A sure way to stir up self-righteousness in my heart is to compare myself to others. A sure way to suppress self-righteousness in my heart is to quit looking at what others are doing and compare myself to Christ.

SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS

I have no doubt that self-righteousness is the greatest problem we have. It is not our sin that keeps us from Christ. It is our righteousness. This is the most deceptive of all sins! The deceit of this sin is so subtle, that we can even commit a sin, and comfort ourselves by thinking, “At least that is not as bad as self-righteousness”, thus making our sin a ground of righteousness! The sin of self-righteousness will attack us from every angle.

Pastor Todd Nibert

Sinners are saved by grace without any personal obedience to the law. “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Rom. 3:28). A sinner saved by grace is set free from any relationship to the law. No sinner is saved by the law and none of God’s children are ruled by the law. The law is not the believer’s rule of life. The law can only curse and condemn. Christ is our righteousness; Christ is our sanctification: and Christ is our rule of life (Rom. 8:2-4).

THE FORGOTTEN SPARROW

Christ said, “two sparrows are sold for a farthing?” In another place he said, “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings.” (Mt 10: 26; Lu 12: 6) Sparrows are so common that if a man buys two farthings-worth then he gets one thrown in for free. The one thrown-in is not even counted by the merchant. Believer, do you at times feel like the uncounted, forgotten sparrow? Yet, Christ says of the sparrow which man forgets, “not one of them is forgotten before God?” (Lu 12: 6) Believer, if God does not forget one lowly sparrow, do you imagine God will ever forget you? Christ speaking through the prophet Isaiah said, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” (Is 49: 15-16) Suppose a mother tends to her little canary in her bird cage, how much more will she tend carefully and lovingly to her little child in the cradle! Now, suppose that mother gave her beloved son to die so that her infant child could live. How much more will she care for that child in the cradle! Then how much more shall God care for you than for a sparrow! “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Rom 8: 32) Christ promises, “There shall not an hair of your head perish.” (Lu 21: 18) “Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Mt 10: 31; 1 Pet 5: 7; Ps 34: 6-9)

Pastor Clay Curtis

PREACHING WHAT IS PRECIOUS

Some preachers preach Christ. Other preachers preach other things. This is true because all preachers preach what is precious to them and their hearers. Christ is “rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious” (1 Peter 2:4). Not only is Christ precious to God, but also “to you who believe, Christ is precious” (v.7). Therefore, Christ’s people desire to hear Christ preached, and Christ’s preachers preach Christ.