CALL TO WORSHIP

(Tune – O Worship the King – p. 1)

(Words by Pastor Jim Byrd)

We gather this day to honor the King,

Who sits on His throne, His triumphs we sing;

The Savior who died to atone for our sin,

Came forth from the tomb and He liveth again.

Christ Jesus the Lord the battle has won,

He died and arose, all praise to the Son!

He took on Himself all our debt to repay,

The sins of His people are all washed away.

To Jesus our Lord all honors we bring,

And say unto death, “Here now is thy sting?”

Enthroned in His glory, almighty to save,

Victorious His conquest o’er sin and the grave.

He conquered the grave and liveth above,

All praise to His Name, all power and love;

Made righteous in Jesus we someday shall rise,

To dwell with our Savior above earth and skies.

TODAY’S SERVICES – Messages by Pastor Bill Parker

BIBLE CLASS – 10:00 a.m. –

Concerning Jesus Christ – Romans 1:3-7

MORNING WORSHIP – 11:00 a.m –

• OPENING – 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

• CALL TO WORSHIP (above)

• HYMN – One Day – p. 103

• READING – James 1:12-27

• MESSAGE – Salvation from Sin and Death – 1 John 5:16-21

• CLOSING HYMN – Look Ye Saints! – p. 141

MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY – WEDNESDAY – 6:30 P.M.

Birthdays: Sandy O'Connor – April 6^th

BECAUSE CHRIST LIVES!

How do we know that the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Surety and Substitute of God’s elect, conquered death? It is because He lives in His mediatorial resurrection glory ever living to make intercession for us. How do we know that Christ established righteousness by which God justifies His people? It is because He arose from the dead and, again, intercedes on our behalf based upon the merits of His obedience unto death for us. This insures the spiritual resurrection in the new birth of all for whom Christ live, died, and arose. Because Christ lives, we live, and we live forever. Though we will experience physical death, Christ has conquered death for us – “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:55-57). – Pastor Bill Parker

HIS BLOOD ALONE

The vital thing to understand about the blood of Christ is this – IT IS ENOUGH! Nothing else is needed to accomplish the salvation of all for whom His blood was shed. Not His blood plus my works; not His blood plus my “decision”; not His blood plus the ordinances; not His blood plus church membership; not even His blood plus my faith – His blood purchased my faith. HIS BLOOD ALONE paid the price required by His justice; and His blood alone can make a sinner clean. “By His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having OBTAINED (not made possible) eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:12). – Copied

The principle of “love” may well be distorted by men when they speak of the love of God to men. However, the principle of justice is not quite so easily distorted. Thus, the love of God to His people is described as their “justification.” In love, God justifies His elect, declaring them righteous through Jesus Christ and His righteous death. He does this showing that His love is a just love in Christ crucified and He is always at the same time “a just God and (not ‘but’) a Savior.” His love is demonstrated by His giving Himself for us, redeeming us from all iniquity. As the hymn writer wrote – “Redeeming love has been my theme and shall be till I die.” —Pastor Gary Shepard

CHRIST’S RESURRECTION IS NO APRIL FOOL’S JOKE

There are probably many jokes being told by unbelievers because today is what the religious world calls “Easter Sunday” and what is commonly called “April Fool’s Day.” I’m sure many irreligious unbelievers would say that the resurrection of Christ is a foolish thing to believe. But the fact of the matter is this – HE IS RISEN! He was seen in His resurrected glory by many witnesses (1 Cor. 15:1-8). His resurrection is the proof that as the Surety and Substitute of God’s elect, He paid the redemption price for our sins with His blood and established righteousness by which God is just to justify us. It was said of Abraham’ justification before God –

“Now it was not written for his [Abraham’s] sake alone, that it [Christ’s righteousness] was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed [‘of whom the same thing is said’] , if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for (‘because of’) our justification” (Rom. 4:23-25).

This is Gospel truth that God’s people celebrate every day, not just one day a year. I do not say this to be unkind, but the sad fact is that for many, many professing Christians every Sunday is a “fool’s day” because they seek to worship God in a foolish way. God’s people worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24), and that truth is the Gospel of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as revealed “ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES” (1 Cor. 15:3-4). The Holy Scriptures reveal that Christ’s death secured and demands the eternal salvation of ALL for whom He lived, died, and arose again. His blood, His righteousness, insures their complete salvation unto final glory. Because of His death as their Surety and Substitute, God will not impute their sins unto them. He imputes Christ’s righteousness unto them. They are justified and cannot be eternally separated from God (Rom. 4:6-8; 8:33-39). All the blessings they will and must receive are sure and certain as indicated by the glorious resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. For sinners to seek to come to God to find salvation, acceptance, forgiveness, or to obtain eternal life any other way but on the ground of Christ’s righteousness imputed is a fool’s errand. They are foolish because they are building their religious houses on sand. Those whom God makes wise unto salvation build their houses upon the ROCK, CHRIST JESUS (Matt. 7:24-27).