Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Free Grace Media

Of Princeton, New Jersey

 

AuthorClay Curtis
TitleWeekly Bulletin 1-14-2018
Bible Text2 Chronicles 2:1-10
Date13-Jan-2018
Article Type Bulletin
PDF Format pdf
Word Format doc
Audio HI-FI Listen: Christ in the Molten Sea (32 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
Audio CD Quality Listen: Christ in the Molten Sea (128 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
 

January 14, 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

 

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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SUNDAY’S READING IN PROVERBS

Proverbs 10: 23: It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.

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TWO NATURES IN ONE PERSON

 

The eternally begotten Son of God necessarily from eternity possesses the divine nature – that of His Father. When the Son of God in His incarnation became Son of Man, He received the human nature (but not its Adamic sin). He did not cease to be the Son of God. Nor did He become devoid of the divine nature. Nor was the divine nature changed into the human nature. Rather, He remained one person but now had two natures: the divine nature as the Son of God, and the human nature as the Son of Man.
    

     Likewise, naturally begotten sons of men necessarily from birth possess the human nature – that of their fathers. When sons of men in their regeneration become sons of God, they receive the divine nature (but not its essential deity). They do not cease to be sons of men. Nor do they become devoid of the human nature. Nor is the human nature changed into the divine nature. Rather, they remain one person but now have two natures: the human nature as sons of men, and the divine nature as sons of God.
    

     This is the state of all who have become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). They now have within their one person two natures: both “the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” and “the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22, 24). These two natures in man are in constant conflict with each other (Romans 7:15-25) – for the old nature can do nothing but sin, and the new nature can do nothing but righteousness. But the child of God delights in knowing that in the sight of God “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed [the divine nature] remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:9).
                                                                            Pastor Daniel E Parks

 

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Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)

 

This is the Revelation of God to us who believe on Christ:  Blessed and Holy is He that hath part in the first Resurrection! Have you a part in this first resurrection?  Are you made Holy and Blessed by your union with Jesus Christ as your representative man? (Ephesians 1:4-6; 1 Corinthians 1:30) Have you any part in the new birth by which we receive the holy nature of Jesus Christ and are cleansed by His blood?  (John 3:6-8; 5:25-29; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Hebrews 9:22) Then Happy are you for you will never die and the second death has no power over you! Rejoice in the very teeth of your trials for no power can harm you that is not ordained of God for your good and His glory.  No power of hell, no will of man, nor circumstance of time can ever separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.  May the Holy Spirit comfort us with these blessed revelations of His Holy Immutable and Sovereign word.  Pastor Fred Evans

 
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When our transgressions were laid on Christ, made his, and borne by him, when he carried them all away in the stream of his precious blood, he made satisfaction for us. Thus, the Christ of God finished our transgressions (Daniel 9:24). They shall never be seen or brought up again!  Pastor Don Fortner

 

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Believer, you will find great comfort reading the Apostle Paul’s statements in the first person applying them to yourself. Notice, it is not “as if” but fact. “I am crucified with Christ.” (Gal 2: 20) “[My] old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed.” (Rom 6:6) “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom 8: 2) “I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” (Gal 2: 20) “[I am] dead, and [my] life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is [my] life shall appear, then shall [I] also appear with him in glory.” (Col 3: 3-4)

 

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CHRIST IN THE MOLTEN SEA

 

2 Chronicles 4: 2: Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about. 3: And under it was the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round about: ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about. Two rows of oxen were cast, when it was cast. 4: It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward. 5: And the thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held three thousand baths. 6: He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them: such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in…10: And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the south.

 

In this piece of furniture in Solomon’s temple we are reminded that nothing in Gods’ word is useless. All is given by God to bring glory to his Son in the salvation of his people. This should make us pay attention to every word of the gospel and seek Christ while he may be found. Now, let us behold Christ in this massive brass laver.

 

Christ in the Molten Sea. After the fall, God cast Adam out of the garden eastward.  Therefore, typifying the only entrance back into God’s presence, this molten brass laver filled with water was the first thing you came to as you entered the priest’s entrance into the temple from the east. This laver was only for the priests. They must wash in it in order to approach God in his temple.  Christ alone makes his people priests unto God. We must have our sins washed away in Christ blood before we can approach holy God in his holy, heavenly temple. (Eph 5: 25-27; Rev 1: 5-6; Heb 10: 19-23)

 

Christ in the Oxen. The Holy Spirit declares that oxen typify gospel preachers. (1 Cor 9: 9-10) The foundation of this massive laver “stood upon twelve oxen” which faced every direction. (v4) Every believer is founded upon the Lord Jesus and his twelve apostles because the gospel of Christ’s sin-cleansing blood went forth into all the world through them. (Eph 2: 20) “And under it was the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round about.” (v3) Under the brim near the top were 600 lesser oxen, all one with each other, all one with the oxen in the foundation, and all shaped like fertile eggs. Christ continues providing preachers, lesser than his apostles but fellow laborers with them and with one another. They preach the same fertile, incorruptible seed by which Christ’s people are born anew. Christ is the one who sends them, the one who gives them the message, the one message they proclaim and the one who makes the word effectual in our heart. (1 Cor 3: 6)

 

Christ in the Details. This laver was a solid piece of brass seventeen and a half feet in diameter, eight and three-fourths feet deep, with a circumference of fifty two and half feet. It held three thousand baths or 27, 500 gallons of water. In Christ is “plenteous redemption” and “grace abounding.” (Ps 130: 7; Rom 5: 20-21) This laver was made of brass heated until melted. As Christ was made a curse for us under the fire of God’s wrath, he said, “My heart…is melted in the midst of my bowels.” (Ps 22: 14) This laver was a handbreadth thick, the width of four fingers. Having reconciled us to God, our salvation is solid and sure in Christ.  This laver weighed around thirty tons. The weight of redemption was heavy but the government is upon Christ shoulder so he bore God’s justice until full satisfaction was made. The brim of this laver was “as a cup” that you drink from. Christ said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.” (Jn 6: 53) Around the brim were “flowers of lilies.”  Sinner, drink and wash in Christ’s blood by believing on Christ today and you shall live for eternity accepted of God, beautiful and fragrant in the righteousness of Christ, the Lily of the valley. (So 2: 1; Is 55: 6-7)

 

There is a fountain filled with blood

Drawn from Immanuel’s veins

And sinners plunged beneath that flood

Lose all their guilty stains