Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Free Grace Media

Of Princeton, New Jersey

 

AuthorClay Curtis
TitleWeekly Bulletin 2-4-2018
Bible TextLuke 8:4-18
Date03-Feb-2018
Article Type Bulletin
PDF Format pdf
Word Format doc
 

February 4, 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: 27: The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. 28: The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.

 

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Next Sunday, February 11, Brother Eric is scheduled to preach for you. I am scheduled to preach next Saturday and Sunday for Free Grace Fellowship in San Jose, California

 

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I have heard a lot of excuses that men give for leaving the preaching of the gospel.  Not one of those excuses would cause them to stop traveling to the grocery store for their daily bread. Not one of their excuses would make them quit their job and their paycheck. In fact, they put up with much, much worse in order to do those things because they consider that which they receive to be their life.  Yet, a far less excuse is enough to make them walk away from where Christ is himself preaching through his earthen vessel. Make no mistake, we reveal what our real treasure is by what we will endure to have it!  “Where your treasure is there will your heart be also.”

 

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Here are some questions worth considering: Does my knowledge of sin make me hate it? Does my knowledge of Christ cause me to trust him, love him and honour him? Does my knowledge of God’s will cause me to seek, in all things, to obey it? Does my knowledge of doctrine make me useful to others? Does my knowledge of grace make me gracious? If the knowledge I have does not move my heart heavenward and does not make Christ precious to me, my knowledge is useless knowledge that will only add to my condemnation in hell.

                                                                                Pastor Don Fortner

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"The Lord Is The Portion Of Mine Inheritance" (Psalm 6:5)

Therefore, if I never have what this world considers to be desirable, if I never have this world's wealth or applause, that is all right. The Lord is my portion. If my life does not turn out as I thought it would and I never make an impact, the Lord is still my portion. If I am brought to see that I am nothing, that is not damaging knowledge to me. It makes me see more clearly that "Christ is ALL." He that has nothing but the Lord as his portion, in reality has everything! He who has everything but Christ, in reality has nothing. Blessed is the man who can see the vanity of this world and rejoice that "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance." -Pastor Todd Nibert

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FOUR KINDS OF HEARERS

 

Very few hear and rejoice in the gospel of Christ.  In the parable of the sower only one out of four heard. (Lu 8: 4-5) I have seen young people grow up, move out and cease coming to hear the gospel.   Do not ever take for granted the fact that God has sent the gospel to you nor forsake the preaching of the gospel.  If God saves us this will be the means by which God does it from the first hour to the last. (1 Cor 1: 21; 1 Pet 1: 23-2: 3; Rom 10: 12-15) Take heed how ye hear!

 

Wayside Hearers: “A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it… Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.” (Lu 8: 5, 12)  These are most common. The fowls of worldly care and fleshly lusts take the word away as soon as the message is over. Take heed therefore how ye hear. (Gen 15: 11)

 

Stonyground Hearer: “And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture…They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.” (Lu 8: 6, 13)  The truth of the gospel finds an entrance with these hearers but only as far as the natural understanding. So “when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.” (Lu 8: 13; Mt 4: 17)  Christ is not formed within, (Lu 8: 13; Gal 4: 19), they have no new heart created of God in righteousness and true holiness and they do not have the love of Christ dwelling in their hearts! Without this it is impossible to stand with Christ against loved ones or opposition of any kind. So they side with others against Christ and his people and disappear.  Take heed therefore how ye hear.

 

Thornyground Hearers: And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it….And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.” (Lu 8: 7, 14) The thorny ground hearer attempts what Christ says cannot be done: to serve God and mammon.  Ccares such as a spouse, children, occupation, bills, community, the deceitfulness of riches, the pleasures of life, applause, position, and power steal their hearts. Something is more valuable to them than Christ. So they fall away. (Lu 12: 34; Mt 6: 24) Take heed how you hear!

 

Goodground Hearers.And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold…But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” (Lu 8: 8, 15)  These are God’s elect given a new heart of God in regeneration. (Eph 2: 8-9) All their fruit is of God. They do not all bring forth the same amount of fruit but all bring forth fruit. One of the fruits of a “good-ground hearer” is that they take heed how they hear. (Lu 8: 8-9)

 

    It is a rare thing to hear the gospel with spiritual ears. In this parable, only one in four was given ears to really hear and believe. Take heed how you hear.

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TAKE HEED HOW YOU HEAR


Luke 8:18: Take heed therefore how ye hear.

 

Do you take heed to how you hear the gospel? It takes the pastor days to prepare a message. How much time do we spend hearing the word preached?  Before we arrive at services, do we spend time preparing our hearts to hear the gospel? Once at the building, do we arrive early enough to sit and prepare ourselves to hear?  Afterwards, do we spend time studying what we have heard? Here are four reasons to take heed how we hear the gospel. 

 

     First, we heard Christ give the parable of the four kinds of ground. Only one out of the four truly heard and brought forth fruit. A hearing ear is given by the grace of God. It is a rare thing to have the truth preached, even more to hear it with spiritual ears.  Christ commands his people, “Take heed therefore how ye hear.”

 

     Secondly, the Lord said that he gives us grace and light to teach others what he has taught us in the gospel. “No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. Take heed therefore how ye hear.” (Lu 8: 16-18) How can I tell others the good news of Christ if I do not take heed how I hear?

 

     Thirdly, as we hear, Christ gives more grace to those who hear. Yet, he takes from those who only appear to have but who in truth have no real interest in their hearts. He said, “for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.” (Luk 8: 18)  “Take heed therefore how ye hear.”

 

     Fourthly, Christ says those who heed this word and do it are his true family. “Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.” (Luk 8: 19-21)

 

Christ’s people will read this and “Take heed therefore how ye hear.”

 

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The church of the elect, which is partly militant on earth, and partly triumphant in heaven, resembles a city built on both sides of a river. There is but the stream of death between grace and glory. Death, to God's people, is but a ferry-boat.  Augustus Toplady (1740-1778)