Psalm 72:17-19

The Full Sum of our Preaching

“The Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom;

but WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED” (1 Cor. 1:22-23).

Times have changed but men have not. Most religionists still seek signs, tongues, feelings, and experiences. The other camp of religionists still seek wisdom, intellectualism, and philosophy. But God’s preachers PREACH CHRIST.

They know Christ, love Christ, and desire that others know Him. Such a vast, infinite, and heavenly gospel can never be exhausted; so, we preach Christ today and tomorrow, as our first and last message, and as the full sum of our theology.

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1987)

Blind Eyes Opened

One of the many promises concerning God’s servant is that He would open the eyes of the blind. In the Lord’s parable of the Pharisee and the Publican who both went into the temple to pray we have an excellent example of what this means (Luke 18:9-14).

The Pharisee’s eyes had not been opened and thus he prayed: “I thank thee that I am not as other men.” A person whose eyes have not been opened is blind to his sinfulness, that his righteousness is in God’s sight like filthy rags and as Solomon said “the plague of his own heart.”

The publican’s eyes had been opened and thus he prayed: “God be merciful to me a sinner.” The word translated “merciful” shows that his eyes had been opened to see his sinfulness, and his need of an atonement to reconcile him to God. The one atonement that reconciles sinners to God is the bloody sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Has He opened your eyes to see your need and to sue for mercy? Then you are part of the family of God which shall forever praise Him for the redeeming, justifying blood of the Son of God.

Pastor David Pledger

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4, 20). That is the strict and righteous truth of God’s holy law. A just God must punish sin.

“Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). That is the strict and righteous truth of the gospel. A merciful God must save. Through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, God satisfies his justice and exercises his mercy.

Pastor Don Fortner (1950-2020)

“Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” (Romans 10:1)

Believers pray for their sin to be forgiven. We pray for our loved ones to hear the Gospel of free grace in Christ and to be drawn to Him. We pray for our brethren in Christ to be comforted, and we pray for God to call out His elect in this generation. But do we pray for our enemies?

Paul was praying for the salvation of his earthly kinsmen in Romans 9v3 & 10v1. Those Jews viewed him as a traitor. One who changed sides during a holy war. They likely referred to him only as Saul, and with a sour tone in their voices- mocking him. They would torture and kill him if they could. But Paul earnestly prayed for them to hear and to know Christ.

Our Master told us to do just that in Matthew 5v44. He said to “pray for them that despitefully use you”. Christ not only told us to pray for OUR enemies, but on our behalf, He prayed for HIS enemies – “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do.” (Luke 23v34). Also, He died for His sheep while we were ungodly enemies against Him. (Rom 5v6-8)

May we be given the grace to pray for the ones that hate us, despise us and would kill us if possible. That they too may know their sin and know the One who was made sin for His people, The Lord Jesus Christ! Pastor Kevin Thacker

The Believer’s redemption is complete in Christ, however his experience of redemption is not complete until he stands in His presence with a new body. “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:22-23).