October 11, 2009
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
Of Princeton, New Jersey

Matthew 6: 7: But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8: Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

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 Service
Thursday 7:00 PM Mid-week Service

WEB ADDRESSES AND MAILING ADDRESS
www.sovereign-grace.us/
www.sermonaudio.com/sgbcpnj
www.freegraceradio.com

Clay Curtis, Pastor
7 Birch Street
Pennington, New Jersey, 08534
Phone: 615-513-4464
Email: clay@sovereign-grace.us

Matthew 6: 5: And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6: But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

When Thou Prayest
It goes without saying that every true believer prays. The Lord does not command us to pray, but says "when thou prayest." Believers stand in amazement that we have boldness-we are always welcome--to approach God through his Son, Christ Jesus in prayer. How did we receive such access?

Our sin has been put away by our second representative Christ Jesus. We have been made holy and perfect in him (He 9: 26, 28; 10: 10, 14.) His blood has been applied to us by the Holy Spirit. The everlasting promise of the triune God is written on our hearts and minds. He has spoken inside us saying, "Your sins and your iniquities will I remember no more." We are righteous in his Son, holy in his Son, as perfect and as welcome in his presence as his Son.

Pretend Prayer
Believers love to approach God the Father in his Beloved Son. The hypocrite simply loves the act. He pretends he is drawing near to God but in reality he is merely performing to earn the praises of men. The hypocrite places much emphasis on posture: (v5) They love to pray standing. The hypocrite places much emphasis on place: they love to pray in public places (v5) in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets. The Lord says verse 5, that they may be seen of men. In verse 2 the Lord says, that they may have glory of men. This is the reward they have.

Secret Prayer
The Lord uses an extreme statement--enter into thy closet--to make the point of how important it is not to pray to be seen of men (v6.) Take heed, take the utmost heed. Our sinful flesh is deceitful above all else. It loves to be seen, to be praised, to be gloried in. Do not give any occasion to the flesh. The Lord Jesus Christ most often went away to a solitary place alone to pray. Pray to your Father. Your Father is in secret. He can not be seen with carnal eyes but is Spirit. Your Father continually sees in secret. He looks on the heart. Our communion with him is spiritual communion. It is prayer to our Father even if we do not bow our heads or close our eyes or speak a word audibly so that no one but us and our Father know. So pray to him and not to men.

The Open Reward
As we approach God in Christ our High Priest, washed in his blood, having our hearts sprinkled from the evil conscience of the hypocrite, by his grace we approach with a true heart. Approaching in Christ by the power and grace of God, we have open access to our God. Welcome arms! Just as he welcomes his own Son, he welcomes all his children whose conscience has been purged from dead works, whose bodies have been washed, who draw near in truth, in full assurance (He 10: 19-22.) What a reward!

Beware of Balaam
Balaam appears to be a true prophet. Balaam speaks much truth. But Balaam's doctrine presents a stumbling block to those who are delivered out of Egypt. He sides with our enemy and promotes the attractive harlot of idolatrous practice which the flesh loves. Balaam does so because he runs greedily after rewards, filthy lucre, after the wages of unrighteousness. Balaam does not want you, but yours. He is attempting to use what is dearest to your heart to get yours. Balaam's way seemeth right unto man, but the end is the way of death. How I do fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2 Cor 11:3.)

The Promise of the LORD
The LORD promised through Jeremiah that he would give his pastors who would preach Christ, the Power and Wisdom of God. Through his gospel, using earthen vessels, the LORD promised to turn his children from the religion of commandments and ordinance and they would never again turn back to it. The LORD promised he would cause his children to worship Christ Jesus--the name of the LORD--seated at the right hand of God in heavens Jerusalem. They would no more walk after the vain imagination of that fleshly, evil, deceitful, desperately wicked heart any longer (Jer 3: 15-17.)

The Foolishness and Weakness of God
Since John the Baptist, the LORD has been making good on his promise. It pleased God to save them that believe through the foolishness of preaching Christ Jesus alone. He chose to use not many mighty, not many noble, but base, weak men. Our God did so to set forth unequivocally in those who are called that the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men, that no flesh should glory in men. God confounds those who use wisdom of words and the strength of men in their many inventions of worship and practice. Those who are called have renounced the high things we used wherein we exalted ourselves against the knowledge of God. Now, Christ is our Power and Wisdom. It is clear to all who have had every thought brought into captivity to trust Christ's obedience as our own, that only through the gospel of his Son does God make Christ All (I Cor. 1: 21-31.)

SERMONS
Way of Life, Way of Death
Necessity of the Gospel
Has God Heard Your Prayer?
Secret Prayer

ARTICLES FROM OTHERS
He Also Did Predestinate
The Demonstration of God
Worship Christ, Not Days
Are You Faithful?
Throw Away Your Coat and Come to Christ