SHREVEPORT GRACE CHURCH
2970 Baird Rd., Shreveport, LA 71118
CHRIST ALONE-SCRIPTURE ALONE-GRACE ALONE
August 21, 2005
SUNDAY
Scripture Reading/Prayer: Psalm 119:65-72 (David)
Call to Worship: “Well hast Thou with Thy servant dealt”
Scripture Reading/Prayer: II Samuel 22 (Mike)
Hymn: #511- “Face to Face”
Message: Clothed In White Raiment- Revelation 3:5, 6
WEDNESDAY
6:30 PM- Mid-week Service
Nursery care available for all services for ages 4 and younger.
Ken Wimer, Pastor- ( (318) 687-4943
E-MAIL: pastor@shrevegrace.org
WEB SITE: http://www.shrevegrace.org Updated weekly with audio messages now available on-line.
CALL TO WORSHIP
(Tune – ‘O God Our Help in Ages Past’- # 10) Based on Psalm 119:65-72
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ell hast thou with thy servant dealt,
As thou didst promise give.
Good judgment me, and knowledge teach,
For I thy word believe.
Ere I afflicted was I strayed;
But now I keep thy word.
Both good thou art, and good thou do'st:
Teach me thy statutes, Lord.
The men that are puffed up with pride
Against me forged a lie;
Yet thy commandments to observe
With my whole heart will I.
Their hearts, through worldly ease and wealth,
As fat as grease they be:
But in thy holy law I take
Delight continually.
It hath been very good for me
That I afflicted was,
That I might well instructed be,
And learn thy holy laws.
The word that cometh from thy mouth
As better unto me
Than many thousands and great sums
Of gold and silver be.
WHY THE SPIRIT OF GOD WAS SENT
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you,” John 16:7
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hen Christ speaks of going away in this passage, it is not only a reference to His return to heaven, but first of all His going to the cross, John 14:3. His death on the cross to make an end of sin and bring in everlasting righteousness for His people was absolutely essential BEFORE returning to heaven and sending the Spirit into the world. It is a fact that the Lord Jesus DID finish the work of salvation, putting away sin by His obedience unto death, and reconciling every one of the elect unto the Father by it, Romans 5:10. The Father simultaneously HAS already imputed righteousness to the account of every sinner for whom our Lord died. How do we know? THE SPIRIT HAS COME as Christ said He would, and testifies to the hearts of the redeemed that the Lord Jesus PAID IT ALL, 16:13-15. What a comfort to be so taught of the Spirit of God to know that IT IS FINISHED by a just satisfaction of a holy God, through the death of the Lord Jesus! KEN WIMER
THE CONVICTING WORK OF THE SPIRIT
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f God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, someone MUST believe. THAT’S THE SPIRIT’S WORK. Believe what? Believe on him, John 3:16. In Jn. 16:7-11, we see a two-fold work of the Spirit in the world: to reprove (bring charges against) the world regarding sin, righteousness and judgment, Jn. 16:8, but also to clearly reveal these in the elect of God, Jn. 16:13.
· Sin: What specific sin? Unbelief. (V9) “Because they believe not on me” On what do they believe? He will convince his people of idolatry. That’s what we all are by nature and practice.
· Righteousness: What righteousness? “Because I go to my father,” How is it that Christ arose from the dead? By having satisfied Law and justice and establishing the only righteousness whereby God is enabled to be just and justify the ungodly. That righteousness alone!
· Judgment: What judgment? “Because the prince of this world is judged.” Jesus has established righteousness, which denies Satan’s claim against God’s people. Satan stands to accuse the brethren but Christ pleads his righteousness for us at the bar of Gods justice. This work of Christ crushed the serpent’s head and rendered him ineffective against all the heirs of grace. Christ alone holds authority over his kingdom.
Where God’s children were once the children of disobedience they are now “obedient to the faith.” They “walk according to this rule: God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Holy Spirit’s work is to convince the justified sinner that Christ’s righteousness imputed is the standard of judgment by which the whole world will be judged. Every thing the Spirit communicates to the sinner is the fruit and results of Christ’s work for the sinner. This revelation forms no part of the ground of saving him, keeping him saved or recommending him to God in any way. His work is to reveal (confirm) in sinners that Christ has done all that needs to be done for sinners, John 16:12-15
WINSTON PANNELL, ALBANY, GA
THE PRINCE OF PEACE
“And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.” Mark 11:8
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ur Lord brings this animal into peace apart from its natural desire to rear up, buck, cause trouble, and endeavor to throw Him off. Nevertheless, He subdued this animal in peace, and that is a picture of Him bringing His people into peace.
1. He first of all brought His people into a LEGAL peace with God. We must in our heart, in our mind, and in our thinking separate between what happened at the cross and what happens in the heart. What happened at the cross was legal. It was from God’s point of view. It was what the judge of the earth did to bring about peace. He brought about a legal peace so that God could look upon us with eyes of peace.
2. He also came to bring a HEART peace, so that we would have peaceful thoughts toward God, instead of being at enmity toward the God who is sovereign. Men in the world think they have peace toward God, but when they find out who He is their natural inclination is to rebel against Him. That’s why there is so much religious rebellion in the world. When men hear the Gospel they become angry about it and become protective of what they believe. Why is that? They might blame it on a personality, but who they are really angry with is God.
Nonetheless, it is the Lord’s work, having brought about that LEGAL peace at the cross, to bring about in time this PEACE IN THE HEART of His people toward Him, much in the same way that He claimed this colt as His own, and sat upon Him, taking full control of him.
DAVID SIMPSON, POWELL, TN