GOSPEL PREACHING ONLINE
November 26,2006
Eternal life, the gift of God the Holy Spirit in the new birth, is not the mere gift of life extended forever, but the gift of an entirely new life, spiritual life in Christ that shall never cease, a new, holy nature, by which all who are born of God are graciously made Òpartakers of the divine nature.Ó
Daily Readings for the Week of November 26-December 3
Sunday 1 Corinthians 4-7 Thursday 1 Corinthians 16-2 Cor. 3
Monday 1 Corinthians 8-10 Friday 2 Corinthians 4-7
Tuesday 1 Corinthians 11-13 Saturday 2 Corinthians 8-11
Wednesday 1 Corinthians 14-15 Sunday 2 Corinthians 12-Galatians 1
Thank you so very much for your many thoughtful cards, generous gifts, and expressions of love to me on my birthday. I cherish you all and thank God continually for allowing me to be a part of this church family. Shelby
NURSERY DUTY THIS WEEK
Today: Jenny Bartley (AM) Ruth Wall (PM) Tuesday: Nancy Criss
DON'T STAND AROUND MY GRAVE AND CRY— Don Fortner
(Tune: #183 — Faith Of our Fathers — 88.88.88)
1.
When I have breathed my final breath and dropped this robe of flesh in death,
When my appointed work is done and my allotted time is gone,
Don't stand around my grave and cry. — I'll not be there. I did not die.
2.
My Savior came to call me home, and I with Him to heav'n have gone!
Now I am free from sin and pain; and with the glorified I reign!
Don't stand around my grave and cry. — I'm glorified! I did not die!
3.
Seated with Jesus on His throne, glorified by what He has done,
I am a trophy of His grace. Rejoicing, I behold His face:
Don't stand around my grave and cry. — I am with Christ! I did not die!
4.
My body lies beneath the clay until the resurrection day.
In that day when Christ comes again, body and soul unite again!
Don't stand around my grave and cry. — Rejoice with me! I did not die!
Death, the conqueror of all is set before us in the Word of God in three ways: spiritual death, physical death, and eternal death. We were all born in spiritual death, Òdead in trespasses and sinsÓ (Eph. 2:1; Rom. 5:12). Because we are sinners, all must die physically. Physical death is the separation of the soul from the body. ÒThe body without the spirit is deadÓ (James 2:16). Eternal death is the everlasting separation both of body and soul from God to all eternity. ÒFear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear himÓ (Luke 12:5). But, the Lord Jesus Christ has made his elect conquerors of that great conqueror of men, Death. He has delivered us from spiritual death and from eternal death in hell by putting spiritual life in us by the new birth. He has even delivered us from physical death by making the death of our bodies the avenue by which we enter into the blessed fulness of spiritual life without sin. And, at the last day, he shall even raise our bodies from the dust of mortality into the glory of immortality, transforming our natural bodies into spiritual bodies (1 Cor. 15:42-58). Therefore, he declares, ÒWhosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never dieÓ (John 11:26). If I am assured of God my Savior that I shall never die, how absurd, how dishonoring to him it would be to him for me to fear death!
10
Ascending to the House of God
Our Delightful, Blessed Communion
Psalm 133
Just as he approaches the house of God and greets his brethren gathering with him to worship the Lord God of Israel, ZionÕs pilgrim singsÉ
ÒBehold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermoreÓ (Ps. 133:1-3).
This short, sweet psalm speaks of the blessedness of the communion GodÕs saints have with one another when they Òcome together in the church.Ó The psalm begins with the word ÒBehold,Ó calling our heartsÕ attention to such happiness as no tongue can describe.
Behold Christ
First, behold Christ in the psalm. He is the Head. We are one with Christ and one in Christ. Our communion with one another is the result of communion with him. It is his life-giving, soul-cleansing, soul-transforming grace that unites us to himself and to one another. — ÒBehold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!Ó
ÒIt is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even AaronÕs beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments.Ó — Christ, our great Aaron, was Òanointed with the oil of gladness above,Ó and for, Òhis fellows.Ó Because the Spirit was given to him without measure (John 3:34), grace is given to us Òaccording to the measure of the gift of ChristÓ (Eph. 4:7). The Spirit of grace, the oil of gladness (Ps. 45:7), poured out on him without measure, runs down over all the members of his body, giving us Ògrace for graceÓ (John 1:16).
It is Òas the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.Ó — Our souls, like the fruitful hill of Hermon, are made fruitful only by the continued replenishing of his grace by the Spirit of grace (Gal. 5:22-23). Our Savior is to us Òas a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth notÓ (Micah 5:7).
Behold the Place
Where is it that God so graciously commands this blessing? Where does he pour out the dew of heaven, as showers upon the grass? It is Òupon the mountains of Zion,Ó the assemblies of his saints (Matt. 18:20; 1 Cor. 3:16), where the redeemed of the Lord are gathered to worship him.
As often as we are privileged to gather with GodÕs saints in his house, let us pray that he will refresh our souls with life and grace, that we may have sweet fellowship and communion with him and with one another in Christ.
11
Ascending to the House of God
Our Praise in the Sanctuary
Psalm 134
Psalm 134 is the last of the Ascension Psalms, the last Song of Degrees, sung by GodÕs people as they went up to the house of God. Here we see GodÕs pilgrims at the house of the Lord, calling upon one another to worship and praise the Lord God, our Savior. Let it be our determined purpose as we gather with GodÕs saints to give our praise, adoration, and worship to our God and seek his blessing upon all who come with us into his house.
ÒBehold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord.Ó — Again, the psalm begins with the word Òbehold,Ó as with the sound of a trumpet, calling the servants of the Lord, the Levites who ministered day and night in the temple, to bless the Lord. Those Levites were responsible to keep the fire on the altar constantly burning (Lev. 6:13; 24:2-4). But the psalmist was distinctly inspired to identify these servants of the Lord as those who Òstand by night in the house of the Lord,Ó as if to suggest that they arose from their beds in the middle of the night to go into the sanctuary of God, watching and praying to prevent profane men from plundering and desecrating it.
Let every gospel preacher follow their example. In this time of great darkness let the servants of God vigilantly watch and pray, holding forth the light of the gospel. But in this gospel age our Lord Jesus has made all his saints priests and kings unto God. He causes all to stand as priests in his house. And we are all commanded to do one thing in his house. — ÒBehold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord!Ó In the house of God there is no place for anything except the worship and honor of our great God. May God fill us with Òthe Spirit of judgment and the Spirit of burning,Ó ever making Òthe Branch of the Lord beautiful and glorious in our midstÓ (Isa. 4:2-4).
ÒLift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.Ó — As in the typical Old Testament age men lifted up their hands in the sanctuary, let believing souls, who are GodÕs true sanctuary (Ezek. 37:28), lift up holy hands (1 Tim. 2:8), with holy hearts of faith (Lam. 3:41) to the triune God, Òlooking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal lifeÓ (Jude 21), and worship, ascribing all blessedness and praise to God alone.
ÒThe Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.Ó — These seem to be words that were chanted by GodÕs saints to one another. They precisely express that which should be our hearts desire and prayer to God for one another as we gather in his house. Everywhere, in all things, let God be praised by his people. And let us earnestly seek GodÕs blessing upon our brethren. Let us do so at all times; but especially as GodÕs people gather in the assemblies of public worship to sing his praise and hear his Word, let it be ours to earnestly pray that he will bless them out of Zion, for ChristÕs sake.
Where'er Your people gather, Lord, around the Mercy-Seat,
Be pleased to grant Your grace and power, where'er Your church may meet.
12
Grace Bulletin
November 26, 2006
GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH of DANVILLE
2734 Old Stanford Road-Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438
Telephone (859) 236-8235 - E-Mail don@donfortner.com
Donald S. Fortner, Pastor
Sunday
10:00 A.M. Bible Classes
10:30 A.M. Morning Worship Service
6:30 P.M. Evening Worship Service
Tuesday
7:30 P.M. Mid-Week Worship Service
Channel 6 - Sunday Morning 8:00 A.M.
Channel 6 - Wednesday Evening 6:00 P.M.
Channel 6 - Friday Evening 7:00 P.M.
http://www.donfortner.com
http://www.sovereign-grace/gracechurch.htm
http://www.freegrace.net/danville/default.asp