ZEBULON BAPTIST CHURCH
Weekly Bulletin
Sunday, May 18th, 2008

Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious. Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee. All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah. Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. Psalm 66:1-5

A STRANGE THING
It is very strange to me that religious people should think that Almighty God can accept our imperfect righteousness or pardon a sinner without His justice being fully honored. Does it not occur to them that:

A god who can pardon without justice may one day condemn without reason.

A god who can set aside his righteousness may one day set aside his mercy.

A god who could deny his law may one day deny his gospel.

A god who can change his character may one day change his mind and deny his promise.

But the God of glory is never unjust in order to be gracious. He saves and accepts sinners, but not until Christ has honored His law and satisfied His justice. He is a Just God and a Saviour (Isa. 45:21). Pastor Henry Mahan

THE NECESSITY OF THE NEW BIRTH
No amount of morality and reformation of life; or repentance and sorrow for sin; no decision and dedication; nor church membership and observance of the ordinances; nor a head knowledge of, and a consent to the doctrines of grace; can replace or assist in that which is still requisite to salvation and eternal life. It is still written, "Ye must be born again." That birth is by the sovereign purpose, will, grace, and good pleasure of God! Pastor Charles Pennington

CHRIST OUR SURETY
When we think of a surety, we usually think of a mere guarantor, one who co-signs a mortgage or a bank loan. If the original debtor fails to pay the note for any reason, both he and the co-signer are responsible for the debt and all the interest accumulated by it. What the lending institution cannot collect from one party it will attempt to collect from the other.

That is not the kind of Surety Christ is. Our most glorious Christ is an absolute Surety. When he struck hands with the Father as our Surety, he voluntarily became totally responsible for all the debts and obligations of all his people, forever!

This is one place where I love and seek to promote shifted responsibility. Pastor Don Fortner

WE LIVE IF HE LIVES
If God hides the sin, or lesseneth it, He is faulty; if He leaves it still upon us, we die. He must then take our iniquity to Himself, make it His own, and so deliver us, for thus having taken the sin upon Himself, as lawfully He may, and lovingly He doth, it followeth that we live if He lives; and who can desire more? John Bunyan

CHRIST SHALL NOT FAIL
"He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law" (Isaiah 42:4).

To you who believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, this is one of the most precious promises in all scripture (2 Peter 1:4). The Lord Jesus Christ has been appointed by Almighty God and sent in the fullness of time (Gal.4:4) to accomplish all our salvation (John 17:4). The success of His work is guaranteed by the decree of God (Acts 2:23; Isa. 46:9-12).

It is sad but true, every sinner has miserably failed to honor God and produce a righteousness that would satisfy Him, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). However, this gives us all the more reason to rejoice and trust our Great Saviour, Surety that cannot fail (Heb.7:25). Although He met with fierce opposition (John 19:15) and had great difficulties to overcome (Heb. 4:15), He always went about doing the will and work of God with perfection and without fail (John 4:34).

This leads us to consider what work did He undertake as the Saviour and Surety of His covenant people, in which He did not fail? Think about these things!

1). He did not fail, to fulfill every type, picture, prophecy and promise recorded in the Old Testament scriptures. "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me" (John 5:39; Luke 24: 25-27,44-46). What God promised in the covenant of grace our Lord Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled (Rom.4:21).

2). He did not fail, to honor, magnify and exalt the holy law of God for His covenant people, (Isa. 42:21). "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil" (Matt. 5:17). He established a perfect righteousness for His people and sovereignly and freely imputes it unto them (Rom. 4: 4-8; Isa.61:10).

3). He did not fail, to make complete and eternal atonement for the sin of His covenant people, "but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Heb. 2:17; 9:26). The Good Shepherd gave His life as the sacrifice for the sins of His sheep (Jn. 10:15; 1 Peter 3:18).

4). He shall not fail, to justify, redeem, sanctify, call and glorify all His covenant people. "Whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified" (Rom. 8:30).

Our very hope of salvation and joy of eternal life is based upon the unfailing, perfect, eternal and complete work of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who cannot fail (John 17:1-5)! Pastor Tom Harding

Bible Study 10:30 A.M.
Morning Service 11:15 A.M.
Kingsport service 6:00 P.M.
Wednesday Worship 7:00 P.M.

Radio (Sundays):
WXCC 96.5 & 98.1 FM (new time and staion) 8:15 A.M each week