2970 Baird Rd., Shreveport, LA 71118

CHRIST ALONE-SCRIPTURE ALONE-GRACE ALONE

February 5, 2006

OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORSHIP

SUNDAY

WEDNESDAY

6:30 PM- Mid-week Service

Nursery care available for all services for ages 4 and younger.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Ken Wimer, Pastor- ( (318) 687-4943

PO Box 5028, Shreveport, LA 71135

E-MAIL: pastor@shrevegrace.org

WEB SITE: http://www.shrevegrace.org Updated weekly with audio messages now available on-line.

CALL TO WORSHIP 

(Tune: #236 – Amazing Grace )   Words based on Psalm 130

ORD, from the depths to thee I cried.

My voice, Lord, do thou hear:

Unto my supplication’s voice

    Give an attentive ear.

Lord, who shall stand, if thou, O Lord,

Should’st mark iniquity?

But yet with thee forgiveness is,

That feared thou mayest be.

I wait for God, my soul doth wait,

My hope is in his word.

More than they that for morning watch,

My soul waits for the Lord;

I say, more than they that do watch

The morning light to see.

Let Israel hope in the Lord,

For with him mercies be;

And plenteous redemption

Is ever found with him.

And from all his iniquities

He Isr’l shall redeem.

THE SUM AND SUBSTANCE OF CHRIST DYING FOR US

HEREFORE, if when Christ died was the time this [justification] was to be done, and if Christ was ordained to do it, if Christ was mighty to save, if Christ took flesh to do this work, if it was the will of God that He should do it, if Christ came on purpose to do it, if our sins were laid upon Christ and He suffered the punishment, (the curse of them) if He has redeemed us, if it was prophesied of Him that He should justify many and that His work should prosper, if Christ did answer His types, if He has exceeded all the priests and sacrifices under the Law; if there needs no more offerings for sin; if Christ has done all the Law required, if Christ has done what He came to do, if we are justified by His blood, if He has made us holy, and presented us without spot, if we are free from all sin, if Christ has done all that can be done to make us just and righteous, if Christ did wash away our sins in His own blood, if Christ has said, “It is finished;” then it’s DONE, it’s DONE, it’s DONE, perfectly and completely DONE.  Then what I have said is fully proved namely, that Jesus Christ, by one offering, the sacrifice of Himself, when He was on the Cross, put an end to sin and so destroyed all the sins of His people for ever and presented them just, righteous, and holy, without spot before God, Col. 1:13, 14, 21; Col. 2:13,14.

 SAMUEL RICHARDSON – 1647

AN EXHORTATION TO FEAR GOD

PSALM 114

OD’S power and goodness in delivering Israel from Egypt (vv.1,2) have a larger application to a much greater work of wonder, THE REDEMPTION AND JUSTIFICATION OF GOD’S ELECT, purposed in eternity, but fully accomplished at the cross of Calvary, whereby they were made accepted in the Beloved, Ephesians 1:6,7.  We as the Lord’s chosen and redeemed ones should encourage ourselves in the grace of God, trusting Him even in the worst of situations.  What could be greater than the debt of sin being lifted from us and put away by our Savior and Redeemer?  Any other trouble He may bring us through is not to destroy us, but to cause us to look to Him alone, even as we do in salvation.

                When Christ came to save His people, He redeemed them from the power of sin, Satan, and the law’s sentence of death. In time, He then separates them by His Spirit from an ungodly world, and submits them to Himself- their King of Righteousness.  There is no Red Sea, or Jordan so deep or so broad, but when God’s time is come, He divides it and drives back every enemy, vv.3-7.  Since Satan and his mignons have been defeated, and trembled in His presence when He walked on this earth, who then can condemn those that He has purchased with His own precious blood? 

Dear redeemed and justified sinner- FEAR GOD not men or devils!  The very presence of the Lord is your safety, surety, and comfort. Even as the Israelites were protected, God miraculously providing for them, bringing water from the rock, which is Christ, I Corinthians 10:4; even so, the Son of God, the Rock of ages, gave Himself in death, to open a fountain that has forever washed away the sins of His people, and by His Spirit now supplies them with waters of life and consolation, Zech. 13:1.  Therefore, we need not fear that any blessing is too great to expect from His love, Romans 8:32.

                On the other hand, let sinners fear before their just and holy Judge, who do not have the imputed righteousness of Christ!  Only in that righteousness are we prepared to meet our God, that we may have boldness before Him at His coming.                                                           KEN WIMER

CHRIST’S GOODS

“For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.”  Matthew 25:14

HERE are two different kinds of people identified in the parable of the talents: ‘faithful traders of Christ’s goods,’ vs. one ‘wicked and slothful servant.’  We are to watch, be alert and vigilant, so that we not become entangled with those in our generation who claim to be resting in Christ alone, but at some point become discontented with the simplicity of Christ and move on to what they think is better (i.e. some other supposed righteousness, whether imparted or inherent) rather than that imputed in Christ alone at the cross.  The evil servant in the parable of the talents became discontented with the goods of Christ.  These goods represent all the benefits of salvation accomplished by the Lord Jesus in His obedience unto death, which He obtained for the salvation of His people.  By the work He finished on the cross, and His obedience reckoned or imputed to ALL of God’s elect there, they are therefore already redeemed, justified, sanctified, reconciled, forgiven, and adopted into God’s family.

                These are the goods that Christ has delivered unto servants to proclaim far and wide to sinners, which are the meat in due season of all of God’s people through the end of days.  Faithful and wise servants are those whom the Lord sends to deliver the goods of Christ in each generation.  They are those who faithfully preach the Gospel message.  In contrast, the evil servant (v. 48) is one who cares not for the goods of Christ.  He is not looking to Christ’s blood and righteousness alone for his salvation, proven by his discontentment and unfaithfulness, smiting the others (v.49) not physically, but with the rod of legalism and works, eating and drinking, spiritually drunk on works religion.  Rather than proclaim the message of grace to sinners conditioned on Christ alone, fully accomplished at the cross, he hid his talent in the earth (25:18).  What contempt for the GOODS of Christ!  What a disregard for the ONLY way of salvation, by the imputed righteousness of Christ ALONE!  Until we understand and value the GOODS of Christ, neither do we have any value for the redemptive glory of God, until or unless He is pleased to cause us to know the God who justified the ungodly, fully and freely, by His righteousness imputed at the cross.

 MARK PANNELL, Albany, GA