Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Free Grace Media

Of Princeton, New Jersey

 

AuthorClay Curtis
TitleWeekly Bulletin 10-1-2017
Bible Text2 Timothy 2:15-21
Date30-Sep-2017
Article Type Bulletin
PDF Format pdf
Word Format doc
Audio HI-FI Listen: The Foundation of God Standeth Sure (32 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
Audio CD Quality Listen: The Foundation of God Standeth Sure (128 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
 

October 1, 2017

SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH

 

MEETING LOCATION

251 Green Lane

Ewing, NJ, 08368

Clay Curtis, pastor

Telephone: 615-513-4464

 

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.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE WEBSITE: watch videos of our full services—click here.

 

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SUNDAY’S READING IN PROVERBS

 

Proverbs 10: 7: The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.

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Our Gospel, the Gospel of God, concerning His Son Jesus Christ, is manifestly unflattering to the flesh, and we have no desire to make it otherwise.  We are careful not to be personally offensive to people, but the offense of the Gospel (Galatians 5:11) cannot, must not, be diminished.  Pastor Chris Cunningham

 

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"FEAR NOT" Isaiah 41:10-14

Pastor David F. Pledger

 

Three times in the above verses God says to His people, "Fear not!" Each time that He tells us not to fear, He also says: "I will help thee." In Psalm 89:19 we read, "I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people."

 

     This one that is mighty and yet chosen out of the people can only be the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the mighty God, and yet He is man.  The great mystery of godliness is "God was manifest in the flesh." (1 Timothy 3:16). He is the only one that God has laid help upon for sinners. He paid the debt of those who trust in Him, who by nature are bankrupt with nothing to pay. Our debt was one of obedience as well as satisfaction and He paid it all. Consider the words of the hymn writer, Isaac Watts.

 

"Till God in human flesh I see,

My thoughts no comfort find;

The holy, just, and sacred Three

Are terrors to my mind.

But if Immanuel's face appear,

My hope, my joy begins;

His name forbids my slavish fear,

His grace removes my sins."

 

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THE FOUNDATION OF GOD STANDETH SURE

 

2 Timothy 2: 15: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16: But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17: And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18: Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. 19: Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 20: But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21: If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

 

Paul speaks of two men who proved themselves wicked, Hymenaeus and Philetus.  Scripture speaks of others:  Phygellus and Hermogenes. False doctrine and the devilish spirit in which errors are preached must be regarded as a cancer and we are to shun them like we would a cancer—“Shun profane and vain babblings.”

 

    Yet, do not be shaken by such things. It is nothing new. The first family had a Cain. Noah’s family had a Ham. Abraham had an Ishmael. Isaac had an Esau. The church in the wilderness had their Korah, Dathan, Abiram.  In a great house there are vessels to honor and some to dishonor, so it is in God’s house. “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” 

 

    Still, remember, as heretics rise and fall throughout the ages, God’s church stands unmoved and unmovable on the church’s one foundation, Christ Jesus our Lord. Christ is the foundation on which this whole world is founded and by his covenant word upheld. (Heb 1: 3) Hymaneus’ and Philetus’ of this world may try to point us to other foundations but fact is “other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor 3: 11) This is the foundation God our Father laid in eternity when he chose Christ to bring his elect to him without spot or blemish. Therefore, God our Father shall keep us believing only Christ and keep us hearing his gospel together with his saints. (Is 28: 16) This is why our foundation is sure. Christ entered covenant with the Father to save this people and present them faultless to the Father.  The word of his power” is Christ’s covenant promise to the Father to lose none whom the Father entrusted to him. Our foundation is immoveable because Christ fulfilled the justice of God. God’s justice owes Christ our Redeemer every chosen child for whom he died and Christ shall have them.  Our foundation is not temporary. The things that are seen are temporal.  Our foundation is only seen with the eye of faith. It is not ice or earth or brick or stone. It is Christ Jesus and the Lord knoweth them that are his. This world and all the works thereof shall dissolve with a fervent heat but not before Christ calls all his people to repentance. Not one living stone upon this sure foundation shall be moved out of place. The Lord knoweth them that are his. Therefore our foundation is sure because Christ shall not and cannot fail!

 

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INSTRUCTION GOD’S PEOPLE OBEY

 

2 Timothy 2: 19:…And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

 

Paul must have in mind what God said to Moses and Aaron when Korah, Dathan and Abiram arose speaking lies against Moses. God sent Moses to speak his word, “And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.” (Nu 16: 26)  God separated them so as not to destroy the whole congregation.  Then God opened the earth and swallowed up those wicked men.  So Paul speaks God’s word to us, “Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

 

    It is very hard to depart from those preaching lies, especially, when it is someone you love.  But we stand for the truth best by departing from them for the place where we can hear the gospel of Christ preached in truth or when the church puts away the preacher preaching lies. God people shall obey this word—“If a man therefore purge himself from these [vessels of dishonor], he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”  Just as the Spirit of God purged us from freewill, works religion so he will also purge us from men who arise speaking perverse things.  Christ alone is able to make his vessels to be vessels of honor. He alone is our Sanctifier who sanctifies us. He is our Master and he alone makes us meet for the Master’s use and prepared for every good work. We shall be made to depart and we give Christ all the glory for working it in our hearts. 

 

     Through it all know this, the only thing heresy does is bring Christ’s sheep closer together focused more on Christ! That is why God sends the trial of heresies.  For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.” (1 Cor 11: 19) Therefore, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Tim 2: 15)  We know the messenger God has approved and the people he has approved because his messenger preaches the message God has approved and his people will only hear that message, which is the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.  God will not allow his messenger to become taken up with attempting to prove profane, vain, irrelevant things. Those things would make God’s preacher ashamed.  So as long as God has his hand on his preacher, God’s preacher shuns such things. And so do his people.

 

     Brethren, be strong in the LORD! Christ is our banner—our ensign—our flag! “Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah. That thy beloved may be delivered;” (Ps 60: 4-5)  Therefore, believer, rally to that place where you hear this Banner flying high! God will be with you! There will be plenty of sheep to take you in!  Do it with this assurance “the foundation of God standeth sure!”