{"id":2739,"date":"2014-01-11T11:21:19","date_gmt":"2014-01-11T11:21:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=2739"},"modified":"2014-01-11T11:21:19","modified_gmt":"2014-01-11T11:21:19","slug":"bulletin-edition-196-january-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=2739","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Edition #196 January 2014"},"content":{"rendered":"

The chief among ten thousand, the altogether lovely One!<\/strong>
\n
\n(by Octavius Winslow)
\n<\/em>
\nWith what pen, dipped though it were in heaven’s brightest hues, can we portray the image of Jesus? The perfection of our Lord was the perfection of holiness. His Deity, essential holiness; His humanity without sin, the impersonation of holiness. All that He was, said, and did, was as flashes of holiness emanating from the fountain of essential purity, and kindling their dazzling and undying radiance around each step He trod. How lowly, too, His
\ncharacter! How holy the thoughts He breathed, how pure the words He spoke, how humble the spirit He exemplified, how tender and sympathizing the outgoings of His compassion and love to man. He is “the chief among ten thousand, the altogether lovely one!<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

The best evidence of Christianity<\/strong>
\n
\n<\/strong>Jesus is “the chief among ten thousand, the altogether lovely one.”<\/p>\n

Christ the Chiefest, or better than the rest.
\nHis love is unknowable. (Eph 3:19).
\n<\/strong>His riches are unsearchable. (Eph 3:18).
\nHis joy is unspeakable. (1 Pet 1:8).
\nHis ways are untrackable. (Rom 11:33).
\nHis grace is inexhaustible. (2 Cor 9:8).
\nHis peace is unfathomable. (Phil 4:7).
\nAnd He Himself is unsurpassable. (Ex. 15:11).<\/p>\n

His character was beautiful with holiness in every detail. (Heb 7:26).
\nHis love was pure and faithful in all its affection. (Jn 13:1).
\nHis service was true and beneficent in all its workings. (Acts 10:38).
\nHis words were tender and true in all their utterances. (Jn 7:45).
\nHis life was consistent in every department. (Mt. 27:24; Acts 2:22).
\nHis aim was single and concentrated in glorifying God. (Jn 17:4).
\nHis mission was to benefit all who would have Him in dying a death
\nwhich they deserved. (2 Cor. 8:9)<\/p>\n

Christ is Christianity, and the best evidence of Christianity<\/strong> is Christ.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Jesus is “the chief among ten thousand, the altogether lovely one.”<\/p>\n

Believers are not soon satisfied in expressing Christ’s worth. Christ, and all that is in Him, is as refreshing as a box that is full of the most precious perfume. Christ
\nis well stored with grace; it is poured into His lips.<\/p>\n

This fragrance of Christ’s graces is not felt by everyone. The box of His perfumes is not open to all, but only to those who believe; for to them He is precious, and
\neverything that is in Him is most cordial and fragrant to the believer. “Yes, He is<\/strong> very precious<\/strong> to you who believe!” 1 Peter 2:7<\/p>\n

The more Christ and His worth is known, it will fragrance the better, and be the more refreshing; for it is His name which is this perfume. Christ, in His excellent worth, is
\nunknown to the world. They do not inquire into this fragrant name. But if He were once known, they would find in Him, that which would make them give over their
\nother unprofitable pursuits, and pant after Him!<\/p>\n

“My Lover is radiant and dazzling, better than ten\u00a0thousand others!” Song of Solomon 5:10<\/p>\n

“His mouth is sweetness itself! He is altogether lovely!<\/strong> This is my Lover, this my Friend!” Song of Solomon 5:16\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0James Durham, \u201cThe song of Solomon\u201d<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Precious Wounds!
\n<\/em><\/strong>
\nBy Spurgeon<\/em><\/p>\n

“I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne… stood a Lamb, as though it had been SLAIN.” Rev. 5:6<\/p>\n

Why should our exalted Savior appear in heaven with His wounds?
\n
\nThe wounds of Jesus are His glories,\u00a0 His jewels, His sacred ornaments!<\/strong><\/p>\n

To the eye of the believer, Jesus is more than beautiful because He is “white and ruddy” (Song of Solomon 5:10)–
\nHe is white with innocence, and ruddy with His own blood.<\/p>\n

We see Him as the ‘Lily’ of matchless purity and as the ‘Rose’ crimsoned with His own blood.<\/p>\n

Christ never was so matchless as when he hung on the cross! There we behold all His beauties in perfection.<\/p>\n

The wounds of Jesus are far more beautiful than all the splendor and pomp of kings.<\/p>\n

Jesus appears as the ‘Slain Lamb’ who sought our souls and redeemed them by His complete atonement.<\/p>\n

His wounds are the trophies of His love and of His victory.<\/p>\n

He has redeemed for Himself a great multitude which no one can number– His scars are the memorials of the fight.<\/p>\n

If there were not an audible word, those wounds are the mouths which speak of His love!<\/p>\n

The most eloquent mouths that ever spoke are the wounds of Christ! Listen! Listen!
\nEvery drop of blood says, “Peace!”
\nEvery wound says, “Pardon! Life, eternal life!”<\/p>\n

Altogether lovely!
\n<\/em><\/strong>
\nFrom Spurgeon’s sermon, “THE BEST BELOVED”<\/em><\/p>\n

No words can ever express the gratitude we owe to Him who loved us even when we were dead in trespasses and sins.<\/p>\n

The love of Jesus is unutterably precious, and worthy of daily praise.
\nNo songs can ever fitly celebrate the triumphs of that salvation which he wrought single-handed on our behalf.<\/p>\n

The work of Jesus is glorious beyond all comparison, and all the harps of angels fall short of its worthy honor.<\/p>\n

We prize his bounty to us, but we worship HIM.<\/p>\n

His gifts are valued, but he himself is adored.<\/p>\n

While we contemplate, with mingled feelings of awe, admiration, and thankfulness, his atonement, his resurrection, his glory in heaven, and his second coming, still it is Christ
\nhimself, stupendous in his dignity as the Son of God, and superbly beautiful as the Son of man, who sheds an incomparable charm on all those wonderful achievements, wherein his might and his merit, his goodness and his grace appear so conspicuous.<\/p>\n

For HIM let our choicest spices be reserved, and to HIM let our sweetest anthems be raised.<\/p>\n

Our choicest ointment must be poured upon his head, and for his own self alone our most costly alabaster boxes must be broken.<\/p>\n

“He is altogether lovely<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n

Not only is his teaching attractive, his doctrine persuasive, his life irreproachable, his character enchanting, and his work \u00a0a self-denying labor for the common good of all his people, but he himself is altogether lovely.<\/p>\n

Do not look for anything lovely outside of Jesus, for he has all the loveliness.<\/p>\n

All perfections are in him making up one consummate perfection; and all the loveliness which is to be seen elsewhere is but a reflection of his own unrivalled charms.<\/p>\n

Jesus is the monopolizer of all loveliness.
\nHe is the engrosser of all that is admirable in the entire universe.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

ALTOGETHER LOVELY.<\/p>\n

<\/strong>While there are those who say yet, \u201cthere is no beauty in Him that we should desire Him,\u201d this lovely One\u2019s beauty is not in the eye of the beholder, as the saying goes. The glorious beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ is not a matter of opinion or mere prospective. His beauty and loveliness are inherent and undeniable. Those who cannot see His comeliness, simply cannot see. Those whose eyes He makes to see, say with John, and we beheld His glory.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chris Cunningham<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Of God is Christ Jesus made unto Us Sanctification<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sanctification is holiness. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. The Lord Jesus told the thief on the cross he would be with him that day in glory. But the thief had his hands and his feet nailed to the cross? Holiness is not in the hands and the feet but in Christ. The Spirit of Christ in the believer makes us one in Christ so that we are no more in the flesh but in the Spirit; though our bodies are yet flesh (Romans 8: 8-10.) This takes away the self-sanctifiers boasting in himself and in what he constrains others to do (Gal 6: 13.) But when of God Christ is made unto us Sanctification then the believer is made a new creation so that we glory only in the Lord (Gal 6: 14-15.) Nothing mortifies the lusts of our flesh, like this glorious good news, in Christ every believer is a saint as fit right now to enter into God\u2019s presence as those saints already there (Col 1: 12.) — Clay Curtis<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

God\u2019s Glory<\/strong><\/p>\n

The whole scheme of works salvation is totally dependent upon man and looks\u00a0 inward for all hope, happiness, help, and holiness; making man the principle\u00a0 object of worship, preeminence and glory.<\/p>\n

But, the whole scheme of God\u2019s salvation is dependent upon Jesus Christ, the\u00a0 appointed Mediator and Substitute for sinners. This scheme of salvation\u00a0 looks Godward for all hope, happiness, help, and holiness; making Jesus\u00a0 Christ the principle object of all worship, preeminence and glory. \u201cGod\u00a0 forbid that I should glory save in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ.\u201d The grand design of God\u2019s salvation is the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 17:4-5; 1 Cor. 1:30-31).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tom Harding<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The chief among ten thousand, the altogether lovely One! (by Octavius Winslow) With what pen, dipped though it were in heaven’s brightest hues, can we portray the image of Jesus? The perfection of our Lord was the perfection of holiness. His Deity, essential holiness; His humanity without sin, the impersonation of holiness. All that He […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2739","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bulletin-editions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2739","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2739"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2739\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2741,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2739\/revisions\/2741"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2739"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2739"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2739"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}