“I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints)” (1 Cor. 16:15). The word addicted means, “to surrender one’s self habitually, or to become dependent upon, or to be very enthusiastic about.” We usually use this word in a negative way, but here in reference to the believer it is very positive, "they have addicted themselves to the ministry." Believers have surrendered to Christ, submitted to Him, His rule and reign (Psalm 110:3; Acts 2:36; Phil. 2:9-10). Believers are totally dependent upon Christ for all of their salvation (1Cor. 1:30; Phil. 4:19). Believers are very enthusiastic about the good news of God's mercy to sinners in Christ (Luke 18:14; 1 Tim. 1:15). Their confession of faith is, "He has done all things well" (Mark 7:37), in creation (Gen.1:31), in providence (Rom. 11:36), and in salvation (John 17:2-4; 19:30).

Pastor Tom Harding

WORTHLESS MORALITY PREACHING

The morality-preaching that passes for the Gospel in our day is accepted partly because the world has become so immoral in our pursuit of happiness that parents think messages against sexual misconduct are better for their children than messages of how Christ has put away the sin of His people. Fact is the reason we are so immoral and in need of common morality is because we’ve been so long without the unapologetic preaching of Christ and Him crucified. We can never expect morality in the pew if we immorally prostitute the Gospel of God’s free grace in Christ Jesus from the pulpit.

Pastor Clay Curtis

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Leave Your Clay Pot

This Samaritan woman was saved. Do you know how I know she was saved? She left her waterpot! I am sure that she came back later and got her bucket, but the picture here is that she left HER waterpot. HER waterpot is a picture of all her works and everything of the flesh that she had trusted in before she met the Lord.

When she left HER waterpot:

• She left all of her works. She left all of the ways she was trying to get the water of life through her own doing.
• She counted HER waterpot as dung. She didn’t need nor want HER waterpot anymore. Why not? Because she had a well of water IN her heart, springing up into everlasting life.

HER waterpot is also a picture of all form and ceremony of religion, whether it was in the mountain (where her father’s worshiped) or whether it was in Jerusalem (where the Jews worshiped). She left all of her form and ceremony of religion because now, she had the Savior. She had the Person. the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the water of life. So of course, she left HER waterpot and clung to Christ. We see that faith in her testimony to the men of the city. All of her testimony was Christ and her call to them was “Come to Him”

WHY WE PREACH ELECTION

We preach sovereign election not only because it is revealed in God’s Word, exhibiting man’s total depravity and inability, but because it exalts a sovereign God in His Trinity of Persons. It reveals the magnitude of His kingdom and defines who are the objects of the Father’s everlasting love, the travail of the Redeemer’s soul, and the objects of the Spirit’s concern and care. Within election’s hallowed bounds the whole seed royal of heaven are found by a seeking Saviour and a searching Spirit.