CALL TO WORSHIP (Tune – Rejoice, the Lord is King – p. 143) (Words by Pastor Jim Byrd)
The Lord our Savior reigns, let heav'n and earth rejoice; Let every child of God now sing with grateful voice. Christ Jesus reigns! O'er all the earth our wondrous Savior ever reigns.
Exalted to His throne, at God the Father's side; Christ gave His life and for our sins the Savior died. Come praise the Lord! Extol the One who bought us with His precious blood.
The Father has decreed that Christ shall rule o'er all; This is His great reward, He governs great and small. For by His death, the work the Father gave Him, Jesus finished all.
Let sinners washed by blood and clothed in righteousness, Sing joyful praises to the Lord with thankfulness; Christ Jesus saved! For by His sacrifice He brought us back to God.
To be assured of our interest in Christ is not arrogance; it is FAITH. It is not pride; it is DEVOTION. It is not presumption; it is GOD’S PROMISE. If assurance of salvation rested in my works, it would be presumption (even foolishness); but we believe God will receive all who come to Him in Christ Jesus. —Copied
“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:” (1 Peter 3:18).
People today have some very strange ideas about “getting saved.” It most always has to do with a savior who is trying to save everyone but who will only save those who will submit to him and cooperate through a faith which they think they have naturally and exercise of their own free will. But salvation in the Bible is much more. It is Christ Who died “the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” Christ did not suffer unto death to make us savable. He suffered unto death to “bring us to God.” He does this legally by the righteousness God has imputed to us and which Christ has established for us in redeeming us by His blood on the cross. He does this spiritually by the life that He created for us and which the Holy Spirit imparts to us in the new birth to bring us to faith in Christ, repentance of dead works, and perseverance in the faith. He does this continually by ever living to make intercession for us before the Father and by preserving us by His Spirit, power, and grace. He will do this gloriously when He comes again, gathers us together unto Himself, and presents us in our glorified bodies to His Father. This proves that Christ is our whole salvation, and this salvation is all by God’s grace based upon the merits of Christ’s obedience unto death. —Pastor Bill Parker
The new birth consists of regeneration and conversion. Regeneration is a change wrought by the power of the Holy Spirit in the understanding, will and affections of a sinner. This brings about conversion which is the commencement of a new kind of life, and which gives another direction to regenerated and converted persons’ judgment, desires, pursuits, and conduct. This new birth is a miracle of God’s grace and power, not by the sinner’s will or goodness, but by the power of Christ Who is our life. —Copied
You who have believed with your hearts unto righteousness, give God the whole glory; and pray that you may continually have more enlivening views of that imputed righteousness on which He has caused you to trust. As on the one hand, nothing can warrant and animate your joy; so, on the other (to quote a man, now with God), “Nothing can effectually kill sin but a clear beholding of Christ’s righteousness.” Cleave to this sure and steadfast anchor, and you will finally arise superior, both to the waves of affliction and to the mud of your own lusts and corruptions. —Augustus Toplady
"TO WHOM SHALL WE GO?"
"From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." (John 6:66-69)
As it was with Peter and the rest of the disciples, so it is with all sensible sinners and true believers who see there is no other to go to for life and salvation but Christ. Not to the law of Moses, which accuses, curses, and condemns and by which there is neither life nor righteousness. Nor to any creature or creature performance, for there is a curse on him that trusts in man and makes flesh his arm. Nor to their own righteousness, which is impure and imperfect and cannot justify before God nor answer for them in a time to come. Nor to their tears of repentance which will not satisfy the law, atone for sins or wash them away. Nor to carnal descent, birth privileges, a religious education, sobriety and civility to trust to which is to have confidence in the flesh, which will be of no avail. Nor to ceremonial services or moral duties, or even evangelical ordinances, neither of which can take away sin. There is no other Saviour but Christ to look to; no other Mediator between God and man to make use of; no other Physician of value for diseased and sin-sick souls to apply unto; no other fountain but His blood for polluted souls to wash in and be cleansed; no other city of refuge or strong hold for souls sensible of danger to flee unto and be safe; no other to come to as the bread of life where hungry souls may be fed; no other place of rest for those that are weary and heavy laden; nor is there any other in whom there is plenty of all grace and security from every enemy as in Him. Therefore, to whom can they have recourse but unto Him? —John Gill
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