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God Delights To Show Mercy

”Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” | Micah 7: 18

Do not try to come to God through your religious ceremonies and traditions.

God does not delight in outward shows of religion.

”To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.” (Isaiah 1: 11-15)

Do not try to come to God through the strength of the flesh.

God does not delight in the works of the flesh.

”He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.” (Psalm 147: 10)

Come to God begging His mercy for guilty sinners.

God delights to show mercy to sinners.

Nothing glorifies God more than showing mercy to sinners through the sacrifice of Christ.

”The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.” (Psalm 147: 11)

God delights in mercy and He delights in those who come to Him begging mercy.

~ Pastor Frank Tate

Click here to listen to the message “Christ Our Mediator” (54:16 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.

Hurricane Road Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 24 July, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a | Cattletsburg, Kentucky

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The Only Man Who Can Plead For Us

”He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” | Romans 8: 32-34

We should always read the Old Testament with a desire to find something in it about Jesus Christ.

We study this portion of the Bible with little profit, if we can see nothing in it but Moses, and David, and Samuel, and the Prophets.

Let us search the books of the Old Testament more closely.

It was said by Him whose words can never pass away, “These are they which testify of Me”.

~ J. C. Ryle

Click here to listen to the message “Holy Hands & Modest Apparel”

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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: 9 February, 2020 | Previous post date: 30 April, 2022

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What A Contrast Between “I AM” And “I Am A Worm!”

”But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.” | Psalm 22: 6

This verse is a miracle in language.

How could the Lord of glory be brought to such abasement as to be not only lower than the angels, but even lower than men.

”My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.” (Psalm 22: 1-2)

What a contrast between “I AM” and “I am a worm!” yet such a double nature was found in the person of our Lord Jesus when bleeding upon the tree.

”But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” (Psalm 22: 3)

He felt himself to be comparable to a helpless, powerless, down trodden worm, passive while crushed, and unnoticed and despised by those who trod upon him.

”Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.” (Psalm 22: 4)

He selects the weakest of creatures, which is all flesh; and becomes, when trodden upon, writhing, quivering flesh, utterly devoid of any might except strength to suffer.

”They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.” (Psalm 22: 5)

This was a true likeness of himself when his body and soul had become a mass of misery — the very essence of agony – in the dying pangs of crucifixion.

”But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.” (Psalm 22: 6)

Man by nature is but a worm; but our Lord puts himself even beneath man, on account of the scorn that was heaped upon him and the weakness which he felt, and therefore he adds, “and no man.”

”All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.” (Psalm 22: 7-8)

The privileges and blessings which belonged to the fathers he could not obtain while deserted by God, and common acts of humanity were not allowed him, for he was rejected of men; he was outlawed from the society of earth, and shut out from the smile of heaven.

How utterly did the Saviour empty himself of all glory, and become of no reputation for our sakes!

~ Charles H. Spurgeon

Click here to listen to the message “The Mission of the Messiah” (43:31 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.

Zebulon Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 8 April, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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Our Compassionate Priest

“Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.” | Hebrews 5: 2

Thanks be unto God for our compassionate and faithful Great High Priest, Jesus Christ.

“Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2: 17)

Our blessed Saviour knows our frame; He knows that we are but sinful dust. “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” (Psalm 103: 13-14)

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3: 23)

But in spite of all that we are and all that we have done the Lord is longsuffering and compassionate toward His children. “Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity.” (Psalm 39: 5)

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3: 9)

So much that He loves the unlovely, so much that Christ justifies the ungodly, so much that the Redeemer died to save sinners. “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” (Romans 4: 5)

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly… But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5: 6, 8)

We read that His compassions fail not and are new every morning. “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.” (Lamentations 3: 22)

“But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” (Matthew 9: 36)

We read when He saw a multitude of sinners as sheep that were scattered having no shepherd, He was moved with compassion.

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23: 1)

What a blessed Shepherd the Lord has provided for us!

~ Pastor Tom Harding

Click here to listen to the message “The Faith Of God’s Elect” (34:56 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: 14 April, 2024 | Previous post date: n/a

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The Old Man And The New

”Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.” | Acts 11: 19

A man that is regenerate and born of God consisteth of two men, namely the “old man,” and the “new man.”

”And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 11: 20)

So that one man, inasmuch as he is corrupt with the seed of the serpent, is an “old man;” and inasmuch as he is blessed with the seed of God from above, he is a “new man.”

”And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.” (Acts 11: 21)

Inasmuch as he is an “old man,” he is a sinner and an enemy to God.

”Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.” (Acts 11: 22)

So, inasmuch as he is regenerate, he is righteous and holy and a friend to God, so that he cannot sin.

”Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.” (Acts 11: 23)

One man therefore which is regenerate well may be called always just, and always sinful: just in respect of God’s seed and his regeneration; sinful in respect of Satan’s seed and his first birth.

~ John Bradford

Click here to listen to the message “Called Christians First at Antioch” (31:47 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.

Zebulon Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 8 April, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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An Inglorious Ruin

“Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; but to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.” |Psalm 16: 1-3

The human race does not realize nor recognize its ruin.

Unregenerate people naturally cannot see their lost condition for they are spiritually dead to God.

For the most part, people see themselves in a rather glorious light.

However, this is not how God sees the human race.

God sees the human race as it is, lost, dead in trespasses and sins and in constant rebellion, and the way God sees it is the way it is.

Take any man at his best state, when he is praying, giving, reading God’s word, it is altogether vanity apart from the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity.” (Psalm 39: 5)

“Behold, Jesus Christ is my worth and my completeness before God. “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” (Colossians 2: 10)

~ Pastor John Chapman

Click here to listen to the message “The Judgment Seat Of Christ” (30:14 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.

Zebulon Grace Church Bulletin Article date: July 22, 2018 | Previous post date: 6 August, 2021 | Pikeville, Kentucky

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This I Confess

”But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.” | Acts 24: 14

When was the last time you looked at a beautiful painting and thought anything about the brush the artist used?

Or, when was the last time you read some inspiring words and had any thought of the pen the author used?

That’s absurd.

Never.

No, all the glory from the enjoyment of these works goes to the Artist and the Author.

The instruments they use are insignificant.

One brush or pen would be pretty much as good as the next.

”And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.” (Acts 14: 27)

When Paul and Barnabas came back to Antioch after their first missionary journey; “they rehearsed all that GOD HAD DONE with them and how that HE had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles”.

Yes, God uses His church to plant and water the seeds of the gospel.

Might we be found faithful in so doing.

But, let us never forget, except The Lord give the increase there will be no fruit.

”So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” (Luke 17: 10)

We are but, “unprofitable servants”; indistinguishable brushes and pens in the hand of the Master who Himself gets all the glory.

~ Pastor Greg Elmquist

Click here to listen to the message “This I Confess” (57:25 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: 29 May, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a

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A Sermon For Me

“Unto you that believe, He is precious” | 1 Peter 2: 7

Believers receive Christ, rejoice in Christ and, to them He is precious.

His obedience is our righteousness.

His blood is our atonement.

His prayers are our intercession.

His reign is our glory.

His coming is our hope.

Christ is all and in all.

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “A Wonderful Persuasion” (35:16 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: 15 March, 2020 | Previous post date: 18 April, 2022

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Thou Knowest

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.” | John 21: 15

On the night before His crucifixion the Lord Jesus said to His disciples, “All ye shall be offended because of me this night.” (Matthew 26: 21)

Peter with pride and arrogance spoke up and said, “Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.” (Matthew 26: 23)

Before the rooster crowed the next morning, Peter had denied the Lord three times. Now we fast-forward to the shores of Tiberias, after the Lord’s resurrection, and the Lord asks Peter this solemn, soul-searching question. “Lovest thou me more than these?” (Meaning more than the other disciples that were there also.) In lieu of Peter’s past failure and fall, this time he is not so quick to arrogantly answer.

The enlightened sinner that trusts alone in Christ has been taught not trust in their own heart, but to simply trust in the Searcher of all hearts to decide.

Peter now rested his love and faithfulness upon the omniscience of His Savior and said, “Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.”

Oftentimes, we, the sinners that we are, feel the need to boast of our love and faithfulness to Christ, when the only thing we have to boast in is Christ’s love and faithfulness to us.

If we ever feel that our love for Christ is in question, by ourselves or others, may we resist the selfish need to defend ourselves and learn to answer as Peter did and claim, “My Lord, knows all things; He knows that I love Him.”

~ Pastor David Eddmenson

Click here to listen to the message “For The Labored & Heavy Laden” (27:36 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: 26 September, 2021 | Previous post date: 11 April, 2022

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Leave Them There

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” | 1 Peter 5: 7

I know my sins, but I rejoice in His grace.

I know my weakness, but I rest in His strength.

I know my emptiness, but I am complete in Him.

“O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,” all because we do not cast our sins, our souls, on Christ and LEAVE THEM THERE!

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “HIS Mind, Will, Purpose & Work” (31:17 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: 26 September, 2021 | Previous post date: 6 April, 2022