February 26, 2012
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
LOCATION
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd Floor
150 Washington Street
Rocky Hill, New Jersey, 08553
Telephone: 615-513-4464
Schedule of Services
Sunday 10: 15 AM Bible Class
Sunday 11 AM Morning Service
Thursday 7 PM Midweek Service
Why does a sinner not stop trying to establish his own righteousness and rest in Christ? One simple answer, he does not believe the word of God! (1 Peter 2: 7; Romans 9: 33).
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INHABITANTS OF THE ROCK
Isaiah 42: 11:…let the inhabitants of the rock sing,…
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Rock in whom the believer dwells. We behold the glory of God in Christ the Rock (Ex 33: 18-22; 34: 5-8; 2 Corinthians 4: 6). Christ is our one foundation in whom we shall never be moved (Isaiah 28: 16; 1 Corinthians 3: 11; Matthew 7: 24-27). ). As we travel through this wilderness we drink of Christ the smitten Rock (Exodus 17: 6; 1 Corinthians 10: 4; John 4:10; Isaiah 43:20). Christ is the Rock which brethren use to hold up one another’s weary hands (Exodus 17: 12-13). Christ is the Rock of sanctuary in whom we abide and are protected as God’s judgment rolls over the rest of this world (Isaiah 26:20; Isaiah 8: 9-14). Oh, let the inhabitants of the Rock sing!
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A STANDOFF OR A STAND?
2 Kings 5: 11: But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12: Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
Naaman revealed that his real problem was his heart. He considered it an insult when Elisha sent a messenger out to him rather than Elisha going himself as Naaman expected he should. Naaman argued that there was no difference—no—Naaman manifest he thought that the waters in Damascus were BETTER than the waters in Israel wherein Elisha said he must wash. So Naaman turned and went away in a rage.
Was this merely a standoff between two men? After all, both were sinners. Elisha did not go out to Naaman, why then should Naaman be expected to obey the word of this man, Elisha? No, this was not a standoff. Elisha was the ambassador sent by God to declare the truth to Naaman.
The servant of God must himself bow to Christ rather than Naaman, lest in doing so he bring Christ down to Naaman’s feet. Elisha must himself submit to the word of God if he would teach Naaman that the only way to come to God is for Naaman to bow to the Word. Elisha must himself believe God if he will be used of God to teach Naaman that not all gospels are true—false gospels may have an appeal as the waters of Damascus but only the water of God’s word in the midst of his chosen Israel is the healing Water. Elisha must himself rest in the blood of Christ if he will teach Naaman that the only way to come to God is to wash in Christ’s blood.
Men may justify themselves and go away from the gospel in a rage. The child of grace will do so until God washes that child in the water by the word, melting his stout heart with the good news that the blood of Christ has washed away all his sins.
I guarantee you when Naaman found himself healed he glorified God for making Elisha bow to God rather than his own sinful will—and so did Elisha—for no man has sufficiency in himself. So it is that God unites the hearts of brethren by the Word so that we walk together in agreement rejoicing in Christ Jesus alone.
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Useful Directions for Reading and Searching the Scriptures
Thomas Boston
(Abridged)
1. Follow a regular plan in reading of them, that you may be acquainted with the whole. Not that you should confine yourselves only to a set plan, so as never to read by choice, but ordinarily this tends most to edification.
2. Set a special mark, however you find convenient, on those passages you read, which you find most suitable to your case, condition, or temptations; or such as you have found to move your hearts more than other passages. Often review these.
3. Compare one Scripture with another, the more obscure with that which is more plain (2 Pet. 1:20). And keep Christ in your eye, for to him the scriptures of the Old Testament look (in its genealogies, types, and sacrifices), as well as those of the New.
4. Read with a holy attention, arising from the consideration of the majesty of God, and the reverence due to him. This must be done with attention, first, to the words; second, to the sense; and, third, to the divine authority of the Scripture, and the obligation it lays on the conscience for obedience (1 Thess. 2:13)
5. Let your main purpose in reading the Scriptures be practice, and not bare knowledge (James 1:22). Read that you may learn and do, and that without any limitation or distinction, but that whatever you see God requires, you may study to practice.
6. Beg of God and look to him for his Spirit for it is the Spirit that inspired it, that it must be savingly understood by (1 Cor 2:11). And therefore before you read, it is highly reasonable you beg a blessing on what you are to read.
7. Beware of a worldly, fleshly mind: for fleshly sins blind the mind from the things of God; and the worldly heart cannot favor them. But labor to be disciplined toward godliness and to observe your spiritual circumstances because a disciplined attitude helps mightily to understand the scriptures.