June 27-28, 2015
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
LOCATION
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd Floor
150 Washington Street
Rocky Hill, New Jersey, 08553
Clay Curtis, pastor
Telephone: 615-513-4464
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. Check the announcements.
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All articles in the bulletin are by the pastor unless otherwise noted.
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We are thankful to have our brethren Lance and Robin Heller with us today. Lance has been a faithful missionary in Papau, New Guinea for 24 years. We look forward to hearing him proclaim the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus
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THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS
1 Corinthians 1: 18: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
The preaching of salvation by the grace of God alone by the crucified Christ, the preaching of righteousness, peace and reconciliation by the blood of his cross, the preaching of a sufficient sacrifice and atonement by Christ offering up himself on the cross in our room and stead is sheer nonsense to those who are perishing, whether they are in the church or the world. But unto us who are being saved by the power and grace of God, this gospel is both the power of salvation and a revelation of the wisdom of God. We see in Christ crucified our deliverance from the curse of the law, and we see in Christ crucified how God can be both just and Justifier of those who believe (Rom. 8:1, 33, 34; 3:19-26). Pastor Henry Mahan
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LOOK TO CHRIST
The cry of every gospel preacher is look to Christ. John the Baptist cried, “Behold the Lamb of God” (John 1:36). My friend, my cry to you is look to Christ for everything. Don’t look for salvation in your obedience to the law. Look to Christ who kept the law for His people. Don’t look for salvation in your religious ceremonies. Look to Christ who is “the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Rom. 10:4). Look for atonement in Christ our Passover. Look for rest from all of your works in Christ our Sabbath. Don’t look for salvation in your doctrine. Look to Christ who is our doctrine. Believer, look to Christ for your comfort, peace, and assurance. LOOK AND LIVE and never take your focus and attention off of Christ who is our all and in all. Pastor Frank Tate
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“CHILDREN, COME TO THE TABLE”
I was so richly blessed of God to be born of parents who loved and feared the Lord, and to have three brothers and two sisters to grow up with. What a blessing! I remember well when mom would say, “Children, come to the table.” I had never thought of it till a few days ago, but I never felt so safe, so secure, and so cared for, as when we were all together at the table, and for some reason, especially the supper table.
In trying to mentally and emotionally recapture those days, I think perhaps it was because we were all together, one family, and the “big world” was temporarily shut out. We were one family, with basically the same interests. We worked together, played together, cared for one another, and looked out for one another. But most of all, I think it was because of that which we took for granted, the love and care of a faithful dad and mom! We were never anxious about shelter, food, clothing, medication, etc. Our loving, faithful, hard-working parents provided for all our needs.
God our Father, has provided a table for us, even in the presence of our enemies (Ps 23)—the Gospel Ministry. Here, at this table, the saints meet together and feast upon the “children’s bread,” “Jesus Christ and him crucified.” Oh! how safe, how secure, and how cared for we should feel! Here, we are a family together in our Father’s house, and the “wicked world” is temporarily shut out. Here, we love, care for, and comfort one another. Here, is a family of love and peace, established by the Prince of Peace. When one of us was coming to mom’s table angry or quibbling about something, mom would always say, “Get rid of it….let it go….calm down now. You can’t digest your food when you are upset.” Here, at the Gospel Table, one must never come with bitter feelings against another, for one cannot partake of this gospel feast with such an attitude. Here, in this family, there is no room for pride or boasting, envy, strife or any such thing—because none of us are “natural born” children! We were all hellish and hell-bound enemies of God, and “by nature the children of wrath, even as others” (Eph 2:1-3). But God, in infinite, amazing love and almighty grace ADOPTED US! He snatched us out of the kingdom of darkness and death and translated us into the kingdom of light, the kingdom of His dear Son. We are all sort of like old Mephibosheth, “dead dogs” and “cripples” sitting and eating at the King’s table (2 Sam 9), but our King is “The King of kings and Lord of lords!”
Oh! how safe, how secure, how cared for we should always feel—and how thankful! Our Father has the resources of the whole universe at His disposal, and His word to us is, ‘don’t be over-anxious about anything’ (Mt 6:25-34). What a faithful and loving heavenly Father we have! How inexpressibly wonderful to be able to call Him our Father and feast at the Gospel Table with His dear children, brothers and sisters in Christ! “BEHOLD, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (I John 3:1). Pastor Maurice Montgomery
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FIRST THINGS FIRST
Genesis 8: 20: And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
In Noah we have an example of faith in Christ, of thanksgiving, of praise and worship of God for his mercy and grace in Christ. Try to imagine how Noah felt that day when he came forth of the ark. Noah was free. Likewise, by Christ the believer is freed from the bondage of the old world of sin that once mastered our affections and freed from the guilt of the law by Christ fulfilling the law for us. Christ is our Righteousness so that every true believer has precious liberty in Christ our Redeemer.
This great grace of our God makes first things first in the heart of the believer. Noah did not first build a home for himself and his family. He did not first seek provisions for him and his family. Noah did for himself and his family the most important thing, the most loving thing, the most needful thing he could do. He built a place where he and his family could worship God.
This shows us that the preeminent purpose for which we have been raised to newness of life is the glory of God. Concerning all things we need in this life, our Savior said, “Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Mt 6: 32-33) God gives us the promise that all our worldly provisions shall be provided so that we can worship Christ as we ought. By God’s amazing grace, Christ has made us holy priests unto God “to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet 2: 5) Christ is our Life. By the worship of God being first in our lives we are saying, “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (Rev 1: 5-6)
Those animals Noah sacrificed were alive because they were in the ark when the flood came. They were saved in order to be sacrificed to God because of the great things God had done. You and I who believe are alive spiritually because we were in Christ when judgment came upon Christ. We have been saved and united in this family so that together, we might be one living sacrifice to God in Christ. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Rom 12: 1)
How amazing! In Christ our Righteousness, God receives us, along with all our feeble worship and service unto him the same way he received Noah, “And the LORD smelled a sweet savour.” (Gen 8: 21; Eph 5: 1)