WELCOME TO RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH
Sunday Morning, April 24, 2016
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SCHEDULED MEETINGS
Sunday Morning Bible Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:00 AM
Sunday Morning Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:00 AM
Sunday Evening Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:30 PM
Friday Night Bible Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 PM
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OPENING HYMN
“His Name Is Wonderful” Page 101
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SCRIPTURE READING
Psalm 133
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OFFERTORY
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WORSHIP HYMN
“Amazing Grace” Page 202
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SPECIAL MUSIC
To be announced.
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Message Title
“The Manifestation of God’s Purpose”
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CLOSING HYMN
“All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” Page 97
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The doctrine of grace
--2 Timothy 1:9--
“God ‘hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began’. It may seem strange to some, but Paul’s method of establishing Timothy in confidence and boldness was not to assure him of the rewards of the faithful, or the morality of suffering for a noble cause. Instead, in order to excite Timothy to boldness and to keep him constant in the faith, Paul instructs him in the great doctrine that the grace of God reigns in the salvation of sinners. Many suggest that the doctrines of grace will kill a church, destroying evangelistic zeal and the motive for personal holiness. Paul was not of this opinion. When he was concerned for the future life and ministry of his beloved friend, Timothy, he felt that the surest way to secure his faithfulness was to instruct him in the doctrine of God’s free and sovereign grace.
We should never doubt the power and usefulness of truth. Usually men look upon doctrinal truth as nothing more than unpractical theory. We sometimes think that legal precepts are more effective than gospel truth to produce obedience in the saints. I am persuaded that the very root and vital energy of practical holiness is the truth of the gospel. To teach people the truth that God has revealed in his Son is the surest way of leading them to obedience and perseverance in love, faith and holiness.
In this verse we are plainly taught that salvation is of the Lord. Human merit has nothing to do with it! God chose us in Christ, redeemed us in Christ, regenerated us and called us in Christ. And the grace that we now enjoy was given to us according to his own gloriously sovereign purpose in Christ before the world began. There is no doctrine more practical than this. It strips away human pride. It gives a sure ground of confidence and assurance to our faith. It most highly exalts and honors the name, person and work of Christ. This doctrine alone gives hope to sinners and encourages evangelism.”
Excerpt from Pastor Don Fortner’s devotional book, “Grace For Today”
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“... not willing that any should perish ...” (2 Peter 3:9)
Most professing Christians will agree with false preachers who attempt to promote the false doctrine of universal redemption by taking scripture out of context, or by quoting just a portion of a certain verse, like 2 PETER 3:9. I find it very disturbing when those who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ will agree with those who twist the Holy Scriptures to their own destruction, but turn a deaf ear to the preaching of the truth, to those who compare Scripture with Scripture. 2 Peter 3:9 says: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Our Lord Jesus said, in John 6:37 - 39: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.” The truths contained in those verses enlightens the mind of a true believer to the meaning of 2 Peter 3:9. The “us-ward”, those who God is “longsuffering” with, are those who were given to Jesus Christ by God the Father in the eternal covenant of grace that was established before the foundation of the world. The glorious return of Christ our Saviour, which is the promise Peter was referring to, will not take place until God Himself grants repentance to that last lost sheep who was purchased with the precious blood of Christ our Blessed Redeemer. If God is not willing that any should perish, NONE WILL! WHY? Because Jesus Christ, according to the perfect, sovereign will of God the Father, sanctified and perfected forever those He laid down His life for (Heb. 10:9 - 10; 14).
The Word of God is not obscure concerning the blessed truths of the Glorious Gospel of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Those God-honoring truths are plainly set forth on the pages of Holy Scripture. The unregenerate man just does not want to believe God, does not want to give Jesus Christ all the glory. They don’t hear God’s Word because they are not of God (John 8:47). But those who have been quickened by the life-giving power of God the Holy Spirit will not have any lasting problems with Gospel truths. From the new heart our Lord has given us, we cry out: “Lord, I believe. Please help thou mine unbelief”.
Pastor
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
In honor of April Birthday Celebrants, birthday cake will be served in the fellowship hall following this morning’s worship service.
Our monthly Fellowship Dinner is scheduled for next Sunday afternoon following our morning worship service.
We will come to The Lord’s Table during our afternoon worship service next Sunday, Lord willing.
*** Cleaning duty this week: Trevor Garlock and Anna Jayne ***
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SUGGESTED BIBLE READINGS FOR THIS WEEK
Monday Wednesday Friday
Numbers 8 Psalm 118 Romans 4
Numbers 9 Psalm 119:1 - 16 Romans 5
Numbers 10 Psalm 119:17 - 32 Romans 6
Hebrews 3 Hebrews 4 Hebrews 5
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There’s no REAL SALVATION unless Jesus Christ REALLY bare our sins in His own body; unless God the Father REALLY made His Son to be sin for those our suffering Saviour laid down His life for.
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Have you ever wondered how God could be just, and Justifier of those who believe? Or, how the sins of some sinners could be removed from God’s sight forever, while others die in their sins? Consider the truths in these next few statements, with a sincere prayer that God the Holy Spirit might be pleased to give you the Biblical answers to the above questions: God the Father laid on His Son, Jesus Christ our Substitute, the iniquity of us all; the iniquity of His elect (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 8:32 - 33). He made His Darling Son, to be sin for us, who knew no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). Our suffering Saviour bare our sins in his own body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24). The iniquities of God’s chosen people being laid on Jesus Christ while he hung there on Calvary’s cruel cross actually made our Saviour a guilty sinner before God’s Holy justice. God the Father could not have poured out His unmitigated wrath on His Son if that were not true, for it is written: “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 17:15).
Pastor
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“The first work of God, in the soul, is to make the sinner aware of his sin. It is to pull back the veil that false religion and the prince of darkness have laid upon him to hide from him the terrible condition of the soul. He is at his best state altogether vanity. He is vile in his heart and by nature a child of wrath. Even his righteousness is as filthy rags. No man will ever seek the mercy and grace of God, or willingly cast himself prostate at his feet, until God the Holy Spirit convinces him of sin.”
Pastor Darvin Pruitt
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“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15).
Most professing Christians think they have made a true confession before God that they’re a sinner by admitting they have committed acts of sin against Him. But sin is not just what we do. SIN IS WHAT WE ARE! We don’t become sinners because we sin. We sin because we’re sinners. When Adam sinned in the garden, he plunged the whole human race into a state of total depravity. Our whole being, body, soul, and spirit, is corrupt because of Adam‘s fall. Not only are we spiritually bankrupt, with nothing to offer God in exchange for our soul, we have absolutely no desire to come to Him on His terms. Until we receive Holy Spirit conviction, our darkened mind will attempt to approach God on our terms, thinking He will accept us by some sinful act we have performed.
God is the One who grants repentance unto life (Acts 11:18). And when He does, the convicted sinner will fall on his face before his Maker, confessing that he is nothing but a hell-deserving sinner who deserves to be cast into eternal torment.
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”. Did He accomplish what He came to do? Of course He did! Jesus Christ is God, and God cannot fail. When God the Holy Spirit convicts us of our helpless, hopeless, sinful condition, He does not leave us in that state of misery, wondering how we can be justified before God. He enlightens our mind to the perfect redeeming work of Christ our Saviour. Under the preaching of His gospel, the convicted sinner will be given faith to believe that Jesus Christ paid the redemption price in full for all of our sins. We’ll be filled with unspeakable joy when we learn that our suffering Saviour, by the sacrifice of Himself, purged all of our sins from God’s sight forever. And we’ll bow before Him, confessing Him as our risen, exalted Lord and Saviour. Pastor
“ It was to save sinners that Christ Jesus came into the world. He did not come to help them to save themselves, nor to induce them to save themselves, nor even to enable them to save themselves. He came to save them.”
--William Hendricksen
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Particular Redemption
“The Word of God throughout, both in Old Testament types and New Testament substance, teaches with the greatest of clarity that the Lord Jesus died for a specific purpose, and for a specific, particular people. Furthermore, the holy and inflexible justice of God and the substitutionary nature of the death of Christ clearly reveal that Christ died for a particular people, a people ‘out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation’; a people whom He redeemed unto God by His blood (Rev. 5:9; 14:4; Heb. 9:11, 12; 10:11-18). The Word of God teaches a particular redemption, an effectual redemption; and consequently, the just forgiveness of all of the redeemed.”
--Brother Maurice Montgomery
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Who maketh us to differ?
“Why is it that you and I are not sitting here in this place today indifferent to the Word of God, hardened to the gospel? Why are we not at this very hour hearing the Word preached with the outward ear only but rejecting it in our hearts? Why is it that we love the Word preached, rejoice in the altogether lovely Redeemer, and find a peace of heart that passes knowledge? Have we made ourselves to differ? God forbid! It was as Isaac Watts wrote…
“’Twas the same love which spread the feast that sweetly forced us in;
Else we had still refused to taste and perished in our sins’.”
Pastor Henry Mahan
“For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).