t                   oPastor John and wife Kathy  
 

 
 

Preaching God's Sovereign, Electing Grace   

RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH


WELCOME TO RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH 

Sunday Morning, April 8, 2018

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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

  “He Lives”                                                                        Page 220

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SCRIPTURE READING

    Psalm 78:40 - 72

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OFFERTORY

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WORSHIP HYMN

  “Jesus Saves”                                                                   Page 306

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SPECIAL MUSIC

    To be announced

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Message Title

  “Have You Been Set Free?”

    Message by Michael Smith

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CLOSING HYMN

  “Amazing Grace”                                                             Page 202

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The forgiveness of sins’

--Colossians 1:14--

  “Occasionally I hear preachers make this statement: ‘God does not forgive sin.’   I understand what they are doing. They are emphasizing the fact that God’s justice must be satisfied.  But we must be careful not to contradict the plain statements of Holy Scripture.  God does forgive sin.  He says that he does.  He is a God ‘keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin’ (Exodus 34:7). ‘God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you’ (Ephesians 4:32). ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness’ (1John 1:9).  Yes, marvelous and unbelievable as it may appear, the holy, just and true God does forgive sin!  It is true God does not forgive sin as men speak of forgiveness, but he does forgive sin.  In faithfulness to his covenant, in faithfulness to his character and in faithfulness to his Son, God forgives sin in a way that is altogether consistent with his justice.

    God cannot forgive sin unless he can do so in a way that is honoring to his law and satisfying to his justice.  He said, ‘The soul that sinneth, it shall die’ (Ezekiel 18:20).  He said, ‘Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them’ (Galatians 3:10).  How can God forgive sin and yet be just?

    In order for a holy God to forgive sin four things must be done.

  1. The law of God must be honored and perfectly obeyed.
  2. The justice of God must be satisfied.
  3. The sinner must bear the full punishment of his sin.
  4. The sin must be entirely removed.

    The Word of God makes it abundantly clear that there is only one way for a holy and just God to forgive sin.  God can only forgive sin through the righteous obedience and satisfactory sacrifice of an all-sufficient substitute.  The Lord Jesus Christ is that Substitute!  In him, and only in him, is there forgiveness with God (Romans 3:23 -26).  Trust that Substitute whom God has accepted, and all your sins will be forgiven you.  Yes, it is true, ‘He delighteth in mercy’!  God delights to forgive sin justly, through the blood of his Son.”

 

Pastor Don Fortner

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“The forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”

-- Ephesians 1:7--

  “Could there be a sweeter word in any language than that word ‘forgiveness’, when it sounds in a guilty sinner’s ear, like the silver notes of jubilee to the captive Israelite?  Blessed, for ever blessed be that dear star of pardon which shines into the condemned cell, and gives the perishing a gleam of hope amid the midnight of despair!  Can it be possible that sin, such sin as mine, can be forgiven, forgiven altogether, and for ever?  Hell is my portion as a sinner-there is no possibility of my escaping from it while sin remains upon me-can the load of guilt be uplifted, the crimson stain removed?  Can the adamantine stones of my prison-house ever be loosed from their mortices, or the doors be lifted from their hinges?  Jesus tells me that I may yet be clear. For ever blessed be the revelation of atoning love which not only tells me that pardon is possible, but that it is secured to all who rest in Jesus.  I have believed in the appointed propitiation, even Jesus crucified, and therefore my sins are at this moment, and for ever, forgiven by virtue of his substitutionary pains and death. What joy is this!  What bliss to be a perfectly pardoned soul!  My soul dedicates all her powers to him who of his own unpurchased love became my surety, and wrought out for me redemption through his blood.  What riches of grace does free forgiveness exhibit!  To forgive at all, to forgive fully, to forgive freely, to forgive for ever!  Here is a constellation of wonders; and when I think of how great my sins were, how dear were the precious drops which cleansed me from them, and how gracious was the method by which pardon was sealed home to me, I am in a maze of wondering worshipping affection. I bow before the throne which absolves me, I clasp the cross which delivers me, I serve henceforth all my days the Incarnate God, through whom I am this night a pardoned soul.”

 

--C. H. Spurgeon

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Michael Smith is scheduled to bring this morning’s message, titled, “Have You Been Set Free?”
  • Our monthly Music & Testimony Night is scheduled for this evening, commencing at 6:30 pm.

******* Cleaning duty this week: John and Kathy Reeves *******

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SUGGESTED BIBLE READINGS FOR THIS WEEK

Monday                          Wednesday                       Friday

Psalm 30                         Mark 11                             Revelation 8

Psalm 31                         Mark 12                             Revelation 9

Psalm 32                         Mark 13                             Revelation 10

Psalm 33                         Mark 14                             Revelation 11

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Our exalted King, Jesus Christ the Glorified God-man, holds the keys of hell and death in His Sovereign Hands (Rev. 1:18).  The Blessed Redeemer of His chosen people is the only One who can unlock the door of THE PRISON HOUSE OF UNBELIEF and set the prisoner free!  Until He does, not only will hell-deserving sinners be held by the power of spiritual darkness, they love that darkness and have no desire to be set free (John 3:19 - 20).  OH! how blessed God’s children are!  and how thankful we are to our Sovereign God who has delivered us from the power of darkness (Colossians 1:12  - 14).

Pastor 

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

 

“And their sins and iniquities will I remember NO more.”

--Hebrews 10:17--

  “What could you ask more?  Where else would you camp your heart and soul?  In every situation and in every trial, breathe these words, sing these lines and whisper this phrase: ‘And their sins and iniquities will I remember NO more.’  Surely this is the chorus of heaven to all the redeemed.  This is the Psalm of every child of grace.  Learn its meaning, enjoy its comfort and marvel in its adorable simplicity and singularity.”

Pastor Drew Dietz

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BLOOD BEFORE THE LORD

  “Note in scripture how many times the blood is said to be ‘before the Lord.’  Whether any man saw it or not was of small account, for it was offered for sin ‘before the Lord.’   When the Passover Lamb was slain in Egypt, where was the blood placed?  It was on the OUTSIDE of the door ‘before the Lord.’   He said, ‘When I see the blood, I will pass over you.’  The suffering and death of Christ on behalf of His people was ‘BEFORE the Lord.’  UNTO the Lord, to declare the Lord’s righteousness, to satisfy the Lord’s justice, to fulfill the Lord’s purpose, to glorify the Lord’s character, to enable the Lord to be both just and justifier!  The atonement does not change the NATURE and character of God, but rather the atonement HONORS and MAGNIFIES the character of God.  The death of Christ is NOT the cause of God’s love, but the result of it.  God is not merciful because Christ died; Christ died because God is merciful.  In order that every attribute might be expressed, glorified, and honored, God gave His Son to be the Savior of the chosen people!  Thank God we have an atonement ‘before the Lord’.”

Pastor Henry Mahan

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    The glorious, sovereign power of God that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is the same power that raises His chosen, blood-bought children from a state of spiritual deadness (Eph. 1:15 - 20; 2:1).  Brethren, as many as were ordained to eternal life will believe (Acts 13:48).  And the Lord Jesus is the very One who sets us free from the power of Satan; Who gives us eternal life; Who gives us true saving faith, so that we can believe Him.        

Pastor 

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  “In so far as the believer’s acceptance with God is concerned, he has no more confidence in the best work he ever performed, than in the greatest sin he ever committed. — Christ is our Righteousness, our only Righteousness, all our Righteousness!”

Pastor Don Fortner

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‘And having made peace through the blood of his cross’ (Colossians 1:20). “The peace of the cross, what is it?  What does it do for us?  It is peace of conscience, peace with God, peace with the law of God, peace with the holiness of God. It is reconciliation, friendship, fellowship; and all this in a way which prevents the dread or possibility of future variance or distance or condemnation. For it is NOT SIMPLY PEACE, but the peace of HIS CROSS, peace extracted from the cross, peace founded ON and derived FROM what the cross has done and from what the cross reveals.  It is the peace whose basis is forgiveness - ‘no condemnation.’  It is the peace which comes from our knowledge of the peace making work of the cross of Calvary. It is TRUE peace, PRESENT peace, RIGHTEOUS peace, DIVINE peace, HEAVENLY peace, the peace of God, the peace of Christ, complete and pervading the whole being.

    What does this peace do for us?  It calms our storms, it removes our burdens, it breaks chains of sin, it strengthens our hands for the warfare of life, it cheers us in trials, and makes us to say at all times, ‘The Lord is MY Shepherd, I shall not want’.”

--Horatius Bonar

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WORTHY IS THE LAMB

   Christ is worthy of all worship because He is my merciful Redeemer.  God counted Him worthy to be the Substitute, Surety, and Redeemer of me committing the salvation of my soul into His hands as the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.  His Righteousness is worthy to clothe me.  His sufferings are worthy to make me clean.  His power is worthy to preserve me.  His love is worthy to win my heart.  Christ proved Himself worthy.  As the Lion of the tribe of Judah He prevailed with God.  As the Lamb of God He redeemed me to God and now with my heart I can say Christ is worthy.  He is worthy of my faith, obedience, love and worship.  Christ is worthy of eternal praise because He is God’s exalted King and as the King, every creature of God in heaven, the earth, and under the earth will say ‘worthy is the Lamb that was slain’.

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