April 17, 2016
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
?-----------------------------?
NURSERY
We have a nursery equipped with a digital flat screen television broadcasting all services live, for children four and under. Check the announcements.
?-----------------------------?
All articles by the pastor unless otherwise noted. As you read the bulletin at home with your children be sure to look up the scripture references.
?-----------------------------?
Christ crucified is not simply the most important message of Scripture, the central message of Scripture, the primary message of Scripture, or even the dominant message of Scripture. Christ crucified is the message of Scripture. When the apostle Paul said to the Ephesians, “I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God” in Acts 20:26, he was saying exactly the same thing as he did in 1 Corinthians 2:2. — “I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” --Pastor Don Fortner
?-----------------------------?
ALL WE LIKE SHEEP
God’s elect are sheep—“all we like sheep have gone astray.” (Is 53: 6) What a proper comparison. Our sin has left us dumb, defenseless and in constant need of Christ our Shepherd. Sheep will stray away from their shepherd but they cannot discern the way back so they will not return of themselves. In that regard, sheep are dumber than an ox or an ass. We are just that dumb. Of our own will we went astray from God. We have no spiritual discernment by nature so we will not and cannot of our own will return to God—“The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” (Is 1: 3) We are so much more sheepish than sheep that Spurgeon said, “Sheep are dishonored by the comparison.” But thanks be to God’s grace, Christ is our Shepherd. By his finished work on the cross and by his seeking and saving us from our lost state in regeneration “ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” (1 Pet 2: 25)
?-----------------------------?
REMINDER
We plan to send an offering to our missionaries at the end of this month. Please designate your offerings “Missions.”
?-----------------------------?
CHRIST DEFENDS HIS CHURCH
Numbers 10: 34: And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp.
Christ is the covering over his assembly. God promises, “The LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the Glory shall be a defence. And there shall be a Tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.” (Is 4: 5-6) Christ is that glory, that defense, that refuge and that covert. The Spirit speaks of Christ when he says “A Man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land…And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” (Is 32: 2, 18) “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Ps 91: 1) Brethren, we have a gift more precious than all the treasures of this world combined. Every believer has Christ to cover us and defend us constantly.
?-----------------------------?
CHRIST OUR INTERCESSOR
Numbers 11: 2: And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.
In faith toward God and love for his brethren, Moses interceded with the LORD on behalf of the children of Israel. When Moses interceded the fire was quenched. Christ is the Intercessor! When Christ interceded for his people on the cross, he satisfied the demands of justice and made the fire of God’s wrath to be quenched toward us. Now our triumphant High Priest lives forever at God’s right hand to make intercession for us. Therefore, Christ is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him.
?-----------------------------?
Christian liberty given his people by the triune God in Christ is freedom from the law (Rom 7: 6; 8:2), the curse of the law (Gal 3: 13), the fear of death (Heb 2: 15), sin (Rom 6: 7, 18), corruption (Rom 8: 21), bondage of man (1 Cor 9: 19) and old covenant ordinances (Gal 4: 3; Col 2: 20)
?-----------------------------?
1 Corinthians 10: 12…suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Knowledge of liberty alone will exercise its rights without consideration of offending weak brethren and sinning against Christ. (1 Cor 8: 1, 12) The rule that governs the new heart on which the law of liberty and the law of love is inscribed by the finger of God is to do whatever gives Christ all the glory and is best for his people.
?-----------------------------?
LUSTING
Numbers 11: 4: And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? 5: We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 6: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.
Without the Spirit of God sustaining the heart, sinners with a mere form of religion soon begin to long for the meat that perishes. Though they hear Christ preached in truth the false professor begins to think “there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.” God defines the problem, “They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.” (Ps 106: 13-15) Brethren, we know that unless God keeps us we will surely do the same. Let us ask God to keep us ever mindful of Christ’s works and make us wait on his effectual counsel alone. (Ps 9:11; 105:1; 107:22-23; Is 12: 3-4) Christ is the one and only cure who can mortify the lust of our flesh.
?-----------------------------?
Jeremiah 3: 15: I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
This is a prophecy. Christ is the one who fulfills all prophecy. (Mt 5: 17) Therefore, so long as Christ has one redeemed child left to call out in this earth, we can be sure that as Christ has done in the past, so he will continue to give us pastors according to his heart, which shall feed us with knowledge and understanding.(Eph 4: 8-16)