Central Grace Church

3596 Franklin Street . Rocky Mount, Virginia

May 29 th, 2016

9:30 am_______________ Things Which Become Sound Doctrine – Titus 2:1-7

10:00 am _______________ In Such An Hour As Ye Think Not – Matthew 24:44

The Lord willing, brother Gabe Stalnaker will be preaching for us Wednesday night

Nursery Today: Second Service: Debra H. , Alt. -- Irene D.

Cleaning Schedule: This week - Hollands , Next Week: Mahans

Birthdays: May: 29th -- Jeanette Berry, June: 2nd – Charles Hudson

“To Die Is Gain” -- Philippians 1:21

Children of God, don’t be afraid of death and don’t weep for those who have died in the Lord. For us, to die is gain. Death will bring us into the presence of many friends. Death takes the wife from the husband, the child from its mother, the father from his family, but we cheer ourselves with the prospect of glorious reunion (I Thess.4:13-18). It is true, above all else, we shall see Christ and be with him, but it is also promised that we shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Yes, we shall know one another in heaven.

Death will bring an answer to our prayers. How often have you prayed that you might be delivered from your trials, temptations and troubles? We shall be delivered from them then. God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes. How often have you prayed that you might be freed from sin? When this body is in the grave, There shall be no more sin. Many, many times you have prayed that you might be more like Christ, in love, in purity, in conduct. When we have laid aside this robe of flesh, we shall awake in his likeness. We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

But most of all, To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. This is our chief concern. This is our noblest ambition. This is the happiness and glory of heaven. This is heaven! We shall be with Christ, for ever with the Lord! -- Don Fortner

A Comfortable Way to Live and Die

Martin Luther (1483-1546), the German reformer, had been taught that if he was faithful enough and committed enough, he would reach the point in his life that he would be without the knowledge of sin. He almost went mad trying to reach such a state of mind. Here is what he said about such teaching and those who taught it; “They constrain men to work well so long, until they should feel in themselves no sin at all. Whereby they gave occasion to many (striving with all their endeavors to be perfectly righteous) to become stark mad: Yes, an infinite number of those who were the authors of this devilish opinion, at the hour of death were driven to desperation: which thing had happened to me also, if Christ had not mercifully looked upon me, and delivered me out of this error. Contrariwise, we teach and comfort the afflicted sinner after this manner: Brother, it is not possible for you to become so righteous in this life, that you should feel no sin at all, that your body should be clean like the sun, without spot or blemish: but you have yet wrinkles and spots, and yet you are holy notwithstanding. But you will say: How can I be holy when I have and feel sin in me? I answer: The fact that you feel and acknowledge your sin is a good token: give thanks to God, and despair not. It is one step to health when the sick man acknowledges and confesses his infirmity. But how shall I be delivered from sin? Run to Christ, the physician, who heals those that are broken in heart, and saves sinners. If you believe, you are righteous, because you give glory to God, that He is almighty, merciful, true, etc. You Justify and praise God. You yield unto Him His divinity, and whatsoever else that belongs to Him: and the sin which remains in you is not laid to your change, but is pardoned for Christ’s sake, in whom you believe, who is perfectly just: Whose righteousness is your righteousness, and your sin He took upon Himself.” This is comfort indeed to a conscience that is afflicted with the knowledge of sin. It is rest for those who have worn themselves out struggling against the knowledge of their indwelling corruptions. “Learn of me,” Christ said. Learn what? ‘That I am your sin bearer, the atonement for your sins, your righteousness, your acceptance with my Father etc., “And you shall find rest for you soul.” Brothers and sisters, I don’t know of a more comfortable way to live, and I sure don’t know of a more comfortable way to die. -- Bruce Crabtree