Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Free Grace Media

Of Princeton, New Jersey

 

AuthorClay Curtis
TitleWeekly Bulletin 9-22-2019
Bible Text1 Corinthians 1:17-18
Date21-Sep-2019
Article Type Bulletin
PDF Format pdf
Word Format doc
Audio HI-FI Listen: What Christ Sends Preachers To Do (32 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
Audio CD Quality Listen: What Christ Sends Preachers To Do (128 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
 

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

 

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

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

 

 


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