(Tune – When I Survey the Wondrous Cross – p. 118)
(Words by Pastor Jim Byrd)
Ye saints now sing of sovereign love,
Unto our God who reigns above;
All glory to the Trinity,
Who loved us from eternity.
Sing of the Father’s choosing grace,
Sing of the Son who took our place;
Sing of the Spirit’s quick’ning might,
Sing praise to God with pure delight.
O may the Lord be magnified,
By all His chosen, ransomed bride;
His loving kindness let us tell,
God saved our souls from death and hell.
While on this earth exalt His name,
His Gospel word with joy proclaim;
And when we rise to heights above,
Still let us sing of sovereign love.
TODAY’S SERVICES – Messages by Pastor Bill Parker
BIBLE CLASS – 10:00 a.m. –
The Exceeding Sinfulness of Sin – Romans 7:7-13
MORNING WORSHIP – 11:00 a.m –
OPENING – Psalm 20:1-3
CALL TO WORSHIP (above)
HYMN – Lead Me to Calvary – p. 124
READING – Psalm 110—111
MESSAGE – Who is Every Man? (3) – Hebrews 2:9-13
CLOSING HYMN – My Savior – p. 226
Next Sunday, March 31st, at the close of the preaching services we will serve the Lord’s Supper and have lunch afterwards.
If our acceptance with God depended on anything in ourselves, we would have to believe we might be children of God today and children of the devil tomorrow! What, then, is to keep us from sinking altogether into despair, without hope or help? Why, a knowledge of our acceptance “In the Beloved,” independent of everything in us – good or bad! “And ye are complete in Him” (Colossians 2:10). – J. C. Philpot
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)
I’m afraid that much of what passes for rejoicing in so-called churches today is not rejoicing “in the Lord” at all. There is rejoicing in entertainment, emotionalism, social events, self-righteous attainments, the boastings of religious reformations and experience, but there is not much true rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ as our ALL and IN ALL, as our only hope and ground of salvation, as the LORD our Righteousness. To truly “rejoice in the Lord” is to rejoice in His salvation, the salvation He worked out, provides and gives by His grace based on His finished work on the cross (1 Sam. 2:1; Psa. 9:2; 13:5; 20:1). It is to rejoice in His mercy in not giving us what we have earned due to our sins (Psa. 31:7); for His mercy is only found IN CHRIST, the one true Mercy-seat. It is to rejoice in His name (Psa. 89:12), which is His glory found in the Person and finished work of Christ to save us from our sins (Col. 1:19; 2:9-10). It is to rejoice in HIS works (Psa. 104:31), not our own; for His work is that work of righteousness by Whom and by which we are justified by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:21-25). This is truly rejoicing in the Lord. As long as we, by the grace of God, rest in Christ for our whole salvation, we are truly rejoicing in Him as the Lord of Glory. Christ is the joy of His people, and they find no other eternal joy in anything or anyone else. This is true joy and peace that comes in believing the Gospel wherein Christ is revealed in the glory of His Person and the power of His finished work (Rom. 15:13).
– Pastor Bill Parker
It is true that “in the mouths of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” Yet, if ten million agree on something that is not to be found in the holy scriptures or contrary to them, their agreement does not make it true or right. Men find security and confirmation in the agreement of others with them. They have little “mutual admiration societies” in which they praise each other, hold others in contempt and believe themselves to be the only ones that are right. This was the way of the Pharisees that Christ publicly rebuked with scathing words. Our praise is to be to Christ who alone is right; our agreement is to be with Him and His gospel; and our loyalty is to be to Him and His brethren. —Pastor Gary Shepard
"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience. Let us hold fast the profession of faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised)" (Hebrews 10:22-23).
Those who live in doubt and fear concerning salvation and fitness for Heaven are apparently looking to someone other than Jesus Christ and His completed work on the cross for holiness and righteousness before God. If so, is this not unbelief? Even as saved sinners, we have never performed or obeyed well enough to merit acceptance with God. We trust Christ and what He accomplished as our Substitute and Surety on the cross, not what we have done nor are doing. As the hymn states, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus's blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus's name." There is no real and solid assurance to be found in anyone or anything else. Believing the demands of God were met in Christ for me is my ONLY hope and rest. When a believer doubts this, he is looking to someone other than Christ and His blood alone. God’s Word is very clear on this matter – “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS, by a new and living way, which HE HATH CONSECRATED FOR US, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh” (Hebrews 10:19-20).
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