CALL TO WORSHIP

(Tune – Brethren, We Have Met – p. 15)

Glory, glory, I'm forgiven! All my sins are washed away:

Christ, by His great blood atonement, all my sin has put away.

Sin imputed to my Savior, for He died upon the tree;

As the Substitute for sinners, God will not impute to me.

Glory, glory, I'm accepted! Robed in Christ's own righteousness,

I'm a child, an heir of heaven, saved by God's almighty grace.

Christ's obedience to the Father is imputed now to me:

In God's sight I'm pure and holy, He declares me so to be.

Glory, glory, I'll not perish! In Christ's hands I am secure:

He who saved me, sure, will keep me; By God's grace I shall endure.

This is not a vain presumption; I just take Him at His Word:

He has sworn, "They shall not perish who believe on Me their Lord!"

TODAY’S SERVICES – Messages by Pastor Bill Parker

BIBLE CLASS – 10:00 a.m. –

WHO IS TRULY BLESSED OF GOD? – Matt. 5:1-13

MORNING WORSHIP – 11:00 a.m –

• OPENING – Psalm 103:20-22

• CALL TO WORSHIP (above)

• HYMN – Are You Washed in the Blood? – p. 208

• READING – Malachi 3:1-6

• MESSAGE – Am I a Son of Jacob? – Malachi 3:6

• CLOSING HYMN – Grace Greater Than Our Sin – p. 209

Birthdays: Kedrial Riggins – July 4^th | Mary James Fuller – July 8^th

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Rom. 8:1-2)

Let's remember to thank God for the freedom He has granted us to worship and live as He directs us in His Word according to the glorious Gospel of His grace in Christ. Many men and women have died for the freedom we enjoy. Many brethren in the past did not have such liberty and were persecuted even unto death for the Gospel. This should make us all thankful for every opportunity to worship and serve God. –Pastor Bill Parker

The believer is perfect in Christ, but in himself is a poor, feeble creature, ever liable to fall. Oh, the blessedness of having One who can manage all his affairs for him at the right hand of the Majesty in the Heavens: One who upholds him continually by the right hand of His righteousness: One who will never let him go: One who is able to save to the uttermost: One who is the same yesterday, today and forever: One who will bear him triumphantly through all the difficulties and dangers that surround him and finally, present him faultless before the presence of His Glory with exceeding joy. Blessed forever be the grace that has made such ample provision for all our sins in the blood of a spotless victim and the intercession of a Divine High Priest. –Pastor Scott Richardson

“GIVE ME LIBERTY, OR GIVE ME DEATH”

We all know these great words spoken by the patriot Patrick Henry. Henry was speaking of the liberty we enjoy as citizens of the United States of America. It is a blessing to be free citizens of this country, and we should never take it for granted. But there is a greater blessing and joy connected with being a free citizen of the eternal kingdom of God. And we should never take this freedom for granted. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1). The liberty we have in Christ is our justification before God by His grace based on Christ’s righteousness imputed to us. We cannot and will not be in bondage of condemnation and death. This liberty also includes our liberation through Christ by the Holy Spirit in the new birth where we were delivered from the darkness and deception of legal bondage which leads unto death and brought to faith in Christ (Rom. 6:17-18). In Christ, we are free to express our love and gratitude to God by honoring and serving Him. This is true life and freedom. –Pastor Bill Parker

GOD’S STANDARD AND WAY OF GOODNESS

Obedience, morality, sincerity, compassion, fairness, responsibility, are all characteristics of what the world calls “good” people. As we measure these traits by man’s standard, we know that they are found in many people, both believers and unbelievers. But when we measure them by God’s standard we find something much different – THERE IS NONE AS GOOD AS GOD! According to God’s Word and God’s standard of goodness and righteousness, at our best in any of these virtues, “there is none that doeth good, no, not one,” (Rom. 3:12); “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Eccl. 7:20).

Why is God’s standard so high? Is it because He is cruel, unreasonable, or that He simply likes to toy with His creatures? NO! His standard is so high BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS. It is His very nature as a holy, just, and righteous God. He cannot require anything less than perfection because He Himself is perfect (Matt. 5:48). Then does this leaves us as fallen, sinful, weak human beings without any hope of salvation? NO! God has provided HIS WAY OF SALVATION, His way of forgiveness, His way of righteousness for sinful people. It is the one and only way He is able to save sinners – BY HIS GRACE THROUGH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND BASED ON HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ESTABLISHED BY HIS OBEDIENCE UNTO DEATH AS THE SURETY AND SUBSTITUE OF HIS PEOPLE. It is CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS IMPUTED AND RECEIVED BY GOD-GIVEN FAITH IN HIM!