January 1, 2017
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
MEETING LOCATION
251 Green Lane
Ewing, NJ, 08368
Clay Curtis, pastor
Telephone: 615-513-4464
MAILING ADDRESS:
7 Birch Street
Pennington, NJ, 08538
Schedule of Services
Sunday 10: 15 AM Bible Class
Sunday 11:00 AM Morning Service
Thursday 7: 30 PM Midweek Service
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NURSERY
We have a nursery equipped with a digital flat screen television broadcasting all services live, for children four and under.
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All articles by the pastor unless otherwise noted.
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SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE WEBSITE: watch videos of our full services. If browsing by channel, our channel name is: Free Grace. Or you can search by typing our pastor’s name.
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We could not begin the New Year in any better way than meeting together to adore our Redeemer as he is set forth in the gospel.
As we meet here let us thank God for all things in the year that has just passed. This past year, God took home some of our dearest loved ones. But they now know nothing of an old and New Year, only perpetual joy in the beams of our glorious Savior. For this we thank our Lord. In the past year, God has united some of his lost sheep with us giving them life and faith in Christ. For this we thank our Lord. In this past year, God was pleased to unite some of our younger brethren in marriage and also to bring new life into the world. For this we thank our Lord. Some experienced various trials by which God burns up the dross and makes our faith more set on Christ alone. For this we thank our Lord. In our first service last year, we asked God to open the door for us to have a new building if he was pleased to do so. Now, here we are in a new building. For this we thank our Lord.
As we look forward to this New Year, may we do so asking God’s blessings upon this congregation, as well as upon all our brethren in other places, in every way that it pleases him. Our united prayer is that God would be pleased to continue to use us for the furtherance of the gospel of Christ, opening new avenues for us to spread his word and blessing his word to the hearts of his people everywhere it goes forth. Whether the days ahead hold tears or joy let us remember that everything is of God for his glory and the good of his saints. As God enables us, therefore, let us thank God for whatever he is pleased to send our way. As we begin this year meeting to worship God let us remember the whole year through that there will be nothing that comes close to being as important as this. I personally thank God for each of you, for the opportunity to serve you and I look forward to our tenth year together being the best so far. Happy New Year!
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SAVE THE DATE
For our ten year anniversary, our first conference in our new building is scheduled for July 21-23. The visiting pastors will be Marvin Stalnaker, Todd Nibert and Don Fortner. More info will be posted soon on our sermon audio website.
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SUNDAY’S READING IN PROVERBS
Proverbs 2: 1: My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: 2: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
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PREACHING FOR A VERDICT
1 Kings 18:21
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt
ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if
Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
When I first begin preaching, a very wise, older pastor with many years’ experience told me to always preach for a verdict. I am not sure if I understood then what he meant, but I certainly understand it now. Like the judge in a court of law who says to the jury, “Ladies and gentlemen, have you reached a verdict?” What the judge means is, “Have you made a judgment?” “Do you have an opinion?” “Have you reached a decision?”
True preaching should always seek to find a verdict from its hearers. So let me ask you some things to consider. Is the God Who the Bible declares and describes, the True God, or just a figment of men and women’s imagination? Is the God of the Bible Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, in control of all things, working all things after the counsel of His own will, or is He just wanting and trying to do some things if folks will let Him? (I had a man recently give me some unsolicited advice. He said that I needed to “let go and let God.”) Can you and I let God do anything? Is the God of the Bible Holy or does He love everybody so much that He will not punish sin because men and women are trying to do the best they can do? Do you believe that you are a wretched sinner, who will by no means be cleared of your sin? Or, do you believe that you are as good as the next person and everything is alright between you and God because He loves everyone and is fair to all? Do you believe God’s Word, which declares that you must be perfect, holy and righteous as God to be accepted? Or, do you think that the thrice-Holy God looks the other way since He accepts every sinner’s best efforts?
Ladies and gentlemen, have you reached a verdict? Or, will you continue to halt between two opinions? If the Lord be God, come to Him, follow Him, trust in Him for your redemption, because the verdict is already in. God reached the verdict, decided and determined long, long ago that Jesus Christ would be the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world. If you have Him, you have life. If you don’t have Him, you will forever perish. Pastor David Eddmenson
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In happy moments, praise God. In difficult moments, seek God. In quiet moments, worship God. In every moment, thank God. Pastor Marvin Stalnaker
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THERE IS ONE BODY
Ephesians 4: 4: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5: One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6: One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
All who are sanctified by God are members of one body, Christ’s body, the church. (Eph 1: 22-23; 4: 12, 15-16; 1 Cor 12: 27) It is the saints in heaven and in the earth. Our unity is not a mere agreement of a denomination, not consent to a man-made creed, not even the bond of a visible church. It is the spiritual union of the triune God. Its nature is like its origin, eternal. When every earthly tie is broken this union will remain. Here is what makes us one.
ONE SPIRIT. We have no will for divine things until we are made willing in the day that God exercises his will and power within us. (Ps 110:3; Eph 2: 1-5; Jn 3: 3-7) All grace and every gift which a believer has is given freely by one Holy Spirit of God by whom we have access to God (1 Cor 2:12; Eph 2:18) All conduct contrary to unity “grieves” the Spirit of God. So we endeavor to have one mind, one heart, having the same affections for one another.
ONE HOPE. Our one hope is the Lord Jesus Christ. (Jer. 14:8; Ps. 130:7) If our hope was in our works we would all have different, varying hopes. But our hope is the one hope of our calling, our one glorious Redeemer who shall present us all faultless to one Father where we shall each receive one inheritance, everlasting life with God our Savior forever. So we endeavor to keep unity to help our brethren lay hold of this one hope.
ONE LORD. Our union is by one Lord, the GodMan, Christ Jesus, the only begotten Son of God “by whom are all things, and we by him." (1 Cor. 8:6.) He bought each of his redeemed with his own precious blood then fitly joined us together in his one body. He is using us to preach his gospel till all his elect are joined to this body in faith. (Eph 4: 13) The gospel of Christ is the unity of every true believer. So our will is the will of our Lord which is to keep unity in the bond of peace which he has given us that we might preach his word.
ONE FAITH. We are bound by one faith. (2 Pet 1: 1) This one faith has one “author and finisher” Jesus Christ. This one faith has one end, “even the salvation of your souls." (1 Pet.1:9.) There is no other faith but this one faith which is the gift of God and rests in Christ Jesus our Righteousness. False religions are of fallen sinners by man’s will and works. The faith God gives is the only faith which trusts solely in the merits of another, God our Savior. Endeavor to be a help to one another’s faith.
ONE BAPTISM. The one baptism spoken of here is water baptism. As it has been since the days of the early church, when we are baptized we renounce all other religions and gods as utterly false. This one baptism is administered one way by immersion in water. It symbolizes our death, burial and resurrection with Christ.
ONE GOD AND FATHER. We have this union because we each have one God and Father. He is above all, and through all, and in you all. This makes each member of this one family sons and daughters, brothers and sisters. We have the same family name, the same family ties, and the same family interests because we have the same family origin, God our Father. Our God and Father chose us in and by Christ his Son before the foundation of the world. He willed to save us and none can stop him from performing his will. (Dan 4: 35; Rom 8: 28-32)
Brethren, endeavor to keep this unity but know that nothing shall ever endanger this unity of our God in the bond of peace. (Eph 4: 17-5: 2)