30 January 2022: “Justified freely by His grace”

Service available on Youtube, or as text (below), or for audio see the Podcasts page.

Welcome

Notices:

1. Keep Fit – gentle exercise class at Bethel run by Reed Well-Being – Thursdays 1pm (contact Harry to register)
2. Planning to run an Alpha Course every Tuesday – start with light lunch, short talk, then small discussion groups, Tuesday 12.30pm (contact Harry if interested).

Testimony

“We look forward for the revival we all so desire where the Spirit of God would touch the lives of people and see a mighty harvest of souls won for Christ. Oh! What a blessing it will bring to our community and our hearts will be filled with inexpressible joy. Let’s pray, pray, pray for it and it will surely happen. God gives and gives His very best … Jesus!”

Stella

Worship

Word

Read Rom 3:21-31

… all are justified freely by His grace …

Rom. 3:24

Justification means that God accepts sinners, not because of any good works or moral efforts on their part, but solely because of God’s loving grace and mercy, made possible through the death of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. This happens immediately a person puts their faith, their complete trust and commitment, in Jesus Christ. This faith itself is not a human achievement but the gracious gift of God. Furthermore, God …

“… bestows the blessing of peace on those who were formerly enemies …”

James Dunn

… and those previously separated from God (cf. Isaiah 59:2) are reconciled to Him, have free access into His Presence,

Therefore, 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. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God … For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!

Rom. 5:1-2, 5:10

Formerly, all who sinned and fell short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23), can now boast in the hope of the glory of God (Rom. 5:2 above) for they are being changed into His image with ever increasing glory by the Spirit,

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2 Cor. 3:18

How very awesome, kind and loving is God who justifies the ungodly, those who are undeserving, which includes you and me, and not through any good works we have done but purely by His grace as we put our trust as in Him,

Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness,

Rom. 4:4-5

Amen!

Quote of the week

“Justification … Christ the bridegroom takes to Himself an impoverished and wretched harlot and confers upon her all the riches which are His”

P. Collinson

Verse of the week

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith … you … have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Gal. 3:26-27).

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, we praise and thank You that we are accepted in Your Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, in whom there is now no condemnation. Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit, who enables and empowers us to follow Him. Help us to live lives that are pleasing to You and for Your glory. Father, it’s all of Your Love, Grace and Mercy, thank You.

We especially pray for all those who are unwell in Bethel at this time. Lord heal, strengthen, and restore them in Jesus Christ’s Name, Amen.