Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Free Grace Media

Of Princeton, New Jersey

 

AuthorClay Curtis
TitleWeekly Bulletin 9-29-2019
Bible Text1 Corinthians 1:19-20
Date28-Sep-2019
Article Type Bulletin
PDF Format pdf
Word Format doc
Audio HI-FI Listen: Where Is The Wise? (32 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
Audio CD Quality Listen: Where Is The Wise? (128 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
 

September 29, 2019

SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH

 

MEETING LOCATION

251 Green Lane

Ewing, NJ, 08368

Clay Curtis, pastor

Telephone: 615-513-4464

Clay@FreeGraceMedia.com

 

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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ANNOUNCEMENT

Mid-week service this week is scheduled for Wednesday, October 2.  I am scheduled to go to Houston Thursday to preach for Lincoln Wood Baptist Church where brother David Pledge is pastor.  Also, mid-week service is scheduled for Wednesday, October 16.  I am scheduled to go to Tennessee Thursday to preach for College Grove Grace Church where brother Chris Cunningham is pastor.

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Proverbs 13: 25: The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.

 

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WHERE IS THE WISE?

 

1 Corinthians 1: 19: For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20: Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

 

From the Jewish scribe to the Grecian sophist to every self-made religionist and philosopher in the world God has made foolish the wisdom of the world. But apply this to you and I called by God’s grace.  Among Christ’s true people where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer in Christ’s church? Christ’s true people do not boast of knowing Christ by self-wisdom. God is our Teacher. Christ is our Prophet (Jn 6: 45) Therefore, true believers do not boast that we taught ourselves his word!  Nor are Christ’s people debaters and disputers. We have experienced Christ’s Power and Wisdom in our hearts through the preaching of the gospel so that we now know that Christ will reveal himself when it pleases him in whom it pleases him through the simple declaration of the truth of the gospel. We are not talking about all who call themselves by Christ’s name. But in the heart of Christ’s true people, God makes foolish the wisdom of this world each time he regenerates one of his elect to eternal life.

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I DON’T FOLLOW ANY PREACHER!

We have all heard religious people make that statement, and others like it. Perhaps we have even used it ourselves. If by that statement a person means, “No man is perfect and infallible; therefore I must search the scriptures for myself to see what is true,” then the statement is both wise and good. I want every person who hears me preach, or reads what I write, to search and see if what I am saying is according to the Word of God. It is your responsibility to do so.

     But if by that statement a person means, “The preacher is just another man, and his opinion is worth no more than anyone else’s; therefore I will not be obedient to any preacher,” I am afraid that it reveals both a rebellious and a foolish heart.

     It is true, the best and most faithful preacher in the world is, after all, just a man – a sinful man. But he is a man with a commission from God. He is a man dedicated to Christ, his gospel, and his people. He is a man sent from God, with a message to deliver for the glory of Christ. Such men, Paul says, are to be esteemed “very highly for their work’s sake.” (I Thess. 5:13). Do not make the preacher more than he is. But do not be so foolish as to treat him or his message lightly. He is not a lord over God’s heritage. But he is an ambassador of God Almighty! It would be wise to treat him as such.

     I speak not of every preacher. But I do say these things about every preacher who is faithful to Christ, faithful to the gospel of God’s grace and glory, and faithful in the diligent exercise of the ministry. If God so highly favors a church with such a pastor, the men and women of that church will be very wise to submit to that man’s ministry. How? God himself tells us. “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you. (Heb. 13:17). Believing people are not self-willed rebels. They submit to authority.  Pastor Don Fortner

 

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One ancient Jewish writer points out that when the Lord sent Rome who destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD, by destroying their temple and its vessels, their outward ceremonies, their books, and all their so-called wise men, all the wisdom of natural Israel was taken away because all their wisdom was in men and in carnal works which they could see and touch and feel.  This is not a problem when you worship God in spirit.  “We are the circumcision, which worship God in spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Php 3: 3).

 

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FIVE REASONS GOD SAVES THROUGH PREACHING

 

Here are five reasons why God chose the means of preaching to save his people.

 

     One, preaching is how God destroys the wisdom of the wise and prudent—“For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1 Cor 1: 19-20)

 

    Two, God chose to save through preaching because it pleased God—“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” (1 Cor 1: 21)

 

    Three, this is how God makes Christ the Power and Wisdom of God unto us—“For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Cor 1: 22-25)

 

     Four, it is the means whereby God makes his people nothing so that none of us can glory in God’s presence—“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.” (1 Cor 1: 26-29)

 

     Five, this is the means whereby God brings all his children to glory only in the Lord—“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Cor 1: 30-31)

 

Those are five excellent reasons why every called child of God, taught of God in the heart, bows to God and rejoices that God has chosen the means of preaching Christ’s person and work to save his people.