We gather Lord Thy Name to bless, To praise Thee for Thy faithfulness; Descend on us in gracious pow’r; Cause us to worship in this hour.
Thy holy Word we come to hear, Enable us Thy Name to fear; Come gracious Lord and now impart, Salvation to the needy heart.
Spirit of God be Thou our Guest, If Thou art here we shall be blessed; O be our Comforter and Guide, Lead us to Christ Who for us died.
Behold Thy people gathered now, With contrite hearts before Thee bow; Send forth to us the gospel sound, Let mercy to each one abound.
Upon us all Thy love bestow, Make mercy like a river flow; Thine shall the glory ever be, Now and for all eternity. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Verse of the Week:
“The LORD is in His holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men” (Psalm 11:4). ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
HOW DID CHRIST DIE?
“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Note the word “how,” and consider the nature and quality of the death Christ died and what the Old Testament Scriptures have to say about His death.
1. The Scriptures declared that Christ would die violently. “He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter...He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of My people was He smitten” (Isaiah 53:7-8). Christ did not die from natural causes. Because He had no sin in Him, He must die a violent death or He would never have died at all. In the Scriptures, no sacrifice was ever offered to God which had died a natural death, only that which was slain when it was in the prime of life and full of strength. The broken law required the execution of death upon the offender for violating its precepts. With the sins of His people imputed to Him, the Lord Jesus Christ died a violent, bloody death in order to satisfy divine justice.
2. The Scriptures declared that Christ would die voluntarily. He was a willing Savior. “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). None could take His life from Him, He laid it down in the stead of His chosen people. “Then said I, Lo I come: in the volume of the book it is written of Me” (Psalm 40:7).
3. The Scriptures declared that Christ would die vicariously. He was the Substitute who died in the room, place and stead of His guilty people. “Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows...He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5). God has exacted satisfaction from the blood and death of His Son, the Substitute of His people. Justice cannot condemn those in whose place the Lord Jesus died.
4. The Scriptures declared that Christ would die victoriously. “The pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall my righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities...He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:10-12). His death was successful because it secured the salvation of all for whom He died. He ransomed His people from the claims of offended justice. By His death, Satan was defeated, sin was put away, righteousness was brought in, the integrity of divine law was upheld, the sheep were redeemed, reconciliation was accomplished and God was satisfied. This is the gospel that is “according to the Scriptures.” ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY
“Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?” (Romans 9:21) What a simple but powerful declaration of the absolute sovereignty of God! The Lord does what He will with His own. He is the Potter and we are the clay. A little boy takes in his hands a ball of play-dough. What power does that small mass have over the child? That young fella can do whatever he is pleased to do with that lifeless, moldable clay. Even so, the whole lump of mankind is in the hands of the Lord and He makes one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor according to the good pleasure of His will. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
First Baptist Church 881 Van Dyke Road, P.O. Box 155, Almont, Michigan 48003 810-798-8888 Jim Byrd, Pastor
Sunday Schedule: 8:30 a.m. Television Broadcast over Cable Channel 97 in Almont, Imlay City and Dryden 9:45 a.m. Bible Classes 10:30 a.m. WORSHIP SERVICE
Wednesday: 7 p.m. Bible Study and Youth Groups
Pastor Byrd’s messages are accessible on www.freegraceradio.com, cassette and video tape, CD and DVD www.sermonaudio.com/fbcalmont email: fbc@airadvantage.net
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