WELCOME TO RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH
Sunday Morning, December 13, 2015
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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
“The Solid Rock” Page 402
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SCRIPTURE READING
Psalm 119:113 - 128
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OFFERTORY
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WORSHIP HYMN
“Open My Eyes, That I May See” Page 391
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SPECIAL MUSIC
To be announced.
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Message Title
“Divine Illumination”
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CLOSING HYMN
“I Am His, and He Is Mine” Page 490
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“Ye must be born again”
--John 3:7--
Unless a man is born again, he cannot understand anything spiritual. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God’ (John 3:3). The natural man is totally void of all spiritual understanding. You may he a logical, rational, reasonable and well-educated man, but with regard to the things of God the unregenerate man is as ignorant and foolish as a madman (Romans 8:5; 1Cor. 2:14). Until men are born again by the Spirit of God, divine sovereignty, human depravity, electing love, substitutionary redemption, effectual grace and persevering faith cannot be appreciated. Men rebel against these things, simply because they have no heart to understand and receive them.
Unless you are born again by almighty grace, you can never enter into the kingdom of God. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God’ (John 3:5). You can reform your life without the new birth. You can quit swearing, smoking, drinking, running around and quit any outward vice without being born again. You can be baptized without the new birth. You can join a church, be zealous in religion, teach a Bible class, serve as a deacon or elder, you can even preach with great success without being born again. But unless you are born again, you can never enter into the kingdom of God. Unless you are born again, you will never be a part of the church and family of God, you will never have eternal life, you will never enter into the worship and fellowship of God’s saints and you will never be admitted into the glory and bliss of God’s presence in heaven (Rev. 21:27). Only new creatures will enter the New Jerusalem. Only heaven-born citizens will possess the bliss of heaven.
‘Ye must be born again’, because by nature you are a fallen, depraved, sinful child of human flesh. ‘That which is born of the flesh is flesh’ (John 3:6). All flesh is defiled, corrupt, sinful and condemned. All flesh must die! Unless you are born of the Spirit, you will die in your sins and your flesh will be justly damned for ever!
“Grace For Today” by Don Fortner (Excerpt)
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“Call to remembrance .. after ye were illuminated” (Hebrews 10:32).
The word “illuminated” in Heb. 10:32 means “to enlighten”; “make to see”. That Holy Inspired Word is referring to those who have experienced the miracle of the new birth; those whose minds have been enlightened by God the Holy Spirit under the preaching of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ; those who have received the gift of faith to believe in the Unconditional Electing Grace of God, the Redeeming Grace of God for a Particular People, and the Sovereign, Irresistible Drawing Power of God the Holy Spirit. THAT’S THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!
Heb.. 10:32 is admonishing God’s saints to remember the former days after we were converted to Jesus Christ by the life-giving power of God the Holy Spirit. “... all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). Unregenerate sinners, there are no exceptions, hate Jesus Christ and His true Gospel. And that hatred is manifested towards those who are true followers of Jesus Christ, those who, by the illuminating power of God the Holy Spirit, are true witnesses of Jesus Christ and His Glorious Gospel. We become objects of public scorn and hateful insults. Worldly people think we’re strange if we don’t take part in their sinful, wicked lifestyles. Self-righteous religionists are the worst of the lot. They are led by the same evil spirit that was in those wicked Jews who crucified Jesus Christ, the same evil, hateful spirit that was in those who persecuted the Lord’s apostles and His saints, killing many of them.
Brethren, we’re not to cast away our confidence because we’re persecuted by those who manifest such hatred. To the contrary. We should consider it a great honor to suffer for Christ’s sake. We’re not above our Master. If they hated Him, it should not surprise us when we experience such hatred toward us. Our Lord Jesus said, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Mt. 5:11 - 12).
All of God’s elect will persevere to the end. Jesus Christ, our Blessed Surety, is seated on His Sovereign Throne of Power making sure that none for whom He purchased with His own precious blood will perish. “.. we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul” (Heb. 10:39).
Pastor
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Our monthly Music & Testimony Night is scheduled for this evening.
We encourage you to join us for our Friday Night Bible Study, which convenes at 7:30 PM.
We will come to The Lord’s Table during our worship service next Sunday (DV).
****** Cleaning duty this week: John and Kathy Reeves ******
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SUGGESTED BIBLE READINGS FOR THIS WEEK
Monday Wednesday Friday
Exodus 23 Psalm 67 John 2
Exodus 24 Psalm 68 John 3
Exodus 25 Psalm 69 John 4
2 Corinthians 7 2 Corinthians 8 2 Corinthians 9
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Some professing Christians hang their “Certificate of Baptism” on their living room wall for “show and tell” to help give them some false assurance of a salvation they have never received. True believers hang their eternal hope on Jesus Christ, giving evidence they have, by God-given faith, received Him who obtained eternal redemption for us when He hung Himself on The Cross of Calvary.
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
It is as clear as the noonday sun that the law is neither the ground of life to the sinner nor the rule of life to the Christian. The Lord Jesus Christ is both the one and the other; He is our life and our rule of life. The law can only curse and kill. Christ is our life and righteousness. He became our curse by hanging on a tree. He went down into the place of death and judgment and by his death completely discharged all that was or could be against us. “Bless the Lord, O my soul!”
--Brother Scott Richardson
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Our Assemblies
“By God’s all-wise appointment, our assemblies are the life, the food, and the nourishment of our souls. It is the main way whereby we publicly identify with Christ and His Gospel. We evidence our love for Christ by our loyalty and support of one another in opposition to all false worship. Many things will rise up in competition to the diligent attendance of our assemblies. We must recognize and refuse to give in to anything that is opposed to what Christ commands. The total falling away of a graceless professor always begins with this neglect, this disassociation with God’s people (Heb. 10:25).”
-- John Owen 1616-1683
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WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR ME
“Let me tell you what Jesus has done for me. He assumed my human nature so I could partake of His divine nature (John 1:1, 14; 2 Peter 1:4). He became poor so I could become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). He was born of a woman so I could be born of God (Galatians 4:4; John 1:12f). He became the Son of man so I could become a son of God (Luke 19:10; Galatians 3:26). He was born under the law of God so I could be free from the law of sin and death (Galatians 4:4; Romans 8:2). He was made sin for me so I could become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). He was condemned so I could be justified (Isaiah 53:11). He endured God’s wrath so I could enjoy God’s grace (Isaiah 53:4f; Romans 5:12 - 21). He died so I could live (Romans 5:8 - 10). He suffered the hell I deserve so I could enjoy Him in heaven (Psalm 184f; John 17:24). He saved me by His grace and gave me faith to believe in Him (Ephesians 2:8f). He did all this for all who believe in Him. Do you?
Missionary Daniel E. Parks
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The world is full of professing Christians who are constantly boasting of what they have done for their god. What a blessing it is to the enlightened child of God to hear God’s saints giving glory to God our Father by talking about what Jesus Christ has done for them.
“Christ is not valued, nor His grace appreciated until men have a genuine knowledge of their misery, helplessness, and lost condition because of sin. When sin is SIN indeed, then grace is GRACE indeed, and Christ is CHRIST indeed. If men have a superficial sense of sin, they have a superficial faith in Christ.”
--Thomas Manton
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“When the Gospel is preached, there are two things always taking place (even though most are unaware of it); some are being prepared for glory, others are being hardened. Some are being brought to the light; some are left sitting in darkness. Some see Christ and His glory; others see no beauty about Him. Some who hear the Gospel have their hearts made tender toward sin; others have their hearts hardened in sin. No wonder we say, ‘Who is sufficient for these things?’ The question we should all be asking is, How is the preaching of the Gospel affecting me?”
Pastor Donnie Bell
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“What is faith? It is made up of three things – Knowledge, belief, and trust. Knowledge comes first. "I know WHOM I have believed." "How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?" I need to be informed of a fact before I can possibly believe it. The mind goes on to Believe that these things are true. "I am persuaded that HE IS ABLE to keep..." The heart believes that Jesus Christ is in truth our God and Saviour. One more ingredient is needed, and that is Trust! Commit yourself to the merciful God. "I know whom I have believed and I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have COMMITTED to Him." Rest your hope on the gracious Gospel; trust your soul to the living Redeemer.”
--C. H. Spurgeon
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“If while we were enemies of God (Eph. 2:3; Col. 1:21; Rom. 8:7) we were reconciled to God through the death of Christ (2 Cor. 5:18 - 21), it is much more certain that, God being reconciled to us and we to God, we shall be daily kept, delivered and sustained by the resurrected, intercessory life of the man Christ Jesus. ...”
Pastor Henry Mahan
