December 30, 2007

“The glory of the incarnation is that it presents to our adoring gaze not a humanized God or a deified man, but a true God-man, — One who is all that God is and at the same time all that man is, — One on whose almighty arm we can rest, and to whose human sympathy we can appeal.” — B. B. Warfield

Daily Readings for the Week of December 30-January 6

Sunday Revelation 17-19 Thursday Genesis 9-11

Monday Revelation 20-22 Friday Genesis 12-16

Tuesday Genesis 1-3 Saturday Genesis 17-19

Wednesday Genesis 4-8 Sunday Genesis 20-23

· There will be no service here Tuesday night. Shelby and I wish you a truly Happy New Year!

NURSERY DUTY TODAY: Jenny Bartley (AM) Emily Rice(PM)

Immanuel, What Powers Dwell! — Don Fortner

(Tune: #497 — When I Can Read My Title Clear — CM)

1. Did Christ, the holy Son of God,

The Sovereign of the skies,

Become a man of flesh and blood

That I to God might rise?

2. Though rich in glory, Christ became

A man of poverty,

That He might bear my sin and blame,

To bleed and die for me!

3. He took this guilty sinner’s place,

And suffered in my stead;

For me, (Stupendous, matchless grace!)

His precious blood was shed!

4. Immanuel, what powers dwell

In Your redeeming blood!

It ransomed my poor soul from hell

And turns my heart to God!

Oh, may God the Holy Spirit be pleased to sprinkle your heart with Immanuel’s precious, sin-atoning blood and graciously turn you to God by his omnipotent grace! It is my prayer that the new year will be the beginning of new life for you who are yet dead in trespasses and sin.

“Call His Name Immanuel”

Isaiah 7:14

Isaiah was inspired to give a very special, glorious name to our Savior. We are told that his mother would call his name “Immanuel.” But I challenge you to find any place in this Book of God where our Savior was called by this name. No one ever used this name to address him. What, then, does this mean? Read Genesis 4:26 and you will see. — “Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.” The word call means, “to worship, or publish, or mention with reverence, or pronounce renown.” That is exactly what Mary did (Luke 1:46-55). She worshipped her child as God the Son, her incarnate Savior, Immanuel. And all who are born of God are taught by him to worship the Lord Jesus Christ as Immanuel, God with us, God in our nature.

Jehovah Jesus

Jesus is Jehovah incarnate, our Lord and our God, and yet our Brother and Friend. Let us adore him, Immanuel, God with us, God in our nature. That one who was carried in Mary’s womb for nine months is Mary’s God. That one who came forth from Mary’s womb is Mary’s Creator. It is true that his human body was miraculously conceived in the womb of the virgin by the overshadowing power of God the Holy Spirit. As to his human nature, our Lord was born as the Seed of woman. “Unto us a child is born.”

But do not ever think that Mary is the mother of God. That notion of the papists is blasphemy. As to his divine nature, the prophet does not say that he was born, but rather, “Unto us a Son is given”. The Lord Jesus Christ is himself, God the eternal Son. In the incarnation, God joined himself to and assumed our nature. He is as truly God as though he were not man, and as truly man as though he were not God. Our Redeemer is the God-man Mediator, Immanuel. The sweetest word in all the English language is that golden name, — Immanuel. God has come in human flesh to redeem fallen man!

His Mission

Why did the Lord Jesus Christ come to this earth? Upon what mission was he sent? Our Lord did not assume our nature to establish an earthly kingdom in which the Jewish nation might rule the world. We are expressly told that he came to save his people from their sins, according to the will of God. — “Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). — “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Tim. 1:15). Immanuel is God come to save. The Son of God assumed human nature at Bethlehem for the express purpose of redeeming his people at Calvary, dying in our place under the wrath of God, as our Substitute.

Mission Accomplished

Has Immanuel done exactly what he came here to do? Has he accomplished his mission? Indeed, he has! He has redeemed his people. As a real man, the Son of God lived in this world for thirty-three years, perfectly fulfilling the righteous requirements of God’s holy law. He established a perfect righteousness as the Representative of his people, bringing in an everlasting righteousness, such as God is pleased to accept. Then, at the appointed time, he laid down his life as our Substitute at Calvary, satisfying the wrath and justice of God against his people. By his righteous obedience to the law and his sin-atoning sacrifice, the God-man, Immanuel, has accomplished his Father’s will and redeemed unto himself a people.

King of Glory

Where is Immanuel today? That very Babe who was born at Bethlehem, lived in the regions of Judea for thirty-three years, and died at Calvary to redeem his people, is now seated upon the throne of universal dominion. He is the King of Glory! With sovereign, universal power, he is ruling this world to accomplish the salvation of those very people whom he has redeemed. God has “given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life unto as many as his Father has given him” (John 17:2).

We who, like Mary, have Christ formed in us by the power of God the Holy Spirit worship, publish, reverence, and extol our Savior as Immanuel, “God with us.” Oh, what a great and glorious name this is for our Mediator, our Redeemer, our Advocate, our Savior, — Immanuel, — God with us! The Lord Jesus Christ is God with us by incarnation to redeem us, by his Spirit to protect, guide and comfort us, — God with us in our assemblies to bless us. God with us is hell’s terror. God with us is his servant’s strength. God with us is the sufferer’s consolation. God with us is the dying believer’s hope. God with us is the song and joy of heaven. “O come, let us adore him!” Immanuel, the God-man, is our Savior and our King!

A NEW YEAR’S PROMISE

“He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). — The experience of our lives verifies this sweet promise. Does it not? Looking back over the past, we see that all of our fears have been foolish. Look at all that you have been through individually. Did the Lord ever forsake you? Recall all that we have been through collectively, as the church of Christ. Did our God ever once fail us? Were we ever forsaken? No, not one time has his promise failed.

Let us, therefore, look the future square in the eye and, “boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear.” Let us not fear any providence, for it is the work of God. Let us not fear any man, for men are but the instruments of God. Let us not fear the demons of hell, for they are the creatures of God. God is with us; and he is faithful to his promise. He will never leave us, nor forsake us.

Grace Bulletin

December 30, 2007

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

Schedule of Regular Services

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

Television Broadcasts in Danville

Channel 6 - Sunday Morning 8:00 A.M.

Channel 6 - Wednesday Evening 6:00 P.M.

Channel 6 - Friday Evening 7:00 P.M.

Web Pages

http://www.donfortner.com

http://www.freegraceradio.com

http://www.sovereign-grace.com/gracechurch.htm

Don Fortner

Listen to sermons at FreeGraceRadio.com