CALL TO WORSHIP
(Tune: “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” – p. 92)
(Words by Pastor Jim Byrd)

Sing praises to the Son of God, Who down from heaven came
To save His people from their guilt, From misery and shame.
Down from His heav’nly glory The Savior came to earth;
And angels looked with fear and awe, upon Messiah’s birth.

God in the flesh, the Son of Man, our Prophet, Priest and King;
The Seed of woman came to earth, to save the perishing.
In love and great compassion, the great Redeemer died;
He reconciled us to our God and we are justified.

Christ gave Himself, the ransom price, our debt of sin to pay;
The sword of justice pierced His heart, and guilt was washed away.
O’er sin and death He triumphed, His greatness let us own;
The Savior reigns forevermore upon His sovereign throne.

Bow down and worship Christ the Lord – His wonders gladly tell;
The fullness of the Godhead three, in Christ the Savior dwell.
The only Mediator, on Him our hopes depend;
He is our Savior, God and King, our Advocate and Friend.

TODAY’S SERVICES – Messages by Pastor Bill Parker

BIBLE CLASS – 10:00 a.m.
The Binding of Satan – Revelation 20:1-3

MORNING WORSHIP – 11:00 a.m –

• OPENING – Hebrews 3:1-6
  CALL TO WORSHIP (above)
  HYMN – Joy to the World – p. 87
  READING – Matthew 12:38-50
  MESSAGE – What's Really New? (6) – 2 Corinthians 5:17
  CLOSING HYMN – O Come, All Ye Faithful – p. 100

Birthdays: Kristen Fuller – Dec. 17^th

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

We will have a CHRISTMAS FELLOWSHIP DINNER here this WEDNESDAY (12/14) at 6:30 P.M. Details will be announced.

Debbie, Nathan, and I will be leaving Friday to go to KY to spend time with our children and grandchildren. Brothers Jason Renfroe and Jim Casey will preside over the services Sunday, December 18.

THERE WILL BE NO SERVICE ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25. Services will resume with Wednesday night Bible Study on December 28.

We will serve THE LORD’S SUPPER on SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, and have a fellowship dinner following the worship services.

The true Gospel of God’s grace lays all of salvation upon the Lord Jesus Christ and not upon sinners – “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: AND THE GOVERNMENT SHALL BE UPON HIS SHOULDER: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). The true Gospel is the revelation of God's righteousness which is His justice fulfilled in the glorious Person and finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ – “Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isa. 9:7; cf. Romans 1:16-17; 3:21-26). All who are either ignorant of His righteousness or not submitted to it are lost (Romans 9:31—10:4). If we claim that Christ only made sinners savable conditioned upon their making the right decision out of their own will, then God's justice is destroyed as multitudes perish because they refuse to believe even though Christ paid their debt. Those who do believe, then, can claim that they (of their own will and goodness) did that which is right to rise above the multitudes who perish in unbelief. Is this what the Bible teaches? Is this what the Lord Himself taught? NO! The Bible teaches that God's righteousness in Christ fully secured and even demands the eternal salvation and final glory of all for whom Christ died and arose. –Pastor Bill Parker

PEACE ON EARTH?

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14)

Did the Lord Jesus Christ come into this world to bring peace among men and nations? If this was His goal, He failed. And, in fact, He Himself said to His disciples, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Matt. 10:34). Granted, the “sword” of which He spoke was not a physical weapon made of steel but the “sword” of His Word (the Gospel) which divides believers and unbelievers. In teaching of the last days, He also told His disciples that they would “hear of wars and rumours of wars” (Matt. 24:6; 13:7). So the peace of which He spoke in Luke 2:14 is not peace on earth among men and nations. If we were to translate Luke 2:14 literally from the original manuscripts, it would read as follows –

“GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE AMONG THOSE WITH WHOM HE [GOD] IS PLEASED.”

Why is this important? It is because the Bible tells us that only ones “with whom HE is pleased” are those who are found IN CHRIST, washed in His blood, clothed in His righteousness, and believing in HIM for all salvation. What peace did Christ come into the world to establish then? IT WAS (AND IS) PEACE BETWEEN GOD AND HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE. And how did Christ establish this peace? The Bible gives us the answer:

“For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21); and