Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Free Grace Media

Of Princeton, New Jersey

 

AuthorClay Curtis
TitleWeekly Bulletin
Bible Text1 Corinthians 1:1-10
Date24-Aug-2019
Article Type Bulletin
PDF Format pdf
Word Format doc
Audio HI-FI Listen: Problems & Their Remedies (32 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
Audio CD Quality Listen: Problems & Their Remedies (128 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
 

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

 

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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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!