CALL TO WORSHIP

(Tune: “Come Thou Fount”)

Glory to the Holy Father,

Fountain of eternal love,

Who, His wand’ring sheep to gather,

Sent the Savior from above.

Glory to the Son be given,

Who with love unknown before,

Left the bright abode of heaven,

And our sins and sorrows bore.

Glory to the Holy Spirit,

Let His praise our tongues employ,

Author of all saving graces,

Source of wisdom, peace, and joy.

Praise the God of our salvation,

Hosts on high His pow’r proclaim;

Heav’n and earth and all creation,

Laud and magnify His name!

Today’s Speaker: Brother Jim Casey will conduct the 11:00 am service today. Pray for him as he delivers God’s word.

Television Broadcast: Our Reign of Grace Television program is being broadcast on WFXL Fox 31, Channel 4. The program will air every Sunday morning at 11 AM.

Radio Broadcast: Sunday morning at 9:30am on 98.7 FM –WISK. To hear sermons on your computer click on www.americusradio.com

Web Sites: Visit our newly designed web site at: www.rofgrace.com

Also visit us at: www.Sermonaudio.com\reignofgrace

Birthdays: Mason Flynn – May 16^th. - Nicki Jones – May 18^th.

Spiritually Kin to Onesimus?

I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: ¹¹Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: Philemon 10-11

They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Romans 3:12

From Paul’s letter to Philemon we learn of how Onesimus, Philemon’s former servant, had become indebted to Philemon, having apparently robbed or embezzled goods from his master before fleeing to Rome where, by God’s providence, he heard and embraced the Gospel of God’s Grace under Paul’s preaching. Onesimus the thief had certainly been unprofitable to Philemon. It’s interesting to note that spiritually speaking, God declares that all men and women without exception are akin to Onesimus in this sense: We all begin our life’s journey as “unprofitable” sinners. But while all resemble Onesimus, the runaway, unprofitable thief, only those who are brought to recognize their kinship to that Onesimus, (the unworthy sinner with nothing to offer) are granted a sense of their desperate need for Christ as the elect sinner’s Substitute and Surety. So unless or until you’ve been convinced of your kinship to Onesimus, the unprofitable, unworthy, spiritually bankrupt sinner, you would be tragically mistaken to consider yourself as spiritually kin to Onesimus, the born again believer and spiritual brother of Paul and Philemon, all the other blessed objects of God’s mercy and grace in Christ.

--- Randy Wages

“And of HIS fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” John 1:16

O say with a melting heart that I have a full Christ, and He is filled for me. I have His pure and perfect righteousness to justify me, His holiness to sanctify me, His wisdom to guide me, His comforts to refresh me, His power to protect me, and His all-sufficiency to supply me. O be cheerful, be thankful; you have all your hearts can wish. And yet be humble; it is all from free grace to empty and unworthy creatures.

--- John Flavel

CHRIST MUST HAVE THE PREEMINENCE

“And HE is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things HE might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18). “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).The Lord Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior of sinners. He is the one and only Mediator between God and men. It is the work of God the Holy Spirit to apply the life of Christ to His people and to point them to Christ for all salvation, righteousness, eternal life, and glory. The Holy Spirit in the new birth imparts spiritual life and knowledge to bring God’s elect to faith in Christ, repentance of dead works, and love to Christ and the brethren. He imparts the power of grace to motivate and drive all whom He regenerates to perseverance in the faith and obedience to God, the obedience of faith and love. One of the most subtle heresies Satan has ever propagated in the realm of false Christianity is to make the work of the Holy Spirit within us in the new birth to rival or eclipse the work of Christ on the cross for us. Both of these great works of God’s grace are necessary in the salvation of a sinner. But it is Christ Himself and His great work for us on the cross that must have the preeminence as the one and only ground and cause of salvation. This is the testimony of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit within us in the new birth is the fruit and result of the work of Christ for us on the cross (John 12:32-33; 16:7-11). The Holy Spirit gives and applies spiritual life from the Son who is our life. It is His great, powerful, miraculous, and sovereign work to give Christ the preeminence in our hearts. This does not take away from, deny, or even diminish the glory of the Father and the Spirit in our salvation. When the Lord Jesus Christ has the preeminence, the whole Godhead is glorified, “For in Him [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9).