CALL TO WORSHIP
(Tune – I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord – p. 188)

Prepare me, gracious God
To stand before Thy face;
Thy Spirit must the work perform,
For it is all of grace.

In Christ’s obedience clothe,
And wash me in His blood;
So shall I lift my head with joy
Among the sons of God.

Do Thou my sins remove,
Thy sovereign love make known;
The spirit of my mind renew,
And save me in Thy Son.

Let me attest Thy power,
Let me Thy goodness move,
Till my full soul can hold no more
Of everlasting love.

Today: Bible Classes – 10:00 a.m.; Morning Worship – 11:00 a.m.
Messages by Pastor Bill Parker

Television Broadcast: Reign of Grace Television
Sunday morning on WALB-TV @ 9 AM.

Live Streaming – 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. – Sermon Audio web site

Web Sites: Reign of Grace: www.rofgrace.com
Sermon Audio: www.Sermonaudio.com\reignofgrace

Birthdays: Banks Margeson – Sept. 6^th | Bill Parker – Sept. 7^th
Patrick Flynn – Sept. 7^th

Hymns for service: How Firm A Foundation – p. 268
Majestic Sweetness – p. 52

After the service this morning, Nathan and I are leaving for Ashland, KY. The Lord willing, I will be preaching this Wednesday (9/7) at 13^th Street Baptist Church for Pastor Jim Byrd. Debbie, Nathan, and I will return at the end of the week. – The Pastor

“IT IS FINISHED!” – John 19:30

Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. There is something very striking in this loud voice of Jesus. Not like one exhausted; not as one dispirited; but as a conqueror in the field of battle, retreating with His spoils. Jesus cried aloud, that all on earth, and all in heaven, and all in hell, might hear, “It is finished!” What is finished? Redemption-work is finished. And from that moment the empire of sin, death, hell, and the grave were vanquished…and that song was sung in heaven… “Thou was slain, and hast redeemed us to God by the blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Revelation 5:9). – Robert Hawker 1753-1827

Now then, there is but one thing with which Almighty God is satisfied – entirely satisfied – and that is THE PERSON AND WORK OF HIS SON! It is with Christ that we must be satisfied, not with ourselves, nor anything about us! When we cease from ALL our labors, and ALL our righteousness, and ENTER INTO HIS REST, pardon and peace will come without delay. – Horatius Bonar

Listen to how the prophet Daniel was led of the Holy Spirit to describe the blessed and glorious work Christ, the promised Messiah – “Seventy weeks are determined upon Thy people and upon Thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24).

“IF WE HOLD FAST”

But Christ as a Son over His own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (Hebrews 3:6)

To “hold fast” is a true believer persevering (continuing, abiding) in the faith of God’s elect with the assurance of salvation and eternal glory that comes to sinners saved by grace through the Lord Jesus Christ and based on the merits of His righteousness alone. It is another way of describing the true believer’s life of faith in “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2), and holding “fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;)” (Heb. 10:23). The point is that all who are faithful to Christ give evidence of being true members of His household (spiritual family). All who profess to believe in Christ but who do not “hold fast”(remain faithful and persevere), but who apostatize (fall away) from Christ give evidence of never truly having been members of His household. We who by the power and grace of God truly believe in Christ have this assurance from Him – that if we remain faithful, we will not be forsaken no matter what goes on in this world.

But one thing we need to keep in mind is that if we do “hold fast” we must attribute this perseverance to the mercy, grace, and power of God in Christ and His promise to save and keep us – “FOR HE IS FAITHFUL THAT PROMISED.” We have no reasons or grounds to be proud, boastful, or to glory in ourselves, as if to say we made the difference, or that we rose above those who failed to “hold fast.” The only reason any sinner saved by grace holds firm in the faith without totally falling away is because God Almighty (the God of all grace) holds him and will not let him go – “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29). Our perseverance in the hope we have in Christ is due only unto God’s sovereign preserving grace, along with HIS faithfulness to accomplish for us what He has promise us in the Lord Jesus Christ – “For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Cor. 1:20).