CALL TO WORSHIP

(Tune – Jesus Calls Us – p. 374)

Look upon me, Lord I pray Thee,

Let Thy Spirit dwell in mine;

Thou hast sought me, Thou hast bought me,

Take my heart, and make it Thine.

Nought I ask for, nought I strive for,

But Thy grace so rich and free;

This Thou givest by the Saviour,

He hath all things who hath Thee.

Precious is the name of Jesus,

Who can half its worth unfold?

Far beyond angelic praises,

Sweetly sung to harps of gold.

Guide me, Oh Thou great Jehovah,

Pilgrim through this barren land;

I am weak, but Thou art mighty,

Hold me with Thy powerful hand.

TODAY’S SERVICES – Messages by Pastor Bill Parker

BIBLE CLASS – 10:00 a.m. –

God Who is Able – Jude 24-25

MORNING WORSHIP – 11:00 a.m –

• OPENING – Psalm 25:4-6

• CALL TO WORSHIP (above)

• HYMN – Once For All! – p. 205

• READING – John 8:30-59

• MESSAGE – The Truth Shall Make You Free – John 8:32

• CLOSING HYMN – At Calvary – p. 477

Birthdays: Jennifer Vanzandt – June 20^th | Mark Pannell – June 24^th

The business of the Law is to knock us down from the pedestal of self-confidence, and to grind us small; as Moses ground to powder, and dispersed the materials of the Israelitish idol. The business of Grace is to lift us from the dust, to settle us upon Christ the Rock of ages, to put a new song of free salvation into our mouths. — Augustus Toplady

To deny the efficacy of Christ’s blood atonement and the certain salvation of all for whom he died is as much a denial of our Savior’s godhood as the denial of his virgin birth; for such a denial asserts that the Christ of God is a failure. –Copied

“BUT WE SEE JESUS” (Hebrews 2:9)

Neither tongue nor pen can adequately describe and/or communicate the beauties and glories which are found in the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God alone can open a man’s eyes to behold that vision. Well does the writer of Hebrews say “we see Jesus.” For apart from that gift of heavenly vision the gospel is just another accounting of the facts of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. A glorious account to be sure but lacking in the vital substance which takes it from the dogma of religion to the very substance of life itself. Until the life of Christ is bestowed in the new birth a man cannot see the kingdom of God. Indeed, he has tasted death that we in turn might have life. –Pastor Mike McInnis — Grace Chapel, Obrien, Florida

Have I then no work to work in this great matter of my pardon? None. What work canst thou work? What work of thine can buy forgiveness or make thee fit for the Divine favor? What work has God bidden thee work in order to obtain salvation? None. His Word is very plain and easy to be understood. “To him that worketh not, but believeth in Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5). There is but one work by which a man can be saved. That work is not thine, but the work of the Son of God. This work is finished. – Horatius Bonar

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?

Why is it so important that we who are believers know and acknowledge that it is not the power of our wills but the power of God’s sovereign will that makes the difference between being saved and being lost?

(1) It is the glory of God in Christ not only to show His power to redeem us but also His power to regenerate us. God will not share His glory. His highest glory is that SALVATION IS OF THE LORD, not of or by sinful men. To glorify God we must know that HE alone makes the difference by His grace in the Lord Jesus Christ, His power, and His will.

(2) The Gospel which is the power of God unto salvation reveals the righteousness of God in the power of Christ’s accomplished work on the cross evidenced by His resurrection from the dead. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is the very same power that gives life to dead sinners (Eph.1:17-20). Our new birth is the effect of Christ’s death not of our own wills and decisions (John 12:31-33; 16:7-11). To think that we make the difference and not Christ’s work of righteousness on the cross is an attempt to diminish His death to nothing more than a mere possibility and to elevate ourselves above that which the Word of God reveals about us as natural born fallen and spiritually dead sinners.

(3) In salvation God humbles us by showing us what we are and what we desire in our natural state of sin, depravity, and death. He reveals that if left to ourselves, we will not choose the right way of salvation (John 6:44; Rom. 3:10-12). Do we have the right to proclaim and think more highly of ourselves than God does? Being born again by the Spirit is a very humbling experience wherein we acknowledge our sin, take sides with God against ourselves, and proclaim that salvation is of the Lord, all of grace, through the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:12-13; Rom. 9:15-16).

(4) The new birth by the Spirit comes in the preaching of the TRUE Gospel, not a false gospel. If the TRUE Gospel is preached, and if believed in the power of the Spirit, it will not allow us to think that we made the difference by our faith (our believing and decision). The reason people think that salvation is conditioned on their believing is because they believe a false gospel of salvation conditioned on sinners rather than on Christ alone. The TRUE Gospel reveals how Christ has fulfilled all conditions of salvation to justify us before God based on His righteousness imputed. It reveals that His righteousness is the source and power of spiritual life when the Holy Spirit brings us to faith in Christ and repentance of dead works.