January 28, 2018
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
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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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GOOD
NEWS!
Brethren, our faithful God promised, “I will give you pastors according to mine
heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” (Jer 3: 15) It
is with a thankful heart that I announce to you that Grace Baptist Church in
Nixa, Missouri has called Brother Eric Lutter to be their pastor. We will miss Eric, Michelle and Alyssa greatly
but how happy we are for them and the brethren there. May God be pleased to
bless Eric and our friends in Missouri for years to come!
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Luke 12:42: And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise
steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their
portion of meat in due season?
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SUNDAY’S
READING IN PROVERBS
Proverbs
10: 26: As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the
sluggard to them that send him.
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Neither salvation nor sanctification
is in any way a cooperative effort. When Peter was sinking beneath the waves,
he didn’t say, “Lord, nothing is going to happen today that you and I
together can’t handle.” He said, “Lord, save me!”
Pastor Chris Cunningha
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Remember, when all was dark in Egypt
the children of Israel had light. (Ex 10: 22-23) So it is with us who are given
Christ the Light in the midst of this dark world. He promised, “I am the Light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in
darkness but shall have the light of life.” (Jn 8: 12)
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THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Psalm 19: 1: «To the chief Musician,
A Psalm of David.» The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament
sheweth his handywork. 2: Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night
sheweth knowledge. 3: There is no speech nor language, where
their voice is not heard. 4: Their line is gone out through all the earth, and
their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the
sun, 5: Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and
rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. 6: His going forth is from the end
of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid
from the heat thereof.
The glory of God and the work of his
hands are declared in God’s creation.
Christ is the DayStar who visited his people, the Light-shining in a
dark place. (Lu 1: 78; 2 Pet 1: 19) In this Psalm, we see in God’s first
creation the glory and work of the new spiritual creation made by Christ Jesus
his Son.
The Rising Sun
The rising sun reminds us of the
rising of Christ from the grave, “which
is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber.” “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise
with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the
stall.” (Mal 4: 2) Christ is the Bridegroom and all his elect are his bride
for whom he laid down his life. (Eph 5: 25) So, believer, as you wake early and
head to your job with a thousand cares weighing heavy on your heart, when you
see the sun arise from his chamber, remember, Christ has perfected us forever
by his one offering. Proof is he arose! We are risen in him and seated at God’s
right. (Col 3: 1-4; Heb 7: 25)
A Tabernacle for the Sun
Speaking of the heavens and the
firmament, our text says, “In them hath
he set a tabernacle for the sun.” (Ps 19: 4) After Christ declared God just and Justifier
of his people, God raised him, giving him a place to dwell forever in the
holiest of holies and in the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not
man. (Heb 8: 1-2) The Lord’s tabernacle is his church, in particular, each
redeemed, regenerated saint. (Eph 2: 21-22; 2 Cor 6: 16) Remember when the ark
went to its place? It went to “Bethshemesh.”
It means “tabernacle or house for the sun.” (1 Sam 6: 12)
Believers are the house of the risen Sun. Brethren, when you feel the
heat of the sun, rejoice! Christ dwells in us, his tabernacle.
A Strong Man Running a Race
We see what Christ is doing now, he “rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.”
The sun comes forth unstoppable. So does
our risen King and Savior. He shines
forth his glory irresistibly and “filleth
all in all”, making every believer unspeakably happy. (Eph 1: 22-23) As
he did not fail to set judgment in the earth on the cross, he shall not fail
nor be discouraged, till he has set judgment in the heart of each of his
people. (Is 42: 4; 60: 1-4) He shall protect each blood bought child, doing for
us in this earth only what is best and shall at last bring us home without
losing one!
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LESSONS FROM CREATION
Psalm 19: 1: «To the chief
Musician, A Psalm of David.» The heavens declare the glory of God; and the
firmament sheweth his handywork. 2: Day unto day uttereth speech, and night
unto night sheweth knowledge. 3: There is no speech nor language, where
their voice is not heard. 4: Their line is gone out through all the earth, and
their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the
sun, 5: Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and
rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. 6: His going forth is from the
end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing
hid from the heat thereof.
First, think of the consistency of the
light of the sun. It is the same today
as it was when it first shined. Likewise, getting our light from the Sun of
Righteousness our doctrine never changes for “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Heb
13: 8)
Secondly, all things in God’s creation revolve around the sun. Likewise,
all things in God’s spiritual creation revolve around Christ, “Christ is all and in all.” (Col 3: 11)
What would happen if the sun stopped shining? Believer, we could sooner do
without the light of the sun than do without the healing Light of Christ given
us through the preaching of the gospel!
Thirdly, the sun is the point from which our compasses give us direction
and bearings. Likewise, Christ is the magnet that guides and controls those in
whom he dwells. When in the forest, the
wise man is always looking at the sun so that he knows which direction to go.
The wise man in grace is always looking to the Sun of righteousness to direct
his steps.
Fourthly, when the sun rises, it always returns to the earth at the end
of the day. When the day of grace is over, Christ shall return. (Mt 13: 40-43) The self-righteous who boast in how “I let my little light shine” will be
cast out in the day of judgment. But those
broken and contrite, who make themselves invisible in this earth that all eyes might
be on Christ shall be held up by our triumphant Redeemer as the trophies of his
grace. For now, we do our best to be unseen that all eyes may be on Christ. But
“then shall the righteous shine forth as
the Sun in the kingdom of their Father.”
Fifthly, the sun is the only source giving light. In the new heavens and
new earth, where all shall be the creation of Christ, there will only be one
Light, “And the city had no need of the
sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it,
and the Lamb is the light thereof.” (Rev 21: 23)
God has chosen to save his people by
the foolishness of preaching not by the light of creation. But having been saved under the gospel,
believers see that everything in this creation was made to glorify Christ. He
is the Light and Life we must have. Look
to him today and live with him forevermore!