Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Free Grace Media

Of Princeton, New Jersey

 

AuthorClay Curtis
TitleWeekly Bulletin 12-24-2017
Bible TextEphesians 5:4
Date23-Dec-2017
Article Type Bulletin
PDF Format pdf
Word Format doc
Audio HI-FI Listen: Giving of Thanks (32 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
Audio CD Quality Listen: Giving of Thanks (128 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
 

December 24, 2017

SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH

 

MEETING LOCATION

251 Green Lane

Ewing, NJ, 08368

Clay Curtis, pastor

Telephone: 615-513-4464

 

MAILING ADDRESS:

7 Birch Street

Pennington, NJ, 08538

 

Schedule of Services

Sunday 10: 15 AM Bible Class

Sunday 11:00 AM Morning Service

Thursday 7: 30 PM Midweek Service

 

Services Broadcast Live @ www.FreeGraceMedia.com/live

 

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NURSERY

We have a nursery equipped with a digital flat screen television broadcasting all services live, for children four and under.  

All articles by the pastor unless otherwise noted.

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SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE WEBSITE: The videos are now listed as individual sermons, as well as full servicesclick here.

 

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SUNDAY’S READING IN PROVERBS


Proverbs 10: 19: In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

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FROM A SERMON TITLED “MARY’S SONG”
Luke 1: 46-56
By Pastor Don Fortner


As we read Mary's hymn, though she was but a young woman, we cannot avoid noticing that she had a ready grasp of the Old Testament Scriptures. She quotes the Psalms, refers to God's works of old, refers to his goodness to Leah, and repeats many of the words of Hannah's prayer (II Sam. 2).

     Let us strive each year we live to become more fully and experimentally acquainted with Holy Scripture. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Col 3:16.) Such knowledge of the Bible can never be attained without regular and daily study. The benefits of such study will prove priceless. When she needed them most, Mary had a firm grasp of the promises of God in the Bible; and these strengthened her faith.

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CHRIST ALONE - THE SINNER'S ONLY HOPE

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21


Our only hope of salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is in Christ alone, in Christ completely, and in Christ only. In fact, he is God's salvation. You cannot be saved without him; and you cannot be saved if you try to mix your own works, feelings, emotions, or experiences with faith in him. The Lord Jesus Christ is able to save you from the guilt of sin, the power of sin, and all the consequences of sin. He is all sufficient. His name is called "Jesus" because "he shall save his people from their sins". He is the only one who has power in himself to forgive sin. He is exalted "to give repentance and remission of sins" to the Israel of God.

     The Lord God found a ransom for sinners in his own dear Son, and purposed to save his people by the sacrificial death of his Son as their Substitute from eternity. In the fullness of time, the Son of God became a man to accomplish the salvation of chosen sinners. "Being found in fashion as a man, he became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross". Thus, by the sacrifice of himself according to the will of God, the Lord Jesus Christ put away all the sins of his people, obtained eternal redemption for them, and established the only grounds upon which God can be both just and the Justifier of all who believe (Rom. 3:24-26).

     There is no other possible way of salvation. God's own beloved Son would never have been crucified to redeem and save us if salvation could have been obtained in any other way. Indeed, the apostle Paul reasons that if we could have been saved in some other way “then Christ is dead in vain” (Gal. 2:21). Infinite wisdom found a way to save us. Infinite grace provided the great sacrifice. Infinite love brought the Son of God to lay down his life for his people. Why? Because there was no other way for God to both satisfy his justice in the punishment of sin and forgive his people of all their sins. Christ alone is and must be our Savior. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). If you believe on Christ, you may be confident that your sins are forgiven by his blood and that God looks upon you as being perfectly righteous. He has promised to save all who trust his dear Son . Indeed, if you now trust the Son of God, it is because you are already born of God and have everlasting life (John 3:36). – Pastor Don Bell

                                                                                                                    

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NEITHER NOR

 

Ephesians 5: 4: Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

 

Filthiness” involves all obscene and indecent language. Someone said we verbally do the things we speak. “Foolish talking” is language that is useless and unprofitable. “Jesting” is being humorous or sarcastic at the expense of others. “Which are not convenient” means it is unbecoming the character of saints and it is disagreeable to the will of God.

     Believers are happy. We have great reason to be full of joy. Scripture does not teach us to be sullen and silent all the time.  The Lord teaches us to be courteous, to be pleasant and express our thanks to others. There is nothing wrong with humor. It is the obscene, useless, hurtful speech we are to avoid. 

     Yet, consider, the word of the gospel has nothing foolish or idle in it. Every word is profitable, not one word is useless filler.  Christ is the Word made flesh. The whole time he walked this earth, do we find any word in scripture which he spoke which was vain chit-chat? Not a word.  When you hear someone constantly chattering meaningless words then you ignore them.   Can we even imagine our Savior speaking like that? But the person whose words are few, who speaks only when they have something wise, true and valuable to say, you hang on every word.  “The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.” (Pro 15: 2) That which is predominate in our speech reveals our hearts. Christ said, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”  When the kids were just beginning to talk, Melinda used to tell them, “Use your words.” Our Savior is teaching his children here to use our words.

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GIVING OF THANKS

 

Here is a far better use of the tongue, “But rather giving of thanks.” (Eph 5: 4)  Here are some things scripture says his people are thankful for.

 

·        We thank God our Father for saving us in Christ, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” (Col 1: 12-14)

·        We thank God for his faithfulness toward his elect.  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jer 29: 11)

·        We thank God for preserving us.  “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.” (Ps 97: 10-12)

·        We thank God that he is good and merciful to us, “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.” (1 Chr 16: 34) God has never done anything toward his elect except that which is good and merciful.

·        We thank God for brethren. Paul said, I “cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.” (Eph 1: 16)  “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.” (2 Thess 2: 13)   

·        We thank God for the preaching of the gospel. “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. (2 Cor 2: 14)

·        We give thanks for all men whom God has placed in authority to rule over us. “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.” (1 Tim 2: 1-3)

·        We thank God that our Savior reigns over all, “And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.” (Rev 11: 16-17)

·        We thank God for giving us the victory over death, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56: The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor 15: 55-57)

·        We thank God for all things. “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Eph 5: 20) We have not begun to exhaust the list. We thank God in every circumstance of life whether it be adversity or whether be comfortable

There is so much better use of our tongue than obscene, useless, and hurtful talk.  Our Master says, “Speak the truth of Christ in love.”  And when we are not doing that “thank God always.”