September 22, 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
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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
services—click here.
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ANNOUNCEMENT
The
first mid-week service in October is scheduled for Wednesday, October 2. I am scheduled to fly to Houston on Thursday
to preach for Lincoln Wood Baptist Church where brother David Pledge is pastor.
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Proverbs 13: 24: He that
spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
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WHAT CHRIST SENDS PREACHERS TO DO
1 Corinthians 1: 17: For Christ sent me not to baptize,
but to preach the gospel:
If you ask
most preachers today what Christ sent them to do most will say it is to make
disciples for Christ. Indeed, Christ’s
preacher and Christ’s people want to see men made into disciples for Christ; we
want to see sinners brought to faith in Christ. But Christ sends his preacher to preach Christ
and him crucified whether he blesses it to call out his redeemed or not. Why is it so important to understand this? The preacher and people who think their chief
charge is to bring sinners to faith will alter the word preached and turn to
other means in order to make it happen. God’s preachers are sent to preach Christ and
him crucified that Christ might receive all the glory and leave the results to
him. If we have done that then our
ministry is a success regardless of how many were made disciples unto Christ[CC1] .
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Some preachers
vainly imagine they are making disciples for Christ by not preaching the truth
of Christ. How can you make a disciple for someone you
will not preach? Truth is they are comforting sinners in their rejection of the
one and only Propitiation for sin. Such preachers will be found guilty of the
blood of each one to whom they preached. (Gen 9: 5; Eze 3: 18-21)
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NOT WITH
WISDOM OF WORDS
1 Corinthians 1: 17: For Christ sent me not to baptize but
to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should
be made of none effect. 18: For the preaching of the cross is to them that
perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
There is a
way of preaching, called here “wisdom of words” which makes the word preached
of none effect. “Wisdom of words” includes several things.
One, to veil or leave out doctrine is to
preach with wisdom of words. That which they speak may be true, according to
the scriptures. But it is what they leave out that makes it of none effect
because it ceases to be the gospel of Christ.
They will not plainly declare that the triune God is sovereign over all
in heaven and in earth so that it is his sovereign right to choose whom he will
and pass by whom he will (Rom 9: 13-18; Dan 4: 35; Job 23: 13; Ps 33: 10-11;
115: 3; 135: 6; Is 14: 24-27; 46: 10-11; Mt 11: 25-26; Eph 1: 11; 2 Thess 2:
13-14). They will not plainly declare
that Christ accomplished the redemption of his particular people (Jn 10: 14-16,
24-29; Mt 1: 21; Heb 1: 3; 9: 12; 10: 14). Men hide back the truth of the
necessity and certainty of the Holy Spirit’s irresistible work in his people (Jn
3: 3-8; Job 14: 4; 15: 14-16; Eph 2: 1-9; 4: 24; Col 2: 13; Rom 2: 28-29; Titus
3: 3-5; Ja 1: 17-18). Especially, men
keep back the truth that every good work is foreordained by God and that is the
reason believers perform them (Is 26: 12; Eph 2: 10; Php 2: 13; Heb 13: 20-21).
Two, “wisdom of words” explains the gospel
away. Intellectuals dissect the Rose of Sharon till the sweet-smelling savor of
Christ’s is gone! They apologize for Christ till there is no gospel. They adorn
the gospel when it needs no adorning. With what will you adorn silver and gold?
What light will you shine to make men see the brilliance of the sun? Simply
declare the scriptures
Three, “wisdom of words” is to lie, establishing
the sinners’ supremacy and authority over God.
On the contrary, true preaching turns all attention to Jesus Christ and
his finished work on the cross. We declare man’s total inability and God’s
sovereign ability to save without fail.
Brethren, especially you men who preach
from this pulpit, remember, nobody ever made the cross of Christ of none effect
by using great plainness of speech. The gospel of Christ does not need man’s
logic, rhetoric or reasoning, Christ must simply be declared according to
scripture.
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WHY?
Why do
many not preach the gospel while some preach only Christ and him
crucified? The answer is in 1
Corinthians 1: 18, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish
foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”
Most not only deem it foolishness to
preach only Christ and him crucified, they deem preaching itself as foolishness
and they deem Christ himself foolishness. A man can make his excuses but this
is God’s word on why he will not boldly, plainly preach Christ and him
crucified, “The Word of the cross is to them that are perishing
foolishness.”
So then why do some preach only Christ and
him crucified with great plainness of speech? It is declared in the second half
of verse 18, “but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1Co 1:18). Christ’s preachers and people have
experienced Christ’s Wisdom and Power in calling them through the preaching of
the gospel. Therefore, we know Christ is
the Power of God and the Wisdom of God. Therefore, we know that this means is
the only means Christ uses. We now know
we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the power may be of God and not
of us (2 Cor 4: 7). It is only when a
sinner experiences the Power and Wisdom of Christ through the preaching of the
gospel will he turn from his vain wisdom and preach Christ, waiting on God to
make true disciples by making Christ their All!
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Psa 10:1 Why standest thou afar off, O
LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?
There are times when it seems that God is
standing afar off or hiding Himself in times of trouble; when in fact He has
not moved at all. God is immutable, He changes not. His love to His people is
always the same, perfect. The one afar off is always us. So often we are far
off in our affections, our understanding. We sin and part of the chastening
hand of our Heavenly Father is the hiding of himself in times of trouble. We
must learn that though our sins have been paid for and put away by the blood of
Christ and cannot separate us from God, they are never approved of and can
separate us from the joy of His presence.
Pastor
John Chapman