1. Praise the blessed Name of Jesus, Prophet, Priest and reigning King; Bow before the mighty Sovereign, Unto Him our praises bring. Hallelujah, He’s our Savior, Let our thanks to Him ascend; Trust Him only for salvation, Jesus Christ the sinner’s Friend.
2. Praise the blessed Name of Jesus, Who upon Mount Calvary; Shed His blood to save His people, Died to set the captives free. Let the ransomed sing His praises, Till we see Him face to face; Then throughout the endless ages, Praise Him for His love and grace.
Today’s Speaker: Brother Jim Casey will conduct the 11:00 am service today. Pray for him as he delivers God’s word.
Book Offer: The 2013 Revised Edition of the book by Randy Wages, “To My Friends – Strait Talk About Eternity,” are now available in both hard back and paperback for any one desiring a copy.
Television Broadcast: Our Reign of Grace Television program is being broadcast every Sunday morning on WALB-TV @ 9 AM. It’s also broadcast on WFXL Fox 31, Channel 4 @ 11 AM on Sunday mornings.
Radio Broadcast: Sunday morning at 10:30 am on Mix 107.7 FM
Web Sites: Visit our web sites at: Reign of Grace: www.rofgrace.com
"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Galatians 6:14).
Paul did not glory or boast in the abilities God had given him, the churches he had established, or the persons who had been converted under his ministry. He gloried only in the cross of Christ. Cross was a term which the Apostle used to set forth the successful, substitutionary sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. This is that truth that the blessed Savior satisfied every demand of divine justice by His death and resurrection thereby putting away the sins of His people, redeeming us from the curse of the law and bringing in everlasting righteousness. The very message which was a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles was his greatest source of joy and comfort. While the enemies of the cross wanted the message concealed, Paul proclaimed it with boldness; he saw it to be the revelation of the righteousness of God and the demonstration of the wisdom and the power of God. Rather than push the cross off to the side, this was the heart and soul, the very center and life of his preaching, and so he stated, "I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" (1　Corinthians 2:2). He declared that Christ was "delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:25), that "He 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) and that in Him "we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7). This was his constant message that "now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ" (Ephesians 2:13). "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor" (Ephesians 5:2).
--- Pastor Jim Byrd
EXEMPTION FROM CONDEMNATION
"There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). The freedom of the believer is just what it is declared to be entire exemption from condemnation. From all which that word of significant and solemn import implies, he is, by his relation to Christ, delivered. Sin does not condemn him, the law does not condemn him, the curse does not condemn him, hell does not condemn him, and God does not condemn him. He is under no power from these, beneath whose accumulated and tremendous woe all others wither. A brief and simple argument will, perhaps, be sufficient to establish this fact. The pardon of sin necessarily includes the negation of its condemnatory power. There being no sin legally alleged, there can be no condemnation justly pronounced. Now, by the sacrifice of Christ all the sins of the Church are entirely put away. He, the sinless Lamb of God, took them up and bore them away into a land of oblivion, where even the Divine mind fails to recall them. "How forcible are right words" (Job 6:25). Listen to those which declare this wondrous fact. "I, even I, am He that blotteth out your transgressions for My own sake, and will not remember thy sins" (Isaiah 43:25). "Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back" (Isaiah 38:17). "Having forgiven you all trespasses" (Colossians 2:13). "Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more" (Hebrews 10:17). The revoking of the sentence of the law must equally annihilate its condemnatory force. The obedience and death of Christ met the claims of that law, both in its preceptive and punitive character. A single declaration of God’s Word throws a flood of light upon this truth—“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13).
--- Octavius Winslow
“THEY FOLLOWED JESUS”
Men by nature, because of self-love and self-righteousness, love to argue over words and gather a following unto themselves. God’s preachers love to preach THE WORD, to preach CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED. God’s preachers are not sent to promote themselves, their ideas, or opinions, but to be preachers of righteousness which is the Gospel way of salvation by God’s grace in Christ Jesus. They point sinners, not to themselves, but to Christ Who lived, died, was buried, and rose from the dead for the salvation of His people. Their preaching is the preaching of the cross of Christ by Whose blood alone sinners are forgiven and accepted with God. Their goal and desire is expressed in the following verse – “And the two disciples heard him [John the Baptist] speak, AND THEY FOLLOWED JESUS.” (John 1:37)
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