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Christ Is Precious To Those Who Believe

“Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them” | Luke 15: 1-2

While the self-righteous Pharisees and scribes withdrew from the Lord Jesus Christ and then harshly criticized Him, many publicans and sinners drew near to hear Him.

“Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.” (Act 10: 33)

What a blessing from the Lord to have a willingness to draw near to Him and then to have ears to actually hear a word from Him. “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6: 44)

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5: 24)

His words are words of life.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1: 16)

His words are words of salvation.

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4: 12)

The worst thing the Pharisees and scribes said of the Lord, “This man recieveth sinners, and eateth with them;” is the best thing any sinner could hear.

“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Romans 10: 3-4)

It is not sin that keeps a man from hearing the good news of the gospel of Christ, it is his presumed righteousness he is going about to establish by his religious deeds.

“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3: 19-20)

No man will ever come to Christ while he is resting in the deeds of the law for salvation. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” (Ephesians 2: 1)

“Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.” (1 John 5: 1)

It is only by the almighty power of His sovereign grace that will effectually quicken us and make us alive in Christ that will cause us to draw near to Him, to hear Him and to believe Him. “For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.” (John 5: 21)

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” (2 Timothy 1: 9)

This Man receives sinners!

What a miracle of amazing and sovereign grace.

~ Pastor Tom Harding

Click here to listen to the message “Christ Is Precious To Those Who Believe” (15:11 minutes)

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: Special | Previous post date: 26 June, 2021

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Confessing And Professing Christ

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” | Romans 10: 13

Try to remember these words of Martin Luther as you live out your days in this religious world: “If I profess with loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that point where the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, then I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Him! Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved; and to be steady on all the battle-front besides is merely flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.”

Dear souls, though there is hardly any doctrine of Scripture that modern religion firmly stands for, yet the most basic and essential doctrines of God’s Word, they firmly and unitedly stand against.

Modern religion vehemently opposes the truth of God’s sovereign, almighty, saving grace.

They oppose the five points of what we call Calvinism – which is God-exalting, God-honoring, gospel truth.

They hate the Bible doctrines of man’s Total Depravity, God’s Unconditional Election of men unto salvation, the Limited Atonement of Jesus Christ, God’s Irresistible Grace, and the Preservation and Perseverance of God’s elect. (They especially hate the truth of Limited Atonement or Particular Redemption.)

Do not try to push these dear and precious truths of God upon anyone, but do not ever be embarrassed or ashamed to own these truths, though you stand all alone in a crowd of unbelievers.

John Calvin once said, “Even a dog will bark if his master’s vineyard is being overrun.”

Be zealous for the good opinion of God and care little for the good opinion of men.

I have been called a “cultist,” a “different kind of Baptist,” and even a “Jim Jones,” but none of these things move me away from owning God’s precious, eternal truths.

God’s Word is more than mere doctrine, even divine doctrine – in a sense it is our life!

Let us not be mere professors of Christ, but daily confess our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in both doctrine and practice.

~ Pastor Maurice Montgomery

Click here to listen to the message “Who Will Be Saved?” (44:37 minutes)

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: Special | Previous post date: 24 June, 2021

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The Just Shall Live By Faith

“And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” | Matthew 17: 20

The phrase the just shall live by faith is in the scriptures four times:

“Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” (Habakkuk 2: 4)

“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1: 17)

“But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.” (Galatians 3: 11)

“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” (Hebrews 10: 38)

The just shall live by faith must be important since it is in scripture four times, but what does it mean?

Three things immediately spring to mind.

First, the just shall live by faith means that a sinner is justified by the faithfulness OF Christ to obey the law as a man as the representative of His people and to make the sacrifice that puts away the sin of His people without any help from the sinner.

Second, the just shall live by faith means that a sinner is justified through faith IN Christ without any of our works contributing in any way.

A sinner is justified by relying on the Lord Jesus Christ to do all the work it takes to justify them.

Third, the just shall live by faith means that the justified ones live believing the Word of God.

The justified ones believe everything the Word of God says.

The justified ones believe every promise of God.

They do not try to live on what they think God might do.

They live relying upon what God says He WILL do in His Word.

~ Pastor Frank Tate

Click here to listen to the message “Don’t Despise Humble Beginnings” (32:25 minutes)

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: Special | Previous post date: 21 June, 2021

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Unbelief And Its Consequences

“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” | Romans 1: 20-23

The carnal heart will always give itself the honor, glory, and praise… thinking that it is the source of accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as man’s personal Savior.

It will foolishly comfort itself in self-righteous pride believing that soon heaven shall be its final home.

But a regenerated sinner will say with a broken but thankful heart, “Salvation is of the Lord and therefore I am what I am by the grace of God.”

~ Pastor Marvin Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “When God Gives a Man Up” (60:23 minutes)

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: Special | Previous post date: 19 June, 2021

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He Never Changes

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” | Hebrews 13: 8

I am so thankful that as I grow older and things change, inside and out, that there is One who never changes.

  1. His love never changes with time, for He loved me with an everlasting love that knows no change.
  2. His power never changes. He is just as able to keep me from falling today as when I first began.
  3. His Word never changes: “God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?” (Numbers 23: 19) Has He not magnified His Word above His Name?
  4. His election of me shall never change. He will never cast off those whom He has chosen, for they will never do anything that He did not know about and has not already taken care of.
  5. The power of His blood shall never change. It still cleanses from all sin. No matter how deep the stain has gone, His blood washes it away.
  6. His Sacrifice will never change, it will never lose its effectiveness because it is always fresh in the midst of the Throne of God: “And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain…” (Revelation 5: 6)

We have a living sacrifice standing in the midst of the Throne of God.

When we rise out of our beds in the morning and go through our changes, just remember that there is One who remains the same yesterday, today, and forever.

The Rock Christ Jesus.

~ Pastor John Chapman

Click here to listen to the message “Particular Redemption” (38:29 minutes)

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: Special | Previous post date: 17 June, 2021

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True Faith

“And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.” | 2 Samuel 11: 26-27

True faith throbs in a man’s pulse, it looks out of his eyes, it lights up his countenance, it softens his touch, it mellows his voice, it bows his head, it bends his knee, it opens his hand, it soft-pedals his tongue, it breaks his heart, it orders his steps, and it gives him a hearing ear.

He lives for Christ; and, if necessary, he would die for Him.

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “The Lord Has Put Away Your Sin” (57:52 minutes)

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: Special | Previous post date: 14 June, 2021

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What Is Your Heart Set On?

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” | Philippians 1: 6

Here is great comfort for the child of God, especially under trials.

God will not forsake the work of his grace.

He will perform the work begun till we stand in His presence complete, without spot or blemish.

~ Pastor John Chapman

Click here to listen to the message “What Is Your Heart Set On?”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: Special | Previous post date: 12 June, 2021

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True Profession

“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” | 1 John 3: 18

The thing that troubles me most about the validity of our profession of Christ is that we talk, preach, and sing of love, mercy, and forgiveness.

But then, when the opportunity comes for us to love the unlovely, forgive the offender, and bind up the wounded heart, we join the circle of Pharisees, clutching our stones, ready to wound and maim.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5: 22-23)

A profession that does not produce is a false profession.

~ Pastor Henry T. Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “I Never Knew You” (44:28 minutes)

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: Special | Previous post date: 10 June, 2021

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Six Things Believers Will Do

“O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake.” | Psalm 79: 8-9

1). Believers so trust Christ as to renounce every other ground of confidence. “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” (Philippians 3: 7-9)

2). Believers glory only in the righteousness of Christ and count their own to be filthy rags. “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64: 6)

3). Believers rejoice in the cross of substitution, glorying in nothing else. “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” (Galatians 6: 14)

4).Believers love the Lord Jesus supremely and will so order their lives as to avoid commitments and associations which hinder fellowship with Him. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14: 26-27)

5). Believers will continue in the faith, for true believers never quit. “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” (1 John 2: 19)

6). Believers obey the Lord’s commandments, not in order to gain His favor but because they love Him and dwell in His favor. “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” (2 Corinthians 5: 14-15)

Believers trust Christ, glory only in Christ’s righteousness, rejoice in the cross, love the Lord Jesus, continue in the faith and obey the Lord’s commandments.

~ Pastor Henry T. Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “Who Is God?” (40:37 minutes)

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: Special | Previous post date: 7 June, 2021

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Ye Are Complete In Him

“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” | Colossians 2: 10

The believer’s standing in Christ does not fluctuate with his feelings, not even the increase or decrease of his faith or understanding or anything else.

He stands complete in Christ.

God would never trust any of His children to stand before Him at any time in their own selves; that is, in their merits or certain good frames of mind.

He knows our frame.

He remembers that we are yet dust.

Therefore, He has on purpose provided for them this perfect standing in Christ Jesus.

“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” (Colossians 2: 1)

“Ye are complete in Him,” the Holy Ghost said.

“Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:” (Colossians 1: 28)

He says in another place, “Ye are perfect in Christ Jesus.”

“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1: 30-31)

The very nature of our God requires us to be perfect and complete before Him at all times.

He, out of necessity, therefore provided all this for His children; a perfection, a completeness, which can never be diminished.

“Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:” (Hebrews 6: 17)

It is as unchanging as God Himself.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13: 8)

Every true believer may walk through this world in perfect liberty, free from anything and everything – yes, even his sin, fear of condemnation, and all else that would cause him to doubt of his completeness.

He may freely come to God, worship Him, call Him “Father,” and this he may do at all times with the utmost confidence and thankfulness, because in Christ he stands, first and foremost and always, complete before God.

O thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.

~ Pastor Bruce Crabtree

Click here to listen to the message “If You Love Me” (51:54 minutes)

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: Special | Previous post date: 5 June, 2021