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God’s saints are not stones. We feel things, just as others do. Faith in Christ does not make us unfeeling stoics. Never proudly presume that weeping eyes indicate an unbelieving heart.
Daily Readings for the Week of December 15-22, 2019 Sunday Hebrews 1-5 Thursday Hebrews 13-James 2 Monday Hebrews 6-8 Friday James 3-1 Peter 1 Tuesday Hebrews 9-10 Saturday 1 Peter 2-5 Wednesday Hebrews 11-12 Sunday 2 Peter 1-3
Happy Birthday! Celeste Peterson-19th Evelyn Wang-21st
Nursery Duty Today — Ruth Wall
The Word Assumed Our Flesh and Blood — Don Fortner (Tune: #98 – I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day — LMD)
1. From everlasting was the Word, The Son of God and God the Son. The Word was with God, and was God, The Father and the Son are One. All things in heaven and on earth, By Christ our God, the Word, were made. From Him all creatures have their birth. He is the whole creation’s Head.
2. Behold, with awe, this mystery, The Word assumed our flesh and blood, That He might put our sins away And reconcile us to our God! Yes, God the Son, who knew no sin, Stooped to become a mortal man, That He, for us, might be made sin, And make atonement for our sins!
3. We now behold, with joy, His face. The God-man, God the Father’s Son! How full of truth! How full of grace! In Him God makes His glory known! Behold, my soul, the love of God! Come, sing His praise! His goodness tell! Let sinners ransomed by His blood Give praise to Christ – Immanuel!
Sunday Evening Services Cancelled
Being concerned for my health, many of you have asked me to consider cancelling our Sunday evening services until my current difficulties are resolved. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I am sure that for the present it would be wise for us to do that. So, until further notice, we will not have evening service on Sundays.
“The Very Hairs of Your Head Are All Numbered” Matthew 10:30
With these words our Lord Jesus Christ assures us that none of God’s elect shall ever be in any real danger or suffer any real harm, for we are under the special care and protection of God himself. I see six things in this sentence, which are a constant source of peace and encouragement to me.
1. The Blessed Fact of Divine Predestination
The text might be better translated “the very hairs of your head have all been numbered.” Before the world began, our heavenly Father counted up and ordained the number of hairs that were to be upon your head at this very moment! That is meticulous predestination. What does it tell us? God’s sovereign purpose of grace in predestination includes all that we do and experience.
2. A Comforting Assurance of Divine Providence
The primary intent of the text is to show us our Father’s constant rule of all things. The sparrow cannot fall to the ground, and a hair cannot fall from your head, without your Father’s eternal decree in predestination and his direction in providence.
3. Our Heavenly Father’s Divine Knowledge of All Things Concerning Us
Our God, who predestinated all things and rules all things, knows all things. We are so well known by God that he has even numbered the hairs of our heads. — “Your Father knoweth.” — We need no other comfort. The Lord’s knowledge of us is constant and entire. His knowledge of us is the knowledge of a tender, sympathetic Father.
4. Our Father’s Constant, Divine Care
He who takes the trouble to number the hairs of our heads must surely care for us. We are the apple of his eye. Cast all your care upon him. — “He careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). — “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 7:6).
5. The Honor and Divine Esteem God has for Us
God has numbered our hairs because he values them. He holds us in honor and esteem above all the people of the world because of his gracious purpose toward us in Christ (Isaiah 43:3-5; 1 John 4:9-11).
6. The Promise of Divine Protection
The hairs of our head are all numbered because our God intends that, “There shall not an hair of your head perish.” Trials are certain. Temptations are sure. Tribulations are constant in this world. But there is no cause for fear. — “The very hairs of your head are all numbered!”
“He Delighteth In Mercy” Micah 7:18
In Christ and for his sake, the God of glory delights in mercy. It is his glory and pleasure to be merciful. Mercy is never a mere wish or dormant desire in God to do something for miserable sinners. Oh, no! God’s mercy in Christ is ever active, operative, and effectual, gloriously effectual. Look at what Micah says God will do for sinners, because “he delighteth in mercy.”
Iniquity Pardoned
He will pardon iniquity, because “he delighteth in mercy.” He who is our God is the holy Lord God “that pardoneth iniquity.” The word “pardoneth” means that he lifts up sin and takes it away. He lifts sin up off of us and lays it upon Christ, the true Scapegoat, who takes it away.
That is exactly what happened at Calvary (Isaiah 53:6). This is the good news of the gospel. God says to every believing sinner, — “Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee” (Zechariah 3:4).
Transgression Passed By
The Lord God passes by the transgression of his elect, because “he delighteth in mercy.” There is an elect remnant among the fallen sons and daughters of Adam, chosen of God unto eternal life, whose sins were put away by the sacrifice of Christ, “a remnant according to the election of grace” (Romans 11:5). Having put away their transgression by the sacrifice of his Son, God passes by it, taking no notice of it, as if he did not see it, because he does not see it (Numbers 23:21). Therefore, he will never impute sin to his people, nor call them into account for it (Romans 4:8). Through the blood of Christ, it is covered, atoned, blotted out and washed away.
As C. H. Spurgeon put it, “Our sins are so effectually removed that we shall not ultimately suffer any loss or damage through having sinned.”
He who is our God forgives sin. His very name is forgiveness (Exodus 34:5-7). God forgives sin completely, absolutely, irreversibly, and forever, because he forgives it justly! God forgives sin upon the basis of justice satisfied. He forgives the sins of those for whom Christ died, because justice satisfied demands it (Romans 3:24-26).
Anger Not Retained
God will not retain his just anger against his people, because “he delighteth in mercy” (Isaiah 12:1-2). God’s anger, wrath, and justice, being fully satisfied in the sufferings and death of Christ, are turned away from his people. Where there is no offense, there is no cause for anger. Since God has put away our sins by the sacrifice of his dear Son, he has no reason to be angry with his people; and he never is!
The Grace Bulletin
December 15, 2019
Grace Baptist Church of Danville 2734 Old Stanford Road-Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438 Telephone (859) 576-3400 — 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
Web Pages http://www.DonFortner.com http://www.FreegraceRadio.com http://www.Grace-eBooks.com
Don Fortner
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Pastor Fortner’s
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