Welcome to Hopewell!
Hopewell ARP Church is a Biblical, Reformed, Presbyterian church, serving the Lord in Culleoka, TN, since 1820. Lord's Day Morning, set your gps to arrive by 11a.m. at 3886 Hopewell Road, Culleoka, TN 38451
Sunday, March 15, 2026
2026.03.15 Lord's Day Livestreams (live at 10:10a, 11:10a, and 3p)
Saturday, March 14, 2026
The Children Whom God Has Given to Jesus [2026.03.14 Pastoral Letter and Hopewell Herald]
Hopewell Herald – March 13, 2026
The Lord has blessed us with a new covenant child (pun intended!) in the congregation, and we look forward to her baptism soon in the public worship of God.
Last week, in
the course of the M’Cheyne reading plan, we had the following passage:
Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when
the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said,
“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the
kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom
of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”
Luke 18:15–17
Jesus gives a two-fold rationale command to bring the children to Him:
First, children are members of the kingdom already. "Of such is the kingdom" means that the kingdom is comprised of such as these children.
Second, everyone in the kingdom of God must receive it as a little child. This applies to children and adults, both. Those who have the first birth must have the second in order to see the kingdom (cf. Jn3:3–8). So, "kingdom" is being used with reference to the visible church in v16, and the invisible/elect/eternal church in v17.
One of the reasons that Jesus insists that children are members of His church, and be brought to Him in all of the privileges of that membership (i.e. the means of grace!), is so that they can learn to receive the kingdom as little children. And one of the reasons that Jesus brings adults into the visible church is so that they can learn to receive the kingdom as little children.
So, dear reader, how have you received the kingdom as a little child? Or, haven't you? God grant unto us all to be true children.
When describing
Christ’s leadership of our public worship, Hebrews 2 puts these precious words
on His lips:
“Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”
Hebrews 2:13
Looking forward to coming to God together in the public worship, through His only-begotten Son, as His true children,
Pastor
Audio lessons to help you prepare for the
Lord’s Day:
▪Theology
Simply Explained — CC43, Covenanted to God in Christ
▪Theology
Simply Explained — WSC20, The God Who Is Pleased to Save
▪Song of Songs 6:4–13, “Blessed RE-Assurance”
▪Deuteronomy 31:9–13, “Means of Generational Grace”
▪Mark 1:1–11, “Why the Gospel Is Good News”
▪Nahum 1:2–6, “Wrestling with the Reality of Wrath”
▪Song of Songs 7:1–9a, “The Bride's Crowning Beauties”
LORD'S DAY – March
15, 2026
9:50 a.m. Breakfast Line Opens
10 a.m. Sabbath School
We are preparing our minds and hearts for
public worship by studying our Confession of Faith from Scripture, affirming
that Scripture is our only ultimate authority, but also discovering that what
we confess is thoroughly Scriptural.
11 a.m. Public Worship
▫Children’s Catechism for March 15. Q43 With Whom did God the Father
make the covenant of grace? With Christ, His eternal Son.
[CC 43 Simply Explained: “Covenanted to God in Christ”]
▫Shorter Catechism for March 15. Q20. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery? God having, out of His mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer. [WSC 20 Simply Explained: “The God Who Is Pleased to Save”]
▫Songs for public worship on March 15: ARP45B [mp3], ARP108A [mp3], ARP94A [mp3]
Scripture Text for first portion of worship service
Song of Songs 6:4–13
Scripture Readings and basis for confession of sin
and petition for help
Deuteronomy 31:9–13
Nahum 1:2–6
Sermon Scripture text and topic
We will be hearing the sermon from Nahum 1:2–6
about “Faith in the God of Vengeance”
Lord’s Supper! (Please see the section at the end of the Worship Booklet on how rightly to prepare for and take it).
1 p.m. Coffee Fellowship and Catechism Class
1:30 p.m. Fellowship Lunch
▫Memory
Verse for March 15, Nahum 1:3, YHWH is slow to anger
and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked. YHWH has His way in
the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.
3:00 p.m. Evening Praise and
Preaching
We will be singing at least ten Psalm
selections and hearing the sermon from Song of Songs 7:1–9a
about “The Heavenly Glories of the Bride ”
Hopewell this Month
Hopewell’s Presbytery
Prayer Focus for March
New Days ARP in
Duluth, GA
March Psalm of the
Month
ARP108A God,
My Heart Is Steadfast
• Saturday, March 14, Shower for Lowry and Abby, 10:30a in the
Fellowship Hall
• Wednesday, March 18, Midweek
Prayer Meeting. 6:30 p.m. in the Chapel. We will hear a sermon from
Proverbs 22:17–21 then pray until 8 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 18, Session Meeting, 8
p.m. in the Pastor’s Study
• Saturday, March 21, Memorial Service for Susan
Dobbins, 4p in the Chapel
• Saturday, March 28, Men’s (and future men)
breakfast, 7a in the Fellowship Hall
• Saturday, March 28, Church Workday, 8:30a
• Thursday, April 2, Diaconate Meeting, 8
p.m.
Wrestling with the Reality of Wrath [Family Worship lesson in Nahum 1:2–6]
2026.03.14 Hopewell @Home ▫ Nahum 1:2–6
Read Nahum 1:2–6
Questions from the Scripture text: Who is jealous (Nahum 1:2a)? Who avenges? Who avenges and is furious (verse 2b)? What will YHWH do (verse 2c)? What does HE reserve for His enemies (verse 2d)? To what is YHWH slow (Nahum 1:3a)? In what is He great? What won’t He do (verse 3b)? Where does YHWH have His way (verse 3c–d)? What are as the dust of His feet (verse 3e)? What does He rebuke (v4Nahum 1:4)? With what effect? What does He make to quake (Nahum 1:5a)? With what effects (verse 5b–d)? What rhetorical question does Nahum 1:6a ask? With what implied answer? What rhetorical question does verse 6b ask? With what implied answer? Why can’t anyone endure His wrath (verse 6c–d)?
What would God have us do, now, with His wrath? Nahum 1:2–6 prepares us for the morning sermon in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord would have us mindful of the reality and nature of His wrath.
It’s about the Lord, Nahum 1:2. The book of Nahum is written about Nineveh, and often addresses Nineveh, but it is given to Judah. Judah isn’t just in a bad place politically and militarily, having been oppressed by Assyria for around a century. Judah is in a bad place spiritually, halfway through the reign of Manasseh, with idolatry, and other immense but lesser evils running amok.
So, even the way that this little book begins is telling. It is the burden against Nineveh, but their name doesn’t even appear again until Nahum 2:8, about halfway through the book. YHWH’s Name, however appears five times in the first two verses of the actual prophecy (Nahum 1:2-3). God’s vengeance is not nearly as much about Judah as it is about YHWH. Nineveh (and the wicked in Judah!) are HIS adversaries (Nahum 1:2c), HIS enemies (verse 2d).
Here is comfort for the faithful in Judah: the greatness of YHWH’s vengeance flows from the greatness of His jealousy (Nahum 1:2a), His commitment to His own glorious Name. Surely, every wrong against them will be avenged with unimaginable intensity. But, here is a warning for the unrepentant in Judah: YHWH will take vengeance upon them in the same divine fury.
Take comfort by faith, and repent by faith, Nahum 1:3a–b. These two lines are a summary of Exodus 34:6–7. And they explain “what is taking so long” in the judgment of Assyria. YHWH acts on His own schedule. His agenda centers upon saving those whom He is bringing to repentance (cf. Romans 9:22–24), so His timetable is marked by slowness to anger (Nahum 1:3a). But this must not be taken either as an inability to act (YHWH is “great in power,” verse 3a) or unwillingness to act (YHWH “will not at all acquit,” verse 3b).
So, we must not walk by sight. When the wicked seem to be safe for a very long time, we must remain sure of what He says about Himself in His Word, and sure of His vengeance and wrath upon them. And, when we seem to have “gotten away with” our sins, we must remain sure that He hates our sin—and that we are in desperate need of the atoning blood of Jesus Christ for our guilt, and the resurrection power of Jesus Christ for our walking in newness of life. These certainties come when we walk by faith in His Word, rather than misjudging by the small sample-size of what we think we have seen so far. The mercy of His patience toward us should move us to repentance (cf. Romans 2:3–11).
Understanding His wrath, Nahum 1:3-5. So His Word, here, teaches us several things about His wrath. His wrath appears suddenly; it arises like a whirlwind or a storm (Nahum 1:3c–d). His wrath is inscrutable; those clouds that are so far above us are the dust that is beneath His feet; we cannot begin to comprehend His wrath (verse 3e). The effect of His wrath is instantaneous; just a rebuke instantly dries up the sea and the rivers (Nahum 1:4a–b). It is like the fire of God burning up the water in 1 Kings 18:38; when Jesus does this in the boat, the disciples are right to be very afraid of Him, for He identifies Himself as YHWH from Nahum 1:4! The effect of His wrath is immense; lush Bashan, mighty Carmel, and flourishing Lebanon are all made barren by this rebuke (Nahum 1:4c–d). Finally, the whole world is subject to God’s wrath: mountains (Nahum 1:5a), hills (verse 5b), and all the earth (verse 5c)—they quake at His presence. He is everywhere present in His wrath! But it is not just the world, but especially “all who dwell in it” that are subject to this glorious wrath (verse 5d).
Preparing for His wrath, Nahum 1:6. Why put us in mind of all of these truths about His wrath? To press upon us the questions in verse 6a,b. There is no more important or practical question for life or eternity. Wrath breaks into this world in events like the destruction of Nineveh (verse 6c–d). But greater wrath waits for all of the wicked when they leave this world. We must each ask: can I stand before His indignation? Can I endure the fierceness of His anger? By ourselves, the answer is a resounding, “No!” Be sure, dear reader, the answer to verse 6a–b is “none but Christ”! Attempting to hide in anyone or anything beside Christ is even worse! But, if we kiss the Son, and trust in Him, we will escape that wrath and find ourselves to be blessed forever.
How often are you mindful of the wrath of the Lord? How is it a comfort to you in the face of the evil that is on the earth? How has it been sending you, in reinvigorated faith, to the Lord Jesus for refuge? How has it warmed your heart in evangelism and prayer to those who are not ready for the last day?
Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for the book of Nahum. Thank you for reminding us of Your wrath. By Your Spirit’s blessing on Your Word, when it comes to Your wrath, please don’t let it be “out of sight, out of mind” for us. We praise You, God of vengeance, for You will not at all acquit the wicked. We thank You, God of grace, that You are slow to anger. By Your great power, hide us in Christ, that we may stand before You in Him now, on the last day, and forever, we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP49A “God, the LORD from Whom Is Vengeance” or TPH2B “All Authority and Power”
Friday, March 13, 2026
The Bride's Crowning Beauties [Family Worship lesson in Song of Songs 7:1–9a]
2026.03.13 Hopewell @Home ▫ Song of Songs 7:1–9a
Read Song of Songs 7:1–9a
Questions from the Scripture text: What does the Bridegroom praise (Song of Songs 7:1a)? What does He call her (verse 1b)? What does He praise in verse 1c–d? In what way? What two things does He praise in Song of Songs 7:2? In what manner? And what, in Song of Songs 7:3? In what manner? What does He praise in Song of Songs 7:4a? How? And in verse 4b–c? How? And in verse 4d–e? How? What does He praise in Song of Songs 7:5? In what manner? How does He summarize His praise in Song of Songs 7:6-7? And how does He describe His desire to delight in her (Song of Songs 7:8-9)?
How much does Jesus adore and enjoy the church? Song of Songs 7:1–9a prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these nine verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord Jesus is captivated with delight in His bride.
Not only have His expressions praise of her, and desire for her, not diminished, but now we see that they have even greatly increased. She had praised Him from head to toe in Song of Songs 5:10–15, and now He literally mirrors it, praising her from feet to head in Song of Songs 7:1–5.
It is this composite that is the main force of the passage, but without becoming creative, we are to learn from some of the details of His adoration and affection.
Living by grace, Song of Songs 7:1. The feet and thighs are an obvious place to start, because He has just described her as dancing “the dance of the two camps.” Indeed, the word in Song of Songs 7:1a is more literally “steps,” and the curving in verse 1c may well refer to motion rather than shape (the word for “jewels” only appears in the singular elsewhere, and the plural here may also imply motion). The bride is lovely not only in herself, but especially in her actions. And we see two more beauties in these actions: her status (prince’s daughter, verse 1b) and their source (the work of the hands of a skillful workman, verse 1d). Her beauty is not her own; it comes by her royal (re!)birth, and it comes as the skillful work of Another. How beautiful is the work of the Spirit in those who are God’s children.
Means of grace, Song of Songs 7:2-3. Song of Songs 7:3 reprises Song of Songs 4:5, lacking that the twins feed among the lilies. But, taken with Song of Songs 7:3, the bride’s beauty in provision is much richer than nourishment. There is the wine for refreshment and celebration, and the wheat for energy and strength. And not just wine, but mixed/spiced wine (Song of Songs 7:2a–b). And not just wheat, but heaps of it, and adorned with lilies (verse 2c–d). She is equipped for all that the saints need, and she is beautiful in her provision of it. Of course, as with the wine and bread of the Lord’s Supper, the point is not the means of grace, but the Lord of grace Himself.
Guarded by grace, Song of Songs 7:4. He praises her preciousness and purity (white) by the ornamental tower of ivory in Song of Songs 7:4a. The purity and peace of her eyes has been communicated by the figure of a dove before, and the pools by the gate in verse 4b–c convey the same idea. The nose is another tower, keeping vigilant watch in the direction of Damascus (verse 4d–e). The implication is diligence against enemies, especially the greatest enemy of sin. Taken altogether, the images of verse 4 focus upon her purity and peace, maintained by watchfulness.
Adorned by grace, Song of Songs 7:5. Finally, the description arrives at her head and her hair. This part of her adornment has been compared twice to a flock of goats, must recently in Song of Songs 6:5. And on those occasions, we have noted that the true adornment represented here is modesty and good works (cf. 1 Timothy 2:9–10), and a gentle and quiet spirit (cf. 1 Peter 3:3–4). In this case, there is greatness and glory of this adornment, as indicated by the mountain and the purple.
Delighted in by the Groom, Song of Songs 7:6-9. The last thing He says about her tresses is that a king is held captive by them (Song of Songs 7:5c), and now the section concludes by His demonstrating that she has indeed captured His heart. He summarizes her as “fair and pleasant,” bringing together words that He has already used to describe her, but the image of the palm tree is brand new. He zooms out to take her in as a whole. The palm is tall, straight, and slender. Exalted dignity. And there is a focus here on the breasts, that by which she would nourish their children. The image is not meant to be physical or sensual, as he switches from twin gazelle babies to clusters of dates and clusters of grapes. The abundance of her provision for the saints is sweet to Him like dessert. He puts forth great effort (“taking hold of its branches” (Song of Songs 7:8b) means a climb to the top of the tree) to take delight in her ministry of teaching and praise—her breath (verse 8d) and her palate (Song of Songs 7:9a).
As the Bride, and members of her, it should be our delight to be delightful to Christ. God give us to live godly, attend upon His means in the church, be spiritually watchful, and adorned with modesty, gentleness, and good works.
What acts of obedience and service do you do, unto the delight of Jesus? What use do you make of the means of His grace? How do you maintain watchfulness for purity and peace? How is your life adorned by humility and gentleness?
Sample prayer: Lord, come and delight in Your bride. Delight in her feet, her movements that are the result of Your own skillful work. Delight in the nourishment that she provides—the pure milk of the Word, and the bread and wine of fellowship with Christ. Delight in her purity, like ivory, and her peacefulness like pools. Delight in her nourishing her offspring, and enjoy the sweets of her mouth. We are amazed that You, the all-glorious King would take such delight in us. Come, by Your Spirit, and make us to take delight in delighting You, we ask in Your Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP45B “Daughter, Incline Your Ear” or TPH403 “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken”
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Why the Gospel Is Good News [Family Worship lesson in Mark 1:1–11]
2026.03.12 Hopewell @Home ▫ Mark 1:1–11
Read Mark 1:1–11
Questions from the Scripture text: Of what is this the beginning (Mark 1:1)? Whose gospel? Whose Son is He? Where had this been written (Mark 1:2)? Whom would the Lord send before His face? What would this messenger do for Him? What does Mark 1:3 call the messenger? Where would he be found? What did he cry to do? Where did John come (Mark 1:4)? What did he come doing? What was he doing, besides baptizing? What did he preach? What sort of baptism did he preach? Who went out to him (Mark 1:5)? Who, specifically? What was done to them by John? Where? Doing what? With what was John clothed (Mark 1:6)? What did he eat? What (Whom!) did he preach (Mark 1:7)? How does this One’s strength compare to John’s? How does this One’s worthiness compare to John’s? With what did John baptize them (Mark 1:8)? With Whom will the One baptize them? Who came, in those days (Mark 1:9)? From where? What was done to Him? By whom? Where? From where did He come up (Mark 1:10)? What did He see happening to the heavens? What did He see descending upon Him? Like what? What came from heaven (Mark 1:11)? What did it call Him? What did it say about Him?
Who is the Messiah, and what did He do? Mark 1:1–11 prepares us for the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eleven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus, the Son of God, came as the Christ Who would pour out His Spirit, and take away people’s sins.
Immediately, in Mark 1:1, Mark tells us that he is writing a gospel. It’s like placing a headline, or a cover page on the book that announces GOOD NEWS. So, one thing that we may want to do, as we read through this book, is to ask ourselves frequently, “how is this good news?”
That question is actually answered in at least three ways before the verse is over. (1) His Name is Jesus. Why was He called Jesus? He saves His people from their sins(cf. Matthew 1:21). (2) His title is Christ. This is a Greek translation of the word, “Messiah,” or “Anointed One.” Jesus is the promised forever-king of 2 Samuel 7, the promised forever-priest of Psalm 110, the promised great prophet of Deuteronomy 18 (cf. Acts 3:22-23). (3) His identity is that He is the Son of God. God Himself, the Son, has come as our Savior, King, Priest, and Prophet
Mark goes on to show the faithfulness of God, His perfect reliability. God promised that He Himself would come, and that He would first send a messenger (Mark 1:2-3). And John came, exactly as God promised (Mark 1:4-7).
But there’s a huge difference, here, between the messenger and the Messiah. What did John baptize with? The messenger baptized with water, a symbol of the people’s need for repenting from sin and being forgiven of sin.
And in Mark 1:8, with what does John say that Jesus will baptize? Again, we can see that Jesus must be not just a man but God Himself, for He pours out God Himself—the Holy Spirit—upon those whom He baptizes. Jesus’s baptizing gives the repentance and forgiveness that John’s baptizing could only tell them that they needed.
This makes Mark 1:9 wondrous and amazing: Jesus is baptized by John in the Jordan. Interestingly, Mark does not tell us that John at first refused to do this. Instead, he emphasizes God’s own testimony that Jesus did not need to be baptized for His own sin.
God identifies Jesus not as a son of Adam (needing repentance and forgiveness) but rather “My beloved Son,” deserving of honor and glory and kingdom and power and praise. Then, God makes it doubly clear that Jesus has no sin of which to repent or be forgiven: “in Whom I am well pleased.” Jesus is identifying Himself with sinners, but He most certainly is not one Himself.
Mark is a fast-paced gospel. And already, its news has been very good: God Himself has come as a man. He is not a sinner, but He has identified Himself with sinners. And His Father has responded to Jesus’s receiving this baptism not with rebuke but with affirmation! Identifying Himself with sinners, and pouring out His Holy Spirit upon them, is exactly what Jesus has come to do.
What active, day-to-day difference does it make for you that Jesus is your Prophet? Where and how do you hear His words? And what do you do with them after you hear? What difference does it make that He is your Priest? To whom do you go for forgiveness? How do you come near to God? What difference does it make that He is your King? How have you responded to God the Son, Who has identified Himself with sinners in their sin? Is He your Savior? In what current situation do you most need the comfort of remembering the Jesus has identified Himself with you? What is your plan for reminding yourself of that in that specific situation?
Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for giving Your Son, Who needed no repentance, to be the sacrifice for our sins. And thank You for giving Him to us as the One Who gives us Your Spirit for life and faith and union with Christ. Forgive us for our many sins, for His sake. And, forgive us for how forgetful we are of His glory and His grace. Grant that by that very grace, we would remember Him and live by faith in Him, we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH492 “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds”