CALL TO WORSHIP
(Tune: “Jesus Calls Us” – p. 374)
(Words by Gary Shepard)

Sovereign God of grace and glory;
We confess and spread Your fame.
All your fullness in Christ dwelling,
Yesterday, today, the same.

Never changing, never failing,
Never taken by surprise;
Never needing, never trying,
Always wondrous in our eyes.

Blessed Jesus whose redemption
Is the work that justifies,
All of grace and thus eternal,
Shout His glories to the skies!

He is all our peace and comfort:
Christ the Lord our Righteousness.
In Him such a sweet assurance,
One with Him we’re surely blessed.

Join us now to sing His praises.
All the glory to Him be.
Now exalt our blessed Savior.
Now and for eternity!

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Today: Bible Classes – 10:00 a.m.; Morning Worship – 11:00 a.m.
essages by Pastor Bill Parker

Television Broadcast: Reign of Grace Television
Sunday morning on WALB-TV @ 9 AM.

Live Streaming – 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. – Sermon Audio web site

Web Sites: Reign of Grace: www.rofgrace.com
Sermon Audio: www.Sermonaudio.com\reignofgrace

Birthdays: Mary Margeson – Apr. 29^th – Jimmy Casey – Apr. 30^th

The Lord willing, next Sunday, May 3, 2015, I will be preaching in Almont, MI, for the congregation of First Baptist Church. This is where Brother Jim Byrd pastored before he was called of God to move to Thir­teenth Street Baptist Church in Ashland, KY. Our brothers and sisters in Almont are still in the process of seeking the Lord’s will in finding a pastor. Please keep them in your prayers on this most important matter. Elders Jim Casey and Randy Wages will be preaching for me here next Sunday. Please pray for me and for him as we prepare to preach, and pray for me as I travel next week. – The Pastor

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FAITH AND ITS OBJECT

When the Ethiopian treasurer asked the evangelist Philip, “What hinders me to be baptized,” Philip replied, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” The man “answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 9:37). What did the Ethiopian treasurer believe? He believed in Jesus Christ as the ONE LORD AND SAVIOR OF SIN­NERS as declared and revealed in the Word of God preached to him by Philip. The specific passage of Scripture from which Philip preached was Isaiah 53 (cf. Acts 8:30-35) which identifies and describes the Messiah as the Substitute and Surety of sinners, the one Who suffered unto death to put away their sins and establish the only righteousness whereby God could be just to justify His elect people. Philip preached Jesus Christ as Immanuel, “God with us,” and as the one who secured the complete salva­tion of His people, sinners, by the blood of redemption. JESUS CHRIST CRUCIFIED AND ARISEN FROM THE DEAD FOR OUR JUSTIFICA­TION IS THE OBJECT OF FAITH. He is the Lord our Righteousness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit we believe Him and in Him. The virtue of true faith lies not in will of the sinner nor in the act of believing. The virtue of true faith lies in glory of the Person and the power of the finished work of the Savior. Never separate true faith from its object! To do so is to believe in nothing or things that lead to nothing.

– Pastor Bill Parker

“TIS NOT THAT I DID CHOOSE THEE”

At the center of man-made religion is man’s choice. They say such things as “God’s done all He can do, He’s made salvation available, now it’s up to you, it’s your choice.” They often use Joshua’s words to the Israelites, “Choose you this day whom you will serve ...” (Joshua 24:15). But Joshua spoke those words to that earthly nation of people under a legal covenant which was based on “do this and live, don’t do it and die.” Their choices time and time again showed that man can never be saved based on his choices because by nature he always chooses evil. Left to himself he will always make the wrong choice! He will never choose God and His way of salvation. The salvation of God, however, is based on His choice. As a matter of fact, Israel as a nation was His earthly people only because of His choice. “The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:” (Deuteronomy 7:7). They were a type of His spiritual people which He often describes as His “elect.” Election means to choose. God’s choice determined who He would save, selected who would be His people and who He gave to Christ. Paul describes them writing to the believers in Thessalonica. “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:” (2Th 2:13). It is the very same when he writes to the church at Ephesus: “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” (Eph 1:4). David rejoiced in this blessed truth: “He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved.” (Psalms 47:4). Also: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance” (Psalms 33:12). “For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation” (Psalms 132:13). Since this is true, God gets all the glory in our salvation and we sing this hymn: “Sons we are through God's election, Who in Jesus Christ alone, By eternal destination, Sov'reign grace we here receive.” And also, “Tis not that I did choose Thee, For, Lord, that could not be; This heart would still refuse Thee, But Thou hast chosen me.”