August 9, 2015
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
LOCATION
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd Floor
150 Washington Street
Rocky Hill, New Jersey, 08553
Clay Curtis, pastor
Telephone: 615-513-4464
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. Check the announcements.
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All articles in the bulletin are by the pastor unless otherwise noted.
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God’s churches are the golden candlesticks in the midst of which Christ walks. Christ is the wall of fire around us and the glory in our midst. (Re 1:13; 2:1; Zec 2: 5)
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Christ says, “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick.” Churches today use every marketing gimmick under the sun to try to fill pews and keep them filled. Can you imagine emergency rooms using the same gimmicks to entice folks to come to the emergency room! They do not have to because sick people know their need of a physician. Christ’s true people—true chosen, redeemed, regenerated believers made so by God—know their need of Christ. Therefore, the preaching of Christ crucified is more needful to them than their everyday bread. But the reason so few come to hear Christ speak in the gospel is that most think they are whole, righteous, with no need. But will you hear Christ? He said, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
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Where the lie is told that God loves everybody, Christ died for everybody, Christ is not at all involved in that idolatry. The LORD said, “Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.” (Jer 23: 31-32)
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1 Cor 1: 17: 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.
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1 Cor 1: 29…that no flesh should glory in his presence.
God is omnipresent. But God is especially present in the place where God chooses for his name to be preached in truth. (Ex 20: 24; Deut 12: 5-14; 14: 23) Christ is present with the preachers he sends to minister his word and with the people he gathers in his name. (Mt 28: 18-20; 18: 20; Acts 18:9-10) Christ speaks and makes his presence known in our hearts. (Heb 1: 1-2; Jn 6:63; Hebr12:25; 2: 1-4) When God and his Son makes his prescence known in our hearts we cease glorying in our flesh because he effectually makes all his children know it is “of God that are ye in Christ.” 1Thess 2:13; 2 Thess 2: 13, 14; Mk 16: 20) In scripture, each sinner who found themselves in God’s presence put their face in the dust. This one reason why God saves through the preaching of the gospel of Christ crucified.
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FAITH OF CHRIST
Ps 16: 1-11
In this Psalm we see Christ’s faith in God. (Acts 2: 25-32; A13: 35-39) We know what true God-given faith is by hearing Christ as he approached his sufferings on the cross, his victory over death, and his exaltation to the right hand of God.
Prayer of Faith. Christ prayed, “Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.” (Ps 16: 1) When God the Son took human flesh, he took the form of a servant and as the GodMan representing his people, Christ Jesus was faithful to his Father. He trusted God’s promise that God would keep him. (Ps 145: 20; Is 49: 8-9)
Confidence of Faith. Christ’s prayed, “O my soul thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord.” (Ps 16: 2) Faith’s confidence is the object of faith “my Lord.” Christ submitted to God in perfect faith as he represented his people. Faith gives all allegiance to God, owning him to be my Lord, my Master, my God, my Help, my Support, my All.
Humility of Faith. Christ prayed, “my goodness extendeth not to thee.” (Ps 16: 2) Often religious folks boast of their faith and what they have done for God. Christ is the only one who could say “My goodness.” Yet, he said to the Father, “My goodness, extendeth not to thee.” Even the work of our Lord Jesus did not add anything to God. (Job 22:2; 35:6-8) Christ’s goodness extends to his people, “my goodness extendeth not to thee; But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.” (Heb 10: 14;Ps 45: 16; 1 Pet 2:9; Pro 8: 29-31; Is 43:4; 62:4; SOS 7:10; 1 Jn 3: 16-18) So we see from the Faithful One that true faith is not proud but humble.
Jealousy of Faith. Christ prayed, “Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.” (Ps 16: 4) The same Lord Jesus who delights in his people is against those who worship other gods. Christ gladly represents the weakest sheep. But those who worship another god, Christ will say, “I never knew you, depart from me!” It is because truth faith is jealous for God to have all the glory.
Counsel of Faith. Christ prayed, “I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel.” (Ps 16: 7) As Man, Christ did not even speak of himself but he spoke the counsel given him from his Father. (Jn 12: 49-50) Christ blessed God for giving him counsel. When Christ is formed in us then truth faith looks to Christ who is the whole counsel of God and glories in Christ alone.
Trial of Faith. As he faced the severest trial in history, Christ prayed, “I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Ps 16:8-11) He did not set his face on the Roman guard, the religious leaders or the angry mob but on the LORD his Father. Through faith, Christ knew he should never be moved from accomplishing the redemption of his people, because he trusted the power of God. (Is 50: 6-9) The faith of Christ given in the new heart of the sinner, when Christ is formed in us, is made to set our face on Christ even in the most severe trial. (Is 50: 10; Rom 8: 31-39)
Joy of Faith. Christ prayed, “In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Ps 16: 11) As it is with Christ our Head, so it is with the members of his body through faith which he gives and sustains. God raised Christ to his presence giving him fullness of joy at God’s right hand and pleasures for evermore. Likewise, he puts joy and gladness into our hearts. For all who continue in faith unto the end, God shall make us enter that great eternal joy forevermore. (Rev 21: 3-8)
This is the faith of Christ. Christ is the giver, the object and the perfection of our faith. This is that faith of Christ in his saints when Christ is formed in us. The faith Paul spoke of when he said, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Ga 2:20)