August 25, 2019
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
MEETING LOCATION
251
Green Lane
Ewing,
NJ, 08368
Clay
Curtis, pastor
Telephone:
615-513-4464
Clay@FreeGraceMedia.com
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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ANNOUNCEMENTS
·
Wednesday, Aug 28, I am scheduled to preach
at Hurricane Road Grace Church in Ashland, KY where Frank Tate is pastor.
·
Thursday, Aug 29, Brother Scott Keller is
scheduled to bring the mid-week message.
·
Sunday, Sept 1, Brother Kevin Thacker is scheduled
to bring the messages. I am scheduled to preach in the conference at Grace
Baptist Church in Danville, KY where Don Fortner is pastor. That evening I am scheduled to preach at Todd’s
Road Grace Church in Lexington, KY where Todd Nibert is pastor.
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Proverbs
13: 20: He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of
fools shall be destroyed.
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SENT OR NOT?
“Paul, called to be an apostle of
Jesus Christ through the will of God,…” (1 Cor 1: 1)
Corinth was a large, wealthy, affluent city
in southern Greece. It was also very wicked. There were many pagan religions
and much philosophy, full of vice and moral perversion. It was a city that
lived for pleasure. Yet, in Acts 18, the
Lord told Paul to stay there and preach “for I have much people in this city.”
(Acts 18: 10) So Paul preached for almost two years and Christ established the
Corinthian church. But after Paul left,
false preachers moved in and disorder erupted. Paul wrote this epistle around
the year 55. It had been about 5 years since Paul first preached at Corinth. The false preachers who began to influence
the church at Corinth were saying that Paul was not an apostle of Jesus Christ.
So Paul begins this letter, “Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ
through the will of God,…” (1 Cor 1: 1)
This
is more than an opening salutation. His opening is direct and with purpose. While
on the road to Damascus, Christ Jesus called Paul directly—that was a
requirement to be an apostle. Apostles
were called and sent directly by Christ. The word “apostle” means “messenger”
or “missionary”, one “sent” to
preach the gospel. Paul, like
all the apostles, was given divine authority immediately from Christ.
Therefore, Paul’s call & apostleship was “through the will of
God.” Christ said, “I and my Father are
one.” (Jn 10: 30) God the Father chose Paul in Christ, God the Father
predestinated Paul to be conformed to the image of Christ, God the Father
ordained Paul to be an apostle of Christ. Therefore, through the will of God,
Christ called Paul to be his apostle.
Brethren,
we have no apostles today. No one is called in person by Christ today. But
every true preacher of the gospel is called and sent by Christ through the will
of God. (Eph 4: 10-16) The last thing I ever wanted to do was to put myself in
a pulpit. I wanted to know Christ called me.
For any man who might have a desire to preach, I would highly recommend
he wait on the Lord. If it is God’s
will, God will open the door. I love the
fact that I visited here for so long before this church called me to be your
pastor.
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TRUE DOCTRINE OR NOT?
At Corinth, false preachers put a question
mark on Paul’s doctrine. This may be one
reason why Paul writes, “and Sosthenes our brother.” (1 Cor 1: 1) Believers at Corinth knew that Sosthenes
was a faithful brother in Christ. Sosthenes would not have been in Paul’s
company had Paul not been preaching the truth. In Acts 18, while at Corinth, through
Paul’s preaching Christ called a man named, Crispus, chief ruler of the
synagogue. (Acts 18) The Jews replaced Crispus with Sosthenes. But through Paul’s preaching, Christ called
and saved Sosthenes, too. So Sosthenes was known by the Corinthians for his
faithful defense of the gospel of Christ, even to the point of being beaten (Acts
18: 16-17) So Sosthenes was one Christ had made steadfast in the gospel.
The brethren at Corinth knew what Christ had done for him. Now, they know
Sosthenes is with the apostle Paul. And Paul calls him, “our brother.”—Paul’s
brother and their brother. So Corinthians would know that despite the slander
of the false preachers, Paul was a faithful brother in Christ.
What a
blessing that God gives us faithful brethren. Our brethren are able to defend
us, to comfort us, to help us in the ministry and service to Christ. Always
thank God for them.
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IDOLATROUS RELIGION
The Corinthian church had trouble from the
idolatrous religions around them. At the
heart of this problem was their failure to recognize the distinction God has
put between his church and the rest of the world. Paul hints at this problem, giving us the
remedy by reminding them who they were, “Unto the church of God which is at
Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints,…” (1
Cor 1: 2)
The church belongs to God, not the world. We
are “the church of God.” God’s church is not only chosen by God but bought by
God—"The church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”
(Ac 20:28) The Psalmist wrote, “Remember thy congregation, which thou
hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed;
this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.” (Ps 74: 2) The church of God are “them that are
sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints.” Every member of God’s
church is sanctified in Christ Jesus by God the Father in divine election,
sanctified in Christ Jesus, by God the Son’s finished work and sanctified in
Christ Jesus by God the Holy Spirit’s regenerating and calling. Our
sanctification is “in Christ Jesus.”
Therefore,
brethren, we are not of this world but are a separated, holy people, with a
specific purpose to glorify God, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the
praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
(1Pe 2:9)
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DIVISION
The church at Corinth was divided. Paul
addressed this problem by saying “Is Christ divided?” (1 Cor 1: 13)
Christ is not divided; his body is not divided. Christ’s is the Head and every
chosen, redeemed, regenerated believer is a member of Christ’s church and we
are one in Christ.
Brethren,
a party spirit, a divisive spirit, is not of God, it is of Satan and sin. The
very purpose of Christ’s work is to make his people all one in Christ, “That
in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all
things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in
him:” (Eph 1:10) Promote unity!