Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Free Grace Media

Of Princeton, New Jersey

 

AuthorClay Curtis
TitleWeekly Bulletin 12-22-2019
Bible TextLuke 2:25-32
Date21-Dec-2019
Article Type Bulletin
PDF Format pdf
Word Format doc
 

December 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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Proverbs 14: 11: The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.

 

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(The following article was in Pastor Donnie Bell’s bulletin last week.  It greatly touched my heart.  I pray the Lord bless it to yours, too.)

HOW FAR WILL YOU STOOP?

Did Christ for our sakes stoop from His majesty, glory, and dignity in heaven, to the mean and contemptible state of a man? What a pattern of self-denial is here presented to Christians! What objection or excuses against this duty can remain, after such an example as is here given? Brethren, let me tell you, the pagan world was never acquainted with such an argument as this to press them to self-denial. Did Christ stoop, and cannot you stoop? Did Christ stoop so much, and cannot you stoop the least? Was he willing to become any thing, a worm, a reproach, a curse; and cannot you bear any abasement? Does the least slight and neglect poison your heart with discontent, malice, and revenge? Oh, how unlike Christ are you!

     Hear, and blush in hearing, what your Lord saith in John 13:14. "If I then, your Lord and Master, wash your feet, ye ought also to wash one another's feet." One said, "The example does not oblige us to the same individual act, but it obliges us to follow the reason of the example;" that is, after Christ's example, we must be ready to perform the humblest offices of love and service to one another. And indeed to this it obliges most forcibly; for it is as if a master, seeing a proud servant, that despises his work, as if it were too mean and base, should come and take it out of his hand; and when he has done it should say, "Doth your Lord and Master think it not beneath him to do it, and is it beneath you?"

     "What more detestable," says Bernard, "what more unworthy, or what deserves severer punishment, for a poor man to magnify himself, after he hath seen the great and high God so humble as to become a little child? It is intolerable impudence for a worm to swell with pride, after it  hath seen majesty emptying itself, seen one so infinitely above us, stoop so far beneath us." Does it become us to be proud and selfish, while our Saviour was lowly, meek, self-denying, and of a most condescending spirit?  John Flavel  (1671)

 

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Judge Not According to Appearance, John 7:24 – Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

     There was a poor girl who was not married when she discovered she was pregnant.  She left town to have the baby.  Judging by the appearance we would conclude that this was sinful.  One can only imagine the rumors that folks must have spread about her.

     Well, this girl was a sinner alright but she was chosen of God and saved by God’s free grace like every other child of God.  She left town because it was written in the scriptures, which Christ came to fulfill.  The Holy Ghost overshadowed her and that holy thing formed in her womb is called “the Son of God,” the Redeemer who successfully redeemed all his people from the curse of the law on the cross.

     Do you see how wrong we can be when we judge according to the appearance”  Therefore, God our Savior declares unto us “Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgment.”

 

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We do not place any religious significance on the day recognized as Christ’s birth nor any other day.  But we rejoice in our sovereign God who overruled the pagans to preserve that day so that at least once a year the whole world is reminded of the truth that “God was manifest in the flesh, and dwelt among us.”

 

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(Matthew 1:23)  "They shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."  Think about the words in this verse of Scripture – "God with us!" – The infinite Jehovah God with us.  No wonder the angels burst into song and sang "Glory to God in the highest."  This was worthy of a new star in the Heavens.  This was worthy of preserving on record for us to read today.  This was worthy of the martyrs' death.  The Apostle Paul said, "This is worthy of all acceptation."  This is the great mystery of the church, that "God was manifest in the flesh, and dwelt among us." 
                                                                                        
Pastor Milton Howard

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While the world beholds only a baby in a manager, God’s saints see what Simeon saw when he took the babe up in his arms, “For mine eyes have seen THY SALVATION, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A LIGHT to lighten the Gentiles, and THE GLORY of thy people Israel.” (Lu 2:25-32)

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GOD’S GIFT

As we give our gifts to one another over the next few days, remember that God’s gift of eternal life is like our gift giving in at least three ways.

     First, when we give a gift we give it to whomsoever we will. Likewise, God gives eternal life to whomsoever he will. (Jn 17: 1-2; 9, 24) Suppose you gave a gift to someone you love and strangers began to accuse you of being unjust because you did not give them the same gift.  You would think they were absurd.  They have no right to question you or accuse you.  Neither does any sinner have a right to question God. (Rom 9: 14-21)

     Secondly, when we give a gift we purchase it ourselves.  Likewise, God sent his Son who paid the purchase price of his precious blood to give his people eternal life in him. (Lev 17:11; Heb 9: 22; Acts 20: 28)  “Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.” (Job 33: 24)

     Lastly, when we give a gift we give it to the one for whom we purchased it.  Likewise, God irresistibly creates his people anew and gives the gift of eternal life to us through faith in Christ.  We do not purchase a gift then set it on a shelf and hope someone will come claim it as their own. We take the gift to the one for whom we bought it and make sure they get it. So does God. But here is a difference.  When we give a gift the person to whom we give it has the ability to receive our gift. But each sinner to whom God shall give this free gift of eternal life does not even have the ability to receive it until God gives faith and repentance to receive it in his Son.   (Jn 3: 5; Jn 6:53; Eph 2:8; Gal 4: 4-6)

      Believers glory in the LORD, giving all praise only to God, telling everyone we can about the great gift Giver and the gift of his Son. (2 Cor 9:11, 8-15) “Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.” (1 Chr 16: 8)


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Before Christ died our death at Calvary, God’s justice demanded we be given eternal death. Since Christ died our death at Calvary, God’s justice demands we be given eternal life.  Brethren, thank God for being a just God and a Savior!