December 8, 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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We are thankful to have
Brother Scott Keller and Brother Rob Keller preaching the gospel to us this
morning. I am in San Diego for Brother
Kevin Thacker’s ordination service. Pray
for these men as they endeavor to preach the gospel of Christ’s unsearchable
riches.
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Proverbs 14: 9: Fools
make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.
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EXPOSING AND SAVING RIGHTEOUSNESS
Genesis 37: 2:...Joseph, being seventeen years old,
was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of
Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought
unto his father their evil report.
Joseph came among his brethren. His righteousness exposed their evil. They hated Joseph because of it. But when brought to Joseph’s feet, the very righteousness
that exposed their sin, for which they hated him, became the righteousness that
saved them, for which that they loved him.
The Son of God came among us. His
righteousness exposed our best deeds as evil.
We hated Christ for it. He said, “This
is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness
rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil
hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be
reproved” (Jn 3: 19-20; 7:7; 15: 22-24).
But when brought to Christ’s feet, the very Righteousness that exposed our
sin, for which we hated Christ, became the Righteousness that saved us, for
which we love him.
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THE SON THE FATHER
LOVES
Genesis 37: 3: Now Israel loved Joseph more
than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a
coat of many colours.
Joseph
was the son Israel loved more than all his children. He was the son of his old
age, the son of his wisdom. Therefore, Israel distinguished Joseph from all his
sons. Christ Jesus is the Son that God
the Father loves, God’s Son from eternity, God’s Wisdom (Pro 8: 22,23,30). God the Father distinguished Christ above all when
he spoke from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased; hear ye Him” (Matthew 17:5). From Adam until the end of time there is
only one Son that God the Father ever said pleased him well. It is not you, not me nor any other sinner. It is Christ alone. You and I will never be
pleasing to God except through faith in his Son.
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HOW DOES THE GOSPEL AFFECT ME?
God ordained
to save his people through the preaching of the gospel of Christ and him crucified. Through this message the Spirit of God gives
a new heart to those Christ redeemed. Am
I able to hear the gospel of Christ yet still have confidence that my doing
will make me righteous? The new heart beholds
the Lord Jesus’s obedience, even while suffering the shameful death of the
cross, and gives up all confidence that personal works will save or even
contribute to my salvation. Do I hear
the gospel yet look to my faith as the ultimate reason Christ’s blood is
effectual for me? The new heart hears of
Christ’s faithfulness and our faith becomes more and more narrow looking away
from self and upon the Lord Jesus Christ alone.
Can I hear of Christ’s great love in laying down his life in incomparable
suffering for his people then continue holding grudges, demanding payback from
my offenders? The gospel of Christ’s
redeeming love breaks the new heart into contrition as we behold how Christ
shed his precious blood for a worm like me, forgiving me so great a debt. How can I refuse love and forgiveness to one
whose offenses toward me are not worthy to compare to mine against God?
Selah. Through the gospel the
Holy Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.
Yes, we are still sinners; yet, sin no longer dominates the heart where
Christ is Master. “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in
your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth
not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife
is, there is confusion and every evil work” (Jas 3:14-16).
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THINGS THAT PROMOTE PEACE
“Let us
therefore follow after the things which promote peace, and things wherewith one may edify another” (Romans
14:19).
1.) Be careful
to LOVE one another with a true heart. “Love covers a multitude of failures.”
2.) Avoid a
spirit of ARGUMENT AND DEBATE. One may win an argument and lose a friend.
3.) Beware of
JEALOUSY. Jealousy destroys happiness and builds suspicion.
4.) Beware of
ENVY. Let us learn to rejoice in another’s gifts, blessings, and happiness. God
gives as HE will!
5.) Do not
MEDDLE in the private lives and domestic affairs of others.
6.) Guard
against a TOUCHY TEMPER: “For every trifling thing to take offense Shows either
great pride or little sense.”
7.) Learn to
KEEP A CONFIDENCE. “He that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.”
8.)Strive to
HEAL DIFFERENCES. “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
9.) Be always
ready to FORGIVE ANYTHING. “Forgive us our sins AS we
forgive those
who sin against us.” Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1985)
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Concerning
our pastor, Paul says, “We beseech
you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the
Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s
sake. And be at peace among yourselves” (1 Thess 5: 12). In the beginning, God did not give kings to be
over Israel, God gave them a prophet.
How highly do we esteem the office of the President of the United States
of America. God’s preacher is only a
sinner saved by grace the same as his brethren.
But God has given him the responsibility of speaking to eternity bound
sinners on God’s behalf. God makes him
labor for God’s message. He lives knowing
that every word will bless or damn his hearers and that he must give account to
God. The blessing and peace I receive
from God is directly linked to how I esteem my pastor for the labor it takes for
him to get a message from God specifically for me.