Blessed in the Blessed One [Family Worship lesson in Ephesians 1:3–4]

What effect should the great truths of the faith have upon us? Ephesians 1:3–4 prepares us for the morning sermon in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the great truths of the faith should make us burst forth with praise unto God for their reality. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The devotional unfolds the profound truth that believers are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ, rooted in God’s eternal election before the foundation of the world. It emphasizes the triune nature of God, the hypostatic union of Christ, and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, highlighting how Christ’s incarnation, sacrifice, and exaltation secure our blessedness with Him in the heavenly realms. Central to this message is the doctrine of unconditional election—God’s sovereign, loving choice of believers in Christ for the purpose of their ultimate holiness and blamelessness before Him, a goal guaranteed by divine grace. The passage calls for worship and joy, not only because of past redemption but because of the certain future fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose. Pastor underscores that these truths, though often opposed, are foundational to Christian confidence, comfort, and praise, urging believers to live in the strength and gladness they provide.

2026.05.02 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ephesians 1:3–4

Read Ephesians 1:3–4

Questions from the Scripture text: Whose God does Ephesians 1:3 begin to praise? What else does it call Him? What does this combination remind us about Jesus (cf. WSC 21)? Whom has this God blessed? With what? Where? In Whom? What did God do to us (Ephesians 1:4)? In Whom? When? To what end? Before Whom? In what?

What effect should the great truths of the faith have upon us? Ephesians 1:3–4 prepares us for the morning sermon in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the great truths of the faith should make us burst forth with praise unto God for their reality. 

After the greeting—which was already rich with the glory and grace of God in Christ—the apostle explodes with a twelve-verse run-on sentence of praise. Just the first two verses’ worth are full of so much rich doctrine…

Christ’s humanity and deity. God is both His God (in His humanity) and His Father (in His deity). 

Christ’s person and work. He is the Lord—the eternally blessed and only living and true God, Who created all things and rules over all things. He is Jesus, for He is the One by Whom the Lord saves. He is Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed Prophet who reveals God’s will, Priest who intercedes for God’s people, and King who exercises God’s authority.

The completeness and greatness of God’s blessing. Every blessing. Even in heaven.

The means and Mediator of that blessing. The Holy Spirit (it is “spiritual” blessing) is the One Who applies it to us, and He applies it to us by uniting us to Christ. We know that it would be impossible for us to be seated in heaven, let alone blessed in heaven, apart from Christ. But every blessing of God comes to us in this same way: in Christ.

The source of that blessing: unconditional election. God’s free choice. The nature of election. Not just a bare choosing, but a choosing in which God considers someone in connection and unity with His Son. The timing of election. Before the foundation of the world. The end result/goal of election. Holiness and blamelessness. The greatness of this holiness. It is not merely a blamelessness before creatures, but a blamelessness and holiness before the holy, holy, holy God!

It is no surprise that many of these are the very truths that have been compromised and attacked throughout the history of the church. The world, the flesh, and the devil hate the glory of God. And so these truths are to be defended vigorously!

But not just defended. Delighted in. Rejoiced over. Turned back Godward in praise! This is, after all, the use of these truths in Scripture and the reason for defending them to begin with.

Why is each of these truths important? How is it precious? How would you defend it? How are you responding to it?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank you for blessing us from all eternity in Christ, in heaven in Christ, unto our final holiness and blamelessness in Christ. We bless Your Name for this, in Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP98 “O Sing a New Song” or TPH448 “Union with Thee”

The Nature of Wisdom and Folly [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 1:7]

Pastor teaches his family a selection from “the Proverb of the day.” In this verse of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that wisdom and folly are rooted in how we relate to the Lord. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The devotional establishes that the fear of the Lord is the foundational principle of all true knowledge, not merely as a starting point but as the essential lens through which all understanding—of creation, wisdom, and other people—must be pursued. It emphasizes that genuine knowledge begins with reverential awe of God, who is the Creator, Sustainer, and ultimate source of all truth, and that without this orientation, all learning becomes detached from its divine purpose. Pastor underscores that knowing others rightly requires recognizing their image-bearing dignity, their need for redemption, and their placement in God’s providential design, especially within family and community. In contrast, fools—though perhaps outwardly religious—disregard this divine framework, treating wisdom and instruction as irrelevant, because their heart operates as if God does not exist. The message calls for a transformative encounter with God Himself, where true knowledge is cultivated through worship, dependence, and obedience, made possible only by the Holy Spirit through Christ.

All Other Hopes Will Fail You [Family Worship lesson in Nahum 3:14–19]

What is our lasting takeaway from Nineveh? Nahum 3:14–19 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that those who hope in other things, or presume upon grace, will perish without hope. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The devotional draws a powerful contrast between human reliance on numbers, wealth, military might, and political power—symbolized by the locusts and grasshoppers of Nahum 3—and the ultimate futility of such trust apart from God. Though Assyria prepares desperately with fortified strongholds and multiplied resources, God declares their efforts will be consumed by fire, and their leaders will vanish like locusts fleeing at dawn, emphasizing that all earthly institutions and systems, when exalted above God, will fail. The passage underscores the justice of God’s judgment, especially after a prior opportunity for repentance, as seen in Nineveh’s brief revival under Jonah. The rhetorical climax—'For upon whom has not your wickedness passed continually?'—reveals that God’s mercy, while profound, is not a license for presumption, and that the season of repentance is not endless. The warning is clear: all human strength and self-reliance will ultimately collapse, and only those who turn from sin and place their hope in Christ will endure. Thus, the book of Nahum stands as a solemn reminder that true security lies only in God Himself.

2026.05.01 Hopewell @Home ▫ Nahum 3:14–19

Read Nahum 3:14–19

Questions from the Scripture text: What four preparations will Nineveh make (Nahum 3:14)? What will happen anyway (Nahum 3:15a–c)? What will they try to do (verse 15d–e)? Like what? What have they previously multiplied (Nahum 3:16a)? But what will their invaders be like now (verse 16b)? Who else are like locusts (Nahum 3:17a–c)? But, like locusts, what will happen to them (verse 17d–e)? And what will happen to their leadership (Nahum 3:18a–b)? And to their people (verse 18c–d)? How bad is their situation (Nahum 3:19a–b)? How will who respond to this (verse 19c–d)? Why (verse 19e)? 

What is our lasting takeaway from Nineveh? Nahum 3:14–19 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that those who hope in other things, or presume upon grace, will perish without hope.  

Your Resources and Preparations Will Fail You. The Lord gives Nineveh fair warning, so that they can stockpile water (Nahum 3:14a) and reinforce their defense works (verse 14b), manufacturing new bricks for the effort (verse 14c–d). But His purpose in giving them this time is to humiliate all of their best efforts (Nahum 3:15a–c). We must learn that there are no resources or preparation against the wrath of God. And we must learn not to trust in our resources or our preparations but in the Lord Himself.

Your Numbers Will Fail You. Another thing the Assyrians were hoping in was their sheer numbers. If we are going to be honest with ourselves, this is especially true of churches today. But God is not impressed with numbers. He taunts them about their swarms—whether themselves (Nahum 3:15d–e), their merchants (Nahum 3:16a), or their military (Nahum 3:17a–c). He uses terms for various types of locusts (reminiscent of Joel 1:4), but like all of these locusts, the Assyrians’ multitudes will fly away and vanish completely (Nahum 3:16b, Nahum 3:17d–e). Just as with resources and preparation, what are numbers against the Lord? And what are numbers without the Lord?

Your Merchants, Military, and Magistrates Will Fail You. Generally, nations hope that they will be exalted by their economy, as with the merchants of Nahum 3:16; or, by their military, as with the commanders and generals of Nahum 3:17; or, by their magistrates, as with the shepherds and nobles of Nahum 3:18a–b. But as soon as you become unprofitable, the merchants vanish (Nahum 3:16). And, the great militaries of history have all eventually vanished (Nahum 3:17). And, apart from transforming grace, the nobility are all in it for themselves (Nahum 3:18). Even in their strength, these are nothing against God, and nothing without Him. But even their strength is but for a moment. Those things which are good servants under the Lord become vain calamities, when hoped in against Him, instead of Him, or without Him.

If You Hope in Anything Else, Your Fall Will Be Final and Full. “Your injury has no healing. Your wound is severe” (Nahum 3:19a–b). And this is as it ought to be because their destruction is just and right. “All who hear news of you will clap hands over you” (verse 19c–d). Everyone will congratulate and agree with one another, because they've seen her wickedness, and they've suffered her wickedness (verse 19).

The Lord had shown great kindness to Nineveh. A generation ago, the Lord had sent Jonah, and they repented, and the Lord relented. But, their repentance was short-lived. This is, perhaps, the most dangerous things that a man can hope in: that he will always be able to repent again later. But the rhetorical question with which this book ends (Jonah is the only other book that ends in a question!) points out that they had made an ongoing habit of wickedness.

If we are going to presume that we can always repent later, that we can indulge ourselves, then when we feel like we're in danger of the judgment, we'll just repent then—there comes a day when the opportunity for repentance has passed. Do not risk playing with your eternal soul that way! And do not think that any of our households or cities or nations are some kind of special exception. A nation that does wickedness continually must not presume that it can somehow escape the judgment of God breaking into history against it.

Whether for a nation/household/congregation in time, or for a man for all eternity, everything else will fail us. If we hope in anything else, our fall will be final and full. We must not delay in turning from our sin and hoping in Christ and submitting to Him. And while we make good use of God's gifts (resources, preparations, wealth, arms, authority, etc.), we must never trust in these gifts. We must employ them as those whose trust is ultimately in God alone.

Why do you do the “responsible” earthly things that you do? Why do you do the “responsible” spiritual things that you do? What are you most tempted to find security in, apart from the Lord? What might be a sin, for you, that you have a nagging awareness that you need to turn from it, but you just keep doing it, as if it’s not that dangerous?

Sample prayer:  Father, thank You for this portion of Your Word. Thank You for how it directs us away from ourselves, and to You, in Christ. Grant that we would take it to heart by the mercy of Your Spirit, and that we would not presume upon Your grace, but live repentantly and obediently, in submission to You, and in care for others, which we ask through Christ. Amen!

Suggested songs: ARP2 “Why Do Gentile Nations Rage” or TPH177 “Before Thee, God, Who Knowest All”

Crazy(?) Love [Family Worship lesson in Mark 3:20–35]

What is Jesus doing? Mark 3:20–35 prepares us for the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these sixteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus is destroying the works of the devil, forgiving sin, and gathering a family. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The devotional centers on Jesus's confrontation with accusations of demonic possession, exposing the irrationality of attributing His divine power to Satan. It emphasizes that while all sins, including blasphemy, can be forgiven, rejecting the Holy Spirit’s testimony to Christ’s divine mission results in eternal condemnation, underscoring the necessity of faith in Christ as God’s self-sacrificial love made manifest. Jesus is gathering to Himself a spiritual family redeemed from sin and Satan’s dominion. The message calls believers to respond in faith, embracing Christ’s inexplicable love, and living in alignment with His Father's will as evidence of belonging to His eternal family. Ultimately, the devotional presents the gospel as both a divine rescue from spiritual bondage and a transformative invitation into God’s family, rooted in grace and sustained by faith.

2026.04.30 Hopewell @Home ▫ Mark 3:20–35

Read Mark 3:20–35

Questions from the Scripture text: Why couldn’t they eat bread in Mark 3:20? Who go out to get Jesus in Mark 3:21? Why did they? In Mark 3:22, what do the Jerusalem scribes say is the reason Jesus can cast out demons? Whom does Jesus call to Himself in Mark 3:23? What does He ask them? In Mark 3:27, what does Jesus say that He is doing to Satan and Satan’s kingdom? According to Mark 3:28, what sins can be forgiven? But according to Mark 3:29, what can never be had by someone while he is blaspheming against the Holy Spirit? What does Mark 3:30 explain is an example of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? Who finally arrive in Mark 3:31? And what does the crowd tell Jesus in Mark 3:32? But what does Jesus ask them in Mark 3:33? And what answer does Jesus give in Mark 3:34? How does Jesus say we can identify His family in Mark 3:35?

What is Jesus doing? Mark 3:20–35 prepares us for the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these sixteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus is destroying the works of the devil, forgiving sin, and gathering a family. 

Jesus, delivering people in crazy love. It doesn't make sense that God himself, the glorious One and the holy One, would take the form of the bond slave and be found in appearance as a man, in order to die an accursed death for sinners (cf. Philippians 2:5–8). There’s a smaller picture of this crazy love in Mark 3:20-21:  such a multitude that they can’t even eat, and still Jesus patiently teaches and heals everyone. “His own people” think this is insane (Mark 3:21)!

The scribes (who, ironically, do a better job of connecting insanity to the demonic than many in the professing church today) latch onto the opportunity and attempt to spin this into an explanation of how Jesus delivers people from demons (Mark 3:22). Those jealous of the true work of God find it convenient to explain it away as crazy or demonic (“unbalanced,” they might politely say). 

Jesus, binding the devil. By suggesting that Jesus is the master demon (or, perhaps, serving him), the scribes broach a subject that exalts Christ all the more in our eyes. In Mark 3:23-27, He demonstrates that the only real explanation for what is happening is that the “strong man” has been bound. Jesus isn’t just casting out a demon here and there. He has bound Satan and is destroying the works of the devil (cf. cf. 1 John 3:8, Hebrews 2:14, Genesis 3:15). 

Jesus, forgiving sin. It’s amazing how people tend to focus on Mark 3:29, and forget Mark 3:28. The Holy Spirit’s great testimony is that Jesus is God the Son, Who came into this world to save sinners. No one can have forgiveness if they come up with a competing explanation (Mark 3:29, cf. John 3:36). But behold the glory of Mark 3:28: ANYONE who believes in Christ, will be forgiven of ALL sins—even the worst of blasphemies!

Jesus, gathering a family. Finally, Jesus’s brothers and mother seem to have come to the same conclusion (Mark 3:31) as “His own people” from Mark 3:21. But Jesus has come to earth for much more than to become part of a biological family. He has come to earth to gather, from the family of Adam, new members of the family of God. The only-begotten Son can be identified, in part, by His doing “the will of God” (Mark 3:35). He bears the family resemblance! And Jesus has come, not only that we might be forgiven of our sins, but that we might be transformed after His own image—that we, too, might bear the family resemblance. The people at the door in Mark 3:31-32 looked, physically, like Jesus. But the Christian comes to look, spiritually, like Jesus. This is how you can identify His brother and His sister and mother (Mark 3:33-35). 

How are you responding to the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge (cf. Ephesians 3:19)?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for coming into this world to destroy the works of the devil, atone for our sins, and gather to Yourself a family. Forgive us for how we have responded to the gospel with empty speculations that overestimate the power of the devil, or obsess about genealogies, or some other such nonsense. Make us, instead, to be astonished at Your love, Your power, Your forgiveness, and the opportunity that You give us to become part of Your own family. So, make us to be those who do the will of God, as Your family on earth and in heaven, we ask in Your Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH461 “Blessed Are the Sons of God”

2026.04.29 Midweek Meeting Livestream (live at 6:30p)

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Harming Nation, Neighbor, and Self [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 29:4–6]

Pastor teaches his family a selection from “the Proverb of the day.” In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that manipulation by money or flattery is a way to harm a nation, a neighbor, or oneself. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: This devotional draws from Proverbs 29:4–6 to reveal a threefold call to righteous living: establishing justice in society, speaking truthfully to others, and cultivating a joyful relationship with God. It warns against the corruption of power through bribery and the moral danger of flattery, which manipulates others through deceptive words, likened to setting traps. The passage emphasizes that self-advancement through ingratiation or manipulation leads to spiritual entrapment, while true freedom and joy come only through faith in Christ, who justifies and sanctifies the believer. Pastor calls his family to integrity in public life, honesty in relationships, and personal reliance on Christ, framing faith as the only foundation for a life that is both righteous and joyful. Ultimately, the message is a pastoral exhortation to live with moral clarity, spiritual vigilance, and deep contentment in God’s grace.

People of Unfailing Promises [Family Worship lesson in 1Chronicles 4:24–43]

What might be happening, when it looks like all is lost for the church? 1Chronicles 4:24–43 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that, even when we see nothing promising in the church, the Lord may yet be doing much gracious work. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)