CALL TO WORSHIP The Gospel Story (Tune: “Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus,” p. 378) (Words by Pastor Jim Byrd)
How can God’s truth and justice, and love and mercy meet? How can a poor, vile sinner be blameless and complete? For God is pure and holy, and man is wretchedness; How can a fallen sinner have perfect righteousness?
To justice God our Savior, atonement fully made; The ransom price demanded, with His own blood He paid. The law cannot condemn those whose sins the Savior bore; For justice that is silenced will never ask for more.
Behold the cleansing fountain that washed away our sin; And righteousness most precious which Jesus Christ brought in. The issue had been settled, our God is satisfied; And every blood-bought sinner, by grace is justified.
This is the gospel story, a pleasant, joyful sound; Redemption and forgiveness, are in the Savior found. Believing the Redeemer sweet comfort in Him find; So let us trust Him always, our all to Him resigned.
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Today: Bible Classes – 10:00 a.m.; Morning Worship – 11:00 a.m. Messages by Pastor Bill Parker
Television Broadcast: Reign of Grace Television Sunday morning on WALB-TV @ 9 AM.
Live Streaming – 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. – Sermon Audio web site
Hymns for service: “The Great Physician” – p. 59 “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” – p. 118
If by the grace of God we believe in, know, and love the Lord Jesus Christ, consider the benefits we have in Him:
- All the attributes of the Divine nature, are for us. - All the perfections of God's character, are on our side. - All the productions of the Divine power, are for our good.
Therefore the apostle says, "All things are yours!" (1 Cor. 3:21). Nothing good is withheld from us!
-- Copied
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HOW CAN WE HAVE REAL ASSURANCE?
Read assurance is confidence of salvation based on God’s Word as it leads us to Jesus Christ for all grace here and all glory hereafter. As true Christians, how can we who are still so sinful within ourselves have any real, lasting assurance of salvation? It is by the grace of God as the Holy Spirit continually drives us to look to the Lord Jesus Christ for all salvation. Any assurance a sinner claims apart from this is no more than self-righteousness and unbelief. Sinners are saved by looking to Jesus Christ and Him alone for forgiveness of sins, righteousness for justification, spiritual and eternal life, and the assurance of all grace here and all glory hereafter. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, LOOKING UNTO JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2). What about self-examination? Self-examination and looking within ourselves is profitable only as it leaves with no hope of salvation but in and causes is to look more to Jesus Christ and His righteousness alone. There is no spiritual profit for sinner in focusing upon and within himself to gain assurance, not even in seeking to see evidences of salvation. All true godly evidences cause us to focus our attention upon Jesus Christ crucified and raised from the dead for all true assurance of salvation. – Pastor Bill Parker
ETERNALLY SECURE
“Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; thy walls are continually before Me” (Isaiah 49:15-16). This is a revelation of the Lord’s everlasting concern for and faithfulness to His chosen people; here is our eternal security. How delightful to meditate upon our Lord’s unceasing care and concern for His children. If we could by faith behold the Lord’s unending designs of grace toward us, then like Paul we would be joyful in the Lord even in the midst of dark trials and we would lean upon His word of promise, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). Pay special attention to those words, “I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands.” The text does not say that our names are painted on His hands lest we imagine they could be rubbed out and neither are our names said to be written on His hands lest we infer they might fade away with time. O what delightful, everlasting words – “I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands.” There is a blessed permanency to that statement! “I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.” Does this not remind you of the Savior’s hands, stretched out and pierced upon the cross to redeem us from the curse of the law? Those scars are lasting reminders of His covenant love and substitutionary death which satisfied divine justice, put away sins and brought in everlasting righteousness for all of His people. Child of God, look by faith upon those blessed hands and see them “wounded for our transgressions” and be reminded of the impossibility of being forgotten by our gracious Lord. All of the blessings given to us in Christ before the world began are ours through the dear Savior Who gave His life a ransom for our sins. In Christ there is everlasting security. “My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29).
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