Devotional Materials. Week Commencing Sunday 12th June 2022
Call to Worship
“Know that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.” Deuteronomy 7:9
“Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand” Romans 5:1
Welcome this morning to our Anniversary service, marking 175 years of God’s faithfulness towards this church. Hebrews 10:23 encourages us in this way: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful”
Opening Hymn
‘Before the throne of God above’ MP 975 (Piano)
Charitie l Bancroft
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30-CFoddOp8
Opening Prayer
Lord we praise and worship you this morning that you are a faithful God.
Father we thank you that you gave your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who has opened up for us a ‘new and living way’ through his body; broken for us at the cross. Through his atoning sacrifice we are justified in your sight; and so are able to draw near to you Father in full assurance of faith. ‘Because the sinless saviour died, my sinful soul is counted free.’
You did not set your love upon us because we were numerous or because of any virtue in us, rather you loved us when we were indifferent, even ‘enemies’ towards you. It speaks of your magnificent grace.
Lord we thank you you continue to lavish your grace upon us; Lord Jesus as Great High priest you intercede for us each day ‘a great high Priest whose name is love, whoever lives and pleads for me.’
Thank you for such a wonderful salvation; this assured hope, because you are faithful. Even when we are faithless you are faithful, for you cannot disown your own. ‘My name is graven in your hands. My name is written on his heart.’
We can hold unswervingly to this assured hope of Salvation because you are faithful. One day we will stand with you- the risen lamb, the king of glory and of grace- in eternity, because of your faithfulness. Praise you Lord!
Thank you too for your faithfulness towards Angmering Baptist Church over many years. We praise you for what has been, and look to you for the future. Amen.
Hymns
‘Lord I come before your throne of grace’ MP 1087 (Guitar & violin)
Robert and Dawn Critchley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnXCj5p0GOc
‘’Faithful One, so unchanging’ MP 825 (Guitar &violin)
Brian Doerksen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxviwvjyg1w
“Father God, I wonder” MP 128 (Guitar & violin)
Ian Smale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xdGX1WWRuQ
Prayers
Inspiring God, our living, majestic and gracious Creator, we worship you, and we bring before you today our hopes and aspirations for our life together.
On this anniversary Sunday, we give thanks for all that has gone before, and we give thanks for all those who have gone before. And we give you thanks for our fellowship today. As we gather in your name to hear your word, and to encounter the risen Christ by the power of your Spirit.
Heavenly Father, thank you we are celebrating this church anniversary. We thank you for we are all one in Christ. We pray that as members of your body, your Spirit would knit us together in the bond of unity and love.
Lord, you have promised that you are the one that would build your church, and we ask that you would continue to equip each of us, individually and corporately with the talents and gifts that may be used to your praise and for the edification of all.
Protect us from the wiles of the enemy who seeks to destroy and cause divisions among your body. Help us to be sober minded, self-controlled, respectful, hospitable and gentle one towards each other. In humility may we seek to regard the needs and necessities of others before our own.
We entrust ourselves to you afresh our faithful Lord Jesus Christ. The Head of your body, the church, lead us, feed us and guide us good shepherd. Amen
We pray for all those in authority and leadership, both locally and throughout the world. Give them your mind, and surround them with godly counsellors who will exercise integrity and work for justice, morality, and freedom. Help them to esteem you, not dismiss you. Send revival, Lord.
We pray for the lost, the hurting, the lonely, the sick, the bereaved, and those who are imprisoned—behind both visible and invisible walls. Send your comfort, your peace, and your calming presence to those who are without hope. Protect the defenceless, and hold them close to your heart.
Lord help Ukraine. Fill them with the power of knowing that God is the wind in their sails. Relieve their suffering. Give them back their homes and families in the land where they lived happily.
We pray for missionaries who tell the good news of Jesus to people around our world. Lord Jesus, our hearts cry out for persecuted believers, too. Make them brave, and give them your powerful protection. We pray you will bring swift justice to those who want to destroy the innocent and those who carry your name. Bind the power of Satan, and strengthen believers everywhere.
So many needs Lord Jesus, but you are adequate for our every need. Your name is powerful, and your power is great. So it's in your name that we pray. Amen. (Crossway)
Reading Romans 8:14-17
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Hymn
‘Lead us, heavenly Father lead us’ MP 400 (Piano)
James Edmeston
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkq0lCQZkUk
Sermon. “Spiritual Adoption” Joe Barnes
Joe’s message can be accessed on ‘Youtube’ later today, either directly through YouTube or via the Angmering Baptist Church website. If you do not have access to the internet. Here is an alternative message:
From J.C Ryle’s sermon ‘Heirs of God’
The people of whom the Apostle Paul speaks of in the verses before us today are the richest people on the earth. It just has to be. They are called "heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ."
The inheritance of these people is the only inheritance really worth having; all others are unsatisfying and disappointing. They bring with them many concerns. They cannot cure an aching heart, or lighten a heavy conscience; they cannot prevent family troubles; they cannot prevent sicknesses, misfortunes, separations, and deaths. But there are no disappointments among the "heirs of God."
The inheritance I speak of is the only inheritance which can be kept forever; all others must be left in the hour of death, if they have not been taken away before. Those who are extremely wealthy cannot carry anything with them beyond the grave. But it is not so with the "heirs of God." Their inheritance is eternal.
The inheritance I speak of is the only inheritance which is within everybody’s reach. Most men can never obtain riches and greatness, though they work hard for them all of their lives; but glory, honour, and eternal life, are offered to every man freely, who is willing to accept them on God’s terms. "Whoever wants to," may be an "heir of God and co-heirs with Christ."
If any reader of this paper wishes to have a portion of this inheritance, let him know that he must be a member of that one family on earth to which it belongs, and that is the family of all true Christians. If you desire to have glory in heaven, then you must become one of God’s children on earth. I write this paper in order to persuade you to become a child of God today, if you are not one already. I write it to persuade you to be absolutely certain that you are one, if at present you only have a vague hope, and nothing more. No one but true Christians are the children of God! No one but the children of God are heirs of God! Give me your attention, while I try to unfold these things to you, and to show you the lessons contained in the verses which head this paper.
Let me show the relationship of all true Christians to God. They are "sons of God."
I know of no greater and more wonderful word that could have been chosen. To be servants of God—to be subjects, soldiers, disciples, friends—all these are excellent titles; but to be the "sons" of God is even a more superior designation. The Scripture says, "A slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever." (John 8:35)
To be a son of the rich and noble people in this world—to be the son of princes and kings of the earth—this is commonly considered a great temporary advantage and privilege. But to be a son of the King of kings, and Lord of lords—to be a son of the High and Holy One—who lives and dwells in eternity—this is something far greater. And yet this is the privilege of every true Christian.
The son of an earthly parent naturally looks to his father for affection, support, provision, and education. There is a home always open to him. There is love which, generally speaking, no amount of bad behaviour can completely extinguish. All these are things that generally belong to all the sons of this world. Think then how great is the privilege of that poor sinner of mankind who can say of God, "He is my Father."
But how can sinful men like ourselves become sons of God? When do we enter into this glorious relationship? We are not the sons of God by nature. We were not born as "sons of God" when we came into the world. No man has a natural right to look to God as His Father. It is a vile heresy to say that he has. Men are said to be born poets and painters—but men are never born sons of God. The Book of Ephesians tells us, "Like the rest, we were by nature objects (children) of wrath." (Ephesians 2:3) The Book of John says, "We know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God." (1 John 3:10) The doctrine of the Church of England wisely follows the doctrines of the Bible, and teaches, "By nature we are born in sin, and children of wrath." Yes: we are all, in our natural state, children of the devil, rather than children of God! Sin is indeed hereditary, and runs in the family of Adam. Grace is not hereditary, and holy men have not, as a matter of course, holy sons. Then, how and when does this mighty change and transformation take place? When and in what manner do sinners become the "sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty?" (2 Corinthians 6:18)
Men become sons of God in the day that the Holy Spirit leads them to believe in Jesus Christ for salvation, and not before. (Note: the reader will of course understand that I am not speaking of children who die in infancy, or of persons who live and die so mentally retarded that they could not begin to understand the gospel) What does the Book of Galatians say? "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26) What does the Book of 1 Corinthians say? "It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus." (1 Corinthians 1:30) What does the Book of John say? "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right (or privilege) to become children of God." (John 1:12) Faith unites the sinner to the Son of God and makes him one of His members. Faith makes him one of those in whom the Father sees no spot, and is well-pleased.
Faith marries him to the beloved Son of God, and entitles him to be counted among the sons. Faith gives him fellowship with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:3) Faith grafts him into the Father’s family, and opens up to him a room in the Father’s house. Faith gives him life instead of death, and makes him a son, instead of being a servant. Show me a man that has this faith, and then despite whatever church he goes to, I will say that he is a son of God.
This is one of those points we should never forget. You and I know nothing of a man’s sonship until he believes. No doubt the sons of God are foreknown and chosen from all eternity, and predestinated to adoption. But remember, it is not until they are called in due time, and believe—it is not until then that you and I can be certain they are sons. It is not until they repent and believe, that the angels of God rejoice over them. The angels cannot read the book of God’s election: they do not know who "His cherished ones" are on the earth. (Psalm 83:3) They rejoice over no man until he believes. But when they see some poor sinner repenting and believing, then there is joy among them—joy that one more burning stick is snatched from the fire, and one more son and heir is born again to the Father in heaven. (Amos 4:11; Luke 15:10) But once more I say, you and I know nothing certain about a man’s sonship to God until he believes in Christ.
I warn you to beware of the delusive notion that all men and women are children of God, whether they have faith in Christ or not. It is a wild theory which many are clinging to in these days, but one which cannot be proved out of the Word of God. It is a dangerous dream, with which many are trying to soothe themselves, but one from which there will be a fearful waking up in the last day.
I do not pretend to deny that God, in a certain sense, is the universal Father of all mankind,. He is the Great First Cause of all things. He is the Creator of all mankind, and in Him alone, all men, whether Christians or heathens, "live and move and have their being." All this is unquestionably true. In this sense Paul told the Athenians, that their own poet had said, "We are His offspring." (Acts 17:28) But this "offspring" status gives no man a title to heaven. The "offspring" status which we have by creation is one which belongs to stones, trees, animals, or even to the demons, as much as to us. (Job 1:6)
I do not deny that God loves all mankind with a love of pity and compassion. "He has compassion on all He has made." "He does not want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." "He takes no pleasure in the death of anyone." All this I admit completely. In this sense our Lord Jesus tells us, "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." (Psalm 145:9; 2 Peter 3:9; Ezekiel 18:32; John 3:16)
I utterly deny the doctrine that God is a reconciled and pardoning Father to anyone except those who have united themselves to His Son Jesus Christ, and that no one can be united with Jesus Christ who does not believe in Him for salvation. The holiness and justice of God stand against such a doctrine. They make it impossible for sinful men to approach God, except through the Mediator. They tell us that God is "a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29) against those who are without Christ. The whole New Testament is against the doctrine. It teaches that no man can claim an interest in Christ unless he will receive Him as his Mediator, and believe on Him as his Saviour. Where there is no faith in Christ it is a dangerous error to say that a man may take comfort in God as his Father. God is a reconciled Father to no one but those who are united with Christ.
It is unreasonable to talk of the view I am now upholding as being narrow-mined and harsh. The Gospel sets an open door before every man. Its promises are wide and full. Its invitations are earnest and tender. Its requirements are simple and clear, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." But to say that proud men, who will not bow their necks to the easy yoke of Christ, and worldly men who are determined to have their own way and their sins—to say that such men have a right to claim an interest in Christ, and a right to call themselves sons of God, is to say what never can be proved from Scripture. God offers to be their Father; but He does it on certain clear terms—they must draw near to Him through Christ. Christ offers to be their Saviour; but in doing so He gives one simple requirement—they must commit their souls to Him, and give Him their hearts. They refuse the terms, and yet dare to call God their Father! They scorn the requirement, and yet dare to hope that Christ will save them! God is to be their Father—but on their own terms! Christ is to be their Saviour—but on their own conditions! What can be more unreasonable? What can be more proud? What can be more unholy than such a doctrine as this? Let us beware of it, for it is a common doctrine in these latter days. Let us beware of it, for it is often falsely put forward and sounds beautiful and loving in the mouth of poets, novelists, sentimentalists, and tender-hearted women. Let us beware of it, unless we intend to throw aside our Bible altogether, and set up ourselves to be wiser than God. Let us stand fast on the old Scriptural ground: No sonship to God without Christ! No interest in Christ without faith!
Furthermore, all the sons of God have the feelings of adopted children towards their Father in heaven.
What does the Scripture say which heads this paper? "You did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’" (Romans 8:15)
The sons of God are delivered from that cringing fear of God which sin generates in the natural heart. They are redeemed from that feeling of guilt which made Adam "hide from the LORD God among the trees of the garden," and Cain to go, "out from the LORD’S presence." (Genesis 3:8; 4:16) They are no longer afraid of God’s holiness, and justice, and majesty. They no longer feel that there is a great gulf and barrier between themselves and God. They no longer feel that God is angry with them, and must be angry with them, because of their sins. The sons of God are delivered from these chains and shackles of the soul.
Their feelings towards God are now those of peace and confidence. They see Him as a Father reconciled in Christ Jesus. They look on Him as a God whose justice and holiness is satisfied by their great Mediator and Peacemaker, the Lord Jesus. They see Him as a God who is "just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:26) As a Father, they draw near to Him with boldness: as a Father, they can speak to Him with freedom. They have exchanged the spirit of bondage for that of liberty, and the spirit of fear for that of love. They know that God is holy, but they are not afraid: they know that they are sinners, but they are still not afraid. Though holy, they believe that God is completely reconciled: though sinners, they believe they are completely clothed with Jesus Christ. Such is the feeling of the sons of God.
I admit that some of them have this feeling more vividly than others. There are some of them who still carry about scraps and remnants of the old spirit of bondage to their dying day. Many of them still have moments when they shake with the resurrected fears of their old sin nature. But the overwhelming majority of the sons of God would say, if cross-examined, that since they knew Christ their feelings towards God are very different from what they had ever been before. They feel as if something like the old Roman form of adoption had taken place between themselves and their Father in heaven. They feel as if He had said to each one of them, "Will you be my son?" and their hearts had replied, "I will."
Let us also try to understand this, and hold on to it tightly. The sons of God are a people who feel towards God in a way that the children of the world do not. God’s children no longer feel a cringing fear of God; rather, their feelings towards Him is as a reconciled parent. This, then, is another mark of sonship.
Let me show you, in the last place, the privileges of the true Christian’s relation to God.
Nothing can be conceived more glorious than the prospects of the sons of God. The words of Scripture which head up this paper contain a rich mine of good and comfortable things. "If we are children," says Paul, "then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory." (Romans 8:17)
True Christians then are "heirs." Something is prepared for each one of them which is yet to be revealed.
They are "heirs of God." To be heirs of the rich on earth is something. How much more then is it to be son and heir of the King of kings!
They are "co-heirs with Christ." They will share in His majesty, and take part in His glory. They will be glorified together with Him.
And this, we must remember, is for all the children of God. Abraham took care to provide for all his children, and God takes care to provide for His. None of them are disinherited. None will be cast out. None will be cut off. Each will stand in his place and have a share, in the day when the Lord brings many sons and daughters to glory.
Who can tell us of the full nature of the inheritance of the saints? Who can describe the glory which is yet to be revealed and given to the children of God? Words fail us. Language falls short. Mind cannot fully conceive, and tongue cannot express perfectly, the things which are comprised in the glory yet to come upon the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty. Oh, it is indeed a true saying of the Apostle John: "What we will be has not yet been made known." (1 John 3:2)
The very Bible itself only lifts a little of the veil which hangs over this subject. How could it do more? We could not thoroughly understand more if more had been told us. Our mental capacity is as yet too earthly—our understanding is as yet too carnal to appreciate more if we had it. The Bible generally deals with the subject in negative terms and not in positive assertions. It describes what there will not be in the glorious inheritance that we may, therefore, have some faint idea of what there will be. It paints the absence of certain things, in order that we may drink in a little the blessedness of the present things.
It tells us that the inheritance "can never perish, spoil or fade." It tells us that "the crown of glory will never fade away." It tells us that the devil is to be "bound," that "there will be no night there and no longer will there be any curse," that "death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire," that "every tear will be wiped from their eyes," and that the inhabitant will never say, "I am ill." And these are indeed glorious things. No corruption! No fading! No withering! No devil! No curse of sin! No sorrow! No tears! No sickness! No death! Surely the cup of the children of God will surely run over! (1 Peter 1:4; 5:4; Revelation 20:2; 21:25; 22:3; 20:14; 21:4; Isaiah 33:24)
But there are positive things told to us about the glory yet to come upon the heirs of God, which ought not to be kept back. There are many sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comforts in their future inheritance, which all true Christians would do well to consider.
Final hymn
‘Great is thy faithfulness’ MP 200 (Piano)
Thomas O Chisholm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK-CM0sR4X8
Blessing
To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
David Barnes 8/6/22