweet consolation to know that when trouble comes, at that very instant the Lord Jesus is interceding for us with the Father.  He intercedes for the Father to keep us from the evil, to sanctify us unto himself.  Proof of this is when we are in the bitter waters and the Spirit lifts our hearts above to behold Christ our Life so that we know all is well with our soul. 

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Hebrews 12:6: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth…10…that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Whatever God our Father may take from us in this life it is as much God our Father’s love toward us as our heavenly Father freely giving us all spiritual blessings in Christ.  He only chastens those he loves.  Let this be your comfort child of God.  It is not the hand of an enemy that is upon you.   Whether heavy or light, for a short time or a long time, it is the loving hand of God the Father making you profit by keeping you partaking of HIS HOLINESS. 

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Exodus 28:36: And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD…38: And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.

Due to the sin-nature in God’s saints, even after Christ has sanctified us every holy thing we do has iniquity mixed with it.  Iniquity means our holy things do not measure up to the holiness God requires.  As a sanctified believer, the apostle Paul said, “When I would do good, evil is present with me” (Rom 7:21).  But Christ our High Priest is HOLINESS TO THE LORD for those the Holy Spirit has sanctified.  Christ bore the iniquity of our holy things on the cross and now appears in God’s presence so that our iniquity-laden gifts are accepted before the LORD.  “Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of HIS HOLINESS” (Ps 30:4).

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“CHILDREN, COME TO THE TABLE”

I was so richly blessed of God to be born of parents who loved and feared the Lord, and to have three brothers and two sisters to grow up with.  What a blessing!  I remember well when mom would say, “Children, come to the table.” I had never thought of it till a few days ago, but I never felt so safe, so secure, and so cared for, as when we were all together at the table, and for some reason, especially the supper table. 

In trying to mentally and emotionally recapture those days, I think perhaps it was because we were all together, one family, and the “big world” was temporarily shut out. We were one family, with basically the same interests. We worked together, played together, cared for one another, and looked out for one another.  But most of all, I think it was because of that which we took for granted, the love and care of a faithful dad and mom!  We were never anxious about shelter, food, clothing, medication, etc.  Our loving, faithful, hard-working parents provided for all our needs. 

            God our Father, has provided a table for us, even in the presence of our enemies (Ps. 23) – the Gospel Ministry.  Here, at this table, the saints meet together and feast upon the “children’s bread,” “Jesus Christ and him crucified.”  Oh! how safe, how secure, and how cared for we should feel!  Here, we are a family together in our Father’s house, and the “wicked world” is temporarily shut out.  Here, we love, care for, and comfort one another.  Here, is a family of love and peace, established by the Prince of Peace.  When one of us was coming to mom’s table angry or quibbling about something, mom would always say, “Get rid of it….let it go….calm down now.  You can’t digest your food when you are upset.”  Here, at the Gospel Table, one must never come with bitter feelings against another, for one cannot partake of this gospel feast with such an attitude.  Here, in this family, there is no room for pride or boasting, envy, strife or any such thing—because none of us are “natural born” children! We were all hellish and hell-bound enemies of God, and “by nature the children of wrath, even as others” (Eph. 2:1-3).  But God, in infinite, amazing love and almighty grace ADOPTED US!  He snatched us out of the kingdom of darkness and death and translated us into the kingdom of light, the kingdom of His dear Son.  We are all sort of like old Mephibosheth, “dead dogs” and “cripples” sitting and eating at the King’s table (II Sam. 9), but our King is “The King of kings and Lord of lords!” 

     Oh!  how safe, how secure, how cared for we should always feel—and how thankful!  Our Father has the resources of the whole universe at His disposal, and His word to us is, “don’t be over-anxious about anything” (Matt. 6:25-34).  What a faithful and loving heavenly Father we have!  How inexpressibly wonderful to be able to call Him our Father and feast at the Gospel Table with His dear children, brothers and sisters in Christ!  “BEHOLD, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (I John 3:1). 

–Maurice Montgomery