CENTRAL BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Central Grace Church

3596 Franklin Street . Rocky Mount, Virginia

September 25^th, 2016

9:30 am ------------------------------------------------------Coming To The Light – John 3:18-21

10:00 am ---- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- --- Confessing Christ – John 3:22-36

Nursery Today: Second Service -- Mary P. , Alt. -- Wendy

Lawn Mowing: This week: Wesley , Next Week: Rick Kess

Birthdays: September: 25^th -- Janine Kess

Cleaning: This Week: Hudsons , Next Week: Hollands

The Knowledge and Study of Jesus Christ – by John Flavel, English preacher, 1627-1691

The knowledge of Christ is profound and large; all other sciences are but shadows; this is a boundless, bottomless ocean; no creature hath a line so long enough to fathom the depth of it; there is height, length, depth and breadth ascribed to it (Eph.3:14), yea, it passeth knowledge. There is a “manifold wisdom of God in Christ” (Eph.3:10). It is of many sorts and forms, of many folds and plates: it is indeed simple, pure and unmixed with anything but itself, yet it is manifold in degrees, kinds and administrations; though something of Christ be unfolded in one age, and something in another, yet eternity itself cannot fully unfold Him. Luther said, “I see something which blessed Augustine saw not; and those who come after me, will see that which I see not.” It is in the studying of Christ, as in planting of a new discovered country; at first men sit down by the sea-side, upon the skirts and borders of the land; and there they dwell, but by degrees they search farther and farther into the heart of the country. Ah, the best of us are but upon the borders of this vast continent!

The study of Jesus Christ is the most noble subject that ever a soul spent itself upon; those that rack and torture their brains upon other studies, like children, weary themselves at a low game; the eagle plays at the sun itself. The angels study this doctrine (Christ), and stoop down to look into this deep abyss. What are the truths discovered in Christ, but the very secrets that from eternity lay hid in the bosom of God? (Eph.3:8-9). God’s heart is opened to men in Christ (John 1:18), this makes the Gospel such a glorious dispensation, because Christ is so gloriously revealed therein (1 Cor.3:9), and the studying of Christ in the Gospel, stamps such a heavenly glory upon the contemplating soul.

The Old Man in a Believer

God has left in all His children the old man, to remind us of our base origin, to hide pride from our eyes, to exclude boasting form our lips, and to keep us from putting any confidence in the flesh. It is to exercise our grace, especially patience; to make us watchful, to make us sensible of the depth of man’s fall, and finally, to exalt the grace of God; to make us sick of self, and sick of the world, sick of sin, and to teach us to prize Christ the Great Physician, and to make us long for that perfect rest which remaineth to the people of God. – William Huntington 1745-1813

F “In order that the real character of a pilgrim should be portrayed, the Holy Ghost employed neither an Oxford or Cambridge man to write it, but in the exercise of sovereignty, found a POOR TINKER . . . gave him a lively imagination . . a blessed participation . . . sent him to prison to study, in preference to a university.”

-- J.C. Philpot, speaking of John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim’s Progress

A servant of God has to “reprove, rebuke, exhort,” but then it must be “with all long-suffering and doctrine;” that is, patient, experimental, gracious teaching (2 Tim.4:2). He is bidden to “exhort and rebuke with all authority” (Titus 2:15). But, to do this, he must have a strong place in the esteem and affection of the people, and his ministry must be commended to their conscience as attended with unction and power from above. His life and conduct, too, must be consistent with his profession, and he must practice what he preaches, or the people may well say, “Physician, heal thyself.” The true pattern of exhortation is given us by the blessed apostle: “For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile. But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts” (1 Thess. 2:3-4). And again: “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children. So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us” (1 Thess.2:7-8). – J.C. Philpot