September 27, 2009
Sundays 11:00 am Channel 36 WTVQ
It is requested that all children under the age of five stay in our nursery
so there will be no distractions during the preaching of the Gospel.
Great Father of glory, how rich is Thy grace!
What wonderful love is displayed in Thy face!
In Jesus Thy image, with brightness we view
And hope to be formed in that likeness anew.
Oh wonder of wonders! Astonished I gaze
To see in a manger, the Ancient of Days!
From sin to release us, that yoke so long worn
My God, my Creator, of Mary was born!
For unworthy sinners, my Lord bowed His head
For unworthy sinners, He suffered and bled
My spirit rejoice s, the work is all done
My soul is redeemed, my salvation is won!
Great Father of glory, how rich is Thy grace!
What wonderful love is displayed in Thy face!
In Jesus Beloved, we’re washed in His blood
With hope we appear, at the throne of our God.
(Tune: “Immortal, Invisible” p. 34)
*****
There will be a Bible Conference at the Hurricane Road Grace Church in Ashland,
KY this weekend. Speakers are Donnie Bell, Bruce Crabtree, Don Fortner, and
Todd Nibert. Services are Friday night, Saturday morning, and Sunday morning.
John Chapman is Pastor.
Birthdays
25th – Daniel Weinstock 26th – Amanda Holthaus
27th – Ryleigh DuFour 28th – John Parker 28th – Ben Walmsley
3rd – Alison Farhat 3rd – Paul Harries
“The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he
beg in harvest, and have nothing.” - Proverbs 20:4
Without question, the Bible teaches the eternal security and preservation of
the saints. If God has saved you, you cannot possibly become unsaved. Somebody
once asked a preacher, “Do you believe in once saved, always saved?”
He replied, “It depends on who did the saving. If you saved yourself,
no…I don’t believe it. But if God is the One who does the saving,
yes, I believe it!” =2 0The Lord said concerning His sheep, “They
shall never perish.”
But what is the evidence that God has saved you and is preserving you? The fact
that you persevere! It is our perseverance, continuing in the faith, abiding
in Christ, not quitting or being turned aside, that proves God has done something
for us! He said in Jeremiah 32:40, “I will not turn away from them to
do them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart
from me.” What is the evidence that He has not turned away from me? The
fact that I have not departed from Him!
*****
THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL
Paul asked the church at Ephesus to pray for him that he “might make known
the mystery of the Gospel” (Ephesians 6:19). A mystery is that which could
not be known unless God is pleased to reveal it. Understanding the Gospel is
outside the range of our ability to understand. It can only be known by divine
revelation. In preaching the mysteries of the Gospel, we do not explain them,
but proclaim them and believe them. When we try to explain them, all we do is
“darken counsel with words without knowledge”. For instance, God
is one God reve aled in three persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
This cannot be explained, only believed and received.
*****
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Jude says in Jude chapter 22, “Of some have compassion, making a difference.”
Some are going through very difficult times. For various reasons they have become
doubting and unstable. Perhaps poor decisions or sinful actions have brought
these things on them. How should we react? With compassion! Knowing that apart
from grace, we would be in the same place. According to Jude, that compassion
will make a difference for those people!
AN UNCONDITIONAL CONDITION
Salvation is unconditionally given to chosen sinners by God… “Therefore
hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth”
(Romans 9:18), based solely on the condition of being found in His Son…
“that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness,
which=2 0is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God by faith.” (Philippians 3:8,9). – Brian Dufour
*****
It may be shown from Scripture that the CAUSE of salvation is not a single one,
as so many suppose – the blood of Christ. Here, too, it is necessary to
distinguish between things which differ. First, the ORIGINATING cause of salvation
is the eternal purpose of God, or in other words, the predestinating grace of
the Father. Second, the MERITORIOUS cause of salvation20is the mediation of
Christ, this having particular respect to the legal side of things, or in other
words, His fully meeting the demands of the law on the behalf and in the stead
of those He redeems. Third, the EFFICIENT cause of salvation is the regenerating
and sanctifying operations of the Holy Spirit, which respect the experimental
side of it, or, in other words, the Spirit works IN us what Christ purchased
FOR us. Thus, we owe our personal salvation equally to each Person in the Trinity,
and not to one (the Son) more than to the others. Fourth, the INSTRUMETNAL cause
is our faith, obedience, and perseverance; though we are not saved because of
them, equally true it is that we cannot be saved (according to God’s appointment)
without them. – J. C. Ryle
*****
The sovereignty of God is absolute. To acknowledge this truth is at once to
acknowledge that God has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass; that nothing
else can come to pass; that predestination is a fact, that God does rule in
the kingdoms of men; that all human ties, bonds and relationships are divinely
appointed and formed; that salvation rests solely, fully, and only in God’s
election; that salvation is by God’s grace and His grace alone; and, that
no part of man’s salvation is of himself either in origin or execution.
Where men get the idea that man’s will is the all-determining factor or
moving cause of his salvation is hard to see. Certainly they do not get it from
the Bible. “Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh,
nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:11-13).&nb sp; - Pastor
Scott Richardson