Central Grace Church
3596 Franklin Street Rocky Mount, Virginia
Website: www.centralgracechurch.com Email: [email protected]
July 30th 2023
9:30 am --------------------------------------------Unleavened Bread – Exodus 12:15-24
10:00 am --------------------------------------------Peace Be Unto You – John 20:19-24
Wednesday: 7:00 pm
No Sovereign, No Rule, No Right, No Wrong -- "In those days there was no king in Israel:
every man did that which was right in his own eyes." -- Judges 21:25
This scripture clearly describes the day in which we live. These days there is no absolute Sovereign God being preached; no Creator, no Owner, no Judge; no Lawgiver, no law, no Lord on the throne; no fear of God; so there is no right nor wrong, no sin, no punishment for sin . . . everyone is free to do anything they like. Blame it on the pulpit. Blame our sick society on the many false preachers who have told everyone for so long now how much God loves them all, no matter who they are or what they are doing; no matter if they live like hell and hate God in Heaven . . . he loves you anyway (they say). So men and women believe these liars and live as they please, with no fear of God, and no fear of any consequences for sin. O' the dreadful realization, the great and terrible surprise people shall have when they face the true and living God; the God of the Bible; the Holy and Righteous Lord and King of the universe…Who loveth righteousness, hates sin and will punish it.
O’ may the Lord unite our hearts to fear His Name, and call upon Him to have mercy upon us all. And may we NOT fear to condemn the world and sin, warn our fellows, and urge them to call upon the Lord for mercy.
Obedience (to God’s Word) is the safeguard against the snare of the enemy. We cannot reason on what we see, we must deny what we hear. Reason is no guide for the people of God. We must be absolutely and completely guided and governed by the Word of God. -- Scott Richardson
Why Does God Expose The Sins Of His People?
The Word of God is filled with story after story of the sins of His chosen people. The Lord does not cover but rather exposes some of the worst sins of the best of men; men like Abraham, Lot, Isaac, Jacob, Samson, David, Solomon and others. Why? Why did the Lord write down their sins for all to read for all time?
The Lord certainly did not expose the sins of His people in order for us to say: “Aha, aha . . . they’re getting what they deserve.” That is what the enemy says. He certainly did not expose them for us to censure them, or look down upon them, or even think less of them. Let me give a few biblical reasons why the Lord made public some of the terrible sins of His people.
1. To show His great mercy. – Forgiving all manner of sin and iniquity. The Lord is of such great mercy that He forgives the greatest of sins. The cross of Christ is ultimate proof.
2. To show that the best of men are men at best. – Vanity of vanities, all flesh is vanity. That was penned by Solomon, the wisest man to live, yet he himself (even in his old age), committed terrible sins against the Lord. We should not think more highly of men than we ought, but should at least esteem them better than ourselves.
3. To show us what we are capable of. - If great men such as Abraham, David, Solomon and Peter, did what they did, where does that leave me? Same place it left them . . . in the hands of God. Even the best of men are liable to do the worst, but for the restraining grace and power of God. When the Lord left Simon Peter to himself, in just a few hours he went from a bold and courageous defender of the Lord, to a cursing coward. What about us?
4. To teach us to take heed lest we fall. - The things that were written aforetime were written for our learning . . .” We should carefully and prayerfully read and heed the lesson to be learned from the sins of others; the terrible consequences their sins brought upon them and us, if we repeat their sins.
5. To show us how God brings about great good, even out of great evil. – The greatest sin of all is a sin committed by all; “You with wicked hands have taken and crucified the Lord of glory.” Man’s greatest sin revealed God’s greatest goodness. . . His mercy, love and grace to such vile and evil creatures, in sending His Son to die for some, yea many!
Thank God for His Word which, though it exposes men’s sins, yet it reveals His great goodness, grace and glory.