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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 “Thus It Must Be”

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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: n/a

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Not Far From the Kingdom of God

“And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.” | Mark 12: 34

Not far from the kingdom of God is still not in it.

This is a miserable place to be.

It is to have the knowledge of God, Christ, and sin, yet not able to lay hold of Christ by faith as my all in all.

O what misery, to know and not have.

~ Pastor John Chapman

Click here to listen to the message “The Certainty of the Words of Truth”

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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.

Central Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 10 October, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

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It Shall Be Perfect To Be Accepted

“It shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.” | Leviticus 22: 21

The voice from the cross did not summon men to do, but to be satisfied with what was done, “It is finished.”

The sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only perfect thing which has ever been presented to God on man’s behalf.

~ Pastor Scott Richardson

Click here to listen to the message “It Shall Be Perfect To Be Accepted”

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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: 18 October, 2020 | Previous post date: n/a

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TOTAL DEPRAVITY

“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” | Ephesians 2: 1-3

All men, by nature, since the sin and fall of our first father Adam are guilty and helpless sinners before God.

By God’s own arrangement Adam was the representative of all mankind before God, so that when Adam sinned, we all sinned in him. When Adam suffered the penalty of sin, death, we all died.

This is clearly the doctrine of Holy Scripture. “By one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5: 12)

The guilt of Adam’s sin was imputed to all men without exception. “By the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation” (Romans 5: 18)

All men were in Adam as our representative before God. All men sinned in Adam. All men were condemned in Adam. All men are born in spiritual death.

We do not become sinners when we reach a certain age and commit certain evil deads.

We were all born sinners.

Being sons and daughters of Adam, we inherited our father’s nature – sin.

We are all born with a decided bais and tendency toward evil. Every member of the human race is born with a corrupt, sinful heart, which is capable of every evil thing, were it not restrained by the hand of God in providence.

This is what the Son of God says about the natural human heart, “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15: 19) Because our hearts are evil, everything we do is marred by the pride and selfishness and evil of our hearts. We do not have the ability, the will, or the potential to do a single thing that is truly and perfectly good and righteous. “There is none righteous… There is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Romans 3: 10,12)

Because all men are spiritually dead in trespasses and in sins, all men are utterly helpless by nature. We do not have the ability to obey the law of God.

Salvation comes by believing on Christ, but dead sinners cannot believe.

The Bible doctrine of toal depravitly is just this: All men by nature are sinful, guilty, and helpless.

Unless God intervenes and does for man what man cannot do for himself, all men will perish. “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2: 9)

~ Pastor Tom Harding

Click here to listen to the message “Christ Died For The Ungodly”

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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: 27 October, 2006 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

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When We See the Lord

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” | Hebrews 1: 1-3

A sight of Christ by faith brings peace to the conscience.

There is ever a war within, between the flesh and the Spirit, grace and nature, the old man and the new: the motions of sin in our members are ever warring against the law of holiness in our minds: wicked nature is like the troubled sea, which cannot rest; it is continually casting up mire and dirt: but the winds and seas of corrupt nature obey Christ.

He says, Peace, be still, and there is a great calm in the soul; for Christ is our Peace, he hath made our peace with God by his blood; he makes and keeps peace in our souls by his presence; our stubborn lusts will fight and reign if Christ be absent from our hearts; therefore, we cannot but be glad when we see the Lord.

~ Pastor David Pledger

Click here to listen to the message “The Son In Whom God Has Spoken”

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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: 22 March, 2020 | Previous post date: n/a

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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 “The Way Up Is Down”

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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: n/a

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A Profound Word

“And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.” | Acts 27: 44

Here is a profound word — “Again”

The new birth is a mystery of grace.

It cannot be explained; neither can it be fully understood. It is a work of God beyond our comprehension. When our Lord says, “Ye must be born again,” his meaning is twofold. The word again has two meanings.

First, it means, “You must be born from above.”

James tells us that “every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Then he tells us what he is teaching in the next verse. “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth.” (James 1: 17-18)

Second, it means, “You must be born a second time.”

Your first birth was of sinful parents, and you were born in their image.

The second birth is of God, and we are born in his image.
— The first birth was of corruptible seed. The second birth is of incorruptible seed.
— Our first birth is in sin. Our second birth is in righteousness.
— By our first birth we were polluted and unclean. By our second birth we become holy.
— Our first birth was fleshly and carnal. Our second birth is spiritual and makes us spiritual.
— By the first birth all men are foolish and ignorant. By our second birth we become wise unto salvation.
— By our first birth we were slaves to sin and the lusts of the flesh. By our second birth we are made free from the dominion of sin.
— By our first birth we are all children of wrath. By our second birth we are children of promise.

Our Lord says, “Ye must be born again,” because we were all born wrong the first time.

~ Pastor Don Fortner

Click here to listen to the message “Broken Pieces”

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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.

FreeGraceRadio.com Bulletin Article date: 10 August, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Danville, Kentuky

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The Man Must Be Altered

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new… For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” | 2 Corinthians 5: 17, 21

Over the years I have bought a few suits, and had to have them altered to fit me.

Not so in salvation.

In salvation the man is altered to fit the suit – the righteousness of Christ.

God must make me a new creature in Christ.

I must be made the righteousness of God in Christ.

Christ’s righteousness is never altered to fit me, I am the one that must be altered, created a new man in Christ.

~ Pastor John Chapman

Click here to listen to the message “All Things Are Of God”

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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.

Central Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 10 October, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

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Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.” | Hebrews 4: 2-3

The apostle Paul told all of the brethren of the church in Philippi: “I have you in my heart”… because “Ye are all partakers with me of grace” (Philippians 1: 7)

I feel the exact same way toward all the brethren of the church in Kingsport.

In the same way that all of God’s chosen people long to be with Christ, God’s people love to be with those who are in Christ, and love Christ, and bow the knee to Christ. When we have even brief moments of separation it causes us to realize how much we desire being together.

May the Lord God make that desire to grow.

May our love for Christ grow; and may our love for each other grow.

Because of the blood of our Savior, we are brethren – brothers and sisters together in Him.

And I want each one of you to know that I sincerely love you, I thank the Lord for you, and I greatly desire to see you again soon.

Being made to be “partakers of grace together,” “I have you in my heart.”

May Christ be in all of our hearts today, and may we be in His.

~ Pastor Gabe Stalnaker

Click here to listen to the message “Let Us Therefore Come Boldly”

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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: n/a

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Christ is my Redeemer and my Righteousness

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” | Luke 19: 10

Although I am a sinner, yet I despair not; for Christ, who is my Redeemer and my righteousness, liveth.

In Him I have no sin, no fear, no sting of conscience, and no fear of judgment; for in Him there is no condemnation.

I am indeed a sinner as touching this present life; but I have a righteousness of God which is above this life, who is Christ my Lord.

In Him I rejoice!

~ Martin Luther

Click here to listen to the message “What Should I Do If I’m Lost”

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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: 18 October, 2020 | Previous post date: 9 February, 2021