The weekly update on our preaching ministry at Grace Baptist Church of Victoria. We were a little down in attendance this week … last week’s visitors did not return, but usually new visitors take time to ‘take hold’. We are praying for their return and embracing of a biblical church ministry. One young lady, newly moved in to the area dropped in for our first service. She did not stay long afterwards… not always a good sign.

In any case, we continue to press on in the work of the gospel. Here are the summaries.

How Sin Begins (Rm 1.21)

On further reflection concerning our passage last week, I decided to return to it and emphasize the beginning point of sin: resentment of God and ingratitude to God. No matter our circumstances, God’s plan and way for our lives is best. We fall into sin, even as believers, by doubting God’s sovereign disposal in our lives and failing to be grateful for his dealing with us, both by favourable and unfavourable circumstances. The end result of our murmurings can be a darkening of our hearts and a futility of our reasoning (to some extent), distancing us from God. May God find us submissive, grateful, and glorifying him!

The Reality of Satan

In which we begin a look at the teaching of the Bible concerning Satan. This is not a topic we enter because we are so much relishing it, but one we enter because it is under attack from Bible deniers and it is part of teaching the whole counsel of God. The first point: Satan is real, personal, and powerful.

A Prayer of Witness (Jn 11.41-42)

In our series following the chronological teachings and examples of our Lord on prayer, we come to the prayer uttered just before the resurrection of Lazarus. The prayer is intended to communicate God’s truth concerning our Lord to ‘the crowd’ – our public prayers should emulate our Lord’s public prayers as  much as possible.

Our latest messages. We had a good group out today, including a young family just moved into town. They are apparently believers, have two young daughters, show signs of some spiritual maturity… just the sort of family every pastor covets, in a godly sort of way, of course. We would greatly desire the Lord to lead this young couple to join with us in the work of the Lord in our ministry. May the Lord’s will be done! (I know what my will is in the matter!)

Here are our sermon summaries from today:

The Expression of Human Religion (Rm 1.21-23)

In Rm 1.18, God’s wrath is seen being revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold back or suppress the truth in unrighteousness. There are two means of suppression of the truth: the first, by the Suppression of Natural Religion [man’s natural response to the clear revelation of God’s power and nature in creation] (last week’s message) and the second, by the Expression of Human Religion [man’s proud, ungrateful, profane exchange of the glory of the uncorruptible God from the fertile ground of his futile reasonings, darkened heart and moronic mind]. No matter how much revelation a man has, whether only by nature or also by special revelation though God’s word, the tendency of his heart is to push God out of his thoughts by both these means.

May God keep us from any hint of reducing his importance in our lives by following the natural tendencies of our hearts.

The Organization and Ministry of Angels

In which we continue our discussion of the organization of angels [from last week’s lesson] by noting the distinctions of certain angels in the bible. We also concluded our discussion of angels entirely by covering the various ways in which angels serve in relation to God, to history, to Christ, to sinners, and to saints.

Prayers of Discipline (Mt 18.19-20)

Our passage is one often taken out of context, but in context give us a powerful lesson concerning the authority given to the local church and its officers. The prayer passage is in the midst of the famous discipline passage and assure God’s people of God’s eternal approval and authorization for taking action against sin by leading members of the church to repentance or by expelling the unrepentant from the assembly. These actions are sealed by the prayers of the church, authorized and solemnized by the presence of our Lord.

Read the notes while you listen.

Here is another round of messages from our pulpit. It is a great joy to be able to teach and preach God’s word. We had a young lady visit today for the first time, we are hopeful she will return. She actually stayed for the whole day. Several of our younger folks were able to spend a little time visiting with her which is a help, I am sure.

Here are the summaries:

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The Suppression of Natural Religion (Rm 1.19-20)

As we continue in Romans, we discuss the almost pathological effort of men to suppress the truth about God plainly seen everywhere around us. In our city, we have a beautiful and world-famous garden, the Butchart Gardens. When you look at the gardens there, you see on display evidence of a master gardener. But what do you see when you look at a rose, for instance? Evidence of someone far greater than any master gardener – you see the wisdom, intelligence, power, creativity, and transcendance of God. And you are without any excuse before Him.

The Organization of Angels (1)

In which we begin a consideration of the number and rank of angels. We caution against reading too much into the references about angel hierarchy, but are pulling out a few threads of the Biblical tapestry to see what we can know from the Bible about God’s order among the angels.

The Priest’s Part (2) (Lev 7.11-36)

We continue in Leviticus for our monthly communion service. Our passage today is a continuation of the repetition of the five main sacrifices (Lev 6-7) where Moses emphasizes particular matters of concern to the priests. In this message, we make several applications to our own lives and worship, but close with a comparison of the fellowship between priest and people in the ‘peace’ or ‘fellowship’ offering and the fellowship between saint and Saviour in our communion service. What a precious blessing our fellowship with Christ is!

God is Against Sin (Rm 1.18)

As we begin to look into detail at Paul’s exposition of man’s problem we come to his proposition, Rm 1.18. I sum it up in our title, ‘God is Against Sin’. God is completely against sin, God is against all sin, God is against sin whether sinners accept it or not. The significance of this truth is that God is against sin, but not sinners. Since man’s condition is so desperate, only righteousness from God can solve it.

The Nature of Angels (2)

In which we conclude our discussion of the nature of angels as spiritual beings, immortal, higher than men [but lower than God], and originally holy.

Rory Johnson: Willing to follow His Will (Ac 16)

My son Rory returned home from after his sophomore year at BJU. He is training for the ministry so we often give him preaching opportunities when he is home. This summer he will be leading a teen/college age Sunday School class for us.

In preparation for his class surveying the book of Philippians, Rory prepared a message on Acts 16, the record of the founding of the Philippian church. The theme of the message is submission to the Lord’s will, as seen in Paul’s life in this chapter.

Our last night of evangelistic services came tonight. Our only visitors were friends and fellow BWM missionary-church planters, Bill and Norma Carter. We had good attendance from our own people, including some who only attend occasionally.

The meetings closed out with another fine, Biblical evangelistic message, this time from Isaiah 53. Here’s the summary:

All We Like Sheep (Isa 53.6)

Our last message of the evangelistic meetings concerned the message of Isaiah 53.6. Evangelist Ken Lynch described the waywardness, willfulness and wickedness of man … and the wonder of our Saviour. O that men would hear him!

We had another excellent night in our services with a fine message and blessed special music. A couple of visitors, but this time no outward signs of any spiritual work in hearts. I spoke with one of them afterward and there is an area of mutual interest where I think I may be able to do some follow-up work. Pray for the ongoing work of the Spirit.

The Rich Young Ruler (Mt 19.16-22)

Evangelist Ken Lynch brought another powerful evangelistic message in our service tonight concerning the rich young ruler. He emphasized that the rich young ruler was respected, religious, and respected Christ. He was rich, but his riches could not obtain the sense of loss he experienced in his life. To his loss, his earthly mindset was fixed on making a deal with Christ so that he could obtain eternal life. What a tragedy … eternal life was available for him, but he would not do the one thing that was needed most of all, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Vision of Isaiah (Isa 6)

Evangelist Ken Lynch brought another powerful message for us tonight from Isaiah’s vision. Men reject what little they know of God, but if they would look at the Lord and who he is, if they would look at themselves as they really are, they would beg and plead God for pardon for their sins. Bro. Lynch gave us a closing illustration that brought out the difference between men who value pardons and men who do not.

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The service was a real blessing with more special music from bro. Lynch. We had two visitors, one of whom asked for spiritual counsel after the service. We hope to be able to have further opportunities with this one to help understand the gospel.

Blessed are the Forgiven (Ps 32.1-5)

We are blessed these next four days to have Evangelist Ken Lynch speaking (and playing various instruments) in our services. Brother Lynch first visited our work about 14 years ago while on vacation with his family. We are glad to see him return for special meetings with us.

The first message of the day was a sound exposition of the condition of sin, the consequences of sin, the conviction of sin, the confession of sin and the cancellation of sin. The message was a thorough examination especially of the condition of sin and its confession. There was no doubt concerning the solution for the sinner: turn to Christ, have your sins forgiven, covered, and cancelled.

The Lord Proves You (Dt 13.3)

In our Bible Study time, bro. Lynch began a message from Dt 13. In the first part of the message, he emphasized the fact that the Lord works in our lives, bringing even false prophets in contact with us (as well as other trials) to prove or test our need of the Lord … and the quality of our relationship with Him.

Responsibilities to the Lord Thy God (Dt 13.4)

Concluding the message from earlier in the day, bro Lynch emphasized our relationship to our personal God and our responsibilities to walk with Him, obey Him, and serve Him.

Today’s messages were a great blessing to us all. I believe brother Lynch fulfilled the mandate of Eph 4 where Paul says evangelists (among others) are God’s gift to the church to equip the saints for the work of the ministry.

We begin our summer ministry with almost all of our family home! What a blessing to see four of our five in our pews! God bless our oldest, serving on the foreign field (i.e., the USA!!).

Now for today’s summaries:

The Sinfulness of Sin (Rm 1.18-3.20)

Our message is a preview of the whole section of Romans where Paul proves that all men are sinners without exception. First, Paul shows the downward spiral of sin, then proves that the moral man and the religious man are not immune from sin’s pervasive influence and condemnation. He argues that the Jews are privileged, but still sinners. He shows how the Scriptures indict every man. There is no escape, all are sinners. ‘But now,’ the next section will begin, ‘but now there is righteousness from God without law.’ As William Newell said, Paul’s indictment of sinners is not one of eternal damnation but one of at-the-present-moment under condemnation. There is hope, if the sinner will but now repent and believe.

The Nature of Angels (1)

In which we begin to discuss the nature of angels as persons and as spirit beings.

The Priest’s Part (1) (Lev 6.8-7.10)

We look at a repetition of the sacrificial system, this time from the perspective of the priests. From this revelation we see the responsibility of the priests for maintaining the perpetuity, the holiness and detailed ritual of the Levitical system. New Testament worship can no less be concerned about reverence, holiness, and pleasing God.