t                   oPastor John and wife Kathy  
 

 
 

Preaching God's Sovereign, Electing Grace   

 

RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

1 JOHN 2:1 

 

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

 

WELCOME TO RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH

 

“Sinners are welcome at this church. We are a local body of the Lord Jesus Christ. As you spend time with us, you’ll soon discover we’re an imperfect church, with an imperfect pastor, yet by God’s undeserved grace, we preach, believe, and know the perfect gospel of our never-failing Lord Jesus Christ. We call His name Jesus for He shall, (not might, not maybe) but shall save His people from their sins, and every sinner that trusts in Christ is complete in Him, saved

to the uttermost” HEBREWS 7:25                                           (copied)

 

 

SCHEDULED MEETINGS

 

      Sunday Morning Bible Study                      10:00 AM

      Sunday Morning Worship                           11:00 AM

      Friday Night Bible Study                                7:30 PM

 
 

 

OPENING HYMN               IT TOOK A MIRICAL                 PAGE  524

 

 
SCRIPTURE READING

PSALMS 94

 
WORSHIP HYMN             I AM THINE, OH LORD              PAGE 358

 
 

MESSAGE

 

 
CLOSING HYMN              I AM HIS AND HE IS MINE        PAGE 490

 
 

I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:  Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.  We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.  Psalm 78:2-4

 

“My doctrine”

 

2 Timothy 3:10

Here are three vital truths revealed in the Word of God.  I say that these truths are vital, because those who are in error, concerning these three truths have not yet learned the gospel.

1.    God will by no means clear the guilty.  He said that he would not in Exodus 34:7. ‘The soul that sinneth, it shall die’ (Ezekiel 18:20).  There is no means whereby a holy, righteous, just and true God can clear guilty men and women.  God demands holiness, absolute perfection.  Any deviation, in thought, word, or deed, from perfect holiness God will not accept.  A holy God must punish sin.  A just God cannot clear the guilty.  God will not clear the guilty upon the basis of their repentance.  God will not clear the guilty upon the basis of their sacrifices.  God will not clear the guilty upon the basis of their moral reformation.  Be sure you know and understand this truth.  A holy God cannot and will not clear the guilty.

2.    Now be sure that you understand this also: You are guilty (Romans 3:10-12; Romans 3:19; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12; Romans 5:18 - 19).   Every son of Adam, by nature, is guilty before God.  You are guilty.  You are guilty of Adam’s sin.  You are guilty of inward sin.  You are guilty of outward sin.  Judgment is passed.  God declares that you are guilty.  God will by no means clear the guilty; and you are guilty.

3.    Yet, there is hope because God has found a way to make the guilty not guilty. Through the substitutionary sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s own Son, in the place of sinners upon the cross, God makes the guilty not guilty. God made his Son to be sin for all who believe on him, imputing our sins to his Son. And God made every believer to be righteous, innocent, not guilty, imputing the righteousness of his Son to us. ‘He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him’ (2Cor. 5:21).  This is the vital truth of the gospel.”

                                                     Excerpt from Pastor Don Fortner’s

                                                   devotional book, “Grace For Today ”

 
 

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).”     (Ephesians 2:4-5).

“What an honor our Great Triune God has bestowed upon us in allowing us this great privilege of assembling together to worship Him.  Not only has He provided this church house where we meet, not only has He appointed our times of worship, He has given us a new heart that earnestly desires to be where His chosen, blood-bought children assemble.  Brethren, please don’t take this lightly.  Just look around you at all the worldly people in this area alone who have no time for God.  Their black, stony hearts seek after the things of this world and they will fulfill the lusts of the flesh any day of the week.  Why?  That’s where their treasure is, and that’s where their heart is (Mt. 6:21; 31 - 33).  Romans 8:7 tells us that “.. the carnal mind is enmity against God.”  In 1 John 2:15 we read: “.. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”  Worldly people don’t love God.  To the contrary, THEY HATE HIM!  And then there are those who faithfully attend religious services, many who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, who don’t have the foggiest idea who Jesus Christ is, nor His perfect work of redemption that saved His chosen people.  AND WE WERE JUST LIKE THEM until our Lord Jesus, in the Person of God the Holy Spirit, delivered us from the darkness our old unregenerate heart loved.  Once again, please don’t take this honor and this privilege of publicly worshipping our Great Triune God lightly.  If it wasn’t for His Sovereign Electing Grace that chose us in Christ, that redeemed us by Christ, and His sovereign, irresistible drawing power that brought us to Christ - WHERE WOULD WE BE?  Either living it up in worldly pleasure every time we have the opportunity, or sitting in some pagan congregation, bowing down to a god that doesn’t even exist.  Both are an abomination to our Lord Jesus Christ.  God’s enlightened children assemble together to worship God in spirit and in truth, and love to do so.  We lay these words to heart:  “Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb. 10:24 - 25).”       

                                                                                                     Gene Harmon

 
 

“If the Lord had not first loved me, I never should have loved Him;

and if there is any good thing in men whatsoever, it must have been

implanted there by the Holy Spirit. If salvation be of works, then I can

never have it; and if it be the reward of natural goodness, then I shall

never have it. I feel that it must be of grace, and of grace alone.”

                                                                                         C.H. SPURGEON

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

·        Join us for our FELLOWSHIP DINNER

·        Following our Dinner, we will have short message then come to the LORDS TABLE

 
Spiritual Blindness

 

  “It is not merely that the sinner cannot come to Christ, but he will not come to Christ that he may have life; it is not merely that he cannot see the truth, but that he loves darkness rather than light, and does not want to see. Sinners are not willing to see. The natural will itself is in bondage. It takes the divine will of God to overcome the wicked will of man by creating life where there was no life. This blindness is more than blindness of the natural eye.  It is blindness of heart, blindness of will, blindness of conscience, blindness of understanding, blindness of all things spiritual. You who are yet blind may raise your objections to my gospel, but you are as unqualified to express an opinion about something you have never seen as a blind man is to argue with you about the color of an object.”

                                                                                             Pastor Clay Curtis

 
 

One day soon, whether willingly or unwillingly, whether through physical death or the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are all going to leave this world.  At that time every mere earthly relationship and association will be severed and lost to us forever.  Will this be the end of all your treasures and pleasures, joys and dreams?  Dear soul, it will be unless you are NOW dying to this world and this world is NOW dying to you, and you are living on Christ and him crucified (Gal. 6:14).

                                                                                                            

To true believers, leaving this present, evil world is not looked upon as loss, but as a great, a precious, and an eternal gain (Phil. 1:21).  It is that “deliverance” which they have longed for (Rom. 7:24).  It will be the first time since they have known the Lord Jesus Christ, that One who washed them from their sins in His own blood (Rev. 1:5; 5:9), that they will be able to do that which they “would” (Rom. 7:15-25; Gal. 5:17), that which they desire.  They shall see Him, and know Him, and love Him, and worship Him perfectly; that is, without sin.  Now they shall dwell in that “better country,” that “heavenly country” (Heb. 11:8-16).  Now their faith is swallowed up in glorious sight.  Now they see Him as He is, and are made like Him (I John 3:1, 2).  Now they are “satisfied.” (Psalm 17:15).  All of God!  All of grace! All in and by and through the Lord Jesus Christ.

                                                                             Pastor Maurice Montgomery

The End is Greater than the Means

 

The ultimate end or goal of redemption is not the happiness, well-being, or even conversion of sinners, BUT THE GLORY OF GOD (Eph. 1:6,12,14). Man’s comfort and safety is not the supreme goal of God’s glorious gospel. The supreme goal of our gospel is the glory of God, the establishment of His rule and reign over a kingdom of peace and righteousness, the exaltation and manifestation of His character, and the preeminence of His beloved Son. Our salvation will serve that purpose (Phil. 2:6-11).

 

Everything in covenant mercies, in salvation, and in God’s purpose for the sons of men (past, present, and future) turns upon the will of God in Christ. This makes CHRIST THE PRINCIPAL FIGURE in our gospel, our goals, and our glory. But, if you have salvation and God’s purpose waiting upon the freewill of the creature, then MAN is the principal figure in your landscape and will lead you to compromise divine truth in order to win man’s approval.

 

The attitude that we must get men converted at any cost and compromise usually winds up costing the very character and truth of God, which is a price too high to pay. Conversions are never more important than truth. Truth is always more important than results. “Let God be true and every man a liar!”

                                            Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1987)
 

“Have you heard His calls?”

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice,

and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20) [Beloved] He knocks at the door of our heart. And how is this done? Oh! who shall count over, or sum up, all the love-calls of Christ. By His word, by His ordinances, by His means of grace, by afflictions, wants, sicknesses, sorrows, bereaving providences in our friends, the near prospect, as it should seem, of death to ourselves; the Lord knocks, and knocks again and again, and rings loud peals through all the chambers of our consciences; all which we totally disregard, hear, but turn from: neither can the Lord, by soothing or by threatening, by judgments or by mercies, have the least effect upon our stony hearts, until He himself put in His hand by the hole of the door, opened to His own entrance, and caused our [hearts] to be moved for Him. So said the Church of old! And so, blessed be God, I know (Song of Songs 5:2-4). Reader! what saith your heart to these things? Have you known JESUS at the door? Have you heard His calls? Hath He made you willing in the day of His power? (Psalm 110:3).                                   

                                                                                                      Robert Hawker

A few days ago I came across a card entitled, “Heaven’s Checklist.” I knew that it was left by someone who thought they were “witnessing for the Lord.”

 

The card had nine boxes to be checked thereby telling everyone that would stop and read that when these nine things were done, eternal life would be secure…they would be as sure for heaven as if they were already there. The nine boxes were as follows…“do good things, be baptized, go to church, keep the ten commandments, love others, give to charity, receive communion, say prayers and read the Bible”…but no mention of Christ…nothing concerning His work, His will, His pleasure, His Gospel, His purpose, His glory or His sovereignty.

 

The Gospel of Christ doesn’t set forth rules and regulations for men to heed and do…  “ Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5). The Scripture declares one glorious message to needy sinners, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John. 3:18). 

                                                                    Pastor Marvin Stalnaker
 

HE SHALL NOT FAIL

Beloved, rejoice, our God and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ

“shall save his people from their sins”…“He shall not fail!” (Matthew 1:21, Isaiah 42:4)                                        Pastor Joseph D Murphy
         

For the kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among the nations. Psalm 22: 28:

Think on this, brethren.  Our Substitute who put away our sin by the sacrifice of himself, our Advocate who ever lives to make intercession for us, our Judge who declares we are completely innocent of all guilt before his holy judgment seat, is also our Governor constantly governing with equity all our interest in this present evil world.  For each of his own, our Governor will execute judgment and do only what is best for us.  He will not deny his governing hand to those he has washed in his blood.  And that is not all.  “The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.” (Ps 9:9)  Who will enter this Stronghold?  “And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee” (Ps 9: 10).

                                                                                 Pastor Clay Curtis


SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2021

Rom 5:19-21 

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

 


WELCOME TO RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH

“Sinners are welcome at this church. We are a local body of the Lord Jesus Christ. As you spend time with us, you’ll soon discover we’re an imperfect church, with an imperfect pastor, yet by God’s undeserved grace, we preach, believe, and know the perfect gospel of our never-failing Lord Jesus Christ. We call His name Jesus for He shall, (not might, not maybe) but shall save His people from their sins, and every sinner that trusts in Christ is complete in Him, saved

to the uttermost” HEBREWS 7:25                                           (copied)

 

SCHEDULED MEETINGS

      Sunday Morning Bible Study                      10:00 AM

      Sunday Morning Worship                           11:00 AM

      Friday Night Bible Study                                7:30 PM

 

OPENING HYMN       WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDEROUS CROSS     PAGE 185

 

SCRIPTURE READING                 PSALMS 95

 
WORSHIP HYMN               CALVARY COVERS IT ALL                  PAGE 189

 
MESSAGE

 
CLOSING HYMN                        AMAZING GRACE                       PAGE 202

 
“Will worship and Christ worship cannot exist together. Either God’s will controls man’s will, or man’s will controls God’s will. Either God controls the devil, or the devil controls God.  Either God rules man, or man rules God.  God says, ‘I will do all my pleasure’; and all who know Him rejoice in knowing that it is so, saying, ‘It is the Lord: let Him do what seemeth Him good’.”

                                                                         Pastor Don Fortner

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

·       Sunday September 19th we will immediately come to the Lord’s Table following the morning message.

·       October 23rd and 24th Norm Wells will be our guest speaker
 

 “Salvation is the work of God for man; it is not the work of man for God.  Salvation is the bestowal and actual impartation of eternal life; it is not the beauties and artificial imitation of ethical living.  Salvation is the imputed righteousness of God; it is not the imperfect righteousness of man.  Salvation is according to the faithful calling of God; it is not according to the fitful carefulness of man.  Salvation is a divine reconciliation; it is not a human regulation.  Salvation is the canceling of all sin; it is not the cessation from some sin.  Salvation is being delivered from, and dead to, the Law; it is not delighting in, or doing, the Law. Salvation is divine regeneration; it is not human reformation. Salvation is being acceptable to God; it is not being exceptionally good.  Salvation is completeness in Christ; it is not competency in character.  Salvation is possessing every spiritual blessing; it is not professing any special betterment.  Salvation is always and only of God.  It is never of man.  It is the unsearchable riches of Christ.  It is to good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”                                                                  L. S. Chafer (1871 - 1952)
 

“Search the word; study the word; weigh the words of all preachers BY THE WORD OF GOD.  We must make a difference between God’s word and the words of men.  ‘Man’s words are a sound which flies into the air and soon vanishes.’  But the word of God is eternal; it is greater than heaven and earth; it is greater than life or death; for it is the power and wisdom of God!  It is ‘with the word of truth’ that He BEGETS us.  It is ‘through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth that God has chosen us to salvation’ (2 Thess. 2:13).  It is ‘by hearing the word’ that FAITH comes.  ‘COMFORT one another with these words’, saith the Lord.  If there is any one thing that would please God’s true preachers, it is that our hearers would ‘receive the word of God will all readiness of mind and SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES daily, whether those things were so’ (Acts 17:11).  Honor the words of God and honor the Lord’s Spirit, who gave them, by trusting Him to give you light and understanding.  We preach and teach, but only our Lord can enlighten the hearts of men.”

                                                                                        Pastor Henry Mahan


SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 2021

PSALMS 19:14 

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

 

WELCOME TO RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH

“Sinners are welcome at this church. We are a local body of the Lord Jesus Christ. As you spend time with us, you’ll soon discover we’re an imperfect church, with an imperfect pastor, yet by God’s undeserved grace, we preach, believe, and know the perfect gospel of our never-failing Lord Jesus Christ. We call His name Jesus for He shall, (not might, not maybe) but shall save His people from their sins, and every sinner that trusts in Christ is complete in Him, saved to the uttermost” HEBREWS 7:25                                           (copied)

 

SCHEDULED MEETINGS

Sunday Morning Bible Study                                                      10:00 AM

Sunday Morning Worship                                                           11:00 AM

Friday Night Bible Study                                                                7:30 PM

 ___________________________________________________________________________________

OPENING HYMN                     UNDER HIS WINGS                      PAGE 356

 
SCRIPTURE READING                   PSALMS 96

 
WORSHIP HYMN                    HE TOUCHED ME                         PAGE 504

 
MESSAGE

 
CLOSING HYMN                    THE SOILD ROCK                           PAGE 404

 
ANNOUNCEMENTS

 We will come to the LORD’S TABLE immediately following this morning’s message
 ________________________________________________________________________________________

THE SPIRIT OF FAITH

2 Corinthians 4:13

     “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken: we also believe and therefore speak.” What is it that causes a man to utter what he does? He speaks what he believes.  What a man says publicly is what he really believes. Anything he says he believes privately but does not disclose publicly, he really does not believe at all! A man that tells the truth publicly does not do so because he has the courage to do so regardless of the cost. A man tells the truth because he believes it to be the truth!  It is called, “The spirit of faith.”                        Todd Nibert

“No Condemnation” Case Dismissed

--Romans 8:1--

  “This is what God the Holy Spirit tells us about every believers relationship to the law.  It is important to remember that these words are found right in the middle of Paul’s arguments for godliness, right in the middle of his discourse on the believer’s sanctification in Christ.  This is the basis of and motive for all true godliness.  ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.’

    Because sin cannot be imputed to those whose sins were imputed to Christ (Rom. 4:8), because we are dead to the law (Rom. 7:4), because we died in the person of our great Surety and Substitute when he died for us, we are now and forever free from all possibility of condemnation.  I read a story a long time ago which illustrates Paul’s doctrine perfectly.

    Sam Houston led the battle that brought defeat to Santa Anna and his Mexican army at the battle of San Jacinto.  After Texas became a Republic with Sam Houston as it’s president, the law provided free land to any soldier who had fought alongside of Sam Houston at San Jacinto.

    On one occasion a man by the name of Knobby Horsham was accused of defrauding another farmer of some land.

    When the farmer who had accused Knobby of fraud appeared in court, he was surprised to find none other than President Sam Houston himself there to defend the accused.  Knobby was considered a man of ill repute.  Nine of the jurors seated were farmers who all had been defrauded by rascals like Knobby.

    Nevertheless, when the trial began, Judge Phinizy, asked Sam Houston if he had any witnesses. ‘Only one, your Honor’, Houston replied.

    Limping to the witness box, his right leg dragging from a serious wound sustained in the battle, Houston walked over to the defendant, and looked down on him as a loving father might look on a wayward son, despite the fact that Knobby Horsham was a known rogue who had wasted his life.

    As the courtroom sat in silent expectation, President Houston uttered only two sentences. ‘Knobby, you’ve heard the serious charges made against you.  Where were you on the afternoon of April 21, 1836?’

    Knobby Horsham looked up like a little child and whispered, ‘With you in the front-line at San Jacinto.’  ‘The defense rests’, Houston said, taking his seat. ‘Case dismissed’, Judge Phinizy cried.

    My brother, my sister, O believing sinners, we were there at Calvary with Christ when the horrible wrath of God fell on him. ‘There is therefore now, no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus …’  Case dismissed!”

                                                                                                    Pastor Don Fortner


SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

Matthew 25:34

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

 

WELCOME TO RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH 

“Sinners are welcome at this church. We are a local body of the Lord Jesus Christ. As you spend time with us, you’ll soon discover we’re an imperfect church, with an imperfect pastor, yet by God’s undeserved grace, we preach, believe, and know the perfect gospel of our never-failing Lord Jesus Christ. We call His name Jesus for He shall, (not might, not maybe) but shall save His people from their sins, and every sinner that trusts in Christ is complete in Him, saved

to the uttermost” HEBREWS 7:25                                           (copied)

  

SCHEDULED MEETINGS 

      Sunday Morning Bible Study                                     10:00 AM

      Sunday Morning Worship                                          11:00 AM

      Friday Night Bible Study                                               7:30 PM 
 

OPENING HYMN           SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM           PAGE 353

 
SCRIPTURE READING                     PSALMS 97

 
WORSHIP HYMN                         ROCK OF AGES                             PAGE 204

 
           MESSAGE

 
CLOSING HYMN      MY FAITH HAS FOUND A RESTING PLACE    PAGE 405

 
 

HIS GLORY Ephesians 1 v1-14

    The Glory of the Triune God is paramount in all things.  This Glory is magnified in the electing of a people by the Father in Christ. It is magnified in the saving of that people through the blood of Christ. And it is magnified in the revelation of our Savior, in our new hearts, through the Holy Spirit.

    When the child of God is finally brought home, we will forever sing praise to His Glory in perfection and for eternity.

                                                                                      Pastor Kevin Thacker

 

ANNOUNCEMENT

·        Next Sunday is our Fellowship Dinner & come to the Lord’s Table

·        Pastor Norm Wells will be preaching Oct. 23 & 24
 

The cross of the Lord is a wondrous mystery:  It is a token of shame but the believer’s great glory.  It is an instrument of death but the source of life to millions.  It is the symbol of Divine curse, but the means of God’s grace. It was instigated by man’s hatred of God but has worked a love for God in the heart of many a man.  It bears the insignia of failure, but is in truth, the greatest achievement of the Lord Jesus.  It was designed to put an end to the Lord’s message but became the very essence of all that the Lord preached.  It is a mass of contradictions to the natural mind but is pure simplicity to the people of God.                                                                                           Joe Terrell

OMNISCIENCE

When David spoke of God’s omniscience in Psalm 139, he concluded with; “such a knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.”

  Compare that to the explanation men give for Divine omniscience. They say he looks down through the portal of time and sees who will choose him. That is not our God. That is nothing more than a Seer looking into a crystal ball. No, our God created time. He exists completely within Himself, outside of time. He has ordained everything in time to accomplish his sovereign purpose. “I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.” Eccl. 3:14-15     Pastor Greg Elmquist                                                                                                                                                        
 PERSEVERANCE

            Perseverance is not continuing to be religious all the way to the end.  Many do that and wake up in hell after death.  Perseverance is continuing to look to Christ only as All in salvation. It is the one who endures to the end looking to Christ that shall be saved.                              Todd Nibert