{"id":6505,"date":"2023-12-29T06:07:27","date_gmt":"2023-12-29T06:07:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6505"},"modified":"2023-12-29T06:07:27","modified_gmt":"2023-12-29T06:07:27","slug":"bulletin-edition-december-2023-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6505","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Edition December 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Christ\n– God\u2019s Salvation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luke 2:30<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our\nonly hope of salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is in him alone, in\nhim completely, and in him only. In fact, he is God’s salvation (Lk. 2:30). We\ncannot be saved without him; and we cannot be saved if we try to mix our own\nworks, feelings, emotions, or experiences with faith in him. The Lord Jesus\nChrist is able to save us from the guilt of sin, the power of sin, and all the\nconsequences of sin (Heb. 7:25). He is all-sufficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His\nname is called “Jesus”,<\/em> because “he\nshall save his people from their sins” <\/em><\/strong>(Matt.\n1:21). He is the only one who has power in himself to forgive sin (Matt. 9:6).\nHe is exalted “to give repentance and remission of\nsins” <\/em>(Lk. 24:47; Acts 5:31). The Lord God found a ransom for\nsinners in his own dear Son (Job 33:24), and purposed to save his people by the\nsacrificial death of his Son as their Substitute from eternity (Acts 2:23). In\nthe fullness of time, the Son of God became a man to accomplish the salvation\nof chosen sinners (Gal. 4:4-5). “Being found in fashion as a man,\nhe became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” <\/em>(Phil.\n2:8). Thus, by the sacrifice of himself according to the will of God, the Lord\nJesus Christ put away all the sins of his people, obtained eternal redemption\nfor them, and established the only grounds upon which God can be both just and\nthe Justifier of all who believe (Heb. 1:3; 9:12, 26; 10:1-14; Rom. 3:24-26).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\nis no other possible way of salvation. <\/strong>God’s own beloved Son\nwould never have been crucified to redeem and save us if salvation could have\nbeen obtained in any other way. Indeed, the apostle Paul reasons that if we\ncould have been saved in some other way “then Christ is dead in\nvain” <\/em>(Gal. 2:21). Infinite wisdom found a way to save us.\nInfinite grace provided the great sacrifice. Infinite love brought the Son of\nGod to lay down his life for his people. Why? Because there was no other way\nfor God to both satisfy his justice in the punishment of sin and forgive his\npeople of all their sins. Christ alone must be our Savior. “Neither\nis there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven\ngiven among men, whereby we must be saved” <\/em>(Acts 4:12).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nonly way you can obtain God’s salvation is by faith in the Lord Jesus\nChrist. <\/strong>If you believe on Christ, you may be confident that your sins\nare forgiven by his blood and that God looks upon you as being perfectly\nrighteous, because God appointed this way of salvation; and he has promised to\nsave all who trust his dear Son (Rom. 10:9-13). Indeed, if you now trust the\nSon of God, it is because you are already born of God and have everlasting life\n(John 3:36). If you are yet without faith in Christ, the wrath of God abides\nupon you. May God grant you life and faith in his dear Son, according to the\nexceeding riches of his grace to perishing sinners, for Christ\u2019s sake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don Fortner<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“He Shall Be\nGreat”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luke 1:32<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the angel of God\nannounced to Mary that she had been chosen and favoured of God to be the woman\nthrough whose womb the Son of God would come into the world, he said, \u201cBehold,\nthou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call his name\nJESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the\nLord God shall give unto him the throne of his Father David: And he shall reign\nover the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end<\/em>.\u201d\nThe angel’s prophecy has come to pass. The Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, truly\nis great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In His Person<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christ is great in his\nmagnificent person. Here is God and man in one person, fully God and fully man,\nyet completely one! There is none like him. He is the great God, the great Man,\nthe great King, the great Mediator between God and man, our Great High Priest,\nand our great Savior. God took man into union with himself in Christ, because\nthere was no other way for God to save us from our sins. God could not suffer,\nand man could not satisfy; but the God-man both suffered and satisfied all that\nwas required for the salvation of God’s elect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In His Propitiation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our blessed Savior is great\nin his propitiation. Having brought in an everlasting righteousness for us, the\nSon of God suffered the wrath of God as our Substitute. When he was made to be\nsin, God drew forth the sword of his justice and buried it in his Son! Now,\nthere is no wrath left in God to be propitiated for us. He says, \u201cFury is\nnot in me!<\/em>\u201d Having punished our sins to the full satisfaction of justice\nfor us, God will never charge his elect with sin (Rom. 4:8; 8:1, 34; 1 John\n2:12).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In His Pre-eminence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Our mighty Redeemer is\ngreat in his pre-eminence. God has made his Son to be Head over all things and\nhas given him pre-eminence over all things. Christ has all power, all dominion,\nall authority, and all honour. He is to have all the praise of all his people\nfor all things. The Lamb upon the throne is worthy of praise from all who are\nabout the throne. The triune God has so arranged the affairs of the universe\nthat Christ shall be praised forever by all things. All creation shall praise\nhim as Creator (Rev. 4:11). All rational creatures shall praise him as their\nrightful Lord (Phil. 2:9-11). All angels and men, both righteous and wicked,\nshall render praise to Christ the Judge in the last day (Acts 17:31). And all\nGod’s elect shall praise Christ alone for the whole of their salvation forever\n(1 Cor. 1:30-31). Yes, Jesus Christ is the great God and our great Savior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh! Wonder of wonders!<\/strong>
\n
\n(Charles Spurgeon<\/a>,\n“His Name, Wonderful”)<\/em>    
\n
\n“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government\nwill be upon His shoulder:and His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor,\nThe Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace!” Isaiah 9:6
\n
\nOh! what is that I see?
\n
\nOh! world of wonders\u2014what is that I see?
\n
\nThe Eternal of ages, whose hair is white like wool, as white as snow\u2014becomes an\ninfant!
\n
\nCan it be?
\n
\nYou angels, are you not astonished?
\n
\nHe becomes an infant, hangs at a virgin’s bosom, and draws his nourishment from\nthe woman!
\n
\nOh! Wonder of wonders!<\/strong>
\n
\nManger of Bethlehem, you have miracles poured into you.
\n
\nThis is a sight which surpasses all others!
\n
\nTalk of the sun, moon, and stars; consider the heavens, the work of God s\nfingers, the moon and the stars that He has ordained\u2014but all the wonders of the\nuniverse shrink into nothing, when we come to the mystery of the incarnation of\nthe Lord Jesus Christ!
\n
\nI do believe that the very angels have never wondered but once, and that has\nbeen incessantly ever since they first beheld it! They never cease to tell the\nastonishing story, and to tell it with increasing astonishment too\u2014that Jesus\nChrist, the Son of God, was born of a Virgin, and became a man!
\n
\nIs He not rightly called Wonderful?
\n
\nInfinite\u2014and an infant!
\n
\nEternal\u2014and yet born of a woman!
\n
\nAlmighty\u2014and yet hanging on a woman’s bosom!
\n
\nSupporting the universe\u2014and yet needing to be carried in a mother s arms!
\n
\nKing of angels\u2014and yet the carpenter’s despised son!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Octavius Winslow<\/a>) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is our path to glory, but the path of tribulation, of\nsuffering, and of death? Our Lord and Master, in the expression of His wisdom\nand love, forewarns us of this: “In the world you shall<\/em> have\ntribulation.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are all the supports of the believer in seasons of trial,\nsuffering, and bereavement\u2014but so many manifestations of the life of the\nLord Jesus<\/strong>? This it is that keeps the soul . . .
\n  buoyant amid the billows,
\n  strong in faith,
\n  joyful in hope,
\n  soaring in love!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus is Jesus<\/strong> . . .
\n  the life of every grace,
\n  the life of every promise,
\n  the life of every ordinance,
\n  the life of every blessing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, of all that is really costly and precious to a child of\nGod, Jesus<\/strong> is . . .
\n  the substance,
\n  the glory,
\n  the sweetness,
\n  the fragrance,
\n  yes, the very life itself!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh! dark and lonely, desolate and painful indeed, would our\npresent pilgrimage be\u2014but for Jesus!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If in the world we have\ntribulation; in whom do we have peace?
\nIn Jesus!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If in the creature we meet\nwith fickleness and change; in whom do we find the Friend who loves at all\ntimes?
\nIn Jesus!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When adversity comes as a\nwintry blast, and lays low our comforts,
\nwhen the cloud is upon our tabernacle,
\nwhen health, and wealth, and influence, and friends are gone;
\nin whom do we find the covert from the wind; the faithful, tender Brother born\nfor adversity?
\nIn Jesus!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When temptation<\/em> assails,
\nwhen care<\/em> darkens,
\nwhen trial<\/em> oppresses,
\nwhen bereavement<\/em> wounds,
\nwhen heart and flesh are failing;
\n  who throws around us the protecting shield,
\n  who applies the precious promise,
\n  who speaks the soothing word,
\n  who sustains the sinking spirit,
\n  who heals the sorrow,
\n  who dries the tear?
\nJesus!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where sin struggles in the heart,
\nand guilt burdens the conscience,
\nand unbelief beclouds the mind;
\n  whose grace subdues our iniquities,
\n  whose blood gives us peace,
\n  and whose light dispels our darkness?
\nJesus!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And when the spark of life wanes,
\nand the eye grows dim,
\nand the mind wanders,
\nand the soul, severing its last fetter, mounts and soars away;
\nJesus<\/strong>, in that solemn moment\u2014draws near in form unseen, and whispers in\nwords unheard by all but the departing one, now in close communion with the\nsolemn realities of the invisible world, “Fear not! I am the resurrection\nand the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is utterly impossible!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Octavius Winslow<\/a>,\n1852)
\n
\nIt has been the distinctive aim, and the sincere desire of my ministry\u2014to\nmake known and to endear the Saviour to your hearts. <\/em>
\n
\nOh, how worthy is He . . .
\n  of your most exalted conceptions,
\n  of your most implicit confidence,
\n  of your most self-denying service,
\n  of your most fervent love!
\n
\nWhen He could give you no more<\/em>, and the fathomless depths of His love\nand the boundless resources of His grace would not be satisfied by giving you\nless\u2014He gave you Himself! 
\n
\nRobed in your nature,
\nladen with your curse,
\noppressed with your sorrows,
\nwounded for your transgressions,
\nand slain for your sins\u2014
\nHe gave His entire self for you! 
\n
\nHis redeeming work now finished, He is perpetually engaged in meting out\nblessings to His people from the exhaustless treasures of His love! He\nconstantly woos your affection, invites your grief, and bids you flee with\nyour daily trials<\/em> to His sympathy; and with your hourly\nguilt<\/em> to His blood. You cannot be too covetous in your drafts upon\nChrist’s fullness! Nor can you be too extravagant in your expectations of\nsupply! You may fail, as, alas! the most of us do, in making too\nlittle <\/em>of Christ\u2014but you cannot fail in making too much <\/em>of\nHim!
\n
\nIt is utterly impossible<\/strong> to know Christ, and not become inspired with\na desire . . .
\n  to love <\/em>Him supremely,
\n  to serve <\/em>Him devotedly,
\n  to resemble <\/em>Him closely,
\n  to glorify <\/em>Him faithfully here,
\n  and to enjoy <\/em>Him fully hereafter!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The one, precious, all absorbing theme!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Octavius Winslow<\/a>, “The Precious Things of God<\/a>“)
\n
\nThe Word of God must ever be\ntranscendently precious to the believer. The Bible is, from its commencement to\nits close, a record of the Lord Jesus. Around Him the divine and glorious Word\ncenters; all its wondrous types, prophecies and facts gather.
\n  His Promise and Foreshadowing,
\n  His holy Incarnation, Nativity and Baptism,
\n  His Obedience and Passion,
\n  His Death, Burial and Resurrection,
\n  His Ascension to Heaven,
\n  His Second coming to judge the world\u2014
\nare the grand and touching,
\nthe sublime and tender,
\nthe priceless and precious
\ntruths interwoven with the whole texture of the Bible, to which the Two\nWitnesses of Revelation, the Old and the New Testaments bear their harmonious\nand solemn testimony.
\n
\nBeloved, let this be the one and chief object in your\nstudy of the Bible\u2014the knowledge of Jesus!
\n
\nThe Bible is not a history, a book of science or a poem\u2014it is a record of\nChrist. Study it to know more of Him\u2014His nature, His love, His work. With the\nmagnanimous Paul, “count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge\nof Christ Jesus your Lord.” Then will God’s Word become increasingly\nprecious to your soul, and its truths unfold.
\n
\nIn every page you will:
\n  trace the history<\/em> of Jesus,
\n  see the glory<\/em> of Jesus,
\n  admire the work<\/em> of Jesus,
\n  learn the love<\/em> of Jesus, and
\n  hear the voice<\/em> of Jesus!
\n
\nThe whole volume will be redolent of His name, and luminous with His beauty!
\n
\nOh, what is the Bible to us apart from its revelation of a Saviour!
\n
\nIs there not great danger . . .
\n  of studying it merely intellectually and scientifically,
\n  of revelling among its literary beauties and its grandeur
\n\u2014blind to its true value, and without any desire to know . . .
\nthat precious Saviour<\/em> who died for sinners,
\nthat Divine<\/em> Redeemer<\/em> who purchased the ransom of\nHis Church with His own blood;
\nthat Friend<\/em> who loves us;
\nthat Brother<\/em> who sympathises with us,
\nthat enthroned High Priest<\/em> who intercedes for us within the\nveil?
\n
\nDo we study the “Word of Christ” spiritually and honestly\u2014as those\nwhose souls hunger and thirst for this, the bread and water of life?
\n
\nDo we search it diligently and earnestly as for hidden treasure\u2014treasure beyond\nall price?<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nCan we say with David, “O how love I Your law! It is my meditation\nall the day!”<\/em>
\n
\nDo we:
\n  read it with a child-like mind,
\n  receive it with a believing heart,
\n  bow to its teaching with reverence of soul, and
\n  receive its decisions in all questions of faith and practice as decisive\nand ultimate?
\nIn a word, do we search the Scriptures humbly,\nprayerfully, depending upon the guidance of the Spirit\u2014to find Jesus in them?
\n
\nOf these Scriptures He is . . .
\n  the Alpha and the Omega,
\n  the substance,
\n  the sweetness,
\n  the glory,
\n  the one, precious, all absorbing theme! <\/strong>
\n
\nYes, Lord! Your word is precious to our souls, because it reveals to us Your\nglory, and tells us of Your love!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Christ – God\u2019s Salvation Luke 2:30 Our only hope of salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is in him alone, in him completely, and in him only. In fact, he is God’s salvation (Lk. 2:30). We cannot be saved without him; and we cannot be saved if we try to mix our own works, […]<\/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-6505","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\/6505","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=6505"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6505\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6506,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6505\/revisions\/6506"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6505"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6505"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6505"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}