Rescue Baptist Church
Call Us at (530) 677-1710

Preaching God's Sovereign, Electing Grace

   

 

Click here to view Last Week's Bulletin


WELCOME TO RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH

Sunday Morning, December 27, 2015

_____________________________________________________

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

_____________________________________________________

OPENING HYMN

   “Redeemed”                                                                    Page 520  

____________________

SCRIPTURE READING

     Psalm 119:145 - 160

____________________

OFFERTORY

____________________

WORSHIP HYMN

   “Hallelujah, What a Savior!”                                           Page 175

____________________

SPECIAL MUSIC

     To be announced.      

____________________

Message Title

   “Through Faith We Understand

____________________

CLOSING HYMN

   “The Solid Rock”                                                            Page 404

_____________________________________________________

“... God the Holy Spirit effectually regenerates, calls, and saves the elect by almighty, irresistible grace (Psalm 65:4; 110:3; John 3:8; 6:63; Ephesians 2:1 - 8). All those whose names were written in heaven in eternal election all those who were redeemed by the blood of Christ shall be effectually called by God the Holy Spirit in time. They shall be born again, and saved by the almighty power of his irresistible grace. When the Spirit of God calls, when he draws sinners to Christ, he effectually brings them to Christ. Salvation is not by the will of man, but by the will of God.   Salvation is not by the power of man, but by the power of God. Salvation is not by the work of man, but by the work of God. Salvation is not by the choice of man, but by the choice of God. ‘So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy’ (Romans 9:16). ’Salvation is of the Lord’ (Jonah 2:9).

Every sinner in the world who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ has everlasting life (John 3:16, 18, 36; Romans 10:9 - 13; 1 John 5:1). All who have faith in Christ have salvation. All who look to Christ live. Every sinner in the world who believes on Christ was chosen by God in eternal election, and redeemed by Christ at Calvary, and has been called by the Holy Spirit’s irresistible grace.

All who read the Bible with any measure of spiritual understanding and discernment know these things. These are simple elementary truths of the gospel, plainly revealed in the holy scriptures. All who were chosen by God in election were redeemed by Christ at Calvary and shall be called by the Holy Spirit in time. All who are called by the Spirit of God shall come to Christ and live forever.

A Question

How can any mortal in this world know whether he is, indeed, chosen of God, redeemed by Christ, and called by the Holy Spirit? The answer is clear and simple: ’faith’. Faith is the evidence (Heb. 11:1). If you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, then God the Father chose you from eternity, God the Son redeemed you at Calvary, and God the Holy Spirit has called you by his almighty grace.”

 Excerpt From Pastor Don Fortner’s Book, Discovering Christ in Hebrews

_____________________________________________________

“Give me understanding and I shall live” (Psalm 119:144).

   Unregenerate men and women can make themselves wise in educational matters by proper schooling. And they can make themselves wise in practical matters by worldly experiences. BUT ABSOLUTELY NO ONE can make themselves wise in spiritual matters. When Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he plunged himself into a state of spiritual death. He was swallowed up in spiritual darkness. All of Adam’s posterity come into this world with Adam’s fallen nature. We’re in that same state of spiritual death. We’re totally engulfed in spiritual darkness. Not only are we held captive by the power of that darkness (Col. 1:13),we love that darkness (John 3:19).

   Under the preaching of God’s Glorious Gospel, we “... receive ... the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (1 Cor. 2:12). That’s when we receive spiritual understanding. That’s when we receive eternal life. That’s when we’re raised from a state of spiritual death to walk in newness of life. That’s when we’re delivered from the power of darkness (Col. 1:13). Our Lord Jesus said, “... Except a man be born again, he cannot see (perceive) the kingdom of God “ (John 3:3). Until hell-deserving sinners experiences the miracle of the new birth, we have no spiritual understanding. We read these Holy inspired words in 1 Cor. 2:14 - “.. the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

   In Psalm 119:144, the Psalmist said: “give me understanding and I shall live.”  Eternal life and spiritual understanding go hand in hand. Those who have spiritual understanding have eternal life. Those who have no spiritual understanding do not have eternal life. No one will call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation until they believe. They will not believe until they hear the Gospel. They will not hear the Gospel unless God sends them a preacher (Rom. 10:11 - 15). The Apostle Paul wrote these words in Gal. 3:2 - “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”

   How do I know if I have true saving faith? Do I believe in God’s Sovereign, Electing Grace, His Sovereign, Redeeming Grace, His Sovereign, Irresistible, Sanctifying Grace - through the merits of Jesus Christ, and only through the merits of Jesus Christ? That’s the Gospel in a nutshell.                                                              

Pastor

_____________________________________________________

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Following this morning’s worship service, birthday cake will be served in the fellowship hall in honor of December Birthday Celebrants. Please join us.
  • Our worship service for this evening, and our Friday Night Bible Study for this week have been cancelled.
  • Our Fellowship Dinner for January has also been cancelled.

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

 HAPPY NEW YEAR

________________________________________________

SUGGESTED BIBLE READINGS FOR THIS WEEK

Monday                                      Wednesday                            Friday

Exodus 29                         Psalm 73                         John 8

Exodus 30                         Psalm 74                         John 9

Exodus 31                         Psalm 75                         John 10

2 Corinthians 13                Galatians 1                       Galatians 2

________________________________________________________

Those who believe in the false doctrine of man’s free will in salvation do not believe God. HOW DO I KNOW? God Himself tells us in His Word that man’s so-called free will has nothing to do with His salvation (John 1:12 - 13; Romans 9:13 - 16).

________________________________________________________

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

   “When I look for evidences of salvation in my attitude and conduct, I fear that I am not saved. When I look to Christ only, I have full assurance. As soon as I think that I have assurance, it leaves. The Lord will not allow us to trust anything but Him. Christ alone! Nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else.”

                              Pastor Todd Nibert

*       *       *       *       *       *       *

Predestination Is Not Fatalism

   “Fatalism implies that all events come to pass through the working of a blind, unintelligent, impersonal non-moral force which cannot be distinguished from physical necessity and carries us helplessly within its grasp as a mighty river carries a piece of wood. --- Predestination teaches that from all eternity God has had one unified purpose which he is bringing to perfection through this world order of events. --- The power of God is that ability and strength whereby he is able to bring to pass whatsoever he pleases, whatsoever his infinite wisdom may direct, and whatsoever the infinite purity of his will may resolve.”

--Loraine Boettner

*       *       *       *       *       *       *

   “Faith is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8) Christ is the Author and finisher of faith (Heb. 12:2). Hence it must follow, that what is God’s gift is not man’s merit; and therefore the glory of faith, in the exercise of his people, is wholly the Lord’s. It may perhaps appear strange to some, when I say, that I consider faith as the act of Christ upon my soul, more than my act of dependence upon him. Paul said, and saith with truth, that his life of faith was not his, but the Lord’s. Hear his own words.   The life (saith he) which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God. Mark the expression. Not Paul’s life of faith in the Son of God, but the faith of the Son of God (Gal. 2:20). It is not Paul’s act upon Christ, but Christ’s act upon him. And how is this proved? The life of faith, like any other life, is a life of receiving, not giving. Similar to animal life, which is wholly kept up and preserved, by receiving food, air, strength. These things are received to live upon. They are incomings, not out-goings. The incomings are first received, as the cause. The out-goings are exercised as the effect. Reader! if these things are so, how doth it reduce, and bring low the pride of all our attainments? How forcibly come home the words of the Apostle, “For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive?” (1Cor. 4:7).

--Robert Hawker

*       *       *       *      *       *       *

   “God’s grace is not an offer, but an operation. It is not a passion in God desiring the salvation of sinners, but the operation of God performing the salvation of sinners.”

Pastor Don Fortner

*       *       *       *       *       *       *

Salvation Is Not By Chance

   ‘As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated’ (Romans 9:13). “Of course the apostle Paul knew men would think that it is not fair that God would hate Esau. Fallen man thinks it is not fair that Esau was not given the chance to make a choice to be saved. Paul’s response in verse 20 is, ‘Who do you think you are to dispute with God?’

     Rather than arguing with God, this verse should make us give thanks. We should give thanks that Jacob wasn’t given a chance to make a choice to be saved either. God saved hell-deserving Jacob by His grace. Jacob did not have a say in the matter. Jacob knew that his salvation was all of grace, without any works of his own.

     Knowing that the Lord sovereignly saves whom He will never makes a believer fatalistic (think it doesn’t matter if we preach to or pray for the lost because God is going to save whom He will no matter what we do). Knowing that God is sovereign in salvation made Jacob pray that the same Savior who redeemed him would bless and redeem his grandchildren (Genesis 48:16).

Pastor Frank Tate

*       *       *       *       *       *       *

“Who is a God like unto Thee?”

   “My soul! I hope that thou canst truly participate in the delightful thought that he that delighteth in mercy, will delight to ‘turn again’ to his people. He will turn their hearts to himself, and then his returns to them will sweetly follow, to their apprehension, and to their joy. He will not only pardon their iniquity, but ‘He will subdue their iniquities’; not only take away the guilt of sin, but take away also the dominion of sin; not only cast their sins behind his back, but ‘cast them into the depths of the sea’, and so effectually shall they be lost, that if the sin of Judah be sought for, it shall not be found. The depths of the sea, that fountain which God hath opened in the Redeemer’s blood, shall more completely bury them than the congregated waters of the ocean cover any mountain or hill cast into them. Say now, my soul! Dost thou not look up to a God in Christ, and cry out, with the prophet, in the same holy rapture and astonishment, ‘Who is a God like unto Thee?’

--Robert Hawker