Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

March 13, 2022

Weekly Schedule of Services

Proverbs 17:27: He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.  28: Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

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It is pride in man that insists on putting his hand to the work of another. He finds something lacking so that he must add to it or take from it or else he is not satisfied it has been done as it ought. But when a sinner beholds Christ crucified so as to see his own judgment in the death that Christ accomplished on the cross, it is a humbling sight. Beholding Christ’s perfect love to God the Father and to such a wretch as he, slays his proud notion that he could even begin to add to the work his Savior has finished, while at the same time, making him cry tears of joy that he cannot and need not. That sight creates satisfaction in his heart from knowing he has beheld the one work in all of time so perfect and complete that he can rest his entire eternal soul into Christ’s hands with assurance that the work of making him accepted of God has been accomplished by one who is his Righteousness. That is the power of Christ that makes a sinner willing to cease from his works and rest in Christ. 

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“Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (Jn 12:24). Life could not come to us but through His death; resurrection—life out of death accomplished. Except a man be born again he cannot enter the kingdom of God; and except Christ had died none could be born again. The new birth is the impartation of a new life, and that life none other than the life of a resurrected Savior, a life which has passed through death, and, therefore, forever beyond the reach of judgment. “The gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 6:23). 

–AW Pink

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UNDERSTANDING THE GOSPEL

“These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him” (John 12:16).

When the Lord is pleased to glorify and reveal Himself to us and in us, in the way of mercy and grace, then He also gives us an understanding of the gospel of Christ (1 Jn 5:20). Consider these four things:

1.      When we see the glory of His electing grace (Eph.1:3-6), then He gives us an understanding, that had Christ not chosen us we never would have believed and loved Him (2 Thes. 2:13).

2.      When we see the glory of His atonement for our sin,  how complete, how eternal, how full and how powerful it is, that our sin is put away forever (Heb. 9:26; 10:14-17), then He gives us an understanding to see and know the absolute necessity for Christ to put away our sin (1 Jn 1:7)) and how futile and useless is our vain attempts to redeem ourselves by the deeds of the flesh or law, “by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified”(Rom. 3:19-24). We are redeemed by the blood of Christ alone (1 Pet 1:18-20).

3.      When we see the glory of His salvation, taking the rebel and making him righteous in Christ, taking the ignorant and the foolish and making them new creatures in Christ, taking those dead in sin and giving them spiritual life (Eph. 2:1), then we understand the need of the new birth…regeneration and being reconciled to God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-21). “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see (understand) the kingdom of God” (John 3:3-8).

4.      When we see the glory of His person, who the Lord Jesus Christ really is, Almighty God and sinless man in one blessed person (1 Tim. 3:16), then we have understanding of the only object of saving faith (Heb. 12:2) and the only message we are to preach (Jn 12:41; 1 Cor. 2:2; 2 Tim. 4:1-4).

–Tom Harding

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“The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?” (Pro 18:14)  One bore it in perfect faith to the Father and perfected his people by doing so.  “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour” (Jn 12:27).

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One thing I know that happens when a lost man dies, no matter how rich he is, the second he dies he is penniless. Mark 8:36-37 “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” He can give nothing for his soul for he is broke.

However, those who die in Christ are rich beyond measure. Proverbs 8:18, “Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.” 

1Co 3:21-23 “Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.”

–John Chapman

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In Our Latter Years

In our latter years there is a keener sense of sin! Older believers are more aware of the NATURE of sin than the acts and deeds of sin. Attitude and spirit occupy the mind more than the acts and deeds.

     In our latter years our prayers begin to change. There is less asking and more thanksgiving, less petition and more praise. We do, however, ask things for our children, but our needs are different than theirs.

     In our latter years there is a clearer understanding of the FRAILTY OF LIFE. It is more difficult to think of death when we are young, but when this flesh begins to crumble and the keepers of the house tremble, the strong men bow themselves, we begin to think more and more of our house not made with hands.

–Henry Mahan