March 18, 2007

 

Justice punishes sin only where sin is found. It treats as guilty none but the guilty (Pro. 17:15). The wonder and glory of redemption by Christ is this: — When he was made sin for us, when our guilt was made his, justice punished him in our stead. And that same justice forbids the punishment of those for whom the Savior died (Romans 8:1, 33-34).

 

Daily Readings for the Week of March 18-25

            Sunday                      Judges 10-12                                               Thursday                   Judges 21-Ruth 3

            Monday                     Judges 13-15                                               Friday             Ruth 4-1 Samuel 2

            Tuesday                    Judges 16-18                                               Saturday                    1 Samuel 3-6

            Wednesday  Judges 19-20                                               Sunday                      1 Samuel 7-9

 

            It is our delight to have Pastor Henry Mahan and his wife, Doris, with us today. Bro. Mahan will bring the message this morning. Following today’s service, we will have lunch together downstairs. There will be no service here tonight.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Alvin Blackburn-20th Bobbie Estes-24th

 

NURSERY DUTY THIS WEEK

Today: Shante’ Birchum Tuesday: Debbie Bartley

 

Christ is Everything to Me! — Don Fortner

(Tune: #393 — Take My Life and Let it Be —77.77.7)

 

1.    In creation’s work I see God’s wisdom, pow’r and majesty.

Ruling heaven, earth and sea, God omnipotent is He! —

Yet, He was nothing to me.

 

2.    But since God, in sov’reign grace, showed me how Christ took my place,

Made my guilt and sin His own, with His blood my sin atoned! —

Christ is Everything to me!

 

3.    In Christ crucified I see justice satisfied for me!

Who shall charge me now with sin? God Himself declares me clean! —

Christ is Everything to me!

 

4.    Who is he that shall condemn? Freed from sin I am in Him!

Justified from all my sin, perfect and complete in Him! —

Christ is Everything to me!

 

5.    See Him on His throne above: None can part me from His love!

Watching o’er me, day by day, He will keep me in the Way! —

Christ is Everything to me!

 

 

Missions Offering Today: The Lord willing, Bro. Cody Groover will preach here on Tuesday, April 24th.

 

 

7

Justification — Pastor Chris Cunningham

 

Some say that to speak of the eternal aspect of justification is blasphemous because (they say) it makes void the work of Christ on the cross. This is like saying our eternal election makes void the work of regeneration by the Holy Spirit in time. To limit justification (or salvation) to an event in time is to limit the eternal God and make Him to wait upon something to happen before He can save or justify. The work of Christ on the cross is not just an event in time, but an eternal work (Rev 13:8, Heb 9:12). In Hebrews 9:12 the word “eternal” redemption means “without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be.” In the estimation of the immutable God we always have been, and always will be redeemed by Christ’s blood, and therefore just in His sight.

 

            May God keep us from arguing whether His work of justifying sinners is like a rope or a spear, and cause us to rejoice in the work itself. It is a work done altogether by Him for the sinner, and EVERYTHING He has done for us in time and eternity is done to the end that we might dwell with Him forever, faultless, unblameable and unreproveable in His sight.

 

What About You? — Pastor Henry Mahan

 

I can imagine the day of judgment. All are gathered before the throne of God. Those who are robed in the perfect robe of Christ’s righteousness are gathered to His right hand. The rest wait to hear His voice of condemnation, “Depart from Me!” Does anyone have anything to say? If there be one who has no sin, let him step forth and say so. Come forth, my friend, and state your case! What about the righteousness and holiness in which you boasted while on earth?

 

            Come forward and tell about your works, your gifts, your denomination; you found much comfort in those things once. You who scoffed at substitution, who laughed at free grace, imputed righteousness and covenant mercies — you are not laughing now! Why is your face so pale? Why do you tremble so? You never trembled before, but always had so much confidence in your decision and boasted of being as sure for heaven as if you were already there! Why do you not tell God what you did for Him on earth? It is quite evident that He did nothing for you. But I remember that you said, “God has done all that he could do and salvation is up to you.”

 

            What a terrible time to discover what you should have known, — “Salvation is of the Lord!” — “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.” Why do you not speak? Is it because of the awesome, infinite “holiness, of His presence”? You clutch your righteous garments about you and they are nothing but filthy rags now, and you know it! You think of your prayers, your religious activities, your debates over doctrine; and they are all so much rubbish in the light of His presence. And now you are praying? What is it that you cry? “O rocks and mountains, fall on me, and hide me from the face of Him that sits upon the throne.” I wish that you had cried as fervently for Christ to hide you, cleanse you, and cover you. — He would have!

 

8

Is it Really True?

 

“As he is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17).

 

We all know that believers in this world bear a likeness to our Lord in his humiliation. As he was in this world, so are we in this world. As he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, so are we. As he was the object of the world’s hatred, so are we. As he was tempted by Satan, so are we. As he was despised and forsaken of men, so are we. As he went through many sufferings and death to glory, so must we. It is a great blessing of grace and a wondrous condescension of mercy that we should have such a likeness to our Redeemer.

 

      But the Book of God does not say, “As he was.” It says, “As he is, so are we.” Is that an inspired exaggeration, or is it really true? It is really true! It cannot be otherwise. We are in him; and he is in us! We are joined to him, built upon him, and united to him, but more. We are one with him, as truly one with him as he is one with the Father (John 17:23). All the glory the Father has given to the Son as our Mediator, the Son has given to us (John 17:5, 22). And, now, in answer to our Savior’s prayer, God’s love is made perfect in us in the blessed experience of grace, assuring us that we shall “have boldness in the day of judgment.” And the cause, the ground, the basis of that assurance and boldness is this: — “As he is, so are we in this world!”

 

      As he is the Son of God, we are the sons of God. As he is loved by God with an everlasting and unchangeable love of complacency and delight, so are we. Yes, God loves us just as he loves his well beloved Son (John 17:23-24). As Christ is chosen of God and precious, so are we (Isa. 42:1; 1 Pet. 1:2.) Is he well-pleasing to God, one in whom the triune God delights? So are we (Isa. 42:1, Matt. 17:5; Psa. 37:23; 1 Pet. 2:5). Oh blessed grace! — As he who was made sin for us is justified and acquitted from sin, so are we. As our Lord Jesus is perfectly righteous, so are we! I pray that God the Holy Spirit will give you grace to grasp this sweet revelation of the gospel! — Christ is all our righteousness, and we are immaculately righteous in him.

 

With His spotless garments on

I am as holy as God’s Son!

 

Is he without sin? So are we! — “In him is no sin.” And, if I am in him, I am freed from, justified from, and cleansed from all sin in him (1 Pet. 4:1-2).

 

      Behold the Christ of God in all the fulness of his glory, and rejoice! — “Because as he is, so are we in this world.” Is he Heir of all things? So are we (Heb. 1:2; Rom. 8:17). Is the Lord Jesus dearly beloved of God? So are we (Rom. 1:7; 2 Cor. 12:19). O blessed wonder of grace! Yet, how could it be otherwise? Christ and his people are one (Eph. 1:23; Heb. 2:11). “We are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones” (Eph. 5:30). We are so really and truly one that he calls himself by our name and calls us by his (Isa. 41:8; 49:3; Jer. 23:6; 33:16). Yes, it is really true, more really true than we can yet imagine, — “As he is, so are we in this world!”

 

9

 

Grace Bulletin

 

March 18, 2007

 

Grace Baptist Church of Danville

2734 Old Stanford Road-Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438

Telephone (859) 236-8235 - E-Mail don@donfortner.com

 

Donald S. Fortner, Pastor

 

Schedule of Regular Services

 

Sunday

10:00 A.M. Bible Classes

10:30 A.M. Morning Worship Service

6:30 P.M. Evening Worship Service

 

Tuesday

7:30 P.M. Mid-Week Worship Service

 

 

Television Broadcasts in Danville

 

Channel 6 - Sunday Morning 8:00 A.M.

Channel 6 - Wednesday Evening 6:00 P.M.

Channel 6 - Friday Evening 7:00 P.M.

 

Web Pages

http://www.donfortner.com

http://www.sovereign-grace/gracechurch.htm

http://www.freegrace.net/danville/default.asp

 

 

 

 

Don Fortner

 

 

Listen to sermons at FreeGraceRadio.com