January 18, 2009 SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH Of Princeton, New Jersey
Isaiah 9: 9: The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
MEETING LOCATION Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd floor 150 Washington Street, Rocky Hill, NJ, 08553
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES Sunday 10 AM Bible Class 11 AM Morning Worship Thursday 7:00 PM Mid-week Service (The first Sunday of each month we meet at 10 AM for morning worship then observe the Lord's Table. After services we have lunch together.)
Clay Curtis, Pastor 7 Birch Street Pennington, New Jersey, 08534 Phone: 615-513-4464 Email: clay@sovereign-grace.us
Isaiah 9: 1-7 In the days when the LORD moved enemy nations to afflict Zebulun and Naphtali and Galilee of the Gentiles, he took away the teaching priest and the law so that there was no peace to any. In the day of this affliction the LORD sent forth Christ the High Priest and through the gospel he wrote his Law on the inward parts of his people, giving them the only peace that exists. (2 Chronicles 15:3, 5.) This is the Peace of Christ brought by the Prophet through the truth of the gospel. Matthew tells us this prophecy of Isaiah's declares that very thing (Mt 4: 12-17.) The zeal of the LORD-the jealousy of the LORD for the glory of his name--shall perform this (v7.)
Here we see 5 things that Christ, through the Holy Spirit, does as he frees his people through the gospel. The Lord is the Light to those who sit in darkness (v2.) He causes sorrow as he separates us from our vain confidence (v3.) Then the Lord brings joy to those whom he has broken (v3.) Doing this great work in us the Lord brings us into liberty as we discover through faith what he has done for us at Calvary (v4.) Finally the Lord brings victory by his grace to all of his elect as he brings us to rest in him and eventually to final glory (v5.)
It is hard, soul-wearing, bondage for a religious man or woman to try to find rest in a lie; it is hard work not to trust the Lord. When religious men and women try to create a loop hole so they can hold on to the lie in which they are trusting, they create some of the most astounding perversions of the pure doctrine of Christ. They never even realize it. The Lord says, Isaiah 44: 20: He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
Yet, Christ's work of grace is so sovereign and powerful and victorious in the heart, that when he makes us to behold HIM-the Lord says, Isaiah 30: 22: Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence. You will not call that menstruous cloth "truth" any longer, nor hold on to it any longer.
But when the Lord Jesus Christ EMPTIES our right hand, he always fills it. Isaiah 41: 13:...they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. 13: For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
Brethren, the lie was begun by the father of lies in the garden. The perversion of all the doctrine of Christ has its essence in what man must do. But the God of All Truth delivers us from the ruler of lies and the great lie...and he does it in sovereign, irresistible grace through the TRUTH? Isaiah 14:3: And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, 4: That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! 5: The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.
Here is the name of him who did it for his people and does the work in his people: Isaiah 9: 6: 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.7: 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.
This whole work of salvation which the triune God performs is sure and certain-the comfort of the believer-because it is performed by the Lord alone and the whole work-the whole work-on the cross, in the gospel and in the heart-is performed in truth. THE ZEAL OF THE LORD OF HOSTS WILL PERFORM THIS!
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